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Active: 2453 users

Play Starcraft in Windowed Mode!

Forum Index > Closed
Post a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
pheer
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
5398 Posts
Last Edited: 2015-08-24 03:36:16
June 03 2008 18:41 GMT
#1
NOTE: This is an old guide and you are better off using the mca64launcher or iCCup antihack launcher to try window mode now:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=414636
http://www.iccup.com/files.html



Using Window Mode (W-MODE) with ChaosLauncher 0.5

The ability to play Starcraft in a window has been around forever, but it used to be cumbersome and buggy to do so. Now, with W-MODE thanks to XeNotRoN, there is an easy way to play Starcraft in a window on your desktop. This is especially useful for you guys with widescreen monitors! Here is what it looks like:



Setup

First, you will need Chaoslauncher 0.5.1 or the latest version found here:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=65196

Next, open ChaosLauncher and enable the W-MODE plugin:



Now you are running starcraft in a window. Notice that as you move the mouse around your screen, the cursor is not restricted inside the starcraft window. This will make it impossible to scroll using the screen edges. There is a feature that allows the cursor to get "stuck" inside the window, making the game scrollable. Here is a breakdown of every feature:



1 - Restrict Cursor (VERY USEFUL) - When this is green, your cursor will be restricted inside the starcraft window, allowing you to scroll on the edges. To turn it back off, ALT-TAB out of starcraft like normal, then uncheck the button. this is the feature that has been missing from window mode for years!

2 - Moveable - When this is green, the starcraft window can be moved around by dragging the titlebar.

3 - Stay on Top - When this is green, starcraft will stay on top of all other windows on your screen.

4 - Minimize

5 - Exit
On June 04 2008 04:07 Catyoul wrote:
There are hotkeys too :

* ALT+F1 Turns on/off cursor clip.
* ALT Temporarily inverts the current state of cursor clip while it
is held down.
* ALT+F10 Enables/disables moving the StarCraft window.
* ALT+F11 Turn on/off always-on-top mode.

2009 Update
You can now double the window mode to 2x size by pressing ALT+F9
You need the latest version of w-mode. You neeed to simply redownload chaoslauncher as w-mode does not autoupdate.
Moderator
thedeadhaji *
Profile Blog Joined January 2006
39489 Posts
June 03 2008 18:45 GMT
#2
appendix: windows mode + cpu savior makes for smooooooth and multitaskable replay watching.
Chef
Profile Blog Joined August 2005
10810 Posts
June 03 2008 18:50 GMT
#3
Thanks for the heads up? :S Who seriously needs a guide to use this lol
LEGEND!! LEGEND!!
dO_ov
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States190 Posts
June 03 2008 18:51 GMT
#4
wow. SICK.

thanks!!
Texas
Profile Blog Joined March 2006
Germany2388 Posts
June 03 2008 18:54 GMT
#5
Wow, Thanks so much.
Never used chaoslauncher and would have missed this sweet feature.
Will test it very soon.

Thanks again (whoever created chaoslauncher and this features)
useLess
Profile Blog Joined January 2004
United States4781 Posts
June 03 2008 18:56 GMT
#6
ive been playing W-mode on chaolauncher for months now and i never considered it cumberson or buggy at all!
Moonlight Shadow
Texas
Profile Blog Joined March 2006
Germany2388 Posts
June 03 2008 19:00 GMT
#7
There seems to be some delay with the cursor movement, anyone notices the same?
using winxp and activated cpu savior.
Catyoul *
Profile Joined April 2004
France2377 Posts
June 03 2008 19:07 GMT
#8
There are hotkeys too :

* ALT+F1 Turns on/off cursor clip.
* ALT Temporarily inverts the current state of cursor clip while it
is held down.

Other hotkeys:

* ALT+F10 Enables/disables moving the StarCraft window. If you turn this
functionality off you can not move the StarCraft window to
elsewhere on the screen by grabbing it and holding down the
left mouse button. It can be useful when you use other
windows (msn...) and you click here and there like a zealot
and don't want to move the sc window accidently.

* ALT+F11 Turn on/off always-on-top mode. This option is like that of
Winamp's. When turned on, your sc window will be always on
top of other windows that are not in always-on-top mode even
if you interact with a window other than StarCraft's.

* ALT+F12 Enables/disables all buttons on the caption of the sc window.
This is another security option like switching off window
movement for hardcore gamers. The buttons become grey, but
you can still switch them with hotkeys. This option does
a bit more when turned on than greying buttons of the
caption. Switching on this functionality involves that you
can not use ALT+F4 to close the window and the screensaver
is disabled when the StarCraft window is in foreground.
clazziquai
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
6685 Posts
June 03 2008 19:14 GMT
#9
THANK YOU SO MUCH...
#1 Sea.Really Fan / #1 Nesh Fan / Terran Forever~
Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
June 03 2008 19:14 GMT
#10
I used this ever now and then when I am able to run ChaosLauncher. The design and interface looks very nice, and it blends well. Anyone know if it helps with recording FPVODs? (Less usage, less laggy recording).
R1CH
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
Netherlands10342 Posts
June 03 2008 19:37 GMT
#11
It is far easier to record from window mode than fullscreen since it doesn't change the color depth or resolution and you can also access other programs too.
AdministratorTwitter: @R1CH_TL
TL+ Member
CharlieMurphy
Profile Blog Joined March 2006
United States22895 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-06-03 19:55:44
June 03 2008 19:53 GMT
#12
What are the pros and cons of using window mode? Obviously there is the stuff that R1ch and Pheer said, but why else would you want this?

PS- I don't have to download a plugin? just check the box in chaos launcher? Or am I missing the link somewhere?
..and then I would, ya know, check em'. (Aka SpoR)
Shauni
Profile Blog Joined July 2004
4077 Posts
June 03 2008 20:13 GMT
#13
On June 04 2008 04:53 CharlieMurphy wrote:
What are the pros and cons of using window mode? Obviously there is the stuff that R1ch and Pheer said, but why else would you want this?

PS- I don't have to download a plugin? just check the box in chaos launcher? Or am I missing the link somewhere?


Window is pretty small on a big widescreen resolution. Not sure if it's changable or stuck at 640*480.
And another slight problem is that the sensitivity is the same as in windows, so it might be different from playing fullscreen. I only use it for watching reps, can't imagine playing with windowed mode .
I'm taking whatever coverage I can get, because frankly, I'm busy working on this million dollar deal at my job. Early retirement is a good thing brotha man. - MessengerASL
cz
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
United States3249 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-06-03 20:43:48
June 03 2008 20:38 GMT
#14
Whenever I run with windowed mode, when I'm in a game, I cannot use my keyboard. It gives me an annoying beep like its disabled, so no hotkeys or chatting etc in game = unplayable.

Anyone else having this problem or fix?

edit: If I create games its fine, its only when I join
paper
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
13196 Posts
June 03 2008 20:49 GMT
#15
great :D
Hates Fun🤔
Quesadilla
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States1814 Posts
June 03 2008 21:00 GMT
#16
Guys this is awesome! :D

Is there a way to resize the window?
It runs pretty small on my 17" laptop.
Make a lot of friends. Wear good clothes. Drink good beer. Love a nice girl.
MasterOfChaos
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
Germany2896 Posts
June 03 2008 21:05 GMT
#17
W-Mode has some smaller bugs:
Sometimes you can't type in lobbychat
Sometimes hotkeys don't react
and I think bnet profile links do not work.
The key-problems can be fixed by Alt-Tabbing out.

You can also change the resolution to a lower one with correct width/height for widescreens to increase the size of the window. I use it for obsing, replays, chatting(Starcraft extern chat is an alternative for that) and of cause when developing, as on a breakpoint SC is stuck in fullscreen otherwise.
LiquipediaOne eye to kill. Two eyes to live.
Quesadilla
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States1814 Posts
June 03 2008 23:12 GMT
#18
How would I go about making the window bigger then without changing my overall resolution?
Make a lot of friends. Wear good clothes. Drink good beer. Love a nice girl.
Superiorwolf
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
United States5509 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-06-03 23:18:12
June 03 2008 23:17 GMT
#19
OMG no more huge bugs! This is awesome! Thank you soooo much! :D Hopefully it can play replays w/o lag now, omggg awesome!!! Plus, is there anyway to make it hidden or hidden in the bottom right like the chaoslauncher image is?
Check out my stream at www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=315053 and follow me on Twitter @EGSuppy! :)
meegrean
Profile Joined May 2008
Thailand7699 Posts
June 04 2008 00:03 GMT
#20
Oh my god, this is so cool!
Brood War loyalist
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