Resolution changes and is wrong when starting up the game

HootPocket · October 2019

When I start up ESO my resolution will say fullscreen 2560x1440, but I notice the graphics are really blurry and everything on both of my monitors shifts around back and forth when I open the game and alt-tab. To fix it I can't just change the ingame resolution around, I have to go to windowed mode and back to fullscreen which will fix it without changing the actual resolution settings. I took a screenshot and noticed when this is happening my game is actually saying it is 1920 x 1080, till I do the little trick and it will go back to my native resolution. I checked the usersettings.ini and my nvidia profile settings and both say it should be 2560x1440. Any idea of what would be causing this? I can't replicate it 100% of the time but I do notice when I fully close out of the launcher and reboot the game that way, it causes the error also. Is the launcher changing my in game settings?

ZOS_Bill · October 2019

@HootPocket

There may be an issue with your current usersettings when it is setting the resolution.

We suggest deleting two settings files to ensure ESO is at it's default settings. To do so, follow the instructions below:

Open up the Documents folder on your computer.
Open the Elder Scrolls Online folder, then open the Live folder.
Find the ShaderCache and UserSettings files.
Create copies of each file, then delete the originals.
Close everything and start ESO again.

NOTE: This will reset all in-game settings to their defaults. Please take a moment when you next log in to review the settings for the game.

HootPocket · October 2019

I have tried this sadly already a bit ago. I just find it weird it usually only replicates when I close out the launcher completely. I think sometimes it happens at random though also, can't remember. So that's why I thought it was maybe nvidia messing with settings but I have it turned off for eso64.exe, and there is no options for the launcher since it's not an actual game.

ZOS_Bill · October 2019

@HootPocket

After resetting the UserSettings file, try setting it to read only after making any changes. Once you've made this change, launch ESO and see if the same behavior continues.

Vantelli · October 2019

I have the exact same problem since recently which is funny, because I use to play ESO in 1440p since quite a while. I also have a dual monitor setup but my 2nd screen is 1080p. Maybe this is the issue. I tried to reproduce and found out the following:

By default ESO is set to Fullscreen (Windowed). I dunno which jester came up with this idea since this is quite bad for the performance of the game. The problem occurs for me when ESO is set to Fullscreen and Intro Videos are disabled in the UserSettings file. The game is displayed in 1080p right after launch while actually set to 1440p. I need to switch to windowed Fullcreen and then back to Fullscreen inside the game's settings to make it display in 1440p but then it shifts my other windows (Browser, Discord, etc) around, pushing then to my 2nd Monitor and even changing their aspect ratio, which is pretty annoying.

I also deleted my ShaderCache and UserSettings files to see if that does the job but as soon as I make the UserSettings tweak in Line 151 (Skip Intro Videos) it goes crazy again. I set it to read-only as suggested by @ZOS_BillE but that makes things even worse. So it does seem like a bug somehow. ESO does not like to be played on a 1440p monitor while you have a 2nd monitor with 1080p running. Now I am buying a 2nd 1440p monitor to see if the problem persists...

HootPocket · October 2019

@Vantelli
Wow.. if that is really what's causing it I'm blown away. Looks like it probably is though since I never had the problem till I added that change to the .ini. I guess punishment for trying to get back into the game faster...

Vantelli · October 2019

HootPocket wrote: »

@Vantelli
Wow.. if that is really what's causing it I'm blown away. Looks like it probably is though since I never had the problem till I added that change to the .ini. I guess punishment for trying to get back into the game faster...

I remember I had this problem back in the days when first playing ESO on a 1440p monitor (2 years ago). Which makes this even an old bug! My guess is the game tries to trigger the Intros which are 1080p media, reads the modified codeline too late and launches the game in 1080p even when it is set to 1440p. When the game is set to (exclusive) Fullscreen (by you) it thinks that you are watching the Intros while you are already in the Login Menu. It also changes your native screen resolution what would explain the shifting windows. That is a BUG!

Since most people still playing on 1080p monitors (like it is still 2012) this bug got barely notable.

J2JMC · October 2019

Came to the forums to post this exact same problem. It definitely has something to do with your second monitor having a resolution of 1080p. As @Vantelli reported, when I played the game in full screen window it's not an issue. However, after switching to regular full screen, the game launches in 1080p.

I suspect you won't see the issue once you get a second 1440p monitor Vantelli. My workarond for the issue has been to disable my 1080p monitor before loading the game, then enable it once I am in the character select screen. The game correctly displays in 1440p as long as I follow this step.

olancho · October 2019

I am experiencing the same exact issue that @HootPocket and others are experiencing on a gsync-enabled 3440x1440 display and this is with a multi-monitor set up. I too have to change the in-game setting to windowed mode and then back to fullscreen to fix the blurry graphics issue.

I do seem to recall this issue popped up for me with the nVidia driver update 436.30. I am now on driver 436.48 and it is happening less frequently, however the issue is present. Seems to happen with more frequency right after a system boot or system restart. Hope this info helps.

HootPocket · October 2019

I know its just upscaling, but I set my 1080p monitor to 1440p DSR and that didn't help the problem so you can't even trick it

boo oh well. again, not the end of the world to just do windowed back to fullscreen but still an annoyance every time.

olancho · December 2019

Will this ever be addressed/fixed?

Luxo · December 2019

I have this "bug" aswell now. After installing Nvidia driver 441.56, my resolution was correct at first time launch, but the day after it did look like 1024x768 on my 1440P screen. Did check settings and it says 3440x1440.

I have checked the "userSettings" in the Live folder and it says the same, Did try to disable the intro and video from this document, but it failed. i have to delete the "UserSetting" document to get the right resolution. And of course that brings with it the whole shabang with dozen of accepts and settings changes, this is getting boring and I regretted I updated my nVidia driver, but I had to

I am only using one monitor.

So is there any solution for this?

DBZVelena · December 2019

I've had this bug for years on and off.
I can usually tell when game starts up because for me it goes to 800x600 or something, from my normal 1900x1080
But it i restart the game it remembers to read the userfile instead of making random resolution settings.

SeaUnicorn · December 2019

Happens to me sometimes, i fix it by going to full screen, changing resolution to highest available (4k in my case) and then switching back to window full screen. Also have to close game properly so that setting remains.

Mortac · May 2020

Yep this is happening to me as well, every single time I start the game.

I have a 3440x1440 monitor and Nvidia card. I also have a second monitor connected, but I don't usually have it turned on.

ZOS_Bill · May 2020

We are locking this thread since it is over a year old. Please start a new thread if no recent ones exist instead of necroing an older discussion.