Buliding computer for sh3&4
 

Hi guys.

I'm buliding a new computer.

It may be weird, by my main concern is to build one that will run SH3 & incoming SH4 at the highest picture quality available.
I've seen all sh3 movies on youtube and google and I really want to get all those details WITHOUT slowing down or choking during explosions:yep:

I'm a SH-series fan, I spent MONTHS playing SH1 on 486 dx4 :ping:
Now I'm only able to play SH2- but with no dynamic campaign- its a bit borig to do the same missions for the X-th time.

Now i've got p4 1,6 GHZ, 256 sdram and GF4 mx460- so sh3 won't even install because it requires Shader Model

So i finally decided to get a new comp.

My basic hardware will be:
CPU: core 2 duo e6300
MoBo: Asus p5b dlx / or p5w dh dlx
RAM: 2 gigs 667
And I think it will not be the bottleneck for sh3 and even sh4:p

I'm hesitating about the graphics card, and thats what I want you guys to help me with:

Will GF7600GT run sh3 with highest quality without any problems ?
Does any of you run sh3 on this card ?

And- does SH3 use both HDR and AA technology ?
GF7xxx cards cannot support those 2 at the same time

I've got 2 options- buy a cheaper card now and wait a bit for DX10 cards, or buy a high-end card now (x1900xt ) and use it for 2-3 years.
From what i've read here, i guess that SH4 will not be an only-DX10-game, so x1900xt wil be enough for it.

Hi, welcome to the forum!

I would buy the X1900XT, it´s a great card. It´s kinda overkill for SH3, but with that card you can play SH3 at very high-res (if your monitor supports it) plus 6xAA and 16xAF.

I recently bought ASUS's EN7900GT TOP card which is factory overclocked, it runs SH3 on full AA settings and it flows very nicely - even with the Grey Wolves super mod the frame rates are very good too.

You could always get a cheaper card now, such as a 7600 which will satisfy your immediate cravings for SH3 and then you could look to what is better and cheaper in 6 months time - I'm sure SHIV will need something decent in the graphics card department.

The way computer technology is always changing it is best to wait out and see what SHIV really needs to get the most out of it. You maybe able to get the really high end cards now for cheaper later on and still be able to give SHIV a run for it's money.

Hope my comments help.

Thank you guys for your advice, but still...

Anyone running SH3 on GF7600GT ? :-?

And

Does SH3 use both HDR and AA ?

and also- what do you mean by "sh3 at very hi-res" ?
Isnt't it to run only at 1024x768 ? (WITHOUT any .dll unoficial modifications ?)


I forgot to mention- the highest resolution i'm going to use in any game is 1280- i have a 17' CRT display and i'm not going to buy any LCD panel- i need CRT for fast online FPP's (counter strike 1.6 at 640x480 :lol:)

And please don't make any price comparisons (ex. "this one is better but the other one cheaper") because prices and their relations differ all around the world, and also- price is not that important for me.

Of course, 100$ in my pocket is always 100$ in my pocket- compared to buying something like x1900xt- but i'll not die of starvation if i'll have to pay for a better graphic card.

All I want from the new computer for now is to run SH3 (and maybe half-life 2)- of course with highest image quality.

I thought about 7600 because it offers best power/price relation in today's games.
However its not impossible for me to buy let's say x1800xt or x1900xt.
But still- if i could save some cash- then why shouldn't I ?

I am running sh3 with a XFX GF7600GT card at 1280x1024 (using hi-res mod) at 4xAA. Runs superb and only get a little slowdown on a big battle (Malta single player mission for instance) but the card is great. Using above 4x Anti-alaising in sh3 on a 7600gt is not recommend. Can be brought now for just over £100 :)

SH3 doesn´t use HDR.

Yes, 1024x786 only the only "official" resolution, but with some tricks it also support higher resolutions.

Ok, then get the 7600GT.

I am now using a 7900GT 512MB. SHIII runs oh so perfecto with it! :rock:

Build ya Killer TOY online at!!!!
 

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/

My favorit is the AMD 64x2 +4800 with 2GB or more in it.
I wait when Vista will come up on the market than i going to make my own killer toy specialy for SHIV!!!!

check the site out, and save money !!!

The E6300 is quite a slow animal.

The Conroe is a bit of a hype now. And claiming all Conroes are fast is nonsense.
Rather go for a E6600 if you can afford one.

If you don't want to overclock btw, the Athlon 64 X2 5000+ is a very good option.
Here in the Netherlands it cost 280 euro's and it runs par with the E6700. :)

The 7600GT should run SH3 and GW like a dream. I am using a 256MB 6600GT now, and I got decent framerates with both high antialiasing and vsync with it. I have that disabled now, as videorecording and antialiasing is over the top for the card.

Attempt to rise up the video card you had choiced. nV 7900/Ati X1900XT.

I run the sim on a PIV 3.4, 3Gb RAM, an ATI X800XT PE 256mb, and some times fps falls down to 7 fps with all programs into the background closed, and with many proccess terminated before run the game.

I can have about 50/60 iFPS n external view and 90/110 FPS into control room, but when a convoy is near or when at port with heavy traffic, some times i am not able to reach maximun time compression and in TC 1X FPS droops down lot of, same when there are many explosions with particles specially in more than one ship, some times FPS down to about 7 FPS.

Possibly controvercial, but I don't think you have to go mad or spend much to run SH3. All I've got is Nvidia GeForce PCX5300 128mb. I've had this card for about a year and it was cheap when I got it. £40 new. This works great for me no problems at all.
Though one thing to consider.
Is SH3/4 all you will use your machine for?
Ever?

For now conroe is the best choice...

e6300 slow animal ?
man, look at any benchmarks... :oops:
For its price- its offers the best efficiency possible.

And also- why should I go for 6600 when I can overclock 6300 so that it will reach the level of 6700 using no extra cooling (only the one provided by Intel in BOX version) :up:
A friend of mine has done something like that only by increasing FSB and that 6300 runs great.
And recently- Asus released new BIOS for p5b deluxe- using which you can unlock multiplier on 6300 :p

Buying a CPU is buying a Motherboard- if I go for Intel right now i am sure that I'll be able to stick a very powerfull CPu in the next 2-3 years.
X6800 are going to be cheaper, also- 4 core Kentsfield is going to be released in 2007- and today's 975x/965 Mobos support it (check xtremesystems.org- a guy from Taiwan runs Kentsfield on Asus p5b deluxe :up:)

Of course not.

I am also going to play Half Life 2. For now.

I'm not a type of gamer who needs to play all newest games.
For example- i'm not even going to think about Oblivion- yeah great graphics, but what about that fantasy-rpg bulls**t :doh:

Also FPP shooters like f.e.a.r.- again, great graphics, but I would rather play good old counter-strike1.6 on 640x480 and own some noobs via internet.

But there are some games that must be played (for me)
Half Life 1 was such a a game, SH series, Settlers, Half life 2.

That's why im buyng a new computer.