Hi all.

I have this weird problem in my sister’s laptop. In the game intro, the main menu screen and the rest of menu screens (death match, single and multiplayer, Internet and LAN games etc), the size looks too reduced. Only in menu screens, not in the game. In the game, the system can detect perfectly the chosen resolution (800x600, 1024x768, 1280x800 etc etc…).

Look at the following images for a better understanding:

W:A menus in my laptop
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2289/example1l.th.jpg (http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2289/example1l.jpg)
W:A menus in my sister’s laptop
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1571/example2y.th.jpg (http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1571/example2y.jpg)

Maybe a video card compatibility conflict? Whatever it be, what can I do?

Please, someone who can help me with this strange issue. = (

That's not a bug or anything. W:A's frontend is locked to a certain resolution. It's just that since most screens are larger than W:A's frontend's resolution, they will display it either centered (with black all around) or stretched to fill the screen. You might have to change a setting on the utility for your graphical display drivers (it will probably be under aspect ratio options or something similar). Do you have an Intel video card on the laptop in question?

As far as I know, this mostly happens on windows7, when I first installed it, the menu frontend was square for me, but not so small and in center, just square with right and left sides cut off.
Once, I accidentally interrumpted a shutdown procedure, then I opened WA and it was full-wide again, like on Vista! I deleted some Intel graphics software from autorun, and it was kept, including nowadays. I don't actually remember which ones I deleted but now it's ok. Also I noticed that can't change the screen brightness from my keyboard anymore (only full turnoff of light), and the laptop doesn't turn off the light when I close it (even better for WA, before, closing the laptop was crashing the game).

She should play around with the aspect ratio settings in the utility that comes with the graphics drivers. This is what it looks like with an integrated Intel GMA chip and you get to it by right clicking the desktop:

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/5954/intelgma1xy.png

If the laptop in question has ATI graphics with Catalyst Control Center, then see here: http://forum.team17.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42379

You will notice that the 640×480 image on your sister's laptop's screen is perfectly aligned with the true mechanical pixels comprising her screen, making it look extremely sharp. The menu screens are not reduced from their normal size. It's actually the other way around. On your screen, the menus are stretched using image interpolation, which deviates from pixel perfection. Interpolation is necessary to upscale images.

Anyway, your sister's laptop's menu image is not a result of any loss of data. It's the result of perfect maintenance of data.

Thank you all for your answers.


Hmm… let’s see… The laptop with the 'problem' is a Dell INSPIRON 1464 (14’’ or 14,1’’) with a 1366x768 resolution. My laptop, the one ok, is a HP Pavilion DV6420la (14,5’’) with 1280x800 resolution.

Excuse my ignorance but in technical computing stuff I’m a totally beginner. The data of your video card computer is seen in Panel Control/Device Manager/Display Adapters? If it is that way… then I have Nvidia GeForce Go 6150 graphics, my sister’s laptop (the one in question) has Intel (R) HD Graphics or so.

As far as I know, this mostly happens on windows7, when I first installed it, the menu frontend was square for me, but not so small and in center, just square with right and left sides cut off.
Once, I accidentally interrumpted a shutdown procedure, then I opened WA and it was full-wide again, like on Vista! I deleted some Intel graphics software from autorun, and it was kept, including nowadays. I don't actually remember which ones I deleted but now it's ok. Also I noticed that can't change the screen brightness from my keyboard anymore (only full turnoff of light), and the laptop doesn't turn off the light when I close it (even better for WA, before, closing the laptop was crashing the game).

Yes! It happened the same way to us! It started like a square with acceptable size, without filling the screen but with acceptable size. And certain day we turned on the computer, entered the game and from nowhere appeared extremely reduced. We thought that maybe a video-driver automatic update did it.

By the way, I think is not an operative system matter because the following: My laptop (the one ok) had originally Windows Vista. Recently I updated to Windows 7 and the game keeps working as always. That makes me think that the 'conflict' is related with graphics and screen...


You will notice that the 640×480 image on your sister's laptop's screen is perfectly aligned with the true mechanical pixels comprising her screen, making it look extremely sharp. The menu screens are not reduced from their normal size. It's actually the other way around. On your screen, the menus are stretched using image interpolation, which deviates from pixel perfection. Interpolation is necessary to upscale images.

Anyway, your sister's laptop's menu image is not a result of any loss of data. It's the result of perfect maintenance of data.

Again, I am a little ignorant in computing matters, but I believe I understand you explanation… ^^” In common speech, you’re saying that, although in my sister’s laptop we have to adjust the game options with magnifying glass, the aspect ratio in there is perfect, better than the complete but little stretched view on my PC, ¿right? Complete view achieved thanks to that interpolation process that you mention. Now the question is, how to apply that same process in my sister's laptop in order to view the same effect or similar (I'm aware that 1366x768 would get a really distorted view that could cause exotropia squint in your eyes xDD)...


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Anyway, at the moment, I'll try play around with KRD advise. Tell you later if there are news.

Yes, KRD's advice with the Intel driver's aspect ration settings is the most plausible.

There are also some monitors which have such options built in, but I guess that doesn't relate to your sister's laptop's display.

Yesss, indeed, KRD! I made it! xDD!!

Your advice was very valuable. But the funny thing is, it was really quick, more than I was expecting. I entered in the settings, made some adjustments and... voilà. I can't believe how I couldn't see that before... = /

Thank you all again for your words.