1000th Post Extravaganza

[Solecismic]

Don't take this to mean anything more than a question.

A design issue has been bugging me for awhile. I haven't resolved it, and I don't get the same answer from any two people.

Do you prefer full-screen games or window games?

Full-Screen games give you better graphics, more information per screen, more controlled organization within the game (annoying stuff like the inability to remember window size and placement across different versions of Windows don't plague you). But there is a slight mental "cost" to starting up.

Window games give you the ability to organize your own desktop, less startup time, the ability to continue to multi-task (leave the game open all week if you like).

Personally, whenever I have a choice, I go Window. And that's what I've done with Front Office Games over the years. But it's tempting to take over more screen real estate - I could get in one mongo-large spreadsheet if I had a full screen to work with.

What's your opinion?

[yabanci]

wow, I'm blown away by this extravaganza. I'd vote for full screen if FOF had beter graphics, but window is fine as it is now.

[weinstein7]

I'm forever multitasking, even if the background application is just checking e-mail or something, so full-screen stuff tends to bug me.

[BrianD]

For me it totally depends on the game. Something like FoF or FBCB should be in a window. These games are perfect as multi-tasking games since they don't demand attention for hours at a time and the game can be played at any pace.

Anything dealing with more action or mouse precision should be full screen. Nothing worse than trying to click something quickly and finding that you just brought a different window to the foreground.

I think the current FoF works very well. The window is nice and I can expand the main window as much as I want to allow personal placement of the sub-windows.

[ThunderingHERD]

I think full-screen is preferable only if you're creating a really immersive, graphical interface. If you're sticking with standard windows controls and whatnot, the more windows that can be resized, the better.

[korme]

1024x768, get with the times main!

[Dutch]

Windowed mode allows you to multi-task. When writing dynasty's, I like to flip around quickly from MS Word to FOF. I also like to cascade the windows so I can view data and write about it.

But when I am not writing about a dynasty (about 90% of the time) I just maximize the window and have fun. So the idea of getting more data on the window would be great. Also, we could always get a second monitor and do split screen that way for writing on our dynasties.

More information on the screen by going full screen sounds like something I would want more than windowed mode. (Also, I'd love to not have to arrange my windows everytime I load the game, which FS would solve.)

EDIT: I see you are getting just the varied response you predicted already.

[Ben E Lou]

Definitely windowed here. I've had both FOF and BM open on this computer all week. I wonder what the stats are for 1024 x 768 these days.

[Celeval]

Absolutely windowed. Non-windowed games typically lose mindshare for me, as I'm so often multitasking.

[Cringer]

1000 posts? rookie.....

You want to boast about your post number, maybe spend a little less time programming and more time posting eh?

Uh, forget I said that.........

I went with full screen. Although if the current way is considered "windowed" then I am fine with that because I can make it full screen.

[Radii]

Definitely windowed, FOF lends itself so well to both multi-tasking and dynasty writing, keeping things windowed to allow for both of these things is definitely important to me.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Radii

Definitely windowed, FOF lends itself so well to both multi-tasking and dynasty writing, keeping things windowed to allow for both of these things is definitely important to me.

Agreed whole-heartedly. I almost exclusively play FOF while bouncing between other activites, and i love the ability to have other things open (spreadsheets, websites, etc) for reference (especially for multiplayer).

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm in the window crowd as well. I always multi-task when playing FOF.

[Raiders Army]

Didn't read the post before I voted. I voted for full screen, because that's what I play most PC games. FOF, however, I play Windowed, albeit maxed out.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Celeval

Absolutely windowed. Non-windowed games typically lose mindshare for me, as I'm so often multitasking.

What he said.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

What he said.

Multi-tasking for JIMA = Lighting 3 cigs.

[Airhog]

I have to say that any game that has a good possibility to run a dynasty on should have windowed mode. I know that I have really been put off when I had to write stuff down on paper. Its not too bad when you can alt-tab, but nothing beat windowed mode.

[st.cronin]

I won't play a game that's not windowed for more than maybe 1/2 hour. Then I go insane.

[Dutch]

I tend to agree with windowed, but this whole "more data on the screen" thing has me extremely curious. I wish FOF had more data on the screen.

But if windowed, at least the ability to open multiple views without having to close one before opening another.

[KWhit]

A game like Half Life 2 - full screen.

A game like FOF - windowed.


In other words, action oriented games typically require ones full attention for a period of time and can be full screen. Sims like FOF or even (maybe) Civilization can be played in turns or stages. These games lend themselves to more multitasking and should be windowed.

Usually, I don't think you need to offer both as a choice (especially if it eats into development time on the actual game). Make a choice based on the type of game, and go with it.

[gstelmack]

Agreed with most people that for action games, fullscreen is where its at (anything that is trying to immerse me in the game world), but for a text sim I want windowed mode. Of course, I also like FBCB's windowed mode, where the window fills the screen but still has the title bar for minimizing, etc.

Of course, my Master's Thesis (that I never completed) was on font and resolution independent interfaces, so I understand how difficult it can be to write an interface that works at any window size...

[Joe]

for FOF- windowed, for something like madden- full screen

[Runtheball]

The windowed system of the FOF games is rather annoying. Here's an example of what bugs me: I notice a DB gave up alot of passes last game; I look at his player info card, and he looks really good. Check his stats and he stinks! Decide I want to check my scout's rating for secondary players, and I have to close the player info card, close the roster window, open the staff screen, then select the scout. Scout looks OK at secondary, so I want another look at the player...close the scout window, close the staff window, open the roster window, click on the player....

Could this be simplified?

Perhaps, (and I say this will all due respect, as I love your games) you should get a copy of FM2005 and see how they handle the above situation. They've really made all the info much easier to access without opening and closing multiple windows.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Runtheball

The windowed system of the FOF games is rather annoying. Here's an example of what bugs me: I notice a DB gave up alot of passes last game; I look at his player info card, and he looks really good. Check his stats and he stinks! Decide I want to check my scout's rating for secondary players, and I have to close the player info card, close the roster window, open the staff screen, then select the scout. Scout looks OK at secondary, so I want another look at the player...close the scout window, close the staff window, open the roster window, click on the player....

Could this be simplified?

Perhaps, (and I say this will all due respect, as I love your games) you should get a copy of FM2005 and see how they handle the above situation. They've really made all the info much easier to access without opening and closing multiple windows.

These other windows could be made modeless, although Jim does then have to deal with making sure they update whenever games are simmed / stages are run / etc.

[lighthousekeeper]

to me, more important than the full vs. windowed mode is the issue of resizable controls. if the forms have resizeable controls (like the kind you see standard in visual studio nowadays), then having it be in windows mode isn't that much of a difference from full-screen mode, because you can maximize the window and all important controls enlarge to fit the maximized form.

[maximus]

1024x768 for me.

[Senator]

windowed

[albionmoonlight]

Another advantage to windowed--it makes it much easier to share the CPU with your significant other. You can just minimize the game while she does her thing.

[NoMyths]

Windowed, of course. But the real question...

...why isn't there a trout option in this poll? Rookie.

[JeeberD]

Windowed, easily. However, kind of going of what Runtheball said, it would be nice if it were possible to open more than one window at a time in FOF. Such as if I could have a box score open and then open my roster screen at the same time...

[cuervo72]

Windowed. Even Madden I would prefer windowed, so I could pop between Adobe and Madden to grab colors, or between FOF and Madden to get player names and numbers, etc. Oh, and non-windowed is a BITCH if you want to try to do anything with it at work (you know it's done). It is a lot simpler to hide a window than to have to scramble to close a program.

Even for FOF drafts for example...I'm guessing many of us will have a window with the draft utility (or thread), one with the FOF Extractor data, and one with FOF itself.

[VPI97]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Windowed. Even Madden I would prefer windowed

Alt-Enter


Windowed 4 Lyfe, by the way.

[SackAttack]

I'm fine with whatever, so long as multiple resolutions are available. I can't play OOTP effectively on my laptop because you can't read anything at 640x480, but at 1024x768, the screen scrolls.

My desktop, obviously, doesn't have those issues, but it's been out of commission for the better part of a year (I'm typing from it right now because it appears to be working again, knock wood). If FOF 2004 had been 1024x768, my desktop issues might've forced me out of IHOF, which would have sucked.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

or between FOF and Madden to get player names and numbers, etc.

Could you explain what you are doing here? I ask because I was going to do the same thing you are doing (if indeed you are doing what I think you are).

Are you playing out your games in Madden (using player names, ratings, ect from FOF) and then transfering the game stats over to FOF?

I had thought about doing this but could not find a great way to do it.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by maximus

Could you explain what you are doing here? I ask because I was going to do the same thing you are doing (if indeed you are doing what I think you are).

Are you playing out your games in Madden (using player names, ratings, ect from FOF) and then transfering the game stats over to FOF?

I had thought about doing this but could not find a great way to do it.

I think he's grabbing player info from FOF so that he can create action photos and the like in Madden for IHOF and whatever other leagues he's in.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

I think he's grabbing player info from FOF so that he can create action photos and the like in Madden for IHOF and whatever other leagues he's in.

Ahh, ok.

I wish there were some way to input FOF players into Madden and then coach the games in Madden. Then input the games stats back into FOF. This way one would have the best of both worlds. Coaching a graphically beautiful game and then having the stats transfered over to the kinf of stat keeping, FOF2004.

[VPI97]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

If FOF 2004 had been 1024x768, my desktop issues might've forced me out of IHOF, which would have sucked.

Me too. There'd be no IHOF for me if it required more of my screen's real estate.

Originally Posted by maximus

Could you explain what you are doing here?

Using Madden to create player images...

[maximus]

Thanks VPI97.

I can do with the way Jim has his games set-up now but I still would like the option to go to 1024x768 if I wanted.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by VPI97

Alt-Enter

Windowed 4 Lyfe, by the way.

Yeah, I window my Madden (well, when I still opened it). I just mentioned it because someone else thought Madden was a game that should be full screen. I forgot the keystroke combo of course.

Now, the question is if it works with MVP2005...

[Karim]

I said 'give me a choice' but on second thought I'd have to say windowed. I usually have my own roster-related spreadsheets going and during draft time being a draft junkie, I consult several documents. As has been said, FOF is the perfect multi-tasking game.

[Franklinnoble]

Windowed. It's impossible to play at work otherwise.

[Desnudo]

FM 05 (Football [soccer] Manager 2005) offers both windowed and full screen modes, although it's more stable in full screen. It's easy enough to alt-tab in and out of the game. I find the information box system in FOF clunky compared to a fully integrated gui.

If you could add extra functionality by going full screen, I definitely would. As long as you could alt-tab out of the game when you needed to.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Windowed - wouldn't have it any other way.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Originally Posted by NoMyths

...why isn't there a trout option in this poll? Rookie.

As a matter of fact, the trout option IS there. You just need to find it...

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by VPI97

Me too. There'd be no IHOF for me if it required more of my screen's real estate.

*shudder*