JUst want to PLAY not get a college degree

[bearcat44]

 

When I try to launch, getting error:

C:/Users/beatcat/appData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/GameExplorer/{a7b5a4a4-c2ca-4a4.../Play.Ink is not a valid Win32 application

 

Thank you for your patience.  Using Windows 7.

  I am searching for something that will guide me, step by step for 

my SPECIFIC situation.

By that I mean, I don't want to have to read and read and plow through learning how to become an expert.

I just want to play a game, not get a college degree in computer engineering.

https://www.myabandonware.com/game/dino-crisis-2-c76#download

Used WinZip to unzip it. Then tried using IMGBURN to create an ISO file.

Really have no idea at all what I am doing, first time trying to do this.

I ended up with a CD ROM.  At first, the game sort of played the animated intro to the game, over and over, with no menu every showing up.

Now, There is a menu to install the game, uninstall, and to install two other things, can't remember the names. I installed those to other things, like DirectX something.

No matter what I do or click on, the game will not launch.

My best guess is I need yet ANOTHER piece of software now, to make the computer play this?

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by bearcat44
add

[dbminter]

How old is this game?  It could simply be old enough that it refuses to run on modern versions of Windows.

 

[bearcat44]

16 minutes ago, dbminter said:

How old is this game?  It could simply be old enough that it refuses to run on modern versions of Windows.

 

 

 

As you can see from the linked page, it states that the game was published in 2003.

As you can see from the link inside my post, it is a Windows game.

  And, as far as I know, Windows contains something called Compatibility Mode.

That really isn't likely to be the issue.

I think the issue is, I have never done this before, and it turns out not to be intuitive.

  The problem is, I need something STEP BY STEP to guide me.

I don't normally unzip files or convert files.  To me, 99 percent of the menu of IMGBURN is gibberish, meaningless.

I dont' want to learn everything there is to know about IMGBURN.......all I want is to play the game with minimum hassle.

Edited April 22, 2020 by bearcat44

[dbminter]

You'd be surprised at the sheer number of programs that become unusable on Windows simply because of their age.  They work on the previous version of Windows then you update to the latest Windows, try to run the old application, and it simply never starts.

 

Plus, when you download something like an old game installer, you never know for sure IF it ever even worked before.  Many people just make copies of install discs and post them without testing them.  And if they had copy protection mechanisms on them, it would make them worse.

 

If the ZIP file just contains an ISO file, all you need to do is use Write image file to disc and load the ISO for writing.  That's the extent of it.  What you get afterwards is up for grabs. 

 

[dbminter]

Ah, what you have in that ZIP file (I just snagged it.) is a BIN/CUE file set.  That's a CD format image file set, so you will get a CD-ROM when you burn it.  In the guide I linked earlier, load the .CUE file instead of a .ISO file.  You'll want to load the .CUE file instead of the .BIN file for proper burning.    The .BIN file is the actual data and the .CUE file tells how to properly burn the .BIN file to the destination.

 

I did not burn the BIN/CUE file set, but I mounted the BIN as a virtual drive to test with.  There is something called Install DirectMedia6, which I've never heard of before.  I guess you already chose to try installing DirectX7.  Try installing DirectMedia 6.

 

Now, I did notice the game is 18 years old, so I am worried it simply doesn't run on modern Windows.  But, it turns out, I got it working.  All I did was 1.) choose Install Dino2 from the disc menu.  I didn't install DirectMedia6 or DirectX7.  After the installer finishes, the installer closes.  I ran the installer again and this time Play Dino2 was available, which it wasn't before.  And the game does run on Windows 10 1909.

 

So, if you haven't tried it yet, 1.) run the installer from the disc  2.) choose Install Dino2 3.) the installation program closes.  Rerun the installer from the disc.  4.) Play Dino2 should be selectable now for you to run the game.  If it doesn't, I can't explain it.  Of course, I didn't actually burn the BIN/CUE file set.  I ran it as a virtual drive from the hard disk.

[bearcat44]

1 hour ago, dbminter said:

Ah, what you have in that ZIP file (I just snagged it.) is a BIN/CUE file set.  That's a CD format image file set, so you will get a CD-ROM when you burn it.  In the guide I linked earlier, load the .CUE file instead of a .ISO file.  You'll want to load the .CUE file instead of the .BIN file for proper burning.    The .BIN file is the actual data and the .CUE file tells how to properly burn the .BIN file to the destination.

 

I did not burn the BIN/CUE file set, but I mounted the BIN as a virtual drive to test with.  There is something called Install DirectMedia6, which I've never heard of before.  I guess you already chose to try installing DirectX7.  Try installing DirectMedia 6.

 

Now, I did notice the game is 18 years old, so I am worried it simply doesn't run on modern Windows.  But, it turns out, I got it working.  All I did was 1.) choose Install Dino2 from the disc menu.  I didn't install DirectMedia6 or DirectX7.  After the installer finishes, the installer closes.  I ran the installer again and this time Play Dino2 was available, which it wasn't before.  And the game does run on Windows 10 1909.

 

So, if you haven't tried it yet, 1.) run the installer from the disc  2.) choose Install Dino2 3.) the installation program closes.  Rerun the installer from the disc.  4.) Play Dino2 should be selectable now for you to run the game.  If it doesn't, I can't explain it.  Of course, I didn't actually burn the BIN/CUE file set.  I ran it as a virtual drive from the hard disk.

Thank you so much for your reply, patience and help.

Almost all the terms you used are new to me, confusing and intimidating.

Could we try this?  I will erase everything, and download the game again.

Then what? Step by step.

I own WinZip, ImgBurn and VirtualCloneDrive.

but I don't know the EXACT steps to take, in order, to make this work.............

[dbminter]

Do you still have the CD-ROM you already burned?  You shouldn't need to burn a 2nd copy because the first one should work.  Just follow the install steps I listed for getting the game to install with the disc you already made, if you still have it.  If you don't have the CD-ROM you already burned, burn a new copy by following the How to write an image file to disc link here

 

 

Where it says "If you created the image with ImgBurn, you should be looking for a *.CUE / *.MDS file initially. If you can't locate one of those with the name you're expecting, go for whatever is left! (probably a *.ISO file)" you will want to open the file that has .CUE at the end of its name instead of the .BIN file.