Windowed Mode Problem

[aerojad 8]

I wanted to run SC in windowed mode for a bit, and so I did with the good old changing the link to

C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe -w

But now I want to run it in full screen again. I take the -w out, and the game still runs in windowed mode

Is there a -full or -f or -something that I can type into the link to force it back into full screen mode?

[sc4ky 1]

Remember to search first, I also had this problem.

Insert this instead for the target line:

C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe -f

It will run in full screen mode again.

[Athens2004 1]

Does windowed mode exist on the Deluxe Edition?

[xiziz 11]

Personally ive got 2 shortcuts, one for full screen(with the -f addon) and one for windowed mode ( -w)
Works really nice, exept you cannot chose resolution in shortcut... what i know about

Cheers
//Sim

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Date: 8/22/2005 11:14:43 AM
Author: Athens2004
Does windowed mode exist on the Deluxe Edition?

quote>

yes.

[Rubix 0]

It worked for me with SimCity 4, but not with SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition... Is there an alternative?

[greyveil 37]

Welcome to Simtropolis!

if you put the command outside the qoutes it should work, there is no alternative, like so.... "C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w

[Rubix 0]

Tnx for your welcome

Sorry, I discovered it was my fault. I tried it again and it now works fine, don't know what I was doing wrong Must've been a typo.

[koffee 0]

Originally posted by: xiziz 

Works really nice, exept you cannot chose resolution in shortcut... what i know about

quote>

 

 

-r800x600x32 sets the resolution to 800x600, and the depth to 32

 

You can put in different (valid) values, of course.  However, when you switch back to full screen, it remembers the resolution.  So, on my computer (1024x768 screen), I have two shortcuts:

 

-intro:off -w -r800x600x32

-intro:off -f -r1024x768x32

The -intro:off turns off the opening movies.

 

[Anebrd 0]

I would like to run simcity 4 in windowed mode too but I do not know how. Where does the w go in the Configuration Settings?

[kellydale2003 2,276]

You put the -w in your shortcut. You right-click on your SC4 Shortcut, then you click on properties then go to shortcut. at the end of your shortcut you put a space and add -w.

Help?

[SimSmokr 0]

Yeah, just to bump this, since I again needed to look it up.

To summarize, right-click the desktop shortcut, go to properties, then change the end of the target after the last " mark. There add one of the below.

-intro:off -w -r800x600x32

If you want to get rid of the movies and run it in window mode in 800x600

-intro:off -w -r1024x768x32 is what I use

Then right-click that shortcut again after saving the changes, and copy it so you have another shortcut, then change after the last " in the new shortcut to

-intro:off -f -r1024x768x32

so that you can have a shortcut that will go fullscreen if you want to go back to that easily.

My most used shortcut has this in it's target

"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -w -r1024x768x32

Nods to all who started and added to this one.

[Lukeonia1 0]

Here's a good one for you fine folks. Even with the -w command line switch, SimCity 4 still runs in fullscreen mode. I'm sure it's entered correctly because the -intro:off switch works properly. Perhaps someone could examine their SimCity 4.cfg file with a Hex editor and see where the window/fullscreen marker is? Thanks.

...It's kind of an issue for me since I run a dual-monitor setup with my primary monitor being a smaller widescreen laptop monitor. Unless I can get this sorted out, SC4 will be unplayable on my system.

[sim-Al2 4]

Simcity 4.cfg is a human-readable text file. Make sure there is a space between switches and the last quotation mark in the path.

[Lukeonia1 0]

Originally posted by: sim-Al2 Simcity 4.cfg is a human-readable text file.quote>

You and I must be looking at different files. My SimCity 4.cfg file is a 284-byte file in the root SimCity 4 directory. Perhaps there's a line I can add to the /Apps/SimCity 4.ini file?

[tungston 19]

You do need a space after the target quotation marks, and after each tag, You should end with the intro off.

You may need to add a resolution smaller than the native resolution of your moniter.

I think you need to start the game with the shortcut at least once for the tag to take effect.

[gundamfan 0]

It's been a while, but I'm looking to play SimCity 4 again. However, none of these things works. I copy-pasted the exact commands into my shortcut and they don't work. When I enable windowed mode, the splash screen shows up, but the game never runs. When I disable windowed mode but enable a custom resolution and set it to widescreen, the game still runs the usual 1024x768.

I have Vista 64 bit. I installed the latest patch (according the SimCity 4 website) and two NAM updates. What could be wrong? 

[JakeMD 107]

Originally posted by: gundamfan

It's been a while, but I'm looking to play SimCity 4 again. However, none of these things works. I copy-pasted the exact commands into my shortcut and they don't work. When I enable windowed mode, the splash screen shows up, but the game never runs. When I disable windowed mode but enable a custom resolution and set it to widescreen, the game still runs the usual 1024x768.

I have Vista 64 bit. I installed the latest patch (according the SimCity 4 website) and two NAM updates. What could be wrong? quote>

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -r1440x900x32 -CustomResolution:enabled

This should be the path you installed it to if you are running 64-bit vista.  change the -r1440x900x32 to a resolution of your choice.  for example, -r1600x1200x32. 

note, the x32 is not required, but doesn't hurt to add.

[gundamfan 0]

Thanks for the reply. I tried this exact path, but when I open the game, the splash screen shows up, but the game itself never loads. It's not even a process in the task manager. What could be wrong?

[tungston 19]

Make sure you use a resolution your monitor is capblable of using.

[gundamfan 0]

Well I have used a variety of resolutions in windowed mode with other games, so I don't know why it'd be a problem here.

EDIT: Alright, so I switched it to 1920x1080, the full screen res, and it worked. This is annoying though, because i can't really use windowed mode that way (I prefer it for the multitasking and convenience). Weirdly enough other apps work fine with lower resolutions, but apparently not here. Any idea how I could fix that, or am I stuck with full res fullscreen?

[nirgal23 23]

Just a quick thanks for this post.

Recently decided to spend some time playing this - online gaming has gotten old to be honest - and wanting to run windowed at a custom res was throwing me alot, to find the answer within one page of posts and for it to work right away - AWESOME!

[gundamfan 0]

Haha I guess you're lucky I had a problem and bumped the thread

Looks like we both have a similar situation. I was super obsessed with Simcity 4 way back when (hence joined back in 2003), but I haven't played it in a good 4 years or so. SimCity on the iPhone revived my interest though, so here I am!

(Also wow, haha, I was in middle school back then, but now I'm in college!)

Anyway I just wish my computer weren't so finicky about resolutions. Previous computers were fine with any resolutions, and it lets me play whatever resolution I want for games like Team Fortress 2 or Left 4 Dead or Empire:Total War, but SimCity 4 doesn't seem to have as much luck. For some reason most games only show 1920x1080 and then a few tiny 4:3 resolutions, which makes windowed mode impossible here. I have a Vaio VGN-FW290, could that contribute to the problem? It's got an ATI card, latest drivers. I don't know anybody who has similar resolution restricting issues like I do, so it's weird.

[Rionescu 14]

I've been having a problem with windowed mode as well. I can run a custom resolution for full screen mode perfectly, but when I try to do the same thing in windowed mode it'll either open in fullscreen mode or it just won't do anything. For now I'm stuck playing in fullscreen mode or windowed mode with a bad resolution. If it helps, I'm running Deluxe with the update, and I don't think my plugins have anything to do with it since it's always been a problem.

[zachkohn 0]

messing with this I noticed that I had to pick a res that followed a proper aspect ratio. Ex. 1650x1024 would not start up, but if I choose 1600x1024 it would work just fine in windowed mode. try something simple like 800x600 to start, then try bumping the size up.

[jabezscratch 159]

On topic yet a little off topic: I've started running SC4 exclusively in windowed mode and, for some reason, it runs incredibly well, much better than in full screen. I suppose it depends on each individual system and setup.

[Klappa 1]

Thank you it helped me

[ed_diaz 10]

anyone figure this out for windows 7 64bit? i have tried all suggestions and nothing works, it always goes to full screen no matter what!. i even tried multiple times deleting the short cut and redoing a new one and trying over and nothing works.

[Slashback 136]

You can actually run the game in windowed mode and fullscreen at the same time:

Just change the resolution (in-game options menu) to you screen.

[tungston 19]

Originally posted by: ed_diaz

anyone figure this out for windows 7 64bit? i have tried all suggestions and nothing works, it always goes to full screen no matter what!. i even tried multiple times deleting the short cut and redoing a new one and trying over and nothing works.quote>

I don't know what you are doing, or not doing, but you haven't got it right yet.  There is no difference in the way it works in any of the Windows editions.

Copy the target path, and tags, and paste it into your reply.