Help: Can Smac Be Run "in A Window"?

[adrosal]

Does anyone know a way to run SMAC in its own window (as opposed to it taking over my entire monitor)?

Thanks in advance...

[Avenoct]

Hold down the Option key during startup. A dialogue will appear where you can change a few elements such as run in a window.

This is true on the Mac version and I don't know about the PC version but suspect it's the same, or just another key..check the readme with the game

-Smack

[johndmuller]

I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if you could "window" SMACX so easily on a "Windows" PC. While its not the same thing, you can >Ctrl<>Esc< and/or >Alt<>Tab< to start and/or navigate among other jobs.

If you have multiple display adapters, you might be able to maintain a standad desktop on one while running the game on another (I plan to try that out as soon as I try out the mulltiple moniters - soon?).

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by Smack
Hold down the Option key during startup.

I (PC-Windows user) am not familier with an "option key" is this something on a Mac keyboard, Mac operating system, or in the smax for mac application? Please describe?

[adrosal]

JohnD...

Unfortunately, to my knowledge SMAC can't be run in a window. I tried the solution Smack proposed above, but it didn't work. I even went through the readme and it was no help, either. I'm waiting to hear back from EA (who handles all the SMAC tech support issues) on this subject but I'm not holding my breath.

It's funny that you mentioned the dual-monitor thing.... that was sort of the genesis of my question. I have a dual monitor setup here at work: a Matrox G400 DualHead Max driving a 21" monitor and a 17" monitor. My office has a huge window looking out onto a cubicle farm, so I can't really do much gaming at work (hehe) unless the games are on the smaller monitor (which is angled away from the window and prying eyes of co-workers).

When I run SMAC, it takes over monitor #1 (the 21"). I thought if I could run it in a window, I could "move" it over to the smaller monitor, and also be able to "minimize" the game when the boss came around. Unfortunately, the only way I know how to move SMAC to the second monitor is to switch the cables coming out of the video card (in other words, the 21" monitor becomes monitor #2 and the 17" monitor becomes monitor #1). Hiding from the boss, should she come into my office, would require turning the monitor off.

By the way, Lefty, the "option key" is a an actual key on the Macintosh keyboard. If I'm not mistaken, it's usually where the "Windows" key is on a PC keyboard. It's confusing, because in cross-platform applications, "option" on the Mac = "alt" on the PC, even though they are in different places (On the Mac keyboard, the "Apple" key is where "alt" is on the PC keyboard).

[death_head]

Just go into that one .ini file in the SMAC directory...you can mess around with lots of settings.

[Wiglaf]

You can window SMAC, but I'm pretty sure it won't work for PCs.. (I've got a mac now) .. goodluck finding a way.

[gwillybj]

Originally posted by johndmuller
While its not the same thing, you can ... >Alt<>Tab< to start and/or navigate among other jobs.

I do this all the time
I usually have a spreadsheet (or two) open, tracking base and landmark locations, social engineering, tech progress, etc.
Works great on my little 64MB system. Can't wait for when I'll be able to add more RAM so I can play the game and be online (here at Apolyton, of course ) at the same time.