BFMracing

General Category => Tech Support and Chat => Frequently Asked Questions => Topic started by: Igor on April 19, 2008, 01:18:30 AM

Title: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Igor on April 19, 2008, 01:18:30 AM
This tutorial will show you how to set up Halo & Xfire, so that you can play in a window. A window is basically where Halo doesn't fill up the whole screen, and you can Alt+Tab out without any text lag. If Halo freezes only Halo will, so you can Alt+Tab out again and fix the issue, rather than it being in full screen, and freezing up your whole computer.

Loading through Halo (GameSpy)

It should look like this when done:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo\halo.exe" -window

Loading through Xfire.

Now when you boot from Halo or Xfire, you will always be able to play in a window.

Adjusting window size!
To adjust the size of the window, you can either:

Other command line parameters
It's not just -window you can add to the target lines, there are many other commands you can put in to do various things, follow the same steps as above, but just leave a space between each, and you can add many more:
-console  :This enables you to access the rcon commands in Halo, and kick/ban people in yours other peoples servers.
-novideo :This stops Halo from playing the videos at the beginning when you load Halo, such as the bungie and Gearbox one.

There are many more, but they mainly focus on graphical settings, and you can find them with a quick Google search. Or check out this thread by Chaindog, which covers more of the parameters: Link (http://www.bfmracing.net/forums/index.php/topic,152.0.html)

Happy Racing!
~Igor
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Draucus on May 01, 2008, 11:34:58 AM
 -novideo
YES, I have to use this one!!!
Thanks a lot, Igor! ;D
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: BFM_DarkFyr on May 20, 2008, 12:37:47 PM
Huh. I have a mac and when i start up the game, it has the option to play in a window or leave it full screen.  :interesting:
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: BFM_Hydra on May 21, 2008, 03:37:17 AM
That's  because you're on a Mac. Windows is different. Most fullscreened window games do not have the option of being played in a window unless you use settings like this one.

Well written, Igor.
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: BFM_DarkFyr on May 21, 2008, 01:13:36 PM
Well I guess PC's and macs each have their advantages and disadvantages

Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: BFM_dStruct on June 13, 2008, 06:25:01 AM
This is a huge Help THANKS!!!!!

~d3struct
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Filla on November 26, 2008, 09:35:10 PM
You cant run in a window and have console can you?
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: MrMxyzptlk on November 27, 2008, 02:39:45 AM
You cant run in a window and have console can you?

Yes you can.

The console comes up the same way in either full-screen or window(ed) mode....
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: ·WídgêT· on November 27, 2008, 12:09:39 PM
Question: does putting too much code into the target line drop FPS?, I currently have 4

 -console
 -window
 -novideo
 -screenshot

hopefully this won't slow it down will it?
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: MrMxyzptlk on November 27, 2008, 01:27:28 PM


Not necessarily because of "too many" command line directives, but the directives THEMSELVES might cause some lag: On a prior machine (that had to run Halo on low settings...) I stopped using "-screenshot" because of "unwanted side effects" like slight lag, and a complete freeze of the game for a split second whenever I used it....

Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Soul on April 07, 2009, 11:52:14 PM
Well, This was very helpful thanks xD ;D
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Bulk on September 06, 2010, 10:07:13 AM
whenever i do it it does not work, halo just opens normally, the only thing that i can think of is when i do it and press ok, it says, press continue to prove administrator status, i do this and it works no problem, any suggestions?
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Tanxs1 on September 06, 2010, 11:34:15 AM
You have to click "apply" then "ok". I don't think it works when you just click "ok".
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: MrMxyzptlk on September 06, 2010, 05:29:45 PM


Set the shortcut that you use to start it up to "Run as Administrator" (AND set it to run in "XP Compatibility mode"....)

Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: gamepanther on September 06, 2010, 11:57:31 PM
what does -screenshot do?
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Lucky on September 07, 2010, 08:57:26 AM
Saves any screenshots you take while Halo is open to your Halo folder I believe.
Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: MrMxyzptlk on September 08, 2010, 08:20:48 AM
Saves any screenshots you take while Halo is open to your Halo folder I believe.

To a folder named "screenshots" within your Halo folder, actually....

Oh, and they're saved in the proprietary "Targa" (.tga) format which is hard to find something to display/convert them, too....  ::)  (GIMP will display or convert them tho.)

Title: Re: How to play Halo in a window! (Tutorial)
Post by: Bulk on September 13, 2010, 01:46:14 PM
Thanks for the help Mxy, it worked a treat

you just own this part of the forums dont you :D computer Guru

thanks again and cya on the tracks

BULK