3Dfx Shadow Warrior  v8-15-2014 Release 2 © RTCM MrFlibble , Corvin

Introduction | What You Need | Steps to Begin | Notes

Introduction

In 1997 3Dfx Interactive released a version of Shadow Warrior that would take advantage of 3dfx graphics cards. This version was distributed by 3DR in the form of an upgrade for both shareware and registered versions of the game.

The 3dfx version features various enhancements such as 16-bit graphics, bilinear filtering, and transparency effects.

Shadow Warrior 3dfx can be played in DOSBox. However, you will need a DOSBox build that supports Glide emulation, and a Glide wrapper.

What You Need

o DOSBox Taewoong's SVN Daum (DOSBox /w Glide support)
o nGlide (Glide API wrapper)
o Shadow Warrior shareware v1.2 
o Shadow Warrior shareware 3dfx patch v1.1
OR
o Shadow Warrior registered v1.2 
o Shadow Warrior registered 3dfx patch v1.1

All Downloads can be found in the RTCM Download Sections under general-tools-dosxp and the SW 3DFX patches can be downloaded from swarrior-patches.

Steps to Begin

Step 1. Install Taewoong's DOSBox SVN Daum. You can get an installer or a files-only package. In the latter case, simply unpack the archive into any directory of your choice (preferably not on the system drive), e.g. D:\DOSBox.

Step 2. Install nGlide.

Step 3. Open the directory where DOSBox SVN Daum is installed, and delete the file called glide2x.dll (or rename it into something else, e.g. glide2x.dl_). This will allow nGlide to function properly which uses its own dll.

Step 4. Open the file dosbox.conf, which is also found in the DOSBox SVN Daum directory, with Notepad or any other text editing program. Find and change the following values (only values that need to be changed are shown):
 
Code:
[sdl]
fullscreen=true
fullresolution=original
output=direct3d

[dosbox]
vmemsize=4
memsize=63

[cpu]
core=dynamic
cycles=max

[glide]
glide=true

Step 5. If you haven't already, download and install Shadow Warrior shareware or use registered version. Make sure that this is the latest version (v1.2).

NOTE: Shadow Warrior uses a DOS-based installer.

Step 6. Get the shareware 3dfx patch (swsw3d11.zip). Unzip the executable file (swsw3d11.exe) and place it in the same directory where Shadow Warrior shareware is installed.
OR
Get the registered 3dfx patch (sw3dfx11.zip). Unzip the executable file (sw3df11.exe) and place it in the same directory where Shadow Warrior shareware is installed.

Step 7. Create a desktop shortcut pointing to the DOSBox SVN Daum dosbox.exe

Step 8. Drag swsw3d11.exe  OR  sw3df11.exe onto the DOSBox SVN Daum Desktop Icon and it will run. When the patch asks you if you want to upgrade your version of the game, type "y" (without quote marks) and hit Enter. The 3dfx version files will be added to the game.

Step 9. Once the patching process is complete, run the setup program for the 3dfx version (set3dfx.exe):
o Set the sound FX card to Sound Blaster (the program should correctly auto-detect DOSBox settings).
o Set the music card to General MIDI, port 330h (default).
o Set the screen resolution to 640x480 or 800x600.
o Configure the controls to your liking.

Step 10. Save your changes and run the game. When the 3dfx version is started for the first time, it will convert game textures for future use. This process will take some time. Upon completion you will be-able to play in 3DFX.

Notes

NOTE: When the 3dfx version is installed, you have the option to play either the regular version or the 3dfx version. Run sw.exe for the regular version and sw3dfx.exe for the 3dfx version. Both versions have independent configuration files*, and save games are not interchangeable.

*During the SW3DFX install, apparently the installer will delete your SW.CFG file saying "that it conflicts with the 3Dfx configuration." It doesn't but you'll have to remake it after the install to play standard SW.

On a side note, You can set output=openglnb if direct3d doesn't work for you. Most modern graphics cards should be OpenGL and Direct3D compliant anyway.  You do not want "opengl" as an output or you'll get double the filtering and the game will be extremely blurry.