Two gfx problems in 26b

[malthaussen]

Just got a new laptop, and have fired up WITPAE to see how it works. A couple of interesting things have happened.

If I start up 26b, the switches to fix display size simply don't work. My laptop can display resolutions up to 1920X1080, but I can not start the game in Fullscreen mode ("-f" returns "can't set screen mode"), and if I use windowed mode, "-w" will give me a default size window, but "-px, -py" will have no effect, the window is always default size. I've tried this for a couple of resolutions (1920X1080, 1680X1050), and no joy. Annoying, but I can live with it... but curiously, the vanilla game (not using the 26b fix) starts in Fullscreen mode right away with no problem.

More seriously, in-game I'm getting strange gfx corruptions when I mouse over territory or units. It's hard to describe, so I'll try a screenshot or two.

Screenshot 2025-05-23 165344.png (131.54 KiB) Viewed 297 times

Screenshot 2025-05-23 165344.png (131.54 KiB) Viewed 297 times

It appears that somehow, the game is creating a small window inside the map or unit box which repeats some information in a slightly larger format, overwriting the map (or box) in the process. Now, this can be removed by clicking around frantically for awhile, so it's more a gross annoyance than a game-breaker, but I wonder why it's doing this.

Alert readers will note that the startup command line switches do work, as I have used -altFont to change to the sans-serif font.

System data: Dell Latitude 7420, 16 GB RAM, 128 MB Intel Iris Re Gfx, Processor Intel core i-5-1145G7 (quad core)
Running under Windoze 11 Pro.

I'll note that I have not changed my core settings in the startup command line, because frankly I don't know what changing them will buy me.

I further note that in the vanilla game (I have version 1.00.1079), not only does it start in fullscreen mode by default, but the gfx glitch described does not occur. Alas, my save games are in 26b, though an edited scenario I'm fooling with will start and run in vanilla or 26b.

-- Mal

[btd64]

Looks like a magnification problem....GP

[Admiral DadMan]

Paste the Target line with your switches.

[btd64]

Paste the Target line with your switches.

Dadman, nice to hear from you again.. Its been awhile....GP

[malthaussen]

Looks like a magnification problem....GP

Any thoughts on how to fix it?

-- Mal

[btd64]

Looks like a magnification problem....GP

Any thoughts on how to fix it?

-- Mal

Not a clue. I seem to remember this problem and I thought rebooting your computer might work. Also, post your switch line....GP

[malthaussen]

Looks like a magnification problem....GP

Any thoughts on how to fix it?

-- Mal

Not a clue. I seem to remember this problem and I thought rebooting your computer might work. Also, post your switch line....GP

Rebooting doesn't help, since I have the same problem today. As to the switch line, currently it is simply "-w -altFont."
As I say in the OP, "-altFont" works just fine. "-f" returns "can't set screen mode," and "-w -px1920 -py1080" or "-w -px1680 -py1050" doesn't change the default window size at all. My laptop supports both resolutions. I also tried "-f -px1920 -py1080" and it returns "can't set screen mode" again.
It wouldn't really be a problem, except I have this nagging suspicion that the two problems are somehow related.

While we're on the subject of switches, I have a quad-core processor. The Readme for 26b advises to add a switch for multi-core computers, but is very coy about why one should do this, or which core should be switched. "Helps performance" doesn't tell one much in the end, so I haven't bothered to use the core switches. What am I missing out on?

-- Mal

[Chris21wen]

'f' won't work it oesn't exist what does exist is -pxf/pyf. Along with -w they allow the setting of almost any resolution you wish provided the display and card are capable. If you used -px/py you can only use the fixed res on you system.

Here's my line.
-pxf1900 -pyf1000 -cpu4 -dd_sw -altFont -multiaudio -deepColor -skipVideo -archive -w

[morphin]

Yes, try -pxf and also make sure that the resolution is a resolution that is available on the display settings on your graphic card (you can also create custom resolutions). I found that important to eliminate screen anomalies like you describe....

[malthaussen]

Well, -pxf and pyf do work, for a given value of "work." That is, they do re-size the game window, but for whatever reason the game map does not scale to fit, so that the bottom of the interface is cut off. I should have expected that, since the game map, switches, and bottom orders area fill the vertical dimension of the default window. Still weird, since 1.100.1079 gives me a full screen and no gfx glitch. It's the glitch that bugs me.

This is what I get with a setting of 1920X1080, which is my default monitor setting:

.

Screenshot 2025-05-26 144155.png (250.41 KiB) Viewed 138 times

That's the whole screen, as you can see, the bottom is cut off, and there's no scroll bar. If I do scroll to the bottom of the map, it stops at the bottom of the map, the orders box is cut off. Alert viewers will also note that the buttons at the top of the screen are cut off, so that several are not accessible at all. This applies even if I scroll all the way to the west.
There are some other weird features of this resolution. Scrolling is *much* slower the more information there is on the screen: it takes quite some time to cross mainland China, but the South Pacific ocean hexes zip past. The northern off-map bases are present in extra-large boxes, but the western ones don't appear, and the east side of the map has the area where the bases should appear, but no base hexes. Very interesting. Lastly, the only way to exit out of this map is to use Task Manager, since the appropriate controls don't appear anywhere in or on the window.

Long story short: any resolution with a -pyf of >768 won't work, but -pxf can be stretched as far as I like, and gives more map, with everything the same size as it would be in the 1024X768 resolution. But no matter what -px, -py is chosen, the gfx glitch still occurs. Still, not a deal-breaker, just something I'll apparently have to accept as another of the joys of playing WITPAE.

--Mal

[Nikel]

If you turned on the Windows magnifier unintentionally and it is the cause, this the way to turn it off:

Press the Windows logo key + ESC, or go to Settings > Ease of Access > Magnifier and turn it off.

[malthaussen]

If you turned on the Windows magnifier unintentionally and it is the cause, this the way to turn it off:

Press the Windows logo key + Minus sign (-), or go to Settings > Ease of Access > Magnifier and turn it off.

Good thought, but the Magnifier is off.

But it prompted me to try changing my Display Scale from 125% to 100%, and sure enough, that settled the glitch. Only problem is my ancient eyes can't quite squint enough to read the smaller text. Good to know what's causing the problem, though, and it seems I will indeed have to live with it. Thanks for clearing that up, though!

-- Mal

[Nikel]

OK, enjoy the game