How do I change the resolution of Baldur’s Gate 1?

Question

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.

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.

2. 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

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

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

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

6. 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.

Answer 1

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

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