Widescreen Monitor Questions Concerning Games

[Wade]

I just bought a 22" Wide monitor(1680 x1050, 2ms speed, 3000:1 contrast). My previous was a 19" regular flat panel.
I'm new to this aspect. I'm trying to get used to the aspect viewing of it for internet and games.

I have questions and issues and desire some opinions too.

1. Do people generally use the highest resolution available of the monitor for desktop, internet, and games? That is what the monitor recomended in settings setup. Icons and print get quite smaller. There is an option in settings to keep the resolution but add larger icons. I haven't tried it, I'm not sure if it only affects the desktop. Some sites use the standard width still while the sides are just a design or color. This site and similiar others use the wide screen, filling it. But this white window I'm typing the small text into is quite smaller than before wide too, and over to the left side. The entire right side of the screen is just the tan.

2. I'm trynig to finish a single player game of Space Empires IV. The game now appears as a window in the wide screen with all sides around it black, even the top and bottom. This window the game is playing in is even SMALLER then when it filled my regular 19" flat panel monitor! What can I do? The main title screen fills and uses the wide screen with a very slight distortion. Example: The planet circle appears very slightly squashed. The game creation windows are small but the edges are used, filled with stars. Odd...

This slight distortion was also the case for Civilization IV, and a graphic ugliness, until I changed the in game resolution to the 1680 x 1050. But now with Civilization IV also everything is much smaller and most sub SCREENS are now smaller sub WINDOWS with the main map in the background. Some aspects of it are nice in that the in game lists of units and such are filed across so that there is not a list to scroll. Like SpaceEmpires5.com no longer has squashed together thread titles. They file across the wide length. Space Empires V also has similiar negatives and positives of wide screen, but some game elements placement could be better for wide screen.

I suppose that it's just whether the individual games and sites are programed for wide screen. Is that the case? Can I do some thing for Space Empires IV?

3. Also, do you have your monitor raised several inches, such as on a shelf or platform, or do you have it on the desk or table? I can't decide what I like better. If I slouch or lower my chair some I notice a shawdowing effect in the upper inch or two of the monitor. But not the reverse at the bottom if I raise.(Edit: Actualy, on second examination, I do see the shadowing in the bottom too. I suppose eyes level to center would be optimal.)

4. (Edit) Also, I could of gotten the same size monitor with 5ms speed and 1000:1 contrast for much cheaper. How desirable is 2ms speed/ 3000:1 contrast compared to 5ms/ 1000:1? Is there much difference noticed?

-Wade

(Wow..."Preview Post" files the length, all the way to the right. Nice but awkward at first. Is this and issues with games and sites and small stuff just some thing I'll have to accept and get used to?)