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Time and again, browsing GOG, i find a game which looks entertaining or appealing, looks old enough, and has a decent price.... i then check system requirements, and if they are below or slightly above what i have, i purchase the game.... many have worked even when stated minimum requirements are not met.



However, some others, i meet the requirements for, and they still do not run. most often, i believe this is a resolution issue, and sometimes it even tells me when i try to run it: must have minimum resolution of 1024 x 768



my netbook, which i intended to play said games on, is limited to 1024 x 600. i suggest GOG add this information to the system requirements on the game's store page.



Off the top of my head, two games are notable: avernum (i bought avernum, and it gave me 1-6 + blades.... 4 and 5 give message i must have 1024 x 768, and 6 just doesnt start at all. no messages or anything)

and underrail (which starts and runs, just has 168 pixels cut off the bottom of my screen)

for others, i would have to go back through and test my library.
Not sure if you're aware, but GOG does have a community wishlist for things like that. As it happens, there is an entry for what you're suggesting: https://www.gog.com/wishlist/site/show_minimum_supported_resolution_in_system_requirements

Good idea drawing attention to it with a thread, though, many people (like myself) are probably not even aware this can be an issue and don't have to deal with it, but will likely be happy to help out with a vote.
Although you never know how much attention GOG actually pays to the wishlist.
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Saiko.Systems:
Only DOS games have res lower than that, and none of these games are for netbooks. That should have been pretty obvious before buying a game.

But yeah, it should state the bare minimum.
Post edited June 13, 2018 by sanscript
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Saiko.Systems:
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sanscript: Only DOS games have res lower than that, and none of these games are for netbooks. That should have been pretty obvious before buying a game.

But yeah, it should state the bare minimum.
There are a lot of Windows games supporting a resolution lower than 1024x768, many even only supporting 640x480 and/or 800x600. Baldur's Gate, Diablo and Starcraft just to name a couple high-profile ones.
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sanscript: Only DOS games have res lower than that, and none of these games are for netbooks. That should have been pretty obvious before buying a game.

But yeah, it should state the bare minimum.
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Maighstir: There are a lot of Windows games supporting a resolution lower than 1024x768, many even only supporting 640x480 and/or 800x600. Baldur's Gate, Diablo and Starcraft just to name a couple high-profile ones.
You're right, I phrased that wrong. I was referring to his limit on 1024 x 600, many win games won't even start if it detects a non-common res. Netbooks aren't made for games.
Post edited June 13, 2018 by sanscript
It could be nice to display maximum possible (without hacks) resolution either. Coz really LOT of old games cant scale futher than HD (or how its 4:3 alternative called?)
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Maighstir: There are a lot of Windows games supporting a resolution lower than 1024x768, many even only supporting 640x480 and/or 800x600. Baldur's Gate, Diablo and Starcraft just to name a couple high-profile ones.
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sanscript: You're right, I phrased that wrong. I was referring to his limit on 1024 x 600, many win games won't even start if it detects a non-common res. Netbooks aren't made for games.
I have installed and played on it thus far, with 1024 x 600: (usually in a window or in a black-side-bars 800x600, without mods/edits):
Infinity engine games (Baldurs gate, baldurs gate 2, icewind dale, planescape torment, as well as the EE versions of those except PST:EE)
Fallout 1, 2, and tactics
Might and magic 1-9
elder scrolls 1-3 + battlespire
postal 2
deus ex 1
neverwinter nights
arcanum
torchlight 1 & 2
mount and blade (all 3: original, warband, and F&S)
hitman 2 (im assuming 1 will also work, and maybe 3, but i dont own those yet)
vampire: the masquerade bloodlines

and those are just the ones i think have recognizable / famous names.... which i also own... not including recognizable/famous ones i dont own on GOG, nor a number of less-knowns i play on it, nor highly notable dos games like doom. so yeah, for a great many older games, the non-standard (and low) resolution doesnt stop them from installing or being played (and is often fixed or aided by a widescreen mod, such is the case for at least infinity engine and old fallouts)

So normal things running arent an issue, but things which seem like they should but dont, because they either default to 1024 x 768 or higher and thus i crash before i can get to a menu to lower it..... or they are locked into 1024 x 768 or highter..... neither of which i can know prior to spending my money on it, lol.

it isnt a total loss, of course, because i have other computers they will run on.... but my prefered computer is the netbook, and some games i wouldnt have bought if i'd have known they wouldnt run on it.

Since it might be valid in response to the "netbooks arent made for games" comment, my netbook is:
acer aspire one d270
intel atom n2800 dual core 1.86
aftermarket 4gb crucial ram stick (MB only supports 3.25gb though, so thats what i have usable)
aftermarket western digital black edition 7200 rpm 1tb HD
hacked/unlocked BIOS which i used to up the memory the intel GMA 3650 uses, up to 768mb
so, in regards to old games, resolution would be the only problem (even post-dos-era)

and to the first responder here: no, i wasnt aware there was such a wishlist (i thought there was only a games wishlist) so thank you for directing me that way.
Post edited June 13, 2018 by Saiko.Systems