So, I've always played QW in soft 320x200---since 1999 till 2011---but then I had to quit playing for a while.
Well, now I'm back to the action with a brand new laptop but I'm struggling with it... right now I can only play with GL at native resolution.

Here's the thing: I wanna play like I always did but my software ezquake gets stuck @ 32 fps, besides the problem with 320x200 screen resolution (it doesnt get ful screen).

Any tips?
I can't even realize how a .bat file works on this Win 8.1... damn.

I started having the same problems after I returned (ezquake in ~2011). I never fixed this problem. I have adapted to GL which can look quite similar to SW did but still feels different unfortunately.

Running at 320x200 at fullscreen may be a problem. Modern GPU and operating systems usually do not support such low resolutions anymore.

Well, my fps keep frozen at 32 on any sw resolution...

vsync on?

vsync off

cl_maxfps? Just as info though, the software renderer hasn't been updated in ages. When we started with ezQuake 3.0 one of the first things we did was to ditch it completely (unfortunately).

haha, cl_maxfps... c'mon man
well, too bad software inst supported nowadays... for me is the one and only way to qw.

Have you tried to make GL look like SW? I'd say you can have it look very similar if not identical. Only the feeling (mouse input? I'm not sure what it is, but it does feel different) is not the same.

smoothness is the name of the game... I cant reach my SW smoothness on GL mode.

right now is way too jerky due my low GL displayfrequency (60hz).
I can get 75hz only at 320x200, afaik (no way to play like this on GL mode).

besides, on GL, any resolution but the native one fucks everything up (i.e. two vertical black stripes on both corners... I can't get full screen).

I think Hz and resolution are not dependent on an lcd.
If you can get 75hz in software, you can get 75hz on open gl at full res.

like I said, I can get 75hz on 320x200 soft and gl, but there is no way to play like this on gl.
right now my problem is: I have no clue why I get stucked with 32 fps on SW.

I'm using the same cfg as always...

Some LCDs do have higher refresh rate at lower resolutions. check cl_maxfps, vid_vsync. Also look for an alias that sets vid_vsync to 1 every time you load up a game, cause for some odd reason my standard cfg from nquake had that.

still no sucess... locked at 32 fps on soft
maybe if I try -dibonly in the cmdline? how can I make a bat work on win8.1?

Don't know anything about software ezquake, but a .bat file on win 8.1 is not any different than a .bat file on win 7 or a .bat file on win95 or a .bat file in dos?

This is my .bat file on my win 8.1 desktop:

uh oh
my batch had "ezquake.exe"... with "ezquake" only, it worked.

well, one problem solved: with -dibonly I have unlimited fps... BUT, I only get 60hz @ any res.
DAMN

yeap, no way I can make GL ezquake play smooth on my laptop... jerky as hell.

well, I manage to solve the FPS problem on SW 320x200 full screen with -nodirectdraw, but now the colors are f*cked up... looks like a freaking rainbow.
any tips?

I get this too. You can vid_mode x then vid_mode y to fix it until the next time you start the game, bit of a pain in the arse though. I had it bound to a key. But now I just play in GL. Software isn't the same without vga8.drv

just need to reset the palette, 'bf' in console should do it (or v_cshift 0 0 0 0 if you want to be difficult)

just tried but neither of these solutions works...

I don't use the source engine they provide on here, i use Quake Spasm, which is an awesome recreation of the original GL quake. It's better than Darkplaces.

If you really want to play software with a modern client i suggest you to install Linux and run fodquake software. And as someone noted before, running 320x200 often won't work with modern GPU's (Atleast in X).. Well it's not the truth. You have two choices, you either install some linux distribution and run the ancient ezquake.svga binary. it will work at 320x200 at whatever hz the monitor support in 320x200, and yeah. i never had a computer that couldn't run it.

pros of ezquake.svga.
teamoverlay works.
autotrack in qtv works.
most stuff just works.
the mouse rocks!

cons of ezquake.svga
you won't reach higher fps than maybe 200.
framebuffer drivers must be blacklisted (means no hardware acceleration in xorg)
running xorg and ezquake.svga at the same time may give laggy fps.
it's not maintained anymore.
you will probably be stuck with native hz (60hz) or 70hz...
hard to setup.

second choice, install any modern Linux distribution
install fodquake.

pros
640x480 will probably be available. just use xrandr to scale 640x480 to 320x240. or add 640x400 and scale it to 320x200.
start fodquake with option "clone desktop". it will really scale to 320x240/320x200
on modern cpu you will get 1000fps. on my old c2d 2.0ghz i get 400-500fps. on my workstation i get 1000-1200.
If you have a VGA port on your laptop, plugging in a CRT monitor will allow you to play in 320x200 (scaled from 640x400) at 160hz.

cons
qtv autotrack doesn't work.
teamoverlay won't work.
mouse is a bit weird.

:-)

I've left the software ship long ago, but if you really want it to work i can help you.
i sometime play 320x200 on my old CRT with both ezquake.svga and fodquake-sw.

i recommend fodquake because it's easier to setup and more user friendly than the legacy ezquake svgalib binary.