Exult Forum

Hi all,

I've been trying to run Ultima 7 on my 2K box but have been unsuccessful in getting it to run smoothly. I tried using the u7win9x program by Ron first and it works, but the game runs incredibly slow (like 3 to 5 second delays for game to respond to your commands whether it be moving or getting to inventory). He suggested I try using Exult.

Okay, this is where I get confused. THe instructions were sort of muddled to me, or I am a big idiot. It's probably the latter.

I downloaded the windows 2000 binary version into my Ultima 7 folder and that's it. When I double-click the exult-1.00-win32 file, I immediately get an error saying NTVDM CPU encountered illegal operation and I am forced to close it down. The instructions state for me to copy the static folder to an appropriate folder. What folder? Do I make a new folder inside the u7 game folder and re copy the files in there? Do I have to run the exult program in a specific folder?


Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

By the way, I have tried to run the exult program via command line and it gives the same error.

Okay I just downloaded the "unstable" 1.1.x snapshot and the sdl.dll files and the game runs up to speed and it look sokay (except for a number of noticeable changes like lack of items on your starting avatar and being unable to walk into a majority of the buildings despite the door open).

However its recommended on the FAQ to not use the 1.1.x to run the game. What do I do now if the 1.0.0 version keep giving me an error?

> When I double-click the exult-1.00-win32 file, I immediately get an error
> saying NTVDM CPU encountered illegal operation and I am forced to close it
> down

Isn't the NTVDM the NT virtual dos machine? I wonder why that would have anything to do with the Exult installer. Are you sure you're trying to start the installer, and not accidently the original U7?

Starting items: that seems to work for me. I start with leather armour, a dagger and a backpack filled with a map, some lockpicks, a torch, some gold, a loaf of bread, an apple, a bottle and a mug.

Unable to walk through doors: confirmed; this is a recent bug, probably from the last couple of days.

No, the two files are very different, heh. I double clicked and have tried running via cmd exult-1.00-win32 file . I get the NTVDM error. Isn't Windows 2000 NT5.0 anyway?

I'm sorry about the lack of items part. Worded it wrong. I meant to say was the different inventory screen displayed. It's a bit harder to manipulate without your items dispersed into "slots" you can move in and out of.

> I meant to say was the different inventory screen displayed

Oh, that's the Serpent Isle-style inventory. You can turn it off in the 'gameplay options' menu. (Escape -> Gameplay Options -> Disable paperdolls)


> No, the two files are very different, heh. I double clicked and have tried
> running via cmd exult-1.00-win32 file . I get the NTVDM error. Isn't Windows
> 2000 NT5.0 anyway?

It is. That wasn't the part I was wondering about. I was wondering where the 'dos' part came in. Our win32 installer is a native windows app, IIRC.

By the way, here's a copy of the error from the Event viewer.

Application popup: 16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem : E:\PROGRA~1\ULTIMA~1\ULTIMA7\EXULT-~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0523 IP:0119 OP:65 63 74 20 61 Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

Are you sure have the correct exult-1.00-win32.exe, and not, for example, a SF download page saved as an .exe file?

Incidentally, the OP: 65 63 74 20 61 = 'ect a'; long shot, but this _could_ be from 'select a mirror'

There's only one copy of the file correct? I went to your downloads page and scrolled to the Official - v1.00 files, and there I save the Windows version...

Yes, but did the 'file' on that page is just a link to the actual download page.

Okay, I think I may see where the problem is. I'm downloading that file with Flashget. I bypassed that and went straight to the download page. Do I need to avoid one of the mirror sites?

any of the mirrors are fine. (Generally pick the one closest to you for best speed)

Okay, problem solved. You're right that it didn't save the exe file but instead the actual download page. I highly advise anyone else to forget using Flashget heh in this case.

im running it on win2k i didnt have to change anything from my xp or win98 setup, i got an absolutely standard setup with zero problems so im not sure its win2000

No, it had nothing to do with the OS. What happened was that I used Flashget to download the file and it downloaded the downloads page rather than the actual executable file itself. *smacks self*

the file size could have been a dead give away

Not able to walk through doors ? nice bug

As for the "unstable" of the 1.1. version: it should be okay to play but occasional such bugs as the one mentioned with the doorways may plague you. 1.0 should enable you to complete U7 without bugs. 1.1 is the playground of the developers...

Jeff fixed the door problem last night, btw.