Playing at 800 x 600 resolution ?

[kiky]

Is it possible to play Civ4 (and warlords) on Window mode, 800 x 600 resolution?

I can't find the resolution other than 1024 x 768.

[Kuciwalker]

Monitors at 800 x 600 resolution make baby jesus cry.

You can probably adjust it manually in some ini file if you hunt around the install directory for a bit.

[kiky]

Tried to change civilization4.ini on
ScreenHeight = 600
ScreenWidth = 800

but still display on 1024x768 (on window, not full-screen).

I (sometimes) want to play it on Window mode so I can see for email or IM notification.
My desktop size is 1024x768 (laptop)

[Solver]

You can't play in 800x600. Well, you could force the game to, technically, but you won't see half of it and will get stuck everywhere - the interface requires a minimum of 1024x768.

If your desktop is also 1024x768, why is there a problem? You can just alt-tab out of the game to check if you have any incoming email.

[Kuciwalker]

Alt-tabbing from fullscreen is slow and painful.

[Nubclear]

Kuci, in this instance, speaks truth.

Can't you set your instant messaging program to make a sound when someone e-mails/PMs you?

[Solver]

Alt-tabbing from fullscreen is fast for me in all games...

But you can still run in a window and minimize it, at least that should be fast.

[eris]

I understand the Original Poster's situation. On my work PC I cannot and do not want to wait for a while then check to see if I have new mail or IM. I need and want to respond as quickly as possible. I need and want a signal that I can respond to right away.

At home, when I play Civ, I do not want warnings of email or IM, because I am busy immersing myself in Civ. I even ignore the phone and let other family members or the answering machine get it.

However, when I look over my teen kid's shoulder, there is a game of some sort in the front screen and all sorts of IM and email conversations in the background. The alert goes off and zap! the screens are switched and a reply is sent. It's not my style of Civving, but I have learned that my style is not the only style, maybe not even the best style.

The only way to smulate that with alt-tab is to check every 10 to 15 seconds or so, and that is not conducive to a great Civ experience, even for my over-multi-tasked kid. That's just not going to work out.

However, the only answer I know to be available is to use an audible signal, as has been suggested. (It won't do the hearing-disabled screen-flash trick if you are in a full screen game.) If you have all sound disabled because you are in a silent environment or something, then you have another level of challenge. Here's a trick I have used I put the sound on headphones-only on my work computer one time when someone here was down with migraine and could not bear any noise. I don't like wearing headphones for a long period of time, but I could hear the little announcement tones if I left the headphones sitting there on my desk, tinny but perceptible. Still, from a few feet away, it was inaudible. I knew that because the person with the migraine wasn't threatening me with bodily injury anymore. It was an improvement for both of us.

Is there such a thing as a silent vibrating alert device you could attach to a computer? One could install in the seat of one's chair and make incoming messages a real treat indeed. (Okay, that last point wasn't real helpful, but what I really wanted to do was re-afferm that the OP's desire and challenge is not unique. There are still few if any good answers to the question, but sometimes it helps if people know that others truly understand and sympathize.)

[kiky]

I didnt think of audible signal from IM. doh.
Thanks everyone for your input.

Oh, as what Solver said, running the game in window is faster than alt-tabbing.

[Kuciwalker]

Even with warning sounds, you can miss it and then you don't see the flashing entry in the start bar.

[kiky]

When I'm waiting for email or IM, I play in Window mode then maximaze the window.
That way I can see Windows bar on the bottom of the screen and able to see notification flashing. And yes audible signal does help (not always depends on the environment)

[Jon Shafer]

Sorry, game is hardcoded to a minimum of 1024x768 because, as mentioned, interface reasons.

[Solver]

Originally posted by Trip
Sorry, game is hardcoded to a minimum of 1024x768 because, as mentioned, interface reasons.

Yeah, now get to coding a text-mode interface !

[Blaupanzer]

Text Mode