Optimizing Resolution for Descent 3

[Kaizerwolf]

I'm planning on attempting a stream of D1, 2 and 3 for Descent 1's birthday sometime in the future. I know D1x/D2X Rebirth will support my monitor's 1600x900 resolution, but Descent 3 was always an odd-ball. The resolution always seems to be stuck to one setting, and won't ever change for me, even if I select a new res. Is there any way to force it to 1600x900, or will things get messy?

I'd also be interested in an answer for this because once the game closes, I find that desktop icons will move, or any open windows will sometimes be shrunken to horrible sizes.

EDIT: Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I couldn't seem to find a place that this would fit...

Cheers,
Kw

[Krom]

The problem you are experiencing is because the Descent 3 menu and automap screens always render at 640x480 resolution. You can use the command line options -width 1600 -height 900 -aspect 1.78 to make the actual gameplay render at 1600x900, but the loading screens/menus/etc are hard coded to 640x480.

[Kaizerwolf]

The problem you are experiencing is because the Descent 3 menu and automap screens always render at 640x480 resolution. You can use the command line options -width 1600 -height 900 -aspect 1.78 to make the actual gameplay render at 1600x900, but the loading screens/menus/etc are hard coded to 640x480.

Krom, this is fantastic! I had to use the + key to get it full screen in-game, but it looks a hell of a lot better now! Thank you! I've also been ironing out other bugs here and there, like the Render Distance bug (26 on detail instead of 28), and got the mouse to properly poll to hold a fusion charge.

[Hunter]

Don't forget to grab the modified 32-bit graphic patch if you're using a new computer. It will improve those horrid texture issues. Matt and the team did mention they have a new 1.5 build on the backburner that they *might* finish at some point. It supports D3 in Windowed mode (as seen on the livestream) which would be great for solving that desktop issue.

[Kaizerwolf]

I am curious though, where did that aspect number come from, 1.78? Is that just 16 / 9 rounded up?

Hunter, as far as I know, my D3 is patched to 1.4, but is a custom install from a user a few years back with some bugs like that ironed out, so I'm not too sure. I think the user's name was Thomas, and I got the custom install/files from his website, but don't quote me on that. 32-bit color seems to stick, at least in the menus.

[Krom]

I am curious though, where did that aspect number come from, 1.78? Is that just 16 / 9 rounded up?

Yep. Otherwise the game defaults to 4:3 and everything looks squashed on a widescreen monitor. Although due to how D3 handles widescreen support, instead of extending the left and right of the screen it cuts off the top and the bottom. So you aren't able to see as much on the screen at once compared to forcing the game to run at a 4:3 resolution. A lot of people set up custom 4:3 resolutions (1440x1080/1400x1050/1200x900/etc) in windows and then run D3 at those just so they can see the maximum field of view.

[Kaizerwolf]

I am curious though, where did that aspect number come from, 1.78? Is that just 16 / 9 rounded up?

Yep. Otherwise the game defaults to 4:3 and everything looks squashed on a widescreen monitor. Although due to how D3 handles widescreen support, instead of extending the left and right of the screen it cuts off the top and the bottom. So you aren't able to see as much on the screen at once compared to forcing the game to run at a 4:3 resolution. A lot of people set up custom 4:3 resolutions (1440x1080/1400x1050/1200x900/etc) in windows and then run D3 at those just so they can see the maximum field of view.

See when I set that, it launched a level in a 4:3 resolution. So I just used the + key to get to the max resolution, and it actually fit in a 16:9 window, nothing cut off as far as I can tell!

[Kaizerwolf]

Another question on the game... there seems to be some kind of ambient background noise that ends up causing a ton of static to come through. I looked on the one website with a list of 140+ bugs for D3, but I couldn't find anything about this. Is it a fixable issue?

[Krom]

In the Settings / General there is a button to enable or disable ship sounds, turn them off and it should clear up the static.

[Grendel]

Wasn't there a bug in the 16bit sound setting ? Try the other setting and see if that clears it up.

[Kaizerwolf]

It actually wasn't ship sounds, turning it off didn't change the sound. It was most noticeable on the first level, at the end where the matcen and middle energy beam thing was. Just a ton of static. Set the audio quality to Low, went back in, and heard it proper; an electricity sound. Put the sound back to High quality, went in, and it sounded fine. Maybe I just needed to swap the quality to force a reset or something. Thanks again guys!