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Gabriel Knight: Sins of The Fathers Help

Gabriel knight: Sins of The Fathers' original requirements:

MS-DOS 5.0 or Windows 3.1 or greater
386 or better
2x CD-ROM
2 MB RAM
2 KB minimum Hard drive space, 30 MB recommended
SVGA 256 colors
SoundBlaster & AdLib, Pro Audio, Pro Audio 16, Roland MT-32, Sound Source or General MIDI
Mouse

 

Some of these problems are timer related. They can be fixed by using the SHP DOSBox installers or Enrico Rolfi's (Endroz) new GK1 Windows installer that includes patches for the Gabriel Knight bugs.

Although, the timer bugs can also be avoided by playing the DOS version in DOSBox alone, it is recommended that you apply the NewRisingSun patch (for floppy version or the CD version) for the DOS version, even with DOSBox.
 

Audio Problems

Audio problems are common in the later Sierra DOS SCI games. There's no single fix for all these games. You can try the Windows version, if running on 32-bit Windows.

Problem - Poor Quality / No Sound (Win9x and XP):
The game has no sound or the music is of poor quality.

Solution 1 (preferred):
Play the game in DOSBox. It also will work with the MT-32 sound module, if you are fortunate to have one.

Solution 2:
Use VDMSound. The game work well with VDMSound. The sound will be as good as your audio hardware, and as with DOSBox, it works with the MT-32 sound module.

Solution 3:
Play the game with FreeSCI, a third party Interpreter for Sierra's early SCI games.

Solution 4 (DOS/Win9x):
Install DOS drivers for your soundcard. Without DOS drivers installed you won't have sound in a DOS window in Windows 9x. If you can't find DOS drivers for your soundcard, there is an alpha (developmental) version of VDMS that you can try.

Problem - Unable to initialize your audio hardware:
On starting the game you get the message:

Unable to initialize your audio hardware

Solution 1 (preferred):
Play the game in DOSBox. By playing your game in DOSBox, you can avoid this and other timer problems. Even the Windows version can be played in DOSBox if you install Windows 3x in it, first.

Back when computers came with a "Turbo" switch (a sort of speed switch,) Sierra's workaround was to turn off the Turbo switch to start the game, after which you could turn the Turbo back on. If you have your cycles in DOSBox set too high, you may still encounter this problem. You can mimic the turbo switch solution by lowering your cycles (Ctl+F11) before starting your game. You may raise the cycles back up after the game starts (Ctl+F12).

Solution 2:
Patch the old audio driver with GOSiERRA or SBSIERRA.

Solution 3:
Use an updated audio driver.

Solution 4:
Try installing the Windows version

Speed problems

As with many of the Sierra VGA games, some of the Gabriel Knight: Sins of The Fathers problems are timer related. They can be fixed by using Enrico Rolfi's (Endroz) new installer that installs the Windows version with patches for the Gabriel Knight bugs. These bugs can also be avoided by playing the game in DOSBox. If you can't or don't want to use DOSBox, you can try using a Slowdown Utility.

Here is a list of problems with solutions/workarounds.

Problem - Day 5 Lockup:
The game locksup on Day 5.

Solution #1 (preferred):
Install the DOS version and apply this patch by NewRisingSun for the floppy version or here for the CD version. (You may still want to play the game in DOSBox.)

Solution #2:
Install the DOS version and play using DOSBox. Even the Windows version can be played in DOSBox if you install Windows 3x in it, first.

Solution #3:
Using Enrico Rolfi's (Endroz) new installer.

Solution #4:
Use a Slowdown Utility.

Problem - Desk Sergeant:
On Day 6, the desk sergeant leaves the police station to buy beignets and comes back in too soon, making it impossible to get into Mosely's office without getting caught.

Solution #1 (preferred):
Install the DOS version and apply this patch by NewRisingSun for the floppy version or here for the CD version. (You may still want to play the game in DOSBox.)

Solution #2:
Install the DOS version and play using DOSBox. Even the Windows version can be played in DOSBox if you install Windows 3x in it, first.

Solution #3:
Using Enrico Rolfi's (Endroz) new installer.

Solution #4:
After the sergeant comes back in, wait until he falls asleep before sneaking past his desk.

Solution #5:
Use a Slowdown Utility.

Problem - Floating Mummies:
In the African Snake Mound scene, mummies "float" instead of walk if you leave the room too quickly.

Solution #1 (preferred):
Install the DOS version and apply this patch by NewRisingSun for the floppy version or here for the CD version. (You may still want to play the game in DOSBox.)

Solution #2:
Install the DOS version and play using DOSBox. Even the Windows version can be played in DOSBox if you install Windows 3x in it, first.

Solution #3:
Using Enrico Rolfi's (Endroz) new installer.

Solution #4:
Use a Slowdown Utility.

Game Specific Bugs

A non-speed dependent bug in the the game.

Problem - Rapid TEXT:
Rapid TEXT during Gabriel Knight 1 - the game's text just flies by. The rapid text is because the timing is based on the audio resources (on the CD) -- when the game can't find this, the text speed goes by too fast.

Solution:
You must mount your CD drive with the CD in it, or you will have to copy all of the CD to your game's folder and edit the resource.cfg file to reflect this change. i.e.:

   audio = .\;.\sfx;.\patches;.\aud
    sync = .\aud
movieDir = .\seq

Problem - Save/Restore Crash:
The game crashes when saving or restoring a game (Windows XP)

Solution #1 (preferred):
Play the DOS version of the game. (You may still want to play the game in DOSBox to avoid any speed bugs.)

Solution #2:
Use Endroz's new GK1 Windows XP Installer.
 

Gabriel Knight I & XP

Windows version and XP

Enrico Rolfi (Endroz) has developed a new Windows installer with patches for the Gabriel Knight bugs. Use his installer to play this game in XP. It fixes most problems with GK1 under XP, including the nasty save/restore bug under Windows XP.

NOTE: If you have 64 bit version of Windows, you MUST run the DOS version in DOSBox, since the Windows version of the game will not play (no 16 bit code will run natively in x64 Windows.)

Endroz's GK Patches & Tools

Note: The following information is only for those that want to setup GK1 manually. Other users should use the New Gabriel Knight: Sins of The Father DOSBox Installer.

DOS version and XP

In XP, the DOS version of the game (unless the audio in the install is set to "no audio/speech") may give a blank screen or won't even start, giving this error message:

We're sorry, you have encounter an internal game error...

Error number: 29
..\audio.cpp:1167:0:0

The default RESOURCE.CFG file has an entry:

audiosize=63k

Change this to:

audiosize=45k

or any value up to 45k means the game will run fine. Any value above 45k gives the audio.cpp error. If you remove the audiosize line, it will default to a much lower value. You will get much better audio performance (less crackling and dropouts) by changing this value to 45k.

A sample RESOURCE.CFG:

videoDrv = VESA.DRV
soundDrv = ADL.DRV
audioDrv = DACBLAST.DRV
joyDrv = NO
directory = \SIERRA\GKCD
cmd = GKCD
mouseDrv = none
memoryDrv = none
minmemory = 2M
CD = YES

audio=C:\SIERRA\GKCD;D:;D:\sfx;D:\patches;D:\aud
sync=D:\aud
movieDir=D:\seq
patchDir=C:\SIERRA\GKCD;D:;D:\patches
audiosize=45k

Also, adding:

audioIRQ=7

to the RESOURCE.CFG has helped some. (Note: From the command line typing "SIERRA -" gives options for the resource.cfg )

How to Setup Gabriel Knight I in DOSBox

The Windows version, even with using the Endroz installer might not be a viable solution for some, particularly those with 64-bit Windows. Setting up Gabriel Knight I in DOSBox may be the only way to play the game on many systems. This is relatively easy to do.

  1. Make a folder on your harddrive for the game, say C:\Sierra\GK1. (Note: If you set it up in another location or with a different folder name, modify the path in these steps where appropriate.)

    Note for Vista users: Avoid using a folder under the "Program Files" folder. Write access to this folder is limited, which has proven to cause issues with older games. Instead, try a location, such as "C:\Sierra\GK1".

  2. Copy these folders from the CD to the C:\Sierra\GK1 folder:

AUD
PATCHES
SEQ
SFX

  1. Copy these files from the CD to the C:\Sierra\GK1 folder:

ALT.MAP
GK1.ICO
INSTALL.EXE
INSTALL.HLP
INSTALL.SCR
INSTALL.TXT
RESOURCE.000
RESOURCE.ALT
RESOURCE.CFG
RESOURCE.MAP
RESOURCE.SFX
SIERRA.ERR
SIERRA.EXE
VERSION

and all *.DRV files.

  1. Unzip the NewRisingSun GK1 patch to the "C:\Sierra\GK1\PATCHES" folder.
     
  2. Open the RESOURCE.CFG in Notepad and edit to this:

videoDrv = VESA.DRV
soundDrv = GENMIDI.DRV
audioDrv = DACBLAST.DRV
audioIRQ = 7
joyDrv = NO
directory = .\
cmd = GKCD
mouseDrv = none
memoryDrv = none
minmemory = 1M
CD = NO
smartdrv = YES
mode = protected
audio=.\;.\sfx;.\patches;.\aud
sync=.\aud
movieDir=.\seq
patchDir=.\;.\patches
audiosize=43k

  1. Open Notepad and paste this in it:

    [render]
    scaler= normal3x

    [cpu]
    core= normal
    cycles= 10000

    [autoexec]
    mount c C:\Sierra\GK1
    C:
    SIERRA.EXE
    exit

    and save it as "dosbox.conf" in the game's folder.

  2. Create a DOSBox shortcut on your desktop, Start Menu or where ever you wish to start the game from and rename it to "Gabriel Knight 1" or what ever you want to. You can also change the icon to the one from the game.
  3. Right click on the new shortcut and at the end of the DOSBox path in the "Target:" box, add -conf C:\Sierra\GK1\dosbox.conf. Depending on where you have DOSBox installed, the Target box should now say:

"C:\Program Files\DOSBox\dosbox.exe" -conf C:\Sierra\GK1\dosbox.conf

Important: If you have any spaces in the folder names for the game, be sure to enclose the path to your dosbox.conf file in quotations like the path to DOSBox above, or DOSBox will not find your custom configuration file. This can be avoided by not using any spaces in your folder names.

Congratulations! You have now setup Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers to run in DOSBox. To play the game, just double click on the shortcut you made. The game will automatically start in DOSBox.

Notes:

  • You can also add -noconsole to the end of what is in the "Target box of the Shortcut if you want to suppress the console window.
  • See the DOSBox README for other options for running the game in DOSBox.

 

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