New Graphic & Sound Mod for Aces of the Deep

[Andreas86]

Graphic & Sound Mod 2.0 for Aces of the Deep
----------------------------------------------------

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kmx...ew?usp=sharing

Also added to the download section here on subsim.





ABOUT THE MOD
-------------------

This project is my attempt at a total audio/visual modification of the classic submarine game «Aces of the Deep», from Dynamix. Since the autumn of 2021 I have tried my best to enhance the game and create a new and more authentic experience, while still keeping the spirit of the original game. Along the way I have uncovered much about how the game functions, created a lot of new content using this knowledge, and improved upon it step by step.

The time is now right to release version 2.0 of this mod. It has been almost a year since my last update and instead of a long version history containing absolutely every change, I have decided to keep it simple and just describe what you will find in the mod as of today, pointing out shortly what is new. If you want an exhaustive explanation of the previous work, please refer to earlier mod version documentation. For this release I have included two options, a complete standalone pre-modded version of the game as well as the independant mod files for manual installation. The pre-modded version is essentially the floppy disk release of «Aces of the Deep» with the expansion disk and latest patch installed, as well as my mod applied. For some assets I have also included alternative files. The mod is almost completely modular, and you can apply what you want to your existing AOD installation. Version 2.0 features the following:

-Realistic ocean simulation / wave motion speed. (NEW!)
-Updated control room graphics for the Type VII and IX series, with gauge needles removed and clickable areas changed to match the new layout. (NEW!)
-Clickable areas enhanced for the Type XXI control room. (NEW!)
-Changed intro text and added new digital sample intro music. (NEW!)
-Lower horizon on sea texture adding better sea/sky contrast and silhouetting. (NEW!)
-Enhanced palette files again for more realistic ocean and sky colors. (NEW!)
-Torpedo room graphics enhanced for better foreground contrast. (NEW!)
-Additional speech and action sounds added, older mod sounds updated. (NEW!)
-Minor cleaning of the previously recovered clear sky texture. (NEW!)
-Lightly enhanced Type II control room graphics, for color consistancy.
-Bridge view for the Type II, VII and IX series, with or without lookouts.
-Crew faces / reaction popup images, more fitting to the game.
-360 degree external view for the older U-Boats. (Alternative to bridge view)
-Improved «Damage», «Captain's Log», «Map», «Radio», and «Torpedo» screens.
-Dedicated set of «Map», «Damage» and «Torpedo» screens for the Type XXI.
-Realistic control room graphics for the Type XXI, based on the real U-2540.
-Recovered and repaired broken clear sky texture from within original game assets.
-Background images for all menu screens. (Alternative included for main menu)
-Port screens for France, Norway and Germany, inspired by historic locations.
-Periscope art in the control room recovered from the demo's scope animation.
-Almost complete set of custom speech and FX sound samples.
-Menu music track for both Roland MT-32 and Sound Blaster.

See included readme for all details.

Enjoy!



New Type VII / IX control room with custom clickable command areas!



Realistic ocean simulation / wave travel !! No more rubber ducky U-boat!





New bridge art!



External view (alternative)!



Improved newspaper screen!



New game screens!



New crew faces:

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

Graphic & Sound Mod 2.0 for Aces of the Deep
----------------------------------------------------

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pzh...ew?usp=sharing

Also added to the download section here on subsim.

ABOUT THE MOD

This project is my attempt at a total audio/visual modification of the classic submarine game «Aces of the Deep», from Dynamix. Since the autumn of 2021 I have tried my best to enhance the game and create a new and more authentic experience, while still keeping the spirit of the original game. Along the way I have uncovered much about how the game functions, created a lot of new content using this knowledge, and improved upon it step by step.

The time is now right to release version 2.0 of this mod. It has been almost a year since my last update and instead of a long version history containing absolutely every change, I have decided to keep it simple and just describe what you will find in the mod as of today, pointing out shortly what is new. If you want an exhaustive explanation of the previous work, please refer to earlier mod version documentation. For this release I have included two options, a complete standalone pre-modded version of the game as well as the independant mod files for manual installation. The pre-modded version is essentially the floppy disk release of «Aces of the Deep» with the expansion disk and latest patch installed, as well as my mod applied. For some assets I have also included alternative files. The mod is almost completely modular, and you can apply what you want to your existing AOD installation. Version 2.0 features the following:

-Realistic ocean simulation / wave motion speed. (NEW!)
-Updated control room graphics for the Type VII and IX series, with gauge needles removed and clickable areas changed to match the new layout. (NEW!)
-Clickable areas enhanced for the Type XXI control room. (NEW!)
-Changed intro text and added new digital sample intro music. (NEW!)
-Lower horizon on sea texture adding better sea/sky contrast and silhouetting. (NEW!)
-Enhanced palette files again for more realistic ocean and sky colors. (NEW!)
-Torpedo room graphics enhanced for better foreground contrast. (NEW!)
-Additional speech and action sounds added, older mod sounds updated. (NEW!)
-Minor cleaning of the previously recovered clear sky texture. (NEW!)
-Lightly enhanced Type II control room graphics, for color consistancy.
-Bridge view for the Type II, VII and IX series, with or without lookouts.
-Crew faces / reaction popup images, more fitting to the game.
-360 degree external view for the older U-Boats. (Alternative to bridge view)
-Improved «Damage», «Captain's Log», «Map», «Radio», and «Torpedo» screens.
-Dedicated set of «Map», «Damage» and «Torpedo» screens for the Type XXI.
-Realistic control room graphics for the Type XXI, based on the real U-2540.
-Recovered and repaired broken clear sky texture from within original game assets.
-Background images for all menu screens. (Alternative included for main menu)
-Port screens for France, Norway and Germany, inspired by historic locations.
-Periscope art in the control room recovered from the demo's scope animation.
-Almost complete set of custom speech and FX sound samples.
-Menu music track for both Roland MT-32 and Sound Blaster.

See included readme for all details.

Enjoy!

Nice, thanks! Andreas, do you know where the various messages one gets right before entering the game for a patrol, mission, etc. are stored at? I'd really like to try those in SH Commander in SH3 vs the current silly ones in Commander stating world events. Much more pertinent and useful than the current world event info. that is meaningless to a u-boat commander, let alone if he would have even known it anyway.
I.e., the advisory messages shown before a career patrol?

[Andreas86]

Thanks! Hmmm, I have to check out what specific messages those are, a lot is stored in the EXEs, but some not. Do you have an example?

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

Thanks! Hmmm, I have to check out what specific messages those are, a lot is stored in the EXEs, but some not. Do you have an example?

Here's a link on my mediafire page of an example. Posting pics here is a pain to do. I can provide more examples if needed.

https://www.mediafire.com/view/sidhb...%2529.png/file

[Andreas86]

Right, those can all be found in the AOD\SHELL\SW\SHELL.TXT file. Can be opened in any text editor.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Andreas86

Right, those can all be found in the AOD\SHELL\SW\SHELL.TXT file. Can be opened in any text editor.

In the past I looked all over for those and the entire time they were right in front of me!

[Andreas86]

That is sometimes how it goes, haha!

[astvitaliy1982]

I've been following your mod all year and have been waiting for this update, thank you for this gorgeous gift!!!)))

[Andreas86]

Thanks for the nice words astvitaliy1982!

Here is another gameplay video:

[skin-nl]

You did some great work for this 30 year old subsim Andreas..For me this one started my interest in german sub games

[Andreas86]

Thanks skin_nl Same here, AOD started a long lasting interest!

[toolsey2]

Andreas
Sorry to bother you but when I click link to mod on google it says file doesn’t exist.
Can you please help.
Many thanks
Regards

[toolsey2]

Sorry forget my question about mod download found it in the subsim download section .
Fantastic mod thanks for your hard work .
Regards

[Andreas86]

Originally Posted by toolsey2

Sorry forget my question about mod download found it in the subsim download section .
Fantastic mod thanks for your hard work .
Regards

Thanks for the heads-up and the kind words, toolsey2! I have fixed the link

[green_abobo]

danke