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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:30 PM
Default Windowed Mode or Fullscreen?
Do you prefer to play your game in windowed mode or in fullscreen mode?
What do you see as the pros and cons of each?
Why do you prefer it this way?

Personally I usually play in fullscreen mode because I find the windowed screen to be too small and would prefer it to be about the same size of my screen, however I love that with windowed mode I can switch to here or something while waiting for it to load.
Forum Resident
#2 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:35 PM
I play windowed, and then resize it once I get in game. It's the same way as resizing the screen in fullscreen mode.

I don't pay all of my attention to my game - most of the time I'm building, since I need to finish this neighborhood first. Sometimes, I need architectural inspiration. Other times, I have to google and look for a particular piece of CC or mod. Or, perhaps a family member needs me to check for an e-mail, or for a recipe... or maybe somebody on Skype calls me. Also, MTS forums! Got to keep checking on those. Windowed mode makes it so much easier.

"God created dinosaurs. God destroyed dinosaurs. God created Man. Man destroyed God. Man created dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs eat man...Woman inherits the earth."

- Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park


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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:41 PM
Quote: Originally posted by TARLACHRed
I play windowed, and then resize it once I get in game. It's the same way as resizing the screen in fullscreen mode.

I don't pay all of my attention to my game - most of the time I'm building, since I need to finish this neighborhood first. Sometimes, I need architectural inspiration. Other times, I have to google and look for a particular piece of CC or mod. Or, perhaps a family member needs me to check for an e-mail, or for a recipe... or maybe somebody on Skype calls me. Also, MTS forums! Got to keep checking on those. Windowed mode makes it so much easier.


Okay I'm going to sound like a total noob probably but how does one resize the screen?
Mad Poster
#4 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:50 PM
Fullscreen! I can't play without edge scrolling.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
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Forum Resident
#5 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:52 PM
Once you load up your game, go open a neighborhood. Go to options, and then graphics/performance options. Select the second highest option, apply changes, and then when the game asks you if you'd like to keep the changes, say no. It seems that it depends on which computer monitor you're using, though... I'm used to doing this on my main desktop, which has a 4k UHD monitor. I'm using my secondary desktop now, however, which has a 1600x900 monitor, and it does not fill in the entire screen.

Perhaps try looking at some articles or threads about changing the game resolution via Properties (similar to enabling windowed mode). Too bad my method doesn't work on this monitor... I was looking forward to doing that, since I just realized I've been too lazy to try lately. Hopefully it could work on your monitor, though!

"God created dinosaurs. God destroyed dinosaurs. God created Man. Man destroyed God. Man created dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs eat man...Woman inherits the earth."

- Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park


My Simblr | Hadi Family Tree
Field Researcher
#6 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:52 PM
Fullscreen but I hate edge scrolling. And my game is crashy in windowed mode.
Mad Poster
#7 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 9:57 PM
I play fullscreen on every game that has that option.

All my Beginning Hoods here at MTS. http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=7749491
All my Beginning Hoods as Shopping Districts plus Old Town. http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=523417
MooVille, a tribute to Mootilda and her fabulous lots http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=534158
#8 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 10:14 PM
windowed all the way!

Years ago I could play full screen but no matter what i had as the highest setting the pictures would always just be a tad blurry so one day I tried windowed mode and did the 1600x900 and now pics are crystal clear and details are beautiful. Plus I like having control of where my screen goes and how far without actually hitting the screen edge when I didn't mean to thereby ruining the perfect angle for a shot. I've tried full screen a few times since windowed mode became a fave and each time I get so sick of how big everything is that i switch back very fast.

Sims 4 on the other hand I can play full screen and not have an issue with anything. But I also have just over 24 hours total playtime with that game so we'll see how far that lasts lol.
Inventor
#9 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 10:29 PM
I play windowed all the time. It's so that if I need to do something else, I can easily.

One time I left the game open for a while... I wouldn't recommend it. TS2 is a real memory hog, however I upgraded my RAM recently so it's no biggie now.
Theorist
#10 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 10:36 PM
Fullscreen...have never actually played in windowed mode. When I'm playing the game, that's all I want to see on my monitor.


“Seize the time... Live now! Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.” ― Jean-Luc Picard
Mad Poster
#11 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 10:41 PM
Full screen, at first because I didn't know how to make it windowed mode, but now because I've played it in full screen for so long if I didn't it'd just be weird and not as fun for me. Plus I constantly edge-scroll. Sometimes I browse the internet on my tablet while playing, though I've come to realize that that really takes all the immersion out of the game, the best stories come from when I'm actually watching my Sims and listening to what they want, instead of just leaving them to do their own thing while I watch things like '10 greatest candy bars of all time' on youtube out of boredom whilst every-once-in-a-while making sure my sims needs are met.

~Your friendly neighborhood ginge
Mad Poster
#12 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 10:50 PM
Fullscreen - except when I intend to take screenshots - and then I sometimes forget to go into windowed mode. Windowed mode takes a little bit longer to load for me, so when I don't have a lot of time, full screen is a better option.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#13 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 10:57 PM
Fullscreen for me too. I like to be immersed in the experience.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 11:09 PM
Fullscreen...if I need to do something else while I'm playing the game I just ALT-TAB out of it and minimize it for a second.

They should use The Sims 2 in psychology....it could work wonders.
Field Researcher
#15 Old 14th Jul 2015 at 11:51 PM
My game crashes if I ALT-TAB out of it in fullscreen mode.
Theorist
#16 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 12:31 AM
Usually full screen. Sometimes windowed if I am copying a floor plan from online. Very rarely, I'll use windowed mode by choice while building even if I don't have a floor plan to copy, but in that case I usually have something else I'm doing on the computer at the same time. (I can't remember what just know, but I know it's happened once or twice.) I've also accidentally hit the shortcut for the windowed game and decided that I didn't feel like quitting and restarting.

I also like edge scrolling, and get frustrated when it doesn't work in windowed mode. I never alt-tab out of the game while it's full screen, although it did collapse itself to the taskbar a couple of times before I figured out that it doesn't like running full screen while I have the internet or Power Point up at the same time. (The game didn't crash -- it was still running. The screen just went black for a second and then I saw my desktop. When I clicked the game icon, the screen went periwinkle for a second and then the game came back up, still running like nothing had happened. Which completely corrupted it, right? *le sigh*)

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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#17 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 12:43 AM
Quote: Originally posted by TARLACHRed
Once you load up your game, go open a neighborhood. Go to options, and then graphics/performance options. Select the second highest option, apply changes, and then when the game asks you if you'd like to keep the changes, say no. It seems that it depends on which computer monitor you're using, though... I'm used to doing this on my main desktop, which has a 4k UHD monitor. I'm using my secondary desktop now, however, which has a 1600x900 monitor, and it does not fill in the entire screen.

Perhaps try looking at some articles or threads about changing the game resolution via Properties (similar to enabling windowed mode). Too bad my method doesn't work on this monitor... I was looking forward to doing that, since I just realized I've been too lazy to try lately. Hopefully it could work on your monitor, though!


Hmm strange mine does't give me any options for that.
Forum Resident
#18 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 12:45 AM
Full-screen.

I just press the little windows button that brings up the start menu if I need to minimize it and I can take screenshots using fraps without minimizing.

There are no pros for me playing in windowed mode as far as I can see.
Forum Resident
#19 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 12:49 AM
That is strange... It shows up for me in windowed mode. Perhaps it doesn't show in fullscreen? *shrug*

I don't see why it wouldn't show up.

"God created dinosaurs. God destroyed dinosaurs. God created Man. Man destroyed God. Man created dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs eat man...Woman inherits the earth."

- Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park


My Simblr | Hadi Family Tree
Link Ninja
#20 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 3:02 AM
Full screen because I interface my game with STEAM, I can bring up a web browser while in-game using shift + tab, I can also take hi-res screenshots through the application using F12.

If I need anything else, I have a second computer on my desk to work on while sims is going,

Uh oh! My social bar is low - that's why I posted today.

Mad Poster
#21 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 4:35 AM
I used to play fullscreen and I do miss the edge scrolling, but I play in windowed mode now so I can take screenshots and because trying to use the windows button while in fullscreen to get out and check on something else always made everything hang for 5 minutes.
Test Subject
#22 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 9:04 AM
Definitely Windows mode! I dont really have a reason for it at all my games are on windowed mode, I just feel more comfortable.
Mad Poster
#23 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 10:10 AM Last edited by AndrewGloria : 15th Jul 2015 at 2:51 PM. Reason: Stupid Typo: "two" instead of "to"!
Until two days ago I always used full screen, but then I installed Any Game Starter (AGS), and by default AGS is in Windowed mode. Now I only intend to use AGS for creating lots for possible sharing, so I'll pretty well always be in Build or Buy Mode when I'm using it, and Windowed mode is ideal for easy switching between The Sims and the plan for the building I'm working on. I do miss edge scrolling though, and think I'll still use full screen to actually play.

Even in full screen mode you can switch to and from other applications by using Alt-Tab, but both Dizzy-Noodles and I have occasionally experienced a problem if you have a lot open in full screen Build Mode and switch to and from another application. The lot appears to save normally, but afterwards you find you cannot open it or even bulldoze it. (It appears in Neighbourhood View as a blue rectangle.) This means that for building you're safer in Windowed mode.

All Sims are beautiful -- even the ugly ones.
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Top Secret Researcher
#24 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 2:47 PM
Windowed mode, because I often play in situations where being able to bail and hide the game from my screen is desirable. Alt+Tab works fine in fullscreen but it's a long wait when restoring the game. It's also a lot easier for me to take screenshots in-game and then quickly paste them into my image editor.
Mad Poster
#25 Old 15th Jul 2015 at 3:31 PM
Windowed but I do miss edge scrolling. I switch windows a lot and it takes too long to go in and out of fullscreen - I don't know why there is so much lag.

Check out my thoughts on Psymchology (Sim Psychology) - latest post is on the main six aspirations.
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