SimCity 4 & Dual-Monitors setup?

[Bumdark 3]

I've recently upgraded my old PC and bought a brand new 22-inch widescreen flatscreen monitor, yet instead of throwing the old one  (slightly smaller) out, I hooked it up to have dual screens.

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|................1..............|.....|.........2.........|

|............(main)..........|.....|....................|

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Monitor 1 Resolution:.1600x1050

Monitor 2 Resolution: 1200x1024

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Now, I'm trying to operate thus: have SimCity 4 operating on the secondary, older monitor (to the right of the new central one), in fullscreen, yet keep the first one uncluttered and able to move around, peruse Internet, whatever.

Is this in any way possible? I've done some searching, both Google and here on ST, yet I can't find anythign that addresses this specific goal. Any help on how to achieve this, or comments on my insanity at thinking it's possible if it's not, would be appreciated.

Otherwise, I've already tried to do this, but all that happens is that SC4 opens (I currently have it in Windowed mode, but I tried this in fullscreen) on Monitor 1 just fine, yet Monitor 2 blacks out, bugs and generally begs to be put out of its misery until I quite SC4, at which time it returns to normal.

Please note I'm quite new to dual monitors and the differences in mechanics and workings they have from single monitors.

* * *

If the above is impossible (running SC4 in fullscreen on Monitor 2 while keeping Monitor 1 free), then is it possible to have SC4 running in Windowed mode, on Monitor 2, at 1200x1024 (which is Monitor 2's resolution BTW)? Only, when I open it on Monitor 1 (which is set at 1680x1050) at 1200x1024, the 'window' bit of SC4 disappears and I can't move it.

I know, lots of complicated issues, but I wouldn't be asking here if I could figure this stuff out by myself. Please help. Thanks.

[Argon Vex 1]

I use a dual monitor setup as well and sometimes I do what you do: Play Simcity while doing other stuff. Here's how I do it:

Using command lines, I start up a windowed session of SC4, with a custom resolution close to my monitors resolution. So in your case that'd be 1200x1000 or something similar. You've got to account for the title bar if you're using a windowed session. Here are the command lines you should use:

-w Starts the game in windowed mode

-r 1200x1000x32: Sets the custom resolution to 1200x1000 at 32-bit color depth.

Optional command lines:

-intro:off Skips the intro music

-music:off Turns the music off, in case you want to listen to your own music in the background. Of course you could also just use the option menu for this

So in your case, if you select the properties of the shortcut to Simcity 4.exe, the target line should read something like this, you'll probably have to change the directory though:

"D:\Games\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -r1200x1000x32 -intro:off -music:off

This starts the game windowed, at a 1200x1000 resolution, skips the intro and starts with the music off. You can also change off to on, if you prefer the have them enabled.

Hope this helps

[Bumdark 3]

@Argon Vex:

Whenever I input any form of a custom resolution (widescreen or not), the stupid game automatically chooses, within its Graphic Options menu, the closest 'standard format' resolution to open with. I tried opening the game in 1200x1000 resolution as you wrote, and I get this:

^ A screencap with my dual screens, with SimCity 4 in 'Windowed mode'.

The code that's entered in the SC4 shortcut (in my Quick Launch bar) is: 'C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -introff -r1200x1024x32'

NOTE I manually entered '-r1200x1000x32' before launching the game. This is now, after the game has been launched (and subsequently closed). It changed by itself.

Thank you for your help nonetheless. Always open to more solutions, of course.

And may I add, I like your username.

[Sam 163]

I think you need to add CustomResolution:enabled. Eg:

"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x32 -w

[Bumdark 3]

@sam:

Indeed, I just found that out myself on Google. But it didn't work any better; the code in the shortcut is now '"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -introff -CustomResolution:enabled -r1200x960x32'

Alas, it still won't work -- this time, the game doesn't even launch at all. PC seems to work up for a moment, then revs back down and then stops again.

[Sam 163]

try putting the custom resolution stuff before the intro off stuff. I think that made a difference with mine

[JakeMD 107]

I see your problem. The -introff should actually be 'Introff', in other words, the 'I' needs to be capitalized. Same with -CustomResolution:enabled, the E in enabled needs to be capitalized.

[tungston 19]

Swat-medic, that is not accurate information, they don't need be uppercase characters.

[Bumdark 3]

Ok, I've just tried it once more, this time moving the 'CustomResolution:enabled' bit to the front, so it read like '"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -w -introff -r1200x960x32'. It still didn't work, game wouldn't even launch at all. Same thing when I tried it without caps.

Then I wondered if somehow the game wasn't launching, period, whether 'CustomResolution' was there or not, so I deleted it from the target field, and the game launched (though in the wrong resolution).

@sam: Just did, still didn't work. Dang.

@SWAT-MEDIC: tungston's right, caps don't matter at all. But thanks for trying to help anyway, of course.

@tungston: Right you are.

Ah well, thanks for the ideas guys. I dunno, maybe it's just my PC. Is it normal that the custom resolution you input (the '-r____x___x__' bit) keeps changing back to a 'default' setting that closer matches what you input? That's what mine does, and I never heard of it happening to anyone else.

So, to summarize:

"[Path]" -w -introff -r1200x960x32 = Game automatically switches resolution to 1280x1024.

"[Path]" -w -introff -CustomResolution:enabled -r1200x960x32 = Game doesn't launch at all.

"[Path]" -CustomResolution:enabled -w -introff -r1200x960x32 = Again, game just won't launch at all.

[Argon Vex 1]

-CustomResolution would seem to be a faulty commandline. Whenever I add it, the game won't start. If I remove it, the game does start.

I actually hadn't noticed it just picked the next best standard resolution, since I always choose them pretty close to the standard ones. But when -r800x800x32 didn't give me a square box, it was obvious

Oh, and what's so special about my name then?

EDIT: Ok, this is strange. I just played around with -CustomResolution:enabled a bit more, and 1440x900 as well as 1280x960 both work. I can provide screenshots if you don't believe me.

So I decided to test it out a bit more. 1280x768, 960x600, 1152x864, 1280x720 and even 2048x1536 all worked. That last one is big enough to have all of a large city tile on your screen at once at maximum zoom. It just really hurts your eyes

Coincidentally, these are all resolutions I can set for my desktop. 1120x600 is a perfect 16:9 resolution, but it wouldn't work. I couldn't set my desktop to it either. So I'm guessing you have to choose a resolution that your monitor actually supports. Hope that helps!

[Sam 163]

Custom resolution seems to works fine for my game.

[Bumdark 3]

SUCCESS!!! ... Sort of!

I've followed Argon Vex' suggestion of entering a resolution that the monitor specifically supports (instead of what I was doing, just lowering the numbers while keeping it to the 4:3 (or whatever it is) ratio). The command line now reads: '"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -w -introff -r1152x864x32'.

And for once, SC4 isn't switching it to another resolution, it's staying there! Bout time something worked right ...

So now I've got my almost-full-screen SC4 window running on Monitor 2 while Monitor 1 is free to do whatever else I want. Yay!

@Argon Vex:

About your name: I dunno, I just like the sound of it. Half high-tech, half-'old'-ish ... I dunno, I just like it.

Yeah, as I said, I forgot about the ratio and decided to input a resolution the monitor specifically supports, and there we go! Thought the game failed to launch again, then it just popped up after a few moments. Playing it right now!

*Stupid Sims, stop striking ...!*

Thanks for your help bud! You definitely have more experience than your 12 posts allow for ...

@sam:

Well, glad it works out for you. Now it does for me too. Thanks for the help.

Thanks to everyone ... and happy holidays. Now s'cuse me, got my own birthday to attend ... *God I'm old. 17. :'( *

[Argon Vex 1]

Originally posted by: Bumdark

Thanks for your help bud! You definitely have more experience than your 12 posts allow for ... quote>

I'm more of a lurker here. Might change soon though...

Thanks to everyone ... and happy holidays. Now s'cuse me, got my own birthday to attend ... *God I'm old. 17. :'( *quote>

Congrats!

[Sam 163]

Happy Birthday.

I'm glad you got it working.