I need an app launcher, for a single app, not the popular kind.
June 22, 2015 7:46 AM Subscribe
I make Windows videogames, and my latest engine doesn't let you select screen resolutions. I could change it so it does, but I'd rather make a small program that first lets you choose resolution (and set fullscreen and such), then launches the game app. But then wait (I said in my head), hasn't someone already created this launcher tool? Please help me out. Have they?
Upon startup, my old engine looked like this.
You choose the screen resolution (and a few other settings), then you clicked to start the actual game. In my old engine, this was built in to the app.
For my new game engine, I'd like to have the same kind of thing, but as a separate program that you run first. It looks pretty, collects your choices, and then executes the main program. Why? 'cause (I think) it would look better and be more configurable in the long run.
Of course, many PC games have an in-game menu to change these settings. I don't want to do that. First, in my experience that's a giant hassle to get right. Second, my engine is multi-platform, and Windows is the only platform that needs such a thing. Third, such a complex dialog would be different for every game I make (different UI looks), and thus more work.
SO. Before I write this single-app launcher, hasn't anyone already written it?
Upon startup, my old engine looked like this.
You choose the screen resolution (and a few other settings), then you clicked to start the actual game. In my old engine, this was built in to the app.
For my new game engine, I'd like to have the same kind of thing, but as a separate program that you run first. It looks pretty, collects your choices, and then executes the main program. Why? 'cause (I think) it would look better and be more configurable in the long run.
Of course, many PC games have an in-game menu to change these settings. I don't want to do that. First, in my experience that's a giant hassle to get right. Second, my engine is multi-platform, and Windows is the only platform that needs such a thing. Third, such a complex dialog would be different for every game I make (different UI looks), and thus more work.
SO. Before I write this single-app launcher, hasn't anyone already written it?
I've seen quite a few games with pre-launch windows for configuring options (Skyrim, Witcher 2, indie games like Lyne and others). But I would have to imagine that the underlying code would be specific to whatever engine the game is operating under and where/how the engine is looking for configuration values. The rest of the app is the Windows UI which is pretty simple by comparison.
I have no opinion about whether switching resolution in-game or out is better but I doubt there is a plug-and-play application out there you can just tune to your game. If you're using a specific engine, though, like Unity, someone has probably done the work. A lot of smaller indie games (again like Lyne) seem to have a fairly unsophisticated pre-game launchers that look largely alike and if you could figure out what engine they're using you could trace it back. It might be worth asking an indie developer on Twitter who has created such a thing.
posted by selfnoise at 10:53 AM on June 22, 2015
I have no opinion about whether switching resolution in-game or out is better but I doubt there is a plug-and-play application out there you can just tune to your game. If you're using a specific engine, though, like Unity, someone has probably done the work. A lot of smaller indie games (again like Lyne) seem to have a fairly unsophisticated pre-game launchers that look largely alike and if you could figure out what engine they're using you could trace it back. It might be worth asking an indie developer on Twitter who has created such a thing.
posted by selfnoise at 10:53 AM on June 22, 2015
Display Changer from 12noon might be of use to you. I use it at school to force 640x480 for our very elderly library catalogue application.
posted by flabdablet at 11:56 AM on June 22, 2015
posted by flabdablet at 11:56 AM on June 22, 2015
Response by poster: I appreciate everyone's feedback. You've confirmed my understanding that I'll have to make my own launcher. Thank you!
posted by Techbear at 2:54 PM on June 27, 2015
posted by Techbear at 2:54 PM on June 27, 2015
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I see that Unity and such support changing it in-situ for their game engines.
I think any app would be tied to a particular game, as X game might want X resolution, while Y game might merit something else. So why not bundle this dialog into the game itself?
posted by nickggully at 10:42 AM on June 22, 2015