Diablo 3 won't support 3-monitors

[LiquidBlue]

Specs can be found here:
http://www.modsrigs.com/detail.aspx?buildid=26357

Keep in mind that surround works for WoW. A good start for a valid argument as to why they should support it, advantage or not. I doubt any of them would reply to the thread anyways.

and as DaFox said, there are no AA options currently and it's only DX9. And running surround, at least right now, is running both GPU's at 99% which is extremely awkward.

Keep in mind that I would even come as close as calling this an Alpha client still. Lots of work to do.

[thales100]

but I'd like to reassure you guys that it's currently in.

Now I cannot go full screen mode with surround, only full screen windowed but is sure does look nice!

Shit man thats fantatsic, thanks a lot for sharing ! :party:

[skipclarke]

Specs can be found here:
http://www.modsrigs.com/detail.aspx?buildid=26357

Keep in mind that surround works for WoW. A good start for a valid argument as to why they should support it, advantage or not. I doubt any of them would reply to the thread anyways.

and as DaFox said, there are no AA options currently and it's only DX9. And running surround, at least right now, is running both GPU's at 99% which is extremely awkward.

Keep in mind that I would even come as close as calling this an Alpha client still. Lots of work to do.

There must be some mistake in those specs cos your cpu clock shows up as stock.
Obviously you didn't buy all that watercooling shit to run stock.

What do you get in full screen on a sinlge screen?
The optimization must be terrible, those graphics look like ps2
And no amount of AA is going to change its like putting a lipstick on a turd

[SioraiSiorai]

As a long standing player of both Diablo 1 and 2, and one of battle.net's first users (circa 1996 I believe), I can tell you that having 3 times the screen would be -insanely- advantageous, the limits on most of the spells is edge of map, so being able to nail someone with a particular skill before your opponent can even -see- you would be -very- unfair. PvE, sure, who cares, but then again, if you're playing D1/2/3 for PvE you're probably fail already.

[claydough]

As a long standing player of both Diablo 1 and 2, and one of battle.net's first users (circa 1996 I believe), I can tell you that having 3 times the screen would be -insanely- advantageous, the limits on most of the spells is edge of map, so being able to nail someone with a particular skill before your opponent can even -see- you would be -very- unfair. PvE, sure, who cares, but then again, if you're playing D1/2/3 for PvE you're probably fail already.

could care less about multi-player. Multi monitor immersion for starcraft and diablo single player please!

[valcan_s]

[quote]As a long standing player of both Diablo 1 and 2, and one of battle.net's first users (circa 1996 I believe), I can tell you that having 3 times the screen would be -insanely- advantageous, the limits on most of the spells is edge of map, so being able to nail someone with a particular skill before your opponent can even -see- you would be -very- unfair. PvE, sure, who cares, but then again, if you're playing D1/2/3 for PvE you're probably fail already.

could care less about multi-player. Multi monitor immersion for starcraft and diablo single player please!


Totally agree, I don't care about MP either, SP is #1. Sure LAN 4 player would be cool but SP is where its at personally.

[Osiris]

Specs can be found here:
http://www.modsrigs.com/detail.aspx?buildid=26357

Keep in mind that surround works for WoW. A good start for a valid argument as to why they should support it, advantage or not. I doubt any of them would reply to the thread anyways.

and as DaFox said, there are no AA options currently and it's only DX9. And running surround, at least right now, is running both GPU's at 99% which is extremely awkward.

Keep in mind that I would even come as close as calling this an Alpha client still. Lots of work to do.

- Widescreen-WoW works somewhat, if you ignore the crashfest. There is the long list of exceptions which occur(red up to WotLK) when accessing above 4GB ram (which only happens when using extremely large resolutions). They "allowed" it, but never actually "supported" it.
- No AA options ? This is completely wrong. There's FSAA since 2005.
- DirectX11 for WoW

I must admit : I smoked 3 (three !!!) graphic cards by playing WoW at 5040x1050 over 6 years. 2 GTX8800 which used to run in SLI and a GTX295. They ran extremely hot indeed.

Diablo 3 -> that game just isn't designed for 3 monitors ... and it's pro'lly waaay to heavy for that.

[valcan_s]

I don't have beta access, but I have downloaded the client and I can get to the menus. The highest resolution I can choose is 1920x1080 even though I have a nvidia surround setup. So it looks like at least the beta doesn't support nvidia surround.

I can verify, I have a nvidia surround and eyefinity, multi mon does not work you can not force 5760x1080.

The game is locked at 1920x1080, what a waste I am looking forward to Torchlight II anyways they have broken D3 with so many things :(

Here is a shit load of screens for those that want to take a look as its from my beta session.

http://renewsoft.com/d3/

I am going to try the none full screen mode you guys talked(supposedly 5760x1080) about, I swear I tried that and it does not work, if it does I will make screens and post.

Update: I tried the window mode you can not run D3 @ 5760x1080 in window mode or full. You can only stretch it a bit past 1920 on the width in window mode, really it makes not much of a difference.

Update 2: It does work in 5760x1080*window) there is a bit of weirdness but I go it to work will post a link to the pics in a few minutes. The rendering is not perfect there chunks that are not rendered, dungeons work the best and large towns etc.

[valcan_s]

Ok 5760x1080 does work in window mode here is what you have to do:

- locate the D3Prefs in Documents folder
- Mod lines : what ever rez you want

DisplayModeWinWidth "5760"
DisplayModeWinHeight "1080"
* These down here do not do anything even if you set the file to read only game runs its own settings *
DisplayModeUIOptWidth "5760"
DisplayModeUIOptHeight "1080"
DisplayModeWidth "5744"
DisplayModeHeight "1042"

- Now when you launch D3 the game will be stretched to that rez and look like ass. Don't freak out just press esc and then go into the graphics options and press apply. The game will re render the window, you don't have to change anything just hit the apply.
- Now your in business and can play in any rez.
- The shitty thing is the game chunks the parts of the lvl some part are 100% fine others are not its hit or miss(see in my screens)

I made almost 200 screens if you guys want more let me know: http://renewsoft.com/d3/5760by1080/

My upload speed is brutal so its going to take a while.

Really pisses me off they don't support multi mon in some sort of offline mode etc or one player online mode, it really has potential as I don't have to tell you guys :(

How could they say multi mon is stupid and useless in such a game, its ridiculous to tell you the truth, I am looking forward to Torchlight 2.

But beside the multi mon support you guys should really worry about the spell system and stream lining they have done to the game, you can only equip 5 spells at one time and have to sacrifice a potion slot, I really hate what they have done :( , no spell trees, no attributes, basically you have no choices just what spells you equip that everyone else has the same.

Again so much potential yet they have really stream lined the game and butchered it :( I hope everything will be cool when its out on all fronts.

Enjoy the screens 5760x1080 rulz

[thales100]

Ok 5760x1080 does work in window mode ...

...
I made almost 200 screens if you guys want more let me know: http://renewsoft.com/d3/5760by1080/

My upload speed is brutal so its going to take a while.

Great stuff ! But you can upload and create screenshot galleries here at WSGF, check here too if you have any doubts, cheers.

[valcan_s]

[quote]Ok 5760x1080 does work in window mode ...

...
I made almost 200 screens if you guys want more let me know: http://renewsoft.com/d3/5760by1080/

My upload speed is brutal so its going to take a while.

Great stuff ! But you can upload and create screenshot galleries here at WSGF, check here too if you have any doubts, cheers.

Cool, I will do that today after work.

[EvilEngineer]

Sadly, I won't hold my breath on this staying a working solution. If we remember, multi-mon worked in beta of SC2 just fine as well. Then came release, and it was "cheating" all of a sudden and the patched it to prevent it.

And... blizzard dev's are morons as they have never seen how awesome an overhead isometric looks on multi-mon. I.E. torchlight.

[DaFox]

>16:9 only worked in Alpha, it never worked in SC2 beta EvilEngineer.

[ChamberoftheArcanum]

This is really unfortunate. I don't understand Blizzard mentality on this game at all. I spend a lot of time away from home and at sea with no connection and I can tell you that D2 was a must have on everyone's single player travel game list. That had become it's niche. I am often away more than 90 days so my online accounts kept getting deleted due to inactivity, if that is still the policy then this game will be of no real use to me. But now this too, intentionally no multi-screen because they feel it wouldn't be useful, I really wish they would stop deciding what I will and will not like or use.

I have greedily played every Blizzard product out there but with this mentality... I'm not so sure any more.

[ugzz]

if they are saying its because its an online only game and it pulls data from the servers. then the game itself better be like a gig. just backdrops and fmv. if the game has a big footprint and gets all its data "off the servers" thats double bull.

i loved SC1 and D1 and D2. i thoguht SC2 was "ok", and ive been looking forward to D3 forever now. and honestly with this new online only crap, plus actually using the servers for realtime gameplay, plus no support for my gaming setup. Blizzard, you are disappointment, and i am getting fed up with your shit

[claydough]

This is really unfortunate. I don't understand Blizzard mentality on this game at all. I spend a lot of time away from home and at sea with no connection and I can tell you that D2 was a must have on everyone's single player travel game list. That had become it's niche. I am often away more than 90 days so my online accounts kept getting deleted due to inactivity, if that is still the policy then this game will be of no real use to me. But now this too, intentionally no multi-screen because they feel it wouldn't be useful, I really wish they would stop deciding what I will and will not like or use.

I have greedily played every Blizzard product out there but with this mentality... I'm not so sure any more.

I think part of the problem might be in how we are presenting the issue ( as a technology to be supported ).
Instead of requesting Blizzard to support a technology ( multi-monitor )
which gives them the option of easily making a "cold" decision based on cold technological concerns...
Perhaps we should instead request/ask whether or not they will support the widescreen gaming community instead. In this way...
Instead of turning down a technology we give them the "hard" opportunity to "turn down" a community of customers.
This would have to be sold beforehand: support us or not with the newest Blizzard release is to SHIT on us or not.
On the other hand with all the whining that goes on in every corner of the gaming world...
perhaps to get heard over all the immature qq-ing noise. We should be polite and mature about it.
( PLEASE, please do not shit on us again and support the widescreen gaming customer that loves Blizzard games. )

never hurts to say please.

Other than that, and with no Necromancer...
No Paladin..
No native multi-Monitor support.
The legacy and bad juju of starcraft banning representing community support.
Should a boycott knowing the worst possible outcome be all that hard?

Do we know for sure that there will be no native support ( again? )



If not maybe a petition backed by a recognized community is in order ( wsg ) <--

[cbytes]

My video settings in game were all set to high and make sure you choose full screen windowed mode.

I have 3 monitors hooked up in nvidia surround in 5760 x 1200 resolution.

Attached files

[ArchV]

Yeap, it works for me too. Just got into the beta yesterday. Set to full screen windowed mode, looks just like the images above.

Now, that said, there are still issues. In general if you are in confined spaces, it works flawlessly, but once you get out into a field, some of the chunks at the far edges of the screen just show up as empty polygons. This is probably due to streaming not handling the bigger view (this is probably what Blizzard means by not officially supporting it).

Also, all the monsters and NPCs do function on the sides.

I've been a programmer in the games industry for 11 years, and I can tell you one thing, you actually have to make an effort NOT to support Eyefinity. For most games, if the render is written correctly to generically handle any resolution, multi-monitor support "just works". Take Minecraft for example, I doubt any effort was made to make it support wide screen... but since it's a windowed renderer that's written to scale correctly with resolution, it "just works". That said, I'm referring to world rendering only. Most games where support is "broken" is when the UI is not written to correctly handle the resolutions (ie, Skyrim).

I'm assuming the Diablo 3 engine is probably some hybrid / offshoot of the WoW engine, which does work flawlessly. If Blizzard really wants to -prevent- this from working, they'd have to do some specific coding to do so.

I'm thrilled it works. Game looks great... And really the "blank polygons" in open areas is totally tolerable if they never fix that.

[dopefish]

For the NPCs, items, lighting on the side monitors. It works to an extent. I posted some about it in the detailed report thread. It will render them about a third of the way through the side monitors before it doesn't render them at all. The animation updates happen less frequently, as well, so you'll see certain moving NPCs "sliding" across the ground before you see them walking. It doesn't really bother me since it's in your peripheral.

The game expanding horizontally isn't really something you have to intentionally set out to mess up. It's usually an unintentional result of setting up the camera projection.

As for the UI, it's not something they set out to intentionally do. Most developers set up UI elements to be bound to edges. And then the UI artists/designers will create an element and put the placement as "top-left" or "middle-center" and it will automatically place it there. This has always been the best way to do it in the past since you can have the UI elements position on the edges between 5:4, 4:3, 16:10, 16:9 and it will look good. Adding in support for UI centering is something they have to go out of their way to add, not prevent.

There's a couple ways they can do it. They can detect the desktop resolution, which in the case of Eyefinity and NVIDIA Surround will tell them it's one large display. They'll have to determine if the aspect-ratio is high enough to be multiple monitors, and then divide that between them, and center it from there. This requires a lot of extra work since new UI positioning will need to be created and determined by hand. This can be difficult because there's no easy way of telling if all three monitors are the same width and which monitor is where.

The other way is to use the AMD Eyefinity SDK or the NVIDIA Surround SDK. From here they can use the API calls to determine how many screens they are, what resolution each screen really is, and then place the UI elements accordingly.

[Cinnabuns]

For the NPCs, items, lighting on the side monitors. It works to an extent. I posted some about it in the detailed report thread. It will render them about a third of the way through the side monitors before it doesn't render them at all. The animation updates happen less frequently, as well, so you'll see certain moving NPCs "sliding" across the ground before you see them walking. It doesn't really bother me since it's in your peripheral.

The game expanding horizontally isn't really something you have to intentionally set out to mess up. It's usually an unintentional result of setting up the camera projection.

As for the UI, it's not something they set out to intentionally do. Most developers set up UI elements to be bound to edges. And then the UI artists/designers will create an element and put the placement as "top-left" or "middle-center" and it will automatically place it there. This has always been the best way to do it in the past since you can have the UI elements position on the edges between 5:4, 4:3, 16:10, 16:9 and it will look good. Adding in support for UI centering is something they have to go out of their way to add, not prevent.

There's a couple ways they can do it. They can detect the desktop resolution, which in the case of Eyefinity and NVIDIA Surround will tell them it's one large display. They'll have to determine if the aspect-ratio is high enough to be multiple monitors, and then divide that between them, and center it from there. This requires a lot of extra work since new UI positioning will need to be created and determined by hand. This can be difficult because there's no easy way of telling if all three monitors are the same width and which monitor is where.

The other way is to use the AMD Eyefinity SDK or the NVIDIA Surround SDK. From here they can use the API calls to determine how many screens they are, what resolution each screen really is, and then place the UI elements accordingly.

Or they could do what DICE did in BF3 and just bound the UI to a transparent adjustable rectangle which is user adjustable in the Options. This seems to make the most sense and would seem to be the least amount of work. Doesn't work for your custom res?... move the bounding edges to suit any res.