| Author |
Message |
Ronald W Brierley (Ronaldwb)
New member
Username: Ronaldwb
Post Number: 69
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 08, 2009 - 9:32 am: | |
Hello,
Occasionally a Zillions programmer produces a game with a display which is too large to be completely viewed on my screen.
I am using a wide screen laptop, 13 by 8 inch, that is I believe set at 1280 by 800 by 59 hertz,
I am running Zillions using Microsoft’s Vista.
Does anyone know a simple technique that will enable me see the complete game display?
Thanking you in anticipation,
Ronald W Brierley |
Greg Schmidt (Gschmidt2)
New member
Username: Gschmidt2
Post Number: 99
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 08, 2009 - 10:59 am: | |
Have you checked to see if your display driver supports a higher resolution? Right click on an empty area on the desktop, select "properties" and then the "settings" tab and see if you can increase it there. If so, try it - you can alway set it back to what it was just as easily.
-- Greg |
Ronald W Brierley (Ronaldwb)
New member
Username: Ronaldwb
Post Number: 70
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 5:43 am: | |
Thank you for your rapid response. Unfortunately, my display is already at its native resolution-setting maximum of 1280x800 pixels. |
Greg Schmidt (Gschmidt2)
New member
Username: Gschmidt2
Post Number: 101
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 7:10 am: | |
I can't think of a "simple" technique to reduce the game size. If it's only one particular game that you're unable to play, and depending upon how badly you want to play it, you could download a free program called "Irfanview" which I believe allows you to resize images in batch mode. This would then involve making a copy of the game, scaling the images, and making the corresponding coordinate change(s) in the .zrf file (if it's a grid based game, that would be pretty easy to do). I know that's not "simple" (and rather unappealing to have to actually copy & modify a game) but at the moment, I know of no other alternative to your dilemma.
-- Greg |
Keith Carter (Keithc)
New member
Username: Keithc
Post Number: 171
Registered: 8-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:21 am: | |
Is there a particular game? I am familiar with most Zillions releases and there are only a few that won't fit within 1024x768 resolution. If it is just one or two let me know and I will shrink it down for you.
FWIW I design all my games so that board plus the Zillions interface fits within 1024x768 and usually 800x600. |
Ronald W Brierley (Ronaldwb)
New member
Username: Ronaldwb
Post Number: 71
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 20, 2009 - 10:32 am: | |
Thank for your offer of help.
Unfortunately, the problem concerns several games.
At present I am trying to cope with a number of other problems and so have had little time to contemplate what remedy may be possible.
I believe it is probably due to my latest laptop having a wide-angle screen, approximate aspect ratio 16x10.
I haven't found any method of making it act as a 4x3 aspect as on my earlier laptop.
Nothing I have yet read in my Vista documentation seems to help.
Does anyone have any suggestions? |
Ronald W Brierley (Ronaldwb)
New member
Username: Ronaldwb
Post Number: 72
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 5:29 am: | |
I’ve just been sorting some of my old cds and found my copy of Fritz 6, a chess playing game.
The documentation states that it needs a Pentium processor and an operating system of type Windows 95 up to Windows NT 4.0. Then, Windows Vista and dual processors did not exist.
Never the less, having never tried it on my laptop, which has both of theses delights, I loaded it.
Lo and behold, it performs beautifully with full wide screen display without overflow. It even insults me verbally if I take too long thinking. The latest version of Fritz has now reached Fritz 11.
I have tried Zillions with alternative operating system compatibilities selected from within Vista but no alternative stopped wide screen overflow for several game programs.
These facts mystify me. |
M Winther (Kalroten)
New member
Username: Kalroten
Post Number: 113
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 7:37 am: | |
Greg, one needn't define a new board (coordinate changes, etc.). It's enough to rezise the board image (in any image editor) and create an alternative board image. Then, in the image clause, one adds the new image bitmap. One can resize the pieces, if necessary, too, and add the new bitmaps to the piece image clause.
The point is that Zillions automatically adapts to the smaller bitmap. I make use of this always.
/Mats |
Greg Schmidt (Gschmidt2)
New member
Username: Gschmidt2
Post Number: 102
Registered: 1-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 8:23 am: | |
Mats - Excellent point! I completely forgot about that (probably because I've never used this particular feature) and now I recall that you mentioned this once before.
-- Greg |