Windows 8 Playtesters required

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Rosmarus

Changing between GDI and DirectX has no effect. I'm running the game both on my laptop and tabletop at screen's native resolution. I used to have the free download version on my tabletop and I ran it at 800x600 and didn't encounter this. I also noticed that game runs in bits when I move my mouse over the action buttons in the tactical screen. It looks like the game loads for a sec, then works fine for a moment and then hangs for a sec to load a bit more. I've tried different speed options for scroll speed, unit move delay etc. They work as they should, map scrolls faster and so on but it still stops to "load".

Changing to 256 colour mode or fiddling with the priority has no effect. Game still works perfectly in windowed mode with my desktop resolution which is also the native resolution.

Well, at a glance (not having the latest windows 8 to hand) it appears then that windows 8 is still not properly handling the old 256 colour palette modes then.

In windowed mode, the graphics library is converting the 256 colour mode to a larger 16 bit RGB value. That appears to work fine in whatever windows 8 uses.

In full-screen direct X mode, its using the old 256 mode palette that has been with us since MS-DOS, and which was always the fastest of the graphic modes as it was "lean and mean". It seems that this is no longer the case with the version of direct x on Windows 8....

Although we have reports of users (of the free game I think) saying that it works for them in 800 mode. We'll need a free game user to try the test exe and report. (It might be worth your trying at 800 full-screen as well in case a few less pixels to push about makes windows 8 happy with 256 colour mode!)

Also, we really need a few more testers in general - as it may not be Windows 8, but the particular graphics card etc. (Some of these wont have proper updated direct x drivers for 8, or will have had 256 colour mode depreciated as "obsolete" - that has happened in the past).

Given the low amount of interest in windows 8 so far by the very few downloads of the test programme, most folks seem to be holding back from Microsoft's new O/S. A sensible approach to any new windows O/S - I may get myself a copy at the release of Service Pack 1, as I never touch any new release till then.

[Rosollia]

I'm running the game both on my laptop and tabletop at screen's native resolution. I used to have the free download version on my tabletop and I ran it at 800x600 and didn't encounter this.

Have you tried all the different full screen resolutions? Maybe some resolution will work?

[Rosmarus]

I actually noticed when I tested a bit further that lagging is also present in 800x600 when in full screen. However "stops" are so short that you have to know what you're looking for if you want to spot them.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Rosmarus

I actually noticed when I tested a bit further that lagging is also present in 800x600 when in full screen. However "stops" are so short that you have to know what you're looking for if you want to spot them.

Well - it seems that whatever either of windows 8 or your video drivers (it could be either or both, even) is doing for 256 colour palleted mode is better when it has less pixels to push. But it (or both) seem to be optimised for 16 or more bit colour.

Have you tried setting graphics delay, scroll speed, and unit move delay all to 0?

If windows 8 and/or your graphics driver are optimised for only 16 bit colour modes or better, then Windowed mode at desktop resolution seems to be your best bet as a CD game owner. (As you seem to have discovered anyway! ).

cheers
Andy

[152H55]

Tested the W8 fix and it is working as intented. Not having any sluggish performance either with GDI or DirectX settings, although I'm using DL version with (maximum) 800x600 resolution. My video card is AMD HD 6800.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by 152H55

Tested the W8 fix and it is working as intented. Not having any sluggish performance either with GDI or DirectX settings, although I'm using DL version with (maximum) 800x600 resolution. My video card is AMD HD 6800.

Have you tested in windowed and fullscreen mode ?


Don

[152H55]

Originally Posted by DRG

Have you tested in windowed and fullscreen mode ?


Don

Both, and it's working flawlessly with GDI and DX.

Edit: I actually do get some extremely minor lag in full screen (800x600) GDI and DX when scrolling max size maps fully zoomed in, but the lag is so miniature that it can only be detected when one really is looking for it. Scrolling max zoomed 200 hex map from top to bottom causes about 3 lags at regular interwalls, using scroll speeds of 30 and 1ms. But as I said the lag is almost imperceptible, perhaps just a feature of the game engine?

[Rosmarus]

Exactly the same behaviour I have seen. I actually gave all green to the win8 regarding WinSPMBT couple of weeks back. Now that I have the CD version and I know what to look for the lag is really there even in the 800x600. I also noticed that you can't alt+tab from the game and then go back, this will mess up the colors and the graphics to an unplayable state. Playing in windowed mode isn't that bad however. I can check the internet, chat with people etc. when playing which is quite nice for a turn based strategy.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Rosmarus

Exactly the same behaviour I have seen. I actually gave all green to the win8 regarding WinSPMBT couple of weeks back. Now that I have the CD version and I know what to look for the lag is really there even in the 800x600. I also noticed that you can't alt+tab from the game and then go back, this will mess up the colors and the graphics to an unplayable state. Playing in windowed mode isn't that bad however. I can check the internet, chat with people etc. when playing which is quite nice for a turn based strategy.

If you have the CD then full-screen Windowed mode is the recommended full-screen way to play.

Precisely because it is all cuddly-friendly with the other windows stuff, you have your task bar with the clock and email notifications etc all there.

You just have to fiddle with the "scroll sensitivity zone" to find a pixel setting that suits you.

(And its not a "turn based strategy" game, it is a tactical game. You are not building factories or dealing with national government... )

Andy