Another game almost unplayable due to forced Widescreen

VanillaGorilla

CAGiversary!
Feedback
18 (100%)
Well, I'm getting ready to play some Enchanted Arms for the first time, and as I start the game, I notice that the subtitle test is small and somewhat blurry. And sure enough, I get into a battle, and some of the most basic RPG stats, like hit points, what your special moves do, are barely readable, thanks to the forced widescreen. Absolutely ridiculous. If this is gonna be something that springs up in certain 360 games, it is going to seriously take the wind out of my 360 gaming sails. Ridiculous.
 
[quote name='Jedi1979']are you using a HDTV?[/quote]Obviously not, or else I wouldn't have this problem. It's complete rhinoballs for developers to "maxime" their games for a format that less than 25% of 360 owners even have, especially if there is no option to NOT use the bogus forced widescreen. Also, is it a requirement to have tiny text in most of these games?
 
If possible, grab the VGA cable and use the 360 on your computer monitor. You should have no problem reading the text then.
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']Obviously not, or else I wouldn't have this problem. It's complete rhinoballs for developers to "maxime" their games for a format that less than 25% of 360 owners even have, especially if there is no option to NOT use the bogus forced widescreen. Also, is it a requirement to have tiny text in most of these games?[/quote]


i figured you didnt but wasnt sure since this is a problem for everybody with a regular TV so i wasnt sure why a thread was made on it;)

either way there is a simple solution to this

i couldnt wait to get my HDTV so that i could fully enjoy the 360 and not have to decipher the text on the Standard tv
 
I would much rather play my videogames on a television, than on a PC monitor, and have to shell out money for that stupid cable. If I wanted to watch games on a PC monitor, I would play PC games.
 
Honestly, I don't blame you for being pissed... HDTV's were supposed to be optional for the 360. Recommended, but still optional.

It's a shame that developers aren't accounting for SDTV users.

I'm just glad I decided to get my HDTV the same time I got a 360, I'd be pissed too if this happened to me.
 
I'm just gonna try to play it anyways, I have awesome sight, so although it will be a pain in the ass near-squinting for a 40+ hour RPG, I guess I'm up to it. I just hope this kind of garbage doesn't pop up in some of the 360 games I am looking to get in the future (thankfully, EPIC is smart enough to not pull this BS with Gears of War).
 
[quote name='getmyrunon']2 words: sit closer.[/quote]

The gamer shouldnt have to change for the game, rather game developers should make the game around the gamer.
 
[quote name='Pijaibros']Tell that to the PC market that has shut me out since Diablo II[/quote]

Yeah, PC developers are fags.
 
I've been playing Enchanted Arms for over 20 hours on an SDTV with no problems reading the text at all during any portion of the game. What size TV are you using?

I'm playing on a 32" flatscreen and like i said, no issues at all.
 
[quote name='friedram']QQ

Buy a widescreen HDTV- it's not like Blue Ray or HD-DVD- the HDTV standard is here to stay- save up those pennies.[/quote]I would rather use those pennies to pay bills, rather than "upgrade" my perfectly fine television for something that, in my opinion, isn't that great of a step up to justify spending hundreds of dollars on one.
 
[quote name='help1']The gamer shouldnt have to change for the game, rather game developers should make the game around the gamer.[/QUOTE]

I was half kidding. I play a fair amount of games on a 13inch SDTV. I have to sit about 4 feet away from the screen to read anything.
 
According to USATODAY.com, 60% of 360 owners have HDTV's. Guess I was wrong. Eh, whatever. The POINT of this whole thread is that developers should make their games resonably accessible to EVERY 360 owner, not just the ones who have the best high-end equipment.
 
Bah.. I agree.. you shouldn't have to be using HD for something as simple as being able to read the text in your games. It seems to me there shouldn't be an issue in that deparment no matter what display you're playing on.
 
Is there a website that compares the 360 on SD vs. HD? I know there are sites that show screenshots of widescreen movies vs. regular movie.
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']According to USATODAY.com, 60% of 360 owners have HDTV's. Guess I was wrong. Eh, whatever. The POINT of this whole thread is that developers should make their games resonably accessible to EVERY 360 owner, not just the ones who have the best high-end equipment.[/quote]
I disagree kind of. I definitely see your point and it sucks but you should really try and save for a HDTV (which I'm assuming you can since you own a $400 console plus $60 games). There are plenty of games to play on a PS2 or Gamecube (and soon the Wii) that will work fine on a regular TV.

Developers need to keep pushing the technology forward. HD is the future and I'd rather them make a better game instead of wasting time implementing features that will make the people who don't own the type of TV the console was meant to be played on happy [WTF was that asentence I just wrote? Eh, you get the idea.]. To me it's like someone complaining that some game has color-based puzzles and is unplayable on a black and white TV.
 
[quote name='javeryh']To me it's like someone complaining that some game has color-based puzzles and is unplayable on a black and white TV.[/quote]


:lol:
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']I would rather use those pennies to pay bills, rather than "upgrade" my perfectly fine television for something that, in my opinion, isn't that great of a step up to justify spending hundreds of dollars on one.[/QUOTE]

Not trying to flame, but I would argue that the margin of difference between the original Xbox and the 360's visuals is much slimmer than the difference between SDTV and HDTV when using an SDTV. That is to say, original Xbox games will look almost as good as 360 games when using an SDTV, but 360 games will look much much better when using an HDTV.

IMO, the jump to HDTV is a much bigger and more worthwhile jump than the jump to next gen, and it should almost always precede spending significant money on next gen hardware. On the other hand, users that plan on sticking with the current gen for awhile may not want to upgrade to HD just yet, because the higher resolution actually opens your eyes to graphical flaws that may not have been noticed in standard def.
 
Samurai Warriors 2 also uses forced wide-screen but the result is not that bad. Unlike that horrid Dead Rising, I can't see the text clearly although I'm using 32" SDTV.
 
Stop being a cheapass and buy a Widescreen TV. Seriously. This is an XBOX 360. Its meant to be HD and WIDESCREEN. Get with the times and buy an appropriate TV.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I disagree kind of. I definitely see your point and it sucks but you should really try and save for a HDTV (which I'm assuming you can since you own a $400 console plus $60 games).[/quote]Not so, since I traded in my entire DVD and Xbox library in order to afford the 360 to begin with, and I don't buy more than 1 game a month.
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Stop being a cheapass and buy a Widescreen TV. Seriously. This is an XBOX 360. Its meant to be HD and WIDESCREEN. Get with the times and buy an appropriate TV.[/QUOTE]


Hate to say it, but I agree. 4:3's are done for, and HDTV's can be had VERY cheap now. Like the Emprex 37" HDTV LCD, and Fry's for under $700.....

www.passwird.com
 
What kind of connection are you using to play it? Coaxial? Composite? I'd suggest S-Video or even component. I know some non-HDTVs support component, but nearly every TV out there right now at any decent size is going to support S-Video.
 
[quote name='Z-Saber']What kind of connection are you using to play it? Coaxial? Composite? I'd suggest S-Video or even component. I know some non-HDTVs support component, but nearly every TV out there right now at any decent size is going to support S-Video.[/quote]

co-ax? like through a modulator? god i hope not
 
Well, if it is indeed through RF, he has a legitimate complaint, but he would be one of three people using a modulator to play it.

Might as well sell the 360 and grab a 2600. Heck, it even has more numbers!
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Stop being a cheapass and buy a Widescreen TV. Seriously. This is an XBOX 360. Its meant to be HD and WIDESCREEN. Get with the times and buy an appropriate TV.[/quote]

Yeah, because we can all just afford to drop 2000 dollars on a whim to buy a new HDTV :roll:
 
[quote name='spmahn']Yeah, because we can all just afford to drop 2000 dollars on a whim to buy a new HDTV :roll:[/quote]Yeah, because every HDTV costs 2000 dollars and people strictly buy them on whims only :roll:
 
Or just overlook the fact that the TV doesn't need to be top of the line to be enjoyable, you can get a decent display for $500 or less with some effort, and to balance that - the VGA cable is going to produce comparable results for $10-40. Skip Subway a couple times, grab the cable, game happy. Down the line, buy yourself a good TV.

I played through Dead Rising on a 4 year old 17" Sharp SD TV, sitting about 3 feet from it at my desk, and I had no problems. Sure the Otis and Item text was tiny, but it wasn't unreadable. Now I use the VGA cable on my monitor, and I'm much happier - both for the eyecandy, and the playability of the games. Do some decent calibration with your TV and you really shouldn't have too many problems. Some people just like to complain at any chance they get, instead of finding solutions for the complaint.
 
[quote name='halfbent']Some people just like to complain at any chance they get, instead of finding solutions for the complaint.[/quote]You, sir, just summed up the internet.
 
[quote name='spmahn']Yeah, because we can all just afford to drop 2000 dollars on a whim to buy a new HDTV :roll:[/QUOTE]
:lol:

$400. You can buy a decent 30' Widescreen MAYBE HDTV for that price. Hell, I have a 30' WS TV I have been trying to sell on Craigslist for a month now for $200 and have only had a bit of interest in it. People think $200 is too much for a TV that will let you use component cables and play 360 just fine.
 
Heck, Vanilla spent at least $360 for a 360 and Echanted Arms and probably plays it on a TV that was at least $100 at the time. So he's already spent almost $500 to play it. What's another $100 or two? A PS3? Bah. More leik a 360 plus uber grafx.
 
[quote name='halfbent']Some people just like to complain at any chance they get, instead of finding solutions for the complaint.[/quote]Some people also like to be able to play games and be able to sufficiently read the text, without having to buy extra cables, or a new TV entirely. Then again, there are some people who think just because they can afford an HDTV, they think anyone who cannot is a piece of garbage, or that everyone else should have one too, or that SDTV's are basically junk. Sorry, but I'm not gonna spend $700 just to see some more detail in PDZ's snowbanks.
 
bread's done
Back
Top