Can you support this resolution for a Remake??

[Slocket]

Since I love my CRT tube monitors compared to LCD displays, I need to know if you all can support 1024*768 resolution apart from your native LCD screen size. I never owned one, yet.

 

Cause, I may need to recode so the program will read the display info format (get xhorizontal) you know, then auto adjust the images so they fit the resolution that is being run.

 

Or I can place inside the INI file a 'windows' mode so you run the game at 1024*768 whilst your destop LCD can run in another mode.

 

THX for input.

 

[Moribundus]

Imho storing the information outside you program (eg. an INI file) would be the best solution. You could probably never satisfy everyone by choosing one predetermined resolution. To give you an example, my native resolution is 1600x1200 and resampling to 1024x768 looks really terrible, I'd much rather play it in a windowed mode (you could put that into the ini file too ).

 

On the other hand the worst thing you could possibly do is to let the program guess what to do, not to mention that the guessing mechanism would require probably quite some to get it right (eg. do you know how your program would behave on wide screen LCD displays?) I would play it safe and let the user decide what's best for him and his hardware.

 

But you can always make a guessing setup program that probes your available resolutions (DX has facilities for that and so should DP) and offers user the best one (and saves it to the ini file ).

 

Just my two cents.

[Slocket]

Thanks for the insight Moribundus, good ideas. I think the easiest would be a window mode from the INI file, then later user choose from the most popular resolutions ( I need to look that up). I do not own a wide screen LCD yet to test it on, so I guess I will try to do that. Plus this is only tested under WinXP 32 OS, though DB claims it works under Vista (32 bit at least).

 

I wonder what performance hit if any from going windowed mode using DB, it is only one window and does do things not under complete programmer control as it would be under C++ or DX. The price to pay to use the DB pre-programmed stuff. I am glad I thought about this at the last minute, else people would wonder why the screen is all messed up.

 

Back to work...I thought I would be done in 6 months...but this seems to be the hard part, GUI and was the 3D graphics.

 

Update:

 

set window on

set window layout 1,1,1

set window title "Rebellion 2008"

set display mode 1024,768,32

set window size 1024,768

show mouse

 

Wow, that was easy. I can run it in Window mode and it can go in any resolution you want. Just resize the 'Window Box' as you would any other. You can make it full screen, or just re adjust the Box to whatever you want.

[DavidAdas]

CRT over an LCD are you crazy!??!

[Master_Xan]

CRT monitors have advantages over LCDs. For one, they tend to have slightly better colors; though admittedly the newer LCD monitors are much better about that than in the past. Plus CRTs are VERY cheap at the moment. And, if there's ever a nuclear war that ends all civilization as we know it, the capacitor in a CRT (used to quickly start up the monitor instead of having to wait when you turn it on) will hold a charge for up to a month even after it's unplugged; you could use it as a battery for small gadgets and such. Just don't touch it! At full charge it would be a lethal experience...

[Slocket]

The last time I looked at LCD monitors that are affordable about 3 years ago; they really suck in contrast and viewing angle. The expensive back lighted LCD with a larger view angle are much better, but my god they want way too much money for me.

 

I can buy a 21 inch monitor CRT tube that kicks the crap out of any LCD at teh resolution and refresh rate I play games at for only 35 USD I have three of them as back ups to last for a decade until the LCD prices for the GOOD one come down to earth..

 

LCD are getting there, but not there yet. They have advantages over CRT such as longevity, low power, small size...but the picture is horrible to me, and it may just be a personal choice here.

[steel]

Very true a few years ago Slocket.

 

You can pick up high resolution 22"/24" LCD's with near perfect Contrast Ratios and response rate compared to the old days. Im still on a 19" myself personally but the picture is perfect

 

Still if personal preference is CRT's then thats okay each to his own.

[Moribundus]

It's true that LCDs have improved drastically ovet the last few years and got more affordable (and also pushed the prices of CRTs even lower ), but their quality still depends heavily on the used technology. Most of the TN/TN+ (the cheapest technology) have terrible viewing angles (especially vertical) and the 6-bit per colour channel is a sorry joke. These are good for office work (since LCDs generally "eat" less), but for the "perfect picture" you'd have to reach deeper into your pocket.

 

On the other hand I have very good experience with the more expensive LCD panels (S-IPS and others). You won't get them fom $35, maybe ten times that, but they're worth every penny

[Slocket]

exactly! The more expensive technology LCD have the quality I would certainly be happy with, but the prices are way out of my reach for now. Maybe another year once I burn through these last CRT monitors I have. They realy do not make new ones anymore. The last used CRT I bought had a Jan 2004 date on it. I expect it to only last for about one year at 24/7 usage.

 

When I build up a new computer, I will have to upgrade to a LCD, I hope the prices for the nice wide viewing angles, response time, and color sheen IPS something will come down in price. Money is a bit tight right now due to this down turn in the economy. Priority of paying off all credit card debts must come first. Later I think things will get better in another year or so.

[Master_Xan]

We all hope things will get better in a year or so. Paying off your debts is a very good idea; I wouldn't be using those cards for anything new if you could avoid it...

 

Personally, I'm hoping to one day replace my monitor with a TV. Unfortunately, as of yet no TV I've ever tried could get the resolution and detail necessary to do this. Or flip side, no monitor works well enough as a TV. Admittedly, my budget isn't what it would need to be to accomplish this. But wouldn't it be nice to combine functions and ditch one more device? I'm all about simplification, especially since I'm a college student with limited space available.

[steel]

Even top resolution TV's make bad PC monitors. My 42" 1080P(1920x1080) doesnt look too good on a PC.

 

Still prefer my 19" LCD. Will probably swap to 22/24 in the coming months and use the 19" as a secondary. Good for watching movies while playing games or when developing with code

[Arcanewinds]

I can support 1024x728 on my monitor, but it looks god awful. I'm using a widescreen LCD (1680x1050), I wouldn't mind testing with different resolutions if you need me to. Just post back on here if you need me .

[Slocket]

Thx Arcanewinds. I did make so it can be in a window mode, so that can be resized horizontal or verticle, bigger and smaller, within your monitors native resolution. Thus the game will be 1024*768, but by using window mode it should display just fine (though it would look like a smaller box view). You can stretch it like a normal window application to adjust any Hzl or Vrt elongation.

 

edit:

Sorry everyone for the delay. Just busy with other stuff I need to take of.

[Noble713]

I've got a 15" LCD (had it since 2001) with a maximum resolution of 1024x768 (what I'm running right now), so of course that's fine by me.

[Slocket]

OK, been testing resolutions on my CRT. It is not a LCD wide screen. The game will auto guess and get it right so far in full screen mode, or you can select Window Mode and scale the window box to whatever looks best in case the display mode looks horrible.

 

1024*768 (artwork original design, great for CRT)

1280*1024 (just because steel is using it so I suppose it is important)

1680*1050 (wide screen is streched to aspect ratio in full screen; use window mode and adjust looks nicer).

Window Mode (stretch to what looks good, original 1024*768 for now unless artwork is changed to higher resolution).

 

Yes, no?? I think for wide screen, until I have new artwork for that native size, best use Window Mode.

 

Set in "save game options" screen in an active game, or manually outside in the INI file where the settings are stored upon exit of game.

 

BTY, I have re-encoded a couple of the movie cutscenes to work better for modern computers and so they fit better.

 

UPDATE: I added another feature that will do any combination. As long as your video card and Monitor (CRT or LCD Wide Screen) can handle the setting of the display mode, you can set the Width Size, Height, Depth, and it will force the screen to that. If you have visual problems, then just set Window Mode On or Off inside the INI file too. Then adjust window to what looks the best.

[steel]

haha i upgraded... running 1680x1050 now.

[Slocket]

I think maybe a good compromise is 1280*960 which is still 4:3 but is 1.25 bigger than 1024*768. It should look good on old and new wide screen monitors, adjust the resolution in the option.dat.

 

This would allow even bigger higher resolutions pictures in game. With my new 1080 monitor, 1024*768 looks rather too tiny. I think anyone playing game today should be able to handle 1280*960 resolution? ATI cards and Radeon I hope. I am using ATI 5700 series HD.

 

you can always adjust the window box in runs in for smaller screens or expand for larger screens.

 

The planets icons could be raised from 60*60 to 75*75 which would be wonderful. Originals were 37*37. Any thoughts?