Screen Resolution Issue (Linux)

[Condex]

I've recently moved to a new home where I have a 4K TV (Samsung QE55Q70T), so I went and configured KDE to show my desktop using 3840x2160@60Hz, which is the native resolution of the screen. I've also setup the "Global Scale" to 150% in KDE's control center, since I'm far from the TV and 100% is too small.

My old TV was a 4K panel that ran by default at 1080p (its native resolution), so I've always been playing using that setup, 1920x1080@60Hz. Besides, my computer can't handle 4K gaming with all bells and whistles enabled (in No Man's Sky, for example, 60fps@1080p vs barely 30fps@4K).

So I went and launched Stellaris as usual. Everything seemed to run fine. The TV switched to 1920x1080@60Hz but when I left the game, the desktop resolution was not properly restored, and it kept running at 1920x1080, which showed gigantic texts, since it was still using the 150% scale.

So, I went and removed both pdx_settings.txt and settings.txt files to see what the game does in that case.

It seems it decided to run the game using a bizarre combination. The configuration window shows 3840x2160@120Hz, which is not correct, since the TV shows 3840x2160@60Hz.

With the refresh rate corrected to 60Hz, Multisampling set to 8 (I like my bells and whistles) and UI scaling to 1.70, the game seems to run fine, but I fear the FPS drop when I get in some major battles, with hundreds of ships and all the effects from the battle.

Is there any way to get Stellaris to run at 1920x1080@60Hz/120Hz and force it to restore the original 3840x2160@60Hz resolution upon exit?

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I've tested other PDX games, just in case it was a general problem, but it seems to happen with two out of five:

• Working:
  • Cities: Skylines: It seems to be rendering the game at 1920x1080, given the performance, but displaying at 3840x2160@60Hz, according to the TV, since it did not switch resolutions (same effect found in some Proton games I've tested).
  • Europa Universalis IV: Switches to 1920x1080@60Hz as configured, and goes back to 3840x2160 when I leave the game.
  • Surviving Mars: Properly switches to 1920x1080@120Hz as defined in the configuration.
• Failed:
  • Crusader Kings II: Same issue as Stellaris. Switches to 1920x1080p@60Hz, but it won't go back to 4K when I quit the game. If I remove the settings.txt file, the game will boot in 3840x2160@60Hz.

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My system specifications are:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
• RAM: 16GB@3200Mhz
• OS: ArchLinux
  • Kernel: 5.11.13
  • KDE Plasma: 5.21.4
• Stellaris v2.7.2 (I've not yet completed my game and I have not updated the game)

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If you need more information or to run some tests, please don't hesitate to ask.

Cheers,
Condex

 

[AndrewT]

I was going to suggest you lodge a bug report about this, but unfortunately you can't because the only supported distro for this game is Ubuntu - QA will not accept any reports on Arch or any other one.

Odd that this happens with an older game CK2 and a newer game Stellaris but not the game in the middle EU4. CSL and SuMa are not our games (we just publish them) and they use completely different game engines (to each other and to our games).

The fact that the OS keeps the game's resolution is a problem, no doubt! Aside from some scripting in Linux I can't think of a way of preventing of fixing that.

Are you on the latest AMD driver? The latest Mesa version?

 

[Condex]

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply!

I was going to suggest you lodge a bug report about this, but unfortunately you can't because the only supported distro for this game is Ubuntu - QA will not accept any reports on Arch or any other one.

Yep, too bad they won't accept a bug report for other Linux variants

Odd that this happens with an older game CK2 and a newer game Stellaris but not the game in the middle EU4. CSL and SuMa are not our games (we just publish them) and they use completely different game engines (to each other and to our games).

That's why I decided to go and test a few games. See if I can find a pattern there, but I had no luck. I can test some more games, but I don't know if that will shed some light on the issue (AoW3, AoWlanetfall or Imperator, for example).

The fact that the OS keeps the game's resolution is a problem, no doubt! Aside from some scripting in Linux I can't think of a way of preventing of fixing that.

For the time being, I'm going to put my compute under some stress and run the game in 4K (lets see how it handles it xD)... If it becomes unplayable in the late game, well, I'll have to deal with the resolution change upon quitting.
I've also tested the "Borderless Window", but under my impression, it's exactly the same as running in Fullscreen, but with another name xD

Nevertheless, if you have a recommendation on that "scripting" solution, I'm all ears

Are you on the latest AMD driver? The latest Mesa version?

Nope, I wasn't running an up-to-date version of the OS. I was using a version updated on April, 12th. But now I've tested with both the OS and Stellaris (3.0.2) fully updated, and I have the same result.
With the update, kernel version changed to 5.11.13 and I'm using Mesa 21.0.2. As for the driver, I'm using the "amdgpu" driver included in the kernel

Cheers,
Condex-

 

[AndrewT]

I've also tested the "Borderless Window", but under my impression, it's exactly the same as running in Fullscreen, but with another name xD

It will certainly look exactly like fullScreen, but it is more like windowed mode under the covers. Indeed games are starting to come out now with no fullScreen mode at all, only borderless and windowed (eg CK3).

Nevertheless, if you have a recommendation on that "scripting" solution, I'm all ears

Way out of my wheelhouse I'm afraid! I know nothing about such things. You might check with any Arch support resources there are.

 

[Condex]

It will certainly look exactly like fullScreen, but it is more like windowed mode under the covers. Indeed games are starting to come out now with no fullScreen mode at all, only borderless and windowed (eg CK3).

Interesting... Though I've heard that there is some penalty to the performance when running in that "Borderless Window" mode...

Way out of my wheelhouse I'm afraid! I know nothing about such things. You might check with any Arch support resources there are.

Will do, yes. Take a look at their forums. Maybe someone has already found a similar issue

Thanks again!