Custom Resolutions - Widescreen?

[HTWingNut]

Hi! I'm new to these forums, but have been a die hard combat flight sim enthusiast, dabbling with great other military sims like Silent Hunter and way back in the day 688(i).

I have an Eee PC which is a subcompact laptop with modest hardware specs:

7" LCD
800x480 resolution (emulation for 800x600 and 1024x768)
Intel Celeron M 900MHz (Dotham core)
Intel GMA 900 (128MB)

This thing has been amazing actually playing older and lower spec games. The only problem is that the native resolution is 800x480 widescreen. I'd like to be able to run the game at that resolution if at all possible. Or even 640x480 - is that possible? Widescreen would be preferable but 640x480 would work fine too.

Thanks.

[Bubblehead Nuke]

I do not think there is a way to display in a other than preset display resolution.

I wish there was a way to get it to go to 1680x1050, or heck.. let me get it to go to a WINDOW so I could play it in without the visual distortion. I have not been successful in either endeavor.

[HTWingNut]

Hmmm, I noticed the "windowed" option next to the resolution is grayed out. I went into the "DangerousWaters.ini" file and changed the value for "RunInWindow" to "Yes" from "No" and it worked in a window! But it is still limited to 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024.

[OneShot]

To have it run in a window you need to set your Desktop Color to 16Bit Colordepth, then the window button wont be greyed out anymore. If you change your colordepth back you will get an error message when starting Dw in windowed mode.

[goldorak]

DW does not support widescreen resolution.
If you want to play on a widescreen display without the visual distortion then you have to use your video card driver ability to scale the game to a 4:3 resolution (800x600, 1024x768, 1600x1200) putting black bars on the left and right side of the screen.

[Bubblehead Nuke]

DW does not support widescreen resolution.
If you want to play on a widescreen display without the visual distortion then you have to use your video card driver ability to scale the game to a 4:3 resolution (800x600, 1024x768, 1600x1200) putting black bars on the left and right side of the screen.

Ok, time to learn something new.

I have an Nvidia 7600GS. How do I accomplish this?

[goldorak]

Ok, time to learn something new.

I have an Nvidia 7600GS. How do I accomplish this?

You have to go into the nvidia forceware control panel, and find an option called scaling. You can choose different kinds of scaling, what you are after is the 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio scaling.
By setting this the game is automatically scaled in fullscreen keeping the 4:3 aspect ratio correct (this means that in dw options panel you have to choose a 4:3 resolution, so 800x600, 1024x768 or 1600x1200 bit not 1280x1024).

[Dr.Sid]

But otherwise .. does it run on EEE with no problems ?

[Bubblehead Nuke]

You have to go into the nvidia forceware control panel, and find an option called scaling. You can choose different kinds of scaling, what you are after is the 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio scaling.
By setting this the game is automatically scaled in fullscreen keeping the 4:3 aspect ratio correct (this means that in dw options panel you have to choose a 4:3 resolution, so 800x600, 1024x768 or 1600x1200 bit not 1280x1024).

Thank you. I take it you are talking the scaling command in the custom resolutions tab? advanced settings on the very bottom?

I could not make it work. I will play with it and see what I can figure out.

Here is an in INTERESTING note. This option exists in Window XP but NOT in the Vista drivers. I have two machines at my desk with a KVM to share the monitors and such.

Main machine is running Vista 32 bit SP1 with a Nvidia 7600gs 512 meg ram card in it.

Backup is a Dell 4550 running XP Pro SP3 with a Nvidia 6200 128 Meg card in it.

Both have latest Nvdia WHQL drivers installed on them.

Very interesting...... but then again, that is why I have two seperate machines in the first place.

I just fired an e-mail off to Nvidia asking why this option is not included in the Vista drivers. Lets see if they ever answer me

[goldorak]

Bubblehead Nuke,

Unfortunately Nvidia is screwing around with the options since several months. They take out options without reason from the Vista version, and then put them back in some time later. The point being is that the two versions (xp and vista) are not feature equivalent. :nope:

Edit : here is thread that discusses the problem : http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33920187
you can also visiti : http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?act=idx

[BakaNi]

Here is an in INTERESTING note. This option exists in Window XP but NOT in the Vista drivers. I have two machines at my desk with a KVM to share the monitors and such.

I've had the nvidia scaling option for over a year now, what version of drivers are you using?

[Steel_Tomb]

I'm quite likely buying a new widescreen monitor soon, I'm guessing there are no cfg files hidden away that allows you to muck around with the aspect ratio?

[goldorak]

I'm quite likely buying a new widescreen monitor soon, I'm guessing there are no cfg files hidden away that allows you to muck around with the aspect ratio?

None whatsoever.
Every other resolution that is not 4:3 just distorts the images more or less.
The only viable solution is for the graphics card or the monitor to enforce 4:3 even though that means that a part of your screen will display only black bars.

[Bubblehead Nuke]

I've had the nvidia scaling option for over a year now, what version of drivers are you using?

I just updated to the beta version of the Nvidia drivers for 32bit Vista. Version 7.15.11.7512. Scaling is not in this one either.

Am I looking at the right place in the Nvidia Control Panel?

[Steel_Tomb]

Its strange for a simulation to have such limited resolutions. DW is only a few years old, and widescreen monitors were very much on the increase. Seems a shame to leave something so simple, yet so important out.

[goldorak]

Its strange for a simulation to have such limited resolutions. DW is only a few years old, and widescreen monitors were very much on the increase. Seems a shame to leave something so simple, yet so important out.

DW is a pretty new game but build on old tech.
Thats why many obvious settings are missing from an otherwise excellent simulation. :nope:

[BakaNi]

I've had the nvidia scaling option for over a year now, what version of drivers are you using?
I just updated to the beta version of the Nvidia drivers for 32bit Vista. Version 7.15.11.7512. Scaling is not in this one either.

Am I looking at the right place in the Nvidia Control Panel?
Should be in 'Change flat planel scaling', which is under the 'Display' tree on the left side of the nvidia control panel.

You're not, for some reason, still using the old nvidia control panel, are you?

Pic below for a screenshot of the control panel.

http://img32.picoodle.com/img/img32/5/11/8/f_Scalingm_853c148.jpg

[Bubblehead Nuke]

Ok, my control panel looks like that. I am lacking the 'Change Flat Screen Resolutions', but I have a 'Move CRT position' & 'Manage Custom Resoutons'

I have a question, actually, TWO questions.

1) Are you connected to your monitor via DVI (digital) or VGA (analog) connector? Might this be the source of the discrepancy we are seeing?

2) What version are you using? I will download it and try it.

[BakaNi]

Ok, my control panel looks like that. I am lacking the 'Change Flat Screen Resolutions', but I have a 'Move CRT position' & 'Manage Custom Resoutons'

Per chance, are you using a crt monitor? Do you have drivers installed for it?
Additionally, I vaguely recall that it might be possible to set your screen to 4:3 using the custom resolution mode, but I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to do that, without googling and testing.

1) Are you connected to your monitor via DVI (digital) or VGA (analog) connector? Might this be the source of the discrepancy we are seeing?
Using dual-link DVI to my LCD screen.

2) What version are you using? I will download it and try it.
I'm using the beta 175.51s, but nVidia have just released a new official set of drivers, the 175.16s, they're the best bet. (You might have to find a modified set, to install them on a 7xxx series card)

It appears that there might be a bug/feature missing with nvidia scaling and analog screens.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=44831

If you don't have a dvi input then I suggest trying powerstrip to set a resolution manually, this link provides a tutorial.
http://mentoliptus.blogspot.com/2007/08/analog-fixed-aspect-ratio-howto.html

Good luck, keep us updated with how it goes.

[Bubblehead Nuke]

Per chance, are you using a crt monitor? Do you have drivers installed for it?
Additionally, I vaguely recall that it might be possible to set your screen to 4:3 using the custom resolution mode, but I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to do that, without googling and testing.
I am using a 22" Soyo widescreen LCD monitor with a 1680x1050 native resolution. It has dual inputs, one DVI and one VGA. It is recognized by the system as UPnP monitor. There are no drivers that I am aware of or could find.


I'm using the beta 175.51s, but nVidia have just released a new official set of drivers, the 175.16s, they're the best bet. (You might have to find a modified set, to install them on a 7xxx series card)

It appears that there might be a bug/feature missing with nvidia scaling and analog screens.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=44831

If you don't have a dvi input then I suggest trying powerstrip to set a resolution manually, this link provides a tutorial.
http://mentoliptus.blogspot.com/2007/08/analog-fixed-aspect-ratio-howto.html

Good luck, keep us updated with how it goes.

That Nvidia thread told the tale. You have to be using a DVI connector to get Flatpanel scaling to appear in the control panel. Some people went from VGA to DVI and PRESTO.. there is was.

Soo.. I am buggered then. My current KVM switch is VGA only and my second machine lacks a DVI port. Nobody makes a hybrid (errr.. AFFORDABLE hybrid) that I can find.

Mmm.. I wonder is I can hook one machine up to the analog and one machine up to the DVI and swap inputs while using the KVM for the mouse and keyboard???? Nah, I better not try as this monitor has gone WAY up in price.

I can always use this as an excuse to get a NEW VGA card for the secondary machine, but I hate to spend any more money on a old tech AGP card in a machine that is a backup/test machine.

[BakaNi]

[quote=BakaNi]
Soo.. I am buggered then. My current KVM switch is VGA only and my second machine lacks a DVI port. Nobody makes a hybrid (errr.. AFFORDABLE hybrid) that I can find.
Did you read the second link I posted? It details how to achieve analog scaling under vista with a screen at the same resolution as yours. Chances are it'll only be 1-2-1 pixel mapping, so you'll end up with a 1280x1024 image in the middle of your screen, however it's better than paying for a solution.

[Bubblehead Nuke]

Yep, I read it. I am still working on making it work correctly. Seems my machine is being cranky. I am gonna try it on the XP machine and see if I have better success.

[Bacon]

Hi! I'm new to these forums, but have been a die hard combat flight sim enthusiast, dabbling with great other military sims like Silent Hunter and way back in the day 688(i).

I have an Eee PC which is a subcompact laptop with modest hardware specs:

7" LCD
800x480 resolution (emulation for 800x600 and 1024x768)
Intel Celeron M 900MHz (Dotham core)
Intel GMA 900 (128MB)

This thing has been amazing actually playing older and lower spec games. The only problem is that the native resolution is 800x480 widescreen. I'd like to be able to run the game at that resolution if at all possible. Or even 640x480 - is that possible? Widescreen would be preferable but 640x480 would work fine too.

Thanks.

Did you ever get this running on your Eee PC. I have one as well and it keeps giving me 'failure to initialise graphics display' errors and won't run. Just wondering if I need to persevere with this or is it a problem with the Eee PC

Harpoon classic and Harpoon 3 run OK on it BTW. I will try Fleet Command soon and see if that will work.

[Bubblehead Nuke]

Yeah, its an old thread, but I have an update.

I tried all the other methods to get the scaling correct and none of them worked.

I went and purchased a DVI capable KVM switch. It is a IOGEAR GCS92 (on sale for $49 on Newegg). The magical scaling options appear and all is well with the world. I am back to playing DW again.

My I have missed it.

Torpedo's in the water!