Generals Zero Hour 1920x1080: How to Set the Resolution and Get Widescreen

To run Generals Zero Hour at 1920x1080, open Options.ini in Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data and add the line Resolution = 1920 1080. On the Steam version you can set the same thing with the launch options -xres 1920 -yres 1080. If you'd rather pick widescreen modes right in the game menu, install GenTool.

Why 1920x1080 isn't in the menu

The game came out in 2003, when monitors were squarer. The resolution list in the options often stops at old modes, and widescreen ones don't make it in. The engine can draw a 16:9 picture just fine, it only needs to be told. The resolution is stored in two places: the Options.ini settings file and, on Steam, the launch options. You can change either by hand or install GenTool, which unlocks widescreen modes in the menu.

Method 1. Options.ini

1. Open File Explorer and go to Documents\Command and Conquer Generals Zero Hour Data. For the original Generals, the folder is called Command and Conquer Generals Data.
2. If Documents syncs through OneDrive, look under C:\Users\<name>\OneDrive\Documents.
3. Open Options.ini in Notepad.
4. Find the Resolution line and change the values. If there's no such line, add it:

Resolution = 1920 1080

5. Save the file and start the game.

No file at all? The game creates it on first launch. Start it once, quit from the main menu and go back to step 1.

For other monitors, use your own numbers: 2560 1440, 1366 768 and so on. Stick to your screen's native resolution. A value your monitor can't handle can end in a launch error, which has its own troubleshooting guide.

Method 2. Steam launch options

1. In your Steam library, right-click the game → Properties.
2. In the Launch Options field, type -xres 1920 -yres 1080.
3. Close the window and start the game.

The resolution in Steam and in Options.ini must match. If the two places hold different values, the game may not start. Keep only one.

Method 3. GenTool

GenTool unlocks every resolution your monitor supports in the options menu, widescreen included. Once it's installed, you pick 1920x1080 from the normal list in Options and never touch the files again.

1. Download GenTool from gentool.net.
2. Run the installer, or drop d3d8.dll into the game folder.
3. Start the game and choose the resolution in the options.

How to install the add-on and what else it does is in our GenTool guide.

Stretched control bar and tiny UI

At 1920x1080 the bottom control bar looks stretched. There are replacement bars for that: Control Bar HD (available on gentool.net) and Control Bar Pro. Both install through GenPatcher on the additional content tab.

If the picture is blurry or the game keeps minimizing after you change the resolution, check your Windows display scaling. Go to Settings → System → Display → Scale and set it to 100%.

Resolution and camera

A wider screen shows more of the map on the sides, but it doesn't change the camera height. How to pull the camera itself back is covered in a separate guide.

And on a phone

If you play on Android through ZeroFront, picture settings are in the app's Graphics tab. Files in Documents play no part there. Everything else about playing on a phone is on the Zero Hour on Android page.

FAQ