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I have installed Baldur's Gate 1 (CD), the original, first version, on a Windows 10 computer, and I wanted to play it again.

How can I change the resolution because it's impossible to play with the current one? I found the Widescreen Mod, but it doesn't work with my version. I know I can buy the game on Epic or Steam, but I want to play it offline.

I checked this post too: How do I mod Baldur's Gate 1 (GOG edition) with the widescreen mod?

Is there any way to achieve this without purchasing the Enhanced Edition or Baldur's Gate 2?

Update:

After I visited various websites and forums, I believe that changing the resolution in the very first version is almost impossible.

The game always starts in the default resolution of 640x480, with two thick bars on the right and left sides.

enter image description here

So far, I have tried the following methods but don't fix:

  1. Widescreen Mod from The Gibberlings Three

The Widescreen Mod allows Planescape:Torment, Baldur's Gate: Tales of the sword Coast, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter and Icewind Dale II to be played at previously unsupported resolutions, like those of widescreen monitors.

  1. Change Variables in Baldur.ini(with different values, together and alone)
Full Screen=1 Width=1366 height=768 Display Width=1366 Display Height=1366 Graphics Width=1280 Graphics Height=740

From this Variables/Values only Full Screen=1 or 0 works

  1. I tried manipulating the Baldur.exe or BGMain.exe file with a hex editor, HxD, but I couldn't find the corresponding values.

  2. I tried the Infinity Cracker, but it didn't work either.

  3. I tried the tool DXWnd(Window hooker to run fullscreen programs in window), but it also didn't work.

  4. Changing the resolution directly in the system itself, as suggested in the comments, also doesn't work

If the game window is simply too small on your monitor it might be easier to just reduce the resolution on your monitor which can be adjusted....

The only thing I haven't tried yet would be starting a virtual machine with Windows and see if there's any difference when trying to resize the window. I'll also check if the same can be done with Wine on a GNU/Linux system.

If anyone has any other tips or a solution, perhaps involving the manipulation of the .exe file, Or how to get rid of the two bars on the right and left sides, that I can try, otherwise, I'm out of ideas.

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  • Why is it impossible to play with the current resolution? If the game window is simply too small on your monitor it might be easier to just reduce the resolution on your monitor which can be adjusted in the windows options. Commented Jul 24, 2023 at 10:19
  • I'm not sure if this is the case but it happens to other games, they're designed only for 4:3 resolutions so there's nothing to do. Commented Jul 25, 2023 at 14:14
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    Not a solution or tips, but gog offers enhanced edition which supports 16:9 res(plus it has access to original edition if you'd prefer; I'd imagine that's the version that is supported by widescreen mod), and is able to play offline (since it's DRM free). If there's no way to achieve your goal, then it'd be your last resort, I guess. Commented Jul 26, 2023 at 2:22
  • Try adding 640x480 as a custom screen resolution in your video driver setup. Commented Sep 11, 2023 at 18:06

2 Answers 2

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Very possible to change it, the easiest is perhaps through right click on the Baldur.exe file for Properties, and select the Compatibility tab: Baldur Properties

Check the Run in 640 X 480 box, and launch. This also avoids An Assertion failed in D:\Dev\chitin\ChVideo.cpp error.

Alternatively, if the monitor supports resolution ratios of 4:3 or even 5:4, it'll work using a program like PrgLnch. Drag Baldur into the config from an explorer window, select the resolution, and run. The game itself will always render 640X480 though.

Edit: Further research has (given the above is all fine and dandy), revealed that the DirectPlay routines called in BGMain.exe and BGMAIN2.exe actually do change the resolution, regardless of what they are set initially. SetDisplayMode is successfully invoked through DirectDraw by mods like WideScreen, given mod installation requirements are met. So far, so good with changing the resolution, the sprites and many other items will not automatically upscale as you well know (related discussion here.) If playing full screen, many Widescreen users advise going no more than a screen width of 1280, for example.

For original BG1/2 (GOG) installs with Widescreen, look for a GUI replacement like this that can fix unscaled menu bars and their malcontents. Recommended widescreen resolutions for that:

800x480, 800x600, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1280x768, 1280x800
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    I'm assuming the OP is hoping for something larger than 640 x 480, since that is the native resolution the game runs on. Commented Sep 9, 2023 at 12:55
  • @Joachim: Textures? Hope of all hope that someone from Bioware ever remembers what happened to the original game creation files. Commented Sep 9, 2023 at 13:51
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    Yes, I hope so too, but hat has nothing to do with the screen resolution :) Commented Sep 9, 2023 at 17:18
  • @Joachim: Ran it under 1280 X 1024, unable to detect any visible change in rendering. Any success your end? Commented Sep 10, 2023 at 8:15
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It seems that it's not possible to change the default resolution of 640x480 in the very first version.

The options for me to play the game at a higher resolution and offline are:

  • Buying the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition second-hand.

  • Buying the game on Steam and setting Steam to offline mode after installation, allowing me to play without an internet connection.

With both options, I can zoom in and out and change the resolution.

Everything else didn't work for me.

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