Why
Why you need them is simple, the game was written back in time when computers and particularly graphics were a lot simpler. Thanks to Microsoft and other tech companies they have got progressively more complex and faster in everything they do. Old games and stuff, like me, don't work well if at all in a modern world. So here's an attempt to explain switches.
Switches used with a program (Aps in modern parlance) are instructions to that program to work in a slightly different way and only work with that program. Generally these programs are executable files identified by the .exe at the end of they file name. Switches are simply tacked on to the end of *.exe command line that tell it to run. Autorun.exe is really a menu for running other programs, including other *.exe files that do not have any switches, such as the War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe. Ergo for the switches to have any effect you need to add them to the WitPAE.exe directly.
The other very, very imprtant thing about switches is syntax, a posh word for gammer or the structured/expected way a language works. As a computer is a stupid machine it needs precise instructions (syntax) on what to do hence the switches have to be exact or they won't be recognised as instructions and not work.
Example
Here's my command line on 64-bit i7 Windows 10 machine with 1920x1080 display. From what I've read in many threads on this subject one of the main fix is -deepColor forcing the use of 32-bit colour. More on that later. I stress that this is mine and the switches are more than likely to work on most computers.
"D:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific AE\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" -pxf1900 -pyf1000 -cpu4 -dd_sw -altFont -multiaudio -deepColor -skipVideo -archive -w
Initial command line
"D:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific AE\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" This is the default location and name. Mine is on the D: drive in a folder called \Matrix Games\ and the executable is called War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe. Any or all of this can be changed if required but this is the default location I istalled the game too and is what will appear in the my command line by default on stallation. One change that is likely occurs is if you only have one hard drive, C:. That then is what will appear at the start of the command ine. E.g. "C:\Matrix Games\W...
DO NOT DELETE THE QUOTATION MARKS, syntax again.
The switches
-w plays the game in a window. Full screen works but I've always had problems tabbing in and out of other stuff. I.e. switching to email and back. Doing so nearly always results in a scamble screen requring a game restart. A window doe NOT do that.
-pxf1900 -pyf1000 gives me a precise window 1900x1000 pixels occupying most of my 1920x1080 display. It's nearly full screen but I can see other open stuff behind making it easy to switch. You can also us -px#### -py#### but this has to be one of your displays default resolutions. E.g. 1920x1080 or 1600x900 with nothing in between. Set this to you display preference.
-cpu4 uses the forth and last central processing unit in the computer. I have four in mine, the last is one least used by other programs and therefore the one least liekly to be highjacked my other stuff I'm running, possibly avoiding the game to crash. There are two other -SingleCpu switches that you could also use but do not need them. See the WhatsNew.pdf for info
-dd_sw is something to do with how DirectDraw handles the game. It can often reduce the interface lag that can occur on many systems. Your going to have to lookup DierctDraw if you want more.
-altFont uses an alternative font (Lucida Sans Unicode) that is clearer, well it is for me.
-multiaudio fixes possible audio time issues.
-deepColor force the use of 32-bit colour as opposed to 256-bit colour on most modern computers. As the game was written for 32-bit not using this switch causes the graphics card to read each bit and convert it to 256-bit resulting in processing time hence graphic lags.
-skipVideo turns of the intro videos.
-archive saves the turns data reports in a \save\archives
Some of these switches can be essential for the game to run, others are just preferences like -skipVideo. You do not have use all, maybe not any and there are more which can be found in the WhatsNew.pdf.
Where is it
Most people run programs through a shortcut. This is what I have done but you can also run the game by directly clicking on the *.exe, if so then that is were the switches need to be.
- Capture.JPG (62.12 KiB) Viewed 2543 times
Once you have done click apply and then OK.
Now run the shortcut and all should be well. If not you will need tinker, changing switches but only do one at a time.
Seabees
A utility kindly written for those who don't want or can't edit directly. It works well but all it does is write the command line for you from the selections. https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 4&t=320302
