How to play One Unit: Whole Blood in DOSBox

Are you too old school to play - arguably - the best version of Blood? Maybe you're too cheap to cough up some coin for a newer version of Blood? Or perhaps you're just looking for an alternate way to experience this fast-paced, blood boiling shooter? Well, this is the guide for you!

***D I S C L A I M E R***

I think i'm obligated to say this, but this guide isn't here to promote piracy. I think this goes without saying, but I'm putting this here anyway as a - probably ineffective - way to protect my ass from getting in trouble. This guide is for educational purposes only. Pretty sure I said all I need to say to cover my ass, so let's get on with the guide.

STEP 1

You need to get a copy of the game. This can be found fairly easily if you were to look in the right place. Perhaps if one were to go to archive(dot)org and search up "One Unit: Whole Blood" It may appear. It might even come in a nice .zip file for your convenience. Or if you're about 30 years old, you might even have it on a disc. Regardless, get a copy of the game.

STEP 2

Make a new folder in the root of your HardDrive/SSD called "DOS", and inside the "DOS" folder, create a new folder called "Blood". Inside the "Blood" folder, make a new folder called "Game". To make this easier to understand, if it wasn't already, your folders should look something like this:



(My Example)




If you haven't already, install DOSBox. It can be found here:
https://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1

STEP 3

Make your way to (HardDrive/SSD root) :\Users\ (Your username on the PC) \AppData\Local\DOSBox. You'll notice that there's a .conf file inside this directory, copy it and paste it into (HardDrive/SSD root) :\DOS\Blood. Once it's there, rename it to Blood.conf. Leave this for now because we still need to install the game.


(My Example)

If it is not there, go into the DOSBox prompt and type in "config -all -wc dosbox.conf". This will generate a .conf file in the same directory you ran DOSBox in. Copy and paste that .conf file into (HardDrive/SSD root) :\DOS\Blood.



(My Example)

After copying the .conf file into Blood's directory, Copy that same file two more times. Rename those copies "Setup" and "Cryptic Passage".

In total, Blood's directory should now have 3 .conf files, "Blood.conf", "Setup.conf", and "Cryptic Passage.conf".

Wait a second!

This is where it might get a little confusing, so read this carefully.

If you have a ripped copy of Blood, continue to read Step 4.1. your ripped copy may look a little something like this:



























(My Example) ***This isn't the whole folder, only a portion***

If you have a .iso or a .bin/.cue file(s) of Blood, continue to read Step 4.2

If you have an actual disc of Blood and want to use that disc (for some ♥♥♥♥♥♥' reason) continue to read Step 4.3

STEP 4.1

Paste all of Blood's game files into (HardDrive/SSD root):\DOS\Blood\Game

STEP 4.2

You need to get a program called WinCDEmu, which can be found here:
https://wincdemu.sysprogs.org/
This program is needed in order to emulate inserting the Blood CD into a disc drive, which we need to do in order to install the game (It's still a good program to have either way)

Once you've installed WinCDEmu, go over to where your Blood .iso or .bin/.cue file(s) are.

If you have a .iso, just right click it then click "Select drive letter & mount". When the window pops up, click okay.

If you have a .bin/.cue file(s), right click the .cue file and then click "Select drive letter & mount". When the window pops up, click okay. If you try to mount the .cue and it gives an error, try doing the same thing on the .bin file with (Track 1) in it's file name.

Now that the game is mounted, we need to check the Drive letter it's mounted to. You can do this by going into This PC (inside file explorer) and seeing it.

Open DOSBox and type in:

mount d (Drive letter of the newly mounted file):\
mount c (HardDrive/SSD root):\DOS\Blood\Game
d:
INSTALL.EXE

Now to proceed with the installation:

Enter (To agree to the EULA)
Use the arrow keys to move the selection and space to check the boxes. Check all of the boxes.
Enter (To proceed when all boxes are checked)
You're prompted to enter a directory to install the game, type in "C:\"
Enter to confirm the directory
Now wait for the game to install.
Enter

STEP 4.3

Insert your Blood CD into the Disc drive of your PC

Open DOSBox and type in:

mount d (Drive letter of Disc Drive):\
mount c (HardDrive/SSD root):\DOS\Blood\Game
d:
INSTALL.EXE

Now to proceed with the installation:

Enter (To agree to the EULA)
Use the arrow keys to move the selection and space to check the boxes. Check all of the boxes.
Enter (To proceed when all boxes are checked)
You're prompted to enter a directory to install the game, type in "C:\"
Enter to confirm the directory
Now wait for the game to install.
Enter

STEP 5

Go into where you installed DOSBox and make a shortcut of the .exe file. Paste this shortcut into (Hardrive/SSD root):\DOS\Blood. Copy this shortcut 2 times and name them "Blood", "Setup" and "Cryptic Passage".

Open Blood.conf in notepad. Scroll down to the [autoexec] section. delete anything in this section so that there is nothing below [autoexec]. Under [autoexec], type this:

mount C (HardDrive/SSD root):\DOS\BLOOD\GAME
C:
BLOOD.EXE

Now find the [dosbox] section inside the "Blood.conf" file. Look for "memsize" and change it's value to 64. Save the .conf file.

Open Setup.conf in notepad. Scroll down to the [autoexec] section. delete anything in this section so that there is nothing below [autoexec]. Under [autoexec], type this:

mount C (HardDrive/SSD root)\BLOOD\GAME
C:
SETUP.EXE

Now find the [dosbox] section inside the "Blood.conf" file. Look for "memsize" and change it's value to 64. Save the .conf file.

Open Cryptic Passage.conf in notepad. Scroll down to the [autoexec] section. delete anything in this section so that there is nothing below [autoexec]. Under [autoexec], type this:

mount C (HardDrive/SSD root)\BLOOD\GAME
C:
CRYPTIC.EXE

Now find the [dosbox] section inside the "Blood.conf" file. Look for "memsize" and change it's value to 64. Save the .conf file.

STEP 6

Right click the DOSBox shortcut called "Blood" and click properties. In the "Target" text box, add "-conf" to the end of it, then - in quotes - type in the path to the respective .conf file. Do this for each of the DOSBox shortcuts you've created in the Blood folder.

(My example)

STEP 7

If Step 6 was done right, opening the shortcut called "Setup" will bring you to the setup menu for Blood. You can customise controls and whatnot here, but specifically, setup your sound. You do it like this:

Sound Setup
Choose Sound FX Card
Sound Blaster
Use These Settings and Continue
32 Voices
16 Bit mixing
Stereo Sound
44 Khz
Choose Music Card
Sound Blaster

And don't forget to press "Save and Launch Blood" once you're finished in Setup.

STEP 8

P r o f i t

Troubleshooting

***The game runs like ♥♥♥♥***

Go into Blood.conf. Change:

fullresolution=0x0
output=openglnb
core=dynamic
ScreenMode = 1
ScreenWidth = 640
ScreenHeight = 480

***Mouse aiming is ♥♥♥♥***

First of all, since the game isn't full 3-D, mouse aiming is going to be ♥♥♥♥ no matter what. But if you REALLY want that mouse aiming, continue reading.

Download http://swisscm.duke4.net/downloads/BMOUSE06.ZIP and put it in (HardDrive/SSD root):\DOS\Blood\Game.

Go into BLOOD.CFG and change:

ControllerType = 3
ExternalFilename = "BMOUSE.EXE"
MouseAnalogScale0 = 20000
MouseAnalogScale1 = -20000

Go into Blood.conf and Cryptic Passage.conf and change the [autoexec] line to:

mount C (HardDrive/SSD root):\BLOOD\GAME
C:
BMOUSE.EXE LAUNCH BLOOD.EXE -noaim

and

mount C (HardDrive/SSD root):\BLOOD\GAME
C:
BMOUSE.EXE LAUNCH CRYPTIC.EXE -noaim

-noaim turns autoaiming off, remove it if you still want autoaim with mouselook.
-probably still not the best, but it's better than before.

***CD Audio won't work***

DOSBox can't do CD Audio for Blood.

***Mouse Moving is terrible, how do I turn it off?***

I agree, it is terrible. Here's how to turn it off. You can't turn it off if you're using BMOUSE though.

Run Setup
Control Options
Advanced Control Options
Advanced Mouse Setup
Highlight "Mouse Y Axis" and press Del

*** "Could not detect FM Chip" ***

Restart Blood. It usually works the second time around. This is just DOSBox being ♥♥♥♥♥♥.

Conclusion

That's about it! You game should be running in all it's DOSBox "glory". Rate and favourite the guide and i'll be sure to answer any questions you ask.

[arhum]

but only on GOG, buying fresh supply gives you one unit whole entirely for Free

[arhum]

Actually for Blood, it was the proper patched version of the game but Atari removed it shortly after Fresh Supply came out, which sucks since the DOS release has the complete set of files required for sourceports.

[ﾌㄩ丂ㄒ丨匚乇]

Steam is somewhat notorious for shitty DOS releases. Most DOS games on steam don't even work out-of-the-box.

[arhum]

The GOG version still comes packaged with One Unit Whole Blood unlike Steam which kinda sucks.