Starcraft gfx issue ...

[The Last Conformist]

Since I reinstalled WinXP on Monday, Starcraft for some reason insists on playing in a tiny box in the middle of the screen. I've tried the shortcut-to-maximized trick, and it doesn't work. Reinstalling the game doesn't help either, as doesn't fiddling with the compability settings.

Anything else I can try?

 

[The Person]

Are you using an LCD screen? If yes, it probably decided that since the application does not use the same resolution than the screen has, it puts the application in a window, so it doesn't have to calculate the pixels. An LCD screen is locked to a certain resolution and, if it has to display something smaller than that it either puts in virtual pixels to have simulate the higher resolution, or it puts everything in a small window, like it did to you.

My personal experience with LCD screens is that they are quite weird when it comes to what to do. Sometimes mine simulates the higher resolution and sometimes it puts things in a window. But it's quite stable; it rarely switches between the two states (with "rare" I mean every few months).

But I don't know how to set what it should do, sorry. Maybe somebody else does.

BTW, was my explanation understandable? I'm not very good at explaining things.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Try to reduce screen resolution to 800x600 pixels. Or you could grab an old win98 CD and install Starcraft on that. Or you can install Linux and run the whole thing from Wine. Lots of options (though I recommend win98 - best thing to play older games on)

 

[The Last Conformist]

Set screen resolution to 800x600 puts everything in the same little box (and yes, it's an LCD screen).

The funny thing is it worked last week on this computer, with this screen, with WinXP.

 

[Comraddict]

Set screen resolution to 800x600 puts everything in the same little box (and yes, it's an LCD screen).

The funny thing is it worked last week on this computer, with this screen, with WinXP.

well usually dispaly driver can do this. if you tell him to do that. look into display driver properties.

 

[The Person]

LCD screens are locked to one resolution. If you set the resolution to anything lower, it either simulates the extra pixels, or it puts everything in a little window with the resolution you've set it to. Since you say that setting the screen resolution to 800x600 (Starcraft runs in 640x480, btw) also produces a small window, I guess that your screen is locked to something bigger. Things only look good on an LCD screen if they're set to the same resolution as the screen.

 

[The Last Conformist]

My screen is locked to 1024x800.

Starcraft used to look good on this screen (with virtual pixels). Setting the exe to play in 640x480 doesn't help either.

 

[The Person]

It's the screen, not the computer that decides what to do. Maybe tweaking the display drivers help, but otherwise I don't know. Maybe something got changed when you reinstalled Windows.

 

[Cedric Greene]

Silly question but have you tried the Alt+Tab hotkey?

 

[damunzy]

It's the screen, not the computer that decides what to do. Maybe tweaking the display drivers help, but otherwise I don't know. Maybe something got changed when you reinstalled Windows.

Agreed Update the drivers - what type of video card does it have? Go to that manufacturers website and get the latest driver. Better yet, you can try to get the driver from the manufacturer of the laptop.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I managed to solve the problem by DL'ing a new driver. Thanks all.