Adding games to a collection
Before we add games to a collection we need to know some basics. Magic DOSBox is primarily a MS-DOS emulator. This means that it runs primarily
MS-DOS. But some Windows OS versions like Win3.1, Win95 or even Win98 can be run as well -- and you can play these windows games at a pretty good clip. Using Win95 and Win98 games
requires installing a windows image file with appropriate windows version.
What do I need?
If you're reading this, Magic DOSBox is installed. The next step is to add
game data files to your device.
What file format do I need?
DOSBox uses different file formats -- for example, if you ever played with Playstation (PSX) emulation, you'll remember that it used 1 or more CD ISO files, and the emulator would run the game by reading these files. DOSBox is similar. Games for MS-DOS and Windows have
folders with multiple files inside, and DOSBox points to the game folder to read the files. See the
example.
Finally, how do you add a MS-DOS game?
Magic DOSBox has simplified the game importing process through a handy GUI. It's not perfect and not all games can be played as-is, but it has quickly evolved based on player
feedback. Many games work great with the default settings. Once you get familiar with dosbox a bit, you can try the "Expert settings" which gives you much more power to experiment and optimize your game.
Adding a game