SimCity 4 in Wide Screen Mode

[Cougar2004 127]

In 2004 when I got SimCity 4 Deluxe, I had a little 14 inch square tube monitor.  Well, now I have upgraded to a nice 19inch flat widescreen monitor (actually a year or two ago).

I always played SimCity in 800x600 resolution, and then 1024x768.  On this wide screen monitor, I tried many different settings, including the higher res 1600x1200, and 1280x1024 but they wouldn't work.  What I really need is 1440x900 (WideScreen) resolution for my nice new widescreen monitor. 

On a SC4D site, I read about this:

Code: (Custom Resolution)

-CustomResolution:enabled

Enables custom resolutions including the 16:9 ratio

and

Code: (Resolution Change)

-r[W]x[Y]x[Z]

Where:

WxY is a resolution (without using -CustomResolution:enable  the screen resolution has to be either: 800x600, 1024x768, or 1280x1024)

Z is colour depth (32 or 16)

Both of these appear to be startup options when using these arguments with the desktop shortcut to start the game. 

Solution:  I now use, for my deskop startup icon path:

 "C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -l:english -Intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1440x900x32

My SimCity 4 Game always looked great, now.... It looks and plays AMAZING!  (Tools are smaller, leaving tons more visible gameplay space too.)

You may have already known all this, but if not... perhaps this can help someone.  So I'm posting it here.  (I never found this topic on here when i searched for it every year previously.)  Enjoy~!

- Cougar

EDIT:   Poll Added!!  (Vote today~)

[eag 0]

Thanks a lot!

I really need this on my new laptop.

[Cougar2004 127]

Ahhhh..... over 4 days later and I was starting to think it was a mistake to post the Wide Screen Solution on Simtropolis here.

I'm glad you (at least 1 person) found it useful. I know it was a quite the kicker for me to experiment with and learn. Wish i knew it years ago.

(On another note: I tried to use the search feature on here to find this post by typing 'widescreen' and 'wide screen' and neither brought up this thread, so perhaps other people won't be able to search for this thread topic after all. I'll have to experiment more with the search feature on here.)

[Darth Apple 54]

thanks , I may find it usefull , but I have a VERY old computer , so it would slow it down.

and many may find this stuff usefull , thats what the forums are for.

Blake

[Cougar2004 127]

In my testing, it shows that you can only set your manual resolution in the shortcut link IF your graphics card supports the resolution. In my case, my GFX card does support 1440x900 so it works for my wide screen. However, other resolutions may work for individuals... they just need to open their Graphics Card Resolution settings (right click on desktop usually starts this) and select one that is found as an option there.

My experience has shown that higher resolutions, if the computer (gfx card and monitor) support it, don't really take much more system resources. But this may not be the case for the Sim City 4 game. It may require quite a bit more resources in a higher res. In fact, I think I recall some crashing in large cities that were seriously filled with buildings in my higher res, which played more stable in 800x600. So that may be something to consider for older computers as you said.

[brunoresende29 6]

Thanks!! Really worked!!

[TV-VCR 15]

Heh, I posted a guide about this a while back.

 -w

Windowed

 -f

Fullscreen

 CustomResolution:enabled

Enables nonstandard resolutions

 -r000x000x00

The custom resolution. The first three zeros are width. The second three zeroes are height. The last two zeros are bit depth.

 -introff

Turns off the (obnoxiously loud) EA intro and the SC4 intro movie.

Example:

"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -CustomResolution:enabled -r1440x900x32 -introff

Of course these are just the most commonly used ones. There are quite a few more.

[packersfan 666]

Yep, I had this question o a year or two back when I got my widescreen laptop, been play SC4, widescreen ever since...so much better than whatever I did before...can't even remember.

[Cougar2004 127]

I'm really glad this news is getting out to people who need it to improve their Sim City 4 gaming experience!  It sounds like some experienced users here already knew about this before.

Guess what?!?  POLL ADDED!!!  Vote in the new poll at the top of this thread.  

I got curious what percentage of our users actually play on wide screen monitors, so this poll should help. 

[masochist 111]

I do!

[esirvys 0]

the window option was a real handy one - unfortunately for me when i use it i find the screen (for lack of a better description) jumping a bit which makes it unusable. Im using vista though. anyone seen this ?

[Cougar2004 127]

Seems like the Poll shows that almost all users are using Wide Screen.... but I have a theory that that may only be the case in the poll because only Wide Screen users would click on a Topic called "SimCity 4 in Wide Screen Mode".  

On another note:  I've recently been researching the Omnibus, and found this article from 2006 that is completely related to this topic.  Here is a link for users who want a second confirmation of: Getting Sim City 4 Rush Hour to Run On A Custom Resolution 

[The Arrowz 3]

Very handy! Especially with 1280x800 screen Thanks

[Cougar2004 127]

Originally posted by: The Arrowz Very handy! Especially with 1280x800 screen Thanksquote>

 

Excellent.... Glad it was helpful to you!   Hopefully all wide screen users can find this thread and try it out so they dont have to go many years in a stretched low res.  

[bourneid 13]

Has anyone experinced the problem with the funky city tile images having the black bar in it... has anyone ever figured out how to fix that?

[tungston 19]

BID, that is caused by rendering the region with a resolution of 1600x1200 or higher. Render the region at a lower resolution, then you can go back to the higher resolution.

[mittfh 7]

Here's what my Quick Launch shortcut does:

"C:\program files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1280x800x32

O/T, but in case you haven't discovered it yet, -intro:off disables the intro movie

[Shadow Assassin 336]

BID, that is caused by rendering the region with a resolution of 1600x1200 or higher. Render the region at a lower resolution, then you can go back to the higher resolution.quote>

Rather, it's only caused by rendering the region (or saving the city tile inside the region, really) at a vertical resolution higher than 1200px (which is impossible, considering SC4's maximum resolution is apparently 1920x1200). I don't know if that is the hard maximum, but if someone who has a resolution of 2048x1536 may care to try?

And besides, that solution means the black bar will reappear if you save the city tile at that higher resolution. I wouldn't worry about it too much, since well... it's only a cosmetic effect. Your cities will still be OK.

[tungston 19]

Originally posted by: Shadow_Assassin

BID, that is caused by rendering the region with a resolution of 1600x1200 or higher. Render the region at a lower resolution, then you can go back to the higher resolution.quote>

Rather, it's only caused by rendering the region (or saving the city tile inside the region, really) at a vertical resolution higher than 1200px (which is impossible, considering SC4's maximum resolution is apparently 1920x1200). I don't know if that is the hard maximum, but if someone who has a resolution of 2048x1536 may care to try?

And besides, that solution means the black bar will reappear if you save the city tile at that higher resolution. I wouldn't worry about it too much, since well... it's only a cosmetic effect. Your cities will still be OK.quote>

 

You have aquired some incorrect information somewhere along the line.  

I have used a resolution as high as 2048x1536.  The bar doesn't appear when saving at that resolution, at least not in my game.  I haven't tried a higher resolution, I can barely read the print at that resolution.

You are right that it won't affect the play of the game, but it sure spoils an image of the region.

[TrentonD 0]

Wow, thank you very much. I have just returned to SC4 and Simtropolis after months of not playing (maybe even a year or two?) and a lot has changed... I am now on a dual-monitor setup with my main monitor being a 22" widescreen. I just tested the game out on a 1680x1050 resolution and it looks great! Now I must re-DL all my favourite BATs and mods. Thanks for the tip!

[sunpig 1]

Thanks alot!  Now I'm playing 1680x1050 and the graphics are way better of course but the only problem is that it takes alot of time to safe.  Like about 10 mins

My Rig: Antec Twelve Hundred Ultimate Gamer Case, CREATIVE X-FI PLATIUM FATALITY CHAMP, LG GSA H55L DVDRW 20X LightScribe, Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHZ 1333FSB 6MB, SEAGATE 160GB 7200RPM SATA, 2 SEAGATES 500GB 16MB, SEAGATE 1TB SATA II 32MB, SEAGATE NS 320GB SATA II 16MB, PATRIOT VIPER 4G KIT 8500MHZ RAM, ASUS P5B DELUXE SKT 775 DDR2 1600FSB, Corsair 620W Power Supply, BFG GF8800GTS OC2 640MB DDR2 and a SAMSUNG SyncMaster 2232GW 22'

[Cougar2004 127]

I just realized how many people found this thread.  Glad so many people can benefit from this bit of info.  It was useful to me too when i eventually found it.

Does anyone know if SimCity will play on dual Wide Screen Monitors at the same time?  I'm not really sure how that would work.  Anyone with experience?

[TV-VCR 15]

Originally posted by: Cougar2004

I just realized how many people found this thread.  Glad so many people can benefit from this bit of info.  It was useful to me too when i eventually found it.

Does anyone know if SimCity will play on dual Wide Screen Monitors at the same time?  I'm not really sure how that would work.  Anyone with experience?

quote>

I don't believe SimCity is capable of that. Actually, none of the games I have can be played on two monitors (perhaps that's because I have a bit small of a library ).

[McDuell 301]

I play windowed on a 22" wide screen.

My shortcut string:

"G:\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -w -r1600x1000x32 -d:Software -audio:off

The 1600x1000 window is exactly large enough not to get hidden behind the Taskbar, and I can still reach my most important shortcuts while the game is running .

Fixed the smilies

tungston

[Streetwise 3]

My in-game resolution is 1920x1200x32 1600x1200x32 and I have a 26" widescreen monitor. It looks great!

I used to have two monitors, and SC4 never ran on anything else than my primary monitor (the one I mentioned above).

[Cougar2004 127]

Originally posted by: Streetwise My in-game resolution is 1920x1200x32 1600x1200x32 and I have a 26" widescreen monitor. It looks great!

I used to have two monitors, and SC4 never ran on anything else than my primary monitor (the one I mentioned above).quote>

 

After reading the concensus above, it sounds like SimCity 4 Deluxe can only be played on a single monitor (of any shape and any resolution that your graphics card supports) but is not able to run on both monitors in a Dual Monitor setup. 

If anyone has proof to the contrary, please share it here.    Thanks.

[stormlover 16]

Maaaahvalous! Thank you Cougar! At last, I can see the WHOLE city. 

(And thank you to those who've shared this very important bit of info before.)

Oh what a relief!

Tim in Cape Fear, NC

[Askee 0]

I run with the following shortcut path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /c START "high  priority sc4" /high "C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -Introff -CustomResolution:enabled -r1440x900x32 -f

So that's 1440x900 With no intro and it starts in high priority.

My .exe is also modified so SC4 only uses the first CPU core, which seems to have mostly fixed the random CTD's, yay!

[AlikMalik 1]

For those who aren't that savvy with all this jibbarish, can I get a simplified step by step on what to do with my 24" 16:9 format screen. I also got a Quad Pentium (regarding that priority stuff you talking about).

What do I need to do. I love this game, but it looks like crap all stretched.

Please help me.

[AlikMalik 1]

Eurika!!!!

I figure this whole thing out... Thanks so much for the original idea.  It works great.  I can see so much more of my city now.

Great find.

Thank you.