Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Wirraway_Ace

I have found that the intellectual quality of a computer game seems inversely related to the quality of the graphics. I have begun to theorize that the amount of time available to deliver a game to market that will make a profit is fixed, the developers simply choose where to spend it.

Indeed, then there are developers that attempt to do everything and fail miserably (ie Pacific Storm).

Battle Stations Pacific...

From what the team has described, the problem with the resolution is that the basic game software doesn't support a "windowed" view.  By that I mean, the screen you see is not an independent border with "window" in it to view an independent map, such as something like GoogleEarth.  Therefore, supporting different resolutions would require designing a new graphical interface for each and every resolution supported, including moving all the "hotspots" for the buttons because I don't think those are standard Windows popups, i.e. separate entities.  Considering all the possibilities, it seems highly unlikely that anyone is going to take the time to redo all the interfaces and popups for each and every resolution in common usage.  It really would require a complete engine redo, e.g. something like a WitP2, that would support some sort of dynamic interface.

Correct. We almost certainly (99,9999999999999%) won't do this in a patch.

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Battle Stations Pacific...

War Plan Pazifik was a bad joke as well.

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Correct. We almost certainly (99,9999999999999%) won't do this in a patch.

Good...at least there is still a chance [:D]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Correct. We almost certainly (99,9999999999999%) won't do this in a patch.

But imagine how nice it would look on a 32" LCD in 2560x1600 resolution ....

ORIGINAL: Lützow


But imagine how nice it would look on a 32" LCD in 2560x1600 resolution ....

Well, why self-limit. I suspect there are a number of old-school forum members who have a "wargaming room" with one or more large tables. The room of the future should have a 50" (eventually 100") wall mounted screen or screens to display the virtual battlefield. Picture the entire PTO in true color on your wall with you sitting behind the "command desk" planning your attacks...

Although I don't really care what happens to the graphics for the forseeable future. I travel too much. 90% of my gaming is on my 15" laptop screen. The current graphics resolution will work just fine for me.

I'm by no means a console kiddie looking for eye candy. I've been gaming on PC since 1985. Trust me, I've seen poor graphics. Witp looks fine graphics wise. I'd just like to fill the monitor with the game (AE) without it being distorted. I guess that's too much to ask in 2009... [8|]

ORIGINAL: TalonCG2

I'm by no means a console kiddie looking for eye candy. I've been gaming on PC since 1985. Trust me, I've seen poor graphics. Witp looks fine graphics wise. I'd just like to fill the monitor with the game (AE) without it being distorted. I guess that's too much to ask in 2009... [8|]

Give me $100,000 and I'll see to it to have the graphics adjusted....on the other hand since none of us are/were getting paid I guess we decided there were other more important things to change.

ORIGINAL: TalonCG2

I'm by no means a console kiddie looking for eye candy. I've been gaming on PC since 1985. Trust me, I've seen poor graphics. Witp looks fine graphics wise. I'd just like to fill the monitor with the game (AE) without it being distorted. I guess that's too much to ask in 2009... [8|]

Hum, must be some differences between your machines and mine. I have been running WITP and AE on 1920x1200 laptops for years - full screen - with no distortion. I know others complain of distortion too - but not having seen any myself not sure what to suggest.

ORIGINAL: treespider
Give me $100,000 and I'll see to it to have the graphics adjusted....

[sarcasm]
Give me the source code for AE and I'll see about getting it done myself. We'll see which one actually happens [:D] [:'(]
[/sarcasm]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson
Hum, must be some differences between your machines and mine. I have been running WITP and AE on 1920x1200 laptops for years - full screen - with no distortion. I know others complain of distortion too - but not having seen any myself not sure what to suggest.

This is the most potentially helpful post yet. At least in spirit and attitude. Thank you!

I'll take a couple screen shots and post them later when I get home from work. One wide screen with Witp in full screen mode with the distortion, and one windowed with it normal the way it is supposed to look. At least them you'll know what I'm referring to.

ORIGINAL: TalonCG2
Witp looks fine graphics wise.

As far as classic, turn-based wargaming goes they look BETTER than fine.

I have no qualms about running windowed on my 5040x1050 desktop. Plenty of room for other programs side by side which I would do anyway even if WITP was capable of higher resolutions.

The only games I even care about high resolutions are games in a 3D world / 3D graphics.

ORIGINAL: FAsea

ORIGINAL: TalonCG2
Witp looks fine graphics wise.

As far as classic, turn-based wargaming goes they look BETTER than fine.

I have no qualms about running windowed on my 5040x1050 desktop. Plenty of room for other programs side by side which I would do anyway even if WITP was capable of higher resolutions.

The only games I even care about high resolutions are games in a 3D world / 3D graphics.

This isn't about graphics quality. The graphics are what they are.

It's about utilizing the native resolution of modern LCD monitors. Which would be easier on the eyes (with the proper sized font) and would also potentially allow players to see more of the map at once.

I realize it's not going to happen but if it had been addressed it would have been a good thing. It would have also helped in selling the claim that AE is something more than an expansion of WitP.

ORIGINAL: mjk428

I realize it's not going to happen but if it had been addressed it would have been a good thing. It would have also helped in selling the claim that AE is something more than an expansion of WitP.

We can come up with countless good things but in real life priorities are necessary and dependent on the type of game. I rate the priority for higher resolutions low comparative to everything else that has been improved in AE and according to the type of game it is. (compared to historical accuracy, play balance, and AI for instance)

It's funny (from a conventional sales perspective) that AE is neither an expansion nor a sequel.

One of the definitions of Edition: One that closely resembles an original; a version: The boy was a smaller edition of his father. (although AE is the daddy in this case)

So it's a different version of the original. A different take on the same core product.

On my wide screen laptop, the hexes are stretched east-west just a bit, but it doesn't affect my ability to read the information on the screen. I wish that I could say the same for my aging eyes... [8|]

OK, I know I said I was going to post a couple screenshots but....
I must be doing something wrong with ms paint. I paste the screen shot in and regardless of the game settings the screenshot looks the same. The skewed stretched out look isn't translating into the screenshots.   If I figure it out, I'll post an example.

In the meantime I understand that higher resolution options aren't going to happen in AE. Disappointing, but I understand. It would be nice if it could somehow display properly in wide screen though. Please at least spend a small amount of time post release doing a little research and seeing if it's a viable option for a patch. That's all I ask. If it can't be done, then it can't be done.

What mjk428 said above sums up how I feel nicely.
"This isn't about graphics quality. The graphics are what they are.
It's about utilizing the native resolution of modern LCD monitors. Which would be easier on the eyes (with the proper sized font) and would also potentially allow players to see more of the map at once."

To the blokes that keep telling me how great it is to have room on your screen to multi task... Congratulations. I'm glad you guys like to do that sort of thing. I do not. When I play a game, I play that game. I don't have multiple other programs running in the background. I focus solely on the game I'm playing. I want my screen filled with what I'm concentrating on. Not all sorts of other distractions. Thanks, but no thanks.

Update for those having the stretching issue. I figured out a partial solution.

I found an option in my monitor on screen display settings that allows me to force aspect ratios. In my case the two options are 'full' and 'fit'.

Full is obvious enough. It stretches the image to fill the entire screen.
Fit on the other hand only stretches the game image within 4:3 aspect ratio limits. I get a square image with a area of black on either side. It's not perfect, but its a fair sight better than stretching the image out all over the place to fit the whole screen.

ORIGINAL: TalonCG2

Update for those having the stretching issue. I figured out a partial solution.

I found an option in my monitor on screen display settings that allows me to force aspect ratios. In my case the two options are 'full' and 'fit'.

Full is obvious enough. It stretches the image to fill the entire screen.
Fit on the other hand only stretches the game image within 4:3 aspect ratio limits. I get a square image with a area of black on either side. It's not perfect, but its a fair sight better than stretching the image out all over the place to fit the whole screen.

If you want fullscreen for WitP on a widescreen monitor, this is exactly what you need to do. It is what I do on my PC as well.

Andrew