I have a hypothesis - maybe the 2D screens are in fact pixel based rather than FOV based. Tanuki - what happens if you keep default FOV setting, and do a comparison shot of 1024x768 vs. 1600x1200?
No. Pixel-based would mean the game has to support 800x600. The graphics would be tiny in 1600x1200.
Anyway I already checked.
It is the same as I have been saying. The graphic is Vert -. I have not seen anyone getting a pic like Dopefish without changing the fov. The 4:3 pic provided actually has a lower vertical fov than the 16:9 one. By that theory the game gains vertical area as it gets into wider aspect ratios. This would require a decreasing horizontal fov in wider aspect ratios which makes no sense.
Also, the 16:9 pic Dopefish shows is 1280x720 while the 4:3 pic is 1024x768. If it was pixel-based we would see more of the top and bottom of the graphic not less which is what is shown.