It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
is.

I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.

II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
want the convenience of windows too.

III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
just gotta learn to share the screen

V) Full Screen Plus: I got multiple screens, baby,
and I'm taking full advantage of them!

V) Running in the background: Because either the games
I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
it every twenty minutes or so.
VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and
I don't fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!

Unsurprisingly, I fall into category I; I like my full-screen. I'll
settle with borderless, but I find that, using that, too often the
mouse-cursor strays outside the confines of the game at the most
inconvenient time, so given the choice I like a proper full-screen
mode. Surprisingly - given my love of multiple monitors - I almost
never game with more than one monitor: partly because few games deal
well with a four-monitor set-up, but also because my monitors are all
different sizes and have huge bezels, so it wouldn't work well anyway.

(The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).

So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)

On 12/16/23 20:58, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
> So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
> what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
> is.
>
>
> I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
> game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.
>
> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
> want the convenience of windows too.
>
> III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
> have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
> just gotta learn to share the screen
>
> V) Full Screen Plus: I got multiple screens, baby,
> and I'm taking full advantage of them!
>
> V) Running in the background: Because either the games
> I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
> I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
> it every twenty minutes or so.
>
> VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and
> I don't fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!
>
>
> Unsurprisingly, I fall into category I; I like my full-screen. I'll
> settle with borderless, but I find that, using that, too often the
> mouse-cursor strays outside the confines of the game at the most
> inconvenient time, so given the choice I like a proper full-screen
> mode. Surprisingly - given my love of multiple monitors - I almost
> never game with more than one monitor: partly because few games deal
> well with a four-monitor set-up, but also because my monitors are all
> different sizes and have huge bezels, so it wouldn't work well anyway.
>
> (The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
> like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
> play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).
>
>
>
> So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
> viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
> themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)

It kinda depends, but mostly Window. I kinda like the feeling of it, and
being able to check background stuff. Also, it's easier to move it
between monitors.

The exception would be RetroArch, since not only does the window change
size inconveniently for each game, but it also has a built in status bar
for the current time and battery life, minimizing what I would need to
watch for.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On Sat, 16 Dec 2023 21:58:14 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

>So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
>viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
>themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)

Always full screen for me. I have never played a video game in any
other mode. Like you said yourself, I don't want anything getting in
the way. When I am playing a game, the game is all that matters.

I usually play windowed when it comes to most multiplayer or casual
games. Something like Quake III Arena or Counter-Strike... but if
I play like a more immersive game or something visually dazzling I
find myself doing it fullscreen more often than not.

-- Marco

On 12/16/2023 6:58 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
> So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
> what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
> is.
>
>
> I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
> game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.
>
> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
> want the convenience of windows too.
>
> III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
> have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
> just gotta learn to share the screen
>
> V) Full Screen Plus: I got multiple screens, baby,
> and I'm taking full advantage of them!
>
> V) Running in the background: Because either the games
> I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
> I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
> it every twenty minutes or so.
>
> VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and
> I don't fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!
>
>
> Unsurprisingly, I fall into category I; I like my full-screen. I'll
> settle with borderless, but I find that, using that, too often the
> mouse-cursor strays outside the confines of the game at the most
> inconvenient time, so given the choice I like a proper full-screen
> mode. Surprisingly - given my love of multiple monitors - I almost
> never game with more than one monitor: partly because few games deal
> well with a four-monitor set-up, but also because my monitors are all
> different sizes and have huge bezels, so it wouldn't work well anyway.
>
> (The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
> like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
> play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).
>
>
>
> So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
> viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
> themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)
>
I'm not sure if I'm a I or a V. I'll run the game on full screen on one
monitor and as necessary access other software on the other monitor.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> writes:

> I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
> game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.

This is my default, historical reasons I guess. Seems like not so long
ago the available options were just full screen and sometimes
window. Then again, my dual display setup is only as old as the pandemic
and it has made life so much easier, fullscreen game on the gaming
display, anything else on the other.

I also didn't realize until I guess in the middle of the last decade
that these days you can run multiple games at the same time... Handy
sometimes although not for actual gaming.

> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
> want the convenience of windows too.

Any time I need to switch between the game and something else a lot, I
usually switch to this. The delay and screen blanking when alt-tabbing
out of a game in full screen gets old pretty quickly. Let alone, older
games and video cards couldn't always handle that. I remember getting
GPU crashed popups long ago with too much alt-tabbing, luckily the GPU
usually recovered quickly. Or not at all, leading to reboot and
replaying from the last save.

> III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
> have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
> just gotta learn to share the screen

Now that I think about it, if it's easier to switch out than borderless,
it might be the bee's knees. Might be much the same thing as bortderless
though.

> VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and
> I don't fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!

Not exactly rebellious but I have sometimes used a separate laptop when
I didn't have multiple displays.

> Unsurprisingly, I fall into category I; I like my full-screen. I'll
> settle with borderless, but I find that, using that, too often the
> mouse-cursor strays outside the confines of the game at the most
> inconvenient time, so given the choice I like a proper full-screen
> mode.

Or alternatively, it feels too hard to switch out of the game. I kinda
wish a game would automatically pause if you switch out of it, I don't
want to pause and then alt-tab. And I really don't want to be killed
because the stupid game didn't pause but spawned a monster *just then*.

> Surprisingly - given my love of multiple monitors - I almost
> never game with more than one monitor: partly because few games deal
> well with a four-monitor set-up, but also because my monitors are all
> different sizes and have huge bezels, so it wouldn't work well anyway.

Which begs the question, do you have a handy solution for blanking the
other monitors? Sometimes I want to focus on a game in a dark room so I
turn off the other monitor. Do you do the same for all three "other"
monitors or just deal with too much light?

Generally option one as that's mostly the default.

On 12/16/2023 6:58 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
> So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
> what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
> is.
>
>
> I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
> game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.
>
> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
> want the convenience of windows too.
>
> III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
> have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
> just gotta learn to share the screen
>

> So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
> viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
> themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)

I prefer II, but I'm often forced to I or III if II isn't available or
doesn't work right. I only got III if II doesn't work and I doesn't
allow me to alt-tab, and III works.

A lot of games perform better in one or the other.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the
entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

>
>It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
>this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
>So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
>what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
>is.
<snip>

> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
> want the convenience of windows too.

Ever since the launch of City of Heroes, May 6, 2004, I have been
playing this way.
I was in full screen but the game would disconnect my in exactly 5
minutes, over and over, the fix was to play in windowed mode.
Also makes it easier with some games, to alt-tab out to look shit up
without the game crashing or corrupting.

<snap>
> V) Running in the background: Because either the games
> I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
> I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
> it every twenty minutes or so.

BDO, I often set up to afk fish or process (something that can go hours)
then minimize to tray while I read news or play another game like STO,
SWTOR or COH.

Xocyll

On 12/16/2023 11:41 PM, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> On 12/16/2023 6:58 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>>
>> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
>> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
>> So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
>> what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
>> is.
>>
>>
>>     I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
>>        game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.
>>
>>     II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
>>         the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
>>         want the convenience of windows too.
>>
>>     III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
>>         have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
>>         just gotta learn to share the screen
>>
>>     V) Full Screen Plus: I got multiple screens, baby,
>>        and I'm taking full advantage of them!
>>
>>     V) Running in the background: Because either the games
>>        I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
>>        I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
>>        it every twenty minutes or so.
>>
>>     VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and
>>         I don't fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!
>>
>>
>> Unsurprisingly, I fall into category I; I like my full-screen. I'll
>> settle with borderless, but I find that, using that, too often the
>> mouse-cursor strays outside the confines of the game at the most
>> inconvenient time, so given the choice I like a proper full-screen
>> mode. Surprisingly - given my love of multiple monitors - I almost
>> never game with more than one monitor: partly because few games deal
>> well with a four-monitor set-up, but also because my monitors are all
>> different sizes and have huge bezels, so it wouldn't work well anyway.
>>
>> (The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
>> like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
>> play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).
>>
>>
>>
>> So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
>> viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
>> themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)
>>
> I'm not sure if I'm a I or a V.  I'll run the game on full screen on one
> monitor and as necessary access other software on the other monitor.
>

That's what I used to do when I could fit 2 monitors on my desk. But
this big ass monitor I've got now doesn't really leave me room for
everything else I need on my desk and another monitor. I could probably
make room for one of the 19" ones I've got flipped to portrait, if I
really tried, but I might have to move my big 27" off center, which I
don't like for gaming. I keep thinking about switching to 24" just for
that reason, but my eyes are old and it's hard to read some of the menus
on some games with even a slightly smaller monitor (and I'm NOT using a
lower than native res, that just makes it worse due to scaling on LCDs.)

I do tend to also leave games running in the background if I need to do
something else as I want to save the few seconds it takes to close and
then later reopen them, but I prefer to pause the game in that case, so
I'm not actually playing it at that point.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

On 12/17/2023 6:02 AM, Xocyll wrote:
> Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the
> entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
> say:
>
>>
>> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
>> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
>> So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
>> what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
>> is.
> <snip>
>
>> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
>> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
>> want the convenience of windows too.
>
> Ever since the launch of City of Heroes, May 6, 2004, I have been
> playing this way.
> I was in full screen but the game would disconnect my in exactly 5
> minutes, over and over, the fix was to play in windowed mode.
> Also makes it easier with some games, to alt-tab out to look shit up
> without the game crashing or corrupting.
>
> <snap>
>> V) Running in the background: Because either the games
>> I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
>> I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
>> it every twenty minutes or so.
>
> BDO, I often set up to afk fish or process (something that can go hours)
> then minimize to tray while I read news or play another game like STO,
> SWTOR or COH.

I used to do something like that on some game or other, perhaps it was
Everquest. I eventually realized if I had to AFK grind, I didn't really
want to play that game.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

On Sun, 17 Dec 2023 11:41:33 +0000, JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote:

>Generally option one as that's mostly the default.

Oooh, that should have been an category in the poll.

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
>what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
>is.

I mostly use borderless fullscreen window mode. It has the advantage of
letting me see another window and my game at the same time if I need to.
I don't like regular windowed mode unless I'm playing a game like
Minesweeper and don't want it taking up most of the screen. I'm also
someone who likes to leave Black Desert running in the background to
AFK make money. Its very low power in that mode, using about as much
CPU as Steam and all its Chromium processes.

>(The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
>like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
>play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).

In what way do you play the Civilization games?

--
l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
[oo][oo] rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
-()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca:11068/
db //

On 12/17/2023 6:06 AM, Justisaur wrote:
> On 12/16/2023 11:41 PM, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>> On 12/16/2023 6:58 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>>>
>>> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
>>> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
>>> So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
>>> what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
>>> is.
>>>
>>>
>>>     I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
>>>        game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.
>>>
>>>     II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
>>>         the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
>>>         want the convenience of windows too.
>>>
>>>     III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't
>>>         have the time to focus solely on gaming. That game's
>>>         just gotta learn to share the screen
>>>
>>>     V) Full Screen Plus: I got multiple screens, baby,
>>>        and I'm taking full advantage of them!
>>>
>>>     V) Running in the background: Because either the games
>>>        I play don't need my input, or progress so slowly that
>>>        I can just minimize the damn thing and only check up on
>>>        it every twenty minutes or so.
>>>
>>>     VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and
>>>         I don't fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!
>>>
>>>
>>> Unsurprisingly, I fall into category I; I like my full-screen. I'll
>>> settle with borderless, but I find that, using that, too often the
>>> mouse-cursor strays outside the confines of the game at the most
>>> inconvenient time, so given the choice I like a proper full-screen
>>> mode. Surprisingly - given my love of multiple monitors - I almost
>>> never game with more than one monitor: partly because few games deal
>>> well with a four-monitor set-up, but also because my monitors are all
>>> different sizes and have huge bezels, so it wouldn't work well anyway.
>>>
>>> (The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
>>> like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
>>> play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> So, where do you fall on the spectrum? Given the choice, which
>>> viewport setting are you going to use? CRAP Polls don't answer
>>> themselves, so hit REPLY and tell us! ;-)
>>>
>> I'm not sure if I'm a I or a V.  I'll run the game on full screen on
>> one monitor and as necessary access other software on the other monitor.
>>
>
> That's what I used to do when I could fit 2 monitors on my desk.  But
> this big ass monitor I've got now doesn't really leave me room for
> everything else I need on my desk and another monitor.  I could probably
> make room for one of the 19" ones I've got flipped to portrait, if I
> really tried, but I might have to move my big 27" off center, which I
> don't like for gaming.  I keep thinking about switching to 24" just for
> that reason, but my eyes are old and it's hard to read some of the menus
> on some games with even a slightly smaller monitor (and I'm NOT using a
> lower than native res, that just makes it worse due to scaling on LCDs.)
>
> I do tend to also leave games running in the background if I need to do
> something else as I want to save the few seconds it takes to close and
> then later reopen them, but I prefer to pause the game in that case, so
> I'm not actually playing it at that point.
>
Both of my monitors are 27 inch. I got lucky 40 years ago when I found
a large executive's desk at Goodwill for $100. Weighs several hundred
pounds but its beautiful solid wood with a 7 foot by 4 foot top.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On Sat, 16 Dec 2023 21:58:14 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

>
>It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
>this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to us.
>So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find out
>what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's viewport
>is.
>
>
> I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a
> game, and I don't want anything getting in the way.
>
This is preferred. Superior performance. Automatic Do Not Disturb mode.

> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize
> the viewport, but I'm a modern computer user, so I
> want the convenience of windows too.
>
This is what I use when the game is buggy in dedicated FS. So far, that's
been BG3, which started randomly losing focus when it was in full screen.
Straight to desktop and taskbar each time.

I'll have to check if it is patched.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

On Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:53:20 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

>On Sun, 17 Dec 2023 11:41:33 +0000, JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote:
>
>>Generally option one as that's mostly the default.
>
>Oooh, that should have been an category in the poll.
>
Honestly, a lot of games seem to default to borderless these days. Both
GeForce Experience and/or myself have to tick it over to fullscreen mode.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

On Sun, 17 Dec 2023 16:42:39 -0000 (UTC), rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
(Ross Ridge) wrote:
>Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

>>(The only exception to the rule is "Civilization" games, because I
>>like to pretend that if I play them that way I'll be less likely to
>>play them for hours on end. And no, it doesn't work).
>
>In what way do you play the Civilization games?

Usually, until 5 AM. ;-)

Just... one... more... turn!

Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> It's a video game, so you're going to need to see something. But in
> this age of windowing operating systems, how much we see is up to
> us. So in today's Completely Random and Pointless Poll, let's find
> out what your preference is when it comes to how big your game's
> viewport is.
>
>
> I) Full Screen: This is my opportunity to play a game, and I don't
> want anything getting in the way.

Gold Option for meThis is my main choice if possible. I like having the
graphic output being taken exclusively by the game, part because It's
the closest we can get to the times of DOS and not having anything
behind. Plu Freesync /G-Sync.

> III) Window: I got a lot going in my life, and don't have the time to
> focus solely on gaming. That game's just gotta learn to share the
> screen
>

Silver medal. I use the window for games that don't benefit from full
screen, due to the native resolution being too small (handheld
emulators), or full screen causing a lot of artifacts.

> VI) Something else entirely: Because I'm a REBEL baby, and I don't
> fit into any of these pre-assigned boxes!!!!

My bronze medal mode, even if it is not exactly a mode. This is where I
place the RTX Integer Scaling modes. It's a full screen game, but it
looks like a window with a black border around it (integer scaling a
640x480 game to 1280x960 on a 1920x1080 screen, but not letting it
stretch to use the entire computer.

As for one of the others

> V) Full Screen Plus: I got multiple screens, baby, and I'm taking
> full advantage of them!

I always wanted to do this for those dual screen arcade games like
Darius, X-Men arcade and The Ninja Warriors, but I have never had two
screens of the exact size and resolution.

> II) Borderless Window: Sure, I want to maximize the viewport, but I'm
> a modern computer user, so I want the convenience of windows too.
Poop award. I don't like it, mostly because it says "Window", I know
it's stupid,
but the though of windows being behind at all times, plus "being a
window", it feels like an application or desktop minigame. It's a
caveman way of thinking. I only use it when the game does not support
anything else (UWP games) or in the rare occasions I Stream.