Index: code/hud/hudmessage.cpp
===================================================================
--- code/hud/hudmessage.cpp	(revision 6721)
+++ code/hud/hudmessage.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@

 	//ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES = Players[Player_num].HUD_config.num_msg_window_lines;
 //	ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES = HUD_config.num_msg_window_lines;
-	ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES = 4;
+	//ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES = 4;

 	MSG_WINDOW_FONT_HEIGHT = h;
 	MSG_WINDOW_HEIGHT = MSG_WINDOW_FONT_HEIGHT * (ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES-1);
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@
 	str = msg;

 	//Because functions to get font size don't compensate for *actual* screen size
-	int pretend_width = (gr_screen.res == GR_640) ? 620 : 1004;
+	int pretend_width = Message_display_width;

 	while ((ptr = split_str_once(str, pretend_width - x - 7)) != NULL) {		// the 7 is a fudge hack
 		// make sure that split went ok, if not then bail
Index: code/hud/hudmessage.h
===================================================================
--- code/hud/hudmessage.h	(revision 6721)
+++ code/hud/hudmessage.h	(working copy)
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 extern int Active_index;
 extern int Scroll_needed;
 extern int Scroll_in_progress;
+extern int Message_display_width;

 extern int MSG_WINDOW_HEIGHT;			// extern'ed since needed in save/restore code
 extern int MSG_WINDOW_FONT_HEIGHT;	// extern'ed since needed in save/restore code
Index: code/hud/hudparse.cpp
===================================================================
--- code/hud/hudparse.cpp	(revision 6721)
+++ code/hud/hudparse.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@

 int Hud_font = -1;

+//The E
+int Message_display_width;
+
 int num_default_gauges = 42;
 static int retail_gauges[] = {
 	HUD_OBJECT_MESSAGES,
@@ -4119,6 +4122,18 @@
 		}
 	}

+	if (optional_string("Message display width:")) {
+		stuff_int(&Message_display_width);
+	} else {
+		Message_display_width = (gr_screen.res == GR_640) ? 620 : 1004;
+	}
+
+	if (optional_string("Max number of lines:")) {
+		stuff_int(&ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES);
+	} else {
+		ACTIVE_BUFFER_LINES = 4;
+	}
+
 	HudGaugeMessages* hud_gauge = new HudGaugeMessages();
 	hud_gauge->initBaseResolution(base_res[0], base_res[1]);
 	hud_gauge->initPosition(coords[0], coords[1]);