I am wondering does the GOG version auto 4.3 the game so it does not look stretched. What I am asking is does this version of the game auto start with black bars on the sides on a 16.9 screen. the game has a locked res and the DVD version plays smooth on my rig at 60 fps. but not having to go into my control panel for the driver ever single time I go to play would be a boon.

The game has absolutely nothing to do with that! Look in your graphics driver settings, there you will be able to set the behaviour in cases where the aspect ratio doesnt fit. In case you disable GPU scaling at all, it will be up to the display to do or not to do it (some displays allow to set the behaviour).

Thanks I was thinking the game would be like dungeon keeper 2 , that game auto 4.3 on my display with no input on my part.

still no worries, I still have my DVD copy and it works fine.

hmmm may was well pick up Nox instead

The only way to do so is to change the resolution to something that fits the aspect ratio of your screen and then it would be able for the game to decide what shall be done. The problem is that sacred isnt able to change resolution at all.

Not sure if you will read this but you can play any game without stretching, you have two options:

A) Find your monitor's remote (or use the buttons on the screen) to cycle between aspect ratios.

B) Using Nvidia or AMD control panel find the scaling options, for Nvidia these are under 'Adjust desktop size and position.' Select 'No scaling' or 'Aspect Ratio' (I prefer no scaling but see for yourself); under 'Perform scaling on:' select GPU; then finally tick 'Override the scaling mode set by games and programs'

Now any old game you have will play at the correct ratio.

To A) Most (cheap) screens dont have such settings at all, also if GPU scaling is activated this setting has no effect.

To B) thats what I already said but thanks for adding additional description for NVidia users (because I dont have such a card yet).