screen size

LaRusso · October 12, 2001, 03:20

did anyone notice that 1024x768 is unplayable on 15' screens? i just realized that it will pretty much look like sudden strike (where i did not have to meddle with lots of written data). i thought solver was just whining until i realised that even my nice 3M 15' monitor'll make my eyes hurt

yin26 · October 12, 2001, 03:34

Feel free to come over and use my 21' monitor. The price of admission is 6 dark beers (preferably some of the local Stout...yes, the local stuff so it'll be cheap). The plane tickets might set you back, though.

LaRusso · October 12, 2001, 04:19

bastard

can i take solver with me too?
btw the laptop playing will be even worse. still better than reading law journals in the train

Bkeela · October 12, 2001, 07:16

Now that we are getting closer to release, I have also been thinking about the size of the screen. I would have thought that a majority of people have a 15" monitor, so why has Firaxis insisted on making the resolution 1024x768?

I wouldn't go so far as saying that 1024x768 is unplayable, but it certainly is not optimal.

Will it all work out so that it does fit a 15" monitor nicely, or will such people be doomed to a permanent squint when playing?

I changed the resolution of my monitor to 1024x768, and then checked out one of the supposedly real size screen shots: is this what the game will be like on a 15" monitor?

I'm afraid that I will have to sample the game first before I buy an uncomfortable configuration [no, not pirate, I will demand a demo in the store], for damned if I am going to buy a new monitor to play this game.

Bkeela.

Grim Legacy · October 12, 2001, 07:21

Oh no not this monitor whining again...

Sorry people, but the game requirements are extremely low-end. Now quit crying about them.

Bkeela · October 12, 2001, 07:26

If you are referring to me, I am certainly not whining - merely trying to understand the necessity of this set resolution, and what impact it will have for me with a 15" monitor.

Thanks.

Bkeela.

Grim Legacy · October 12, 2001, 07:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Bkeela
If you are referring to me, I am certainly not whining - merely trying to understand the necessity of this set resolution, and what impact it will have for me with a 15" monitor.

Thanks.

Bkeela.

The resolution is chosen so as to accomodate the game best. As you will realize, a game of this type is best served with some screen real-estate to provide a good overview of your lands. Also evident is the small size of interface menu's in Civ3 -all to maximise your view on your empire. With a lesser resolution, you would be looking at your empire through a straw as it were. This would also have consequences for the artwork, which would look coarser.

And yes -on a 15" monitor 1024*768 is not optimal. You might consider a 17" at least -a common and cheap purchase that will not only allow you to play Civ3, but also yield potent ergonomical benefits.

Ozymandous · October 12, 2001, 07:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Bkeela
Now that we are getting closer to release, I have also been thinking about the size of the screen. I would have thought that a majority of people have a 15" monitor, so why has Firaxis insisted on making the resolution 1024x768?

Where is the statistical proof that "the majority" of people have a 15" monitor? Everyone I know of has at least a 17" monitor if not bigger.

Monitors are relatively cheap, I have seen several 17" monitors less than $175 on-line.

Compared to the >$300 price of several years ago this is cheap.

BTW, 1024 X 768 on a 15" monitor is not unplayable is you have a good monitor with a decent (<= .26 dot pitch) resolution on the screen.

For folks who have some P3 800 MHZ system or greater still using a 15" monitor, it's time to upgrade, a larger monitor places less strain on your eyes and it's ergonomically better anyway.

Bkeela · October 12, 2001, 08:08

Quote:

Where is the statistical proof that "the majority" of people have a 15" monitor? Everyone I know of has at least a 17" monitor if not bigger.

Boy you lot are so pedantic. I said I only "THOUGHT" based upon the fact that in my area 15" is the standard size monitor to buy, and upgrading to a 17" is usually is extra money.

I am not dedicated enough to Civ III to warrant buying a new monitor.

Bkeela.

LaRusso · October 12, 2001, 08:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Ozymandous

Where is the statistical proof that "the majority" of people have a 15" monitor? Everyone I know of has at least a 17" monitor if not bigger.

hm, prove statistically that you are alive

i also tried to check out what the game will look like on that res and the screenshot was much smaller than the screen...that got me confused....

drake · October 12, 2001, 08:50

Is this really that big an issue?

1024 X 768 on a 15" isnt that bad..........if it is, you probably should have some sort of corrective lense. (No I'm not trying to be a jerk or insult anyone.)

FrostyBoy · October 12, 2001, 09:38

Here's another question, can you go HIGHER than 1024x768?

Ozymandous · October 12, 2001, 09:48

Quote:

Originally posted by LaRusso

hm, prove statistically that you are alive

i also tried to check out what the game will look like on that res and the screenshot was much smaller than the screen...that got me confused....

Prove I am alive? Hmm, brain activity easily measured on a machine, heart rate, breathing, etc, all easily measured on machines. Should prove that I am alive.

I believe the screenshots are 800 X 600 resolution so they may look weird when resized to 1024 X 768, not sure about that however.

Also, as I mentioned earlier if you have an old 15" monitor with poor/"low" dot pitch then higher resolutions will look fuzy and blurred regardless.

The lower (.26 or better) the dot pitch on your monitor the better quality picture you will have.

Blacksurf · October 12, 2001, 12:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Sn00py
Here's another question, can you go HIGHER than 1024x768?

as far as I am aware you can only play at 1024x768 - could be wrong though, but any bigger and you may well go blind

Alex · October 12, 2001, 13:19

Well, I have a 15" monitor, and I tried playing SMAC both in 800x600 as well as in 1024x768. Although the 1024x768 resolution was in no way unplayable, I still think that the 800x600 resolution looked much better: more graphic detail, plus the game ran smoother.

Of course, my 15" monitor determines this preference, and I must say that, at least in SMAC, there are some graphic differences between the two modes: with a higher resolution, you can see TWO information screens, and the diplo screens are somewhat more detailed. But these are minor issues, so I am happy playing SMAC in a lower res.

On the other hand, it seems that Civ3 have been developed with a higher res in mind, so it may be that if it would allow a lower res, there could be a loss of graphical quality. But I'll have to play Civ3 in less than optimal conditions.

wickedwombat · October 12, 2001, 19:56

I currently have a laptop that only displays 800x600, but I have hooked up an external monitor that can display the high res. It looks funny as hell with all of this hardware on my desk but I will not be denied my Civ 3. Peace...

Akron · October 12, 2001, 20:06

I'm posting from a laptop with a 15" screen at a 1600x1200 resolution.

Hell, I could fit four 800x600 screens on this thing.

squid · October 12, 2001, 20:52

Geek response here. Sorry.

Resolution has nothing to do with the size of fonts on your screen. It depends how large civ wants to make the fonts, but it is possible to have a 1024x768 screen with very sharp detail, and make everything rather large.

For instance, you can turn your browser up to 1024x768 and increase the font size until it looks insanely too big, even at that resolution.

I'm sure it'll be very playable on your sorry 15" monitor

At least more visible than if you were running Windows at 1024x768. It should also be obvious that the game will not require you to change your Windows resolution, as this is handled within DirectX.

I don't see a problem. It's a fallacy to believe resolution is directly related to the size of text. It is related to how jagged the pixels will be

Provost Harrison · October 12, 2001, 21:11

Well I don't think I have any concerns on my nice flatscreen 17" monitor, I generally tend to use 1280x1024 on this thing.

Sabre2th · October 12, 2001, 21:23

I'm using 1280x1024 on my 17" Trinitron and I can't imagine ever using a lower resolution.

In a few weeks, it'll get turned DOWN to play civ.

I guess my problem is kinda the opposite of everyone else's.

LaRusso · October 13, 2001, 10:10

squid, i get it. the laptop i have at home was playing sudden strike very nicely. i guess i will have to test it before i can say how it looks....

Solver · October 14, 2001, 06:52

Go LaRussO! Give me 800x600! 1024 tends to hurt eyes. 800x600!!!

Provost Harrison · October 14, 2001, 07:45

I am in the same boat as sabre2th...although lets hope that 1024x768 is the minimum resolution and that you can select higher resolutions; it would be good to be able to see more of the map at once, although it isn't really much of an issue for us, I can cope with 1024x768...

LoD · October 14, 2001, 08:13

I have a 15'' monitor, so the 1024 issue concerns me. I already had a bad eyesight and don't want to make it worse

. So I think it would be really sensible of Firaxis to include 800X600 mode in a future patch.
OTOH, judging from the screenshots it will not be that bad (keep in mind that you have to expand them to 1024X768).

LoD

Solver · October 14, 2001, 09:25

On a nice monitor, it would be good.

Asesino_Virtual · October 14, 2001, 11:49

Just use some glasses and thats it.

. Ive got a 17", and 1024x768 is the standard res for that size.

LaRusso · October 14, 2001, 12:05

i am sure dan plays on at least 17' monitor, but it would be great if he could let us know when exactly to plan purchasing spectacles.....

squid · October 14, 2001, 12:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Sabre2th
I'm using 1280x1024 on my 17" Trinitron and I can't imagine ever using a lower resolution.

In a few weeks, it'll get turned DOWN to play civ.

I guess my problem is kinda the opposite of everyone else's.

you won't have to turn it down manually though, a DirectX application change change resolution by itself....not sure if everyone gets that.

Sabre2th · October 14, 2001, 16:03

Quote:

Originally posted by squid

you won't have to turn it down manually though, a DirectX application change change resolution by itself....not sure if everyone gets that.

I don't have to change it manually, no, but it does get changed.

One thing that people seem to forget is that the game will not look the same as windows does at that resolution. Just because windows hurts your eyes doesn't mean the game will.

BeBro · October 14, 2001, 17:03

I agree, 768x1024 is too much, we should be able to play without monitors