SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

SimCity 4 General Discussion and Tutorials => SimCity 4 General Discussion => Topic started by: finaltable on March 21, 2011, 09:08:19 PM

Title: Graphic Settings and Screen Resolution Help
Post by: finaltable on March 21, 2011, 09:08:19 PM
So I was wondering if anyone with some knowledge on graphics and resolution might have some ideas for me.  I basically would like some suggestions on what settings I should on my SC4 game.  I would like to have better settings but not sure if I change something, if it would mess anything up with my cities!!!   

Here are my computer specs.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 Lenovo Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU

T7300 @ 2.00GHz

1.99 GHz, 2.99 of RAM

15.3 screen size  ThihnkPad Display 1280X800 on Mobile intel(R) 965 Express Chipset   
Title: Re: Graphic Settings and Screen Resolution Help
Post by: jdenm8 on March 21, 2011, 09:16:53 PM
Honestly, SC4 should run fine on any settings you choose.

The integrated Graphics Chipset should help stability as their frameworks tend to be ancient and more similar to what SC4 was written for.

As for the resolution, use the Startup command "-customresolution:enabled" and the variable command "-rXxY" (in your case, -r1280x800 ) to set the resolution to your laptop's native resolution.
Mine is -customresolution:enabled -r1366x768.

Just ensure that you place these options outside the inverted commas.


Changing the settings wouldn't affect your cities in any way, though I'd be a little worried about your 2.0Ghz processor and scrolling speeds.
Title: Re: Graphic Settings and Screen Resolution Help
Post by: finaltable on March 21, 2011, 09:28:03 PM
Quote from: jdenm8 on March 21, 2011, 09:16:53 PM
Thanks for the quick response jdenm8!

Honestly, SC4 should run fine on any settings you choose.

The integrated Graphics Chipset should help stability as their frameworks tend to be ancient and more similar to what SC4 was written for.

As for the resolution, use the Startup command "-customresolution:enabled" and the variable command "-rXxY" (in your case, -r1280x800 ) to set the resolution to your laptop's native resolution.
Mine is -customresolution:enabled -r1366x768.

Just ensure that you place these options outside the inverted commas.
I know how to go into the start up command, but I'm not sure what outside the inverted commas mean?

Changing the settings wouldn't affect your cities in any way, though I'd be a little worried about your 2.0Ghz processor and scrolling speeds.
Yea if I zoom all the way out, the scrolling is jerky and annoying, but if I zoom in just a little the scrolling works fine.  And it's only a problem with bigger cities so far.  But I just zoom in a little and the scrolling is fast and smooth again.  Thanks again for the feedback.

O and side note,I built a big city off a mayors tutorial once and change the settings and the city dissapeared  ()sad() so I haven't worked with the mayor tutorials anymore or changed my setting again.  &mmm

Title: Re: Graphic Settings and Screen Resolution Help
Post by: jdenm8 on March 21, 2011, 09:34:59 PM
Question one:
Shortcut targets have a structure.
The actual path is declared as a whole string (has been ever since spaces were allowed in Windows files and folders). The way something is declared to the computer as a string (literal text) is by putting it in "s.
An example root might look like:
"C:/Program Files/ExampleCorp/example.exe"

Putting the launch options outside the commas means to make it like this:
"C:/Program Files/ExampleCorp/example.exe" -customresolution:enabled -r1366x768
(for the love of god, don't copy that BTW)


Question two:
Ya, that's a common problem. Mainly related to GPU and CPU clock speeds being a little low. It's perfectly normal. Mine jerks a lot  $%Grinno$%


Question three:
I do remember there being a setting to restart the tutorials in then options panels somewhere... You could have hit that. I don't play on Maxisland or Timbuktu for that reason.


Glad I can be of assistance :)
Title: Re: Graphic Settings and Screen Resolution Help
Post by: finaltable on March 23, 2011, 06:11:39 AM
Awesome, took your advice and it worked!  The resolution made it look a lot better.  Sharper, focused, and wider.  Thanks again for the advice.  The 1280 X 800 is my laptops native resolution, you were correct.  Mine was actually set at 800 X something, I forget now.  Which I probably put back to that setting after watching a movie on my flat screen from my computer and I remember messing around with all of that now.  ::) 

But all is well. 

F.T.