Optimized Display?

[Rott 2,351]

Am I able to get the game to run in modern fullscreen HD resolution, my monitor goes black for a moment and I guess it downgrades to the older resolution when I start it up and has the same when I quit the game and switch back to widescreen. I am NOT good with tech stuff if anyone can lend a hand and explain slowly, thanks.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

There are only limited custom resolutions which are supported by the game, so it sounds like this might be due to an unsupported set aspect ratio. If using a width and height which isn't recognised, the game tends to reset back to 800 x 600 (4:3 ratio) because it doesn't know what to do.

To set the width and height for a custom resolution, it'll need the actual defined width and height of your monitor defined in the launch options.

For example, with my 1600 x 900 and I set it to be:

-CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x32

The 32 on the end is for the color bit depth of the screen. This affects the number of colors used per pixel. It could otherwise be set to 16 instead, but for most system configurations it's worth leaving be. My post in this topic has some info on the slight visible difference this makes in quality.

Add the command (with your own width and height) to the Target box in your game's shortcut.

For example, with a different one:

As pictured it shows adding the -CPUcount:1 switch as is recommended for stability on modern systems. This limits the game to using a single CPU core that can help to reduce random crashes now and then. Additional switches (like for a custom resolution) can be added in the same way with a space separator after each.

See this article for a list of other possible ones to add:

 

And here's a list of:

Supported SC4 Custom Resolutions
(According to this wiki article)

16:9 Aspect Ratio

• 1024 x 576
• 1024 x 600
• 1360 x 768
• 1366 x 768
• 1600 x 900
• 1920 x 1080
• 2048 x 1152

16:10 Aspect Ratio

• 1280 x 800
• 1440 x 900
• 1680 x 1050
• 1920 x 1200

 

This means setting a custom resolution is possible from any of the above.

For example, with a 1920 x 1080 resolution and one would use:

-CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32

 

If you've got the Steam version, look for a "Launch Options" button when right clicking the game. I don't use this myself, but I've seen it shown by others. That allows adding the same supported switches there which tell the game what to do upon startup.

Hope this helps, and do ask if you'd like any further clarification.

[Rott 2,351]

Nice, the command line fixed the resolution problem, thanks.

I am still wondering about this other issue and if it's normal, I probably didn't describe it properly but when I start the game up both my monitors cut to black for a bit even though it only plays on my main monitor, and if I alt tab out it does the same thing when reverting back to my natural resolution, it's not a huge problem but it just seems like a bit of a violent transition.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

4 minutes ago, Rott said:

... when I start the game up both my monitors cut to black for a bit even though it only plays on my main monitor, and if I alt tab out it does the same thing when reverting back to my natural resolution, ...

Ah, yes. I know this one. It is how Windoze does it when going to full screen mode. You could try playing the game in Windowed Mode that is the same resolution as your main screen to avoid that. (Provided, ofc, that your main screen's resolution is one the game can handle.)

[Rott 2,351]

I tried to enter windowed mode into the command line but it was still full screen, unless I did it wrong (it just said -w)

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

The -w should do it. Be sure there is a space before and after it. Here's mine which works:

"C:\GOG Games\SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CPUCount:1 -w -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1280x1024x32

[Rott 2,351]

Ok, with the resolution change now windowed mode works like it should, thanks for everyone's help, one last thing, where can I ask about help using the BAT programs and such?

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

7 hours ago, Rott said:

Ok, with the resolution change now windowed mode works like it should

Woot!

One thing to keep in mind is never ever change focus while the game is saving. It's so easy to go to a 2nd screen and start doing something while the save is in progress and this will likely corrupt the save game data (which borks the city tile). Should you catch yourself doing this (as I have myself many times), wait until it has finished saving and then go back and immediately save again being sure to not click anything outside of the game until the save finishes.

And I'm sure you know to never Save and Exit or Save and Quit, but do those as separate steps. Save, then when that finishes select Exit without Saving or Quit without Saving.

A nice little reminder tool for this is @Cyclone Boom's Save Warning mod.

 

7 hours ago, Rott said:

... where can I ask about help using the BAT programs and such?

Over in the SC4 BAT & Lot Workshop forums. There are three pinned threads atop the list there. Those would be a great place to start reading.

 

[Rott 2,351]

Ah, I didn't know about this save game issue but thanks again, good thing I backup the city every few years... I guess this is a problem that happens in the bigger city sizes and/or having a lot of plugins?

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

13 minutes ago, Rott said:

I guess this is a problem that happens in the bigger city sizes and/or having a lot of plugins?

Yes, it is more prevalent in larger cities and especially those with oodles and oodles of MMPs. Plugins size itself doesn't appear to be a factor. It's the amount of data in the city save file itself. The speculation is that Maxis never dreamed of cities with so much stuff in them and so they have the Exit or Quit on a timer which doesn't actually check with the save routine to ask it if it is done.

For the tabbing out, or mousing to another program while a save is in progress, those can get corrupted regardless of the city size. SC4 just doesn't really understand multitasking and so it's best to indulge its idiosyncrasies by keeping the game in focus during the critical save duration.

[carlosmarcelo 975]

On 18/02/2020 at 10:50 PM, Cyclone Boom said:

Supported SC4 Custom Resolutions

I always wanted to know this! Thanks! 

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

4 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

The speculation is that Maxis never dreamed of cities with so much stuff in them and so they have the Exit or Quit on a timer

My speculation is that Maxis never dreamed that SC4 would be played on hardware we have today, so they created a race condition that would not have been possible 20 years ago.

[Rott 2,351]

They probably didn't expect EA to come in and totally ruin the franchise and end up making this game the last good SimCity game