Was wondering if one would be able to utilize dual monitors while playing hoi III Ie having one monitor on say research/tech/diplomacy screen and the other one on the game map.
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That would be interesting and useful, but too much work (I pressume) for Paradox just for a few users in the world using two screens... don't think they will do it.
Not a few users in the world. It's a lot cheaper to buy two 17inch monitors and run them dual screen, than one massive widescreen. More and more people are doing this. Some even have two 21inch monitors with a huge 2400 x 1600 desktop, like me at work. But unfortunately not at home
HOI3 should work on a dual screen set-up, but since the different screens (diplo, research etc.) are not windows that you can drag around the display area, but just fill the entire HOI3 screen area (you can see this in Dev Diary #11), then using a dual screen (or single large monitor) in the way you describe won't be possible. HOI3 will just fill the entire area of your dual screen with the diplo screen, production screen, map, etc.
Paradox would have to code the game engine differently to give it a more "windows" look and feel. Maybe HOI4.
HOI3 should work on a dual screen set-up, but since the different screens (diplo, research etc.) are not windows that you can drag around the display area, but just fill the entire HOI3 screen area (you can see this in Dev Diary #11), then using a dual screen (or single large monitor) in the way you describe won't be possible. HOI3 will just fill the entire area of your dual screen with the diplo screen, production screen, map, etc.
Paradox would have to code the game engine differently to give it a more "windows" look and feel. Maybe HOI4.
They could code it to project different screens onto different monitors. That is, all tabs would be displayed on one monitor, and the map on the other. That shouldn't be impossible.
Not impossible I think, but a combination of Windows with DirectX, and your graphics card drivers, work by fooling all of the applications into thinking you are just working off one large screen. The software should be able to operate regardless of the underlying hardware platform, so normally doesn't get involved with this. What would be required is to get the game to query DirectX or the drivers directly (not 100% sure) to check whether you have one or two monitors, then adjust the UI accordingly.
However, you might get the effect of dual-screen (two monitors side-by-side producing an ultra-wide desktop) by having a single widescreen monitor, and want the same set-up as you suggest. So better would be just to give an option to the user. Better still is complete flexibility in the UI, like AutoCAD, PaintShop Pro or a host of other applications, where you can fill the entire screen with them or just part. And then within the application you have a series of windows/toolbars/menus etc. that can be positioned where you want. AutoCAD and Excel both allow different views of the same underlying file to be open at the same time, and this sort of thing would allow you to have two or more map windows, FE one of Europe and one of the Pacific, open at the same time.
But these are professional apps with armies of developers and budgets of millions. And they are not games. People seem to like games not to look like the apps they use at work, and this means full-screen, without the MS Windows look and feel.
was just wondering about it always get anoyed when I find myself pauseing the game when at war to go into the tech/prod/dip screen(slows the game down for me).
This is not as easy as it may sound. Like a previous poster has said it would require alot more development effort for what would amount to very little return on investment for Paradox.
As far as I know (and other people here pointed out) using multiple screens as if there is only one screen will definitely work since the software would "see" them as one big screen. On the other hand, moving different tabs to different screens needs some coding to do.
However I disagree about this coding being a massive workload, a few lines here and there will suffice (not dragging tabs as windows but splitting the screen into two from the middle and keep map on one side and tabs on the other). Even people use only one widescreen monitor will find this useful (1920x1080 = 2x 960x720 screens + 360x1080 stripe at the bottom for statistics or active battles or whatever).
However I disagree about this coding being a massive workload, a few lines here and there will suffice (not dragging tabs as windows but splitting the screen into two from the middle and keep map on one side and tabs on the other). Even people use only one widescreen monitor will find this useful (1920x1080 = 2x 960x720 screens + 360x1080 stripe at the bottom for statistics or active battles or whatever).
That would be freaking great. I am currently looking on my old 17" TFT while typing that while at the same time playing HoI 2 on my 26" screen. But using both of them at the same time (one for tabs and the big one for the world map) would be sweet.
Are you a programmer by trade? I am and i can tell you that changing an interface in mid development cycle is no easy task.
Plus i have a widescreen monitor -- Native Res 1680 X 1050.... 2 X 840 X 690 with the same "360x1050"
That means that my two screens would show up just above 800 X 600 .... God no that is UGLY..... that is like SVGA ... a late 80's technology.... NO THANK YOU
Second you are assuming that the majority of HOI players have widescreen monitors.... which is definitely not the case.
If you were to do a poll on monitor types by HOI2 player you will find that most are on 19 inch screens or less.
There already is going to be a huge group of people having to upgrade their PC's to play HOI3.... adding a requirement to have a bigger monitor is not going to help sales of HOI3.
Better off leaving it the way it is...
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Let's do a poll then, it could be really interesting to know this!
Options could be:
19" or smaller
20" or bigger
19" or smaller Widescreen
20" or bigger Widescreen
Multiple screens (2 or more screens at the same time)
Can any administrator include a poll in this thread?
Well 2 screens would be a nice option, assuming the programming issues were minimal. I do think that multiple screens are getting more and more popular in the gaming community. I might be something for Paradox to consider in their next big engine build IMHO.
Dual-screens are possible now. What is not is having some of the UI elements change to take account of the additional screen area available on dual-screen or single-screen with very large monitors/projectors. The programming issues to do so are definitely not minimal. HOI4 - possibly.
At home I currently have:
17 inch desktop PC
14 inch laptop
And I'm more likely to buy an 8.9 inch Netbook than a 21 inch widescreen monitor for the desktop. They are about the same price. The challenge for UI developers in the future is just as likely to come from accomodating small screens, and non-4:3 formats, than from huge screens.
Would be cool.
Although I can't see Paradox implementing it if it isn't trivial, don't think a dual monitor argument will win any more customers.
Although I can't see Paradox implementing it if it isn't trivial, don't think a dual monitor argument will win any more customers.
If they don't include it in HOI3 they should definitely think of preparing to have it in future games. If you code for it from the beginning, it shouldn't be problematic to include. I'd like it for sure since I have used dual monitor systems for many years, even at home. Right now I'm on a 20" laptop with an attached 19" screen. Once you start working with dual monitors, you never want to go back.
That's not true. In DirectX you have to specify which device (i.e. monitor) you want to work on. It does not abstract multiple monitors from the application programmer.
:rofl:
I also think this would be very cool, but I would utilise it in a different way. By having multiple theatres shown on different screens. Like with the US having the Pacific and Europe on different screens.
But this will never happen.
But this will never happen.
How much would this help you? I'm sure Paradox are working on a streamlined interface where juggling the different screens won't give much trouble. And for the audience with one screen having movable interface screens would be too much of a hassle. I'd rather have a well-made interface than one I have to work with.
I am a computer engineer and I develop both hardware and software (well, mostly embedded). On the other hand, with correct driver composition windows itself "sees" two monitors as one, and since directx is on the OS layer, it should "see" that way too. I have to admit I never tried that with directx but I insist it is no big deal. If it cannot be abstracted I agree you it is no easy task but if it is abstracted it is only a few tinkering here and there.
840x690 may seem puny but screens with bigger resolutions are coming every day. What would satisfy you? I can live with half my current resolution in exchange for having one screen for tabs and another for map.
About widescreen monitors; I do not know a single person (and I am not in a very rich community who buys new equipment every fortnight) who still uses 4:3 screens. In fact, because they are produced less and less everyday 4:3 screens are more expensive than 16:9 counterparts anyway. I use my old 15" notebook for mobile purposes but at home my PC is connected to my 32" widescreen tv (upscaling's a bitch but still good).
Finally, I am not proposing this as the default method of playing. I just propose to be able to select to divide the screen into two. This would not bring any more hw requirements.
I do not recall the name but there was a car-racing genre game where you can use your PSP (or N-Gage maybe) for rear-view mirrors. It was a cool addition. Why not for HoI3?