Do you game in full screen or windowed mode?

I never really thought of windowed as an option until recently. Someone I game with regularly online only plays in windowed mode. His reason is that he likes to multi-task all the time.

It's an interesting option. It does allow you to do multiple things at once. I suppose it might even serve as an fps boost as well. Now I'm curious to know how many out there do the same and why.

 

The only time I ever played windowed mode was when I was playing the World Of warcraft trial, so that I could check skype/talk/ multi-task while playing wow

Apart from that I prefer full screen as its gives a much more immersive experience

 

windowed mode is preferred in mmos usually

 

Had everything on full screen except EVE online. Due to the excessive travel time between jumpgates and mining, I just spend my windowed days just watching movies, surf for EVE guides and read forums while waiting for jobs to finish then.

 

sounds like a snoozer.

i use full screen mode. i've tried window modes before and i'm not a big fan of them. i prefer to be fully into the game. especially when it comes to MMO's or online games where i have a job or mission/quest that i'm supposed to be doin. i hate those irresponsible players that u have to do their jobs for as well, while playin online.

 

FS mostly. The only time I go windowed is when playing my multi EVE Online accounts.

 

Usually window mode if the game has the option.

 

Full screen.

I got used to it.

 

Nothing ever happens when I play online, hence the side entertainment with EVE , but it's not like the window mode deoccupies your attention...it just allows for more tasks to be done at the same time .

**I did had that really old Pentium 4 that used to play window mode all the time because it ran faster.

Guess people have reasons of using window mode, merely for convienence I'd say

 

Depending on the size of screen and game, I use both when its best suited or if I am keeping an eye on another app.

 

Pfft, why bother playing in Windowed Mode when Steam has it's own browser?

But this only applies for Steam games sadly. I just usually Alt+Tab, except for Crysis, which doesn't play nice with Alt+Tab.

 

it applies for a LOT of games, even non steam games if you open them via steam (add non steam games) I use steam browser all the time in my non-steam version of bioshock.

 

Games typically run better in full screen, you get better FPS's

 

Full

Better FPS, and you get more into the game.

 

Full always. Except for Plants vs. Zombies.

 

Oh ok.

Another pro for fullscreen. Better frames, as people have said, since Aero is generally disabled during fullscreen.

 

For me it depends on what type of game im playing.
FPS games and similar games i play in full screen.

MMO's and games that doesent support widescreen resolutions that good i play in windowed mode.

 

I'm all FPS now so I go full screen.

I use to play mmos before and used window mode for some of them.

 

I run everything full screened, mainly because CrossfireX doesn't work windowed in any game, but I can still use other apps on the 2nd screen and get the benefits of CF. Also, I use the steam overlay for browsing between deaths etc. And it does work with EVERY game that I know of except certain multiplayer ones using Punkbuster. Add all of your non-steam games to your steam games list and launch them from steam and you'll get the overlay, even in crysis.

 

Full Screen

 

I use full screen for games I can run in Widescreen, and Windowed for games that won't, or when a Game doesn't allow you to use Windowed mode.

I only use Windowed mode for when I feel like mutlitasking between things, if a game permits you have time for that

 

Only use windowed mode when I play non-taxing games like Gratuitous Space Battles or when I used to play Eve with multiple accounts.

 

Fullscreen for all my games. More fun that way and bigger space. Windowed mode for the few MMO's I play. Sometimes windowed in street fighter IV if im reading a guide which I am most of the time because I suck at the game..

 

Fullscreen for everything, except sometimes Trackmania, which I sometimes play during slow IM conversations. Then Trackmania windowed works well so that I don't miss when the other person does send an IM.

 

Sometimes if I am lagging in a new game, I use windowed mode, but for the most part, the games I play require the utmost concentration (i.e. Warcraft 3 ladder), so multitasking is usually not an option. Plus, playing in fullscreen looks so much better than playing in windowed; you don't have half your screen with firefox windows and AIM boxes.

 

I don't think I've played anything other than Solitaire in windowed mode. Full screen for me.

 

Full screen for my FPS games and games that deserve my attention, WoW etc.

I play windowed on my casual games, ala Plants vs Zombies (although I did do FS on that for faster mouse clicks), Secret of Monkey Island, Torchlight b/c those I don't mind multi-tasking while playing lol.

 

Full screen. Windowed mode only makes sense for things like card games or minesweeper. Windowed mode also drives the GPU harder too.

 

Window mode for all games but CSS and L4D2 just because you cant multi task with games like that as you need to play/focus all the time. But iwith all my rpgs like WoW i play window mode because i cant not multi taks while playing them Escpecially while having to travel or wait for somthing ^^

 

This except I would full screen during fleet opps.

 

full screen always.... i prefer just playing when i play...

 

Windowed mode all the time. Mainly so that I can use MSN at the same time if someone wants to talk to me, or surf the web while I'm waiting to respawn or waiting for an area to load.

 

But not many games support windowed mode. Although I have found that Win7 seems to manage it somehow with some games that normally aren't windowed.

 

Also, for some reason, you only really notice how large a screen is when you a playing a game fullscreen...

 

Windowed mode looks better if you're playing at a non-native resolution.

 

I play windowed @ 320x420
Its a bit hard to play games like cod4 on that res though..Nah i was joking i play with fullscreen on.

 

i can't stand gaming in windowed mode cuz the other stuff distracts me

 

I can't stand playing in anything other than full screen mode, it ruins the experience.

 

Can't play FPS' and RTS' in windowed mode, but other games I usually do. Just so I can search stuff and use msn at the same time.

 

my friend plays with a 3x2 in window hahah

any bigger he gets motion sickness in gps games

 

I've tried windowed gaming, but even the blank desktop distracts me.

 

my FPS halves to 30 when i use windowed mode in dead space....i have to use full screen even though nvidia control panel has no effect on in game color and contrast on full screen ....bummer

 

^Playing a game like Dead Space (or any FPS/Adventure) in windowed mode ruins the immersion experience, imo.

 

i play light casual mmorpg like the dragonica in windowed mode but for the hardcore games i would prefer in full screen

 

Maybe someone can Help me
I installed Win7 & now some game have
black bars on side & doesnt open on Full screen

Swat 4=Expansion pack

 

Screenshot?

 

Here you see the Side Bars
& game is not in Full Screen
before in Vista It was running Full Screen

 

It's called aspect ratio. I don't know if you have nVidia, ATI, or Intel graphics though. There's a option usually for scaling with fixed aspect, which is most likely what is being used. It will scale up as much as it can to fit your screen but maintain the same aspect ratio. Or if you just use scaling, it'll stretch it to fill the whole screen.

SWAT 4 does support widescreen with a config file modification:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=811

 

I have AW m17
with Ati 2x3870 cards
win7 ultimate 64
Please tell me how i can do the Setting

I also have GTA 4, Grid Installed & they open in FUll Screen

Please Help