Good resolution for fullscreen casual games?

[Logodae]

Hi folks,

I'm about to get started on what will hopefully be my first casual game. I've downloaded and played a few to try to get a feel for what's out there, but I'm not sure what resolution(s) things are running at. Is there a standard? Maximum, minimum?

FYI, I'm using Python and Pygame (an SDL wrapper). I shouldn't need pixel-perfect collision detection or per-pixel alpha, which are the two things I know about that would definitely scale badly.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

-Morgan

[Ryan Clark]

We use SDL too, and we do use per-pixel alpha, at 800x600. Runs well even on older machines, as long as you're not doing anything like full-screen scrolling. We employ a dirty rectangles algorithm.

[Pallav Nawani]

Good Resolution: 800x600 Maximum: 1024x768. At 640x480 graphics look pixelated. Going above 1024x768 might increase the size of art assets to an unacceptable value. Also, more horsepower will be needed to run the game.

If you haven't already started developing your game, you could consider using the (free) PopCap Framework instead of SDL. You will get ready made widgets, bitmap font routines & font making tool, Hardware Acceleration, Image resizing, coloration, rotation on the fly etc.

Drawback of PopCap framework is that it is windows only, and uses Bass library to play music by default. I think Bass costs $100. Although you can use the (free) Audiere library to play music, but this requires some work on your part.

[Anthony Flack]

800x600 seems to be the most generally accepted common resolution, but I do disagree that 640x480 looks noticeably pixellated if your graphics are anti-aliased and not of the hard-edge variety. It is, after all, the resolution we watch DVDs at (yeah, I watch DVDs on my computer).

I'll probably default to 640x480 just because of the improved fill rate.

[Dyno Kid]

800x600 here.

[Tom Gilleland]

1024x768 will be the default size for my current game in development. I will scale for other sizes.

There are statistics here:
http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp

Tom

[dxgame]

I've tested a bunch of games at various resolutions on my intel extreme box and on my higher end kit, the bottom line is, if you're coding a fast action game use 640x480 or 800x600, your frame rates will thank you. For games that don't need a fast frame rate you can get by using higher resolutions.

And I totally disagree that 640x480 games look pixellated, etc. Especially when a game is designed to run in 640x480.

Overall though if I had to stick to one resolution for casual games I think 800x600 is the new "low resolution" mode. ;)

[LilGames]

640x480 will only look pixellated if your artist lets it look pixellated.

;-)

[Logodae]

Thank you all for the replies!

The general consensus seems to be 800x600, which sounds good to me. I'm glad to hear you've got that running well using SDL, Ryan -- I think Pygame's sprite objects automatically use a dirty rectangle method, but if not, I'll definitely be implementing one.

I think 640x480 would look too pixellated for this particular game -- it's got these sinuous dragons*, which will need to be non-antialiased sprites. And I want it to look as nice as possible, since I think my screenshots are going to be what sells this game -- if anything does. I do have a 640x480 RPG project that I'm working on, in bits and pieces, but that's different.

pallavnawani, I did consider the PopCap Framework, but I don't think I'm willing to trade cross-platform compatibility for hardware accelleration. And even my brief exposure to Python has made the prospect of going back to C++ distasteful. :p


*Yes, it's a casual game... with dragons. I'm hoping at least some portion of the casual demographic has fond memories of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. And they're going to pretty dragons, as dragons go. ;)

[Atomic Paul]

640x480 will only look pixellated if your artist lets it look pixellated.

;-)

If it's 3D AND fullsreen then it will, regardless of artist!

[LilGames]

If it's 3D AND fullsreen then it will, regardless of artist!

Yup, you're absolutely right. I keep thinking in "2D".