Mirror topic on kitana for new users: http://www.kitana.org/arena/bi2/bi2forum.html?kommentar=bi212
Different materials. Like unit editor, old mappacks (up to ~ 400 maps) and other can be found in http://www.kitana.org/arena/bi2/bi2forum.html?kommentar=bi210
BI2 multiplayer thread (setup of things not checked) - https://www.gog.com/forum/battle_isle/bluenet_battle_isle_2_multiplayer

If you speak russian check:

1. Main thread - http://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle-2-3-kartostroenie-materialy-multipleer.51153/page-5,
2. BI3 setup and things - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle-3.92219/
3. BI2/BI2TL setup and things - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle-2-titans-legacy.92220/
4. Strategy tips for BI2 - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle-2.92113, for BI2TL - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle-2-titans-legacy.92060, for BI3 - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle-3-shadow-of-the-emperor.92333
5. Whole series on russian (in one form or another, including background documents) - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/threads/battle-isle.91790/

BI2/BI2TL. Basic setup for further things.

1. Install the game.
2. Rename BI2.gog in the ISLE2 folder to BI2.iso. BI2scen.gog in the SCENERY folder also in .iso.
3. Mount disk images in Daemon Tools.
4. The contents of the BI2 folder with the replacement should be placed in ISLE2. Then also with
BI2scen we move the files from NET with the replacement of files in SCENERY. After BI2.iso and
Bi2scen.iso can be deleted.
5. To start, as before, use Launch Battle Isle 2 shortcut.

Removing the restriction of moves.

1. Put the game directory in the folder BI2. In the DosBox folder, copy the contents of the original
folder.
2. Run bi2editor.exe.
{optional} 3. Click on Einstellungen. Choose English if needed. Close the editor. Open again.
4. Load. Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \ BI2 \ MIS \ MISS001.DAT. Actions. Click the cross in front of the
line Defeat Turn 19. Save.
5. Put the resulting file to Battle Isle 2 \ ISLE2 \ MIS with a replacement.
6. You can play without limiting the moves.

Titan's Legacy starts with MISS042.DAT.

Creation of maps.

0. Download editor here: _kitana.org/arena/bi2/bi2editor.html?style=2
1. Move the map editor for example in Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor
2. Copy the entire catalog of the game in Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \ BI2
3. Copy Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \ DOSBox to Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \ DOSBox
4. Open Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \ DOSBox \ bi2ed.conf
5. Look for autoexec. It should be something like this:

autoexec
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
# You can put your MOUNT lines here.

# Battle Isle 2 settings (ISO image -> mount image via Windows first)

mount C "E: \ Games \ Old \ Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \ BI2"
mount C "E: \ Games \ Old \ Battle Isle 2 \ cloud_saves \ SAV" -t overlay
c:
cls
@ BATTLE2.EXE ENG

6. Same information must be added in C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\DOSBox\dosbox-0.74-2.1.conf if you have
problem with running / DosBox has dublicate of date in this folder.

7. Create / use maps. Make sure that \ Battle Isle 2 \ cloud_saves \ SAV, Battle Isle 2 \ BI2Editor \
BI2 \ SAV and Battle Isle 2 \ ISLE2 \ SAV have a SAVEHEAD.DAT file. In the case of Battle Isle 2 \
BI2Editor \ BI2 \ SAV and if it uses the cloud_saves folder, the slots should not be occupied by saved
missions, otherwise the cards will load them during the test, and not what you are going to test.

8. You can create maps and then move them to the main directory. To test directly from the editor you
can press the F5 button.

Using new maps.

0. Download mappack. For example this one _kitana.org/arena/bi2/bi2mappacks.html?style=2
1. Replace files in ENG and MIS.
2. Play.

Message deleted.

Do you have copies of the *.DAT files for the BI2 scenery disk?

Cheers

Geoff

Battle Isle 2\SCENERY\MIS one? Read the "Basic setup for further things." section. I've described there how to get them.

Daemon Tools is available here: https://www.daemon-tools.cc/products/dtLite#install-dtLite-offer

Battle Isle 3 basic setup and things.

Optimum screen resolution.

1. Go to the \ SDI folder. Find SDI_1R.exe. In compatibility mode set 640x480.
1.1. Start the game. Save after the start of 1 mission. Click the icon in the form of a table

Check bi3_1.png for more info.

At the top change the parameter to "Large hex.". Resolution - 640x480. Now the game will look acceptable in, for example, 1920x1080 and without small units, black bars will remain on the sides.

Check photo_2020-06-12_22-16-09.jpg.

1.2. Alternative way. Stretch the picture. Download bat_file.zip from here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1epfz1pQDPjD5dutlfvfZX0a7w0ZVVF5-/view?usp=sharing, unzip the contents to the root folder of the game.

If you want to configure everything by yourself, then download "Display Changer" from here https://12noon.com/?page_id=80. Add dccmd.exe from C: \ Program Files (x86) \ 12noon Display Changer (by default) to the game directory, for example E: \ Games \ Old \ Battle Isle 3. Next add the .bat file with the following contents:

@echo off
dccmd.exe -width=640 -height=480 -fixedoutput=stretch ".\SDI\SDI_1R.EXE"
exit

To create the appropriate resolution file itself, open Notepad or NotePad ++, select save as, all file types, specify a name and .bat at the end.

Start the game through this batch file.

Result - photo_2020-06-13_01-41-00.jpg.

Stretched, but now there are no black bars + videos will be higher in resolution. After the first start you can then also start through the GOG Galaxy.

Disabling annoying videos.

2. It makes sense to do this point after you start 1 mission, because otherwise you will skip the intro and background, which leads to the start of the campaign.

Rename API980.AVI, 981, 982, 997 in the \ SDI \ DATA \ AVI folder to _API980.AVI, etc. Download the API.zip archive from here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_KlMIlLRviAgWPi7ia-HdcSukDHE16to/view?usp=sharing. Add the contents to \ SDI \ DATA \ AVI. The contents of the archive are 4 videos with a resolution of 320x240 1 second long, which consist of 1 picture in the form of a black square.

Higher resolution movies.

Update: check post #11 in this thread, https://www.gog.com/forum/battle_isle/battle_isle_2_number_of_moves_limit/post11. Now video covers 2/3 of the screen in 1920x1080.

3. Videos in the game are played by default in a small screen. The original resolution is 320x240. Nevertheless, if you just open the video in the same VLC player, then, albeit with squares, it stretches to full screen. In the manual for the game, the "Zoom" option is mentioned which cannot be found in the menu itself (videosize.png). The "Video size" option is also not available for selection.

In C: \ Windows \ there is an SDI.ini file, it has the PLAY_ZOOM parameter. You can put "YES", but that doesn’t change anything.

3.1. To solve the problem, use the Camtasia Studio program - https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html
3.2. Import media. We choose, for example, \ SDI \ DATA \ AVI \ API400.AVI - a briefing of the very first mission.
3.3. Drag the file onto Track 1.
3.4. File -> Produce and share ... -> Custom production settings -> AVI -> do not touch anything, click Next -> Custom size -> 480x360 -> Next -> in Production name we write API400 -> Finish. The resulting file is added to \ SDI \ DATA \ AVI \, after renaming the original in _API400. Example of this video here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fiKy5q_ksRkPI7csv0XzNXEBmdQ_b348/view?usp=sharing
3.5. The briefing is reproduced in higher resolution, but in the corner of the screen, exactly fitting there in the resolution of 1920x1080. If you set a higher resolution, for example 640x480, then the video will no longer fit on the screen. Why does this happen when other resolutions are regulated normally and the original video is not displayed in the corner, remains a mystery.

Other music in .mp3.

4. If you do not like local music, you can use your own, moreover, in .mp3 format. To do this, download BI3_with_mp3_support.zip. Add content with replacement in \ SDI \.

In \ SDI \ MUS, replace the MIDI files with the ones you prefer. Alternatively you can find a small thematic collection in music.zip archive.

Link for all files: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I_g4Gdk749hg7lbPiMSii8zhxYI9AOPW

Game over the network (tested on Windows 7).

5.1. Create a network in LogMeIn Hamachi - https://secure.logmein.com/RU/produc.../register.aspx. The free version is enough. Indicate the name and password.
5.2. Tell the friend of yours the name, for example battle_isle_OG, he enters the password, he is with you now.
5.3. If you enter the game, you must add a guest account to the existing network. If it is disabled, turn it on.
5.4. Create a folder on your PC. Somewhere in a simple place. Say C: \ NET. Make it shared, accessible to the guest account.
5.5. Run SDIDIR.EXE, register the path there to this folder.
5.6. Your friend opens a command prompt and writes there: mklink / D C: \ NET Z: \ (i.e., create a network drive so that SDIDIR.EXE has a path to write to). Friend launches SDIDIR.EXE, writes the path to the C: \ NET folder (that is, on the usual disk, there will be a shortcut to the folder on the creator's PC).
5.7. The creator goes into the game, creates the game there, the button below is the corresponding one. Sets a password, make a move.
5.8.Friend enters the game, presses Call... enters a password, makes a move.

Progress is saved automatically. To continue the game: turn on Hamachi, go into the game, select "Call up network game", select the network game that has begun before. The same thing your friend need to do. Keep playing.

The map editor, how to change the color of the fraction and its name are mentioned here: http://www.kitana.org/arena/bi2/bi2forum.html?kommentar=bi210&style=2, #1 and #9.

The fresh editor of the german fan of the game series, nickname Sourcerer, is still not quite with BI3.

Questions that so far remain unanswered:

1. BI3. How to make the videos does not clog into a corner, but is centered / stretched across the screen like the rest of the picture.

2. In BI2, with due dexterity, it was quite convenient to operate the keyboard throughout the entire game without the mouse. In BI3, there is no such option by default; control is tied to the mouse. It is not clear how easy it is to switch to using the "SPACE" key with the accompanying options, picking the game up a bit. There are two points.

The first is that you need to reassign 1 key - instead of clicking the left mouse button, click on SPACE.

The second point - you need to navigate the map using the arrows. By default it’s possible make +/- scrolling with the right mouse button.

3. Check the BI2 multiplayer and make a short manual for it. In In theory it must be the same as it for BI3. But with 2 additional things - plugin for Hamachi, that add the IPX protocol + additional DosBox configuration.

Q1. Slightly improved the picture. The "Zoom" option still somehow works. In combination with the "Display Changer" in 1920x1080, video in 480x360 occupies ~ 2/3 of the screen (480x360.png).

The sequence is as follows: complete the entire #3, then #1.2.

If you do not change the resolution of the video, but set PLAY_ZOOM = YES, PLAY_BIG = YES in combination with the Display Changer, then the video will be in the center of the screen slightly higher than the default resolution, but still less than in the version in the corner. Also not bad in its own way. Ultimately, a matter of subjective preference (centered.png).

For this we only #3, without additions, and then #1.2.

Set the resolution in the .bat file below 640x480 is not possible - game will not run.

Perhaps there is an option to "play" with the zoom... somewhere, but it’s not clear where to look. I remember that, for example, in the original MechCommander it was possible to set a multiple zoom value depending on the parameter in one of the configuration files, but it came out later.

Removing moves limit in BI3.

I've mentioned earlier that there are no such on in BI3. I was wrong. It is also present, but the reserve, apparently, was given more than in the second part of the series. In view of that, the chances of completing all missions and not seeing notifications that there were not enough moves, became less. The algorithm as a whole is the same.

1. First, you need a copy of BI2. This editor is not officially compatible with BI3, but it will do for this purpose. Put the game directory in the BI2 folder. In the DosBox folder, copy the contents of the original folder. Without this action it will not start.
2. Run bi2editor.exe (https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bi2editor-v1000-zip.205325/)
3. Click on Einstellungen. Choose English. Close the editor. Open again.
4. Load. Battle Isle 3 \ SDI \ DATA \ MISS100.DAT, Actions. Click the cross next to the line Defeat Turn 29. Save. The final mission is MISS119.DAT.
5. You can play without limits now.

One detail. I personally could not re-save MISS113, while saving MISS117 the editor crashed, as in the first case, but the changes were saved. Apparently because maps are quite voluminous.

Battle Isle 3. Windows 10 setup for multiplayer.

The settings are slightly different. Therefore, I am writing a separate message about this.

1. Create a guest account on both PCs. In normal Windows 10, you have to use the command line. Poke in the search, write cmd.exe, run as administrator. Next, write 3 commands:

1.1. net user Guestone / add
1.2. net localgroup Guestone / delete users
1.3. net localgroup Guests Guestone / add

Repeat the operation on the second PC, the username can be left the same or replaced with Guesttwo. I did not change one.

2. Install Hamachi on both PCs, https://www.vpn.net
2.1. Create a network in the program and set a password. I do not recommend creating a network on the site. There may be connectivity issues.

3. Create the folder C: \ NET. Share it for Guestone and Guest / Guesttwo. By the way. You can't create "Guest" name account in Windows 10. This folder will store network saves.

Folder properties -> Sharing -> Share -> Share ... -> select a user.

As result get, for example, that the folder have network path \\ doomer_pc \ net

3.1. Next, on the second PC, opening CMD, write the following: mklink / D C: \ NET Z: \

The folder is pulled up like a network drive now.

4. Hamachi by default is registered in public networks. Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change advanced sharing settings -> Turn on network discovery, Turn on file and printer sharing.

Just in case, you can check the All Network. Turn on sharing so anyone ... and Turn off password protecting sharing.

5. Go to Battle Isle 3 \ SDI \ DATA. Open SDIDIR.EXE and select C: \ NET.
6. Install the game on the second PC and do the same by selecting the new drive Z: \
7. Run the game on both PCs through Launch Battle Isle 3, SDI_1R.EXE or BI3.bat, depending on how you have configured the game before. Make sure that Windows Firewall allows the game to connect over the network. When you first start a message will pop up.
8. Create a game, set a password, fractions, for example 2 players, 1 AI, make a move. The game is considered as started only after 1 player makes a move.
9. Run the game on the second PC. Choose a connection option. The list should contain the name of the created game / room. Click on it. Enter the password. Make a move.

Progress is saved automatically. To continue the game as before:

1. Turn on Hamachi on both PCs.
2. Log in to the game on both PCs.
3. Select call up network game.
4. Select the started network game. You can simultaneously play on multiple maps with multiple players and save progress.
5. The same thing needs to be done on the second PC.
6. You can continue to play.

Incubation: Time Is Running Out / The Wilderness Missions. Basic setup.

* GOG version is already patched to the latest version 1.52e. The add-on, Incubation Mission Pack, is launched by calling the button to the right of the "Play" icon.
* By default, the game does not start under Windows 10 and just hangs in the task list.

1. This issue is solved quite simply. Download the archive from here: https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/sound_audio-zip.208665

2. Sound.dll and audio.dll files with replacement put it in the folder where you installed the game.

3. Run settings.exe. Select 3Dfx.

4. In nglide_config.exe, you can specify a screen resolution, for example 1920x1080, and a couple of other effects.

5. If you, like me, are annoyed by all kinds of "gurgling" sounds resembling a heartbeat, then I recommend that you go to the "music" folder and delete, put in separate folder or rename: Arack02.ogg to _Arack02.ogg, and similarly, Arack03.ogg, Arack04.ogg, Arack12.ogg, Arack14.ogg, Track02.ogg, Track03.ogg, Track04.ogg, Track07.ogg. Total 10 files. The game will simply skip them and continue playing the next tracks. A similar scheme for playing music, by the way, was previously implemented in Battle Isle 3 - there was no binding to a clear mission.

6. The game does not like using Alt + Enter. If after that you go back into the game, only the keyboard will work. Hence the advice. Before you press the combination - save. Then click. Then, due to the arrows, go to the main menu, click "Quit the game" - the cursor has earned again - click the "Back" button.

7. Management at first glance may seem unusual (here we do not have a fresh revision of the same ShadowRun). To make the first move, first click on the landing area, then pass the move (button in the form of an arrow in the lower right). After that, hold down the left key above and select the directions of movement, which are indicated by letters and signs "+", confirm it by clicking on the icon, release the key - the party member will make a move. You can shoot at opponents simply by hovering over them and clicking.