Higher Resolution?

[xaxaxa]

On SMAC/X FAQ, we can change the games resolution to 800x or 1024x by adding Video Mode=num on ini file. But I'm not having any success on changing resolution.
When I open my ini, there's no Video Mode= line; so I add the line, but it doesn't change anything at all. I'd very much appreciated if anyone could give me some pointer on how to change it to higher resolution, preferably 1024x768. TIA.

[Petek]

Make sure that the video mode= line is placed in the [Alpha Centauri] section of the .ini file, not in [PREFERENCES].

If that doesn't fix the problem, please post again.

HTH

Petek

[xaxaxa]

Hmmm. I did put in the [Alpha Centauri] section. Just to be sure, I also put in in [Preferences] but neither placement did any change for the resolution. Any other idea?

[Petek]

Originally posted by xaxaxa
Hmmm. I did put in the [Alpha Centauri] section. Just to be sure, I also put in in [Preferences] but neither placement did any change for the resolution. Any other idea?

Hmmm. The video mode= command definitely has to be in the [Alpha Centauri] section. Right-click on the shortcut that starts the game and select Properties. In the Compatibility tab, have you checked Run in 640x480 Screen Resolution? If so, that will override the .ini settings.

Do you have an .ini command DirectDraw=0? If so, that will override the video mode= setting and will (on most systems) force the game to run at the native Windows resolution.

Perhaps your Alpha Centauri.ini file is corrupt. You can delete (or rename) it and start a new game. That should create a "clean" .ini file, which then can be modified.

If none of this helps, please post a copy of your Alpha Centauri.ini file so we can take a look.

[xaxaxa]

640x480 screen resolution Not Checked
No ini command DirectDraw=0 line
Deleted old ini & started a new one but didn't work.

Here's my ini:

[Alpha Centauri]
ds3d=1
eax=1
FastUnitAnim=0
SmoothUnitAnim=0
MainFontSize=16
InterludeFontSize=16
DisableOpeningMovie=0
Prefs Format=12
Difficulty=0
Map Type=2
Top Menu=3
Faction=1
Preferences=10111011111000011101110110110110
More Preferences=1110100111000101101000
Semaphore=00000000
Announce=111100001110101001
Rules=1101000001110
Customize=0
Custom World=2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
Time Controls=1
Latest Map=C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri\maps\planet
Latest Save=
Latest Scenario=
DontResetBeginnerPrefs=0
Faction 1=CYBORG
Faction 2=PIRATES
Faction 3=DRONE
Faction 4=ANGELS
Faction 5=FUNGBOY
Faction 6=CARETAKE
Faction 7=USURPER
WindowsFileBox=0
[PREFERENCES]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1

This was ini before I put video mode= line in.

[Petek]

I copied your .ini file and pasted it over my own. The video mode=800 command worked as expected with your file. That is, it changed my game display resolution to 800x600. (DirectDraw=0 also worked.)

By any chance, do you have a monitor that's so old that it can't display resolutions higher than 640x480? What is the native Windows display resolution on your desktop? Can you set it to 1024x768 (for example)?

Petek

[xaxaxa]

Guess what happened when I put mode=800 instead of 1024? Yup, the resolution screen got bigger. I was so used to today's game setting and size, I did not even realize what I was initially looking at was 1024x728 setting.

I have to concede my stupidity in this. Thanks so much for your kind help.