Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I'm sorry if this is the wrong Place for a technical question. when scrolling over the map it doesn't run smoothly, does anyone have an idea why?

Here are my specs:

Operativsystemets namn Microsoft Windows 8
Version 6.2.9200 build 9200
Ytterligare beskrivning av operativsystemet Inte tillgängligt
Operativsystemets tillverkare Microsoft Corporation
Datornamn CAESAR
Datortillverkare FUJITSU
Datormodell LIFEBOOK AH532
Datortyp x64-based PC
System-SKU
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2328M CPU @ 2.20GHz, 2200 Mhz, 2 kärnor, 4 logiska processorer
BIOS-version och -datum FUJITSU // Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Version 2.05, 2012-09-28
SMBIOS-version 2.7
Version av inbäddad styrenhet 255.255
BIOS-läge UEFI
Baskortstillverkare FUJITSU
Baskortsmodell Inte tillgängligt
Baskortsnamn Baskort
Plattformsroll Bärbar
Tillstånd för säker start På
PCR7-konfiguration Bindning är inte möjlig
Windows-katalog C:\windows
Systemkatalog C:\windows\system32
Startenhet \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Nationella inställningar Sverige
HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) Version = "6.2.9200.16384"
Användarnamn Caesar\CAESAR\Sara
Tidszon Västeuropa, sommartid
Installerat fysiskt minne (RAM) 4,00 GB
Sammanlagt fysiskt minne 3,86 GB
Tillgängligt fysiskt minne 1,82 GB
Sammanlagt virtuellt minne 7,36 GB
Tillgängligt virtuellt minne 5,48 GB
Växlingsfilsutrymme 3,50 GB
Växlingsfil C:\pagefile.sys
Hyper-V - Tillägg för VM-övervakningsläge Ja
Hyper-V - Tillägg för adressöversättning på nivå två Ja
Hyper-V - Virtualisering aktiverad i inbyggd programvara Ja
Hyper-V - Dataexekveringsskydd Ja

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Did it work OK before on this computer and O/S?. If so, what has recently changed on your computer (new video driver, whatever?).

If you have only recently changed to Windows 8 then have you followed the instructions for installing the game under vista/seven or later as pinned in the sticky message at the top of the forum? - specifically, it should not be installed under /program files/.. post Windows Vista due to Microsoft's UAC.

Also - have you tried playing with the scroll speed variable on the MISC tab of the GameOptions launcher programme?.

Cheers
Andy

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I just got this laptop yesterday, so it didn't work from the start:( I have not installed the game under program files. Yes I've tried the scroll speed both pushing it up to max and lowest. The problem is that both when the vehicles move and when scrolling over the map, the game hickup for a millisecond. The game works fine otherwise.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Well - those few folk who have tried under windows 8 seem to be saying that it is a better experience then the previous Vista/Windows 7. (Though Windows 8 is something I'll be avoiding completely and waiting to see what 9 is like. I have played with it in the shops and detest the front end Fisher-Price "metro" blocks utterly and completely. If I wanted a mobile phone, I would have bought one, not a PC!).

Have you tried in windowed mode rather than full-screen? - Just set the size to "desktop", if you have the full game. Also - try switching to GDI mode rather than directX.

If you only have the free version and are restricted to 800 mode then if your laptop's native resolution is greater than that then it could be better to physically set the screen to 800x600 mode (if it allows it) before firing up the game.

Also - look through your Windows 8 help for compatibility modes, and ensure that it is not thinking that the game is a "metro" Fisher-Price type application but is a proper desktop PC mode application (apparently 8 is a bit Jeckell and Hyde that way as well) etc.

Andy

NB - unit movement is controlled by the movement delay option on the MISC tab, so that also may be worth playing with. Start with try halving it perhaps.

Also - turn all sounds off, just in case its the sound driver causing hiccups (turn all sounds off in the games preferences screen and also the mouse click to off in the GameOptions launcher MISC tab).

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

The game ran just fine in windowed mode. I also tried to change it to GDI, and turn of the sound, but that didn't change anything. I also run the gsme in compability mode for windows xp pack 3.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Windowed mode in "desktop" resolution is the best way for any windows version post XP, really.

It's got everything that full-screen mode has, but it cooperates with windows task-swapping and so on. Plus you can see the task bar at the bottom of the screen for the time and notifications of incoming emails etc.

Full-screen mode uses the old and time-honoured MSDOS method of manipulating the 256 colour palette, which seems to not work too well post XP and needs a special batch script to kill the aero desktop in vista and seven since those 2 use the exact same 256 colour palette for the transparency and other effects of "aero" thus nuking the game to a psychedelic mode. (The same goes for many older games - I got the batch script idea from other games forums with a little bit of goggling).

All you need do in windowed/desktop mode is set the scroll sensitivity for the screen edge to what you like if the default does not suit.

cheers
Andy

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

So am I doomed to play it in windowed mode on this laptop?:(

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Windowed mode is actually superior if you think about it.
I normally play in desktop so its full screen anyway but sometimes shrink it slightly so I have a border on one side.
I get system alerts like say email & can flick to doing other stuff during the AIs turn easily, then just watch the replay which is a lot faster.
You could even have APcalc open as I noticed this mentioned in another of your posts, or your notes on how effective weapons are till you come to grips with the game.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Yes it works but I prefer it in full mode:)

/Zombieritual

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I have NO IDEA why anyone bothers with full screen mode.....NONE. When Andy perfected windowed desktop we should have gone with that and eliminated full screen altogether as it would have eliminated hundreds of hours of aggravation dealing with a format NEITHER of the developers use.

We have been saying for years that if it works in one or the other format...it works. There are too many variables between PC hardware and software to assure that both modes work for everyone so I REALLY don't understand the "doomed to play it in windowed mode" sentiment.
Don

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Alright. Another thing I've noticed (don't know if it is a problem or not) is that the sound sometimes come after, especially when firing PzKpw 2.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I think windowed mode is awful. I prefer 640x480 full screen so that all the text and buttons fill up the screen. Also, the game zooms in very close and personal.

The task bar and any other stuff on the screen that isn't SP reduces the immersion factor when playing.

Please don't ever get rid of fullscreen mode.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Well said. I'll second the motion: Please don't ever get rid of full screen mode.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I agree on Windows mode, I used to always like and want to run in full screen mode but when I got my new laptop (32 gigs of ram and 3 tb of hdd) I had to switch to windows mode, it took about 2 to 4 hours to get used to it. I also applied one of the font size increases but other then that I am stock (thinking about using those new roundels graphics VC things, look cool).

Windows mode is far superior now and if you have the full paid for version it's no problems at all.

Now some will say "I don't want to pay for it" but I would counter that with "For $40 bucks your first CG will pay it self off, heck I got 6 CG going each with a different nationality."

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Sorry that some of your paying customers have a different preference other than you. You gave us the feature, but turn around and essentially say F-you to those who like the feature. Not to say that I don't understand the frustration.

As a buyer of both WinSPWW2 and WinSPMBT, and given your excellent track record for patches and support, I am really surprised - and disappointed - by your post.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

We can't make everyone happy. It's a fools game to even try. We built the game to suit our tastes and preferences. We don't put things in we don't agree with. One of the very few exceptions is full screen mode and that stayed in, along with 480x640 more because it's a legacy item but I wouldn't miss it if it were gone. We have no plans to remove it but if it came down to OS system changes that rendered fullscreen mode inoperable but windowed mode was OK then we would continue with windowed mode alone

I can assure you I'm not here to build the game just to make other people happy. We add suggestions that are made we think make the game we want to play better. The minute we see we are doing things to the game we don't agree with is the minute game development ends and I say that without apology. I don't see that happening anytime soon but 15+ years *IS* getting to be a long time to be kicking this can.

As well *I* didn't say "and essentially say F-you to those who like the feature.". YOU did. What I said is I don't understand why anyone would say he's "doomed" to play it that way..and I still don't

Don

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I agree that you shouldn't try to cater to everyone's tastes.

You came across by your post that those of us who prefer full screen are in the wrong just because you're frustrated.

I know you guys don't have to continue to update the game, and I'm grateful for that. However, if you are going to take up the job supporting the game, then yes, basically telling a paying customer "too bad, why would you use that feature anyway?"as if he's at fault or in the wrong just because they like full screen seems like saying F-you to me.

Again, it just came across that way, no biggie.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Playing in window mode beyond 1280x1024 does not work on my 1920x1200 screen (win7 w/amd 7950 gfx). The vertical resolution is only half of what it should be, and no buttons are clickable. Desktop resolution does work in fullscreen mode. I wouldn't mind playing in window mode if it worked at full resolution.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

The usual reason for this happening in windowed mode, is that the end user has forgotten to ensure that the "auto-hide" function for the windows task-bar is set to off, as explained in the "tuning your machine" section of the game guide.

It may also be fooled if your task-bar is set to the sides of the screen, or perhaps the top. i.e. anything other than the windows default position at the bottom of the screen.

(The graphics engine is DirectX6 or so, i.e. before the task bar hiding function was introduced, most likely).

I'm happily running it on a 1080i wide screen monitor ATM (1920x1080) or on my old brick of a CRT monitor (which is 4:3 and runs to 1600x1280). However - to do so on this computer, I had to upgrade from the old 256MB Geoforce graphics card to a 512MB one - on the old card it could only run full 1080i at a 30hz interlaced refresh rate, which was intolerable.

Andy

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Turning off auto-hide fixed the issue. Is there a chance you could lock the cursor to the window, to make scrolling easier. The window doesn't cover the entire screen, so it's easy to get the cursor outside on the sides when trying to scroll.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Locking the mouse to the window is not particularly useful as you then could not go to other open windows of other programmes. And in any case - the graphics library wont allow it.

Adjust the scroll sensitivity in the gameoptions programme till you have it as you like it.

Train yourself to use the new system - it took me a day or 2. In any case, the only place that the desktop mode does not cover is the task bar. It goes right to the edges otherwise, except for a particular resolution (1366?) that's not divisible by the number of pixels the graphics library likes a multiple of (4 I think) where there is a pixel or 2 of desktop spare at the edges. Lots of cheaper 15 inch laptops etc have that peculiar resolution (including my dell one).

Andy

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I have a gap of around 10-15 pixels on each side at 1920x1200.

I think windows can handle locking the cursor so it doesn't need to go through directx, and you can still alt-tab to switch focus and get the cursor for other programs. If it's just a couple of function calls, it would be nice to have the option at least.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

just my 2 cents worth,

Keep in mind,this game is old and just getting older.
Keeping up with the the new tech with computers,must be maddening! just to keep it updated,not to mention all those darn fixes to the Obb's many want{we are a needy bunch),justcheck the ToE's.

Let's not forget all the damn hard work that goes in to stay fresh and "newer".
I'll at least give both a sarcastic comment or two, when it's due:p

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

It's always easy to spot the people who don't read the game guide. It does make us wonder why we bother to update it. Please note that when viewed on page one of the guide the phase " PLEASE READ THIS NOTE" flashes to get peoples attention.

If it were possible to create a program that could grab people by their throat to get their attention we would have applied it to that page years ago

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attac...1&d=1377123610

Don

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

I did see the note about auto-hide when installing the game actually, but I play full screen so it didn't affect me, and I didn't think more about it. Since it only affects some resolutions in window mode it didn't occur to me that this could be the cause.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

OK, Fair enough

Don

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Although I prefer fullscreen one effect that I like with windowed screen is that I can check email and such without closing the game. I turned of mouse scroll completely and use the arrows on the laptop.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Why would you "turn off" mouse scroll when there are adjustments you can make to slow it down ?

Don

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Spend 10 minutes playing with map scroll sensitivity zone & the scroll speed till you get something you like, once you have the sensitivity set so you like it scrolling is simple as.

Re: Winspww2 does run well anymore
 

Just two cents - colour pictures' mod look better in a windowed mode - they have proper proportions and aren't too much zoomed then :D