Fullscreen with Alt-Tab support, why it is important.

First I want to say that the game has made some major progress since release and I appreciate the vast amount of work it has taken to get to where it is. However I think this is a very valid complaint that needs to be addressed.


Many players enjoy playing in fullscreen, however the client seems to have it out for those players. I'm going to try to cover all of the reasons why having a fullscreen is important.



Fullscreen has some immersion that windowed mode does not provide.

Fullscreen has a higher frame rate than windowed mode at the same resolution.

Fullscreen allows technologies such as Crossfire and SLI to function. Find out what these are here.

• FFXIV is a gorgeous game that benefits drastically from a multi-GPU configuration. This is very important to the people who have invested in multiple-GPUs

If the game were to allow you to alt-tab out while in fullscreen: Find out more about Alt-Tabbing here.

Players could use their computers to do other tasks without having to re-login, re-launch, re-load. Some examples: visiting the lodestone, fan sites, linkshell forums, VOIP (Skype, Ventrilo, Teamspeak, Mumble).

The GPU and CPU would stop working to display the game to you, resulting in:

• Power savings Examples here.
• Reduce heat output from computer
• Reduce wear and tear on hardware components
• Players can do other tasks with a better user experience. This would be most noticeable on slower machines.

Typically when a 'fullscreen alt-tab' thread pops up people will reply with, "Use a third party program such as XYZ to get fullscreen with alt-tab support."

Flaw with this statement:

• Many people are not comfortable using third party software.
• Many people cannot get the third party programs to work
• This does not fix the high GPU and CPU usage while tabbed out
• SLI and Crossfire do not function
• Framerates are lower in this configuration
• Albeit unlikely, potential violation of ToS

The third party programs allow a windowed fullscreen, not a true fullscreen with all of the previous mentioned benefits.

Another common reply is the anti-botting stance. Because the game has windowed support the anti-botting stance has no merit.


Please show your support by posting a reply to get awareness up. The goal being a Dev response to the issue and as an end-result true-fullscreen with alt-tab support.

Flawless post. Lets get some support on this for the proper recognition it deserves.

This, oh god this, so freaking much.

It's unacceptable to force players out of use of their computer, totally and utterly unfair. It is ridiculous to thing a game these days doesn't alt+tab without crashing.

It has to be fixed.

100% support. Though I have not invested in an SLI setup yet, I plan to in the future, and was unaware that the windowed mode could not benefit from it.

SE, please fix this, there's no reason for the game to crash out when tabbed at this point.

You have my upvote!

I agree with the qualifier that this is one of those things where it absolutely needs to be done eventually but isn't necessarily something that has to happen immediately.

That said the way things are shaping up it looks like it's time.

Definitely support this. I am new to the game and often tried to alt tab to read these very forums for input. I often forget it will crash.

I agree with you.. its weird not to implement it ><;~ so i support it ofcourse!!!

I always play @ windowed mode because i can't alt-tab while @ fullscreen mode .

I support this 100%

I support this 100%

I don't know any game that crashes when you hit alt tab besides FFXI and FFXIV. I get they want it to be anti bots and all that bullshit but really guys.....time to get over it. I think it is time to stop worrying about cheaters and start focusing on making the game user friendly.

I support this 110%

I made a thread stating the same problem just a few days ago, and I'm 100% okay with another thread being made. It's a major problem, and you have given reasons as to why alt+tab would be a benefit to those who play in full screen. Hopefully Square does something about this very soon.

Should also say, isn't the reason a certain third party program for XI was made 100% because the game couldn't be tabbed down? If the team can be sensible and allowed for tabbing, 3rd party coders won't be tempting people to break the EULA or ToS.

In complete agreement with this.

How many years did FFXI players beg for this? They're still waiting... I wouldn't hold your breath guys.

One of my many suggestions in my massive list, I for one have been waiting for this fix since I started playing in Open Beta, signed.

SE just seems to hate alt-tab like they have no concept of it.

this needs to be put in the game FAST. i know theres important stuff but how many of us have been doing something with people and accidentaly hit windows key?

i've been in the darkhold and done that before, everyone wiped because i was a healer, 1 of only 2 and was the other mages first run through.

GIVE US ALT TAB!!!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vawn

How many years did FFXI players beg for this? They're still waiting... I wouldn't hold your breath guys.

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This isn't FFXI though. They're trying to gain a chunk of the MMO fanbase with FFXIV, and how are they going to do it when something so small can fuck them over in the long run? While I'm not implying that alt+tab will make or break the game, It's something that someone will look at and say "oh, I can't use Ventrillo or anything else because the game will crash if I even try alt+tabbing."

It needs a fix, there is no reason to not have one.

I support this 100%

Could always boycott the game until it's implemented

Alt-Tab was the exact reason why I downloaded the Windower for FFXI. It's absurd to think that in 2011 there are still games that don't allow this. Alt-Tab definitely needs to be implemented. It doesn't stop botting, and encourages otherwise rule abiding legitimate players to break the rules. You can play the game in windowed mode already! The only people you hinder now are your paying customers. What logical reason could there still be to not allow this?

Wait...fullscreen gives better framerate? I recently upgraded to a Radeon HD6850 and play in windowed and while it maintains perfect fps for the most part, there are sometimes spots in areas where the fps will take a hit randomly. Could this be why? Or is that just because of the poor optimization of the game?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PrettyPrincess

Wait...fullscreen gives better framerate? I recently upgraded to a Radeon HD6850 and play in windowed and while it maintains perfect fps for the most part, there are sometimes spots in areas where the fps will take a hit randomly. Could this be why? Or is that just because of the poor optimization of the game?

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Most of the time the game jumps or skips with very high FPS is due to the graphic cards RAM or memory bandwidth not being able to transfer the higher res. data, on my Radeon 6950HD 1GB I can run 10 on res but it jumps in cities with 60 FPS but if i drop down to 9 res it never jumps/skips. Poor optimization is probably another cause to.

oic .

Very informative. I was for this before i was even aware of the frame rate bonus's. My video card sounds like a blow dryer as is. some heat reduction would be nice.

I also believe this should be implemented asap.

I purchased a 23' widescreen monitor and invested quite a bit of cash to run this game (and others of course) on high settings.

I currently play the game in windowed mode (1600-900) on a 1920-1080 monitor due to the game crashing when I alt-tab out. I could not find a higher resolution to play the game in windowed mode without sections of my ui being cut off.

Please let me fit your beautiful game to screen, without reduced productivity and convenience.

And not just this...

I wish have support for multi-monitor full screen. I mean, I wish play Full screen in one monitor and use the other to do whatever I want, but in the actual mode, if I chose anything in the other monitor, the game crash.

I Hope that SE fix this soon, because is important for many gamers.

I support this 115%

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wagrum

Could always boycott the game until it's implemented

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Stop using the word "boycott". Stop. It sounds silly.

Well said and I wholeheartedly agree to all aspects.

Bump to the top, would love a response from SE Team

fix this+ the delay between every action made. do away with having to hit enter for every action made also.

/weeklybump

Agreed. I've been totally baffled at no alt-tab support at all in a game these days, ever since the beta. Why it's left out is totally beyond me. It's a major reason why I often choose to play other games - even Fallout games are much better considering this, together with their knack to crash on alt-tab.

this function is next to necessary with all full screen applications~

I'd love this. I wish I didn't have to play in windowed mode.

Keep the bumping up, I support this!

You have my vote!! I would love a fullscreen alt tab!

I'm pretty sure every player would actually love to see this happen, but you have to admit, they did fix the windowed mode since XI and it does run smoother in window mode than its counterpart, but it does run a lot smoother and better in full screen, and would be nice for something like my set up where I use my 46" T.V as a monitor. and would love a higher resolution for the game and not my desktop so I can still see everything, 1920 x 1080 is just too excessive when its not for a game and your 6-10ft from it ><. in too small of an area to do multi-screens. But yes, alt tabbing from full screen wouldn't be able to make anyone upset as long as it doesn't some how effect the game its self (Only say this cause I've seen games where they implement a new feature and it over all downgraded everything else, such as graphics/response times, and they blamed the new features for the cause.)

I also support this 100%. Really a great post, straight to the point yet also informative.