Fallout 1/2 windowed mode possible?
- Thread starter Skynet
- Start date
You can't... the engine only uses a single palette...
The only places it changes the palette (apart from the palette animation like for the little lights on signs and the goo) are done in the MVEs and the end scenes.
The engine doesn't look for FRM palettes automatically, hence we can't use them...
The only places it changes the palette (apart from the palette animation like for the little lights on signs and the goo) are done in the MVEs and the end scenes.
The engine doesn't look for FRM palettes automatically, hence we can't use them...
Wild_qwerty
Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
Did anyone find out if the buttons were still assigned to the same places? when the resolution was changed?
I mean if the button move to the bottom of the screen still we could just make a newer version of the interface for a higher resolutions, even if we had to do it by trial and error, I could do it.
But that is dependent of if the mouse clicks get moved with the larger screen size.
I mean if the button move to the bottom of the screen still we could just make a newer version of the interface for a higher resolutions, even if we had to do it by trial and error, I could do it.
But that is dependent of if the mouse clicks get moved with the larger screen size.
the interfaces, such as the inventory screen, can be moved around somewhat easily, but it would take a lot of work to get everything moved to the correct position. The actual buttons with all the events are integrated with each interface (kind of like a regular desktop application) and are moved with the interface itself. Only major problems that i have run into are...
A) I don't have a lot of knowledge in this area (first time actually modifying an executable without destroying it)
B) I haven't located the part of code that moves the IFACE.FRM around (the main interface that is at the bottom of the screen). I found just about every other interface's data that tells it where to be positioned, but just not the main one
A) I don't have a lot of knowledge in this area (first time actually modifying an executable without destroying it)
B) I haven't located the part of code that moves the IFACE.FRM around (the main interface that is at the bottom of the screen). I found just about every other interface's data that tells it where to be positioned, but just not the main one
Couldn't 16-bit and 32-bit color be used with some image post processing, such as some blending, anti-aliasing, or some other pixel filter to make things look cleaner at high resolutions? Sure the original art is only in 256 colors, but if you want to do anisotropic filtering, it will require a higher color mode.
Wild_qwerty
Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
jdoe407 said:
It would make and interesting patch. Of course we would need a seperate exe patch and new interface FRMs for each different resolution, unless as you say we could just move the whole bottom interface to the new location and then map the clicks to it. I know it would be a lot of trial and error but it would be worth it. I've done a little hex editing in the past so I coudl help out, I could even make a 'rough' draft interface for each resolution so would could then just align the buttons to it.
The best place to start would be 800 x 600 and then one other higher resolution (maybe 1024 by 768?). Of course the we might need a loader app that will let the user select what resolution to use and then move the correct fallout2.exe to the fallout2 folder along with any new interface art to the fallout2/data/art folder.
I think if this can be done then we should put full effort into it. I mean just imgain the reply value it would add when combined with a couple of the new mods out there! I know hard core Fallout fans like NMA dont mind the low resolution but it would really help lift the profile of fallout 2 for other people out there.
*EDIT*
jdoe407 said:
Where abouts are these?
800x600 would be awesome if that main interface can be moved down. Many of the maps would have to be changed too or they'd look bad or not allow scrolling properly. If jdoe407 can figure out how to move the interface I will fix all the maps. My patch changes almost every map in the game already, so it won't be difficult to add those changes.
Based on my tests at high resolution I don't think we need anything more than 800x600. At 1024x768 the critters and items look tiny to me. But SVGA would be perfect for this game.
Based on my tests at high resolution I don't think we need anything more than 800x600. At 1024x768 the critters and items look tiny to me. But SVGA would be perfect for this game.
Wild_qwerty
Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
I was thinking the same thing, 800 x 600 would be great! But mainly because I only have a 15" monitor at hoem and 1024 x 768 is doesnt look that good on it 
I have made a new version of the Iface.frm that is for 800x600 resosultion. The image wont need to be centered just lowered to the bottom of the screen
maybe you could leave all the other inventory windows etc... in the same palce, just move the buttons and stuff stright down. The good thing is that the horisozonatal postion hasnt changed jsut the vertical postition.
The button will all need to have there postion lowered by the same ammount.
640x480 to 800x600 would mean:
600-480=120
So all the buttons and stuff would need to be lowered by 120 pixels.
In fact mayeb you could look for a value of '480' decimal (to the botton left corner of the IFACE.frm) in the file and it might be the buttom of the inventory (or 381 to the top left corner of the IFACE.frm file)
I have made a new version of the Iface.frm that is for 800x600 resosultion. The image wont need to be centered just lowered to the bottom of the screen
maybe you could leave all the other inventory windows etc... in the same palce, just move the buttons and stuff stright down. The good thing is that the horisozonatal postion hasnt changed jsut the vertical postition.
The button will all need to have there postion lowered by the same ammount.
640x480 to 800x600 would mean:
600-480=120
So all the buttons and stuff would need to be lowered by 120 pixels.
In fact mayeb you could look for a value of '480' decimal (to the botton left corner of the IFACE.frm) in the file and it might be the buttom of the inventory (or 381 to the top left corner of the IFACE.frm file)
Wild_qwerty
Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
Yes, but there is a large black band that goes all theg way accross the bottom of the screen where the engine doesnt render the game as the interface is expected to be there. It just means that there will be a more 'fallouty' style along the bottom instead of a black box on one side.
Shadowbird
Where'd That 6th Toe Come From?
That's only the interface bar. What about dialog screen? It tends to get pretty ugly on resolutions higher than 640x480 (as I've seen from the screenshots).
Wild_qwerty said:
Yeah but my point is that the mouse click locations aren't changing at higher resolution, so your 800x600 iface frm would have them in the wrong place. Perhaps those locations could be moved but that would be more work than its worth. If the existing iface was just moved down to the bottom that would be good enough I think (all buttons stay the same relative to each other but the whole group moves down). Then maybe a 800x600 iface image could be used, but not relocating the buttons, instead putting something else on the right hand side.
this is what I'm at right now. It has a bunch of errors in it from either stuff that I've broken or stuff that just didn't work in the first place. The problem now is that some of the click events are still in the 640x480 position and need to be moved over (hopefully not that hard). The buttons and stuff on the interfaces themselves work, just not some of it like clicking on the map and moving inventory items around. The screenshot function seems to crash the game sometimes also
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00084.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00081.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00082.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00083.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00071.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00074.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00078.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00069.png
edit: heres the executable im currently working with. I UPX'ed it to cut down the filesize. It will run as is, but you can un-upx it if you want. upx = http://upx.sourceforge.net/
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00084.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00081.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00082.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00083.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00071.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00074.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00078.png
http://jdoe407.com/images/fallout/scr00069.png
edit: heres the executable im currently working with. I UPX'ed it to cut down the filesize. It will run as is, but you can un-upx it if you want. upx = http://upx.sourceforge.net/
Shadowbird
Where'd That 6th Toe Come From?
WOW! This is getting better all the time! 
Keep up the good work!
On a sidenote, what about windowed mode - while the big resolutions are in development, wouldn't it be possible to give us the same Fallout, just in a window...?
Keep up the good work! On a sidenote, what about windowed mode - while the big resolutions are in development, wouldn't it be possible to give us the same Fallout, just in a window...?
Wow that is very cool. You know, nobody really thought this was possible. We are amazed that you figured this out. You're going to end up making me change this FAQ entry:
http://modguide.nma-fallout.com/#Engine014
Excellent work jdoe ... many people have wanted this for a long time. Keep up the good work.
http://modguide.nma-fallout.com/#Engine014
Excellent work jdoe ... many people have wanted this for a long time. Keep up the good work.
Wild_qwerty
Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
Wow! This is really amazzing. If you need a hand with any graphics I can help Very well done!
I dont think this is possible, but then again I didnt think higher resolutions were either
But as far as I know the only way to run Fallout in a Window would be by running it through a sperate emulator or 'virtual PC'. You can run Fallout 1 in DOS mode in a window using DOD Box (a DOS emulator). But you could try doing a search for a Win95/98 emulator (that will run in a window) and try luanching Fallout via that.
Try a google search on 'Virtual PC" or something like that.
@ Modderator, coudl we split this topic into two different topics, one for window mode and one for Fallout 2 High Res mode
Very well done!Shadowbird said:WOW! This is getting better all the time!
On a sidenote, what about windowed mode - while the big resolutions are in development, wouldn't it be possible to give us the same Fallout, just in a window...?
I dont think this is possible, but then again I didnt think higher resolutions were either
But as far as I know the only way to run Fallout in a Window would be by running it through a sperate emulator or 'virtual PC'. You can run Fallout 1 in DOS mode in a window using DOD Box (a DOS emulator). But you could try doing a search for a Win95/98 emulator (that will run in a window) and try luanching Fallout via that.Try a google search on 'Virtual PC" or something like that.
@ Modderator, coudl we split this topic into two different topics, one for window mode and one for Fallout 2 High Res mode
thanks
I would love to be able to add a large empty space into the executable where I could put all the new stuff so i didn't have to delete error checking functions to make room, but like I said, i really don't know how to go about doing this yet.
as for the windowed mode, I have never worked with directX and wouldn't know what I need to change to be able to put fallout into a standard window. not yet anyways
I would love to be able to add a large empty space into the executable where I could put all the new stuff so i didn't have to delete error checking functions to make room, but like I said, i really don't know how to go about doing this yet.
as for the windowed mode, I have never worked with directX and wouldn't know what I need to change to be able to put fallout into a standard window. not yet anyways
Wild_qwerty said:
That appears to be only because the directx flags in the executable were set to full screen exclusive mode. If you go back to the top of this thread you can see the directx flags, and discussion of how another game was hacked to change them, forcing it into windowed mode. The window mode thing doesn't get me too excited because I can ALT-TAB between fallout and windows anyways. But the ability to run at high resolution would be a great improvement.