Dark Sector

[StingingVelvet]

What a load of B.S..

[Subfightr]

Here is the evidence you requested, I hope the pictures show up, I have never tried this before.




The photo below.. (if it appears) is intended to display the ammo at this resolution.


I too have vista 64, and yeah I agree, total B.S. The game was cheap but still..

Take care.[/url]

[Subfightr]

hmmm, it may still be stretched a tency wiency tiny amount, so much so that I'm not even sure if it is or not. None the less, it seems to me the best option we have at the moment.

[StingingVelvet]

Yeah, those are stretched a bit... it's not too bad in some resolutions, but it is there.

I am addicted to the game, so it's playable, but hopefully it can be fixed.

[Galandil]

I just installed the game, and after noticing something "strange" in the verticality @ 1920x1200, I checked here and found that this is a common problem for everyone.

BUT, I noticed something different from the pics posted in the first page: the aiming reticule.

It seems that, for me, the reticule is a perfect circle at any 16:9 resolution (but with the worst vert. stretching in the overall image), then it stretches vertically a little at any 16:19 res. (and the whole vert. stretching is less than the 16:9 one), and is a lot stretched in 4:3 res. (ofc, the whole vert. stretching of the image is totally gone).

Why I've this strange behaviour of image/reticule in comparison with the pics in the first page, is beyond my grasp. :shock:

[jimmyw85]

Hey guy, hope something can help you

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=155379

[Firefox]

Patch ver 1.01 out, but only for german version and i dont know its fix the WS bug

[Voodooman]

Just registered on this forum to post the best available solution!
So please, some moders, split my post out of this thread and move it here

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=155379


I was making discovery of problem in DS.exe and found out several config and launch parameters not actually known by anyone (since game itself dont write these parameters into config).

Also i found out later (after i used parameters i found) that when game runs in Windowed mode, it have absolutely correct 3D geometry's aspect ratio for any custom resolution (well i mean picture not stretched) , and have 100% correct HUD2D for 16:9 and a very little bit stretched HUD for 16:10. Well i know this is weird, but that how this game was coded.

So the method:

[1] Preparation:

Since the game runs in windowed mode, it have 2 disadvantages comparing to fullscreen - Lower performance and windows interface elements, so to get rid of these disadvantages, or to make them minimal we should make little preparation! U can quickly revert them after u finished playing the game.

1) Set your Taskbar (lower windows panel) to autohide, and turn off something called like "show taskbar on top of other windows".
2) Set solid black background colour instead of wallpaper
3) Disable view of desktop icons
4) Set your desktop resolution to Horizontally same or totaly equal as you would use in game (for example if u have 16:10 display and u would like to use 1280x720 -16:9 resolution in game, set your desktop to 1280x800 - 16:10 or 1290x720 - 16:9 )
5) If u have Vista and higher - in the properties of DS.EXE at Compatibility - turn off composition of desktop (with this option windows simply turns off AERO during game session, then turns it on when game quit)

----
Well these steps was not necessary so if u have super-computer and icons and Start button dont distract you, than u may skip 1st preparation step.

[2] The game itself:

1) Find game folder and sub-folder "Configs" in it
2) Open Editor.cfg and find there sections

[MainDarkitect,/Editor/WinRect]
[MainGameFullScreen,/Editor/WinRect]
[MainGameWindowed,/Editor/WinRect]

3) Set your resolution under Windowed section (i suggest u to play in 16:9 since it have both correct 3D and 2D.

[MainGameWindowed,/Editor/WinRect]
PosX=30
PosY=30
SizeX=1280
SizeY=720

*** - its also important to set Position of game Window, its all up to u, but if u want to manually move the window, dont set X and Y to 0, otherwise u want be able to see and catch Window's caption and wont be able to move it so set like 30 and 30. But if u set same desktop resolution as u would use in game than its good idea to set zeroes and got the picture equal to fullscreen

u may also do the same for rest 2 sections, but its not necessary.

4) This is where the "Voodoo magic" or just my discovery starts - game have native Windowed mode support and u dont need to mess with D3Dwindower, u will have better performance, and will never get blocky picture like u may have had with D3Dwindower method.

Just open DS.cfg

5) Find the section
[Windows_Config,/Types/Config]

6) Put this "magic" line under or above the resolution lines (just ignore this resolution, it will not be used in windowed mode) :
Graphics.FullScreen=0

7) Now play the game that looks exactly as Xbox 360 or PS3 version (same FOV)!

All credits of this enhanced fix goes to me ;-p

[StingingVelvet]

Wow... ok then. I will test this today.

[StingingVelvet]

I can confirm that forcing windowed mode makes the game run in non-stretched widescreen. Looks to be Vert-, but still a massive improvement as long as you don't mind the window frame.

Thank you very much Voodooman.

[Baloonatic]

Good work Voodooman, that really does work great.

Anyway, I was actually revisiting this thread just to mention that I purchased the recently ported Ninja Blade from Gamersgate. It's developed by ND Games who did Dark Sector as well.

I'm happy to say that this port is very well done in comparison to DS. Lots more graphic options, an in-game fps counter, ability to toggle a locked framerate, shadows, anti-aliasing, vertical sync etc. No stretching issues either, widescreen resolutions appear to be fully supported.

Game is very fun as well, I'd recommend it to anyone who likes hack n slash games.

[StingingVelvet]

Good to know their newer port is better, but damn... why can't they make a quick patch for this travesty?

[mesaone]

I created an account here just to thank you all for helping me. I run a widescreen setup with 1920X1080 native resolution, and I gave up on Dark Sector a while ago, until I found this thread yesterday.

With the instructions I have received on this thread, plus Theme instructions from Vishal, plus a few of my own trial-and-error adjustments, here is a screenshot -- windowframe almost visually non-existant. Here is a complete How-To!



Sorry for the bad image quality, it's the only site i know of that can host full size pics. Check the properties, this is 1920X1080 so what you see is whats on the screen -- I didnt trim these images. The top bar of the window is cut off because of custom move (check steps 8-9)








So here's how, for those running a 1920x1080 setup (or any 16:9 just plug in your numbers)

One thing to warn you, I use a vista build. If you are using XP or Win7, the process to change the Theme might be easier. If you have a higher Vista Build than "Home" version, you can change to a 3rd party Theme without steps 2 -4.

1. After making a backup (I just copy and paste and rename to "[orig]filename.xxx") open your Editor.cfg and alter the X and Y variables. Here is a copy of my Editor.cfg file

+version=3

[CacheCfg,/Types/CacheCfg]

[MRU,/Types/RecentDatabase]
HistorySize=16
Tables={
{
typeName=Scene
items={
/Levels/Mission01/Scene1Cinematic.scene,
/Levels/Mission02/Market.scene,
/Levels/Mission02/Start.scene,
/Levels/Mission01/Escape.scene,
/Levels/Mission01/Start.scene
}
}
}

[MainDarkitect,/Editor/WinRect]
SizeX=1920
SizeY=1080

[MainGameFullScreen,/Editor/WinRect]
SizeX=1920
SizeY=1080

[MainGameWindowed,/Editor/WinRect]
PosY=17
SizeX=1920
SizeY=1064

[PhysicsDebugRenderOptions,/Types/DebugRenderOptions]

Then save the file in its original location.

2. Similar to step 1, backup DS.cfg, then add the following line above resolution lines

Graphics.FullScreen=0

3. Download Vishal's "Vista Black Theme" here -- http://www.askvg.com/vista-black-theme-for-windows-vista/

4. Follow the instructions for GLAZZ here (easy) http://www.askvg.com/how-to-install-and-use-3rd-party-themes-in-windows-vista/

5. Switch to the black theme. What I did was open up Control Panel -> Personalize -> Theme -> Select "Vista Black" from dropdown menu -> Save As -> save to desktop So anytime I just open that THEME file from my desktop and I can switch around, instead of going to Personalize

6. Set taskbar to autohide and untick the "keep taskbar on top of other windows" item

7. Open Dark Sector, make sure size is good.

8. Right-click top window frame, select "Move"

9. Press arrow keys to adjust frame position so that no visual borders are visible on the laft, right, or bottom

10. Quit Dark Sector


Now you're set! DS should save frame position in Editor.cfg, so there will probably be those extra PosX and PosY lines. But thats fine!This is a one-time thing, you won't have to do all this every time you want to play Dark Sector. However, every time you launch DS, you're gonna have to switch to the Vista Black theme, but since we have a shortcut on the desktop thats no problem.

Again, thanks to everyone on this thread, most of the above instructions were all you guys. I just wanted to kinda wrap it up and help people find the most non-intrusive window as possible... It looks pretty seamless, aside from the window name and max/min/close buttons.

[StingingVelvet]

My normal window is black, so with the task bar minimized and the game maximized it looked good enough for me. Thanks for posting a more in-depth guide though, some really cool information.

I will update the DR at some point with the Windowed-mode solution so people don't have to read the whole thread. It's still vert- though, this just removes the stretch.

[g00seberry]

Thanks mesaone! :onethumb

But, what happened to step 4? ... :P

I wish they'd just patch this game, as I thought it showed a smidgen of potential :(

[mesaone]

oops! I numbered em wrong. AND i forgot to put in the most important part -- voodooman's "Graphics.FullScreen=0" line to DS.cfg

I will update original post to reflect.

It's still vert- though, this just removes the stretch.

do you mean that some of the game is cut off, vertically? Yeah, but according to my editor.cfg which automatically adjusted my SizeY line after I opened the game, it's only cut off by 16/1080


I havent tried turning Desktop Composition off while running this game in windowed mode, but I have a feeling that it might give a tiny performance boost. As it is though, I have V-Sync on, game runs at 60+FPS, but slows sometimes to as low as 40fps. I will try again with AF turned down/off.... But thats neither here nor there


@eZ, yeah i wish they would to. I've had pretty good success talking to a dev at Aspyr about Dreamkiller, but I think Aspyr is just the publisher of DS and it's been out since... What, March? I have played both 360 and PS3 versions of this, and even with the workarounds it looks alot better -- theres no way I know of to get rid of screen tearing on the consoles. Really it shouldnt be an issue with a newer TV (120 Hz refresh or something like that) but it is.

[StingingVelvet]

I just meant the game has a Vert- widescreen method, it has nothing to do with the windowed mode solution. The game cuts off the top and bottom to fit a widescreen image... before it stretched as well, in a window it does not, but is still Vert-.

Still, it looks fine in widescreen and being a console game first it was almost surely designed around 16:9 and then opened up for other resolutions.

[Voodooman]

Good work Voodooman, that really does work great.

Anyway, I was actually revisiting this thread just to mention that I purchased the recently ported Ninja Blade from Gamersgate. It's developed by ND Games who did Dark Sector as well.

I'm happy to say that this port is very well done in comparison to DS. Lots more graphic options, an in-game fps counter, ability to toggle a locked framerate, shadows, anti-aliasing, vertical sync etc. No stretching issues either, widescreen resolutions appear to be fully supported.

Game is very fun as well, I'd recommend it to anyone who likes hack n slash games.

Few years ago i worked at Nd games and still having comunication with my ex-co-workers and just frineds dispite the fact im working at rival company, and i can tell you for sure - Nd is just a publisher of both games, not developer.
Ninja Blade was developed by From software, and Dark Sector was developed by Digital Extremes, pc port of DS was actualy a big mystery - Aspyr guys keep talking that ND did port, but ND guys keep talking that its port made by Aspyr, but truth is in a middle - most of clues it was just outsource company that did that port for ND, name dont know, or this outsource was Aspyre wich is know for shitty ports and just dont want to lower their reputation by another fucked port.
Funny thing - ND's QA Chief told me that pc porters of Dark Sector are biggest idiots he ever talked (and quallity of port idicate that, lol)
As for Ninja Blade for pc, it was published by ND but again it wasnt ported by ND, didnt asked about that by seems port was performed by From Software (original developers) or some outsource company again.

Problem is - ND never had any console development devision (exept Nintendo one, with lot of blue "Nitro" inside, they developed Nintendo DS games), as well as it does not have it's own development studio. Earlier ND have had Psyhocrafts as insider developer, but those guys didnt worked effective and this studio was terminated/ Since that moment only testing and localisation development is goin on in that office (well some 3 party indie devs going under wing of ND for while and sitting in that office, like that guys who did "The Void" game).

Btw why my fix still not here http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=155379 ?

[Sweetz]

pc port of DS was actualy a big mystery - Aspyr guys keep talking that ND did port, but ND guys keep talking that its port made by Aspyr, but truth is in a middle - most of clues it was just outsource company that did that port for ND, name dont know, or this outsource was Aspyre wich is know for shitty ports and just dont want to lower their reputation by another fucked port.

Interesting.

I contacted Aspyr support 3 times to complain and ask about whether they'd be fixing the widescreen problem; the first two times they tried to blame the problem on the hardware or the OS like they were doing with everyone else. Then after they could no longer deny that it was a universal problem, they said that they sent the bug report to "1C".

I didn't know what the heck "1C" was until I looked it up. Apparently they're another Russian developer publisher: http://games.1c.ru/
Maybe they're the real developer of Dark Sector? Or maybe Aspyr was just getting their Russian publishers mixed up.

[StingingVelvet]

1C is pretty well known, they port a lot of russian games over and in my experience do a MUCH better job than Aspyr. Of course they are probably working with better Russian developed games.