RA mod - launch original game option?
 

Hi - installed the RA mod.. wondering if its possible to launch the game standard or do i need to reinstall or keep 2 versions?

Im still getting to grips with the games methods.. noticed the broadband signatures seem weaker, and designating a target has a 5-8s delay now .. also damon tpk screen isnt always showing the blades (due to reduced sonar sensitivity from RA mod?)

Its a loaded question depending on how you installed the base game.
DW comes in three flavors that I know of, CD Rom, Steam, and the direct download. It also depends (slightly) on your OS.

DW stores some gameplay data in your OS registry. You can run multiple installs, but sometimes you need to be sneaky. :03:

I'm running the direct download (Strategy First ) version on Win10. Your install is probably different. The direct download version contains a config utility called LaunchDW.exe. All I need to do to switch from, let's say DW/RA1.49 to DW/LWAMI is open the folder of the game I want play and run LaunchDW.exe.

That automatically updates everything DW uses, even the shortcut icon.

I currently have six or seven versions of DW installed, including the base game. :yeah:

It's pretty similar for the Steam version. Install RA on top of Dangerous Waters and then let's say you want to play stock. Rename your Dangerous Waters game directory to, for example, Dangerous Waters_RA. If you try and launch now, it will produce an error because the computer can't find the installation folder. This is desired, the game only looks for a folder called "Dangerous Waters." Now you can install the stock game and you'll have a "Dangerous Waters" folder and a "Dangerous Waters_RA" folder. If you want to play RA, name your stock installation "Dangerous Waters" folder to something like "Dangerous Waters_stock" and rename the RA folder to "Dangerous Waters." Voila! I've tried to figure out how to do it with JSGME in the past, but the easiest method is multiple game folders.

Agreed. :yep:
There's got to be a more elegant solution and just copy/rename-ing game folders sounds so "blunt force", but it works. :yeah:

The alternative is importing a registry file into the registry hive of Windows that overwrites with the correct folder paths. Which can be as simple as a double click, unless you have to enter UAC Administrator password.
To my knowledge there is no switcher app like MultiSH3/4 for the Silent Hunter versions.

Please kindly explain or direct me to the tread how to properly install DW from scratch, patch it and then install RA 1.49. I have CD version win 10 and my install is in C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\Strategy First\ ....

Only installed DW there did not run anything yet except DWEdit1_7_4_1 which reports already that DW is not installed properly in the registry.

When I try to install that CD version of mine the autoinstall never works and I am forced to right click on DWinstallation.exe on CD with right click and then "install as an administrator". Then it installs but with registry problems as described above. Thanks :k_confused:

For me easiest way is to change folder name. I need many versions of DW (with RA for testing) so i currently have 14 folders :ping:. Cut & paste works very fast because game isn't physically copied. Its also good solution when new version of mod is release.

https://i.imgur.com/Emvmb9X.png

@Polak2 my DWEdit only asks for path to database but probably i use modified version. If you are interested contact with me via PM

You may not remember, but I had the same problem on my laptop with WinXP. Now I have installed it on new rig with Win10 and still the same. My CD disk must be with some problem, looks legit, but I bought it on Amazon like 3 yrs ago so who knows. If that problem persists I'll get DW from Steam, but it pisses of me if I paid for the game already. It is 3 bucks only now , I know, but it is matter of principal more than anything else.

So currently I made it work DW on win10 with that d3d8.dll but it only accepts 800x600 resolution and on other resolutions it crashes.

But that is good enough for now. I want to sort this problem with not being able to find it in registry first and then move to getting higher resolution and thn RA1.49 or other. Registry is more important because I need DWEdit to work and it will not unless DWEdit knows where DW is installed.

I will get back later again with all those problems if I have them.

I understand but my version DWEdit looks like portable. Every time you need to select patch to database object.eod
For me its ok because i can compare database without changing name DW folder and select database from storaged versions.

About resolution, game best works with dgvoodoo solution. It allows to run game in window mode on modern OS/computers.

Also it prevent crashes on some playable platforms in MP sessions. Some of win10 DW players experienced crashes on some non-vanilla platforms with added mast detector sensor (like MPA's and surfs). My friend had this issue and we tested all solutions (wrapper, DXWnd and Dgvoodoo2) and only last one allows to play without crashes. Interesting thing, before update of graphic card drivers, he hadn't any problems. But he didn't want to use older drivers because newer drivers improved graphics in all other games.

On my comp DXwnd works bad, but i only testes this solution for own curiosity. Im still play on win 7 without any problems.

Dgvoodoo solution guide:
link

:ping:

p7p8 thank you for the tips.

Is there any post on the forum talking about that registry problem? Maybe I can fix that with regedit somehow?

After fiddling with DXwnd it did not work for me and error "cannot initiate graphic adapter" kept appearing until I went back to game options and hit Defaults and bingo... I can now play on 1024x768 which is the best for me because of the aspect. That is nice surprise.

So now that registry and then 1.49 eventually or LWAMI.

No problem :salute:

Im not sure about registery - i hadn't this problem.

Long time ago i did registery entry for double clicking on desktop for changing vanilla to LwAmi but now i don't remember how i did this. Also it was under windows XP and now i use win 7 x64.
For me safer is to change folders instead registery - especially when i need to keep so many versions of game.