Matrix Games Forums

Source: War in the Pacific: Admiral’s Edition Read me File – 21 January 2012 Version1.01.08r9

To use any of these, Right click to edit the Properties on the “Quick Start” shortcut to the game (located in your Start Menu folder for War in the Pacific: Admiral’s Edition). Do not edit the default desktop link, which points to an “autorun.exe” as that won’t work. You have to use the Quick Start link which points directly to the game executable. You’ll want to add these to the end of the “Target” field to get them to work.

COMMAND LINE SWITCHES
-altFont
Enables alternate in-game font (Lucida Sans Unicode).

-cpu4
(cpu1, cpu2, cpu3, cpu4) Switches set the cpu affinity for multi cpu systems. It will do nothing for single cores and will default to using all cores if a core is designated which is not there (for example using -cpu3 on a dual core system). We’ve found this to be very useful on some multi-core systems, especially Intel processors.

If used alone, the -cpu# switches will keep the game running on the CPU specified all the time. If used with the -SingleCpuStart switch, it will only use that core when starting the game. If used with the -SingleCpuOrders switch, it will stay in single CPU mode for starting and the orders phase, but will run in multicore. If one of the SingleCpu switches is used without a -cpu# switch, it will default to cpu 1 when it is in single core.

-deepColor
Enables 32 bit color, intended for Full Screen mode.

-skipVideo
Skip the intro video when starting the game.

-colorBlind
Support for color blindness.

-w
Windowed mode, so that the window is within desktop.

-wd
Windowed mode, daily autosaves.

-ww
Windowed mode, weekly autosaves.

-f
Full-screen mode.

-fd
Full screen, daily autosaves.

-fw
Full screen, weekly autosaves.

-px#### -py####
To have any effect x must be greater than 1024 and y must be greater than 768. If values less than or equal to px=1024 and py=768 are used the original values of 1024 and 768 will be substituted.

Spanning mode is not supported and user should ensure that both the video adapter and monitor support the px and py values.

We were unable to test on all possible monitor combinations, if you experience issues you should immediately remove the –px –py from your command line switches to revert to standard display behavior.
See above.

-dd_sw
Handles DirectDraw via Software. We’ve found this can make a huge difference on many systems as far as reducing interface lag and making button clicking in-game more responsive. On a few newer systems this can cause some visual glitches and slow combat animations though, so give it a try and remove it if it’s not ideal on your system.

-archive
Put data reports in archive directory.

-multiaudio
Invokes a fix that changes audio timing for multicore machines.

-SingleCpuOrders
Starts the game in single CPU mode and stays in single CPU for the orders phase, switches to multi CPU mode for running the turn, then switches back to single mode for the next orders phase. We’ve found this to be useful on some multi-core systems, especially AMD processors. Use this or –SingleCpuStart, not both.

-SingleCpuStart
Starts the game in single CPU mode. Switches to multi CPU mode if available later. We’ve found this to be useful on some multi-core systems, especially AMD processors.

-archive
Daily autosave.

-r
Show Roads.

-fixedArt
Will not use rotating images.

Good idea!

A couple more that come to mind:

-pxf#### -pyf####
A more 'forceful' implementation of the -px and -py switches. Allows 'non-standard' resolutions. If the -px -py switches aren't working for you, try these.

-noFire
Disables the fires, explosions, etc. in the combat replays. Helps with certain video cards that don't handle these well.


Also, a few brief reminders:

-dd_sw and -deepColor are the ones to try first if you have slow interface issues (often in relatively newer versions of Windows: 7, 8, 10).

-archive is very important if you plan to use any of the optional add-on utilties to WitPAE (Tracker, Combat Reporter, Intel Monkey, etc.).

As 4k+ resolution monitors become more common, there has been at least one report of an upper resolution limit of 3000 x 1500 (unconfirmed so far) where slowness returns above that. It could easily be specific to the 1st report though.

skip this (i was adding -fixedArt but still present)


PS: -pxf and -pyf worked very well for me on my tablet. Now i can play in windowed mode without miss the last line (industries) of the main map and having access at the virtual keyboard when requested!!

-pxf and -pyf have given me a glimmer of hope.

Scrolling lag has been reduced by maybe 25%. It will scroll a little now.

Does anyone know if these commands work with War Plan Orange too?

NO. I tried them along time back with no joy....GP

ORIGINAL: littleike

skip this (i was adding -fixedArt but still present)


PS: -pxf and -pyf worked very well for me on my tablet. Now i can play in windowed mode without miss the last line (industries) of the main map and having access at the virtual keyboard when requested!!

-fixedArt just means the art for units or equipment data does not rotate to give you an all-round view. It does not "fix" anything but the rotation.

ORIGINAL: btd64

NO. I tried them along time back with no joy....GP

That's interesting, aren't the two games essentially using the same engine, you would figure the same commands would work.

ORIGINAL: Acme1970

ORIGINAL: btd64

NO. I tried them along time back with no joy....GP

That's interesting, aren't the two games essentially using the same engine, you would figure the same commands would work.

It isn't that straightforward.

WPO is basically just a database and unit art update on classical WITP. AE is that plus a substantial rewrite of the code. In doing that they also subsequently created the hooks to accommodate the new command line switches.

There is simply no comparison between the amount of new code programming which has gone into AE prior to and subsequent to its release with the code programming effort put into WPO.

Alfred

being a programmer myself i always wondered about the -cpu# switch


The OS decides which CPU to use for what application. Applications normally don't have anything to say about it.

Must be some assembly magic going on

ORIGINAL: ericv

being a programmer myself i always wondered about the -cpu# switch


The OS decides which CPU to use for what application. Applications normally don't have anything to say about it.

Must be some assembly magic going on

I think the way it was explained is that the game engine code pre-dates the advent of multicore processors, so it defaults to CPU 1, which is also used by the O/S. The switches hook into the code in the right place to get the game to use another CPU. It didn't sound like the O/S would do that on its own for this particular old program.

Hello,
I only have slow game problems and yet my new laptop is powerful, I7 / GC950MX / 8GB ram, etc ...
I have W10 version 1709 and I tried all the switches described on the forum ...
-dd_sw and -deepColor have no effect on my configuration.
If someone has an idea ? Thank you.

ORIGINAL: cirrius06

Hello,
I only have slow game problems and yet my new laptop is powerful, I7 / GC950MX / 8GB ram, etc ...
I have W10 version 1709 and I tried all the switches described on the forum ...
-dd_sw and -deepColor have no effect on my configuration.
If someone has an idea ? Thank you.

Are you sure you are using the hyphen and not the minus sign ahead of the switches?
Another common mistake for first timers is that they use the shortcut that is installed by the game on the desktop. This shortcut does not point to the game executable, it points to a Autorun Menu that allows you to choose between game, editor, manual or updates. The switches will not work with this executable.
You need to go to the game directory, find the game executable itself, create a new shortcut to that and drag it to your desktop. Put the switches in there and it should work. Here is my line with the correct path for where the game is installed on my computer:

"C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" -altFont -archive -deepColor -dd_sw -px1920 -py1080 -fixedArt -skipVideo -SingleCpuOrders -cpu2


Please post your complete path line for your startup, including the switches.

Thank you for your reply.
I did exactly as you told me but alas it does not change the speed of the game.
It is especially the scrolling of the map that is impacted.
My PC is new I can not go back to version W10 / 1703 who in my opinion would be the cause of the problem?

Try this line up;
-skipVideo -fd -pxf1920 -pyf1080 -altFont -cpu2 -deepColor

I run windows 10 and only have a 3 second slowdown with combat and animations during the night phase. It is something you can live with. Give it a try. You may have to change the rez setting to suit your computer....GP

ORIGINAL: cirrius06

Thank you for your reply.
I did exactly as you told me but alas it does not change the speed of the game.
It is especially the scrolling of the map that is impacted.
My PC is new I can not go back to version W10 / 1703 who in my opinion would be the cause of the problem?

Copy and post your Command Line Switch here.

Indeed there is a "small" improvement in the scrolling of the map.
Your formula seems to be the most successful among the dozen others tried ...
It will never be worth with Windows 7 but I will have to content myself!
Thank you very much for your help "btd64". [:)]

ORIGINAL: cirrius06

Indeed there is a "small" improvement in the scrolling of the map.
Your formula seems to be the most successful among the dozen others tried ...
It will never be worth with Windows 7 but I will have to content myself!
Thank you very much for your help "btd64". [:)]

Your welcome[;)] Now add the -dd_sw switch to the end and see if that helps with the scrolling. don't remove any of the other switches when doing so....GP

De MakeeLearn,

Copy and post your Command Line Switch here.

"C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition\War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition -skipVideo -fd -pxf1920 -pyf1080 -altFont -cpu2 -deepColor.exe"

The magic formula !?

.exe shouldn't be on the end like that. I will post the whole thing in a few minutes. I'm running a turn....GP