WSGF Certification Requirements
From WSGFWiki
Contents |
Native support
The game must be capable of satisfying every requirement below if the user enables the correct options, either in an ingame options menu, or in a setup program. We recommend that the game require nothing more on the part of the user than to select a widescreen resolution in order to satisfy all of the below requirements.
Proper Screen Change
The screen must adapt properly to a widescreen resolution. There are three methods of adapting that are considered proper for a widescreen game.
- "Horizontal Plus" - The game, when played at a 16:10 resolution, and compared to an instance of the game run at a 4:3 resolution at default settings, will display more content on the left and right sides of the screen, while the span from the top to bottom remains the same. At a 16:9 resolution, even more content will be displayed on the left and right sides. Neither of these aspect ratios may result in any distortion or stretching of the visible game content.
- (screenshots below are from gameplay of Half-Life 2, which served as the inspiration and template for the first revision of the certification system)
We recommend that the game be "horizontal plus" for all aspect ratios - that the vertical FOV remain the same for all possible resolutions, and the horizontal FOV be calculated based on the aspect ratio.
- "Anamorphic" - This behavior only applies if the game is letterboxed when at default settings and a 4:3 resolution, and the aspect ratio of the actual content that is displayed is at least 16:9. When the game is played at a 16:10 resolution, and compared to an instance of the game run at 4:3 resolution at default settings, the visible game content remains the same, but the letterboxing is reduced. At a 16:9 resolution, the letterboxing is further reduced. If the actual displayed content has an aspect ratio of exactly 16:9, then running the game at a 16:9 resolution would have the game content fill the screen with no letterboxing. Neither of these aspect ratios may result in any distortion or stretching of the visible game content.
- (screenshots below are from gameplay of Condemned: Criminal Origins)
We recommend that if widescreen support is implemented as anamorphism, then the letterbox reduction should be correct for all aspect ratios. If the screen aspect ratio exceeds the game content's aspect ratio, then the game should assume hor + behavior.
- "Pixel based" - This behavior is rarely appropriate in 3D games. In a pixel based widescreen behavior, the game's vertical FOV is directly proportional to the screen's vertical resolution, and the game's horizontal FOV is directly proportional to the screen's horizontal resolution. This is the manner in which Windows behaves.
- (Screenshots below are from gameplay of Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. Full resolution shots are available to better demonstrate that the FOV is derived from the resolution, rather than from the aspect ratio)
Any alternate gameplay modes or alternate ingame camera angles must satisfy this requirement. In the case of gameplay elements where this is not possible, such as static screen minigames, an acceptable method is to have the screen pillarboxed, or if the background is tiled, to expand the background to fill the screen while the minigame elements remain centered in the screen.
Resolution Support
The game must be capable of handling all of the following common resolutions, provided the player's system also supports them:
- 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800
- 1440x900
- 1680x1050
- 1920x1080, 1920x1200
We strongly recommend that 2560x1600 (WQXGA, 30" Widescreen) be supported. The goal is that the game be capable of handling all resolutions that the player's system supports. Examples of full support for custom Windows resolutions can be found in the WSGF forum thread "Faux TH2Go"
Multiplayer Support
- If the game features a multiplayer mode, then it must satisfy the same requirements as the singleplayer mode.
HUD (Heads Up Display) Scaling
- All 2D information displayed as an overlay on the main game screen, which includes but is not limited to health bars, ammo counters, game score, subtitles, and context-sensitive information, must retain its correct proportions in 16:10 and 16:9 resolutions, and not stretch or distort.
- We recommend that if the user is playing with TH2Go, then the HUD also remains on the center monitor.
Proper FMV Cut-Scene support
If the game features FMVs (Full Motion Video, aka "Pre-Rendered" Video), then they must adapt properly to a widescreen resolution.
- If the aspect ratio of an FMV is the same as the aspect ratio of the resolution, then it must fill the screen.
- (screenshots below are of a 16:9 FMV of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which was awarded "Best widescreen certified game of 2006.")
- If the aspect ratio of an FMV is wider than the aspect ratio of the resolution, then it must span the screen's horizontal length, with appropriate letterboxing.
- (screenshots below are of PowerDVD playing the film A Fistful of Dollars for want of immediately available letterboxed game FMVs with aspect ratios exceeding 16:9)
- If the aspect ratio of an FMV is narrower than the aspect ratio of the resolution, then it must span the screen's vertical length, with appropriate pillarboxing.
- (screenshots below are of PowerDVD playing the film King Kong for want of immediately available pillarboxed game FMVs)
Proper In-Game Rendered Cut-Scene Support
If the game features non-interactive cut-scenes that are rendered within the game's engine, then these cut-scenes are subject to the "Proper Screen Change" requirement as if they were part of gameplay.
- It is not required that they use the same screen change as the gameplay. For example, it is acceptable for a game to feature "horizontal plus" gameplay, but anamorphic cut-scenes.
Misc
There must not be any miscellaneous bugs or flaws related to widescreen. This section can't be defined explicitly, but some common flaws to be avoided include stretching and distortion of anything, mis-alignment of game text on static backgrounds, and alternate gameplay modes that do not satisfy the "proper screen change" requirement.
Don't worry too much about this requirement. As long as the above seven requirements are satisfied, it's likely that this one will be too. There are 41 games that have been evaluated by WSGF and pass the first seven requirements, and 40 of them are certified. Only one of them fails this requirement; it has 2D screens that stretch horizontally.
It is not mandatory for elements unrelated to the gameplay, plot, or narrative, such as loading screens, pre-game menus, and company logo screens, to satisfy the above requirements.
