Release Date

[Nemo]

Actually acording to most surveys (I have often looked them up for web design info) 86-90% of all people have 15" monitor or bigger (and there is usually 3-5% that don't know what size monitor they have). And since all 15" monitors can run at 1024x768, I dont see what the problem is? Even my 13.3" laptop screan can do 1024x768! I have 2 monitors I salvaged from the university's reject pile that can do 1024x768...and they were 14" monitors, btw. So, if you have a 15" or bigger monitor and you cant go to 1024x768, then you have a video card problem, or need to RTFM (Read The F---ing Manual) on how to change your desktop resolution.
Either way, I don't see why 1024x768 is an unreasonable request
You can find a used $30 15" monitor just about anywhere these days.

[Solver]

My monitor can't! It's a bit over 6 years old. Why not buy a new one? :
1) With this one, I can do everything I need, except for Civ 3. i don't work with graphics
2) Resolutions higher than 800x600 anyway make me feel sick in quite a short time
3) I have nostalgia. I've been using that one at home for siz years no, and why should I get another one? Nooo.

And all other games do run at 800x600, that is the standard resolution. Firaxis, do you hear me?

[MarkG]

screen resolution stats for apolyton

 Resolution                      % 

1.  1024 x  768 pixels    45.84  

2.   800 x  600 pixels    32.11  

3.  1152 x  864 pixels     8.43  

4.  1280 x 1024 pixels     6.74  

5.  Other Resolutions      3.08  

6.   640 x  480 pixels     1.90  

7.  1600 x 1200 pixels     1.34  

8.   800 x  553 pixels     0.31  

9.  1024 x  721 pixels     0.21  

10.  640 x  433 pixels     0.04  

[Provost Harrison]

Look Solver, dump the 14" monitor like I did ages ago and splash out on something nicer. Larger monitors are getting quite cheap nowadays. Go on. Spoil yourself. You know it makes sense

[Solver]

Mine is 15". Those days it was something awesome. But look, even if I got a 21" monitor, I can't play a game with resolution of 1024x768. I have tried doing that at other PCs, I couldn't play for any more than half an hour. Some monitors are good for it , but rare . I know, they're cheap yes, but look at my reasons above.
And, for the cost of monitor, I can get 128 MB RAM slots.

[Provost Harrison]

That few use 1280x1024. I use it all the time when I am at home!

[Nemo]

sorry Solver, you are in the minority...a very small minority.

Mark G: very nice but, your stats are biased agains gamers (i.e. more gamers come to your site, and we all have the tendency to have cool video/sound stuff ) Do you take stats of screen size? Because what resolution people use, and what resolution people are capable of are two different things (I bet if you do, we will see more people capable of 800x600 than we can shake a stick at )

[Solver]

I don't actually think I'm in such a minority. I guess there are many people who will not, for various reasons, want to play under anything higher than 800x600.

[MarkG]

Originally posted by Nemo
but, your stats are biased agains gamers

and i suppose civ3 is intended for accountants....

[Nemo]

I am in the minority too... I fall under "Other"
Here is a tip for monitor sizes that I picked up a few years ago for the best quality:
divided you first number of your resolution by the second number, if it is not 1.3333... (its a 4:3 ratio) then you images are actually being scewed/stretched. so, if you are running at 1280x1024 (1.25 or a 5:4 ratio), you are actually stretching your pictures and not getting the best quality your monitor/video card is capable of. I used to use 1280x1024 until I found this out, now I use 1280x960 in win2k or, preferably, 1400x1050 in win98 (you can create custom screen resolutions in win98 by editting your registry )

edit: lol, of course its for accountants Mark G, didn't you know that its truly a statistics program disguised as a game?

[Solver]

And I suppose Civ 3 is made to force me boycott Firaxis .

[Mahdimael]

I don't agree with you. Yes, it would be nice if firaxis was able to include a 640x480 mode for all of you with ancient monitors , but the textures and resolutions may prevent that. I used to use windows in 800x600 mode all the time, then I tried 1024x768 and found it was much better, not only for Windows but for games.

Firaxis looks at the standards when they make their game, and a lowball standard is probably a PIII500 with 128megs of ram and a 15" monitor. Heck, they're selling 128MB ram sticks here for $18! Computer prices have gone way, way down, and you can get a good system for $600 or less.

Technology is not for the weak of heart.

[Solver]

128 MB RAM about 26$ here.
PIII 500 is not a standard. Those who don't play much have 333 and under. Civ doesn't need much, other things need even less, unless you work with graphics.

[Solver]

And let's face it, 800x600 can be supported by any monitor made in last seven years. Monitors older than that MUST have been changed anyway, since they're no bigger than 12", and can't show more colors than 256 or 16. While there are no drawbacks in using a six year old one, showing up to 32bit colors, and 800x600 resolution. Firaxis, please listen to me! I know you're browsing these boards frequently, so please take me in account. I'm so enthusiastic about the game, except for this part of it - resolution.

[Zealot]

Finally, I'm not alone in the resolution protest!

Go Solver!

And those stats that show that about one third of Apolytoners use at least a resolution of 800x600 or under, mean that is a considerable number of potential players who might prefer (or must use) a 800x600 resolution!

How did those guys at Firaxis didn't see this problem coming?

Of course that we would like to use state of the art monitors, but you (and I mean everybody) should respect those who just can't get a higher resolution than 800x600.

I won't be enjoying the beauty of the game unless I have a 1024x768 resolution? Hey, it's me who has to live with it, not you! And if you didn't worry about it on SMAC, please don't start it now...