Upgrades the DOS version to official Windows version. Play without DOSBox emulation and with improved compatibility on modern Windows systems.

Details/Download: https://www.moddb.com/games/theme-hospital/downloads/theme-hospital-ready2play-launcher

Originally game released as DOS+WIN with x16 installer.
Later Retail Re-Editions come as WIN only, some with installers natively WinNT (Win2k/XP) and x86/32 (also there was downloadable official x32 installer for later second Sold-Out Soft release that come as WinXP/Vista compatible tag but by mistake has old x16 setup on disc).

So. Did this Laufnher support non-initial Retail, i mean WIN only and winmain.exe only?
(some editions come with hospital.exe but it was WIN not DOS and just renamed winmain.exe->hospital.exe with lack of second exe file)

Despite there was WinNT (WinXP compatible tag) re-Editions/installers game exe remain Windows aka Win9x(98/ME). And so modern Windows NT and Windows UWP have issues to launch it. Win7 (last WinNT) do it with minor issues and workarounds without 3rd party downloads (or with x32 installer official/non-official in case if your edition have x16 setup which is 50/50). Make that on mobile backported Win UWP (8+) without additional 3rd party downloads nearly impossible.

There is issues in modern Windows/video drivers (Nvidia mostly/only?) even for WinVista DirectX 10 support (D3D10 and audio components). So for DirectX D3D render and Win10+ it must be D3D11 for better support of modern PCs (and worst for old if D3D12).
Audio compatibly is an issue too. Multi-channel support was worst and better in old days. There is no real support for it in modern DirectX instead software emulation used even if you have dedicated soundcard. Plus headsets phones+micro in one audiojack is too much for this game.

There is also Dinput compatibility issue if you have too much advanced mouse high dpi/hz. Maybe some more lf that (too much advanced KB?). Ofc modern gaming input devices didnt supported as well, mentioning just in case.
Game can start work junky/slow without FPS drops by any random USB devices plugged in.

There is CorsixTH that development process stuck in bringing original mechanics. But its entirely new APIs.

Virtual Machine is best solution. For Linux there is Wine. For Windows NT/UWP there is just WineD3D-for-Win and DXVK-for-Win which solve only rendering issues. Just as subj Launcher do as i understand. Windows need own WINE.

Sadly, after setting up the launcher step by step according to the INFO.txt included in the mod package, I failed to play the game with the launcher.

The launcher picked up my GOG install fine, but no matter which render/ shader combination I chose, full screen or windowed, the game crashed with "Failed to initiate VRES256 screen" error message.

Tried to change the compatibility setting of the Hospital.exe in the \launcher\_Files folder to Windows 95, 256 color and run with 640*480 resolution but still no luck there.