Topic

"Your web browser's window is rather large! Glitch may run faster if you make your browser window smaller."

"Your web browser's window is rather large! Glitch may run faster if you make your browser window smaller."

Listen, my monitor is not small.  And, if I make the browser smaller, the game will be squished.  Then all the chat boxes screw up, and I wont be able to see it!  Is there a way we can turn off the big red box so it will quit telling us?!

Posted 78 days ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I don't have any message...

    No good posting here, send a message to the devs.
    Posted 78 days ago by daniel5457 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Staff read the forums, daniel.
    Posted 77 days ago by Fnibbit Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I get the idea of the warning message...but really, I already know I have a massive screen ;)
    Posted 77 days ago by phelps.mike Subscriber! | Permalink
  • same here, but I only once got the message and thought that was it, didn't play much today...
    Posted 77 days ago by Electric Wizard Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I got that message too, but my game runs fine, so I ignored it. And no, I'm not going to make my window smaller, there's a reason I have a big monitor! :)
    Posted 77 days ago by Cefeida Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't think anyone is going to want to run in a small window...  amazing performance postage stamp size windows need not apply.
    Posted 77 days ago by Artilect Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The size of your monitor has really nothing to do with it.   The resolution you are running your system at, however, does.  But unlike a game with a full engine, the only way to change the size Glitch is running at is to not maximize the window or to go into your video settings and permanently reduce max resolution for everything, essentially hobbling your machine. 

    I don't consider either an option.  
    Posted 77 days ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And yeah, I would like a way to turn the warning off, if only so future warnings that I might be interested in catch my notice. 

    Like being behind a driver that keeps tapping his brakes or is driving two-footed.  You stop expecting the car to stop when you see brake lights -- brake lights stop getting your attention.   Red warning boxes in Glitch will soon be completely beneath my notice. 
    Posted 77 days ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow, this sounds like a cheap way to try to blame players for game performance problems. C'mon TS, I know you can do better than this!
    Posted 77 days ago by Janitch Subscriber! | Permalink
  • daniel, your window may not be large enough to warrant the message. And just because you dont see it, doesnt mean others dont.
    Posted 77 days ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "Wow, this sounds like a cheap way to try to blame players for game performance problems. C'mon TS, I know you can do better than this!"

    Rather it's making people more aware of things beyond TS' control that could make the game work more slowly.
    Posted 77 days ago by San Serif Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sadly, it does not solve my continued problem on my netbook (10.1" screen) - the bottom 1/2 inch or so of the game window is always cut off, whether I maximize the window or not, whatever resolution I choose. So, I can just see the tops of my bags when I have a bag open, and I cannot see a good portion of the portrait drop-down menu. :/
    Posted 77 days ago by Faranae Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Rather it's making people more aware of things beyond TS' control that could make the game work more slowly.

    Yup, this. A larger screen means more things happening at once, so more resources are required to keep the game running. A game performance problem would be something like a memory leak or unnecessary processes slowing the game down - this really isn't it. Larger windows, just like slower computers, can make Glitch run more slowly. TS has no control over which window size you'll use or what your computer specs are, all they can do is make you aware that these problems will happen.

    Sadly, it does not solve my continued problem on my netbook (10.1" screen) - the bottom 1/2 inch or so of the game window is always cut off, whether I maximize the window or not, whatever resolution I choose.

    Have you tried a different browser? If so then I don't think there's an easy way to fix it if it happens even at different resolutions or with a smaller screen :(a
    Posted 77 days ago by Makai Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Or try going fullscreen..? Hit the F11 key on a PC
    Posted 77 days ago by shhexy corin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "The size of your monitor has really nothing to do with it.   The resolution you are running your system at, however, does."

    Well, except my resolution is optimal for the size of my monitor, so :P Anyway, I don't know why I'm being warned if the game runs fine...unless it's pre-emptive?
    Posted 77 days ago by Cefeida Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hi Folks- 

    innie, your browser sounds like it may be maximised on your monitor. There is a lot of padding on both sides and the bottom of the game viewport (this is apparent in the screencaps captured in bug reports submitted). Reducing this padding should not impact the size of that viewport if it is resized to the edge of where the game play is occurring. You can leave it that way if you wish, but we're just adding some information in the client when we detect an issue that may degrade performance.

    Faranae- I've found that not all netbooks and browsers will work the same; I have two of them. In one, Chrome works fine in browser full screen mode, where Firefox does not. And it's the opposite with the other netbook. Per Makai, you might try with a few browsers.

    All- We have some metrics that determine if performance may be degrading with time spent playing, and attempt to let you know that a reload may be helpful. To be sure, we have told folks directly in game that you may benefit from this at times; now that's just an automated message that goes along with some measurements that happen real time.

    Thanks for the feedback everyone!
    Posted 77 days ago by kevbob Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Kevbob: that "to all" statement is a pretty good explanation -- it would probably be good if some such explanation was on the other end when players click the learn more link.  Right now it takes players to the technical FAQ, which says nothing about window size.  And since it goes to the top of the FAQ, it's as if players ask "what is the story about window size?" and as an answer are told "Yes, you need an internet connection!"
    Posted 77 days ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yep, Saucelah, thanks.
    Posted 77 days ago by kevbob Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And, to clarify regarding monitor/system resolution/window size: what matters to the game performance is the size of the window in which you are running the game (bigger monitors and higher resolutions obviously allow for larger windows).

    The game itself has a maximum area. You can see this when you expand your window from small to large: at a certain point, the game area stops getting larger and stays the same while more padding is introduced on the sides and below the game.

    The size of the window has an impact on Flash's performance and the warnings should only be going out to people who have the game running in windows which are much larger than the game itself at its maximum size: making it smaller at that point does not take anything away from the game display, just the empty padding on the sides and underneath).

    I understand that some of you are upset at seeing the warning. In the future, we will probably introduce a way for you to dismiss and prevent future warnings. However, performance is a real problem for many other players and not all of them know the range of options available to improve the way the game runs on their system. So, we thought it was best to get the system up and running before building a preference layer on top of it. For now you are going to have to just ignore the warnings (they should scroll off screen pretty quick if you are playing).
    Posted 77 days ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • In my case, I know for sure I have plenty of room to make the window smaller, but I have a very, very busy desktop that I don't want to see unless I'm working with it. 

    But I'm cool with rolling with any performance punches that brings my way. 
    Posted 77 days ago by Red Sauce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "A larger screen means more things happening at once, so more resources are required to keep the game running."

    Wouldn't the zoom feature have a far more pronounced effect to that end?
    Posted 77 days ago by E D D I E Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's like how a medium or large pizza is only 1-2" larger diameter than the smaller one: A small increase in size leads to a much larger increase in area. The more area there is to render, the more pixels, the slower Flash goes.

    This is only shown once per session at this time and only if your browser is detected to be suffering because of it. In the future we will hopefully be able to not stretch the Flash object to take up the entire window.
    Posted 77 days ago by Jono Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh, thanks for reminding me to try Chrome~~ I've tried in IE and Firefox, but not anything else, probably because when I had to use Chrome for work, it was slow, like cold molasses, for some reason. Which reminds me to try Opera as well. If those don't work, anyone have suggestions of other reputable browsers? Maybe if I try enough, I'll hit on one that works!
    Posted 77 days ago by Faranae Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for all the explanations guys! I will shrink my browser size and see what happens.
    Posted 77 days ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  •  I am an old lady, more than 3/4 century. My eyes are not going to work with anything any smaller. If  TS needs donations for a bigger or smarter server, why doesn't he explain the problem and ask.
    Posted 77 days ago by jamby Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Aw, Stoot, 'upset' is way too strong a word, that would be silly. :) We're just curious.  Thanks for explaining!
    Posted 77 days ago by Cefeida Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Making the window smaller doesn't make the game window smaller -- the game window maxes out at 900x600 -- you can make the browser window smaller without it affecting the game.
    Posted 77 days ago by Jono Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Nah, but Jono at certain sizes it does totally screw with the chat boxes.  Everyone in this situation needs to make sure to expand it width wise until the local chat drops down....
    Posted 77 days ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Jamey, this doesn't make any of the text smaller — I'm sure you'll agree that it is small enough already :)

    We're just talking about the extra space around the game when the game is already at it's maximum size.
    Posted 77 days ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The link in the warning has been updated to something more... explanation-y.
    Posted 76 days ago by Jono Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Useless message, modern display run always in native resolution ex. 1920x1080 so tehre's no reason to set a smaller browser windows, looking desktop icons just distract me from gameplay and give no *real* performance gain.

    I run core i7, 6gb DDR3  and a GTX 680 (700€ graphic card)..so its no sense that this flash-game complain for performance loss since also on modern GPU flash hw acceleration helps..

    Just give us an option to turn off those "spam message"...

    please :)
    Posted 76 days ago by PzSniper Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Although the game viewport may max out at 900x600, the game chrome (inventory, friends, chat,etc.) doesn't max out until approximately 1380x810.  If you use the Google Chrome browser you'd need to set your browser size to 1400x900 for the right size window without any extra.  Chrome users might try this extension to make it easy:  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kkelicaakdanhinjdeammmilcgefonfh
    Posted 76 days ago by Kleb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • PzSniper: If that were the case, then the message would not display for you. It's showing up because your performance detectably fell below average. If you made your window smaller and the performance went above average, then it wouldn't show you the message at all, *even if your window were too big*.

    This message is temporary at best until we have time to work on improvements that will make it unnecessary. But we'd like all players to know what affects their games while it affects them.
    Posted 75 days ago by Jono Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Incidentally, Opera on full screen worked out great for me, though ironically, now there's extra space!
    Posted 74 days ago by Faranae Subscriber! | Permalink