Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Attached is a version of the Game Options programme that should treat Windows 8 properly. i.e behave exactly as for Windows XP and earlier as there is no nasty aero interface to destroy the 256 colour palette used in full screen.

We need some folks with Windows 8 to test this under that operating system - since we don't have it.

Windows XP :
Normal behaviour
- Reports "Windows XP or earlier"
- Does not run batch file
(tested:up:)

Windows Visa and Windows 7:
Special Behaviour
- Reports as "Windows Vista or Windows 7"
- Runs the batch file to kill explorer and aero in full screen mode
- Disables the GDI/Directx switch
(tested:up:)

New behaviour for testing:
Windows 8:
Normal behaviour
- Reports as "Windows 8 or later"
- Does not run the batch file or disable the graphics switch
(Not yet tested - this is what we need feedback from you Windows 8 users on! :))


Additional:
Not part of the test, new feature.
The AIAdjustpercent variable's value is exposed for editing on the misc screen for CD owners. Allowed values are 1 through 500. This saves opening the INI file to manually adjust the AI force ratio.
(Free demo game owners cannot edit the field - it is read-only.)

Instructions:
Extract the zip file to your MBT folder.
The file has a different name from the gameoptions exe, so will not overwrite that.
Double click on the new exe to run the test version.

I extracted the file into my MBT folder and ran it. However nothing has changed. GDI option is still grayed out and at the bottom it says "Windows Vista or Windows 7". Am I doing something wrong here or have you guys accidentally uploaded a wrong file?
Edit: I also forgot to mention that it still runs the batch file as well.

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

The version (on the help tab) should be the 4th of January 2013.

What we need to know is if it is properly detecting windows 8 - which we cannot test, since none of us have the thing.
So there will likely be a few of these "blind test" exes till we get it right. We cannot load it onto windows 8 to see what does actually happen - that is what you are doing for us.

Also - I may have noticed why the version number is not being reported right... probably a new test coming to you real soon now
(> != >=) :doh:

NB - Windows versions as actually reported internally in the OS version info structure are:
Windows XP = 5.1
Windows Vista = 6.0
Windows 7 = 6.1
Windows 8 = 6.2

(So any Windows 8 users are really running Windows 6.2 ;) !)

And it was my test on the minor digit that was wrong...

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

New version of the test executable for GameOptions

(Any who downloaded the previous test article can delete that)

- fixed the test on the minor version number, so with a bit of luck, it will detect Windows version ID of 6.2 that "Windows 8" is known as internally.

Let me know how that works - or not...

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

The new .exe seems to be working as intented. It reports my OS as Windows 8 and allows me to switch between GDI and DirectX. It doesn't run batch file either. How ever there seems to be an issue with Windows 8 when in full screen mode (set to desktop resolution).

This is my description of the issue from another thread:
"The problem is that game seems to run in "bits". What I'm trying to say is that when I move my mouse to the edge of the map it scrolls, then stops for a moment and then scrolls some more and stops again. Same goes for the units, tank moves a bit, stops and then moves a bit again, you get the idea."

This has happened both on my laptop and tabletop PC as well.
I've made sure that I'm running newest GPU drivers so that can't be the issue. I don't encounter this problem when I set my game to windowed mode in desktop resolution.

Here are my specs:
Tabletop
AMD X6 Phenom 1090T Black Edition 3,2 GHz/core (6 cores)
8 gb DDR3 (1800 MHz)
Ati Radeon 5970 2gb GDDR5
Windows 8 Pro 64bit
Native resolution 1920x1080

Laptop
Intel i5 3210M 2,5 GHz/core (2 cores)
4 gb DDR3
Nvidia GeForce 635M 2 gb
Windows 8 64bit
Native resolution 1366x768

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Start the game with GameOptions and click on the "Misc" tab.

Adjust the Map scroll sensitivity zone a bit larger ( try 15 then 20 ) then see how that works. You also might want to try some higher or lower numbers for scroll speed

Don

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Nope, doesn't work. Even units work in bits, when I want to change my tanks facing it thinks for a while and then turns but in windowed mode everything is instantaneous as it should be.

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Did you try changing between DirectX and GDI graphic modes to see if it affected anything?


Is the monitor running at its native dot resolution? - some flat screens can run slower if not as they have to interpolate the dots to fit (unlike old fashioned CRTs).


Have you set up Windows 8 to play the game in 256 colour mode for full screen (that may be assignable for the individual game itself, or you may have to set up the monitor to 256 colour mode - see your Windows help. I have no idea as I have not got 8).
NB - that's the game EXE you'll have to set any windows attributes on (right click on the EXE or shortcut??) and not the game launcher programme.)


Unit move delay is governed by the "Units Move Delay" field on the misc tab - did you try reducing that (though the full screen should be the same sort of performance as the desktop sized windows mode).

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

You might also want to try setting the priority of WinSPMBT.exe in the Task manager to a higher level and see if that helps.

http://www.informatics-tech.com/how-...windows-8.html

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Changing between GDI and DirectX has no effect. I'm running the game both on my laptop and tabletop at screen's native resolution. I used to have the free download version on my tabletop and I ran it at 800x600 and didn't encounter this. I also noticed that game runs in bits when I move my mouse over the action buttons in the tactical screen. It looks like the game loads for a sec, then works fine for a moment and then hangs for a sec to load a bit more. I've tried different speed options for scroll speed, unit move delay etc. They work as they should, map scrolls faster and so on but it still stops to "load".

Changing to 256 color mode or fiddling with the priority has no effect. Game still works perfectly in windowed mode with my desktop resolution which is also the native resolution.

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Well, at a glance (not having the latest windows 8 to hand) it appears then that windows 8 is still not properly handling the old 256 colour palette modes then.

In windowed mode, the graphics library is converting the 256 colour mode to a larger 16 bit RGB value. That appears to work fine in whatever windows 8 uses.

In full-screen direct X mode, its using the old 256 mode palette that has been with us since MS-DOS, and which was always the fastest of the graphic modes as it was "lean and mean". It seems that this is no longer the case with the version of direct x on Windows 8....

Although we have reports of users (of the free game I think) saying that it works for them in 800 mode. We'll need a free game user to try the test exe and report. (It might be worth your trying at 800 full-screen as well in case a few less pixels to push about makes windows 8 happy with 256 colour mode!)

Also, we really need a few more testers in general - as it may not be Windows 8, but the particular graphics card etc. (Some of these wont have proper updated direct x drivers for 8, or will have had 256 colour mode depreciated as "obsolete" - that has happened in the past).

Given the low amount of interest in windows 8 so far by the very few downloads of the test programme, most folks seem to be holding back from Microsoft's new O/S. A sensible approach to any new windows O/S - I may get myself a copy at the release of Service Pack 1, as I never touch any new release till then.

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Have you tried all the different full screen resolutions? Maybe some resolution will work?

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

I actually noticed when I tested a bit further that lagging is also present in 800x600 when in full screen. However "stops" are so short that you have to know what you're looking for if you want to spot them.

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Well - it seems that whatever either of windows 8 or your video drivers (it could be either or both, even) is doing for 256 colour palleted mode is better when it has less pixels to push. But it (or both) seem to be optimised for 16 or more bit colour.

Have you tried setting graphics delay, scroll speed, and unit move delay all to 0?

If windows 8 and/or your graphics driver are optimised for only 16 bit colour modes or better, then Windowed mode at desktop resolution seems to be your best bet as a CD game owner. (As you seem to have discovered anyway! :)).

cheers
Andy

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Tested the W8 fix and it is working as intented. Not having any sluggish performance either with GDI or DirectX settings, although I'm using DL version with (maximum) 800x600 resolution. My video card is AMD HD 6800.

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Have you tested in windowed and fullscreen mode ?


Don

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Both, and it's working flawlessly with GDI and DX.

Edit: I actually do get some extremely minor lag in full screen (800x600) GDI and DX when scrolling max size maps fully zoomed in, but the lag is so miniature that it can only be detected when one really is looking for it. Scrolling max zoomed 200 hex map from top to bottom causes about 3 lags at regular interwalls, using scroll speeds of 30 and 1ms. But as I said the lag is almost imperceptible, perhaps just a feature of the game engine?

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

Exactly the same behaviour I have seen. I actually gave all green to the win8 regarding WinSPMBT couple of weeks back. Now that I have the CD version and I know what to look for the lag is really there even in the 800x600. I also noticed that you can't alt+tab from the game and then go back, this will mess up the colors and the graphics to an unplayable state. Playing in windowed mode isn't that bad however. I can check the internet, chat with people etc. when playing which is quite nice for a turn based strategy. :)

Re: Windows 8 Playtesters required
 

If you have the CD then full-screen Windowed mode is the recommended full-screen way to play.

Precisely because it is all cuddly-friendly with the other windows stuff, you have your task bar with the clock and email notifications etc all there.

You just have to fiddle with the "scroll sensitivity zone" to find a pixel setting that suits you.

(And its not a "turn based strategy" game, it is a tactical game. You are not building factories or dealing with national government... )

Andy