Dosbox issues in Windows

[djungelurban]

So I installed Windows (yeah, I know, Linux master race, blabla, anyway) and I'm not considering changing. I'm much too attached to Launchbox as my frontend, I abhor the Linux file system and I really like being able to hot swap my SD card between the SteamDeck and PC to be able to play the same games on both. And I'm willing to give up some performance and minor oddities for it (like, for some reason I have to reboot the SteamDeck once every time I start it, otherwise the right speaker doesn't work).

For the most part everything is smooth and easy to use, but there are a few nagging issues with some game and the primary one is anything that launches in DosBox. Anything launched using Dosbox doesn't go full screen properly, instead the game is tucked away in the upper left corner and the rest of the screen is black with window outline artifacts. I Also previously experienced the same or atleast similar problem with the emulator BGB before I decided to replace it with VisualBoyAdvance-M which works fine. This happens regardless if the game launch is installed through Steam, GOG or other external source. Playing the game is still very possible, but the experience is compromised of course.

Here's a link showing an example: https://ibb.co/28Kz5YM

Now, I know that Dosbox has alot of settings and tweaks you can do to optimize performance, but I'm not quite knowledgeable enough to know what to tweak. So does anyone know if there's a way to fix it?

[Nathan]

Maybe try the Linux version. xD

[djungelurban]

Originally posted by Nathan:

Maybe try the Linux version. xD

Well, aren't you helpful. Thank you for your insight...

[Taktloss]

Well you don't need to be knowledgeable Dosbox got his own Wiki just read it
It's even one of the first entries about the config file
https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Dosbox.conf#Sections
fullresolution = width x height | original | desktop

[@R+5]

if you check how to install things in the deck using a terminal and package manager, there are many options to run dosbox in linux, and at least one is likely to run properly.

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages?O=0&K=dosbox

what you hate about the os relates to what you ignore about it: take time to learn it, and you will find its more flexible than windows for many things, specially emulators for old and classic games.

there are also options as snap packages, which should be easier to install in the deck

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=snapcraft+dosbox

https://snapcraft.io/search?q=dosbox

[djungelurban]

Originally posted by Taktloss:

Well you don't need to be knowledgeable Dosbox got his own Wiki just read it
It's even one of the first entries about the config file
https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Dosbox.conf#Sections
fullresolution = width x height | original | desktop

Well, this pointed me in the right direction... And I think I figured out a solution. I had to set the resolution to SteamDeck's display resolution, but also set output as opengl. Then everything seem to display correctly.

[PopinFRESH]

Originally posted by Taktloss:

Well you don't need to be knowledgeable Dosbox got his own Wiki just read it
It's even one of the first entries about the config file
https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Dosbox.conf#Sections
fullresolution = width x height | original | desktop

^ and if reading the wiki under that section doesn't make sense, the "width x height", "original", and "desktop" in between the vertical pipes | are options for that setting.

So in your config file you will want to either manually set the resolution or set it to desktop which should in turn use the desktop resolution set in Windows.

i.e.:

fullresolution = 1280 x 800

or

fullresolution = desktop