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Get Full Widescreen with Classic HUD

By Trov

Get rid of the ingame view letterboxing while keeping the classic status bar HUD style.

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Created by

Trov
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Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

13 Jul, 2024 @ 4:14am

22 Aug, 2024 @ 12:23pm

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16	Current Favorites

Guide Index

Overview

Introduction

Download

Installation

Also compatible with Classic Marathon 1!

Enjoy!

Comments

Introduction

The default Classic HUD selectable ingame is awkward to use with widescreen displays, because the game is programmed to limit the 3D game view to a certain aspect ratio, leaving the game letterboxed in widescreen.

You can fix this by selecting a different HUD in the Graphics settings in the game (such as "Basic HUD"), but if you want to play widescreen with the original classic status bar style HUD, I have created a plugin that will give you a proper widescreen supporting classic status bar.

Download

EDIT: This plugin is now available via Steam Workshop! The below instructions are for installing with non-Steam versions of the game.

My widescreen classic HUD plugin is available at Simplici7y, a website that hosts mods for the Marathon trilogy. These mods are compatible with the Steam releases of Marathon.

Download the Widescreen Classic HUD Plugin Here[simplici7y.com]

Installation

Download the plugin .zip from the above link
Open Classic Marathon 2's installation folder
- Right click Classic Marathon 2 in your Steam library
- Click "Properties"
- Select "Installed Files" on the left of the Properties window
- Click the "Browse" button on the top right of the Properties window
Open the "Plugins" folder inside the Classic Marathon 2 installation folder
Move the "Classic M2 HUD - Widescreen Enhanced" folder from the downloaded .plugin zip into this plugins folder

Now you must select the HUD in the ingame settings.

Launch Classic Marathon 2
Go to Preferences
Go to Graphics
Click the "HUD Plugin" setting to change it to "Classic (Widescreen Enhanced)"

For the most 'Classic But Widescreen' view experience, I also recommend the following other graphics settings:

Limit Vertical View: OFF
Override FOV: 96 (for a 16:9 screen) 90 (for 16:10) or 112 (for 21:9) or 132 (for 32:9 weirdos)
HUD Size: Largest

Also compatible with Classic Marathon 1!

If you install this plugin in Classic Marathon, it will automatically switch to use Marathon 1 themed graphics, providing a less obtrusive version of Marathon 1's classic HUD that uses Marathon 2's HUD layout.

Enjoy!

Now get to blasting the aliens.

10 Comments

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Smytsidian 16 Jul, 2024 @ 4:32pm

highest quality hud I've seen yet

A4Brogan 14 Jul, 2024 @ 12:58pm

Good on you for helping out other folks in getting into this classic. I have sent you some steam points as a thank-you for this plug-in, because you went the extra mile and made something for everyone.

mirodno 13 Jul, 2024 @ 11:07am

Got it, thanks!

Trov [author] 13 Jul, 2024 @ 10:49am

I added them to the guide.

Basically it's a standard FOV calculation where 80 hFOV at 4:3 is used as the basis.
http://casualhacks.net/Source-FOV-calculator.html
Use the "real FOV" calculator, with "80" in the FOV setting box.

The "Limit Vertical View" setting does it differently where it calculates based on using 80 hFOV for a 2:1 screen, resulting in lower values for 16:9 since that's less wide than 2:1.

mirodno 13 Jul, 2024 @ 10:44am

Or at least give me the formula, i can do math, for most time...

My laptop got 16:10 :^)

mirodno 13 Jul, 2024 @ 10:40am

Oh, interesting. Yeah, many would've have slightly higher FOV rather than slightly lower, although LVV:On is already pretty high to me. Probably need to add 16:10 and various ultrawides to the guide, since they're quite common now.

Trov [author] 13 Jul, 2024 @ 10:31am

But at the end of the day, it's just a suggestion.

Trov [author] 13 Jul, 2024 @ 10:29am

Here's a slider comparison to demonstrate what I mean

https://imgsli.com/Mjc4NzY1

Change the dropdown for the image on the right to see the difference.
Specifically pay attention to horizontal features, such as where the corner of the pylon on the left appears.

To me, your FOV settings make the FOV too nauseatingly low in my opinion, especially compared to the original game.

Trov [author] 13 Jul, 2024 @ 10:18am

My FOV suggestion's calculation focuses specifically on width, which in my opinion is the most important to the feeling of motion sickness. It results in an exact expansion in the horizontal, while Limit Vertical: On with Override Off results in a slightly lower FOV than that. Though it isn't by a great amount.

The discrepancy is due to the HUD having a slightly smaller height on screen than the original, so the vertical view is also expanded a little bit.

The main reason I don't like the FOV settings you suggest is that with a fullscreen HUD (such as Basic HUD) it actually results in a LOWER horizontal FOV than the original game has at 4:3!

mirodno 13 Jul, 2024 @ 9:29am

AHCHCHUALLY, you can just "Limit Vertical View: On", after that you don't need to assume FOV overrides. Unless you are using 1280x1024, in this case it's better to keep limit off.

I tried, and this option (Limit VertView On) gives the same result, as "precise FOV override", but for every aspect ratio.

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