Screen resolution poll

DRG · #1 January 5th, 2008, 04:00 PM

We're running this poll just to see what screen resolution most people are playing the game at. We would appreciate it if you read this to please fill out the poll.

Thanks

Don

MarkSheppard · #2 January 5th, 2008, 09:25 PM

I do multiple (Already did the poll)

1024x768 Windowed for game development, where I need to rapidly move around for different tasks; looking up OOBs or information online

1280x1024 Full Screen for gameplay.

Marek_Tucan · #3 January 6th, 2008, 01:32 AM

As I do use SP as background to various activities, Windowed, 800x600.

DRG · #4 January 6th, 2008, 10:19 AM

I thought there might be multiple uses where someone might use it one way on one machine and the other on a different one. Originally I was just going to ask if anyone still uses 640x480 ( which , I see, someone does )but I thought it interesting to expand this beyond the one question to see how people are playing the game. For instance, I never play full screen. I need access to other tools when testing or even just playing for "fun" and I have always found the game works better for me in windowed mode no matter which operating system I've used and I was curious to find out how others play it as well. So far it's 2:1 for windowed but that may change as more people fill out the poll. I'm hoping everyone who logs on eventually fills this out.

Don

dwmalesevich · #5 January 6th, 2008, 10:42 AM

Don,

I just started using multiple monitors #1 is set at 1280X1040 and #2 is set at 1680X1050. Will we ever see wide screen support or multiple monitor support.
I generally play on the 1280X1040 Screen in windows mode.

Pats · #6 January 6th, 2008, 11:16 AM

I would use it in fullscreen 1600x1280 IF I had the cd version...

Mobhack · #7 January 6th, 2008, 01:35 PM

For a wide screen, set the resolution to one above one of the dimensions, in windowed mode. The window will then use the available desktop real estate (minus the windows task bar, which must be at the normal position at the bottom of the screen, and not set to auto-hide).

So - for a 1280 by 800 laptop, set it to windowed mode, 1280 by 1024 and off you go. (You may need to tweak the scroll activation pixels on the game options programme).

There will be no multi-monitor support. It uses a DirectX 5(?) third-party graphics library (WinVFX - the windows version of the original VFX DOS library used by SSI), written in about 1998. Source code for that library is available - but most of it is written in Microsoft Assembler for a version of MASM long gone now. I tried feeding it into Borlands assembler, and some other ones, but they all barfed on the thing

. But that library is why fixed windows have to be used - if you use a resizeable widow, the WinVFX library will let you resize the borders, but leave the plotted area the same as the original size requested. And a close-down of the VFX system with a new resize and restart again in the same programme session, leaves it in exactly the same size too - so the only way to resize is a complete programme shut-down and restart. It's also (I think - been some time since the DOS->Windows conversion work!) why the game only uses the "standard" Windows resolutions, as it was from an era from long before widescreen laptops appeared.

Cheers
Andy

Artur · #8 January 6th, 2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Mobhack said:
So - for a 1280 by 800 laptop, set it to windowed mode, 1280 by 1024 and off you go.

This is how it works on my laptop.

When I am at home I use 1280X1024.

Artur.

Paladin42 · #9 January 8th, 2008, 05:45 PM

I run a dual monitor rig--a wide screen LCD at 1680x1050 and a normal LCD at 1280x1024. I have my XP desktop spread across both monitors. I run the game in 1600x1280 windowed on the w/s to have access to everything like Don suggests. It is nice to have the game guide or other tool up on the other monitor. My normal monitor also has a TV tuner so I can watch Fox news in a PIP window. Way too much going on at the same time. Paladin

rfisher · #10 January 10th, 2008, 07:06 PM

I play on my widescreen HD TV which has the odd 'HD ready' resolution of 1360 x 768.
I play full screen for the shallow reason that I'm not keen on having a windows border around the game. I think it makes me feel less 'involved', if you know what I mean.
But having just read, and experimented with, the widescreen tips mentioned above, I might try and play in a higher resolution window for a while. Other than my border issue, it is definately a better image in higher resolutions.
Cheers.