So, I decided to dive back into the past and mess around with the original Unreal Tournament, you know, the 2001 game? That game was my jam back in the day, and I figured it would be a fun little project to get it running and maybe even host a little tournament with some friends.
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to find my old copy of the game. Dug through a box of old CDs – success! Found the disc, a little scratched, but hopefully still working.
Next up, installation. Popped the disc in, and thankfully, my modern Windows machine actually recognized it. The installer fired up, and I clicked through all the usual prompts. Chose a custom install location, because, you know, I like to keep things organized.
Installation and Setup
- Finding the Game: Rummaged through old CD storage, found the original Unreal Tournament disc.
- Installation Process:
- Disc worked! Started the installer on my Windows machine.
- Custom install path – gotta keep those files tidy.
- Clicked through the installation wizard – easy peasy.
Running into Snags
Now, the game installed fine, but when I tried to launch it… nothing. Just a black screen and then back to the desktop. Classic old-game problems. So, I hit up the internet. Turns out, you need to do some tweaking to get it running smoothly on newer systems.
I found a couple of forum posts talking about compatibility mode. Right-clicked the game’s executable, went to Properties, and then the Compatibility tab. Set it to run in compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 3). Also checked the box to run it as an administrator. Fingers crossed!
Tweaks and Fixes
- Initial Launch Fail: Black screen, crash to desktop. The usual old game woes.
- Compatibility Mode:
- Right-click executable > Properties > Compatibility.
- Set to Windows XP (Service Pack 3) compatibility.
- Checked “Run as administrator”.
Success!
Boom! The game launched! I was greeted with that iconic intro music and the main menu. Felt like a kid again. Now, I could set up a quick practice match just to make sure everything was working alright. Graphics were a bit blocky, obviously, but the gameplay was still as fast and frantic as I remembered.
Finally, I played it all!
