Window Mode: Good or Bad?

[DoubleJG]

Not sure if this is considered Tech Support or whatnot, so I posted here for the fastest replies.

Basic question, is playing in Windowed Mode generally supposed to enhance your game's performace and cut down on slowdown? In other words, by playing in windowed mode rather than fullscreen, your gameplay should be a bit smoother.

Any feedback would be helpful, thanks. I've heard people say its good, others bad, and I was just wondering how any of your personal experiences have been when it comes to this.

*I'm wondering this simply because ever since the last few GG patches I have had some slowdown here and there and was hoping windowed mode would possibly kill some of that slowdown.

[AlphaMinotaux]

other way around Windowed mode requires more resources. the game runs better in fullscreen mode.

[ZiG]

I did not know that. I got both versions, PC and PS2, and have begrudgingly been playing PS2 because my PC is optimized for sound (I'm the keyboardist in an industrial band, and therefore my computer was originally exclusive for mixing synths and the like, and used for performances) so the graphics and whatnot have never been very great. I was using windowed mode in hope that it would run a little better. I'll try fullscreen...

[rena-ko]

windows doesnt have to draw its GUI if you play one program in fullscreen mode. think about windows eating half your RAM, quite some CPU time and you'd agree its sorta obvious. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[ViciousXUSMC]

I think (havnt tested this on psu but know it holds true for other programs) that if you reduce the size of the window the resoruses uses goes down. so if you just wanted a little mini window so you can say watch your shop while you web browse it may use less resources than full screen mode.

[MORB]

The upside of running PSU in windowed mode is that it doesn't exit whenever another application gets the focus, so you can alt-tab to a web browser while you're ingame etc.

[rena-ko]

indeed.
on my machine i noticed switching the window-mode resolution fron 1280x960 down to 1024x768 greatly speed' up things. no noticeable slowdowns anymore, with highest settings everywhere else.
before, i had massive slowdowns, even after reducing colour to 16bit and lowering a few other things as environmental range. didnt want to sacrifice glow-effects.

so, basically speaking, reduce resolution first, then use fullscreen mode as last instance (maybe after switching the glow effect off, which really eats quite a bit of resources - compare for yourself and run over parum with and without weapons equipped).

[Diablohead]

Windows mode for me has slowdown in some areas of the levels, but in return I can multi task and it's quite usefull.

I play on fullscreen for single player or related.

[throttlekitty]

Turning post effects off also reduces/eliminates lots of the slowdowns that happen.

[etlitch]

4chan + dragon A leeching = winrar?

GUI? turn off explorer, or use something like BBlean. I don't use windows explorer anyways haha

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: etlitch on 2006-12-11 05:59 ]</font>

[ljkkjlcm9]

windowed mode plays faster. I tried full screen once and the slow down on it was noticeably larger, and never played it again

THE JACKEL

[ShadowTH1000]

double post delete http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ShadowTH1000 on 2006-12-11 06:33 ]</font>

[ShadowTH1000]

On 2006-12-11 06:31, ShadowTH1000 wrote:

On 2006-12-11 06:06, ljkkjlcm9 wrote:
windowed mode plays faster. I tried full screen once and the slow down on it was noticeably larger, and never played it again

THE JACKEL



Same, I used to play it on highest 1280 x 1024 with 1 frame skip and I lagged alot in full screen (20~30 FPS average, 20 in forrest areas). Now play it 1024 x 768 on highest with no frame skip and I don't lag at all (59~60 FPS average). One thing I noticed is that the main menu goes at like 10 FPS for some reason it lags a lot. As soon as I go into the game it goes 60 FPS.

[etlitch]

http://xs110.xs.to/xs110/06501/windawesome.jpg can't be bad.

[AlphaMinotaux]

say ou play in windowed mode and stretch the screen to the max, will stretching it out further make it use more resources? cause i was playing on desktop resolution 1024*768 lag free, then i got a 19" LCD and i play it on 1440*900 desktop resolution and it lag when i stretch the window all the way.

It might be some virus or somethign cause I get 2 lag spikes one after another EVERY 2 mins religiously so iono. stupid norton says theres nothing on my system and adaware shows no adware running :/

[Stixx]

For some reason, the game runs faster on windowed mode for me as well...hm...

[DoubleJG]

Now that I am home from today's finals, I shall test it myself. Oh, and Alpha the 2min lap spikes happen to me as well. It isn't a virus, it's GameGaurd checking itself to see if it's on.

[AlphaMinotaux]

great... ; ; guess i wont format my comp after all

[AlphaMinotaux]

is there anyway to stop that? the lag if it really is from gameguard?

[Tsukishima-Ruriko]

PSU defies logic and runs faster for me in windowed mode. With it full screen, the fountain in the middle of the first floor of the colony causes me massive slowdown.. don't even want to talk about missions. :/
*needless to say, I can only solo when I'm on the PC version with NPCs, no matter what*

Horrible that I have to play the PS2 version for team play, PC one looks soo much better when it's not chugging. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Genobee]

I play in windowed mode when I'm talking to people online so I can message them back, because sega was too stupid to figure out how to make it Alt tab not close the game when in fullscreen mode.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Genobee on 2006-12-11 13:53 ]</font>

[Kent]

While running in windowed mode does use more resources than running it in fullscreen, due to having to keep other windows not just running in the background, you may still get better performance, due to having a smaller running resolution. I, personally, run it in windowed all the time, because the game doesn't support widescreen (16:10 is a pretty odd aspect ratio, apparently).

[Mayuga]

bad because of hackers x.x

[Itoshi]

Windowed mode runs the game A LOT better. My comp sucks, so I have to reduce all the graphics to play, but it runs really, really smooth.

[Gazette]

Considering I do a lot more than just play when I'm on, I just go windowed...
Though my CPU is strong enough to go at the largest resolution available, so it's full screen anyway.

[Aarokh]

On 2006-12-11 13:58, Kent wrote:
While running in windowed mode does use more resources than running it in fullscreen, due to having to keep other windows not just running in the background, you may still get better performance, due to having a smaller running resolution. I, personally, run it in windowed all the time, because the game doesn't support widescreen (16:10 is a pretty odd aspect ratio, apparently).


Same problem here.. 1680x1050 seems to be rather unsupported lately =/

[Zio]

prefer windowed mode cause i can surf the internet and stuff while i'm idle in game. alt-tabbing out of fullscreen mode closes the game.

[Kyon]

On 2006-12-11 07:53, etlitch wrote:
http://xs110.xs.to/xs110/06501/windawesome.jpg can't be bad.



Gasp! Is that a Melty Blood icon I see?

[ViciousXUSMC]

wow whats the shell or program or waht ever it is that puts all the resources on your screen like that with the anime like interface?? I like that alot.

Im using vista beta 2 glass with a thin task bar and I thought that was cool....

[VelosofLight]

I use windowed mode at the highest possible resolution, and it looks great. It also allows me to run my messengers with it. When I'm doing some serious playing with a party though, I use full-screen so I don't get distracted by friends online.

[Tekershee]

I find it funny how your IP says 127.0.0.1!

[ViciousXUSMC]

so seriously what is all that jazz with the toolbars, menues, interface I really like it.

[-Shimarisu-]

4chan is a mindless den of idiocy.

As is 2chan, so they got that part down pat.

[Merumeru]

XD im guessing its some GUI program like AstonShell, i used to have that on my computer, could find some pretty wicked themes >3 i suggest anyone whos interested google it up

Resources, peesources, multi-tasking is always the best road :3