TwinView and Games

[Greeface]

I was wondering how to make games run on just one screen, since when I launch a game half of it is on the main screen, and it is just a black box on the other. I don't want it to be on both, I just want the whole thing to be on the main monitor.

Thanks

[gil-galad]

If you run the game at the full resolution it should automatically go to one monitor.

ie) If your total resolution is 2048x768, run the game at 1024x768

[Greeface]

Okay, thanks, I'll try that if I am able to get to the settings with half the screen.

If not, I may have to disable TwinView to do it.

[Greeface]

Okay, It was at 800x600 already, so I unchecked the 'run in fullscreen' box, and that pretty much worked. Now how do I drag the window into the main monitor if the game wont let me move the cursor out of it's box? (i tried alt+click, but that didn't work. same goes for alt+tab)

Thanks

[gil-galad]

What game is it?

[Greeface]

Americas Army.

By the way, i was wondering what the command for it is in the terminal.

thanks

[sfink01]

Make sure you have an available Metamode to handle the setting.
For example:
Option "Metamodes" "1280x1024,1280x1024; 1024x768,1024x768; 1280x1024,NULL; 1024x768,NULL"

Will allow X to run at any of the above mentioned modes, see the two with the NULL, they allow X to turn off the second monitor at the request of your game.

So if you are running your game at 800x600 then you will need a Metamode that is 800x600,NULL to make it work properly.

Best,

Steve

[Greeface]

nice, thank you. i will try this as soon as i get a chance, most likely tomorrow. i am pretty sure these aren't in the file yet, so i'll back it up and try it out.

~Gree

[Greeface]

Okay, so here is my current file:
# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# paths to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "i2c"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA Corporation NV36 [GeForce FX 5700 LE]"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Option "TwinView" "on"
Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768"
Option "SecondMonitorHorizSync" "28-80"
Option "SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "43-60"
Option "TwinViewOrientation" "LeftOf"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "GVision"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-51
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "NVIDIA Corporation NV36 [GeForce FX 5700 LE]"
Monitor "GVision"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


What do I do exactly? In the 'Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768"' line, do I just make it look like: 'Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768; 1024x768,NULL"?

Thanks for the feedback

[siorai]

What do I do exactly? In the 'Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768"' line, do I just make it look like: 'Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768; 1024x768,NULL"?

Thanks for the feedback

That should do it. I happened upon this thread quite thankfully and got my dual monitors working 100% now too because of it. Just in case, if you have your primary monitor to the right of the secondary, just switch where the "NULL" is, ie: NULL, 1024x768;

[Greeface]

Hmm, I tried it but when I restarted the second monitor didn't even turn on when Ubuntu started. What'd I do wrong?

[Greeface]

Ah, yes! I figured it out. But now i have a new problem: when I open the game it has two cursors. One is for the game and one is my system cursor. Why is it doing that?

Thanks for the help

[Greeface]

Meh, Nevermind, I can just switch the resolution from 2048x762 to 1024x768 when I want to play.

Thanks again for the help

[tkman]

Greeface-

What did you do to fix your problem because I'm having the same issue. When I have a NULL option the second screen turns off right after I log in.

[boast]

What do you do if the game goes full screen on the wrong monitor? It works for counter strike source, but not Enemy Territory.

[boast]

bump.

[wishyjr]

my advise to you guys is to play your games in a windowed mode where possible - i have two monitors and found that its the best way to play games with.

[dmn_clown]

my advise to you guys is to play your games in a windowed mode where possible - i have two monitors and found that its the best way to play games with.

That's only a good idea if your computer has the power to run the game in windowed mode.

http://www.icculus.org/lgfaq/#twinviewconfig
http://www.icculus.org/lgfaq/files/XF86Config-twinview

The relevant section of my xorg.conf

Section "Device"
<snip>
Option "TwinView" "true"
Option "MetaModes" "1280x1024,1280x1024; 1024x768, 1024x768; 800x600,800x600; 1280x1024, NULL; 1024x768, NULL; 800x600, NULL; 640x480, NULL; 400x300,NULL"
<snip>
EndSection