Avernum 4 Resolution Requirements

[Killua Zordik]

I'm running Windows XP with a 15inch monitor. I'm currently running at 800x600 resolution and I played Avernum and Geneforge Series successfully with this resolution. Now, in Avernum 4, I saw the requirements are 1024x768. Now, the problem is my monitor is capable of 1024x768 BUT can only run at 60hz compare to 800x600 which can run at 85hz.

 

60hz is quite hurting in the eyes. My question is, will Avernum 4 still run at 800x600?

[Delicious Vlish]

No.

[Tyranicus]

Holy crap! How old is your monitor? I have a 7-yr-old 14-in that can show 1280x960 at 75Hz, not to mention 1024x768. Your monitor might be capable without Windows knowing it. Have you tried unchecking the box that says "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display"? Most monitors can go a little higher than Windows thinks they can.

[Kingy]

Perhaps you should also try updating your graphics card drivers and maybe that will help. That monitor (unless it is really, really old) should be able to display more than that.

[Killua Zordik]

I have a 15inch LG Studioworks 552V monitor. I bought it on 2002 (brandnew) so I think it's a 2001 model. I don't know if this monitor is capable of running at a higher Hz. On the manual it says:

 

VESA/60 = 1024x768 = 48.36kHz (horizontal frequency) = 60Hz (Vertical frequency)

 

It also states that the Max. Resolution is 1024x768.

 

Is there something I don't understand? Or can you please check for me if this LG Studioworks 552V can run 1024x768 at 75Hz?

[Tyranicus]

I don't know anything about your specific monitor, but I do know that the refresh rate can usually be pushed a little higher than the specs say it can go. If you uncheck the box in your advanced display settings like I suggested, you can probably push it to at least 70Hz. Don't worry, you won't hurt your monitor. If it can't handle it, the screen will just go screwy and revert back to 60Hz in 15 seconds or so.

[Lattan]

A lot of newer CRTs are incredibly cheap.

Having said that, did you try running A4 @ the irritating 60 hertz? I can't stand it on my desktop, but games often look fine at lower refresh rates.

[Killua Zordik]

I tried what Tyranicus said but it reverts back to 60Hz after 15seconds. I tried checking the newest Samsung 15inch CRT monitors but all of them can only handle up to 68Hz in 1024x768 resolution (unless they are 17inch monitors). And I cannot afford to buy 17inch monitors because of high electric bills.

 

Also, A4 for Windows is not out yet so I can't test it. But I tried running Geneforge 3 on 60Hz, it works fine, the graphics are OK but I get headache if I read many texts.

 

Is there a workaround or is there a software that can convert a game's resolution to lower resolution?

[Wizard]

If a resolution is hard coded to a game it can't be changed so the options are either to try to play in 1024x768@60hz or buy a new monitor.

[Tyranicus]

Quote:

Originally written by Killua Zordik:
I tried checking the newest Samsung 15inch CRT monitors but all of them can only handle up to 68Hz in 1024x768 resolution (unless they are 17inch monitors). And I cannot afford to buy 17inch monitors because of high electric bills.

LCD monitors are getting cheaper all the time. Their electric consumption is considerably less than CRTs. However, if you have your heart set on a 15-in CRT, you might want to check this one out.

[Killua Zordik]

I just notice that my 6-year old MiTAC monitor can also handle 1280x.... resolution similar to the ViewSonic you mentioned and it did can display 1024x768 at 85Hz. Thank goodness.

 

But there's seem to be a problem. Desktop texts are very small and blurred on my 15inch monitor running 1024x768. Will I experience text blurredness when A4 for Windows comes out?

[Derakon]

Resolution refers to the number of pixels that are displayed (where a pixel is a single point of color). Fonts these days are assigned heights that are measured in pixels. So if you have a 12-point font at 1024x768 resolution and a 12-point font at 1280x1024 resolution, then the latter is going to look smaller and harder to read, simply because the pixels are smaller. The fact that you're on a 15" monitor doesn't help any, as your pixels were already pretty small to begin with.

 

I use a 19" LCD at 1280x1024 most of the time, but my default font size is 18. That's eminently readable; in fact, smaller would still be readable but I try to avoid straining my eyes as I'd like to keep them working as long as possible. Unfortunately, to my knowledge you can't change the font size that Avernum uses (doing so would most likely screw up a lot of the UI), so you're stuck.