Why no 1280x1024 resolution?

[Productivity]

Is there any valid reason why this isn't useable in R:TW? It's kind of dodgy given how prevalent 17" and 19" (who have a native resolution of 1280x1024) are becoming.

[Slug For A Butt]

Dunno. Maybe they think it will put too much stress on graphics cards?

[NihilisticCow]

Well I think you can use 1280x1024, you just have to set in manually in preferences.txt.

[The_678]

I remember hearing on these forums that if you just change the resolution in the preferences.txt it will work. If you don't know it can be found in your main RTW folder. I forget what default is so E:\Total War\Rome - Total War for you it might be something like C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War I really forget what default is. Anyways just go into preferences.txt and where it says the resolution just change it to 1280x1024

[Productivity]

Dunno. Maybe they think it will put too much stress on graphics cards?

Yet they allow 1600x1200?

Thanks for the info that it can be manually changed. Still think it's a dumb idea, but CA seemed to do a few of them with RTW.

[katank]

Actually, the 1280 by 1024 looks really funny on my 17". It just looks narrower and long.

I went back to 1600 by 1200 and just turned down some other settings down a bit.

[hoom]

There are already many threads about this.
What you need to do is edit /data/descr_auto_optimise_options.txt


To my knowledge CA have offered zero explanation for why this file has such stupid settings & why they haven't been altered after the numerous complaints.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

I believe it is a widescreen format, if you have a normal CRT to my knowledge you want to use 1280x960.

[Red Harvest]

Actually, the 1280 by 1024 looks really funny on my 17". It just looks narrower and long.

I went back to 1600 by 1200 and just turned down some other settings down a bit.

Your 17" might not fully support it (I've seen that effect too at times.) However, it might be the refresh rate. Try different refresh rates. There are some combos of refresh and resolution that change the screen geometry on my monitors. By setting the appropriate refresh I don't have geometry issues. Odd thing is, sometimes it is high, sometimes it is low refresh that is the problem. Depends on resolution for the given monitor/graphics card combo.

[Red Harvest]

I believe it is a widescreen format, if you have a normal CRT to my knowledge you want to use 1280x960.

Incorrect. 1280x1024 is the native supported default mode. Don't ask me why the industry used a different aspect ratio at 1280 than the others but they did. For some reason 1280x960 is actually the secondary standard. Developers don't seem to be cognizant of it though. Look on websites and you will see every 19" CRT monitor listed as 1280x1024 "native"--at least the few times I've checked. Both my 19" came this way. Can't remember if it is XVGA mode or UXGA or whatever it is called that specifies it. I've researched this a few times before.

In fact on many older graphics cards the drivers used to list 1280x960 as specifically prohibitted as a "DAL_Restricted" mode. I had to hack it into my driver installs back then.

[Productivity]

I believe it is a widescreen format, if you have a normal CRT to my knowledge you want to use 1280x960.

It is the native resolution of every 17 + 19" LCD monitor. Anything else needs interpolation, which can do dodgy things to the image. Given that LCD monitors are becoming increasing prevalent it seems strange not to offer it.

[ToranagaSama]

Yet they allow 1600x1200?

This is news to me. I had to manually edit the files to get this res to work. Did they add this resolution in the last patch?

You're right its really wierd the choses CA made. Particularly re 1600x1200 when you know any self-respecting developer is using a 21 inch monitor.

Oh well, just another one of a long line of WEIRD unexplained Rome:TW issues that make no sense.

Luck!

[professorspatula]

For the expansion pack, I wouldn't be surprised if they allow the use of higher resolutions by default and add it to the list of 'new features' that brown-nosing games journalists can drool over in their reviews. 'Game now features amazing new high resolution graphics, man now it's just like being on the battlefield for real!' etc.

[hoom]

I wouldn't be surprised to find the auto_optimise file unaltered in any meaningful way.
This was a well known & easily fixed problem well before 1.2 & I can't see any reason why they couldn't have fixed it for that patch so I don't see any reason that it will be fixed for the expansion.

[Quietus]

There are already many threads about this.
What you need to do is edit /data/descr_auto_optimise_options.txt


To my knowledge CA have offered zero explanation for why this file has such stupid settings & why they haven't been altered after the numerous complaints.

I think it has something to do with playing it safe so that all computer runs it with little problem. JeRome Grasdyke has also commented on it. Use the search function.

Read my Guide for intructions on how to change the resolution (in the Introduction section). I've read Centuri0n's discovery at the .COM since it was posted but it me awhile to figure how to do it, so I made it much simpler to understand for peeps like myself.

[Productivity]

This is news to me. I had to manually edit the files to get this res to work. Did they add this resolution in the last patch?

It came up as an option, in 1.2 I think (not sure if this is correlated with the patch or coincidence), when I used my CRT monitor.