AODCD (DOS) - Correct install

[XenonSurf]

Hi,
I just want to share the optimial install for this classic game. AFAIK, there are 2 versions, Command Aces Of The Deep, a Windows version and AODCD, a CD-ROM with the game for DOS which is best played with DOSBOX on modern systems.
I'm using AODCD because of the additional features of the Expansion disk, which are:
- A new playable type XXI boat, also with historical missions
- New Compressed Air and Water Flood gauges (Watch Officer menu).

I vaguely remember a deck gun that could be fired manually, but maybe I'm confusing it with another sub sim

I highly recommend: D-Fend Reloaded 1.33 (inclusive Dosbox 0.74).

To get the best of it, install in that order:
- AODCD (chose the right language or you must re-install all)
- Install Expansion disk
- Install Patch 1.2

The problem comes with the expansion disk that will NOT correctly install like said in the readme. Instead the patch should install without problems. What you must do is:

First, to make everything accessible without CD, copy the folder SOUND, INTRO and OLM to the game folder.
Open the RESSOURCE.CFG and change it like that (I assume you did install into C:\Dynamix\AODCD):

[FlicPlayer]
pathFlic=c:\dynamix\aodcd\intro\
[CDdrive]
D:

Open the INTRO.BAT and change it like:

@echo off
playflic c:\dynamix\aodcd\intro\intro.dfl -S82 -C15000

Important: In Dosbox, you must mount ...\Dynamix\AODCD\OLM\ to a D drive for the CD-ROM, after doing all this and the above you don't need to keep the CD in your real drive, but if you skip this mounting, then you cannot access the inside Online Manual (this is a very well-done with interviews of real U-Boot Commanders).
So, in Dosbox, you will have 2 different mountings for this game:

...\Dynamix\AODCD >> C:\
...\Dynamix\AODCD\OLM\ >> D:\

Now to the Expansion Disk:
Put all the content of the expansion disk into a dedicated folder for DosBox, create a special *.bat file with this content:

unchunk resource.000 . > nul

Run this command within Dosbox. New files and folders will be created in the same dir where the special *.bat is located, you now have to manually move the files to the right place in the game folder like shown in the GER.BAT, ENG.BAT and FRN.BAT (depending on which is your language).
Beware: After running the *.bat, you will see a blinking cursor in Dosbox and it will take some time until the new files are decompressed, do not interrupt!

After that, install Patch 1.2 and you are ready to play

Some notes:
To change the spoken language effects, it's inside the CTRL-O menu, this will not change the interface language, just the voices.
A new command is in the Watch Officer menu (decompressed air + water flood).
The XXI U-Boot has radar and active sonar (can be operated on the tactical map).
To make sure that Dosbox isn't running too fast, make sure that the in-game chronometer runs like real time and correct the CPU Cycles accordingly.

Have fun, cheers,
XenonS

[schlangz]

Expansion and patch will install easily with their corresponding BAT files if you put AODCD (at least temporarily) in one of these folders:

IF EXIST C:\DYNAMIX\AOD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE   goto def1
IF EXIST C:\DYNAMIX\AODCD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE goto def2
IF EXIST C:\GAMES\AOD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE     goto def3
IF EXIST C:\GAMES\AODCD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE   goto def4

The BAT files will automatically detect the game and you don't have to specify the directory parameter at all.

By doing so you don't have to copy any extra stuff from the CD to the HD.

[Aktungbby]

schlangz!

[THEBERBSTER]

A Warm Welcome To The Subsim Community > schlangz
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[schlangz]

ty ty

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by schlangz

Expansion and patch will install easily with their corresponding BAT files if you put AODCD (at least temporarily) in one of these folders:

IF EXIST C:\DYNAMIX\AOD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE   goto def1
IF EXIST C:\DYNAMIX\AODCD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE goto def2
IF EXIST C:\GAMES\AOD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE     goto def3
IF EXIST C:\GAMES\AODCD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE   goto def4

The BAT files will automatically detect the game and you don't have to specify the directory parameter at all.

By doing so you don't have to copy any extra stuff from the CD to the HD.

The advantage to copying items from the cd to the hd though is then one doesn't have to have the cd in the drive nor wait for the game to access it when needed while playing.

Does this do the same thing ?

[schlangz]

You still need the CD. However I created ISO images from all my CDs to avoid wearing them down.

I'm using DosBox and I automatically mount the image with Daemon Tools using command line options when starting the game

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by schlangz

You still need the CD. However I created ISO images from all my CDs to avoid wearing them down.

I'm using DosBox and I automatically mount the image with Daemon Tools using command line options when starting the game

[XenonSurf]

Originally Posted by schlangz

Expansion and patch will install easily with their corresponding BAT files if you put AODCD (at least temporarily) in one of these folders:

IF EXIST C:\DYNAMIX\AOD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE   goto def1
IF EXIST C:\DYNAMIX\AODCD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE goto def2
IF EXIST C:\GAMES\AOD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE     goto def3
IF EXIST C:\GAMES\AODCD\SIM\SUBSIM.EXE   goto def4

The BAT files will automatically detect the game and you don't have to specify the directory parameter at all.

By doing so you don't have to copy any extra stuff from the CD to the HD.

Most likely your system will work and be faster, but I guess you are a batch file specialist from the old DOS age? Unfortunately I have only good DOS v.5.0 knowledge, also my big DOS manual from the 80s is taking dust in my shelve


But for people who don't have this knowledge I think it's better to go with my description above to avoid unpleasant errors, because if you do it wrong when updating, you will not see it immediately while playing the game, and you will miss the new interesting game features without knowing it


Greetings,XS

[schlangz]

I'm not an expert I just took a quick look at the BAT files

It's easy to see if the expansion was installed correctly because you can check the ship types in the main menu if type XXI shows up or not