If there's any help you need for the The Batty Compilation programs you might find the answers here. For help on Treasure Crypt and Noughts & Crosses read the Treasure Crypt FAQ. This page gets updated when changes are made to the programs.

There's some important things about Ms-Dos Full-screen mode you should know. Just to help you out with this FAQ, click here to see what Ms-Dos Full-screen looks like and click here to see what Ms-Dos Window looks like.

These programs are made for Ms-Dos Full-screen. If any of the games are running and its in a Ms-Dos Window. Press Alt+Return to change to Full-screen because the games will look incorrectly.

General Questions

1. How do I unzip a file?

2. I downloaded a program and I can't find the file on my hard disk?

3. What are the controls for the programs?

4. What is Ms-Dos?

5. What is Turbo Pascal?

6. I'm unable to install The Batty Compilation. Is there any other way I can play your programs?

7. The programs run too fast or too slow?

8. The program speed is jerky. What's causing this?

9. I installed The Batty Compilation and when I try and run a program from the start menu. The program doesn't work. What's causing this?

10. The Ms-Dos programs do not run and I get this error message "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application."

11. When running Message and Noughts and Crosses '2 player link-up'. I get a message like 'Error loading c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe'?

12. How do I use DOSBox?

13. How do I use Mo'Slo?

14. Why are the self-extract files so big when I'm only running small DOS programs?

Ms-Dos Full-Screen

1. Ms-Dos loads in a window. How do I turn to full-screen mode?

2. When I exit Ms-Dos the window doesn't close properly. How do I fix this?

3. When running your programs, It slows down my computer. Why?

4. The moving text in the programs slow down for no reason. What can I do to fix this?

5. My screensaver comes on and crashes Ms-Dos?

6. When someone sends me a message in a program like MSN or Yahoo messenger, I come out of Full-Screen mode. How can I prevent this?

7. In crypt or noughts & crosses, I close Ms-Dos and the screen has all fuzzy lines or the screen has crashed.

Games

1. I'm having trouble Recording a sequence in Resarf?

2. I can't record any decent tunes on sound?

3. I tried playing a 2nd game in Noughts & Crosses with the '2 player link-up' mode and it doesn't work?

4. When running Resarf. The text overlaps a lot on the random demo. How do I fix this?

5. In Football Manager 2000. The skill levels and morale don't make any difference in the game. Why is this?

Source Code

1. When I compile a program on Turbo Pascal. I get an 'out of memory' error message?

2. When I view the source code in Turbo Pascal, the indentation is incorrect. How can I view this properly?

General Questions

(Q1) How do I unzip a file?

(A) For PC's without Windows XP, you need a free zip utility program like WinZip Evaluation Version.

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(Q2) I downloaded a program and I can't find the file on my hard disk?

(A) Use the Search option in the Start Menu and type in i.e. "Batty.zip" without the quotes. Or click the link Self-Extract. This is easier to use but takes longer to download.

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(Q3) What are the controls for the programs?

(A) The Ms-Dos games all use the cursor keys for the controls (Left, Right, Up, Down arrow keys). You can't use a joystick or mouse to use them. Other keys used are the Return key, Spacebar, Escape key, Tab key, Delete key and the Function keys.

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(Q4) What is Ms-Dos?

(A) DOS (disk operating system) was the operating system software developed for 16-bit Intel processors and shipped with the first IBM PCs, and until the introduction of Microsoft Windows. DOS uses a command-line user interface.

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(Q5) What is Turbo Pascal?

(A) A high-level programming language designed to support structured programming and used in teaching, applications, and systems programming.

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(Q6) I'm unable to install The Batty Compilation. Is there any other way I can play your programs?

(A) If you have any problems with the setup program, you can download a game and play it on it's own. The setup is only needed for copying the files to hard disk and copying the start menu and desktop icons. Also when installing and uninstalling using the setup. There is a log file at C:\LOG.TXT and this explains the commands setup went through.

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(Q7) The programs run too fast or too slow?

(A) The programs were designed on a computer with a Pentium 4, 2.4Ghz processor. There's a chance if your computer is slower or faster than this, the speed of the programs might be wrong. Probably most of the effects and the intros will go at the wrong speed but all the menus will be ok to use.

To fix this, try changing the speed settings in some of the programs. If this doesn't work use the DOSBox and Mo'Slo. Click here for the instructions to install. Or close the program and run it again and if your using the Self Extract link, do the same.

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(Q8) The program speed is jerky. What's causing this?

(A) The programs sometimes use 100% of the CPU resources and this could make the game speed jerky if something else is running in Windows.

If this happens, try the following things to see if it fixes it.

1. Press Alt+Return to take you to Windows and press Alt+Return again to take you back into the game.

2. Stop downloading or uploading from the internet.

3. Only have 1 of the The Batty Compilation programs running at the one time.

4. Close some windows on the desktop. Especially large applications i.e. Outlook or MS Word.

5. Each game has speed settings. Change the settings if it's too slow or too fast.

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(Q9) I installed The Batty Compilation and when I try and run a program from the start menu. The program doesn't work. What's causing this?

(A) There's a known bug with the Self-Extract link. When this bug happens, installing The Batty Compilation only copies the start menu icons, not the programs. To fix this, click on the title of the program and download the zip file to your hard disk.

Another reason is you have installed The Batty Compilation on a drive other than the C: drive.

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(Q10) The Ms-Dos programs do not run and I get this error message "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application."

(A) If your using Windows XP, the Autoexec.nt file might have been deleted from the System32 folder. To fix this, check if the Autoexec.nt file exists. If it doesn't then download the file here and copy to the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder.

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(Q11) When running Message and Noughts and Crosses '2 player link-up'. I get a message like 'Error loading c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe'?

(A) I can think of 3 reasons why this happens.

1. The command.com or cmd.exe are not in the default locations. The code looks at c:\command.com (for windows 95,98,ME) and c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe (for windows XP).

2. You have another Ms-Dos window running. Close all the Ms-Dos windows until the game has downloaded.

3. The server could be busy, so try again later.

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(Q12) How do I use DOSBox?

(A) DOSBox seems to fix some of the problems on this page when running the Ms-Dos programs. This program is similar to the Mo'Slo program below.

DOSBox emulates a Intel x86 PC and gets old PC games working. There is a speed option in DOSBox which lets you change the speed of Dos programs (Ctrl F11 & F12).

These instructions are for installing & loading DOSBox. Then loading the game and changing the speed of the game.

1. Click this link to download and install DOSBox.

2. Then load the program from the Start Menu.

3. If your using the C: hard drive. Type "Mount C C:\" at the command prompt without the inverted commas.

4. Then type C:

5. If you want to run Batty and The Batty Compilation is installed at the default location. Type "Cd C:\Progra~1\BattyCom\Batty"

6. Run the game by typing batty.exe

7. Repeatedly press Ctrl + F12 to increase the CPU clock cycles and Ctrl + F11 to decrease them, until the speed is correct.

8. Press Ctrl + Enter to switch to Full-Screen Mode (This is not necessary).

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(Q13) How do I use Mo'Slo?

(A) Mo'Slo is a program for slowing the PC down. Use this when the Ms-Dos programs are running too fast. This program is similar to the DOSBox program above.

These instructions are for installing & loading Mo'Slo with the game. When running the game, the computer speed slows down.

1. Click this link to download and install the free version of Mo’Slo.

2. Run the Ms-Dos Command Prompt. To do this, on the Start Menu use the Run option. Type command.com for Windows 95,98,ME and cmd.exe for Windows XP.

3. Type "Cd C:\Progra~1\BattyCom\Batty" without the inverted commas.

4. Type "C:\Moslo\Moslo.com /20 batty.exe"

5. The /20 means the dos program is running 20% of the PC's speed. If the speed is still not right then change this number and reload the game and Mo'Slo.

Note. With Football Manager 2000 use the folder C:\Progra~1\BattyCom\Fm2000 and fm2000.exe for the filename. For my other programs, use Resarf, Noughts and Crypt etc for the folder and filename.

The tilde character (~) is on the same key of the keyboard as the hash character (#).

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(Q14) Why are the self-extract files so big when I'm only running small DOS programs?

(A) I'm using a Windows self-extract program to make the files. I have still to find a DOS self-extract program which will make the files smaller.

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Ms-Dos Full-Screen

(Q1) Ms-Dos loads in a window. How do I turn to full-screen mode?

(A) Press right mouse button on the icon (i.e. Resarf) or right click on the file (i.e. Resarf.exe) and choose properties. Find where it says Full-screen and tick the box. Then press OK.

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(Q2) When I exit Ms-Dos the window doesn't close properly. How do I fix this?

(A) Press right mouse button on the file or icon and choose properties. Tick the box 'close on exit'. Then press OK.

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(Q3) When running your programs, It slows down my computer. Why?

(A) On some parts of the games there will be moving or flashing text or a sort of animation. When this happens the PC will use 100% of the CPU. When your on a menu or a page without anything moving, the CPU will be at its normal speed.

Everything is ok when on Full-screen mode. Its when its on a Ms-Dos Window and the CPU is at 100%, this will slow down your PC.

If you want to do something else on Windows, you will be out of the Full-screen mode. Your best to either exit the game, press 'p' for pause on some games or go into a menu with no moving text.

Or run the programs through DOSBox. The CPU speed is at normal, even in the Window. Click here for the instructions to install.

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(Q4) The moving text in the programs slow down for no reason. What can I do to fix this?

(A) Before playing a game of Batty or watching Resarf at a fast speed. You will probably have to press Alt+Return to change to a Ms-Dos Window and press Alt+Return again to return to the game. This only needs to be done once every time you load Ms-Dos.

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(Q5) My screensaver comes on and crashes Ms-Dos?

(A) If this happens then your probably best to temporary turn of the screensaver.

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(Q6) When someone sends me a message in a program like MSN or Yahoo messenger, I come out of Full-Screen mode. How can I prevent this?

(A) Maybe change your status to away. Or run the programs through DOSBox using a Window. Click here for the instructions to install.

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(Q7) In crypt or noughts & crosses, I close Ms-Dos and the screen has all fuzzy lines or the screen has crashed.

(A) You might not have properly closed the game correctly which keeps the graphics library opened. Pressing the exit option or escape in the game should prevent this from happening. To get rid of the fuzzy screen run the program again and choose exit.

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Games

(Q1) I'm having trouble Recording a sequence in Resarf?

(A) To record and watch a resarf sequence. Go through at least 255 positions in the Record screen. In the Load/Save screen press 's' for save and type the name of filename. Select the name you just saved and then press space to start the demo.

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(Q2) I can't record any decent tunes on sound?

(A) I haven't programmed much in Sound and I still have a lot to do with it.

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(Q3) I tried playing a 2nd game in Noughts & Crosses with the '2 player link-up' mode and it doesn't work?

(A) I still have some programming to do with the '2 player link-up' and only 1 game can be played. To play a second game. At the end of the first game both players need to disconnect and run the noughts program again. If there's any problems run the Noughts-Fix and try again.

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(Q4) When running Resarf. The text overlaps a lot on the random demo. How do I fix this?

(A) The random demo is best viewed in Text Mode 80 rather than the default Text Mode 40 (change the option in Resarf). Making the text sentence shorter or increasing the X & Y Turn options might help this problem. Also sometimes its better to watch the demo sitting away from the computer monitor especially when the demo is going fast.

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(Q5) In Football Manager 2000. The skill levels and morale don't make any difference in the game. Why is this?

(A) The game is not finished and I've still to figure out how to program this. Every game the match score is completely random and both teams are equal.

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Source Code

(Q1) When I compile a program on Turbo Pascal. I get an 'out of memory' error message?

(A) This is to do with the programs been pretty large i.e. Football Manager 2000 has about 6000 lines of code and Treasure Crypt has about 8000 lines. Its best to use Turbo Pascal 7 rather than the version 6. This seems to have more memory when compiling. There are a few ways to increase the memory in Turbo Pascal and in DOS. Try some of the following things.

Config.sys

Remove TSRs from memory

Remove unnecessary drivers

Reduce files and buffers

Add these lines into the Config.sys file

device=c:\windows\himem.sys
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe noems

dos=high,umb

For Windows XP, add these lines into the Config.NT file

device=c:\windows\system32\himem.sys
dos=high,umb

Turbo Pascal Options

Set Compile│Destination set to Disk

Turn Graphics Screen Save OFF

Set Options│Linker│Link buffer to Disk

Turn both Range Checking and Stack Checking OFF

In Options│Memory Sizes, reduce Stack Size and Low Heap Limit

Try using the command-line compiler TPC.EXE or TPCX.EXE in Ms-Dos to compile the programs.

Run Turbo Pascal using TPX.EXE instead of TURBO.EXE. This uses the protected mode and gives you 16MB of memory.

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(Q2) When I view the source code in Turbo Pascal. The indentation is incorrect. How can I view this properly?

(A) The source code (.pas file) is best viewed in Turbo Pascal with a tab setting of 3. If you don't have Turbo Pascal, then use the Ms-Dos text editor edit.com. Again with the same tab setting.

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