Yep. GTA3 does 4:3 always

Well, I've noticed that Tyrian 2000 looks better in 4:3 than it does in 16:10, even though it runs at 320x200 which is a 16:10 resolution.

mr_bigmouth_502 wrote:

Well, I've noticed that Tyrian 2000 looks better in 4:3 than it does in 16:10, even though it runs at 320x200 which is a 16:10 resolution.

320x200 was always a 4:3 resolution even though the pixels don't say so. All the VGA cards back then displayed it in 4:3, as with 640x400 as well.

leileilol wrote:

320x200 was always a 4:3 resolution even though the pixels don't say so.

This. Some resolutions assume rectangular pixels, not square ones.

Even Tyrian ignores this in places. In-game for example, shields and spheres look vertically stretched even though planets in the menu look fine. Also, EarthSiege's radar also looks stretched even though the rest of the game was made to be stretched to 4:3.

Just one of those little things I guess. Good thing DOSBOX lets you choose which ratio you want to play at.

That's because Tyrian's art was done by an amiga artist who don't really live in 320x200 to know this

leileilol wrote:

That's because Tyrian's art was done by an amiga artist who don't really live in 320x200 to know this

From Wikipedia

"Without using overscan, the graphics can be 320 or 640 pixels wide by 200 (NTSC standard) /256 (PAL standard) or 400 (NTSC interlace)/512 (PAL interlace mode) pixels tall. Overscan mode enabled 704 x 484 resolution in NTSC machines."

So Amiga does have a 320x200 mode.

DOTT seemed like a 16:10 ratio game as well in some areas. It's a shame to have such inconsistency in official products let alone fan games.

I remember asking a similar question some time ago.

Maybe you'll find some answers here:

True aspect ratio of VGA mode 13h (320x200)?

Thanks a lot Silent Loon, that was a very informative thread.

I guess this problem is more widespread than I thought at first!

Have you taken a look at the King's Quest I remake? What's your opinion on the aspect ratio?

To me it looks much better in a 16:10 AR with square pixels.

Happens to new games, such as The Secret Files series. It's best played in 4:3 letterboxed (the game takes care of that), otherwise you miss out on a little bit of detail.

I can understant why though; Scenes are prerendered, so it's one or the other.

Leolo wrote:

Have you taken a look at the King's Quest I remake? What's your opinion on the aspect ratio?

To me it looks much better in a 16:10 AR with square pixels.

Which do you mean? The official Sierra SCI remake or the fan made AGS remake?

I meant the fan made remake by AGD Interactive. I don't have the original Sierra remake, so I cannot compare them side by side 🙁

X-Wing (and TIE Fighter, if run in VGA mode) are bipolar. Things like the HUD were designed to be stretched, but the actual game view was not squished to compensate, so it's vertically stretched in the end.

Not really something that can be shown with a screenshot, I'm afraid.

I've noticed 3D Doom ports like GZDoom handle it incorrectly as well. Instead of making the game world taller, it just stretches the game view out. So if you look down, even the floor is stretched vertically.