WINDOWS 8.1 NIGHTMARES!!

[sandlance]

Ok on a hunch I changed the switch from -deepColor to -deepcolor, there was no change.


S.Nelson

[sandlance]

I've changed it back.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

Actually Windows 8 (or 8.1) is not as bad. There are some advantages, namely, it seems to be quicker.
The most annoying thing is the metro interface. But if you install (it costs $5) Start8, most of the issues just disappear.
Windows boots always to desktop, and basically it's just like using an updated Windows 7.

Despite everyone else's problems and my own trepidations I have found the transition to Win8.1 from XP relatively painless with few residual problems on a HP laptop 7 years old. The 32bit version runs very happily and smoothly on my old hardware (which can't take advantage of the larger 64bit memory limits). The biggest issue I found was the amount of internet downloads/updates required (in excess of 1GB) and getting drivers for hardware that pre-dates Vista (XP drivers don't work). The breakthrough for me was upgrading the hard drive from (a very full) 60GB to a 500GB drive (for under $50) with plenty of room and a clean install.

I downloaded a free program called Classic Shell (www.classicshell.net) which reinstates a Windows 7 type menu system (configurable to whatever you like). After installing a few proper programs like Foxit PDF Reader, I have not seen that ridiculous metro screen or run one of those half functional cut down apps for a very long time. The only time I see anything metro now is when I have to deal with system functions. However, all the familiar full function old Windows 7 control panel screens are still there, you just have to go digging until you find them which is often easier said than done. (Edit: Classic Shell points you straight to them... [:)])

I don't think that you should be too quick to write 8.1 off as it has a lot more builtin error recovery capability under the hood than earlier versions and has gotten me out of trouble a few times (mainly due to flakey drivers) and you can get your menu bar functionality back by the use of 3rd party software. There are even advantages such as being able to make an external monitor the primary display so I can now play WITP on my 24" screen instead of the laptop display. [:)]

I think they made a big mistake going metro and forcing it on everyone.....

Once you have the command line switches set up, I believe WITP-AE runs just as well on this OS platform as any other. Keep persevering.....



[size=-1] Classic Shell Menu (Win7 style)[/size]

[witpqs]

I agree, and I've been wondering why he is seeing what he is seeing. Maybe in addition to using the switch settings described, try also explicitly setting the resolution?

Just for completeness, this the is full complement of switch settings that I use on a Windows 8.1 laptop (worked on Windows 8 also):

-altFont -archive -wd -deepColor -px1366 -py768 -fixedArt -noFire -SingleCpuOrders -cpu3

[Reg]

These are my Full Screen and Windowed switch settings (both work). I have other shortcuts set to different resolutions in my menu bar as well.

Code: Select all

"C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" -f -px1280 -py800 -cpu2 -skipVideo -deepColor -altFont -dd_def
 
 "C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" -w -px1280 -py800 -cpu2 -skipVideo -deepColor -altFont -dd_def
 

Compatibility mode is not needed.

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: EHansen

And the irony is the first computer I ended up with Windows 7 was immediately downgraded to XP. [:)]

On a strict satisfaction basis I still miss my XP/Office 2007 machine at work. [:(]

Win7/Office 2010 might be more powerful under the hood but it hasn't got any extra functionality (that I use) and everything is now moved around or hidden so it takes me twice as long to do things than it used to..... (I know it does this but where is that @$%%!# button now!!!)

[;)]

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Reg

ORIGINAL: VPaulus

Actually Windows 8 (or 8.1) is not as bad. There are some advantages, namely, it seems to be quicker.
The most annoying thing is the metro interface. But if you install (it costs $5) Start8, most of the issues just disappear.
Windows boots always to desktop, and basically it's just like using an updated Windows 7.

Despite everyone else's problems and my own trepidations I have found the transition to Win8.1 from XP relatively painless with few residual problems on a HP laptop 7 years old. The 32bit version runs very happily and smoothly on my old hardware (which can't take advantage of the larger 64bit memory limits). The biggest issue I found was the amount of internet downloads/updates required (in excess of 1GB) and getting drivers for hardware that pre-dates Vista (XP drivers don't work). The breakthrough for me was upgrading the hard drive from (a very full) 60GB to a 500GB drive (for under $50) with plenty of room and a clean install.

I downloaded a free program called Classic Shell (www.classicshell.net) which reinstates a Windows 7 type menu system (configurable to whatever you like). After installing a few proper programs like Foxit PDF Reader, I have not seen that ridiculous metro screen or run one of those half functional cut down apps for a very long time. The only time I see anything metro now is when I have to deal with system functions. However, all the familiar full function old Windows 7 control panel screens are still there, you just have to go digging until you find them which is often easier said than done. (Edit: Classic Shell points you straight to them... [:)])

I don't think that you should be too quick to write 8.1 off as it has a lot more builtin error recovery capability under the hood than earlier versions and has gotten me out of trouble a few times (mainly due to flakey drivers) and you can get your menu bar functionality back by the use of 3rd party software. There are even advantages such as being able to make an external monitor the primary display so I can now play WITP on my 24" screen instead of the laptop display. [:)]

I think they made a big mistake going metro and forcing it on everyone.....

Once you have the command line switches set up, I believe WITP-AE runs just as well on this OS platform as any other. Keep persevering.....



[size=-1] Classic Shell Menu (Win7 style)[/size]

Reg, I just wanted to post and tell you that you may have saved my marriage!!! [:D]

The problem is that I bought my wife a new laptop with that "%$#&^$#$#!! Windows 8 on it!" My wife has been ready to shove the laptop.... well, let's just say it would be most uncomfortable for me. [;)] She is not a big technology fan and HATES having to learn new technology when she has finally figured out how to do something. Your post about Classic Shell let me to install it on her laptop and it is genius! I think our marriage may make it until our 10th anniversary in May now. [8D]

Thanks, buddy, and if you ever make it to this part of the world, you are not allowed to buy any beer!

[Jimapp]

I cannot help but chuckle at this thread about 8.1 and decided I probably should share this little known feature I am surprised so many did not already know - right click your task bar and select properties and choose the navigation tab.
The real meat, however, is in the “Start screen” options. “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start” is the option we’ve all been clamoring for: the ability to boot straight to the desktop. Check it now!

Im a noob with witpAE so trust me I will be here looking for answers soon enough.

[Chris21wen]

I've no idea if this is true but it fits Microsoft.
 

'We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising, and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion or progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation.


Caius Petronius AD65'

[wdolson]

For many years Microsoft had green programmers writing most of the complex code. Some of these guys were brilliant, but young, brilliant programmers tend to be very poor at documenting their work. When it came time to update that code, it turned out to be impossible because the next generation of programmers couldn't figure out what the last guy did.

There were rumors in the 1990s that MS had set out to rewrite Word from the ground up, but they got in there and found big sections of code that were so complex nobody could figure out how they worked, so they just left them alone.

There were similar stories about Windows. The made an attempt to rewrite Windows in C++, but there were sections of it nobody could figure out.

The 20 something programmers could live at work and few had relationships. Older programmers who know what to do not to get burned down the line usually have lives and families. For a long time MS resisted hiring those guys and there were some lawsuits about it. They finally gave in and hired older people which has stabilized their products somewhat, but the old junk is still in there.

Many of their recent problems have been from bad marketing rather than bad code. Both Apple and MS have tried to steer their desktop OS's towards the same interface with their mobile OS's. The problem is that a touchscreen is a different interface with different issues from a mouse. A large number of Mac users don't like Yoseite, which is Apple's first attempt to merge MacOS and iOS. My SO is a die hard Apple fan and even she hates Yosemite.

MS is in more dire straights than Apple and is pushing the merge even harder. The market share for desktop/laptop OSs is shrinking, though it will remain for the business world. Consumers are going towards portable devices more and more. Apple is the biggest single player in the portable market and Microsoft's share is tiny. They still dominate the desktop/laptop OS market.

Microsoft will probably see their share of the overall computing market shrink, but they will probably continue to dominate the desktop/laptop market. I think their play should be superior interoperability between Windows on desktop/laptop machines and portable devices. It's one area where Apple is just plain horrible and show few signs of changing.

Bill

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Jimapp

I cannot help but chuckle at this thread about 8.1 and decided I probably should share this little known feature I am surprised so many did not already know - right click your task bar and select properties and choose the navigation tab.
The real meat, however, is in the “Start screen” options. “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start” is the option we’ve all been clamoring for: the ability to boot straight to the desktop. Check it now!

Im a noob with witpAE so trust me I will be here looking for answers soon enough.

We were aware of that but this option doesn't give you a functional Windows 7 type start button like the 3rd party utilities do..... [:-]

[Jimapp]

ORIGINAL: Reg

ORIGINAL: Jimapp

I cannot help but chuckle at this thread about 8.1 and decided I probably should share this little known feature I am surprised so many did not already know - right click your task bar and select properties and choose the navigation tab.
The real meat, however, is in the “Start screen” options. “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start” is the option we’ve all been clamoring for: the ability to boot straight to the desktop. Check it now!

Im a noob with witpAE so trust me I will be here looking for answers soon enough.

We were aware of that but this option doesn't give you a functional Windows 7 type start button like the 3rd party utilities do..... [:-]

oops..me bad!

[wdolson]

IMO Classic Shell is a must have utility for any Windows past XP. It's one of the first things I install with a new OS.

Bill

[Treetop64]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

Just FYI, the game engine dates back to Uncommon Valor which came out in 2002.

There are some features that would be nice, but there wasn't time to include them.

Bill

Ironies abound: No time to implement features in a game that's been incrementally developed over thirteen years, lol.

Don't ache, I know what you mean, but it was amusing.

[offenseman]

Here is my switch thread.

"C:\YOUR FOLDER\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" -archive -fd -deepColor -px1366 -py768 -fixedArt -SingleCpuOrders -cpu5

[ADMR Rampage]

I managed to get the lag time down to about 3 seconds, but that is it. To get it down to that I used all of the listed switches in the troubleshooting section of the readme file. For screen scrolling it is still to slow to suit me, but it is better than the 7 or 8 second delay without inputting any switches into the target.

[Budge4]

Win 8.1 running fine here, using 4790k quad core, Titan X and Asus swift g-sync,2560x1440 res monitor, but everything is a bit small for my old eyes at that res, so using -f -px1920 -py1080 -deepColor

Got the res sorted easily enough but was having the bad lag when trying to scroll map, click on buttons etc. The -deepColor switch fixed that. Compatibility settings are not changed from default.

This is with a created desktop shortcut from "War in the Pacific Admirals Edition.exe" in the game folder, not the default Desktop icon that uses autorun.exe