Why increase resolution?

[Damage Inc]

This is a dumb dumb question im sure, but as a result of discussion with friends I just want to check something.

What do you gain by increasing the resolution that you play a game in? My friends say the only benefit is that the UI shrinks and therefore you get more screen "real estate".

Obviously as res increases framerate decreases and cost of hardware to keep the fram rate high increases exponentially.

Surely you gain something else when you play in 1900x1200 rather than 1024x768??

Maybee im wrong

 

[Damage Inc]

So the picture you are actually seeing (or that is being drawn) by the graphics card is identical in every way no matter what the res is (ie you will not see more of a scene in higher res) but simply that more dots are used for example to show a bucket and therefore the bucket will look more like a bucket in high res than low res?

Am I getting this?

So decreased jaggies, same objects looking sharper etc?

Thats yer lot for spending like double to play in 1900x1200?

 

[Damage Inc]

whoa....someone just said a lot bigger viewing field....

that was my argument with my mates but they shot me down in flames.

Anyone got any actual proof that the viewing field goes up?


like screen shots?

 

[Damage Inc]

Maybee ive confused the issue.

Im not talking about going from 4:3 to widescreen.

Im talking about keeping the aspect ratio the same and increasing the res...so 800x600 to 1024x768 and then up again (i cant remember the next res up...1600x1200?)...

anyone got shots that show that you see more actual game landscape as you increse res but keep aspect the same?

I understand that in widescreen you see more stuff at the edges whilst the top/bottom view remains the same. None of my friends believe me

 

[Damage Inc]

can anyone actually prove this with 2 screen shots?

same aspect ratio and an increase in res showing that the screenshot in the higher res contains more actualy 'landscape' rather than the same shot in higher resolution?

mates wont believe a word of this till i prove it with screenies and im currently using a P2 400 which barely runs firefox (long story) so I dont have ability to play anything at moment

 

[Damage Inc]

Guys...im on your side.

My mates and I all understand that you get an increase in detail, clarity, picture, less jaggies etc.

Thats not what they are asking me to prove.

They are saying that if you have a shot at 800x600 it will have exactly the same information as a shot at 1024x768. by that, they mean that if there is half a window at the edge of the screen and then the res is increased you wont now be able to see all the window. It will just be a better looking half a window.

Im struggling to explain myself here

 

[Damage Inc]

Seems like ive opened a can of worms here lol.

Im really just talking about FPS and same aspect ratio with an increase in screen res.

My mates will only believe you can see more (as in more of the scene rather than just better res) if they can see two side by side screenies in which there is more available to see in the higher res.

i cant give them that due to my stupid computer im using so im stuck and at your mercy (if you have any!!)

Otherwise ill just show them this thread but they will tell me its inconclusive (as some people are saying you see more and some people seem to be saying you dont)

Sorry for any arguments im causing!

 

[Damage Inc]

this is pretty interesting and thanks guys for all of your time finding these screenies.

Anyone got any idea how FPS shooters scale with resolution increases keeping the aspect ration the same?

Thats the game type my mates are saying you cant see any more in

 

[Damage Inc]

Well thanks guys for all the hard investigative work.

Seems like FPS just give higher res and clarity to the same FOV shot.

Whereas certain isometirc games allow a bigger play area if it dosnt give unfair advantage to the player.

Really interesting stuff.

Dam.