windowed or fullscreen - which do you like?
Author
Anyone want a discussion on which mode is best? Given each mode has particular advantages and disadvantages for VC++ d3d programmers.
e.g. Having a main frame window enables the use of debugging features like watches, call stack and edit and continue.
Fullscreen can change the user default resolution. With windowed you are restricted to the desktops res.
(This is useful research for my final year degree project as I used both and faced the consequences purely to have it all.)
Depends on the game. If the game is a simple puzzle game, I prefer windowed mode (especially if it does not require constant action). Otherwise fullscreen mode can and usually does provide a more immersive and therefore enjoyable environment. However, many games can be run in both modes as it is fairly easy to code for both simultaneously, and each have serious advantages.
I prefer a game to support BOTH, and perferably be able to switch anytime in the middle of the game.
Pet peeve: if you write an app that changes the video resolution, PLEASE restore the original refresh rate as well as the original resolution when the app exits.
Pet peeve: if you write an app that changes the video resolution, PLEASE restore the original refresh rate as well as the original resolution when the app exits.
Sometimes fullscreen offers better performance than windowed (I found this especially to be the case with SDL) but for the most part I agree with Albatross - simple puzzle games work best in windowed while your action games (FPS/RTS etc) benefit from fullscreen as your only focus then is on the game and all the crap you''ve got runnin in the background.
I agree with everyone here.. Some games (puzzle games, perhaps 2D platformers) are great in a window... Other, like Quake, need full screen...
Having said that, you can get all the debugging control you have on a windowed app on a full screen app with remote debugging...
Tony
Having said that, you can get all the debugging control you have on a windowed app on a full screen app with remote debugging...
Tony
I like windowed for all game''s. That way i can keep an overview of IM''s, irc and browsing websites. Fullscreen can be nice for the first time you play a game if it has really cool graphics or such.
Forcing players into fullscreen is really bad. That defeates the purpose of a multitasking operative system.
Forcing players into fullscreen is really bad. That defeates the purpose of a multitasking operative system.
BOTH! Even having that option in my opinion is important in any app for users and developers. I try to include an option to at least choose fullscreen or windowed at the start of all of my applications.
If you make it full-screen, try to support alt-tab-ing.
And in both cases, make a "Boss" key
And in both cases, make a "Boss" key
Both, obviously. But whatever you do, don''t try to make the best of both worlds: windowed with mouse movement restricted to the window. That is pure evil.
If its a 3D game with any serious content or action, atmosphere, or a need to really focus on whats happening, I prefer fullscreen. Windowed is just distracting.
But if the game doesn''t support flawless Alt-Tabbing -- including such "amenities" as pausing the game action, restoring the display to its native resolution & pixel depth, and flawless restoration of the game by clicking on the taskbar (ideally still in a paused state) -- then don''t bother.
But if the game doesn''t support flawless Alt-Tabbing -- including such "amenities" as pausing the game action, restoring the display to its native resolution & pixel depth, and flawless restoration of the game by clicking on the taskbar (ideally still in a paused state) -- then don''t bother.
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