Such a great game, but resolution sucks

SPWaW is a tactical squad-level World War II game on single platoon or up to an entire battalion through Europe and the Pacific (1939 to 1945).

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MrLongleg
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Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by MrLongleg »

Is there any way to make this game look acceptable on a modern computer. I definitely would pay for that. 800 x 600 on 1920 x 1200 monitor. Come on, Matrix Games - make it happen :-)
MrLongleg

Life is too short to drink bad wine ;-)
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JEB Davis
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by JEB Davis »

It ain't happening.
Older smaller monitors are cheap [;)]
Reduce SP:WaW slaughter, "Low Carnage":
Settings: 80Spot,80Hit,100R/R,XXXTQ,110TkT,150InfT,180AvSoft,130AvArm,150SOFire / Command & Ctrl ON / AutoRally OFF
Enhanced http://enhanced.freeforums.org
Depot https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/spwawdepot/
Kuokkanen
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by Kuokkanen »

ORIGINAL: JEB Davis

Older smaller monitors are cheap [;)]
Bigger ones aren't very expensive either, particularly when you get used one. I have 19" SyncMaster 959NF CRT with 1600x1200 @ 85 herz. Still good to go, and scales well to lower resolutions [:)]
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

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koju
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Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 6:37 am
Location: Finland

RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by koju »

ORIGINAL: JEB Davis
It ain't happening.
Older smaller monitors are cheap [;)]

What aint häppenink?

Actually there is rather $$$ option to run SP:WAW through Virtual Machine named Vmware Workstation and install inside that program another copy of Windows and these together can handle SP:Waw as non scaled 800x600 resolution. This is option only if you are experienced about computers or can have somebody professional to make this happen. Vmware installation requires new formatted or empty existing partition on your harddrive.

You need these:

1. Another legal Windows media, win98, win2000 or XP.
2. Wmware Workstation, NOT Wmware Player. -> http://www.vmware.com/products/ws/
3. Empty partition on your harddrive
4. USB flashdrive
5. SP:WAW installation files or copy of your existing installed SP:WAW folder.

Works like this:
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/i ... in_ws.html
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/n ... ll_ws.html
You may need to make .ISO file from your Windows media, but there are lot of free programs to make this happen.
And after everything is installed fine, then Vmware runs another copy of windows as window or fullscreen inside your original operating system. SP:WAW can be installed or moved to that Operating System run by vmware. And that can be done example by USB Flash Drive.
My system example: Windows 2000 has wmware installed and another windows 2000 is installed using Vmware. Vmware + Win2000 runs SP:Waw. My 22" Widescreen has resolution 1280x768 and Vmware runs SP:WAW as not scaled 800x600 resolution. Game runs smaller screen than I used to but is lot better than scaled muddy graphics that normally happens with these big widescreen monitors. Runs perfectly without hick ups on my low performance 2 ghz celeron setup.

Warning. Don't start formatting and partitioning your Harddrive if you don't know what you really are doing. [:'(]
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Goblin
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by Goblin »

I think Jeb meant the part about Matrix making it happen is not happening.
 
 
 
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MrLongleg
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by MrLongleg »

I am actually running the game in a VMWare virtual machine on the mac. And I found out how to reduce the resolution. But if I look at the traffic at Depot and here, I am quite sure, that there would be a great market for a sequel. Is the source code of this game available?

MrLongleg

Life is too short to drink bad wine ;-)
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Goblin
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by Goblin »

Unfortunately, no. Additionally, due to the original deal to aquire SPWaW, Matrix is not at liberty to release it either. Major bummer. [:(]





Goblin
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JEB Davis
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by JEB Davis »

ORIGINAL: Goblin

I think Jeb meant the part about Matrix making it happen is not happening.



Goblin
Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks Goblin
Reduce SP:WaW slaughter, "Low Carnage":
Settings: 80Spot,80Hit,100R/R,XXXTQ,110TkT,150InfT,180AvSoft,130AvArm,150SOFire / Command & Ctrl ON / AutoRally OFF
Enhanced http://enhanced.freeforums.org
Depot https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/spwawdepot/
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Reg
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Location: NSW, Australia

RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by Reg »

ORIGINAL: koju
ORIGINAL: JEB Davis
It ain't happening.
Older smaller monitors are cheap [;)]

What aint häppenink?

Actually there is rather $$$ option to run SP:WAW through Virtual Machine named Vmware Workstation and install inside that program another copy of Windows and these together can handle SP:Waw as non scaled 800x600 resolution. This is option only if you are experienced about computers or can have somebody professional to make this happen. Vmware installation requires new formatted or empty existing partition on your harddrive.

You need these:

1. Another legal Windows media, win98, win2000 or XP.
2. Wmware Workstation, NOT Wmware Player. -> http://www.vmware.com/products/ws/
3. Empty partition on your harddrive
4. USB flashdrive
5. SP:WAW installation files or copy of your existing installed SP:WAW folder.

Works like this:
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/i ... in_ws.html
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/n ... ll_ws.html
You may need to make .ISO file from your Windows media, but there are lot of free programs to make this happen.
And after everything is installed fine, then Vmware runs another copy of windows as window or fullscreen inside your original operating system. SP:WAW can be installed or moved to that Operating System run by vmware. And that can be done example by USB Flash Drive.
My system example: Windows 2000 has wmware installed and another windows 2000 is installed using Vmware. Vmware + Win2000 runs SP:Waw. My 22" Widescreen has resolution 1280x768 and Vmware runs SP:WAW as not scaled 800x600 resolution. Game runs smaller screen than I used to but is lot better than scaled muddy graphics that normally happens with these big widescreen monitors. Runs perfectly without hick ups on my low performance 2 ghz celeron setup.

Warning. Don't start formatting and partitioning your Harddrive if you don't know what you really are doing. [:'(]


Koju, I think that running SPWaW in a virtual machine will work but is a massive overkill!! [X(]

The only advantage of doing this is you can run the program at 1:1 resolution in a window on your desk top but you can achieve pretty much the same effect by just changing your LCD monitor or video card preferences. (See In a window? thread over on the BTR forum. Your desktop is still accessible with the Alt-tab key combination. There are several other threads on this topic so have a look around (best of luck with the forum search engine [8|]).

Edit: To display low-res games to the best effect, I believe you can't go past a large CRT monitor as hinted above. [:D]
Cheers,
Reg.

(One day I will learn to spell - or check before posting....)
Uh oh, Firefox has a spell checker!! What excuse can I use now!!!
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rwenstrup
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by rwenstrup »

Is there any way the original contract for SPWAW can be renegotiated? Perhaps a percentage royalty on new product sales with a new resolution? There are few games on the computer with the following Steel Panthers has...
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."
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JEB Davis
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by JEB Davis »

ORIGINAL: rwenstrup

Is there any way the original contract for SPWAW can be renegotiated? Perhaps a percentage royalty on new product sales with a new resolution? There are few games on the computer with the following Steel Panthers has...
Yeah, it makes you wonder if the guys that could make this decision are playing with a full deck, doesn't it? [8|]
Reduce SP:WaW slaughter, "Low Carnage":
Settings: 80Spot,80Hit,100R/R,XXXTQ,110TkT,150InfT,180AvSoft,130AvArm,150SOFire / Command & Ctrl ON / AutoRally OFF
Enhanced http://enhanced.freeforums.org
Depot https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/spwawdepot/
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Arctic Blast
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by Arctic Blast »

ORIGINAL: rwenstrup

Is there any way the original contract for SPWAW can be renegotiated? Perhaps a percentage royalty on new product sales with a new resolution? There are few games on the computer with the following Steel Panthers has...

The problem is...who do you negotiate with? SSI are long dead, and the rights to their catalog were bought up by Ubisoft several years ago in a major 'package' purchase by them. I somehow doubt they give a crap about code for a game this old.
Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily.
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KG Erwin
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by KG Erwin »

I see gripes about "where's the followup?" periodically, but it's NOT broken, so why fix it? Besides, there are enough tweaks in the ENH version to make it much improved from the last official update.

You gotta remember than the game itself is FREE. What you pay for are in the in-house-developed Mega Campaigns. Your humble (? [:D]) mod, Goblin, and yours truly here were contributors to one of the Megas. That was six years ago, but I'm still grateful to have been given the opportunity. We didn't get paid a cent. It was a labor of love.

Granted, that makes me very biased towards the game, but given its age, it's still playable and it still gives me enjoyment. When you have your own name attached to a product, even in a minor capacity, you tend to defend it. [:)]
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Alby
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RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by Alby »

Many of us have still been continuing to 'upgrade' the game (we hope [;)] ) for last few years   , (ENH v1 came out along with last 'official' update in 2006, when we had programmer help)
However, the next update will be the last, I dont see much more we can do without programmer help.
Look for some new and very different mods coming out soon that will only help to keep this great game going.
Its still the one and only game I play.
[:)]

koju
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Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 6:37 am
Location: Finland

RE: Such a great game, but resolution sucks

Post by koju »

ORIGINAL: Reg
ORIGINAL: koju
ORIGINAL: JEB Davis
It ain't happening.
Older smaller monitors are cheap [;)]

What aint häppenink?

Actually there is rather $$$ option to run SP:WAW through Virtual Machine named Vmware Workstation and install inside that program another copy of Windows and these together can handle SP:Waw as non scaled 800x600 resolution. This is option only if you are experienced about computers or can have somebody professional to make this happen. Vmware installation requires new formatted or empty existing partition on your harddrive.

You need these:

1. Another legal Windows media, win98, win2000 or XP.
2. Wmware Workstation, NOT Wmware Player. -> http://www.vmware.com/products/ws/
3. Empty partition on your harddrive
4. USB flashdrive
5. SP:WAW installation files or copy of your existing installed SP:WAW folder.

Works like this:
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/i ... in_ws.html
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/n ... ll_ws.html
You may need to make .ISO file from your Windows media, but there are lot of free programs to make this happen.
And after everything is installed fine, then Vmware runs another copy of windows as window or fullscreen inside your original operating system. SP:WAW can be installed or moved to that Operating System run by vmware. And that can be done example by USB Flash Drive.
My system example: Windows 2000 has wmware installed and another windows 2000 is installed using Vmware. Vmware + Win2000 runs SP:Waw. My 22" Widescreen has resolution 1280x768 and Vmware runs SP:WAW as not scaled 800x600 resolution. Game runs smaller screen than I used to but is lot better than scaled muddy graphics that normally happens with these big widescreen monitors. Runs perfectly without hick ups on my low performance 2 ghz celeron setup.

Warning. Don't start formatting and partitioning your Harddrive if you don't know what you really are doing. [:'(]


Koju, I think that running SPWaW in a virtual machine will work but is a massive overkill!! [X(]

The only advantage of doing this is you can run the program at 1:1 resolution in a window on your desk top but you can achieve pretty much the same effect by just changing your LCD monitor or video card preferences. (See In a window? thread over on the BTR forum. Your desktop is still accessible with the Alt-tab key combination. There are several other threads on this topic so have a look around (best of luck with the forum search engine [8|]).

Edit: To display low-res games to the best effect, I believe you can't go past a large CRT monitor as hinted above. [:D]

1. My lcd or video card didn't have those preferences.
2. Checked that link and your clues: no help. But about this matter I don't need help, just curious I was.
3. In my storage I have 2 CRT's. Maybe I simply trash or hammer those in bites. In my job place I have last two weeks been changing about 40 CRT's to LCD panels. And now I feel that I would put those CRT's in best use: with shotgun.
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