Screen Resolution Issue

[Totenkopf]

I am having a problem with the screen resolution after the initial install game is complete (i.e. when I start up the game for the second and subsequent time).

I receive a vary 'colorful' screen display whether it is the menu display or the game itself.

I am currently using VISTA and my graphics card is a Radeon X1300. For about a week, it seem to be working fine. And, as I mentioned previously, the first time you start the game after 're-installing' it, the graphics are fine.

Can anyone help?

Thank you

[Mobhack]

See the Game Guide "Tuning Your Machine" section on (I presume you are trying to run full-screen) re "Psychedelic" Screen.

Basically - some graphics cards or I have found, some programmes! - will mess about with the 256 colour registers. Some boxes will happily let you swap in and out of the game from full screen with ALT+TAB, others will not. It depends on your graphics card and/or drivers and also any third party programmes running at the same time as the game.

Mine was happy to run full screen until recently, apart from if I ran Microsoft Excel 95. But I recently de installed Norton Security, and installed Mailwasher and Avast!. These seem to do something with cutesy animating of their icons in the status bar tray (even though not needed if a full screen game is running), and that seems to mess with the 256 colour registers. Any program that does "pop ups" to tell you its updated its database (like some AV stuff) - is also a likely culprit, or which insists on ramming your game session to the back in minimised format to spam you with a windows desktop dialogue box can do this.

The cure for this is - either find the programmes that are causing the clash, and make sure they are not running in the background (if you need to switch antivirus off of course - pull your network lead before each session! ), or - the simple cure is to run in windowed mode. In Windowed mode, WinVFX graphics library maps the 256 colours to Windows compatible RGB so the 256 colour RAMDAC is not involved. I now run in 1280 by 1024 Windowed mode rather than full-screen mode, as it is easier than stopping the anti-virus!.

Cheers
Andy

[Totenkopf]

BG Mobhack, I appreciate your comments on my Psychedelic problem. I worked on it for about two hours and found myself at "Driver Update." While there was no update for my video driver, it did kick me into a 'generic' driver status and it appears (so far) to have solved my problem (???). We'll see if it keeps on working. Thanx again.

[DRG]

Interesting. Let us know if this holds for you in the next few weeks. The "Psychedelic" problem has cropped up before with Vista users.

Don

[Totenkopf]

OK, I think I found how to fix this problem in VISTA. Using VISTA "Display Setting," 'change the "Colors" drop down from "high (32 bit)" to "Medium (16 bit)." I have not had a problem since.

When completing the game and you really need the 'high,' go back and change, accordingly.

Hope this helps.
Totenkopf

[DRG]

OK, just so I'm clear....... what exactly does this correct for you? The "Psychedelic" colour problem or something else ?

Don

[Totenkopf]

LTG DRG: yes, it appears to resolve the "psychedelic" color issue. If things change, I advise the board.