RTW2 on WindowsXP PC

[vonfriedman]

By installing RTW2 (and its 1.24 update) on an old Windows XP PC, where RTW and SAI run successfully, the main screen appears almost identical to that of RTW (see below) and the game runs smoothly, at least until around 1915, when naval aviation appears.
Since several important buttons are missing from the main screen, in particular those on research and aircraft types, I wonder if it is possible to solve the probem in some way, for example by clicking  "Ctrl X" for "research", "Ctrl Y" for "aircraft types" etc (or "F1-F12") as in others games.

[williammiller]

We simply can't support playing the game on Windows XP, mostly because there are so many major changes to hardware, software, and drivers since it came out that *will* affect playing RTW2 on XP, honestly there is little/nothing we can do to address that.

[dorn]

Jan 22, 2021 3:43:51 GMT -6 vonfriedman said:

What resolution do you use? it seems that the small resolution is your limit. 

[vonfriedman]

I need to check if this is just a resolution issue. Thank you for your suggestion.
As for any changes, I noticed that in the air group management screen there are various buttons, including one for aircraft type that perhaps could be used to remedy the lack of the same button in the main screen. That is the most serious deficiency. As far as research is concerned, it's not much of a damage if it has to remain stuck in medium throughout the game.

[BathTubAdmiral]

That screenshot is 1.024px × 768px.

This is what happens if I shove together my RtW2 window to 1023x857:

[vonfriedman]

You are right. The screen max resolution seems to be the problem when running RTW2 on my Windows XP PC, because going from max (i.e.1024 x 768) to min resolution the situation worsens and an even greater part of the left side of the screen is hidden by the right side (where there are the tension levels). No problem, however, with RTW and SAI.

[rimbecano]

RTW1 has, among other things, fewer buttons to cram in.

But when it comes down to it, you have to recognize that XP is old enough to vote and no longer supported by MS. Playing anything modern on it is strictly an own-risk proposition.

[oldpop2000]

Jan 25, 2021 12:08:41 GMT -6 vonfriedman said:

You are right. The screen max resolution seems to be the problem when running RTW2 on my Windows XP PC, because going from max (i.e.1024 x 768) to min resolution the situation worsens and an even greater part of the left side of the screen is hidden by the right side (where there are the tension levels). No problem, however, with RTW and SAI.

Have you tried to update your video card drivers? If you have, you might need to buy a new video card and replace the old one. If the old one is built in, there should be a small two pin clip that you pull off and this disables the built in video card. If it is a laptop, then you are stuck. You could see if there are some external video devices that will improve the resolution. It isn't XP. XP can only resolve the video with the capability of the video card and drivers.

Search google for external video cards for gamers. I've seen them and they might help the situation.

[vonfriedman]

Playing with reduced resolution, one cannot vary the research rate nor manage aircraft types because the related buttons are not accessible.
Fortunately, your industry offers at random some prototypes and therefore one can own an aviation.
It is also not possible to manage CV aircraft strikes on the battle screen. To overcome this last deficiency, playing as Italy (or AH) on the Mediterranean theater, I chose to embark mainly fighters on my CVs and CVLs thus providing robust CAPs on my own ships and to leave it to land-based aviation for the strikes.
All in all, I don't regret the complicated micromanagement of embarked torpedo and dive bombers aircraft, which too often does not produce the expected results.
In fact, I am of the idea that, just as the possibility of playing at Admiral, Rear Admiral or Captain level is offered, it should also be possible to choose whether one wants to micromanage any strike launched from aircraft carriers or leave it to the AI, as it is done for land based aircraft.