Any chance of widescreen for Destroyer Command/ SH 2?
 

Currently I can't seem to find anything about widescreen support for DC or SH2. I know they're older games, coded when 4:3 aspect ratio was the norm, and 1024 or 800 resolution was the maximum. But I have other older games like the Tomb Raider series and Unreal Tournament that have third party patches that allow these games to be played in more modern widescreen format. Or are DC and SH 2 too "hardcoded" to allow such tweaking?


I'm returning to destroyer Command after about 20 years by the way. I know it got panned by the mainstream game reviews but it's a pretty unique simulation to me. Yes, the anti submarine gameplay was disappointing, and the wingman Ai are prone to collisions if you're not careful, but I think it's very atmospheric to see your destroyer squadron prowling the sea beside you. The anti aircraft and torpedo action is great too. SH 2 has been outshone by SH 3 & 4 but it's got some nostalgia for me.:)

So many games can be made to run in widescreen so there may be hope if you find someone who has the skills and wishes to attempt it.

Personally, I long ago gave up on widescreen patches. Something nearly always has to be sacrificed. I like to play the games as were intended. I even play them at their original low resolutions most of the time unless there is a high res patch available that doesn't destroy anything else.

Welcome aboard!
 

AFAIK resolution is still limited to 1024. I keep hoping but alas - it’s old code.
Maybe I could help,? For example, the sonar screen does need a calibrated scale If your intention is manual ASW.

Actually it was disappointing mostly because of the submarine AI. In my experience very often the subs would just stay at periscope depth and you could usually just ram them. Unless someone managed to improve the AI?

In my experience with third party widescreen patches for older games the 2 dimensional graphics such as menu screens ( and for DC and SH 2 I imagine many of the ships stations) get stretched out horizontally and it looks pretty weird. The widescreen usually just applies to the in game 3D rendered screens. Still probably worth it to get a bit more peripheral vision during manual AA defense, and for overall immersiveness.

It's not really my first time here, I had an account around the time SH 2 came out in the early 2000s, but I can't remember my old user name.:oops:

astvitaliy1982
 

Stretching the textures of the stations is not a problem, and the location of the sensors in the necessary places should also not be a problem. All this can be solved if you find a way to change the screen resolution

Cel,
yes. All too often the AI loiter at periscope depth trying to use torps.

This is problem is first encountered by new players in the Anti-Sub training (5th) scenario . In this scenario American Perch subs (NIXPerchTarget.UDF) as targets are matched against the player’s American DD (I.e Amer vs. Amer).* These subs were meant to be easy targets with limited sensor capability and no supporting Rules of Engagement (ROE) code. They actually start on the surface then dive down to Peri depth and hover there. They should have been program to dive deeper quicker. (Note You can practice shelling them while they remain on the surface or torpedoing from your DD when they submerge). The dev should have made it clearer that these sub targets are dummies and not representative of those in game.

*( There is an actual Amer. Perch or Porpoise class sub described in the sim: “NSSPerch.UDF”)


Missions built using the “Mission-builder” aren’t much better because they don’t utilize ROE statements to make the AI work. IMO These MB missions are good for practice but not representative of AI’s potential.

Yes . The game does not use all it’s coding capabilities in the default scenarios.

Two quick ways to improve the AI is to use Fletcher’s mod or Kreigstanz Developer. Both of these add general ROE statements to scenarios making the AI play better. This can be taken a step further by customizing the RoE script individually in each scenario.

I’m running out if time, Give me a few days and I post here how I think the DC AI works and a test scenario.

(The following notes are based entirely on in-game testing of DC only).

The AI is hard-coded (HC) and varies by country and unit type (see DC's AI folder). This is the primary AI used by the sim. Rules of Engagement (ROE) statements can be added to modify HC behavior. There are two ways that ROE is added: (1) While the game is running via the sliding panel menu or (2) Directly to the scenario script (SDF). Some ROE statements can override HC behavior. For example the ATTACK ROE statement can be added to force specific units to attack certain others. However, most ROE "MAY" only have an effect depending on the game situation.

Unit AI is strongly influenced by its environment through sensors (visual, radar, sonar, ESM etc). This get complicated very quickly when you consider that each unit type has it's own sensors that come on-line on different dates . (see UDF files)

I set up a quick simple Destroyer vs. U-boat test scenario sdf . I suggest setting all visibility Options "on" to watch what happens

Description: May 1943. Clear. An Amer. At start the player's destroyer (NDDFletcher) and a Ger. U-boat (NSSUBoat7C) are on opposite courses roughly 5000 yards apart. The U-boat is initially on the surface and immediately spots the player's destroyer and submerges to periscope depth and salvos its torps .

Avoid the U-boat's torps, and try to ram the U-boat. The U-boat will spot the player's destroyer at ~ 400 yards and start diving . (Obviously, it would be better if the U-boat picked up the DD sooner) You may be able to ram the sub before it gets deep enough and cause minor damages but either way it continues going deeper and slinks away. Most of this AI behavior is HC but I also added a ROE (ROE,DESTROYER,EVADE,STEALTHY,BEST,FULL ) that can be experimented with by commenting it out with a ";" before the line.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;; SIMPLE TEST: DESTROYER VS SUB
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[SCENARIO]
Date = 19430515
Time = 1200
TitleEnglish = Training 5 Simple Test Anti-Submarine_Moving&Evading
Origin = -10.000000, 62.000000
InitialZoom = 7
Weather = CLEAR
Preprocess = FALSE

;;; Objectives ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;; Bases ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;; Radio Messages ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;; Multi ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;; Mutex ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;;; Sides ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[SIDE1]
Alignment = ALLIES
Name = Allies
Doctrine = AMERICAN

[SIDE2]
Alignment = AXIS
Name = Axis
Doctrine = German

;;; Groups ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[GROUP1]
Commander = HUMAN
Type = SHIPSQUADRON
UnitType = Destroyer
Side = 1
Name = DD76
Nationality = American
WayptDisplay = DO_NOT_SHOW

[GROUP1.1]
Commander = HUMAN
Type = SHIPDIVISION
UnitType = Destroyer
Side = 1
Name = DD76
Nationality = American
WayptDisplay = DO_NOT_SHOW

[GROUP2]
Type = SHIPDIVISION
UnitType = submarine
Side = 2
Name = U-123
Nationality = German
WayptDisplay = DO_NOT_SHOW
Order1.1 = Speed,Telegraph,FULL,-1,-1
Order1.2 = ROE,DESTROYER,EVADE,STEALTHY,BEST,FULL

;;; Units ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[UNIT1]
Group = 1.1
TypeAbrev = DD
Class = NDDFletcher
Name = DD79
Designation = 79
Control = HUMAN
Flag = TRUE
Guide = TRUE
Location = -10.000000, 62.000000
Orientation = 90
BoilersHot = TRUE
IconName = NSHIP

[UNIT2]
Group = 2
TypeAbrev = SS
Class = NSSUBoat7C
;Class = NSSUboat9C40
Name = U-123
Flag = TRUE
Guide = TRUE
Location = -9.900000, 62.000000
Orientation = 270
Depth = 0
;Depth =100
BoilersHot = TRUE
IconName = SUBMARINE


##############
Link to file Dropbox
https://www.dropbox.com/s/86z3eanszq...ssion.zip?dl=0