High resolution = Prettier game, but impossible to navigate catalog- Workaround?

[Claeric]

I doubt it, but I was wondering if there's any way to use a smaller UI for a bigger resolution (though I doubt the UI works in such a way), or make things forcibly bigger, or something...

I play at 1920x1080 and the UI is really really tiny, it doesn't grow to compensate or anything. I was hoping a higher res would mean bigger thumbnails (though now that I think about it, a lower res gets bigger thumbnails usually, I had it backwards) but instead I've got these tiny, worthless little things and it's impossible to navigate the catalog without leaning close to the screen or clicking each individual object to see the expanded view.

It doesn't help that the thumbnail lighting is horrendous. The light should be directed on the front of the object, but EA doesn't think that makes sense.

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/968/ts3sp032011020421312124.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/149/ts3sp032011020421332693.jpg

No img tags on the pictures because at a lower resolution than 1920x1080 you're not going to be able to tell what the problem is anyway.

[spockblock]

Do you really populate your worlds with sims that look like that? Creepy.

[Jeebus]

Have you tried running the game at a LOWER RESOLUTION? That will fix the problem quickly.

[spockblock]

Have you tried running the game at a LOWER RESOLUTION? That will fix the problem quickly.

Then he can't admire his incestuous boytoys in full throbbing detail.

[Claeric]

Well, for one thing. 1920x1080 is the *only* 16:9 resolution, so...

[Jeebus]

Well, for one thing. 1920x1080 is the *only* 16:9 resolution, so...

1280x720.

[Claeric]

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/111/resomolutions.png

Mind circling that one for me?

And before anyone says it, 16:10 or 85:48 is not "close enough"- any resolution other than 16:9 gets displayed on my monitor at 1:1, so in a box in the middle of the screen instead of over the whole screen. I think that's a pretty legit reason to be using the only existing 16:9 resolution.

[rohina]

Do you really populate your worlds with sims that look like that? Creepy.

That's mean! Claeric looks like that.

[Madame Mim]

Do you really populate your worlds with sims that look like that? Creepy.

That's mean! Claeric looks like that.

That makes it even creepier, to populate a world with personal clones.

[rohina]

Do you really populate your worlds with sims that look like that? Creepy.

That's mean! Claeric looks like that.

That makes it even creepier, to populate a world with personal clones.

Hello! Did you ever meet our friend Brynne?

[spockblock]

Do you really populate your worlds with sims that look like that? Creepy.

That's mean! Claeric looks like that.

Yes, that was the assumption I was working under. Which makes the whole thing not so much about simcest as self-love, eh? Oh what a magickal world of virtual onanism you hath wrought, EA!

[Skadi]

I fail to see the problem. My screen looks the same at 1650 x 1080 and I have no issues with the catalogue. I am unaware of a UI mod for the catalogue, which leaves you with:
1. Get used to it like everyone else who has been playing since 2009
2. Try adding the other 16:9 res to the .ini files
3. Drop to a lower res, and have bigger UI but black boxing
4. Buy another monitor.

[Claeric]

I fail to see the problem. My screen looks the same at 1650 x 1080 and I have no issues with the catalogue. I am unaware of a UI mod for the catalogue, which leaves you with:
1. Get used to it like everyone else who has been playing since 2009
2. Try adding the other 16:9 res to the .ini files
3. Drop to a lower res, and have bigger UI but black boxing
4. Buy another monitor.

The UI *isnt* bigger with a lower resolution and the black boxing, because it's displayed at 1:1. If anything, it becomes smaller. Significantly so.

2 is a legitimate idea, however.

Edit: Or not. Black box. :| I have no idea why it isn't forcibly upscaling, maybe it's a Catalyst Control Center setting.

[Skadi]

Perhaps the game just hates you.
Get one of those sheets of magnifying plastic.

[spockblock]

Perhaps the game just hates you.
Get one of those sheets of magnifying plastic.

Yeah! Like in Brazil.

[Claeric]

I thought I found a setting that would fix it, but no luck. However, 1280x800 works and scales (for some reason, even though other 16:10 resolutions don't) and forcing 1280x720 doesn't seem to work- it reverts to 1024x768 (which also, for some reason, scales).

It doesn't look too bad but you can tell it's a little tiny bit distorted.

[wizard_merlin]

Might be time to go see an optometrist, a nice pair of goggles will fix all of those problems.  I don't see what you're complaining about, the UI looks fine and is perfectly readable/viewable without having to press my nose against the monitor.

[tizerist]

Indeed. People are dying out there, and you're wasting bandwidth throwing a tantrum over a choice of moar than 10 display options. Go and sit on the naughty step brat.

[Seqkat]

Indeed. People are dying out there, and you're wasting bandwidth throwing a tantrum over a choice of moar than 10 display options. Go and sit on the naughty step brat.

Argument fail. People are dying out there, and you're wasting bandwidth throwing a tantrum over Claeric throwing a tantrum over a choice of moar than 10 display options. Go and sit on the naughty step, brat. (Amended, because your version was kind of weird. Let's not encourage him.)

Accept that throwing a tantrum on the internet is, while probably not as important as helping all the people dying in the world right now, a valid thing to do. Otherwise, don't do it.

[Claeric]

The main problem is that when you're looking through a long list of extremely similar objects, it can be a little hard to tell at a glance what is what, especially with the size of the thumbnails and the poor lighting of their pictures. I'd like to be able to look at the catalog and be able to tell without trying too hard what any given item is, like in Sims 1 where, because of the way objects were made and the lack of true lighting, everything was extremely visible in the catalog.

It doesnt help that the CC and expansion icons are oversized.

[tizerist]

Argument fail. People are dying out there, and you're

LOL. Response fail. What's wrong? Don't have an opinion of your own? And so must attempt to copy one from the plane above?
If you're going to flop that badly, at least be original.

[almostawesome]

Argument fail. People are dying out there, and you're

LOL. Response fail. What's wrong? Don't have an opinion of your own? And so must attempt to copy one from the plane above?
If you're going to flop that badly, at least be original.

*AlmostAwesome facepalms

She's parodying your own retarded argument. Please to be less stupid.

[cwurts]

Indeed. People are dying out there, and you're wasting bandwidth throwing a tantrum over a choice of moar than 10 display options. Go and sit on the naughty step brat.

Argument fail. People are dying out there, and you're wasting bandwidth throwing a tantrum over Claeric throwing a tantrum over a choice of moar than 10 display options. Go and sit on the naughty step, brat. (Amended, because your version was kind of weird. Let's not encourage him.)

Accept that throwing a tantrum on the internet is, while probably not as important as helping all the people dying in the world right now, a valid thing to do. Otherwise, don't do it.

Well Seqkat, people are dying out there, and you're wasting bandwidth throwing a tantrum over Tizerist throwing a tantrum over Claeric throwing a tantrum over a choice of more (for your information) than 10 display options.  Now all three of you are blocking traffic in and out of the building.

[spockblock]

Argument fail. People are dying out there, and you're

LOL. Response fail. What's wrong? Don't have an opinion of your own? And so must attempt to copy one from the plane above?
If you're going to flop that badly, at least be original.

Are you really this dumb or is this some kind of fraternity hazing ritual?

Tap your toes twice for "yes." I'll alert the authorities.

[jolrei]

I play at 1920x1080 and the UI is really really tiny, it doesn't grow to compensate or anything. I was hoping a higher res would mean bigger thumbnails (though now that I think about it, a lower res gets bigger thumbnails usually, I had it backwards) but instead I've got these tiny, worthless little things and it's impossible to navigate the catalog without leaning close to the screen or clicking each individual object to see the expanded view.

I'm still incredulous about this statement - how long have you been using computers?  Higher resolution means you can fit more on the screen, hence things look smaller.  This is not rocket science or brain surgery.  Therefore the UI will naturally be smaller - this is supposed to be a good thing, so the UI does not fill the whole screen and block your view of the game, although considering the look of the sim in the picture, that might be what you're aiming for.

I suggest using a straightforward 800x600.  You can have a nice big UI and will never have to see that sim again.  Your game will look like crap, but run like melted butter.