WSGF Certification Requirements - Page 2

Submitted by skipclarke on 27 August, 2007 - 20:40

Article Type: 
Article

Multi-Monitor Support

The game must multi-monitor gaming resolutions without requiring a third-party hack. Second party tools such as Matrox's SGU are acceptable. The game must not be pillarboxed or stretched in surround resolutions, and must not have any flaws such as a stretched HUD or stretched FMVs.


Resolution Support

The game must be capable of handling all of the following common resolutions, provided the player's system also supports them:

  • 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800
  • 1440x900
  • 1600x900, 1680x1050
  • 1920x1080, 1920x1200

We strongly recommend that 2560x1600 (WQXGA, 30" Widescreen) be supported. The goal is that the game be capable of handling all resolutions that the player's system supports. Examples of full support for custom Windows resolutions can be found in the WSGF forum thread "Faux TH2Go"


Multiplayer Support

If the game features a multiplayer mode, then it must satisfy the same requirements as the singleplayer mode.


HUD (Heads Up Display) Scaling

All 2D information displayed as an overlay on the main game screen, which includes but is not limited to health bars, ammo counters, game score, subtitles, and context-sensitive information, must retain its correct proportions in 16:10 and 16:9 resolutions, and not stretch or distort. We recommend that if the user is playing with TH2Go, then the HUD also remains on the center monitor.


Proper FMV Cut-Scene Support

If the game features FMVs (Full Motion Video, aka "Pre-Rendered" Video), then they must adapt properly to a widescreen resolution.

  • If the aspect ratio of an FMV is the same as the aspect ratio of the resolution, then it must fill the screen.
  • If the aspect ratio of an FMV is wider than the aspect ratio of the resolution, then it must span the screen's horizontal length, with appropriate letterboxing.
  • If the aspect ratio of an FMV is narrower than the aspect ratio of the resolution, then it must span the screen's vertical length, with appropriate pillarboxing.


Proper In-Game Rendered Cut-Scene Support

If the game features non-interactive cut-scenes that are rendered within the game's engine, then these cut-scenes are subject to the "Proper Screen Change" requirement as if they were part of gameplay. It is not required that they use the same screen change as the gameplay. For example, it is acceptable for a game to feature "horizontal plus" gameplay, but anamorphic cut-scenes.


Misc

There must not be any miscellaneous bugs or flaws related to widescreen. This section can't be defined explicitly, but some common flaws to be avoided include stretching and distortion of anything, mis-alignment of game text on static backgrounds, and alternate gameplay modes that do not satisfy the "proper screen change" requirement.

It is not mandatory for elements unrelated to the gameplay, plot, or narrative, such as loading screens, pre-game menus, and company logo screens, to satisfy the above requirements.