Firstly, here are my computer's specs:
Mac OS X 10.5.7
PowerPC G4
Problem #1: setup_gabriel_knight.exe
The download from GOG.com is a executable (.exe) file called "setup_gabriel_knight.exe" that can only be run on Windows. It automatically installs the game on the user's Windows OS and can't be run on Mac OSX.
Solution:
I downloaded and installed the game to a serparate PC, then went to the directory it installed to (in this case, C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com) and copied the "Gabriel Knight" folder and all of its contents to a thumb drive. Then I transfered the files from the drive to my Mac.
Problem #2: Learning to use DOSBox
In order to access a DOS game to run it, you must enter a series of commands into the DOSBox interface (after opening DOSBox, of course). The first step is to tell DOSBox where the game is -- that is, which directory (aka folder) the game is located. This is done using the "mount" command, which designates a directory as a C drive for DOSBox.
Solution:
Following instructions I found online, I made a new directory called "DOSGames" in my home folder (the one with my user name, in this case "localadmin"). I then used this command line in DOSBox:
mount c ~/dosgames
The "~" represents the home folder, "localadmin". Also note that while the directory slashes on Windows are backslashes, "\", on Mac OSX they're forwardslashes, "/". Finally, note that CAPS don't matter.
So, "mount c ~/dosgames" identified my DOSGames directory as the C drive. I then told it to take me to that directory using this simple command:
c:
Which caused the "Z:\>" to become "C:\>". Then I typed
cd gabrie~1
"cd" means Change Directory, and "gabrie~1" is the abbreviated version of the directory "Gabriel Knight" (which I renamed "Gabriel_Knight"). So this brought DOSBox to the "Gabriel_Knight" folder, where the game is stored. Finally, I could tell DOSBox to play the game using:
sierra.exe
...which is the executable that starts the game. (The .exe doesn't need to be included.)
Problem #3: That takes way too long
Typing all that code is a pain.
Solution:
There is a way to manually set your own options for DOSBox, but it's oddly placed.
Open "/home/Library/Preferences/DOSBox 0.74 Preferences" with TextEdit ("home" being "localadmin" for me). This is essentially DOSBox's options screen. At the very bottom of the document, beneath where it says "# You can put your MOUNT lines here." write:
mount c ~/dosgames
c:
cd gabrie~1
sierra
...which is all the code that had to be written by hand into DOSBox. Upon starting up DOSBox now, all that will automatically happen, and it should automatically start the game. HOWEVER, I had to add something to this code, which is detailed in Problem #5...
Problem #4: No voices, the text is unreadably fast, and the Intro video doesn't work
Upon starting the game, I delighted in seeing the Sierra logo accompanied by a midi tune, followed by the game's menu screen. I clicked "Intro" ... and, after a few seconds of music, the game crashed.
I started it up again and this time hit Play from the menu. The opening scene worked fine ... until the characters began talking. Not only did the voice acting not play, but the speech text flew by too quickly to read.
Solution:
A quick fix for the fast text is to go to Options in-game and turn off voices. When the text flies by, the game is keeping the text up only as long as the voice files play, but the game can't find the voice files, so it just skips them AND the text. Turning off voices lets the text operate on its own time. BUT, this game has MARK HAMILL, TIM CURRY, and MICHAEL DORN in it, so screw that solution! I want my goddamn voices!
Problem #5: That last solution isn't good enough
The REAL problem is that the game can't find the voice file (or the Intro video), so I had to find them for it. After a ton of research and dead ends, I discovered that these files are stored on the game's .ISO file, BUT the files I downloaded from GOG.com didn't have such a thing! ... or DID it? Turns out that the file, "GK1.gog" (in the "Gabriel_Knight" directory) is the missing ISO. GOG had set up their own modification to the DOSBox preferences, which makes the game recognize "GK1.gog" as the ISO, but these preferences are designed for PCs and I was running DOSBox on a Mac. So I had to make my own preferences.
Solution:
After many, many dead ends, I found that the solution is actually pretty easy. In DOSBox, at the "Z:\>" prompt, I typed:
imgmount d ~/dosgames/gabriel_knight/GK1.gog -t iso
...which made DOSBox and the game recognize "GK1.gog" as the missing ISO. This makes the Intro video, voices, and text speed all work perfectly (and you can customize the latter two in the in-game Options menu as normal).
Of course, that command line can be written into the DOSBox preferences document mentioned in Problem #3 so you don't have to type it all in each time you play. With it included, the amendment to the "DOSBox 0.74 Preferences" document should look like:
mount c ~/dosgames
imgmount d ~/dosgames/gabriel_knight/GK1.gog -t iso
c:
cd gabrie~1
sierra
Problem #6: Graphic and sound quality
Even after finding the ISO, there were some annoying problems with both the graphics and sound quality when playing the game.
Solution:
From the "C:\>GABRIE~1>" prompt, instead of typing "sierra", type "install". This takes you to the game's install screen, where you can customize your hardware options. I found the best choices to be "VGA or IBM PS2 - 256 Colors" for graphics, "Sound Blaster Pro" for Music, and "ThunderBoard" for audio. Easy!
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