What about the other, higher resolution modes?

I produced this video a while ago, can't remember if it contains an answer to your question: http://youtu.be/OG8AIqy79Fo

But I cover all sorts of things about the GOG.com version, so enjoy 😀

Thanks. I saw you had posted that video to the GOG forums and I had a quick look but you ended up settling on the 320x240 VGA option which works fine for me as well, except then the right hand side gets cut off a bit, and you don't see much of the table at the same time. The higher SVGA options also produce a correct aspect image, but then you see too much and the screen gets too narrow. The 360x350 mode is optimal in my opinion which is probably why it's the default mode in the game, if only it were possible to get it to display in the correct aspect.

The tweaked 336x350 mode is double-width, and the horizontal doubling scaler isn't designed to be something that can be turned off. How do you think that resolution is supposed to look on a 4:3 monitor?

I'm afraid I've never heard of double-width modes before. Does that mean it's not possible then?

I have no idea what would have happened on a real machine, but the game uses square pixels so it looks correct in 336x350 without any additional scaling. If it was originally stretched to 4:3 then I'm curious where the resolution when using the "aspect" flag comes from, since that output is closer to 1.25:1.

There are posts at Vogons to workaround those issues (to satisfactorily run Pinball Illusions). However, there is nothing more fascinating than "correct" aspect ratio debates. For others, please see this thread as just one example among many: http://www.libretro.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1532. The same for "square pixels" and artist's "original intent". 😀

I'm very familiar with how hairy aspect ratio discussions can get. In this case it's very easy to see what the correct aspect for the graphics is, which is that the ball should be round, like it is in the 320x240 and SVGA modes. I can buy that the correct way to emulate that particular mode however would be to stretch it, if that is actually what happened, though I'd still be interested to know why it isn't stretched to 4:3.

I found a post suggesting the "machine" option should be changed to "vgaonly", but that didn't seem to have any effect at all (it was previously set to "svga_et3000".) I guess I will keep looking.

There are other posts (and I think a patch) about that issue. A simple google search should find it. Also, only in these "correct" aspect ratio debates is a round ball sometimes round and sometimes not (the "round" correctness was actually discussed); that thread shows unproven assertions never argue to conclusion. Of course each person arguing knows themselves one hundred percent correct. 😀

You always have the option of compiling DOSBox from source. It's a simple change in vga_draw.cpp to force double-width off; and combined with settings of "aspect=false" and "scaler=normal2x forced" you'd have the 672x700 display that I think you're looking for. It's a hack, but maybe you prefer playing the game that way. Speaking of hacks, I recall that someone made a patch for DOSBox where a pinball game displays the entire table in a very tall window instead of scrolling up and down, and you can probably find that thread on the forum if you search for it.

I don't have much experience in C++ or compiling anything more complex than "javac HelloWorld.java", but perhaps I will give it a try. Thanks.

If anyone is interested, here are camera pictures of my CRT VGA monitor running Pinball Illusions at the 360x350, 640x480 and 800x600 modes with the horizontal and vertical size set to the maximum or to the edge of the bezel.

As I discussed elsewhere, http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/c … mode-x-and.html, the aspect ratio for the tables in this game and most of the other good pinball games of the time should not be stretched. This is not a problem for Pinball Illusions in its 320x240, 640x480 or 800x600 modes, either in DOSBox or on real hardware. It is a problem for the 360x350 mode, which displays "wide", even on a real CRT. If I reduce my horizontal width to 0 and keep the vertical width to 100, the brightness must be set to max and this is the best I can get to the square pixels of the other modes with this mode :

Interesting, thanks for the pics. Wish I had saved enough old parts to keep a real DOS "box" running myself. 😢

Very helpful indeed, thank you!