Prince of Persia FAQ, help & solve your problems page

Sound and freezing problems

DOSBox

The common problem in Prince of Persia 1 and 2 is the sound. The game won't run with the original sound under Windows NT (2000 and XP), unless you have an old DOS-compatible sound card (like SoundBlaster 16, SoundBlaster 16 Pro, etc.) configured in the setup.exe/install.exe of the game (version 1.3 and 1.4). However, using DOSBox you can run the game under its original sound (Plus better graphics and performance).
  1. Download DOSBox version 0.72 (Latest version). http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/download.php?main=1
  2. Install it, open it. You will get the DOSBox shell (Z:/).
  3. Type: (Be sure your game folder is located on C:\prince).

    mount c c:/
    then:
    c:
    then:
    cd prince
    then:
    prince

If you still cannot hear the original sound and music, try the following: In dosbox conf file (dosbox.conf), set oplmode=opl2 under the [sblaster] settings, then start the game with prince adlib command. prince.exe adlib.

DosBox will run on windowed-mode, but in order to play the game in full-screen modem, follow these steps: (You could also press ALT-Enter) (If those steps fail you could try on the previous DOSBox's SDL engine (v 0.6)). Open dosbox.conf and search for :

fullscreen=false replace with fullscreen=true

fulldouble=false replace with fulldouble=true

fullfixed=false replace with fullfixed=true

fullresolution=****x**** replace with fullresolution=640x480

DOSShell

Another GUI launcher for DOSBox is DOSShell v1.4 by Loonies Software

Download it from here: http://www.superutils.com/loonies/releases/dosshell.exe (Official page).

Install DOSBox, install it and open it, then go to: Edit -> Preferences, under DOSBox folder, in Folder Path, point to: "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.72". Under Mounting Drive, in Drive Letter, choose C (or whatever your drive letter is). Now go to: Edit -> Add new entry and in Path to executable, browse prince.exe (PoP1 or PoP2 executable file), name it, put it or create a new group, choose a description and optionally select an icon and click on OK. That's all, to play double click on the icon. You can add as much applications (games/programs) as you want.

Screenshots: http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6002/72443339de0.png | http://www.loonies.narod.ru/images/dosshell.png

Too bad you can't set parameters for the executable path...

D-Fend

You can can set-up and play DOS games quickly and easily under DosBox through D-Fend: (The following is a tutorial for POP2).

Download DosBox: http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/download.php?main=1.
Download D-Fend: http://members.home.nl/mabus/files/D-Fend-2.0.62.42.exe.

First install the former than the latter.

Extract the prince2.zip file contents into wherever you want. (e.g.: C:\prince2).

Run D-Fend --> click OK and select DosBox folder (Usually on C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.65\) --> go to Profile --> Add with wizard --> Profile Name: (Prince of Persia 2 or whatever) --> Browse for PRINCE.EXE (Located in the folder where you have extracted the game) --> Next --> Next --> Auto Create --> Next (x6) --> Finish

To play, double click on the Profile name.

For cheats-mode:

Right click on the profile name --> Edit Profile --> under Parameters: type yippeeyahoo or makinit or makinit2.

For full screen mode:

Right-click on the Profile Name (i.e. Prince of Persia 2) then click on Edit Profile. Click on the General tab.

Now, tick each of:
Start fullscreen
Aspect Correction

Now, under Rendor method:
choose: overlay or ddraw

And, under Resolution:
choose: 640x480

NOTES:

1. If the screen is cut off or there is black space, adjust the monitor's horizontal position manually (through its buttons (or twiddling its knobs)). This DOES NOT affect your Windows' screen resolution (display).

2. If your feel that the screen is stretched up, un-check Aspect Correction.

3. Should you find the game running slowly, set the CPU Cycles (under the Environment tab) from 3000 to more than 5000.

4. Set Rendor method back to surface if you want to play the game in windowed-mode.

5. To switch to windowed-mode (back or to full screen) press ALT-ENTER (RETURN) while playing.

6. To quit the game, press: Ctrl-Q then type exit.

DOSBox GUI

Or you can simply use the GUI version of DOSBox.

Download: http://www.msu.edu/~yootaewo/20070410.rar

Start dosbox, select "sdl" from menu and select "prince.exe".

To have full screen, press: "Enter + Alt".

VDMSound (a.k.a. VDMS)

About The VDMSound Project: VDMSound is a modular, extendable soundcard (and other "legacy" hardware) emulator for MS Windows NT/2000 DOS boxes.

Highly recommended

Download VDMS v2 (2.1.0): http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=20091 (click on VDMSound2.1.0.zip).
Install it (Full).
Right-click on prince.exe (PoP1 or PoP2) and click on "Run with VDMS".

SoundFX 2000

Besides DOSBox and VDMSound, you can use SoundFX 2000 (also known as: Sound FX 2000 / SoundFX / Sound FX).

SoundFX 2000 is THE sound card emulator for DOS programs running on Windows XP, 2000 and NT4. As delivered, Windows XP, 2000 & NT4 provide a DOS emulation for running 16 and 32 bit protected mode programs but due to the security model, direct peripheral access is denied. Most DOS multimedia titles (games) provide sound by directly accessing the sound card and as a result although many can be run under Windows, until now none have been able to produce sound and hence lose a great deal of playability. SoundFX provides a complete emulation of a SoundBlaster 16 card and hence enables old favourites such as Doom (1 & 2), Heretic, Duke Nukem (2 & 3D) etc to be run with sound under Windows XP, 2000 & NT4. Release notes.

Downloads:

Version 2.04 :
Try it: http://www.softsystem.co.uk/sndfx204.zip
Order it: http://www.softsystem.co.uk/page4.html

Version 2.03 :
Sound FX (Evaluation Version): http://www.jsiinc.com/dl/sndfx203.zip
Download the registered version of Sound FX NT if you have purchased an unlock key: http://www.jsiinc.com/dl/sndfx2r3.zip

Version 2.03 Full Version :

http://keygen.us/search.shtml?q=sound+fx&w=cracks

Program Compatibility Wizard (XP)

Also you can setup your game (prince.exe) to run it under old Windows using Program Compatibility Wizard (XP). (This process doesn't always work correctly, but you may give it a try). To do so:

Press Start » All Programs » Accessories » Program Compatibility Wizard Then Select prince.exe. Or right click on prince.exe then Properties » Compatibility.

TameDOS

Tame Allows DOS programs to run smoothly under modern operating systems. The latest version of Tame supports Windows Vista, Windows 2003 server, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Citrix, and Windows NT.
You are provided a license to use this software free of charge for 30 days for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of Tame in your environment. If you decide to use Tame beyond the 30 day period then it must be registered.

You may want to install TameDOS if you get some Ntvdm 16-bits MS-DOS subsystem error messages while launching PoP.
http://www.tamedos.com/downloads/downloads.htm

Windows 9x

Windows 9x (95, 98, 98SE and ME) is better than Windows NT, 2000 and XP for playing old DOS games.
Try to shut down in Dos Mode and run the game.
Or create a partition and install Dos and run the game from there (run the game from a floppy disk)
If you are running the game under Command Prompt, press ALT-Enter to enter the full screen mode.
You can delete the game's sound files and run it.
Or use a Sound Blaster 16 Card and install only DOS and the card driver (Sound Blaster 16 card works under Windows too)
Note: Be sure that the card driver is installed correctly in DOS or Windows and in the game setup choose the sound card device.

FAQ - Prince of Persia 1 and 2

  1. Game Freezes on first or second or in the cave levels and gets very slowly sometimes then stops or keeps moving slowing and freezing...
    To fix this problem, run the game under DosBox (go to the top of this page). This error is caused from the sound » you can delete all sound files and play the game in excellent condition but with no sound or sometimes keeps the files but play from the CPU sound not from your speakers.
    Go to the game directory right click on the prince.exe choose properties, then compatibility then select to start that game in window 95 or 98/Me. Now click on setup or install (come with the game ) highlight Use higher Memory (if available) and in the sound setup use Standard PC Internal Speaker
    Note: Don't forget to extract all game files to the same directory and don't test anything on a shortcut for the game.

  2. Many people find that the game freezes up when trying to play in dosbox, that it sticks during the cutscenes. I know what the REAL cause of this. it is getting your IRQ wrong! If you have the wrong irq, after playing the first sound in the cutscene, the game will hang until paused and resumed, waiting for the irq to return. This is different form the usual symptom of stuttering sound and an instant freeze when you get wrong settings. If you specify the correct IRQ, then the game will play properly with sound. Tested with DOSBOX, which is what people should be using for running this program under wondoze if they've got the CPU power.

  3. While playing PoP2 IR version, when I press the arrow left, it deducts me one life! If I press left arrow for long time I die!
    This bug happens only if you are playing PoP2 IR version with cheats (makinit) and under DosBox.
    A possible explanation: The inner DOS code of left arrow is 0x00 0x4B, and 0x4B is the code of Shift-K. It seems that the game interprets the 0x4B twice, so pressing the left arrow means pressing Shift-K too, which means losing a life in cheat mode. The same thing happens with Page Up and Shift-I (turn screen upside down), and Insert and Shift-R (show room number).
    You solution is: either don't play with cheats, or download the version on my website: http://popuw.com/download2.html (1.0) (Works fine with or without cheats - cheat parameter is: yippeeyahoo)

  4. I can't access the cheats-mode and am sure I've activated them (From Win or Dos).
    This usually happens because you are using an NT system like XP. To fix that go to a text editor (Notepad), type:
    prince.exe megahit
    And save the file as a batch file, i.e: cheats.bat (File » Save » cheats.bat » Save) Double click the file to play immediately with cheats.
    Note: Change megahit to megahit 5 to start on level 5.
    Change megahit to improved (For version 1.3 or 1.4 of PoP1).
    Change megahit to 4d_prin kirill! (For 4D Prince of Persia).
    Change megahit to makinit2 or makinit or yippeeyahoo (For Prince of Persia 2).

  5. I installed the game when I try to play, a DOS window pops up with the error message: "This machine needs 1306 more bytes of memory."
    You need more base ram. Protected mode stuff like Windows programs or dos ones that use extenders (like dos4gw or cwsdpmi) it doesn't matter, but for old dos programs you need to free more of the first 640 kb of ram. Try booting in plain dos without mouse or cd-rom drivers. In the game setup enable "use the machine's extra memory".

  6. To exit the game press Ctrl-Q

  7. I can't move the prince:
    Sometimes the game starts automatically with the Joystick mode: Simply, press Ctrl-K to switch to the Keyboard mode.

  8. My Joystick is plugged, how to play the game with it?
    Simply press CTRL-J in the game to switch the the Joystick mode. Or start the game with the parameter "j": prince.exe j.

  9. I can't save the game:
    In PoP1: You can save the game by entering level 3 (from level 3 and on) by pressing CTRL-G, and you can re-load (resume) the saved game by pressing CTRL-L in the game's main screen (menu).

    In PoP2: Press Alt-O to enter the Options Menu then save the game from there and resume the game from there too or press Alt-G for save and Alt-L to re-load (resume) the saved game.

    Please note that if you are playing the original game (not the cracked one), after you load your saved game file, you will get the copy-protection screen. Drink the correct potion (PoP1), or choose the right symbol (PoP2).

  10. To play Prince of Persia under Linux and other OS: You must use DosBox emulator.

  11. To take a single screenshot: If running the game under DosBox, press CTRL-F5 (Format will be 320x200/PNG). Screenshots taken are stored in C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.65\capture.

When/where can I turn into the shadow or the flame in PoP2?

PoP2 versions 1.0 and 1.1

Shadow: Levels 10, 11, 12 and 13.
Flame: Level 14 (B).

PoP2 version IR

Shadow: Levels 10, 11, 12 and 13.
Flame: Levels 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 (B). (EXP)

You will need to have 11 or 12 potions, then press keys: left-right-left-right-... (or right-left-right-left-...) until you turn into the shadow or the flame.

Has anybody found anything unusual in the game?

Worth checking topic with some tips and tricks (videos/images included) for Prince of Persia 2 : The Shadow and The Flame.

Topic: http://popuw.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=53&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Command line arguments to prince.exe

vga, mcga -> use mcga graphics mode (320*200, 256 colours, vga controller required)
tga -> use tandy graphics (320*200, 16 colours, on tandy machines)
ega -> use ega graphics (320*200, 16 colours, ega or vga controller required)
hga, herc -> use hercules (720*348 [prince uses only 640*200], monochrome, hercules controller)
cga -> use cga (320*200, 4 colours, cga/ega/tandy/vga required)

stdsnd -> Standard PC Internal Speaker
adlib -> Ad Lib card
covox -> Covox Sound Master device
gblast -> Creative Labs Game Blaster
ibmg -> IBM Music Feature Card (?)
sblast -> Sound Blaster / Sound Blaster Pro or compatible
tandy -> Tandy computers with digital sound support / 3-voice music support
(descriptions are from v1.3's setup.exe, some tweaking was required)

bypass -> continue loading even if there isn't enough memory
megahit (in version 1.0) -> enable cheats
improved (in version 1.3 and 1.4) -> enable cheats
draw -> don't buffer screen output (only if cheats enabled)
%d (substitute level number) -> start with selected level (only if cheats enabled)
pack -> store bitmaps compressed (in memory)
unpack -> store bitmaps uncompressed (in memory)
j -> for joystick mode

About the coordinates [Shift-C] and [C] in cheats-mode

Start the game with cheats-mode on (megahit or improved). You will get for Prince of Persia 1 - Level 1 - First screen:

For "C": S1 L5 R0 A0 B2
For "Shift-C": AL0 AR0 BL6 BR3

Sx : the Prince is in room x
Ly : If you leave Sx on the left you will enter room y
R : Right
A : Above
B :Below

AL: Above left
AR: Above right
BL: Below left
BR: Below right

More precisely, AR is the room to the right from the room above the current room. That may be different from the one above the one to the right of the current. It's similarly for the others.

All of these 8 rooms contain some information about the room x. If you are in room x, you can see some parts of AL and BL. You see tile 30 of AL, and tile 10 of BL.

For more info, please refer to this topic: http://www.popuw.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=824

What are the main differences in PoP1: version 1.0, 1.3 and 1.4?

Prince of Persia v1.0 : 1990

Original PC version; Has original color scheme (i.e: level 3 dungeon is dark blue)
No Setup program; uses manual command line parameters:
j (joystick); vga, mcga, tga, ega, hga, herc, cga (graphics); stdsnd, adlib, covox, gblast, ibmg, sblast, tandy (sound).
Cheat activation code is 'megahit'.


Prince of Persia v1.3 : 1992

Same levels, but with new color scheme on some levels (i.e.: level 3 dungeon is dark green).
Complete Hardware configuration startup Setup program.
You can specify Graphics Mode, Input Device, Sound Device and Music Synthesizer.
Cheat activation code is 'improved'.


Prince of Persia v1.4 : 1993 (from Prince of Persia CD Collection)

1.4 version was released to be more compatible with modern CPUs and operating systems. It was coded especially for the POP collection pack. POP2 was also revised in a similar manner (v1.1).
They forced VGA in the case of 1.4 POP1 because ALL modern cpus and dos boxes have vga support.
Levels and color scheme identical to v1.3 (Level 3 dungeon is dark green).
Limited choice for Hardware configuration startup Setup program.
You can only set Sound Device and Music Synthesizer (PC Speaker, Sound Blaster Pro, Other Drivers).
Cheat activation code is 'improved'.

Version revisions of Prince Of Persia 2

Here is a picture that shows the differences between the fourth versions of Prince of Persia 2 (IR, 1.0, 1.1 and the DEMO).

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2291/versionshu7.png

IR version, also knows as PoP2 beta version, was leaked into the internet 2 months before the game was released (a leaked pre-1.0 release).
Please note that this picture is still under construction, a new detailed picture is coming soon.

Capturing Frames (BMPs) and GIF recording

Using a small tool called record-er (created by Piotr Kochanek (peter_k)), you can capture the animations from the game (PoP1&2). It create as many bmp files as there was recorded from the frames; therefore you can create your own gif animations by any program that can link *.bmp files into one file (gif, avi etc.). For example Animation Shop. This tool works only in DosBox or in a 9x Windows. And please note, in order to increase the frame buffer you have to increase memsize option in dosbox.conf file (to 64).

Download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/fydwf6 (Read READ.TXT for more info). Discuss record-er in the forum in this topic.

Video Recording

Using DosBox, you can record your game. Here's a guide for video (+ audio) recording using DosBox (for all DOS games including Prince of Persia 1 and 2).
  1. Download DosBox version 0.65: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/dosbox/DOSBox0.65-win32-installer.exe?download - Choose your favorite mirror.
  2. Full install DosBox.
  3. Install the ZMBV codec (Zip Motion Blocks Video) - manually or following this path: Go to: Start > All Programs > DOSBox-0.65 > Video > Install movie codec (WinXP and Win2000 Only) - Run DosBox: Go to : Start > All Programs > DOSBox-0.65 > DosBox
  4. 5. Mount your working-on directory and launch the game ...
  5. In-game: To record a movie, press CTRL-ALT-F5. To stop/end the recording, you have to press CTRL-ALT-F5 again.
  6. After you have finished: Go to : Start > All Programs > DOSBox-0.65 > Capture folder (or open this path: C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.65\capture)
  7. The recorded game file is now in .avi format prince_000.avi (with sound)
  8. For upload, don't forget to compress the file (by raring it) (prince_000.avi) to prince_000.rar so the size will be reduced from 60 to 90%.
  9. An example of recording: http://popuw.com/mods/prince_000.rar (Full screen is supported too).

How to run PoP under an emulated CGA, Tandy and Hercules machines.

Through DosBox emulator, you can emulate your game to work under a CGA or a Tandy (or EGA) or Hercules machine besides the default VGA machine-type. Click here for more information.

How to play PoP1 and PoP2 on the PSP

DOSBox port for the PSP (PoP1 and PoP2)
Complete guide for running PoP1 and PoP2 on PSP using CrazyC's DOSBox port for the PSP (latest/newest version). Click here.

Prince of Persia 1 - Total Pack (PoP1-TP)

NEW: Prince of Persia 1 - Total Pack (PoP1-TP) - An integration of all POP1 stuffs and mods with many user-friendly functions. A must-have package for PoP fans! See the change logs and features for a detailed list. This pack is always updated and up-to-date, so keep an eye on it!

07.10.2007 NEW! PoP1-Total Pack has been translated thus far to: Arabic, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak and Spanish.

Would you like to translate PoP1-TP to your language? Click here.

Prince of Persia 2 - Total Pack (PoP2-TP)

Download/Topic: http://popuw.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1456

Features:

  1. Easy run POP2 like 'Prince of Persia 1 - Total Pack'.
  2. Latest version of DOSBox 0.71 included.
  3. Etc...

Notice
This version is a pre-release beta version.

PoP Macintosh Total Pack

NEW: POP MAC Total Pack for PC (contains PoP1, PoP2, tools, editors and other games with Basilisk II system (8.0). No need to search all over for PoP 1/2 and for tutorials explaining how to get the games to work under Windows. Just download this total pack and you are good to go! :)

Download: http://popuw.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1545&start=30#p84413 (Or from here).

Topic: http://popuw.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1545

Prince of Persia 3D

To run Prince Of Persia 3d on windows XP fine, try one of the following methods: (Usually the game crashes on windows XP because of the NVIDIA Detonator Driver)
  1. If the game won't start at all, check the latest sound and cards drivers and download the latest version of DirectX from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/downloads

  2. If you have a NVIDIA card like Geforce, download the brand new NVIDIA Detonator Driver at http://www.nvidia.com

  3. If the game didn't work uninstall your newest version of QuickTime and install the version that comes with the game (QuickTime 4.0) (If have the download the game you can get the the old release of QuickTime (v 4.0) from here http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=quicktime (Thanks to spikyone).

  4. If you had a crash on library scene, try using the latest patch v1.01 download from here http://www.popuw.com/download3.html

  5. If the game ask for a cd2, search for the crack or patch from here http://www.popuw.com/download3.html

  6. If the game won't work too, try to run the patch, and then use the UnSafeDisc v1.5.5 http://www.gameburnworld.com/dl/protections/dl_unsafediscv1.5.5.htm , click on Decrypt Game then search for pop3d.ico , C:\Program Files\Red Orb\Prince of Persia 3D\pop3d.ico

  7. If the game started but you get a blank screen, press Alt-Tab or Ctrl-Esc and re click on the game.

  8. To play Prince of Persia 3D without the CD install VirtualCD or VirtualDrive and copy the game on a virtual drive.

  9. If the game won't start too: right click the pop3d icon and select an other compatibility mode ex: win98/me.

  10. If the game didn't work at all play it under Windows 9x (98, 98 SE or Me)
SOLUTION FOR PRINCE OF PERSIA 3D ERROR : PATCHED BUT ASKS FOR CD #2
First Guide:

1. Download this file: Prince of Persia 3D v1.1 Enos Fiedler [Paradigm] - Cracked 1.1 update [NO CD]
http://megagames.com/cgi/download/download.cgi?action=search&category=cracks&search=PDMPOP3DV11.ZIP

2. INSTALLATION: Install the game and copy following directories into your game directory. (since the second CD in pop3d uses safedisk protection, so you need to orig backup)

They are on 2nd CD:

/AUDIO/MUSIC
/DATA/
/GEOMETRY/ROOMS/

Then copy POP3DPATCH1_01.EXE and POPREAL.EXE from the downloaded archive (PDMPOP3DV11.ZIP) into your game directory, run the first exe to update the game and second exe to play. Enjoy!

Second Guide:

1. Install the game.

2. Run the 1.1 patch, and then use the UnSafeDisc v1.5.5: http://perso.orange.fr/doubleyou/tools/tools1/unsafediscv1_5_5.zip

3. Click on Decrypt Game then search for pop3d.ico > C:\Program Files\Red Orb\Prince of Persia 3D\pop3d.ico

NEW FIX HAS BEEN RELEASED

PoP 3D - New fix (No crashes):
Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?cyqnhhjy2mm OR http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E88Y4Q84.
For more info, please refer to this topic.

PoP 3D patch 1.01 problem

Question: I just applied patch 1.01 and I noticed that all the files that where updated, went to C:\WINDOWS (WINDOWS folder root), instead of the game directory.
My game is installed in the default directory "C:/Program Files/Red Orb/...".
All the update is going to the WINDOWS directory, I'm not sure where the update file should be executed, I mean in what specific directory.

Answer: In regedit (Start > Run... > type: regedit) add new string value named "Directory" under the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Red Orb\Prince of Persia 3D\1.0" key pointing to the directory where you have the game installed. That will solve the problem.

Downloads

Prince of Persia 1: download.html.
Prince of Persia 2 : The Shadow & The Flame: download2.html.
Prince of Persia 3D: download3.html.
Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time: download4.html.
Prince of Persia : Warrior Within: download5.html.
Prince of Persia : The Two Thrones: download6.html.

For More help

Enter My Prince of Persia Forum - Check out the Prince of Persia Forums for more help, questions, topics, etc. regarding all the PoP games and should you need any help, please feel free to post.

Or you can also contact me for additional help and questions: http://popuw.com/contact.html