Okay,

So I have Windows 8.1 64-bit. I know Chaos Overlords isn't going to view properly in it, but I want to play the game.

So I decide to install virtualbox (latest version), then install Windows XP. The game works as expected when installed, but now the screen looks minimized in fullscreen. It's just too small to be functional.

Oh, other items:

1. My native resolution is 1920x1080, while my virtualbox VM is at 1280x1024.
2. When I run the game, it is in a screen that looks maybe 640x480.
3. Just before I exit out of the game the screen goes black but my Menu bar for Chaos Overlords stays on the screen for maybe 8 seconds - and it is maximized in full screen the way I'd expect.
4. If I try to run the game in Windows 8 it doesn't work visually (the white boxes issue), but the game is in proper fullscreen (maybe stretched, but better than in a tiny window.

How can I get Chaos Overlords to take up the whole screen while playing as opposed to just when the game closes - without constantly changing my native resolution?

Below are some screenshots. The first is virtualbox with Windows xp in a fullscreen window on my desktop. The second shows the game running in WinXP, the 3rd shows what happens right after exiting out of the game.

Thanks for the help!!

PS: I don't think this is an issue with VirtualBox, but an issue with the game in Windows XP.

The game runs just fine for me on Windows XP, though I have heard other people say that they've experienced similar problems getting the game to run fullscreen (though I don't know what system they were running it on). So I'm guessing that the problem may have to do with certain system configurations rather than with XP per se.

Hope you get it sorted; it'd be nice if there was a confirmed workaround for Windows 8 users.

Well, looks like I found my own workaround and the reason why!

In virtualbox manager you have a multitude of options.

If in the virtualbox manager settings you chose:

'Display'

then placed a check in:
'Enable 2D Video Acceleration' from the 'Extended Features', you will have the exact problem I had.

Uncheck that option (note, you can still leave 'Enable 3D Video Acceleration' on) and then enable 'switch to scaled mode' in your virtualbox VM to stretch the game to a full screen.

It's not perfect but it's better than squinting until you are blind!!

Adding 3 more images:
1. The first image shows the option in the virtualbox manager.
2. The second image shows the option from the VirtualBox VM. Note that going to fullscreen mode does not help (though I wish it did because then the game wouldn't look stretched. Oh well...).
3. The third image shows the game as it looks now - stretched but working. Notice the game is in the virtualbox VM for Windows XP (above), and the Windows 8.1 task bar (below).