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Screen Res Question


Yes I can support it fine and/or I run other stuff at that resolution
  64% (64)
I cannot support that resolution at all with any system I own
  35% (35)


Total Votes : 99
(last vote on : 1/22/2020 6:53:27 PM)
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Screen Res Question - 8/20/2007 10:23:55 PM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		Just a curious question: Right now, HLPC (if you haven't read the requirement) requires 1280x1024 screen resolution support on a system. Most desktop computers made the last 3-5 years (and monitors 17" and higher) can support this resolution fine. Some laptops however, do not support this, so we're determining if this is even an issue. Many people here i've noticed have been complaining that Matrix needs to support higher resolutions.

Vote in the poll and let us know if you can support this resolution ok.

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com
Post #: 1
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/20/2007 11:46:12 PM   
oi_you_nutter


Posts: 418
Joined: 10/28/2004
From: from Bristle now living in Kalifornia
Status: offline 		although my two desktops can support 1280x1024, my laptops cannot, and although i agree in principle that recent kit can run at 1280x1024, a lot of it is not practical.

my computers are:
desktop 1) 1680x1050 widescreen 20 inch LCD
desktop 2) 19 inch CRT that can support 1280x1024 but i  run at 1152x964 most of the time
laptop 1) 1280x800 on 15.4 widescreen laptop
laptop 2) 1024x768 on 10.1 inch laptop




(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 2
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 12:04:43 AM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		The way this game is laid out (and the number of pieces that can be potentially dealt with), 1024x768 just wasn't practical. Everything would be squeezed and it wouldn't look good. :) And you have two systems that could handle it fine.

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to oi_you_nutter)
Post #: 3
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 12:14:23 AM   
starman

 

Posts: 39
Joined: 8/20/2007
Status: offline 		Will it only run at that resolution , or will it run at higher resolutions. I have access to 1280 x 1024 but it isnt that conveniant. My laptop is 1400 x 1050 and Im guessing this will be fine. Your question is misleading it really should say either only 1280 x 1024 or at least 1280 x 1024.

(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 4
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 12:15:33 AM   
cdbeck


Posts: 1374
Joined: 8/16/2005
From: Indiana
Status: offline 		Other than the 75 refresh rate, which tends to irritate my eyes, I can run 1280X1024. My only other minor quibble would be that I hope icons and text are rather big, I usually have trouble reading things at that res.

SoM


_____________________________

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(Kill them all. God will know his own.)

-- Arnaud-Armaury, the Albigensian Crusade

(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 5
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 12:18:39 AM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		starman: Only at that res at this time. There is concern that people who can only run lower reses (mostly laptops) will get shut out of the game. From my own surveys with my own customers and info here, most run at that res (or higher) natively every day (or could if they wanted), so I don't feel its an issue at all. It will switch automatically to the 1280x1024 res during the game; you won't have to switch manually. Yes, your laptop would be fine (laptops with higher end screens/video cards probably won't have a problem).

Son_Of_M: Yes icons and text aren't super tiny, no. :)

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to cdbeck)
Post #: 6
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 12:24:23 AM   
starman

 

Posts: 39
Joined: 8/20/2007
Status: offline 		Thanks,

Modern LCD based screens are designed to run at there native resolution. For the final product it might be best to allow it to adjust to that resolution, with a minimum resolution of 1280 x 1024.

(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 7
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 12:28:12 AM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		The game for now is hard coded to use that res, and since it uses so many elements on the screen at once on certain screens (and I avoided using outside libraries deliberately) it would be difficult to do adjustable res. But it could be considered later on, of course. I'm just mainly looking to see the percentage of people who can run it versus those that can't.

Of course, adding in the ability to change to higher reses wouldn't be that hard (though it might be a little small and not used much). Would it be worth it to most people here?

< Message edited by StormcloudCreations -- 8/21/2007 12:39:37 AM >

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to starman)
Post #: 8
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 6:55:22 AM   
SwampYankee68


Posts: 1186
Joined: 5/8/2002
From: Connecticut, U.S.
Status: offline 		For this type of game, it would not be worth it - 1280x1024 would be fine.  Spend the time instead on a Vietnam air war mod! 

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(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 9
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 8:07:55 AM   
SlapBone


Posts: 269
Joined: 7/27/2004
From: Houston, TX
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: StormcloudCreations

The game for now is hard coded to use that res, and since it uses so many elements on the screen at once on certain screens (and I avoided using outside libraries deliberately) it would be difficult to do adjustable res. But it could be considered later on, of course. I'm just mainly looking to see the percentage of people who can run it versus those that can't.

Of course, adding in the ability to change to higher reses wouldn't be that hard (though it might be a little small and not used much). Would it be worth it to most people here?


I know it's not the same game, and that you didn't code it, but of all the games I have bought in the last few years, Down in Flames had the worst res-switching of any of them. Well, i should say that res-switching was non-existent. You had to run your monitor in a native 4:3 to get the game to run correctly at all. It really screwed things up when you ran a native 16:10 widescreen resolution.

The two most commonly used widescreen resolutions are 1680x1050 and 1280x800. I could deal with it if it did a hard-code res switch though. I play games like that all the time (including yours). Some of your games don't switch back though.

_____________________________


(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 10
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 8:16:40 AM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		SlapBone: Some of my older games did have a problem with switching back when exiting (including refresh rates of the monitor). Hornet Leader PC will switch back properly, and my games have for quite awhile now. I've tried HLPC with a widescreen monitor, and it looks fine overall. Slightly "stretched" feel, but still pretty good.

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to SlapBone)
Post #: 11
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 4:46:01 PM   
MIGMaster


Posts: 73
Joined: 8/17/2007
Status: offline 		I think a resolution of 1280x1024 is a pretty standard deal. Laptops may hit the wall, but they will with other games as well. Given the turn-based or limited action of wargames I think it's a necessary and reasonable move. Resolutions such as this in mainstream gaming are totally common (even in the graphic intensive FPS market) so to hold back resolution to accomodate the laptop or lower end display population will be a bum biter in the long run.

(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 12
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 5:12:00 PM   
Terminus


Posts: 41459
Joined: 4/23/2005
From: Denmark
Status: offline 		I personally enjoy WitP (War in the Pacific's) approach to it. Full screen, it's 1024x768, but if you window it, it's native resolution. Looks muuuch better on my monitor at 1280x1024, and a strategy game like that doesn't really need to be played full screen, IMHO.

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(in reply to MIGMaster)
Post #: 13
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 9:36:15 PM   
SlapBone


Posts: 269
Joined: 7/27/2004
From: Houston, TX
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: StormcloudCreations

and my games have for quite awhile now.


I said "some"


_____________________________


(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 14
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/21/2007 10:30:53 PM   
mack2


Posts: 243
Joined: 6/29/2007
Status: offline 		Anyone who has a bigger resolution than the default should really be playing it in window mode.

Assuming of course, the makers of the game implement a windowed mode which on the way this game is described, probably should happen. I doubt it's like a modern shooter/rts with 3d graphics and whatnot.

(in reply to SlapBone)
Post #: 15
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/24/2007 12:34:43 AM   
Harvester

 

Posts: 24
Joined: 8/6/2006
Status: offline 		To support higher resolutions is fine.....but to require it

(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 16
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/24/2007 12:42:57 AM   
Banquet

 

Posts: 1184
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: England
Status: offline 		I'm interested in buying this game.. but it would be for my laptop which is 1280*768. I'm afraid 1280*1024 only would mean I wouldn't buy it

< Message edited by Banquet -- 8/24/2007 12:43:46 AM >

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Post #: 17
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/24/2007 12:46:26 AM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		Banquet: Do you have a desktop you could use? Very few I know only use laptops for everything, due to their inherent limitations and requirement to be plugged in or charged, etc.

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to Banquet)
Post #: 18
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/24/2007 1:37:23 AM   
Banquet

 

Posts: 1184
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: England
Status: offline 		Hi Derek,

I do have a desktop that can run at the required res. However I only get to use it uninterrupted for gaming on Saturday nights.. the laptop, on the other hand, goes everywhere with me and I can steel a few turns of a game here and there throughout the day. Because of that I tend to look out for games that will run on the laptop.

Once the game is released, if the reviews and forum comments seem to indicate it is a 'must have' then I would probably buy it and play it on the desktop, although I will hardly get to play it! However I would definitely buy it if it would run on the laptop.

I know I'm only 1 sale and it hardly matters in the scheme of things.. but you did ask!

quote:

ORIGINAL: StormcloudCreations

Banquet: Do you have a desktop you could use? Very few I know only use laptops for everything, due to their inherent limitations and requirement to be plugged in or charged, etc.



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(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 19
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/24/2007 1:54:01 AM   
Dabo

 

Posts: 59
Joined: 5/25/2004
Status: offline 		1600x1200 for both laptop(15'') and desktop (20'')

(in reply to Banquet)
Post #: 20
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/26/2007 5:29:21 AM   
Noypi53

 

Posts: 227
Joined: 8/14/2007
Status: offline 		Desktop is at 1280x1024.
Laptop is at 1280x800

I normally prefer games that can run on my laptop for the same reasons as mentioned by Banquet.

(in reply to Dabo)
Post #: 21
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/27/2007 9:46:15 PM   
Alex777


Posts: 92
Joined: 7/3/2005
Status: offline 		I do most of my gaming on a laptop (1280 x 800) and strongly prefer games which will run in that environment.

(in reply to Noypi53)
Post #: 22
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/28/2007 5:16:48 PM   
bink

 

Posts: 149
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline 		Stormcloud,

In the consumer space, laptops have a greater market share than desktops.  Laptops comprise 33% of unit shipments, but businesses buy a greater share of desktops.  The laptop market is growing faster than the desktop market.  This is being driven by the decrease in both the cost and performance gap between laptops and desktops.

http://www.physorg.com/news98005202.html
http://www.mindbranch.com/PCs-Global-Guide-R313-24678/
http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/07/18/shipments/index.php

However, I don't know why consumer laptops are increasingly converging on 1280x800 as a popular resolution - I think it is partly driven by cost and partly by general usability (i.e. people can't complain that text is too small).  HP is the #1 laptop reseller, and almost all their consumer models run 1280x800.

Taking this into account (without looking at issues such as your target demographic, and what they use), I would suggest the following:

1.  1280x800 resolution to allow a majority of laptops to run the game
2.  1280x1024 as your standard desktop resolution.

Potential additional resolutions for users with higher specs:
3.  1680x1050 and 1600x1200 resolutions for widescreen LCD/laptop and desktop LCD displays.

I feel that in this Windows era, game resolutions should be easily scalable and not hard-coded.  Generally, games that have hard coded engines use legacy engines.

Why won't the resolution be fully adjustable?

Thanks,

winovin


< Message edited by bink -- 8/28/2007 5:17:41 PM >

(in reply to Alex777)
Post #: 23
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/28/2007 7:21:27 PM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		This is something that may change at some point, as there are still a few who just use laptops for gaming apparently. 1280x800 may become available at some point. It wasn't adjustable, as the engine was designed to display all the info (and there can be a lot) at a certain res. There are automatic resizing .OCX's available, but I was afraid it wouldn't look its best. I may be open to a concession at some point.

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to bink)
Post #: 24
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/28/2007 7:51:52 PM   
bink

 

Posts: 149
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline 		From http://www.displaysearch.com/press/?id=1409 for Q1 2007 LCD panel shipments:

23MM Notebook LCD panels

"Looking at the top three products, the 15.4" 1280 x 800 panel type was the most popular in Q1'07. It had a 47.5% share of notebook panel shipments. 14.1" 1280 x 800 was #2 in shipments with a 16.6% share. A larger wide-format type, 17" 1440 x 900, came in #3 with 6.7% unit share."

Or at least 16.3MM notebook LCDs (70.3% of the notebook market) that cannot run the game. I say at least, because there are also laptop screens at 1024x768.

38.5MM Desktop LCD panels
"the 1440 x 900 wide-type had a 20.3% share"

In total, 61.5MM panels, of which at least 24.1MM or 39.2% cannot run the game at a fixed resolution of 1280x1024. Again, this is ignoring the 1024x768 and other small panels which were not broken down in the survey results.


I agree wholeheartedly that it is better to optimize the game for a higher resolution. My preference when gaming is to use a desktop LCD at 1600x1200. However, I find I do most of my wargaming on the laptop because it is accessible when travelling, etc. I certainly don't advocate making the game run only at 1280x800, particularly if it compromises the game, but from a commercial point of view, I think this is the direction in which the market is moving.









(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 25
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/28/2007 8:00:16 PM   
bink

 

Posts: 149
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline 		http://www.displaysearch.com/free/paneltrack/

This shows that about 10% of the notebook and desktop LCD market cannot display 1280x1024.

So basically your game spec will shut out 1/2 the market.

I do realize this is the market as a whole, and not necessarily the gamer demographic, but I would make the following anecdotal observations:

- Businesses are more likely to buy 1280x1024 monitors. The consumer trend is widescreen.
- Laptops/notebooks are overwhelmingly running 1280x800 displays. Again, consumer preferences are shifting towards notebooks.

(in reply to bink)
Post #: 26
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/28/2007 10:28:39 PM   
Alex777


Posts: 92
Joined: 7/3/2005
Status: offline 		Derek, you did ask the question, so I assume you are open to weighing the answers you receive.  bink has given you the numbers and they tell the story.  I really do suggest you allow for 1280 x 800 as one of the available resolutions.

(in reply to bink)
Post #: 27
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/28/2007 11:17:56 PM   
bink

 

Posts: 149
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: StormcloudCreations

starman: Only at that res at this time. There is concern that people who can only run lower reses (mostly laptops) will get shut out of the game. From my own surveys with my own customers and info here, most run at that res (or higher) natively every day (or could if they wanted), so I don't feel its an issue at all. It will switch automatically to the 1280x1024 res during the game; you won't have to switch manually. Yes, your laptop would be fine (laptops with higher end screens/video cards probably won't have a problem).

Son_Of_M: Yes icons and text aren't super tiny, no. :)



Stormcloud,

You say that "There is concern that people who can only run lower reses (mostly laptops) will get shut out of the game", and then go on to say that "I don't feel its an issue at all"

I can't comment on your target demographic, but I would say that anyone going to college, or having attended college recently (say under 30 years old) would be using a laptop.

I think it is a serious issue to ignore laptops, particularly when wargames, with their relatively low system requirements, are ideally suited to laptop gaming.

Please note, I am not pushing 1280x800 for personal reasons, but am trying to present the data so you have a true picture of the state of the market. I sincerely wish that this game is successful (it looks great!), so that it will spur development of other of Dan's titles. To do so, it has to reach as large a potential audience as possible.

Maybe one solution (without delaying release) is to make 1280x800 support part of the 1st patch?

< Message edited by bink -- 8/28/2007 11:18:50 PM >

(in reply to StormcloudCreations)
Post #: 28
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/29/2007 1:30:40 AM   
Banquet

 

Posts: 1184
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: England
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: bink

I think it is a serious issue to ignore laptops, particularly when wargames, with their relatively low system requirements, are ideally suited to laptop gaming.



Completely agree. Most wargames are suitable for laptops due to lower than usual system requirements.


quote:

ORIGINAL: StormcloudCreations

This is something that may change at some point, as there are still a few who just use laptops for gaming apparently.



I don't think it's a question of 'still a few who use laptops for gaming' I think it's more a question of a growing number. I've been using desktop PC's for gaming since 1990.. and C64's Atari's, etc before that. Only recently have I used laptops for gaming because they've started to become affordable.

Because there are limits to how upgradable a laptop is, and because proper gaming rigs are still much cheaper as desktops.. I still use a desktop for games such as Silent Hunter IV, Flight Sim X, etc

However lower req wargames are increasingly what I'm playing these days. Partly because I'm getting older and enjoy a more thinking type game, but also partly because they do run on a cheap laptop and are so much more convenient to play. The numbers of people who will want to use laptop resolutions is increasing, not decreasing.

I do understand converting Hornet Leader to a different res maybe a whole lot of work. I understand if it isn't feasible to do that work. As bink say, maybe in a patch?

I hope you're not regretting asking the question!

< Message edited by Banquet -- 8/29/2007 1:32:15 AM >

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Post #: 29
RE: Screen Res Question - 8/29/2007 8:34:17 AM   
StormcloudCreations

 

Posts: 304
Joined: 7/14/2006
Status: offline 		Not at all, Banquet! In fact, I think I have a plan for converting it without *too much* work, but it may not look perfect, mind you. 1st patch is a possibility.

_____________________________

Derek
Lead Programmer of Hornet Leader PC
Mindtoy Games - Unique Strategy/Board/Card games for the PC - mindtoygames.com

(in reply to Banquet)
Post #: 30
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