Custom (supported) res gone after patch

[Vith]

I play at 1280x720 on my DLP and EQ2 has always been great at 1280x720 support...though I'd prefer just selecting it from a menu rather than having to tweak an .ini file (hint hint). After yesterday's patch, I can only get 1024x768 in EQ2 and I've wracked my brain trying to fix it. Windowed mode seems to work fine at 1280x720(but isn't an acceptable workaround).<div></div><div>The hack I use is to change the setting in the 'recent' ini file (I'm at work and forget the specific name, sorry). This no longer seems to work.</div><div></div><div>The only mod I use is EQ2Map (with POIFinder plugin), and I had the same results if I fully uninstalled the mod. Help me get my 16:9 mojo back!</div>

[Fringe]

Editing the recent.ini file probably has to be done each time, right?I can't say how it would work but try putting the line that you edit into the eq2.ini file instead. The settings in there will get loaded over the recent.ini file settings and you won't have to edit it each time.At least worth a shot.

[Vith]

No, once you modify eq2_recent.ini, the changes stick. After the GU39, they don't stick. I've modified every file I've found resolution info, including Fringe's suggestion (incl making all relevant files read-only, I've been doing custom widescreen gaming since 2003, I've done this a few times <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />). Even with a read-only file, it seemed to be going straight into 1024x768. It seems to me something was changed in that patch, since I've never had to modify it, at least that I can remember (been playing on and off since launch, two different machines). The only factor that changed was EQ2, the GU39 patch.Is there a faster way to get tech support help? Been two days now without a CSR response. And again, having 16:9 common widescreen resolutions in the menu should go on someone's task list or whiteboard or something. Possibly a Spongebob sticky note. Things on Spongebob sticky notes tend to get done.

[Hallet]

<p>You are not the only one having this issue.  I am experiancing it as well.  Everything was fine and dandy until LU39.  This one is driving me nuts, mainly because it's driving my wife nuts who likes to play on our 62" DLP.  For over a year she's been playing just fine at 1280x720.</p><p> The only thing that changed was the LU39 update.  Updates to current and default INI files do no good.  Full screen defaults to 1024x768.</p><p> Need some resolution to this issue if at all possible.   If worse comes to worse I guess I'll let my wife get on the phone with SOE and let them know just how unhappy she is.</p>

[Gallenite]

Re: Loss of ability to use 1280x720 via direct .ini file modsHi, folks - We found what suddenly caused this problem for people who tweaked their own ini files to gain access to resolutions that EQ2 doesn't "officially" support:  In GU39 we fixed an A-class bug that occurred when video cards are swapped and the person's previous resolution is no longer supported.  The fix to that is what broke this.Given that the popularity of 1280x720 is likely only going to increase over time, we've added support in the video options for that resolution.  Seems to be the smart way to handle it.Also, for people who want to .ini hack even stranger resolutions (Matrox, for instance, has a 2400x600 that at least one player uses), we'll be introducing a new ini file switch that lets .ini hackers tell the game: "I really know what I'm doing; Stop trying to be smarter than me and just try to work with this resolution" and the game will just trust whatever you tell it.  (possibly to new and exciting consequences if done wrong, but without risk, where's the fun of hacking parameters?)These changes haven't been released yet, but will go out in an upcoming hotfix.  Stay tuned to the patch notes for when that happens.Apologies for the inconvenience, and hope the fixes here solve the assortment of odd-resolution problems.- Scott

[Josgar]

<cite>Gallenite wrote:</cite><blockquote>Re: Loss of ability to use 1280x720 via direct .ini file modsHi, folks - We found what suddenly caused this problem for people who tweaked their own ini files to gain access to resolutions that EQ2 doesn't "officially" support:  In GU39 we fixed an A-class bug that occurred when video cards are swapped and the person's previous resolution is no longer supported.  The fix to that is what broke this.Given that the popularity of 1280x720 is likely only going to increase over time, we've added support in the video options for that resolution.  Seems to be the smart way to handle it.Also, for people who want to .ini hack even stranger resolutions (Matrox, for instance, has a 2400x600 that at least one player uses), we'll be introducing a new ini file switch that lets .ini hackers tell the game: "I really know what I'm doing; Stop trying to be smarter than me and just try to work with this resolution" and the game will just trust whatever you tell it.  (possibly to new and exciting consequences if done wrong, but without risk, where's the fun of hacking parameters?)These changes haven't been released yet, but will go out in an upcoming hotfix.  Stay tuned to the patch notes for when that happens.Apologies for the inconvenience, and hope the fixes here solve the assortment of odd-resolution problems.- Scott</blockquote>but what if the game does end up being smarter :Oanyways that will be a fun thing to play with in the future :O

[Leatherneck]

<cite>Gallenite wrote:</cite><blockquote>Re: Loss of ability to use 1280x720 via direct .ini file modsHi, folks - We found what suddenly caused this problem for people who tweaked their own ini files to gain access to resolutions that EQ2 doesn't "officially" support:  In GU39 we fixed an A-class bug that occurred when video cards are swapped and the person's previous resolution is no longer supported.  The fix to that is what broke this.Given that the popularity of 1280x720 is likely only going to increase over time, we've added support in the video options for that resolution.  Seems to be the smart way to handle it.Also, for people who want to .ini hack even stranger resolutions (Matrox, for instance, has a 2400x600 that at least one player uses), we'll be introducing a new ini file switch that lets .ini hackers tell the game: "I really know what I'm doing; Stop trying to be smarter than me and just try to work with this resolution" and the game will just trust whatever you tell it.  (possibly to new and exciting consequences if done wrong, but without risk, where's the fun of hacking parameters?)These changes haven't been released yet, but will go out in an upcoming hotfix.  Stay tuned to the patch notes for when that happens.Apologies for the inconvenience, and hope the fixes here solve the assortment of odd-resolution problems.- Scott</blockquote>Great resolution.  Pun intended.

[Vith]

Thanks Gallenite! Couldn't ask for more, especially during the current double-stress situation of Kunark launch and mother nature running a Live Event in SoCal.<div></div><div>Fixes sound great. I'm ecstatic to have native video option support for my monitor and I bet the folks over at widescreengamingforum.com will be excited to play around with the matrox stuff.</div><div></div><div>I stand behind my statement that EQ2 has the best dev team in mmo, and you guys (and gals) reinforce that idea time and time again. Now un-nerf Reaver <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div>

[Catsy]

<cite>Gallenite wrote:</cite><blockquote>Also, for people who want to .ini hack even stranger resolutions (Matrox, for instance, has a 2400x600 that at least one player uses), we'll be introducing a new ini file switch that lets .ini hackers tell the game: <b>"I really know what I'm doing; Stop trying to be smarter than me and just try to work with this resolution"</b> and the game will just trust whatever you tell it.  (possibly to new and exciting consequences if done wrong, but without risk, where's the fun of hacking parameters?)</blockquote>QFE and bolded the important part.I can't overemphasize how essential it is that software designers adopt this attitude towards anything an experienced user might reasonably want to configure or have running on their system. Sound, graphics, resolution, system resources, unusual custom tweaks to ini files, other apps running in parallel, anything--the ultimate rule of thumb for an application should be: "warn me if you don't like it, shut up when I tell you to stop warning me, and no matter what do it anyway, I know what I'm doing and if I'm wrong it's my own fault."

[gm9]

<p>No you can't really do it like that, because the computer illiterate will also click the box to no longer warn them because it annoys them. And then they break something and complain to you "why didn't you warn me". Of course you can say that it's their fault but they will still be calling your support line or even worse just walk away from the product telling their computer illiterate friends to stay away from it as well. You don't want that either. </p><p>That's why advanced options are often not available these days, much lower risk and most people will never miss them anyway.</p>

[Catsy]

<cite>gm9 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>No you can't really do it like that, because the computer illiterate will also click the box to no longer warn them because it annoys them. And then they break something and complain to you "why didn't you warn me". Of course you can say that it's their fault but they will still be calling your support line or even worse just walk away from the product telling their computer illiterate friends to stay away from it as well. You don't want that either. </p><p>That's why advanced options are often not available these days, much lower risk and most people will never miss them anyway.</p></blockquote>This kind of pandering to the lowest common denominator is part of what is wrong with software design these days, and is one of the reasons the configurability and quality of commercial software has been trending downwards. I'm not singling you out specifically, because if you're who you think you are you produce a product that I not only use but would happily pay for, and one that in fact embodies a lot of the attitude I was applauding above. But while I agree that there will be stupid people who do what you describe, I disagree about the appropriate response.It's all well and good to try to eke out that last one tenth of a percent of market share by ensuring that there's no possibility the most spectacularly ar-tarded blame-the-dev end users will somehow screw something up. At a certain point though, you cross a line where you're unacceptably penalizing users who know what they're doing for the sake of making it so that the aforementioned tarded users will not somehow get their panties in a twist because they ignored a clearly worded warning and did something they shouldn't.No. Enough with the pandering to stupidity. When someone hoses their install through deliberate ignorance, let it serve as a lesson that maybe they should stop and think next time before screwing with something they shouldn't.

[Vonotar]

On the subject of custom resolutions etc, what's the chance of tweaks/hacks/whatever being used to give a 2560 x 1024 resolution with a right-hand 1024 pixels black area (i.e. the right half of the picture), or in other words, the ability (windowed if not natively) to have the main game on a left-hand monitor and all chat channel and less critical UI items on a right-hand monitor.

[MikeP]

I'm very happy to hear that you will finally add 1280x720 to the graphics options.But *please* get this hotfix released asap.  On my DLP (front projector), various small text is nearly impossible to read when I try to play at 1360x768, so until you can release your hotfix, EQ2 is unplayable for me.And honestly, it would probably be a good idea to continue to let people customize their resolution by editing the ini file.  There are a *lot* of custom resolutions that EQ2 looks really great in, and getting rid of that ability is really going to annoy some people.  There is no reason to be getting rid of that ability this many years into a stable game.  You should be adding features, not removing them.Anyway, now if you can only get your Legends of Norrath card game people to support 1280x720, then I'll be a happy camper.

[Vith]

The LoN people say 1280x720 is working fine and there must be some problem on my end, a bad configuration file or something. I've been unable to dig up anything after trying for quite a while (during beta). LoN has never been playable for me.<div></div><div>There was a bad workaround with interesting results, though. At 1280x720, the bottom of the screen is cut off, so I can't, you know, see my cards. Alt-entering to windowed mode and back brings the bottom of the screen up into viewable range...but then cuts off the right side slightly (enough to make it unplayable). </div><div></div><div>Also, there is a strip on the right side of the screen where I can still see into EQ2, not sure whether this is normal or not for widescreen players.</div>

[MikeP]

Thank you!!I can confirm that the latest hot patch fixed the 1280x720 resolution issue.  It automatically detected that my desktop was at 1280x720 and set that as the resolution without any editing of the EQ2 INI files.I'm happy to be able to play EQ2 again, so thanks again for the quick work on this problem.And yeah, LoN is still not playable at 1280x720.  My attempts at getting this fixed over on their support forum just resulted in a bunch of idiots posting "why would anyone want that resolution?".  Well, maybe someday they'll figure out that there actually *is* a growing market of people using this resolution on DLP HDTVs and projectors.  Anyway, at least the people in charge of EQ2 seem to understand this.Back to playing!