Tech refresh 2026: Successful (DOSBox Staging) candidate part 2 (G-Z)
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
This is a guide updating the various DOSBox configs produced for many of the guides, to the latest DOSBox Staging v0.83.0 release candidate 1. This version is a huge change over previous versions and was briefly covered in Tech refresh 2026: Successful (DOSBox Staging) candidate part 1 (G-Z), however important changes are repeated below.
Overhauled frame presentation
DOSBox Staging v0.82.2 required changing a few settings, so the DOS frames can be presented at a legacy friendly and more constant 70Hz rate identical to VGA card on CRT monitors . Early DOS sims seem to benefit greatly from this by running the game free of subtle timing issues which affected the subjective feel of the game. The settings were:
[sdl]
host_rate = sdi
vsync = off
presentation_mode = cfr
[dosbox]
dos_rate = defaultDOSBox Staging v0.83.0-RC1 has overhauled frame presentation providing the same 70Hz VGA rate 'out of the box'. The default settings are now:
[sdl]
vsync = off
presentation_mode = auto
[dosbox]
dos_rate = defaultMixer master volume
The mixer master volume is now set to 50% to provide headroom to increase the volume without distortion. If the sound/music is too low it can be increased in the DOSBox cmd line or [autoexec] section of a config with:
mixer master <percentage>[:<percentage>]
# Some examples:
mixer master 100 # 100% vol on both stereo channels (prev default)
mixer master 75:85 # 75% vol on left, 85% on rightThe games
Gunship 2000
Original articles. There is no specific support for a Flightstick Pro and 4axis provides stick, collective and rudder. The joystick must be timed enabled otherwise crashes in the game may occur. There are two configs for the VGA and EGA versions. In addition a launcher menu has been added.
Harrier Jump Jet
Original articles. The preferred joystick type is 4axis as the Flightstick Pro is not explicitly supported and this prevents the hat button from causing spurious actions in game. Throttle and rudder are supported. A revised launcher menu is included.
Heroes of the 357th
Original article. The defaults of DOSBox Staging means this becomes a very limited config of personal preferences and applicable joystick hardware.
Hind
Original article. The preferred joystick type is ch as the Flightstick Pro is supported. Voodoo is disabled as this is not supported by the DOS version.
Jane's Combat Simulations: AH-64D Longbow/Jane's Longbow Gold
Original article. The preferred joystick type is ch as the Flightstick Pro is supported. Voodoo is disabled as this is not supported by the DOS version. There are example [autoexec] commands for Longbow/Longbow Gold.
JetFighter III Classic
Original article. This config supports general midi with FluidSynth or an external (to DOSBox) MIDI component (e.g. VirtualMidiSynth). The Sound Canvas is enabled as the game supports this MIDI device. The MT32 is not properly supported due to a broken implementation (see List of MT-32-compatible computer games). Note: testing MIDI in the setup app does not work.
The game supports stick, throttle and rudder but does not explicitly support the Flightstick Pro so a 4axis joystick type is used. A new launcher menu is added to run the game, setup or mission editor, view release notes or select a DOSBox MIDI device.
The mission editor manual has been converted to pdf for easier use.
M1 Tank Platoon
Original articles. The joystick is set to 2axis as only 2 axes are supported. The original hardware was the OPL2 so Sound Blaster is set to sbpro1 to take advantage (if any) of dual OPL2 chips. MT32 is set to mt32_new as recommended in the VOGONS List of MT-32-compatible computer games.
A revised and cleaned up menu has been added and should be placed in the DOSBox hard disk root folder alongside tank.bat, which it can replace.
Megafortress
The standalone build described in this article, uses the following updated config for the latest DOSBox Staging:
GOG digital edition
The GOG digital edition uses a specially created launcher app. In this earlier article, vanilla DOSBox was replaced by DOSBox Staging in this launcher app. To update DOSBox Staging follow the steps in the guide. This new version of DOSBox Staging uses this set of updated configs:
Privateer 2: The Darkening
The original article used a limited DOSBox Staging config to run the game once, in preparation for conversion to a Windows native version. This latest DOSBox Staging makes playing the DOS version a viable option.
The game is extremely prone to freezing when playing video when general MIDI is selected, so the MIDI driver fix described in the article, 'Privateer 2: The Darkening' running in Windows 10 is still required.
The joystick type has been changed to ch as there is specific support for the Flightstick Pro in the game, it must be timed enabled to allow in-game calibration to work. A launcher menu has been added to run the game, setup sound or choose a DOSBox general MIDI device.
Silent Service II
Original article. The joystick remains disabled. An autotype command has been added to skip past setup questions.
Strike Commander
Original article. The preferred joystick type is ch as the Flightstick Pro is supported. This config supports general midi with FluidSynth or an external (to DOSBox) MIDI component (e.g. VirtualMidiSynth). A CM32L is enabled as the game supports the LAPC-1 device compatible with the CM32L .
A launcher menu has been added to run the game, setup sound or choose a DOSBox MIDI device.
Subwar 2050
Original articles. The preferred joystick type is ch as the Flightstick Pro is supported. A throttle is available although a rudder is not. A revised launcher menu has been added.
Super-VGA Harrier
Original article. CPU cycles cleaned up in the config but mostly an updated config for this version of DOSBox Staging.
TFX
Original article. The config for TFX supports digital audio with the Sound Blaster 16 and Gravis Ultrasound. MIDI is supported with the CM32L and Sound Canvas SC-55/SCC-1. The preferred joystick type is ch as the Flightstick Pro is supported.
The new launcher menu for TFX allows, running the game, running the setup app, viewing release notes and selecting a DOSBox MIDI device.
Tornado
Original articles. This config continues to use the 4axis joystick type allowing the use of a relative axis throttle (rather than an absolute axis). This can be changed to the ch type as a Flightstick Pro is supported by the game. This allows the use of a POV hat at the expense of losing the throttle axis.
Note: although the joystick type can be changed with a DOSBox Staging config command, the game is unable to detect any joysticks afterwards. The type must be specified in the config and remain unchanged.
This game has problems with the built in DOSBox mouse driver when using the default 2 button mouse. Setting the built in driver to use a 3 button mouse resolves the issue.
The launcher menu runs the game, setup or views the release notes.
Wing Commander
Original article. This config supports the W.C.A.T. mod. The DOSBox Staging config supplied with the mod has been updated to this DOSBox version. Some settings are omitted as they are now default settings in this DOSBox version.
Wing Commander Privateer
Original articles. This config switches to a 2axis joystick type as only a 2 axis stick is supported by the game. The config supports Fluid Synth or external (to DOSBox) MIDI devices (e.g. VirtualMidiSynth). It is believed that WaveBlaster, supported by the game, can be emulated with Sound Canvas support. Some options have been taken from the DOSBox Staging Wiki Game Issues for Wing Commander: Privateer.
The launcher menu provides options to run Privateer, the expansion Righteous Fire, the setup utility or allows selection of a DOSBox MIDI device.
Finally..
Huge thanks to John Novak and the rest of the DOSBox Staging team for such a significant DOSBox Staging release, and for help in resolving the Tornado mouse issue!
Good hunting!
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