MechWarrior 2 W95, TE, and 3DFX on Windows XP... plus extras!

[The Coop]

Several years ago, I linked to how a few folks got the DOS version of MechWarrior 2 running in DOSBox. It was a great day for all of us MW2 fans, as the work of those guys meant we could play the regular DOS version of a classic PC game. Since then, the game's gotten more compatible with DOSBox, but what of MechWarrior 2: Titanium Edition? Well, an answer has arrived...

http://files.filefront.com/Mech+Warrior+2+Titanium+Patch/;6944187;/fileinfo.html

Right there is a patch to run MW2:TE on Windows XP. I've tried it, and it does indeed work. I don't know how perfect everything runs visually and aurally, as I've never gotten to play TE up until now. It does chug once in a while during play, but the game runs.

However, there have also been other updates...

http://www.warp13.co.uk/mech2

Those are other patches. I believe the TE patch (the middle one) is the same as in the first link, but the other ones are for the regular version of MW2 95, so that it too may run on XP. The top one worked for me on the first try (you install it to the MW2 95 directory), but I haven't tested the second one. So, that one's still up in the air.

Anyway, I thought I'd share these discoveries in hopes that others can get them up and running. And of course, a big kudos to those coders who sat down and did what Activision simply refused to do.

EDIT: BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

Want to play the 3DFX version? The way to do it is simple (now). First, install the W95 version of Mech2. Then, install the "MW2Hook" file to the Mech2 game folder, and allow it to make a shortcut for you (it's in the second link above). Then, go and grab this file...

http://rapidshare.com/files/20054229/Mech2_3DFX_Conversion.zip.html

... and copy/paste those files into your Mech2 folder (overwrite anything that comes up). Finally, grab this...

http://dege.freeweb.hu/

... and place all the files in your Mech2 folder. All you have to do, is run "dgVooDooSetup", click the "DOS" button, uncheck "Working in VDD Mode", and hit "OK". Then just double click the "MW2Hook" shortcut that was made on your desktop, and you'll be playing the 3DFX version of MechWarrior 2.

Special Note: I've run the 3DFX version both with, and without starting the "dgVooDoo" executable first in the Mech2 folder. As such, you may or may not need to having that file running before starting the game.

EDIT 2: Want to see further into the distance with the W95 and TE versions? Grab this...

http://www.mech2.org/forum/download/file.php?id=44

... and point it to the proper files in the two directories. Punch in a new number (like say 1000), and you'll see a lot further into the distance than you could before. This is nice for eliminating that funky mountain/structure pop up that occurs normally, and it makes the game look nicer. It doesn't seem to work on the 3DFX version though.

[Dhsu]

I just found out about this myself, and I'll definitely be trying it when I get a chance to head back home and pick up my ATI 3D Rage edition.

I am tempted to buy the TE but I read that they changed the environments and the background music is set to shuffle, both of which I feel are anathema.

[Nutritious]

Wow, nice. I'm a pretty big MW2 fan myself. Played through the Dos version not too long ago using DosBox. I've actually wanted to pick up the TE for quite sometime now. This is good reason to do it.

I am tempted to buy the TE but I read that they changed the environments and the background music is set to shuffle, both of which I feel are anathema.

Seriously? I never knew about this. That's pretty lame. Maybe it would be better to just pick up the addons separately since I already have the original?