Currently the eXo projects consist of eXoDOS, eXoWin3x, eXoScummVM, and the RLP (Retro Learning Project). The projects are focused on the preservation of games & media, for their respective platforms, via playability. The projects seek original copies of games when possible and presents them in an easy to enjoy format.
FAQ
You may download it via torrent or via wget (http). Considering the size of these packages, I would suggest the torrent method. A ratio free torrent of every project is available on each project's respctive page.
Cover art is included for all games which were released in a box, folder, or sleeve of some kind. Many games were simply released digitally however, such as your typical shareware game. As these games did not have a "cover", there is no cover to scan. Registered users of LaunchBox have the option to replace the missing images with the title or screen shot included with each game.
LaunchBox is a front end which allows easy browsing of the
games and their metadata. It has been chosen due to it's wide variety
of features that are available in it's free version. Registeirng
LaunchBox is not necessary to use it with eXoDOS, however registered
users do gain the benefit of some extra features, primarily in the form
of "BigBox" mode. More information about this can be found on their
website.
It is possible to use a different front end by pointing it to the
launch batch files as "roms" and simply telling it to run the files
straight. However, all of the metadata (tear, genre, publishe,r
developer, scanned art, manuasl, etc) will have to be manually exported
from the LaunchBox xml and folders, and added to your front end of
choice. At this time, we do not have any exporters to automate this
process.
eXoDOS is over 500gb, which while large for a typical
platformgame set, is actually relatively small when you consider it
spans games
over two decades. Imagine every console from the Atari 2600 through the
PS1 being in a single set, and you have your explanation.
If you do not want to download the entire pack, a lite version is
available for some of the projects. This allows you to download just
the metadata for all of the games. The first time you attempt to launch
a game, it will detect that you do not have it and prompt you to
download it. It downloads the game using a command line based torrent
client, which is supported by those who are seeding the full project.
If you run into issues with this, you likely need to look into
forwarding your ports.
Step 1: Is the game DOOM?
Step 2: If so, please leave me alone. ;)
Seriously though, a majority of game submission suggestions are of
games we already have in the pack. Either due to regional name
differences or simply the sheer fact there are so many games in the
pack, many times the obvious ones are overlooked. Please search the
game title *within* LaunchBox. Alternate & regional titles of
each game
are stored in the database. That way if you think Broken Sword is
missing from the pack, a quick search will show you that it is under
it's U.S. release title, Circle of Blood.
Yes! And it is quite easy. Visit our YouTube
page for an instructional video, or follow these steps:
1. Ensure the project has been installed by running the SETUP.bat file
2. Copy the following folders to your target LaunchBox folder from your
project folder
.\eXo\
.\Images\
.\Manuals\
.\Plugins\
.\xml\
.\data\Platforms\
.\data\Playlists\
3. Copy the following file to your target LaunchBox folder from your
project folder
\data\Parents.xml
4. When you start launchbox, please allow it to update.
5. You should now have your eXo projects merged together or merged with
your parent LaunchBox folder.
For further help, please visit our help and support channel at the
projects Discord server.
DATs are a product of ROM distribution, designed to assist in joining
a download with as much existing data as possible. Unfortunately, computer
games are very different from ROMs in multiple ways, creating a problem
when it comes to using DAT files.
DAT files are based on the idea of a common version of a game existing. The
following list covers manyh of the reasons there is no common version of
computer games.
A: Computer games were often released on multiple mediums. Each could have
slight differences
B: Standard variations such as versions, regional variants, languages, etc...
C: Computer games change state when installed.
D: During install, unique configuration files are created.
E: Many game's original files have been modified over the years, either
during the time they were ripped (new dates) or after they were installed
(cracks).
F: eXo Projects do not use torrent zip, due to the fact it changes the internal
date and time of the files.
With all of this said, it would ne essentially impossible to join any eXo project
with existing data. The files would have to be the same game release, with the
same patches, installed to the same folder name, with the same configuration files,
and the same cracks, with the original media named the same and in the same folder.
The chances of all of that are practically zero.
And if one wants to join with existing data, the lack of torrentzip support means
that any change at all the the files will result in an entirely new compressed file.
Which defeats the point of the DAT in he first place.
Maybe. This really just depends on your network. We have had
several users try this and claim it is unworkable, as the transfer time
for the larger CD based games is so slow that it causes massive
stuttering.
However, we have had a handful of users report success in doing this.
On our Discord is a pinned message with step-by-step instructions
provided by one of our members that has worked for some people.
