Running old PC games in a window - help!

Joebob · 13 Nov 2006 at 16:04

Hi,

I'm trying to run an old game (populous the begining) but the screen res is only 800x600 and my laptop display is normally set to 1920x1200. I want to run the game in a window if possible and wondered if anyone knew how to set this up - i know it's something to do with right clicking the .exe file and changing the properties.!!!

It's an old game I know but I really fancied playing through it again (for the fourth time)

joebob

Hades · 13 Nov 2006 at 16:18

Not sure on the window. But you should be able to set the display to either scale or run in a boardered resolution in the gfx properties?

Joebob · 13 Nov 2006 at 16:25

Hades said:
Not sure on the window. But you should be able to set the display to either scale or run in a boardered resolution in the gfx properties?

Yeah i can play it fine at 800x600 (which is the max res it goes to!!!) but I really wanted to be able to play in a window so that I can have a sneaky game at work.

mark_t50 · 13 Nov 2006 at 16:32

Could be wrong here, but could you not install DOSBox and run it in that. I'm sure the last time I used DOSbox it ran stuff in windowed mode and you could choose fullscreen if you wanted. Might be worth checking it out.

Hades · 13 Nov 2006 at 16:34

Can you not just alt-tab or alt-return back to Windows?

Joebob · 13 Nov 2006 at 16:59

Hades said:
Can you not just alt-tab or alt-return back to Windows?

I could, but i want to be able to get on with my work while the games is still running as it's quite a long game and a lot of it is just waiting for your population to build etc.

valve90210 · 13 Nov 2006 at 17:07

mark_t50 said:
Could be wrong here, but could you not install DOSBox and run it in that. I'm sure the last time I used DOSbox it ran stuff in windowed mode and you could choose fullscreen if you wanted. Might be worth checking it out.

Yep, that's right...or at least it is in the version I use though I can't remember what that is off the top of my head.

Valve

Joebob · 13 Nov 2006 at 17:17

mark_t50 said:
Could be wrong here, but could you not install DOSBox and run it in that. I'm sure the last time I used DOSbox it ran stuff in windowed mode and you could choose fullscreen if you wanted. Might be worth checking it out.

Where would i find it... also, would that not just run DOS apps?

Hades · 13 Nov 2006 at 17:22

Joebob said:
I could, but i want to be able to get on with my work while the games is still running as it's quite a long game and a lot of it is just waiting for your population to build etc.

No what I mean is that if you tab back to Windows it runs in a window

mark_t50 · 13 Nov 2006 at 17:26

Joebob said:
Where would i find it... also, would that not just run DOS apps?

Just google DOSBox and you'll find it, not sure if I can link as technically it is emulation software.

Yep this is for running DOS games, was 'Populous the begining' not a DOS game ? Never played it myself only played the first one but for some reason I just presumed that is was a really old DOS game. Just ignore me if it is a windows game.

/me goes of to google 'populous the begining'. I must have missed this one.

Walkerie · 13 Nov 2006 at 22:04

alt + e?

Joebob · 16 Nov 2006 at 11:23

WalkeruK said:
alt + e?

Nope that doesnt work.

Im sure that there was some commands you could add to the end of the shortcut properties, but i cant remember what they are.!!!

It was something like "c:/program files/game folder/game.exe" -w 800 -h 600

but that doesnt work so maybe im missing something off?