Gamers, help me out, please.

I'm just not a software guy. If the game isn't tweaked by the maker, there's no way I'm going to get it to run (other than utilities like Compatibility Mode).

One really annoying trap I've fallen into in the past is the damned "patch" for a new version of Windows. Yup, they have a patch and everyone that knows a bit about programming can apply that patch, but when a stupid guy like me downloads it I find that the game has 14 damned sub-folders and of course I have no idea which one to dump the patch in. Further, I don't know if I'm supposed to "dump" it in rather than apply it in some certain way, And, I don't know what happens if I put that bit of code in the wrong folder. Will it mess up something else? You can never get a clear answer from the little game company beyond "download the patch." There is no customer service with gaming software. If it doesn't work, you just burned fifty bucks. That's the level I'm at with software...

So, anyhoo, I will look at some of your suggestions above (and if they are clearly labeled Win 10 compatible), download some of the free ones first and see what challenges I run into. I'll try some of the paid games if I don't run into too many problems with the free ones.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'll report back and let you know how it goes.

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Guys, this isn't working at all. None of these suggestions are Win 10 compatible. They just have a "Windows" version and I know by recent experience that they almost certainly won't work on Win 10. None, not one of my "Windows" games will work on the Win 10 platform. I don't want to burn money to see if a particular game suggestion is an exception to that rule.

So, let's narrow this down. Does anyone here have a Win 10 computer? If you do have Win 10, what games have you been able use? And if they are just a general "Windows" game how did you tweak them to work?

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Did you buy a Windows 10 S computer? That could explain why none of your old games are working, there should be a way to upgrade it to normal Windows 10 if that's the case.

 

I have no idea if it is Windows 10 S or just Windows 10. Where would I look to find out?

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I think you should be able to find it by pressing Start, opening Settings and then clicking System -> About. It should say under "Edition".

 

Pac Man on a wind up computer.

 

Forgot about this. GOG.com
Good Old Games.com takes old games and reprograms them for Win 10.

They have Panzer Generals, Hidden and Dangerous, IL2 and more.

They send you the game in a zip file. Winzip is a free program to open the file. Once opened it's ready to setup and play. No DDRM or internet connection needed save the initial download.

 

I have Windows 10 Home on an HP laptop w/ 2.4 gigahertz Intel i3 processor w/ 6 gig of Ram It will run games with no problems, except for some older games with SafeDisk or SecuROM DRM protection - which won't run on any Win 10 system. Use DosBox to run the very old DOS-based games.

Most of the Matrix/Slitherine products do state
Product Requirements :
OS: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7/8/10

What is the SITREP on your old laptop HD?

 

Nope. You can get to "system" but the only thing there is display options. No 'edition.'

 

I will take another look at those Matrix/Slitherine games. The others don't give you a clue beyond "Windows" and it would be more convenient to just burn my money at home than send it to them for games that likely won't work.


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NO! DON'T DO IT! DON'T BUY OR DOWNLOAD ANYTHING!

Looking at this Windows 10S. No third party software will work on it. No games. No Programs. Nothing...Except those purchased only from the Windows Store.

GO TO THE WINDOWS STORE AND UPGRADE TO "WINDOWS PRO" IMMEDIATELY!

IT SHOULD BE FREE THROUGH THE END OF 2017 AND $50 THEREAFTER.

Upgrading to windows 10 Pro will fix the problems that you are having with third party(not purchased through the Windows Store) games.


Thanks for the "life lesson". My parents just bought a new Dell Win 10 All-In-One. But, I don't recall any third party issues having installed Open Office and Firefox.
When I get back from vacation, I will have to check their machine to make sure that it is not a Win 10 S machine, and if it is, upgrade to Win 10 Pro immediately.


Good Luck!

 

Kodiak How about Sudden Strike series ? Or the Commando's series of Eidos ? Some are free to downlaod.

 

First, he needs to get rid of Windows 10S by downloading the Windows Pro upgrade. Otherwise he will be limited to what games are sold on the Windows Store.

 

What if you press Start and in the search field type "About your PC", does a listing appear?

 

Yes, get up to a normal version of Windows 10 first.

As for game recommendations (I am the Gaming Guru on these forums) I would recommend:

Strategy Games:
The Operational Art of War Series (and oldie but goldie)
Panzer Corps
Hearts of Iron 3
Hearts of Iron 4 (despite my gripes with it being 'dummed down' for 10-year-old-Hitler-wannabes)
Gary Grisbys: War in the East (not for the faint of heart - probably the most complex strategic WW2 game out there, if not ever released)
Gary Grisbys: War in the West (ditto)

FPS: If you're still adverse to online play, I really wouldn't recommend getting a FPS style game. They are usually rather short campaigns and replayability is limited.
Call of Duty 2 (oldie but goldie)
Sniper Elite 4 (great online COOP modes and you get to kill Hitler)

 

Settings button (cogwheel).
Bottom of that page click 'about'.
Should then show windows version
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/13443/windows-which-operating-system
(Typing 'about your PC' in the Windows search box should take you to the same info).


If it says 'Windows S', and you recently bought the pooter, personally I'd go back to the supplier and be a pain in the arse about getting 'proper' Windows (Home or Pro).
Theoretically 10S should be 'OK' with most things, but that doesn't seem to be the case in the real world.


Plan B:
Get a steam account.
Welcome to Steam
Download and try a game.
If it won't run, Steam refund almost instantly, no quibbles.
If it does run, and you think it's crap, they refund if it's been played less than 2 hrs, no quibbles, and in my experience are cool even if you go a tad over that.

I second Musso's 'Sniper Elite' recommendation.
Good fun from second one onwards.

 

I am 'panzerpenguin' on Steam if any of you have Steam and care to play games from time to time!

Sniper Elite 4 is the latest Sniper Elite game, taking place in Italy. I believe Sniper Elite 3 took place in Germany? Or at least parts of Western Europe.

The Sniper Elite Zombie Horde modes are fun as well! More challenging than the main game due to the number of enemies that charge you!

 

Not "theoretically."
10S is basically a stripped down version of Windows meant so that Microsoft can get into the lucrative Education market. Third party apps not working on it was purposely put in to limit what students will be able to load on their systems.

Your "Plan B" will not work period. Steam is a Third Party App - which will not run on Win 10S. The only version of Steam on the Windows Store is for Windows Mobile devices - which I doubt will run on Windows 10S.

 

Got it. Had not been paying attention to this growing disturbance in the force. Almost Chromebook for Windows.
So Plan B follows on from ascertaining for certain what Windows it is.
Important point that gaming no longer requires that 'but what if it's shit?' feeling while buying stuff, though. You can be speculative.

Possible alternative test to be certain it's 10s? (F knows. I have no S machine to see what it shows first-hand.)
Can you install any other Browser than Edge, KB? Chrome or Firefox from their respective sites? If you can will it let you set them as default?
Loads of stuff up in the air about who's planning what to pander to S, but it seems MS's desperate efforts to get people on Edge (as well as into their store) is a definite line in the sand.

Silly sods.
Not so much MS, maybe more sellers who aren't apparently making it clear what they're offering.
If I bought a Surface without full windows from the very start I'd be... peeved.



More games:

Best recent-ish strategy series for me has possibly been 'Wargame'.
Postwar, but slick, often difficult, and highly entertaining. Third one 'Red Dragon' another of my most-played games (1990s NATO forces vs assorted Reds & Chinese - good fun.).
Crying out for a WW2 variant, though possibly also good it's ploughed its own furrow..
2nd, 'European Escalation' & Red Dragon have both been fine on W10 for me. Can't recall if first was.

The 'Men of War' series is not all bad for very light real-time strategy.
Didn't like later iterations but enjoyed several of them for a few hours (a passing whiff of the old Combat Mission classics... passing) and they often turn up in sales dirt cheap.

Bit of a fan of Green Man Gaming at the mo for Steam keys, though their sale just ended:
Green Man Gaming | Buy Games, Game Keys & Digital Games Today

 

Steel Division: Normandy '44 is like RUSE and the Wargame series, crossed together. Quite fun and challenging.