Forcing resolutions higher than provided in game via registry results in low resolution output

[NOFUNEVER]

EBFT was not only the first PC game I ever bought for myself but the reason I saved up my meager allowance to build my first PC.   I managed to retain the 4  original installation disks (badly scratched I might add) along with a text file dating back to 2004 that contains a serial that may or may not be mine.  However of my first 10 PC games it's the only one I lost the box art for so I recently just purchased a package complete copy of EBFT on ebay (Box, book, key, jewel case,  cds) and was excited to give the game another whirl. I managed to get the game running  on Windows 10 as I have before using a modified setup.exe to install and the Fixed EA provided 96kb EMPEROR.EXE to run. I'm having all kinds of issues getting an acceptable resolution to display though and remembered this forum still exists. So hopefully someone has a solution to the following issues. 


Changing the usual registry keys will add the desired resolution to the in game menu and indicate that it is selected however. Resolutions over the default max of 1600x1200 results in strange behavior.

1.  All resolutions higher than 1600x1200 regardless of aspect ratio cause the game to start at lowest resolution despite indicating the set registry values in the graphics menu. 
2. All resolutions higher than 1600x1200  INCLUDING 4:3 ratio resolutions result in a stretched widescreen image. 

For example, 1440x1080(4:3), 1920x1440(4:3), and 2560x1987(4:3) are all 4:3 resolutions but all 3 display  in the exact same stretched widescreen low resolution output.  In fact there is no difference between forcing 1920x1080(16:9) and 1440x1080(4:3), no difference between 1920x1440(4:3) and 2560x1440(16:9)

All of them infact result in the same ugly output. The same registry keys exist in a second location but changing those results in no effect on both the look of the game or the selected options in menu, Only the first set of registry entries seems to make an impact. 

My goal really was to either get the vert resolution to match native with my monitor (1440) and black bars on the sides to maintain 4:3. Or run a stretched 1080p or 1440p resolution. None of these 3  options are working for me.  

What's odd is 4:3 is maintained again once I select the original 1600x1200 option in the game menu. 

Thanks in advance for any insight provided or potential fixes. I really wish there was a copy of the source code floating around online. I wouldn't mind taking a stab at getting widescreen resolutions working. Just finishing up my CSCI degree and don't have much real world experience so it might be out of my depth but wouldn't mind trying all the same, it is after all the game that got me into PC gaming in the first place. 
 

[DoMiNaNt_HuNtEr]

I feel your pain, bud. Instead of doing registry editing, there is apparently an alternative thing you can do, which I have yet to try, as my PC got a virus I had to re install everything from scratch lol. Check out this thread: https://forum.dune2k.com/topic/27545-is-there-a-widescreen-solution-yet/?tab=comments#comment-396239