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Looking for a game with multi-monitor support
schnark
Member Posts: 6
I am looking for some suggestions and advice with regards to finding a good MMO game to play. I just finished building a new system (primarily for work but hey, it's there) and I'm looking for some casual entertainment after the kids go to bed. 
The system is a Core 2 Duo box (E6600 overclocked to 3GHz), 2G ram, with two PCI-E GeForce 7600GT cards driving three LCDs (3840x1024 total resolution.)
I have a number of requirements and desires, and not a lot of free time, so I'm hoping I can get some good suggestions here, I'm hoping this forum is a good place to start. So, here's my list.
1. Gotta have multi-monitor support, preferably with the ability to play windowed. I played shadowbane a bit and it could do this, for example.
2. Doesn't require a massive time investment; something I can play an hour here and an hour there.
3. Preferably an older player base. A lot of what caused me to quit playing Shadowbane was the "pwned j00" type comments from the under 15 crowd. Not that you don't get that type of attitude from the over 30 group on occasion, it's just not as common.
4. I'd prefer a space sim. I played all the Wing Commander games and really enjoyed them, that style would be great. I'm flexible tho, fantasy or sci-fi works for me.
So, any suggestions for a casual gamer with not a lot of time to spend but a good box to spend it on? Thanks.
The system is a Core 2 Duo box (E6600 overclocked to 3GHz), 2G ram, with two PCI-E GeForce 7600GT cards driving three LCDs (3840x1024 total resolution.) I have a number of requirements and desires, and not a lot of free time, so I'm hoping I can get some good suggestions here, I'm hoping this forum is a good place to start. So, here's my list.
1. Gotta have multi-monitor support, preferably with the ability to play windowed. I played shadowbane a bit and it could do this, for example.
2. Doesn't require a massive time investment; something I can play an hour here and an hour there.
3. Preferably an older player base. A lot of what caused me to quit playing Shadowbane was the "pwned j00" type comments from the under 15 crowd. Not that you don't get that type of attitude from the over 30 group on occasion, it's just not as common.
4. I'd prefer a space sim. I played all the Wing Commander games and really enjoyed them, that style would be great. I'm flexible tho, fantasy or sci-fi works for me.
So, any suggestions for a casual gamer with not a lot of time to spend but a good box to spend it on?
Thanks.
Comments
I guess you could give some trials out for WoW, EQ2, DaoC..or whatever just to see if they support the feature.
Good luck!
MMO migrant.
All mmorgps I have tested supported window mode. Some had better and some worse support but it was always there.
"Memories are meant to fade. They're designed that way for a reason."
I think Everquest 2 has good multi monitor support
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Do I ever sleep?
Sounds like Anarchy Online might fit your bill
It does support multi monitors, several people of my aquaintance play it that way all the time. To run it in window mode, simply select the appropriate tab on the login screen.
The community is highly mature compared to other games. Bear in mind, because of the free trial, the noob islands are a little diluted along this score.
While the game has a long road to the top, it is quite simple to get a lot of fun in peicemeal.
One other thing that might or might not seal the deal for you. AO is the home of the ARK program, a voluntary service in which players are trained and given tools to assist the regular GMs in their duties. The result is quite dramatic, many petitions are answered inside of minutes instead of hours you get elsewhere. The problems are always answered as directly as possible, it isn't rushed, and they will work with you untill the problem is solved, instead of giving a cut and paste answer that might or might not solve the issue. All in all, it beats the customer service of any game i've ever tried by far.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
EVE does look like the type of game I'm looking for, and I was able toget it running widescreen - sort of.
I set two monitors up in the horizontal span mode and then set to
windowed, 2560x960. That showed a framerate of ~120-140fps. I could
drag that window around, when I dragged it so that it was overlapping
all three monitors it was showing a framerate of about 16fps.
So, I'm going to return one of my video cards (I have two 7600GT's) and I've ordered a Matrox TripleHead2Go. Seems like that's the only game in town when it comes to multiscreen gaming. EVE will work on it, and I think that's going to be the game I try out for a while. Eventually I'll upgrade my video card again, once the prices on the high-end stuff come down some - mabye when the successor to the 7950 comes out.
Thanks for the help and advice.
That's because the vast majority of gamers don't have multiple video cards and multiple monitors. You're in a very elite sector of gamers to be running a rig like that.
he said he wants a game were is an hour here and there well isn't that what guildwars is think about it you play guildwars for a total of 12 hours and can beat the game unless you do every little thing and watch every little video.
The best game i think you would go for is EQ2.
Massive community.
Most players have been there sense the start of EQ so theres alot of older players.
Decent graphics :P
Either that or go for some of the free trials like MarleVVLL Suggested
That's because the vast majority of gamers don't have multiple video cards and multiple monitors. You're in a very elite sector of gamers to be running a rig like that.
I think that's partially true. Singlehead is still the most common I'm sure, but I'd be willing to bet that most of the video cards being sold now have two outputs.
Three monitors is probably pretty rare... but I bet two is rapidly growing. The ability to "see the action" on one monitor, with all your other in-game windows - chat, radar, functions, etc on the other window should really probably be the immediate goal of multi-head gaming.
Amongst hardcore gamers, maybe. But gaming companies don't make games for hardcore gamers. They make them for as wide an audience as possible. I have yet to meet a single person who is not either a programmer or a gamer (and usually both) who has more than one monitor hooked up to their computer, regardless of whether the video card supports it. It's an extreme luxury for people who do not approaching gaming as a lifestyle.
You're thinking like a lifestyle gamer. Blowing a few hundred bucks on a lifestyle is definitely no big deal.
But for most people, a computer is already a luxury. The idea of adding a few hundred more dollars in order to "just play a game" is something most people just flat out reject.
I'm not reposting to argue, really. I just think it's important to remember from time to time that we avid gamers are a minority, even though a very large amount of people play games. Most people who buy video games do so to play few hours a week, where many of us will be upset if the games we buy don't give us enjoyment a few hours every day.
Mabye that's a really relevant point, then - the type of game really matters. Do you care if your jigsaw game runs at 100+ fps or on more than one monitor? I know my mother doesn't.
Good discussion... I don't see this as an argument at all, you're very right - the puzzlers and arcaders outnumber the hardcore gamers by a wide margin.
Somewhere I saw a add ( on the net ) for a switch to make a copmuter 3 monitor capeable, does anyone have any idea where I can find this switch, or what it is called? I recal it wa around 40 $ US..
thanks for any help