Hi guys,

when I use the GPU scaling (AMD catalyst 14.9 WHQL on an AMD HD7950) the game completely ignores the "maintain aspect ratio" scaling and insists on using "centered timings" scaling - so instead of fitting the game on-screen in correct aspect ratio, it just centers it with actual pixels. So a 800x600 resolution becomes a small patch in the middle of a black screen.

If I turn off GPU scaling, the game plays fullscreen, stretched, changing the resolution of the monitor to what it wants.

I want to play it in 2560x1440 resolution with the 800x600 scaled up to that in correct aspect ratio, but no.
Either I play it in a teeny tiny patch on a huge black field or I have to turn GPU scaling off every time I want to play the game and screw up my entire desktop at the same time because the game changes the *actual* resolution of the monitor.

The silly thing is that the intro movie completely bypasses all GPU scaling, always plays stretched and screws up the resolution anyway.

I have the exact same issue with Celtic Kings, a game from the same publisher, published on GoG at the same time. I have no issue with any other game I've tried on GoG. Baldur's Gate for instance, works flawlessly with GPU scaling, so does Port Royale 2, Arcanum etc. etc.

I've already tried to ask GoG customer support for assistance and they couldn't find any answer to this.

So I turn to you, dear community.

Hi,

This was bothering me too (on a Nvidia card), but I finally found a solution. I know this topic is old, but I'm posting this since a google search found no solution but quite a few people having the same problem.

If you do read this, let me know whether this solution works for you.

EDIT:

Another quick solution solution (try this solution first):
_Open the file tzar.ini. Change the following line under videos: DIRECTXDEVICE=-1 to DIRECTXDEVICE=0
_Save and close the file


Well what do you know. Found a much simpler solution. Something I should have started with:
_Enable Windows 98/ME Compatibility.


If this doesn't work, try my original solution below.

_In your video setting options enable GPU scaling (maintain aspect ratio)
_Download DxWnd (http://sourceforge.net/projects/dxwnd/). Run it.
_Click Edit, Add. On the "Main tab" link to the game path under "Path" (see attachment 1)
_On the Main tab, uncheck Run in Window (see attachment 1)
_On the Video tab, check the "Force 16BPP Desktop"
_Click OK. You should see Tzar.exe with a green circle.
_Click on File menu and then on Hook. Make sure it's set to Start.
_Double click the green icon to run Tzar.exe with proper scaling.

Wow, you sir are, deserve great praise for this!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Win98 compatibility mode worked for me too.

I did not make this topic "a question" so I can't mark your reply as an answer, which it deserves because it is an answer - you deserve all the rep you can get, so I encourage people to upvote ZFR here if you pass through this thread.

I've been looking for a solution for almost a year, and had gone through the motions with gog.com support, theorized about all sorts of things, and tried almost all compatibility modes except Win 98.

Glad it worked.

Now only to figure why my intro movie is not playing.

And a 3rd method discovered:

Open the file tzar.ini

Change the following line under videos:
DIRECTXDEVICE=-1 to DIRECTXDEVICE=0
Save and close the file

Still working on getting the intro video to run...

EDIT:
Solved the intro problem!

Hello, I've tried all of this but cant make the game running on full screen.
Withe the compatibility mode game crashes for some reason after less than a minute.
The other easy solution changed nothing.
And the hard solution... When I double click the game in the program nothing happens (its green).
Running Win 10.

If there is anything else I can try, pls tell me :)

Your problem might be caused by something different. The solution I posted is only for the game not scaling properly (i.e. running properly, but ignoring "maintain aspect ratio" from GPU). Did you click on File menu and then on Hook and made sure it's set to Start?

Maybe you could try different compatibility modes? Also, run as administrator and see if that changes anything.

If not, try contacting Support. They'll work with you towards finding a solution and if nothing works, offer a refund.

Yes, I did it but actually I have no idea where to check
" _In your video setting options enable GPU scaling (maintain aspect ratio) "
since I am on laptop.

The only way the game runs without problems is in this "form" -puu.sh/r4nsK/21377a052e.jpg
which also changes my monitor resolution to look the same way

Edit: it actually looks wayy bigger on the screenshot :D in reality its just 1024 res in the center of the screen and everything else is black.

Manage to run the program... it needed admin rights but at the end it does what my windows already did.
but i want to find a way to stretch the game - like it is stretched when you run it in win98 mode (but as I said it crashes on it for me).

Any ideas ?

Does it use integrated intel graphics.

Right click on your desktop, see if you can find graphics options or similar. Then look for it there. See attached for an example. Try disabling aspect ratio, see if it changes anything.

If you still can't find it, what is your laptop's model. Try googling your laptop's model with "maintain aspect ratio".

Thank you so much for the solution. Your are indeed golden!!!!!!!!

Looks like the new version of dxwnd is different. Did you try just running the game?
Also, why not try one of the other two easier solutions?