nostalgic journey Archives

AppWizard

June 2, 2025

XWVM, the X-Wing mod that lets you play the Star Wars classic remade in Unity, is finally available to download

X-Wing is a classic space combat game that allows players to pilot an X-Wing, appealing to fans of the Star Wars saga. The game faces challenges on modern systems, as the Special Edition requires a joystick, while the Classic and Collector's CD-ROM editions can be played with a mouse and keyboard but suffer from performance issues, including inconsistent framerates and outdated graphics. The X-Wing Virtual Machine (XWVM) is a mod that revitalizes the game by enabling it to run within the Unity engine, providing smooth gameplay at modern resolutions and adjustable settings, and eliminating the need for a joystick. When paired with the HD asset pack, it enhances 3D models for spaceships, cockpits, and planets. Players can acquire X-Wing through platforms like Steam or GOG and install XWVM by downloading the core mod and unpacking the HD assets into the appropriate directory.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

All 3 original Stalker games get ‘fully remastered and optimized’ versions next week, and I can’t wait to get shredded by an anomaly from the comfort of my sofa

GSC Game World announced plans to release "next-gen patches" for the original Stalker trilogy titles: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat, on PC. Potential enhancements may include higher-resolution cutscenes, improved visuals and performance, controller support, and Steam achievements. The studio is also continuing to develop Stalker 2.

Winsage

May 11, 2025

moricons.dll, A Remnant Of Windows 3.1 Lives On To This Day

Microsoft often conceals legacy features during software upgrades, exemplified by the Disk Cleanup utility, which may not appear in drive properties but can still be found through search. The moricons.dll file, a 12KB library of icons, was created to manage an increasing number of program icons beyond the capacity of progman.exe. This file has persisted through the transition from 32-bit to 64-bit systems, representing a piece of digital history.

Winsage

May 8, 2025

The 12 KB Windows just can’t quit

Raymond Chen discussed the moricons.dll file on his blog, highlighting its significance in the Windows operating system. The file, sized at 12,288 bytes, contains icons from the Windows 3.1 era, including those for Turbo Pascal, Quattro Pro, WordPerfect, Lotus 123, and cc:Mail. Originally, icons were stored in progman.exe, but as their collection grew, they were moved to moricons.dll for better organization. This library has persisted through various Windows upgrades, evolving from Program Manager icons to shortcut files in Windows 95. Despite the transition to 64-bit Windows, which no longer supports MS-DOS programs, moricons.dll has survived, suggesting that some users may still find value in these nostalgic icons.

Winsage

April 22, 2025

Someone made ‘Windows’ for the Game Boy Color, and you can buy it

The Game Boy Color, launched in 1998, features a project called GBS Windows that mimics Windows 3.1, developed using GB Studio. This homage is available as a physical cartridge from an Etsy shop named RubenRetro, complete with a retail box that combines Game Boy and Windows 3.1 designs. The cartridge offers applications like Minesweeper, a game called “Cannon,” a MIDI piano, a media player, and a Paint program for pixel art. It includes a faux BIOS screen showing the “American Megatrain” text and the Game Boy Color's eight kilobytes of memory. The initial stock sold out quickly, but new retro boxes and accessories will be produced regularly. The package is priced around USD, with varying shipping costs from Spain.

AppWizard

April 22, 2025

Thank Todd: The Oblivion remaster is here and you can play it right now

Bethesda has released a remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion on the same day it was announced. The remaster has modest system requirements, making it accessible to a wide audience. Its existence was hinted at in a leaked Microsoft presentation from September 2023. The remaster features enhanced visuals with a file size of 125 GB, which is 2600% larger than the original game. It is available for purchase on Steam and the Microsoft Store.

AppWizard

April 20, 2025

How ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Won With Memes and Deliberate Stupidity

In its second weekend, "A Minecraft Movie" has surpassed 0 million in global ticket sales, becoming the second-highest-grossing video game film of all time and the top-grossing release of 2025. The film resonates with younger audiences and has created a cultural touchstone for Generations Z and Alpha. The world premiere took place on March 30, 2025, in London, with attendees expressing excitement and engaging in lively behavior during screenings. Minecraft, created in 2009 by Markus Persson, allows players to build and explore in a geometric world. The film, directed by Jared Hess, features Jack Black and Jason Momoa and has sparked discussions about generational differences in public behavior. Theater owners have noted the positive impact of the film on attendance and sales.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Minecraft movie is uninspiring

The film "A Minecraft Movie," directed by Jared Hess, features Jack Black as Steve, who embarks on a nostalgic journey after discovering a portal to "the overworld." The plot involves an evil sorceress threatening his new paradise, leading Steve to sever ties with his former life. Alongside an eclectic group of characters, including Jason Momoa and Emma Myers, they navigate the challenges of the overworld. Despite receiving a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6/10 on IMDb, the film has become the highest-grossing movie based on a video game within two weekends of its release and is the most profitable movie of the year so far. The film has sparked cultural phenomena with phrases from the game becoming internet memes.

Winsage

April 14, 2025

Windows 7 Elite Edition fixes Microsoft’s biggest Windows 11 mistake

Microsoft ceased support for Windows 7 in January 2020, leading to nostalgia among its users who appreciated its streamlined interface and reliability. Many users prefer the simplicity of Windows 7 over the modern features of Windows 10 and 11. The Windows 7 Elite Edition theme for Windows 11 aims to replicate elements of Windows 7, such as repositioning the Start menu and taskbar to the left. A video by Link Vegas provides details on the theme's transformations and a step-by-step installation guide, which involves meticulous file renaming and copying. Users need to gather specific resources to install the theme.

AppWizard

March 14, 2025

One of my favorite indie RPGs is getting a follow-up made with FromSoftware’s 25-year-old Super Mario Maker for first person dungeon crawlers

Lunacid: Tears of the Moon, a spinoff of the first-person RPG Lunacid, will be released on April 12. It is developed using the Sword of Moonlight toolkit by FromSoftware, which has a cult following. The game draws inspiration from classic dungeon crawlers like King's Field and Shadow Tower and features a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of early PlayStation graphics. Players will navigate a mysterious underground world and manipulate their environment using unique mechanics, such as stacking coffins. The narrative takes place thousands of years before Lunacid, focusing on the character Calamis Cerulean and themes of preservation. The game will include a PDF manual styled like a vintage release and is expected to be priced competitively, likely under the price of Lunacid. Players can wishlist the game on Steam.