Computer Rig help

KaleunBier · 06-23-09, 05:11 PM

Hello all! I have a few questions. The computer I currently have meets the SH3 stock minimum requirements and plays ok but I want to upgrade to GWX but but my current rig won't run it very well. The computer I am currently using is a laptop so upgrading isn't that much of an option so I am soon procuring an older computer but one that I think I may be able tp upgrade to SH3 and GWX standards. My main problem is that I'm really bad with computers and requirements are sometimes like a foreign language to me so I am posting the specs of the computer that is en route to my house now and some suggestions on how to upgrade this to meet GWX' standards would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!

Dell GX270 Slimline Desktop

Intel P4 2.4GHz CPU
512MB PC2700/333MHz DDR2 SDRAM (Dual Channel)- 4 DIMM Slots, 4GB Max.
40GB IDE Hard Drive
DVD/CDRW
1.44 Floppy Drive
XP Pro Pre-installed with the COA (no disks included)
Integrated 96MB Video
Integrated Audio with Line In/Out/Mic
Integrated NIC
1 Half-height AGP & 2 Full-height PCI Slots
2 PS/2 Ports
8 USB Ports, 2 on the Front
1 Serial Port
1 Parallel Port
Standard 15-pin VGA Port

WilyPete · 06-23-09, 07:40 PM

I'm sorry to say it will never run really well unless you change just about everything and if that's the case it will be much better for you to buy a new one which will cost the same as upgrading all the components. I was in the same boat but had a slightly better one than yours, but I suffered for 3 years playing GWX really badly.

I calculated how much it would be to upgrade and it would've cost the same as building myself a new one because fast (relatively speaking) AGP graphics cards cost a fortune. Also old memory sticks do as well. And you are always limited by your processor and mobo which you cannot upgrade.

To get the game running you would need at least 1gig of ram and a half decent graphics card. And then it will still play badly. I'm afraid to say that will set you back about a 3rd of how much it would cost you to buy a new good PC. Hence why I didn't bother.

I would recommend 2x1gig stick of RAM and something like an ATI Radeon X1950 pro AGP or equivalent graphics card. Your processor will limit you graphics wise. If possible at least an 80gig hard drive...40 gig is tiny. That's the bare minumum in my opinion. Good luck.

AVGWarhawk · 06-23-09, 07:44 PM

I would say everything is above par with exception of the integrated video. Unless you can get around that video issue playing GWX for SH3 does not look like it is in the cards on that computer.

WilyPete · 06-23-09, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

I would say everything is above par with exception of the integrated video. Unless you can get around that video issue playing GWX for SH3 does not look like it is in the cards on that computer.

That's strange because my old rig had a 3.2ghz (dual thread) pentium 4 with 1 gig of DDR2 ram and a Radeon X1650 PRO (so as you can see a bit better than his) and when in port if I went on the bridge it would slow to a crawl and sometimes lock up or reboot. Same thing in stormy weather. And this was with everything turned off, no AA or anything.

KaleunBier · 06-23-09, 08:11 PM

Thanks to both of you! What exactly does it mean when its integrated? I can still update the video card correct? And WP I see what you mean with the processors, and if I'm not mistaken the recommended processor is 2.0 GHZ so I'm not sure about those kind of things, I went to a good website I just found systemrequirementslab.com and it actually scans your comp and tells you how your system rates with a specific game and with the laptop I'm currently on I meet the minimum requirements and almost the reccomended but am a little slow in my video department but not by much and GWX still has issues.

onelifecrisis · 06-24-09, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaleunBier

Thanks to both of you! What exactly does it mean when its integrated? I can still update the video card correct? And WP I see what you mean with the processors, and if I'm not mistaken the recommended processor is 2.0 GHZ so I'm not sure about those kind of things, I went to a good website I just found systemrequirementslab.com and it actually scans your comp and tells you how your system rates with a specific game and with the laptop I'm currently on I meet the minimum requirements and almost the reccomended but am a little slow in my video department but not by much and GWX still has issues.

Yes, you can add an AGP video card. Right now you don't really have a video card (at least, not a real one). The only thing I'm wondering is what you mean by a "half height" AGP slot. If it's what it sounds like then you might not be able to fit an AGP card in there, in which case you are in trouble.

You could also do with a memory upgrade. SH3 + GWX really needs about 2Gb as WP suggested.

Your CPU is adequate for playing SH3, even with GWX. I wouldn't worry about what WP said about CPU.

That's my 2p.

WilyPete · 06-24-09, 07:03 AM

No in regards to the CPU (processor) I was referring to it not being worth getting anything more than a Radeon X1950 PRO, because your CPU will hold the GPU (graphics card) back.

KaleunBier I would recommend you buy everything second hand, if you have to. Have you seen the prices of AGP graphics cards?

At the end of the day, remember that you're throwing money at obselete technology and it's like throwing money down the drain in my eyes because new AGP cards are not being made and old ones are more than likely not supported for new games. Plus new games now require pixelshader 3.0 which AGP cards dont have. How long until DX 10 takes over form DX9? I read Service Pack 3 for XP is the last Pack Windows will do. People forget computers don't get old, they get obselete. Try using a Windows 98 machine with a 1.8mhz Pentium 2 with a Nvidia FX5500, today. It will hardly run the Firefox browser. Well the PC you described isn't far off that...I give it another couple of years, max.

I would just save the money you will spend on "upgrading" for a new machine..as I said, new GPU and memory will come to a third of a brand new FAST PC which you can play GWX in max settings and play SH4 if you wanted.

I saved for 3 years and now I'm luvin' it...

But if you do go ahead with it, don't expect GWX to blow you away...it will be very frustrating and you will have to play without the 16km and use the "empty harbour" mod...and it will still slow down to a crawl when you're near the harbour.

onelifecrisis · 06-24-09, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilyPete

But if you do go ahead with it, don't expect GWX to blow you away...it will be very frustrating and you will have to play without the 16km and use the "empty harbour" mod...and it will still slow down to a crawl when you're near the harbour.

I have to disagree. I have a 2.6GHz CPU and an X800 XT card and GWX runs fine for me with all the bells and whistles, AA, AF, the works. Once I swapped out the X800 XT for an X1650 PRO (which is less powerful) and even that ran GWX with everything enabled, though I had to turn the AA and AF down a bit.

A second hand X1650 PRO, or similar, will set you back about £25 I should think (maybe even less) and will run GWX with everything turned on.

-------------

My current specs:
FX-55 CPU @ 2.6GHz
2Gb RAM
X800 XT with 256Mb VRAM

My current settings:
6xAA
2xAF

My current GWX performance (16km and full harbour traffic):
40-60 fps when sailing alone in campaign mode.
20-40 fps when in a port or near a convoy in campaign mode.

WilyPete · 06-24-09, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

I have to disagree. I have a 2.6GHz CPU and an X800 XT card and GWX runs fine for me with all the bells and whistles, AA, AF, the works. Once I swapped out the X800 XT for an X1650 PRO (which is less powerful) and even that ran GWX with everything enabled, though I had to turn the AA and AF down a bit.

A second hand X1650 PRO, or similar, will set you back about £25 I should think (maybe even less) and will run GWX with everything turned on.

-------------

My current specs:
FX-55 CPU @ 2.6GHz
2Gb RAM
X800 XT with 256Mb VRAM

My current settings:
6xAA
2xAF

My current GWX performance (16km and full harbour traffic):
40-60 fps when sailing alone in campaign mode.
20-40 fps when in a port or near a convoy in campaign mode.

We'll just have to agree to disagree because I have been using that PC for 3 years with GWX and it was a nightmare. I even had a seperate partition for gaming. And it was kept defragged and up to scratch. I find it strange though that you think that simply plopping an X1650 pro into his PC (with 512mb ram) will make him capable to run the game with "all the bells and whistles"...8XAA enhanced and 16 AF!!??

By the way...512 mb is hardly enough to run XP. And you say it will run GWX just fine...rigggght. Oh well believe what you want to believe.

p.s. To the original poster. Take his advice, do what he says and enjoy your "spectacular" GWX experience.

onelifecrisis · 06-24-09, 11:47 AM

Ommmmm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilyPete

I find it strange though that you think that simply plopping an X1650 pro into his PC (with 512mb ram) will make him capable to run the game with "all the bells and whistles"...8XAA enhanced and 16 AF!!??

<snip>

By the way...512 mb is hardly enough to run XP. And you say it will run GWX just fine...rigggght. Oh well believe what you want to believe.

I didn't say that 512Mb was fine. I said...

Quote:

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

You could also do with a memory upgrade. SH3 + GWX really needs about 2Gb as WP suggested.

I also didn't say say that he'd be able to run it at 8xAA and 16xAF. I said...

Quote:

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

Once I swapped out the X800 XT for an X1650 PRO (which is less powerful) and even that ran GWX with everything enabled, though I had to turn the AA and AF down a bit.

You may want to try reading posts before replying to them.

AVGWarhawk · 06-24-09, 11:55 AM

The bottom line is he needs a videocard with a bit more a$$ than what he has.

I ran GWX 2.? with a AMD 3200+, 1 gig of RAM and Nvidia 6200. Bigger video card will do the trick.

KaleunBier · 06-24-09, 02:29 PM

Thank you all very much and I didn't mean to spark an argument lol. I think I will take a little bit of all those pieces of advice because as WP says sometimes it runs fine on certain rigs and other times it runs like crap so what I think I'm gonna do is try to cheaply get the obvious upgrades like memory I will run the detection tool and use the website I mentioned earlier to see what my situation is and if it's gonna be too expensive then I'll just start savin up! Thanks all!

WilyPete · 06-25-09, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

Ommmmm.

I didn't say that 512Mb was fine. I said...

I also didn't say say that he'd be able to run it at 8xAA and 16xAF. I said...

You may want to try reading posts before replying to them.

You are right...for some strange reason I thought someone else had written the other post.

I must be losing it. Too must time spent in the conning tower me thinks (with the crates of beer and scnhappes).

Anyway, I just remembered my old rig only had 1 gig of slow SDRAM...maybe that was what was causing the adverse affects when approaching the harbour as I had read that memory was more important to GWX than anything else.

To the OP: I wish you luck in making GWX work..but I still advise you to save for a new rig on the side. The satisfaction you get out of having a new PC is second to none....try building one...not as hard as it sounds (there are lots of step-by-steo guides online) and you'll save a lot of cash.

06-23-09, 05:11 PM	#1
KaleunBier Bosun Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 63 Downloads: 72 Uploads: 0	Computer Rig help Hello all! I have a few questions. The computer I currently have meets the SH3 stock minimum requirements and plays ok but I want to upgrade to GWX but but my current rig won't run it very well. The computer I am currently using is a laptop so upgrading isn't that much of an option so I am soon procuring an older computer but one that I think I may be able tp upgrade to SH3 and GWX standards. My main problem is that I'm really bad with computers and requirements are sometimes like a foreign language to me so I am posting the specs of the computer that is en route to my house now and some suggestions on how to upgrade this to meet GWX' standards would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you! Dell GX270 Slimline Desktop Intel P4 2.4GHz CPU 512MB PC2700/333MHz DDR2 SDRAM (Dual Channel)- 4 DIMM Slots, 4GB Max. 40GB IDE Hard Drive DVD/CDRW 1.44 Floppy Drive XP Pro Pre-installed with the COA (no disks included) Integrated 96MB Video Integrated Audio with Line In/Out/Mic Integrated NIC 1 Half-height AGP & 2 Full-height PCI Slots 2 PS/2 Ports 8 USB Ports, 2 on the Front 1 Serial Port 1 Parallel Port Standard 15-pin VGA Port

06-23-09, 07:44 PM	#3
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,254 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I would say everything is above par with exception of the integrated video. Unless you can get around that video issue playing GWX for SH3 does not look like it is in the cards on that computer. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

06-24-09, 11:55 AM	#11
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,254 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	The bottom line is he needs a videocard with a bit more a$$ than what he has. I ran GWX 2.? with a AMD 3200+, 1 gig of RAM and Nvidia 6200. Bigger video card will do the trick. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

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06-23-09, 07:40 PM	#2
WilyPete Mate Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 57 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm sorry to say it will never run really well unless you change just about everything and if that's the case it will be much better for you to buy a new one which will cost the same as upgrading all the components. I was in the same boat but had a slightly better one than yours, but I suffered for 3 years playing GWX really badly. I calculated how much it would be to upgrade and it would've cost the same as building myself a new one because fast (relatively speaking) AGP graphics cards cost a fortune. Also old memory sticks do as well. And you are always limited by your processor and mobo which you cannot upgrade. To get the game running you would need at least 1gig of ram and a half decent graphics card. And then it will still play badly. I'm afraid to say that will set you back about a 3rd of how much it would cost you to buy a new good PC. Hence why I didn't bother. I would recommend 2x1gig stick of RAM and something like an ATI Radeon X1950 pro AGP or equivalent graphics card. Your processor will limit you graphics wise. If possible at least an 80gig hard drive...40 gig is tiny. That's the bare minumum in my opinion. Good luck.

06-23-09, 08:11 PM	#5
KaleunBier Bosun Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 63 Downloads: 72 Uploads: 0	Thanks to both of you! What exactly does it mean when its integrated? I can still update the video card correct? And WP I see what you mean with the processors, and if I'm not mistaken the recommended processor is 2.0 GHZ so I'm not sure about those kind of things, I went to a good website I just found systemrequirementslab.com and it actually scans your comp and tells you how your system rates with a specific game and with the laptop I'm currently on I meet the minimum requirements and almost the reccomended but am a little slow in my video department but not by much and GWX still has issues.

06-24-09, 07:03 AM	#7
WilyPete Mate Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 57 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	No in regards to the CPU (processor) I was referring to it not being worth getting anything more than a Radeon X1950 PRO, because your CPU will hold the GPU (graphics card) back. KaleunBier I would recommend you buy everything second hand, if you have to. Have you seen the prices of AGP graphics cards? At the end of the day, remember that you're throwing money at obselete technology and it's like throwing money down the drain in my eyes because new AGP cards are not being made and old ones are more than likely not supported for new games. Plus new games now require pixelshader 3.0 which AGP cards dont have. How long until DX 10 takes over form DX9? I read Service Pack 3 for XP is the last Pack Windows will do. People forget computers don't get old, they get obselete. Try using a Windows 98 machine with a 1.8mhz Pentium 2 with a Nvidia FX5500, today. It will hardly run the Firefox browser. Well the PC you described isn't far off that...I give it another couple of years, max. I would just save the money you will spend on "upgrading" for a new machine..as I said, new GPU and memory will come to a third of a brand new FAST PC which you can play GWX in max settings and play SH4 if you wanted. I saved for 3 years and now I'm luvin' it... But if you do go ahead with it, don't expect GWX to blow you away...it will be very frustrating and you will have to play without the 16km and use the "empty harbour" mod...and it will still slow down to a crawl when you're near the harbour.

06-24-09, 02:29 PM	#12
KaleunBier Bosun Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 63 Downloads: 72 Uploads: 0	Thank you all very much and I didn't mean to spark an argument lol. I think I will take a little bit of all those pieces of advice because as WP says sometimes it runs fine on certain rigs and other times it runs like crap so what I think I'm gonna do is try to cheaply get the obvious upgrades like memory I will run the detection tool and use the website I mentioned earlier to see what my situation is and if it's gonna be too expensive then I'll just start savin up! Thanks all!