"The system does not support fullscreen mode. Choose 'Close' to terminate the app." - by DentonSHODAN
DentonSHODAN on 29/4/2009 at 04:37
That's the error message I get whenever I try to run System Shock Portable. I've tried messing with the settings, but I can't get the game to display. The problem most likely lies with Vista considering the fact that I ran the program perfectly in 1024x768 resolution on my XP machine (which is in another city).
The only way I've been able to get the game to run is by going into the RES folder and opening up DOSbox. This automatically boots into the game, and I'm allowed to play it. However, the resolution defaults to 320x240, and I'm only allowed to change it to 640x480. Is there ANY WAY I can get this thing working properly on my machine? Have any of you encountered this error?
Nameless Voice on 29/4/2009 at 07:58
The resolution labels never change.
The button will always read 640x480 regardless of what resolution you've set that button to use via ToxicFrog's utility.
DentonSHODAN on 29/4/2009 at 15:15
Oh, okay. But I still don't understand why I get that error message when launching SSP from the SHOCK folder. On my XP machine, I didn't get that message, so I find it strange.
Kolya on 29/4/2009 at 16:39
1. The buttons do not always display the same resolution. I hex-ed them so after applying a resolution pack there will be only one labeled button and that will show the correct resolution.
2. When you have applied a resolution pack either from the SSP program or manually (see the (
http://www.strangebedfellows.de/index.php/topic,211.0.html#resMAN) post on SBF), DOSBox should be able to use that resolution as well, once you selected it in the game menu.
3. There's still the chance of running the game in a window. From SSP go into the DGVESA settings. For "platform" hit DOS! Then on the global tab select windowed mode. Then start the game in DGVESA mode.
Al_B on 29/4/2009 at 17:33
Quote Posted by DentonSHODAN
Oh, okay. But I still don't understand why I get that error message when launching SSP from the SHOCK folder. On my XP machine, I didn't get that message, so I find it strange.
It's down to a limitation of Vista video drivers and not something specific to SSP. Do a google search for the error message and you'll find loads of hits. From what I can see you'll need to use dosbox, force the use of an XP driver or use the standard VGA driver. I'd only recommend going down the dosbox route myself.
DentonSHODAN on 29/4/2009 at 18:17
Quote Posted by Kolya
1. The buttons do not always display the same resolution. I hex-ed them so after applying a resolution pack there will be only one labeled button and that will show the correct resolution.
2. When you have applied a resolution pack either from the SSP program or manually (see the (
http://www.strangebedfellows.de/index.php/topic,211.0.html#resMAN) post on SBF), DOSBox should be able to use that resolution as well, once you selected it in the game menu.
3. There's still the chance of running the game in a window. From SSP go into the DGVESA settings. For "platform" hit DOS! Then on the global tab select windowed mode. Then start the game in DGVESA mode.
The second solution seemed to work. I extracted the 1024x768 file in the RES folder, loaded up DOSbox, and I was able to set the resolution to 1024x768 within the Options menu. Thanks a lot, man.
The only issue now is that the game runs terribly in 1024x768. :p It's so slow. Is my CPU really getting owned by a game that came out fifteen years ago? lol
Nameless Voice on 29/4/2009 at 19:21
DOSBox purposefully emulates a slow computer that would have played real DOS games. At the time when SS1 came out, no computer could play it at resolutions like 1024x768.
You can try adjusting the virtual CPU speed in DOSBox (Ctrl+F12 to increase, Ctrl+F11 to decrease*), but I can't guarantee that it will work for you.
* I don't quite understand why Ctrl+F12 increases the CPU cycles by 500 but Ctrl+F11 decreases them by ... a different and inconsistent value.
Enchantermon on 29/4/2009 at 20:27
I never understood that, either. Hated it, actually, because I like nice, round numbers.
I never thought to increase the CPU cycles to try to speed it up, though. It's not really an issue for me now, though, since SSP runs fine for me, but it's still nice to have that option.
