Transcendence

PROBLEM: Since many netbooks have a vertical resolution lower than 768 pixels, or a horizontal resolution lower than 1024 pixels, this makes the game difficult or unplayable. Important details, such as docking text, item descriptions, and navigational markers, disappear off the screen edges, even with the /windowed and /directx switches enabled.


REQUEST: a "/netbook" switch that uses smaller fonts (or scrollbars for content that goes outside the game window) and reorients screen markers, docking and ship management screens, and so forth, so they are visible on screens lower than 1024x768 resolutions.

JUSTIFICATION: Netbooks are all the rage these days, and a low-power, high-fun game like Transcendence is perfect for the form factor. It's a customer base worth pleasing.

SOLUTION 1A: When the game is run on a lower-res screen, automatically use scroll bars to make content that runs off the screen visible, such as with the inventory or docking screens.

OR

SOLUTION 1B: Scale inventory, docking screens, etc. to fit the window size when using the /directx switch.

AND

SOLUTION 2: Ensure that nav markers in the main navigation screen appear relative to the game window's edge rather than hardcoding them to appear at y0 and y768.

^^ not sure if this will ever be something that will be done, but I do know that's also the same screen resolution as on the XP phone... playing T on your phone! what fun! XD

I play Trans on my fiance's itty bitty computer... the only issue I have is that the targeting doesn't work on top-down and the start screen looks a little silly being cut off on top and bottom. But besides that, the HUD works fine etc. I just wish I could have my proper top and bottom edges

Wolfy wrote:^^ not sure if this will ever be something that will be done, but I do know that's also the same screen resolution as on the XP phone... playing T on your phone! what fun! XD

I don't think it's an unreasonable request, just a bit unusual. To restate clearly, my request is that the following conform to low/widescreen resolutions:

- directional/navigational markers must appear correctly, as detailed in my OP and in the post just above this one. I have this exact same issue.
- 'docking' messages, ship detail and cargo screens, etc. should at least have scrollbars appear if their contents should continue offscreen. Alternatively, text resizing can be employed to allow these messages to be fully displayed.

I confess that I can't know the exact coding challenges George would face with this request, but again assert that the number of screens out there with odd resolutions is growing, not shrinking. Transcendence is a great game for low-power netbooks and this is a step worth taking.

Reformatted my original post to make it a little easier to scan.