[Guide] How to run Disco on dual monitors with skype and other programs on secondary

[Giggle Snort]

Hello chaps,
SO I saw some posts earlier regarding running the game on dual screens so that one monitor can be used for the game and the other can be used for other purposes (such as skype, chrome etc.)
However I couldn't find a satisfactory answer and I did some research. I'm writing this down here in case more people were wondering.
Step 1: Setting up your screens

• Connect your secondary monitor [duh]
  
• Right click on your desktop and go to "Screen Resolution"
  
• In the "Multiple Displays" drop down menu, select "Extend these displays"
  
• In the top panel where you see both monitors, drag the secondary monitor to the left or right depending on where your monitor placement is on your desk
  
• Set the appropriate resolutions for both screens
  

Step 2: Setting up the monitor you will be running Freelancer in:

• Some times, your computer will detect the wrong screen for running freelancer so if you're running it in fullscreen you won't be able to drag it to the other monitor. This is specially true for laptops
  
• Yes I have a solution for that problem:
  
• On the top panel where you see the pretty monitor pictures labelled "1" and "2", select the monitor you want to play Freelancer on.
  
• At the bottom, you will see a check button that reads "Make this my main display".
  
• Yes, you're gonna have to click on that.
  
• VOILA! Now your freelancer will run on fullscreen mode on the secondary monitor while your other monitor will display whatever you want it to display.
  

Step 3: Running FL in Windowed mode

1. If you're running the game without the Discovery Launchpad:
   • Right click on the shortcut of Discovery Freelancer you use to launch the game
     
   • Go to "Properties" and in the "Target" section add "-w" without the quotes at the end of the line.
     
   • Make sure that the "-w" is typed in AFTER the quotes specifying the file path, NOT inside the quotes.
     
   • Also make sure that there is a space after the last double quotes.
     
   • You target should look something like this [DO NOT COPY/PASTE THIS]:
     "C:\Users\Sparrow\AppData\Local\Discovery Freelancer 4.87.0\EXE\Freelancer.exe" -w
     
   • Move on to Step 4
     
2. If you're using the Discovery Launchpad:
   • Launch the Discovery Launchpad
     
   • On the right hand side, somewhere near the middle, check the button that says "Windowed".
     
   • Move on to Step 4
     
3. If you're using Steam:
   • Launch steam
     
   • In the library, right click on your Freelancer game and go to "Properties"
     
   • In the "Target" section add "-w" without the quotes at the end of the line.
     
   • Make sure that the "-w" is typed in AFTER the quotes specifying the file path, NOT inside the quotes.
     
   • Also make sure that there is a space after the last double quotes.
     
   • You target should look something like this [DO NOT COPY/PASTE THIS]: "C:\Users\Sparrow\AppData\Local\Discovery Freelancer 4.87.0\EXE\Freelancer.exe" -w
     

Step 4: Borderless Windowed mode (because we all like our game to look pretty)

• Download this program: http://www.mediafire.com/download/jnsslp...orders.rar
  
• No, it's not a virus.
  
• Extract the files into a folder wherever you want (I would not recommend the desktop because it creates additional files for it's usage after first run which can clutter your pretty little desktop)
  
• If you really wanna use your desktop, create a new folder on your desktop and extract the file in there.
  
• Run "BorderlessWindowed.exe" (or whatever it's called) and watch as it creates a few more supplementary files.
  
• If it starts minimized, don't worry, look in your taskbar tray and there will be a new icon that looks like diagonal arrows in a rectangle.
  
• Double click on that and you'll be faced with a new window.
  
• Under "Toggle Window Style on Keypress" select "Hotkey"
  
• Click the empty bar next to the "hotkey" button and select a hotkey you want to use to toggle windowed mode. I'd recommend something like "Shift+F10"
  
• Minimize the sucker
  

Step 5: Running Disco

• Start up disco like you normally would
  
• It should ideally open up in your primary monitor that you selected in step 2
  
• Once it's running, press the hotkey for windowed mode you defined in step 3
  
• BOOM your game is now in windowed mode.
  
• Now you are probably wondering why I said "borderless" earlier but now there's clearly a border present :O
  
• That's because you're gonna have to press that hotkey again (yes, a total of two times pressing the same hotkey)
  
• BOOM! your game is now in windowed borderless mode.
  
• Note: if you click on your secondary monitor, your game will NOT minimize (this is a good thing)
  

Prevent Accidents:

• Following all the steps would make it so that everytime your cursor goes into the second monitor you will be operating in the second monitor.
  
• This means that if you click something in the second monitor's area your game will become inactive.
  
• This means that you will loose sound from the game and also your controls won't respond.
  
• To get your game window active again, you need to drag your cursor back into the first monitor and click somewhere [anywhere] on the game.
  
• To avoid this, you need to be very careful. In order to minimze the chances of accidentally getting your pointer out of bounds do this:
  • In the "Screen Resolution" window, drag your second monitor so that only the corners of both monitors are touching.
    
  • It should look something like this:
    
    
  • This means that in order to move your mouse to the second screen, you'll have to move it to the bottom right corner. Simply moving it to the right side won't work!
    

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Custom Ship Service Preview ~:~:~:~:~ Click to clean your monitor

[Singularity]

Being a Hardware Techie, bro ??

Anyways, It was worth. and Thanks a lot. Helps people who don't know technological terms.

An User-Friendly GUIDE

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[7AlphaOne1]

Awesome! deserves pin

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Jay's Quotes

TO FLOOD OR NOT TO FLOOD, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Well, I've managed to piss off Snak3, Ageira, LH~, Furries, Wisp, but at least Beast is happy.

[Giggle Snort]

Yeah I was hoping that this would end up here: http://discoverygc.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=97737

[Giggle Snort]

Updated to add "Prevent Accidents" section

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Custom Ship Service Preview ~:~:~:~:~ Click to clean your monitor

[Giggle Snort]

Replaced old image link with new working link

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Custom Ship Service Preview ~:~:~:~:~ Click to clean your monitor

[Corile]

That's pretty great.

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[evanz]

now what about 3 monitors, ive got 1 24 inch 1920x1080 and just got cheap off my boss, 2 27 inch 1920x1080, my 780 ti can do it, but what i really want is to play fl with fl showing on all screens, as in left centre and right of my ships

ive got launch pad would it just setting my screen res on launching to 5760x1080, launch into windowed mode and dragging to corner of left monitor?

or is there an easier way?

[nOmnomnOm]

This is for all the hard core disco gamers out there

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[Remnant]

That's a pretty neat guide for interested players, thanks for putting this out there!