Tip to Play SC 3 WIE with more zoom-in levels

[welk]

Do you know ? It's possible to play SC3 WIE (and all other SC titles) with supplementay "zoom-in" levels without any problem;
Using additionnal zoom-in levels, you will have just to use the black mini jump map to scrool or directionnel keys of keyboard.

Vanilla zoom-in level

NORMAL ZOOM IN.png (1.94 MiB) Viewed 3096 times

Additionnal zom-in levels

ULTRA ZOOM IN.png (3 MiB) Viewed 3096 times

ULTRA ZOOM IN 2.png (3.21 MiB) Viewed 3096 times

[welk]

Supplementary zoom may be set from 5 to 5 increments
You may zoom in and zoom out very easely with - and + key, or with Ctrle+Alt and mouse central roll

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zoomq2.jpg (1.13 MiB) Viewed 3036 times

[welk]

My "Ancient Battles mod" in suplementary zoom level (using the "windows magnifier" combinated with SC3)

Graphs of the old "Age of Empire" are beautifull (I think this supplementary zoom levelit should be awailable in vanilla game)

SUPPLEMENTARY ZOOM.jpg (771.09 KiB) Viewed 1908 times

[welk]

The zoom sysem does also allow to play without interface
Here : a Napoleonic battle in full screen, with a 125% level zoom

ZOOM_125%-No-interface.jpg (1.03 MiB) Viewed 1865 times

And the US Civil war mod battles in low level zoom

US Civil war low zoom.jpg (826.22 KiB) Viewed 1864 times

[welk]

Do you know ? This little test I did from August 2026 to November 2026 (3 months) is the proof that SC users have a great lack of curiosity or they have excellent eyes


More than 2500 did read this thread, and no any one did ask : How work these secret supplementary zoom levels in SC3 War in Europe ?

In addition, I discovered recently that it was possible to scroll more easely on map than I though, only with mouse cursor, keeping in view the total interface. The secret levels allows to use 100% to 200% and allows also to keep at the same time the outzoom levels of the game
Example : if you set your secret zoom to 125%, you may use this 125% zoom as ordinary view, but at the same time, using with mouse roll the 2 vanilla outzoom views

And you may return in ordinary 100% view in one secunds, as you want : very usefull.

Vanilla game using the secret supplementary zoom levels

MORE ZOOM.jpg (873.5 KiB) Viewed 104 times

My US CIVIL WAR (in work to be graphically improved) using same secret process

MORE ZOOM2.jpg (1.06 MiB) Viewed 104 times

[CaesarAug]

Are you saying the Ctrl + Alt plus centre mouse wheel gives you multiple zoom levels? I presume applicable across the entire SC game series?

[welk]

Damned : I did not know that.

I am catched, I did search a complicate way to have more zoom, in place to try this more simple way

My little secret tip was more complicated to be set, yours is more better and simple, Ctrle +Alt works perfect in all SC opus

[welk]

Re-damned !

I was using my tip when I tried with yours, and it's the reason for what it did work immediatly. But when i did quit my own tip, Ctrle+Alt did no more work

The complete tip is that : before to use Ctle + Alt in SC to have more zoom levels (infinite), you have to do the top-secret manipulation : if you do not, Ctle+Alt alone does not work in SC games

I think I did see Hubert in Ottawa...

MORE ZOOM4.jpg (425.28 KiB) Viewed 80 times

[CaesarAug]

Ok, I’m not sure how your method works for SC games. So beyond the default game settings, what exactly are the keyboard combinations for multiple zoom levels?

[welk]

With Windows 10 : (it probably works also under W 11) : When you are in SC (or in windows), press the windows key and the "+" key of numeric pave

It will open the windows glass (loupe) .
Then, press Ctrle + Alt and roll/unroll the mouse wheel to zoom/outzoom

After the combination of windows key and "+" numeric pave, a little blank windows will appear with "-" and "+" (you can move this windows where you wang and also to mask a little bit it under the hedge of screen

You may use these - and + in place of Ctrle +alt+Mouse wheel if you prefer


To configurate the degree of zoom (5% to 5%, 10% to 10%, etc) : Just at right of little blanck windows, you will see a dark wheel : left click on, and it will open another little windows, and a blue link : access to parameters.
Left click on and this will open the loupe parameters windows, where you cas calibrate the loupe like you want

To scroll in game : you may use the vanilla process (edge of screen), but it will mask the interface panel where units and terrains are displayed
If you want to keep this panel, scrool with mouse : you left click with mouse cursor on the map (in empty hex) and you drag-on the map with the mouse cursor. If you have correctly placed your map, you will be able to scroll without to mask the panel
You may also scroll using the panel map (minimap)

A good setting for the loupe is to set 5% to 5% and to play with a 125% zoom
With this setting, your normal view will be 125% and your out zoom view will be aprox 100% (in addition, you keep the extra zoom view)

To change from normal 125% to outzoom (or to extra zoom), just use the mouse wheel
To have more intermediate zoom, use Ctrle+Alt+Mouse wheel
To return to 100 vanilla view, use same keys + mouse wheel

The more you set the loupe zoom high for your normal view, the more your outzoom view will be zoomed : interessant thing when graphs icons are small in a mod (like mine)

If you have lost the panel, just scroll to the bottom of screen with vanilla process to get it again (edge scroll) and scroll only with mouse or minimap to not lose it again

[CaesarAug]

Oh I see. It’s by using Microsoft Magnifier, and adjusting the degrees of zoom. Of course! Will try this out as soon as I can. I had play-tested with the Magnifier but didn’t think of adjusting the zoom parameters. Thank you for the tip!