Screen Size in ZDoom

Hi there, it's me being a n00b again.

I don't really know how to explain this, so forgive any mistakes I may commit. In one of my laptops I have installed PrBoom 2.5.0 and Zdoom 1.22. A really long time ago, I changed some options in both so that the screen size is smaller (and looks better). Now, I'm not referring to the "Screen Size" option in the menu, since all it does is make the screen smaller by adding a "frame" (the "green rocks" around the screen, if you know what I mean). What I'm talking about is that in my laptop, I have instead a "black frame", like if PrBoom and ZDoom were thinking my screen is smaller than it actually is.

For example, let's suppose I have "full screen" in PrBoom, so in the screen there are indicators in the lower left corner of the screen. If I press ? once, it replaces those indicators by the classic bar at the bottom (you know, the gray one with Doomguy's face and all that), and if I press it again, I get the "green rock frame" I mentioned earlier. As I do all of this, I still have the "black frame", which won't disappear never.

Now, in my PC I have installed ZDoom 2.7.0, and I want it to reduce the screen size the way I have it on my laptop. I've found the "320 X 640" and such options, but they don't see to make a difference. I want it to "think" my screen is smaller and effectively "reduce" the screen without that annoying green frame.

I hope I explained it properly, and feel free to ask if I didn't.

Thanks in advance for your help, and good day.

It sounds like you're using a resolution and/or aspect ratio that your PC doesn't like, resulting in a display that's either pillarboxed or windowboxed. PrBoom+ has a "Screen Multiple" setup option, which can help if you insist on using low screen resolutions. I'm not sure if there's a similar function on ZDoom unless it's hidden somewhere in the .ini file.

From what I can read in the link you posted, I think that what I have in my laptop is windowboxing. Now, I don't know what to think, because in ZDoom 1.22 I did it, and I can't do it in 2.7.0, so I'm puzzled. Now, when you say "It sounds like you're using a resolution and/or aspect ratio that your PC doesn't like", does it mean that it may not be able to reproduce what I have in my laptop?

If this is of any help, my laptop is a ThinkPad 385, and the other one is a Custom Build PC, with an LG monitor (Studioworks 553V).

Thanks for your answer.

EDIT: Clarity.

That's an old laptop, 800x600 SVGA display and Win9x. I think I misread your OP, if the black frame's visible when running at 640x480 it may be because the video chip or its driver doesn't attempt to scale graphics to fill the display, not that I know anything about Neomagic chips. Couldn't find a manual for the 553V, but if it's similar to the 552V (1024x768 resolution) you could try plugging it into the laptops external monitor port and see if it behaves like the built-in display when playing Doom, though I suspect it won't be quite the same. If the monitor can memorize settings for different resolutions you can try adjusting the horizontal and vertical size to suit your preferences.

OK, I'll try that and let you know the outcome. Thanks again for your answers.

EDIT: OK, just tried it, and it's what I imagined. The LG monitor looks exactly the same as in my Built PC. No "windowboxing" or "black frame". I'm beginning to think there's no easy solution, right?

I don't know if there's a ZDoom setting for what you want, but I do know I've seen laptop utilities that do this. Essentially it keeps your resolution fixed, and anything that tries to use a smaller resolution ends up using only a part of the monitor's display area, instead of stretching to fill the whole monitor. No program names, sorry.

What video card do you have on your PC? Your video card software might have some sort of "maintain aspect ratio"/"maintain screen size" type setting that would work.

edit: Is the black frame on your laptop on all sides of the monitor? Or is it just two bands that run horizontally or vertically?

As a poor workaround you could always run in windowed mode I guess.

plums said:

What video card do you have on your PC? Your video card software might have some sort of "maintain aspect ratio"/"maintain screen size" type setting that would work.

I'm not sure, is this the one you're talking about?: SiS 300/305/630/540/730.

plums said:

Is the black frame on your laptop on all sides of the monitor? Or is it just two bands that run horizontally or vertically?

It's on the four sides.

plums said:

As a poor workaround you could always run in windowed mode I guess.

I've tried that. It's not the same, but it more or less works.

Zed said:

I'm not sure, is this the one you're talking about?: SiS 300/305/630/540/730.

Think so. Fairly generic card then. I'm not sure you're going to be able to get what you want to happen, most of the tools to change the display like that seem to be video card specific.

Thanks GreyGhost & plums, I really appreciate your help. I think there's really not much that I can do, which probably means it's time to buy another PC (that was the plan since like a year ago, so this is yet another excuse to do it once and for all).

Thanks again, and good day.

PS: Of course, if you have another suggestion, please go ahead.