Resolution problem

**Accius** · May 26, 2008, 01:30 AM

Hey there --

So I recently decided to re-install RTW onto my new laptop which has NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT 256mb graphics, after I drove across the US and listened to Anthony Everitt's "Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor" (which is terrific, by the way). Anyhow, I turned up the resolution and graphics to play the game, but it seems that regardless of which resolution I set either the strategy map or the battle map to, I still end up with the 1024 x 768. So what this means is that when I'm on the map playing the strategy campaign or playing a battle, everything is too enlarged and the pictures of the buildings and characters are blurry. I can practically see the pixels! I've tried re-installing the game to no avail. I've tinkered with the resolution options also, but have been unsuccessful.

Can anyone help me out? I'd very much appreciate it.

**Accius** · May 28, 2008, 02:00 PM

Well no one has answered my question, but I've been doing some research and I found Quietus' guide to RTW (http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=45315) where he mentions a resolution fix. I need help understanding it though... does anyone know how to change the basic resolution from 1028 x 768 to anything higher?

C. Options:

Maximum Resolution Fix – (Credit and big thx to Centuri0n of the .COM forum for this; I’ve simply fleshed out his find and added a table). The auto-detect option doesn’t pick the best resolution of your machine, thus you have to tinker with it yourself.

This is extremely important to your RTW experience. Go to RTW>data>descr_auto_optimise_options.txt. Open the file.
The autodetect gives you a designated/assigned code or numbers according to your machine.

Criteria Actual Value Assigned Value
Vertex Shader Version 0 0
Vertex Shader Version 1.1 1.1
Vertex Shader Version 2.0 2
Processor Speed (ghz) x ≤ 1.5 1
Processor Speed (ghz) 1.5 < x ≤ 2.0 2
Processor Speed (ghz) 2.0 < x ≤ 2.5 3
Processor Speed (ghz) 2.5 < x 4
Physical RAM (MB) x ≤ 256 1
Physical RAM (MB) 256 < x ≤ 384 2
Physical RAM (MB) 384 < x ≤ 512 3
Physical RAM (MB) 512 < x 4
Video RAM (MB) 64 1
Video RAM (MB) 128 2
Video RAM (MB 256 3
Video RAM (MB) 512 4
Using my system as an example: Vertex Shader 1.1, 2.2 ghz, 640 MB RAM, GeForce4 4200 Go 64 MB video card, I get “1.1, 3, 4, 1 “ as assigned values.

Once you’ve obtained you assigned numbers, look for your designation in the text file horizontally (the first four rows of values)(diagram 1.1).

Diagram 1.1 Quietus' old resolution setting:

1.1 3 4 1 Move right horizontally --- > 1028 x 768 1028 x 768
Diagram 1.2 Quietus' new resolution setting

1.1 3 4 1 Move right horizontally ---> 1280 x 800 1280 x 800

**pc_gamer321** · July 21, 2008, 01:44 AM

I'm bumping this topic, as I'm having the exact same problem. No matter what I change the resolution too (1680 x 1050 in this case, my native res) it remains blurry. I looked at the res fix shown above, but I don't really understand it.

It is driving me crazy!

**Brusilov** · July 21, 2008, 06:20 AM

So, the problem that first poster had was no matter what resolution they selected the game was played in 1024x768.

Have you tried to change the values in the preferences.txt?

The following are the values that I have (I play at 1920x1200);

Code:

STRATEGY_RESOLUTION:1920x1200
STRATEGY_MAX_RESOLUTION:2048x1536
STRATEGY_32_BIT:TRUE
BATTLE_RESOLUTION:1920x1200
BATTLE_MAX_RESOLUTION:2048x1536

**pc_gamer321** · July 21, 2008, 03:17 PM

Yea, I have those values, except its 1680 x 1050 for the two resolutions. I go in game everything is like not like that....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

The weird thing is in the screenshot, it came out as 1680 x 1050, yet it doesn't look anything like that.

**pc_gamer321** · July 23, 2008, 03:03 AM

Oh, also to add some more info.

My monitor has a native res of 1680 x 1050. In the game, lower resolutions actually start to look better than the native res. When I change to that, its like jaggies galore.
I just don't know what to do.

**Brusilov** · July 23, 2008, 04:53 AM

So, when you viewed the screenshot (and it looked better) it was on the same monitor?

**pc_gamer321** · July 23, 2008, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Brusilov

So, when you viewed the screenshot (and it looked better) it was on the same monitor?

Yea.

**Brusilov** · July 24, 2008, 03:17 AM

Originally Posted by pc_gamer321

Yea.

Weird!

I did a quick search through the forums (I've seen posts about this problem before) but only found references to the web page you've already found. I am sure I've seen something different (solution) before but can't find it.

When you put large images in your posts it's sometimes best to put "spoiler" tags around the picture - this means the screen takes less time to load.

Spoiler tags are added as follows (just remove the asterisks);

[*spoiler]
"your image"
[*/spoiler]

So the above will appear as;

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Edited: Have you tried to go through the Nvidia Control panel to force certain settings (Nvidia Control Panel>Manage 3d Settings - and then use settings for specific programs). If the image is jagged it's probably related to anti-alaising.

**pc_gamer321** · July 24, 2008, 12:33 PM

No I haven't forced anything in the CCC ( I'm with ATi). Should I force Rome instead of using ingame settings?

**irishron** · July 24, 2008, 01:02 PM

On my computer, I tried forcing CCC and got a black screen for my efforts.

**Brusilov** · July 24, 2008, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by pc_gamer321

No I haven't forced anything in the CCC ( I'm with ATi). Should I force Rome instead of using ingame settings?

When I used ATI cards I used something in the place of Catalyst - I can't find the details yet.

**irishron** · July 25, 2008, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by Brusilov

When I used ATI cards I used something in the place of Catalyst - I can't find the details yet.

I forget the name of it but the last time I was on majorgeek's site, it was still there.

**pc_gamer321** · July 28, 2008, 04:08 AM

Oh wait, ATi tray tools?

Btw, how long ago was that irishron?

**irishron** · July 28, 2008, 08:29 AM

About this time last year. I'm not techy enough to make real good use of its advanced settings and my card in this small case has enough heat problems without my tinkering. If you can make use of it, go for it.