Adjusting Theme Hospital's Resolution: A Quick Guide

how to change resolution in theme hospital

Theme Hospital is a video game developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts in 1997. The game is a spiritual successor to Theme Park, where players design and operate a hospital. The game is known for its humour and pop culture references. While the game is beloved by many, some users have expressed frustration with its default resolution and lack of options to change it in the in-game menu. However, there are a few workarounds to this issue, such as installing CorsixTH, an open-source mod for Theme Hospital that allows players to set the resolution as desired. Another method involves editing the dosboxTH.conf file in the game's installation folder and changing specific lines of code related to fullscreen and window resolution. These solutions enable players to enjoy Theme Hospital in higher resolutions and on modern systems.

Characteristics Values
File path C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Theme Hospital
File to edit dosboxTH.conf
Code to replace fullscreen=true fulldouble=false fullresolution=desktop windowresolution=original output=overlay autolock=true sensitivity=100 waitonerror=true priority=higher,normal mapperfile=mapper.txt usescancodes=true
Code to replace with fullscreen=true fulldouble=false fullresolution=original windowresolution=original output=surface autolock=true sensitivity=100 waitonerror=true priority=higher,normal mapperfile=mapper.txt usescancodes=true
Alternative file path C:\Program Files (x86)\GalaxyClient\Games\Theme Hospital
Alternative code to replace fullscreen=false windowresolution=000x000 (whatever number you want) output = overlay | | opengl | openglnb | ddraw
Alternative code to replace with N/A
Alternative method CorsixTH (open-source mod)
CorsixTH features High-resolution settings, Free Build mode, Map Editor, customizable priority messages, streamlined save/load manager, options to lock the screen for scrolling, support to zoom the map in and out with the mouse wheel
Alternative method Guest Additions from the "Devices" menu

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Try CorsixTH, an open-source mod with resolution settings

CorsixTH is an open-source reimplementation of the Bullfrog hit game Theme Hospital. It is a clone of the 1997 business sim that faithfully recreates the original while adding support for modern operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux, and BSD), high resolutions, and more. It is constantly being updated, and users can play their own music.

To play CorsixTH, you will need either the demo or the full game of Theme Hospital, available on GOG.com. You will then have to install CorsixTH into the same directory where your Theme Hospital files are located.

CorsixTH has resolution settings and provides support for modern systems. It also contains some new features besides high-resolution settings, such as a Free Build mode, Map Editor, customizable priority messages, a streamlined save/load manager, options to lock the screen for scrolling, and even support to zoom the map in and out with your mouse wheel.

However, there are still a few small things missing from CorsixTH that are present in the original Theme Hospital game, such as patient vomit in the hallways, earthquakes, rats, and the short movies that play in between levels.

CorsixTH is available for download on GitHub, where the code base is made up of Lua and C++.

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Install Guest Additions from the Devices menu

To install Guest Additions from the Devices menu, you must first ensure that you have the latest version of VirtualBox. The Devices menu will only be shown at the top of the virtual machine window when a virtual machine is running.

If you are installing Guest Additions on a VirtualBox VM, you can start by opening the VirtualBox menu and selecting Devices > Insert Guest Additions CD Image. A popup will appear on your Ubuntu desktop, prompting you to select Run, which will automatically install Guest Additions.

If you are installing Guest Additions on a Windows guest, Windows will autostart the Oracle VM VirtualBox Guest Additions installation program from the Additions ISO. If the Autostart feature is turned off, choose VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe from the CD/DVD drive inside the guest to start the installer. The installer will add several device drivers to the Windows driver database and invoke the hardware detection wizard. You must confirm any warnings that the drivers are not digitally signed to continue the installation and properly install the Additions. After installation, reboot your guest operating system to activate the Additions.

If you are installing Guest Additions on a Linux guest, the process is similar to that of Windows. The Guest Additions package has to be installed, and you may need to open the File Manager (Nautilus/Dolphin), select the "CD device", and run the installer. You can also download the Guest Additions from the VirtualBox website and install them by selecting "Install Guest Additions" from the VirtualBox menu.

If you are installing Guest Additions on a MAC host, you may need to go to Preferences, select "Input" -> "Virtual Machine", and add a shortcut key to "Menu Bar Settings". Then, press the key combination for Menu Bar Settings and you should see the menu at the top of the screen.

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Change the output mode of DOSBox

To change the output mode of DOSBox, you will need to make changes to the configuration file. This can be done by following these steps:

  • Open the DOSBox configuration file: Go to the installation directory of the game and locate the "dosbox.conf" file. You can use a text editor such as Notepad to open this file.
  • Understand the output options: The "output" setting in the configuration file controls the output mode of DOSBox. The default value is "surface". However, there are other options available, including "overlay", "opengl", "openglnb", and "ddraw". These options provide different levels of compatibility and performance.
  • Edit the output setting: To change the output mode, modify the "output" line in the configuration file. For example, if you want to switch to the "overlay" output mode, change the line to "output=overlay". You can also experiment with other output modes to see which one works best for your specific game and system configuration.
  • Save and apply changes: Once you have made the desired changes to the "output" setting, save the configuration file. When you restart DOSBox, the new output mode will be applied.

It is important to note that changing the output mode may affect compatibility and performance. Some output modes may not work with certain games or system configurations. Additionally, modifying the configuration file can impact the display scaling and resolution. Always back up your configuration file before making any changes, so you can restore it if needed.

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Use the ALT+TAB shortcut to switch to windowed mode

If you're playing Theme Hospital and want to change the resolution, one option is to use the ALT+TAB shortcut to switch to windowed mode. This is a handy keyboard shortcut that's useful to know, as it lets you quickly switch between different programs you're using.

Using ALT+TAB in Theme Hospital will change your full-screen game to a windowed mode, which can be helpful if you need to quickly switch to another program without minimising and maximising the game. However, it's worth noting that this method will result in a pretty small window that doesn't seem to be resizable.

To use the ALT+TAB shortcut effectively, simply press and hold the ALT key on your keyboard, and while holding it, press the TAB key. This will instantly switch you to windowed mode, allowing you to access other programs or files.

While the ALT+TAB method is a quick fix, it may not be the ideal solution for those seeking a larger, more customised resolution. In that case, you might want to consider other methods, such as editing the game files or using CorsixTH, which is an open-source implementation of Theme Hospital that offers resolution settings and support for modern systems.

By exploring these options, you can find the best method to achieve your desired resolution and fully enjoy your Theme Hospital experience.

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Edit the dosboxTH.conf file

To change the resolution in Theme Hospital, you will need to edit the dosboxTH.conf file. This can be done by following these steps:

First, go to the installation folder of Theme Hospital. The default path is usually C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Theme Hospital. However, if you cannot find the folder at this location, try checking in C:\Program Files (x86)\GalaxyClient\Games\Theme Hospital.

Once you have located the installation folder, open the dosboxTH.conf file. You may need to select a text editor such as Notepad to open the file. Inside the file, you will find various settings that can be adjusted.

To change the resolution, locate the line that says "windowresolution=000x000" and replace it with your desired resolution. For example, if you want a resolution of 1366x768, change the line to "windowresolution=1366x768".

Additionally, you can adjust other settings in the dosboxTH.conf file to further customize your gameplay experience. For instance, you can set "fullscreen" to true or false, depending on whether you want the game to run in fullscreen mode or windowed mode.

Fullscreen=true

Fulldouble=false

Fullresolution=original

Windowresolution=1366x768

Output=overlay

Autolock=true

Sensitivity=100

Waitonerror=true

Priority=higher,normal

Mapperfile=mapper.txt

Usescancodes=true

Remember to save the file after making your changes. By editing the dosboxTH.conf file, you can customize the resolution and other display settings in Theme Hospital to suit your preferences.

Frequently asked questions

To change the resolution in Theme Hospital, you need to download CorsixTH, an open-source mod for the game. Once you've installed CorsixTH, you can set the resolution as you wish in the options menu.

CorsixTH is available to download for free from the CorsixTH website.

You need to install CorsixTH in the same directory as your Theme Hospital files.

CorsixTH contains some other features besides high-resolution settings, including a Free Build mode, Map Editor, customizable priority messages, a streamlined save/load manager, options to lock the screen for scrolling, and support to zoom the map in and out with your mouse wheel.

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