Play Z using Dosbox Installation Guide

Installation guide on how to setup the old Dos Game using DosBox 0.74

Install the original Z game using Dosbox

-Create a Dosbox folder under D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\
-Copy the files of your original Z CD to D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z-CD
-Copy the following text into a newly created Z.conf file (create it using some text editor and change the file ending):
http://pastebin.com/Pp0RmCxk
-If you use the same folder structure, there is no need to change that Z.conf file. Else, all directory settings may be modified at the end of that file.
-Put that z.conf file into your dosbox folder
-Create a shortcut to your Dosbox.exe modifying the following 'target' options of that shortcut file:
D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\DOSBox.exe -conf D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z.conf
-Click on the shortcut to start dosbox
-Type 'D:' and hit enter. Then type 'install' and hit enter
-Install Z under C:\Z
-Chose 'vesa no' and setup your sound card by chosing the default sound devices
-Quit the installer, don't run the game yet
-Make sure the game is installed under D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z and not D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z\Z. Else, move the files in ..\Z\Z to D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z
-Run the previously created shortcut again to play the game

if it does not work, please check your Z.BAT file in the main folder and make sure it looks like this:
@Echo Please Wait - Loading ......
@ZED.EXE /CD:D %1 %2 %3 %4 %5

'CD:' has to be followed by the same letter used to mount a cd drive in that Z.conf file, i.e.
'mount d D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z-CD -t cdrom'
If it isn't change either the Z.BAT file or the Z.conf file so that both drive letters match.

I will also post a guide on how to play the game with multiplayer over IPX emulation soon. Stay tuned!

Use your Steam Z shortcut to launch the old game

If you've bought the new Z remake on steam and would like to run the old game with the same shortcut, use the following instructions:

-Create a new text file, name it. Z.txt
-Open it and enter the following text or adapt it to your folder structure:

D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\DOSBox.exe -conf D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z.conf

-Rename the file to Z.bat
-Download the Bat to Exe converter here:
http://www.f2ko.de/programs.php?pid=b2e
-Convert your .bat file into an .exe file
-Move your new Z.exe file to your Z folder under X:\Steam\SteamApps\common\Z
-Make sure you've got updates disabled for the Z remake (right-clicking on the Z icon --> Properties -> disable updates)

Play the game with the original steam shortcut, enjoy and post some screenshots ;)


PS: to undo this, check the file integrity of the game which can once again be found under properties. The Z.exe will then automatically be replaced by steam.

[Prometheus]

I don't think the Antares version works under newer versions of Windows, I never had any luck.

It might work though if you combine it with other fixes:
https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=92877

[QWEEDDY2]

via doxbox-ipx. Should be guide on their wiki. Should be possible.
Same as for separate Windows port. For easier way - with Antares launcher Z XP.

[X5ander_1]

Is it possible to use the multiplayer in DosBOX ? I would have 2 discs from "Z", so this would be nice :-)

[QWEEDDY2]

There is no digital releases of Z1\Z2, no on Steam. This is backport remaster's from mobiles.

[soac2707]

how to play Z with another one or multiplayer on steam platform.

[Magikan Vearlae]

Thank you for doing this! It's been years since my dad and I have played the original and to be able to do so again is awesome!

A couple of corrections on the above instructions:-
1. Your instructions state to switch to drive D before installing the game, but your pastebin link has mounted the CD to drive F so you have to switch to F before installing.
2. When selecting a drive to install to, I couldn't get it to switch from the default of A to C so I also edited the z.conf to mount A as D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z
3. You also need to create an empty folder called Z in the DOSBox-0.74 folder else point 2. may still fail. The installation then creates D:\Games\DOSBox-0.74\Z\Z and the moving files to the first Z is a requirement as stated in your instructions..

On the plus side, I didn't have to play around with the .bat file at all!

Thanks again!

[QWEEDDY2]

Но для игры по сети лучше Z Expansion XP модификация Windows версии от Antares с ZZone форума.
Ну или ZOD Engine (нет)

[Prometheus]

You would have to look up how to create a Dosbox 'server' and connect to that with another dosbox client. http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Connectivity

Doing it over the internet will require port forwarding on your router and you'd have to connect to your external IP.

[【n00b】Nemesis]

any idea how to play it online ?