on what OS does SPWW2 run best?

[Akmatov]

Originally Posted by scorpio_rocks

If you run in windowed mode with screen/window size set to "Desktop" with the game installed correctly (outside windows structure) there should be no small windows with the paid (CD) version...

Why do you say "...desktop resolution is totally unusable..."?

black screen with four windowed images twisted vertically, looks like a photo someone had twisted.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Akmatov

black screen with four windowed images twisted vertically, looks like a photo someone had twisted.

That usually appears if you have the windows task bar set to "auto hide" - as we describe in the tuning your machine section. Turn your taskbar auto-hide off, if you have it on.

It also sometimes happens if you try to run a window resolution (one of the 4:3 ones we provide, which date back to the old DOS and early windows days, when square monitors were the norm) and your display cannot handle it. Use "desktop" resolution on modern wide-screen monitors.

[Mobhack]

1) Full screen mode support is only there for legacy reasons. Modern Windows (post XP) has problems with the 256 colour palette, especially Windows 7 whose "aero" interface writes over the 256 colour palette. That is why the game will launch a script file that kills the aero interface in Win7 in full-screen mode.

This is all explained in the "Tuning your Machine" section of the Game Guide in the big box titled "Windows Vista and Seven" that is at the very start of that section.

2) Windowed mode uses the normal Windows 32 bit palette and so does not suffer from losing the 256 colour palette to Windows (especially 7). Desktop resolution uses your full screen size, less the windows task-bar at the bottom of the screen. Desktop resolution also handles modern wide screen monitors.

3) For those CD Game owners who want a "zoomed in" version the following work around has been suggested by players:

a) Set your windows desktop to one of its smaller resolutions.
a.1) Ensure that you choose a windows desktop resolution that has the normal height/width proportions (some of the offered ones may stretch the game icons).
b) Launch the game in Windowed mode in desktop resolution. The game is now using your reduced windows desktop size, say 1280x720.
c) Once done playing then reset the windows desktop size.

[Akmatov]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

c) Once done playing then reset the windows desktop size.

How can I do this? The little click box for 'full screen window' at the top right don't work.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Akmatov

How can I do this? The little click box for 'full screen window' at the top right don't work.

You set and reset windows desktop resolution via right-clicking on the windows desktop with your mouse. Then you use the Microsoft set resolution gadget, or if your video display driver has replaced it with something else, you use that (like say an Nvidia application).

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Akmatov

How can I do this? The little click box for 'full screen window' at the top right don't work.

I just re-read this and I think I see the problem. you appear to be referring to the game in windowed mode .....

??




What Andy is telling you to change is your actual computer settings after you are done playing the game in the SETTINGS section

[DRG]

Also...... you have made over 100 posts.....WHY are we only hearing about this now? Did it work before ?? What's changed at your end ?

[Akmatov]

Been a while since I played and changed systems.

Also, I remember SPWW2/SPMBT running fine with the CD version, but that was before updates in Windows and SPMBT/SPWW2.

[DRG]

Maybe we're "understanding" incorrectly....... you say desktop is " Windowed on a quite small window that takes up about 25% of my monitor"

Are you referring to the space the entire desktop mode takes up or the menu window. like this......



THAT is normal. The entire map fills the screen but the menus take up 640x480 but the entire map playing area is whatever your screen resolution is set to.......so is THAT what you are seeing and referring to ?? If yes....why is that a problem ?


Because what it sounded like was you were suggesting it was showing something like this....

[DRG]

I tried an experiment as Andy had suggested setting up the monitor to a lower resolution then running the game will increase the size of the menu window *perhaps* more to your liking ( FYI I cannot.....C A N N O T read the computer screen...game or no game without glasses I use just for computer work and with them on I see the game in 1920x1080 JUST FINE......nice and sharp with all text readable )

However, I tried an experiment and set my screen resolution to 1366x768 and it's not as razor sharp as 1920x1080 but it's better than full screen was ( when I could still test fullscreen )



That might be closer to what you are looking for and you may find a better compromise resolution for your computer / screen combination than my computer will give.If you run borderless gaming you get a very close approximation of the old full screen mode but actually windowed.

All that said the game screens are perfectly readable with the right pair of glasses on......

Don