Do I really need 2 GB memory?

Lost Nebraskan · 08-02-07, 04:17 PM

I ran the original Silent Hunter about 10-12 years ago and really enjoyed it. I want to buy and use SH4, but my computer is limited to 1 GB memory instead of 2 GB. I can make all the other modifications. I know SH will run on 1GB, but will it run wel enough to really enjoy. Fair winds and following seas to all.

Sailor Steve · 08-02-07, 04:21 PM

Welcome aboard, Herr Kaleun Flatlander! And greetings from the mountains of Utah.

I run SH3 with only 512KB, but will be upgrading to at least 2GB when I can finally get SH4. It couldn't hurt, anyway, so why not make the leap? At least that's what I tell myself.

Fish40 · 08-02-07, 04:35 PM

I'm running the sim with only 1gig, but mind you all other requirements are exceeded. I'm not obsessed with FR, but rather if the game plays decently smooth, that's good enough for me. I have tweaked my rig the best I could by shutting down all background applications, and whatever else I could think of to squeeze an extra ounce of performance out of her.

Keeping your rig in tip top shape will help performance for sure. Defrag regularly, and be sure all your drivers are up to date. To take it one step further, update your BIOS, and Chipset as well. This all helps.

I set the ingame settings at half or better and suffer no major slowdowns, to speak of. Fine tune your rig, and you will be able to run this sim with 1gig of memory.

Fearless · 08-03-07, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish40

I'm running the sim with only 1gig, but mind you all other requirements are exceeded. I'm not obsessed with FR, but rather if the game plays decently smooth, that's good enough for me. I have tweaked my rig the best I could by shutting down all background applications, and whatever else I could think of to squeeze an extra ounce of performance out of her.

Keeping your rig in tip top shape will help performance for sure. Defrag regularly, and be sure all your drivers are up to date. To take it one step further, update your BIOS, and Chipset as well. This all helps.

I set the ingame settings at half or better and suffer no major slowdowns, to speak of. Fine tune your rig, and you will be able to run this sim with 1gig of memory.

Is there an easy way to update your BIOS and Chipset 'cos I'm pretty cautious when it comes to touching that kinda stuff? I have a Kocab 18P motherboard and have noticed when starting the comp up it tells me the BIOS is dated 1993:hmm:

Seaman_Hornsby · 08-02-07, 04:22 PM

I run it fine with 1 GB, are the rest of your system specs up to snuff? Video card is going to make a big difference, as older systems don't run it as well.

Misfit138 · 08-02-07, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I run SH3 with only 512KB

What's your FPS?

:rotfl:

Sailor Steve · 08-02-07, 04:35 PM

Hey! I LIKE my photo album.:p

Actually, I've never had too much trouble, even in port. Of course the very smoky ship sinking does bad things if I try to zoom in, but I'll get it fixed.

Someday.

[edit]: Oh. I wrote KB, didn't I. I meant MB, of course.

Misfit138 · 08-03-07, 01:55 AM

[OT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

[edit]: Oh. I wrote KB, didn't I. I meant MB, of course.

I'm such a nerd! I'm still laughing on this. Had get some sleep yesteday because I thought the only reason I found this funny was the lack of sleep but no...

[/OT]

AVGWarhawk · 08-03-07, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Is there an easy way to update your BIOS and Chipset 'cos I'm pretty cautious when it comes to touching that kinda stuff? I have a Kocab 18P motherboard and have noticed when starting the comp up it tells me the BIOS is dated 1993

You need to go to the board makers site for any update on BIOS. A nice program that gives you in formation of your systems is called CPUZ or CPUID. It is free. Tells you your socket and motherboard manufacturer, RAM speed, CPU speed and voltages, etc. As far as BIOS updates, if you can get into the BIOS and have options to change things like speeds and such, this can help you with getting better performance. Changing clocks and things is not for the light at heart. I was able to get a modded BIOS for my AU31 motherboard. The original BIOS was, in short, locked down. With the modded BIOS I could start setting things for better performance and keep a stable system. My computer has never run faster.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuidsdk.php

Link to CPUZ

Capt. Shark Bait · 08-03-07, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Hey! I LIKE my photo album.:p

you're gonna have to stop hitting shift/F11 when you wanna take screenies

EAGLE_01 · 08-03-07, 02:03 PM

I used to run it on 512 MB RAM pc 133, and it ran ok.. (with an old ATI 1050 series card); got a new machine with Vista Home Premium and 1G RAM and the sim took off. 38-40 fps in port, on the bridge, 70 at sea... went to 2 gigs of ram and even time compression has NO problems. Get 2G if you can, but these men are steering you right!

1G will make you happy.

Linavitch · 08-02-07, 04:39 PM

Welcome Lost.

You should get 'reasonable' performance with 1gb of Ram and I certainly recommend that you get SHIV 1.3 modded up.

Personally I have 2GB of ram but only a x850 graphics card which is down the lower end of the specs but I too have 'reasonable' performace.

Check this to score the rest of your rig:-

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest

Welcome aboard and good hunting,

AVGWarhawk · 08-02-07, 06:47 PM

I ran the game fine with 1 gig. FPS were good and most goodies checked and sliders at half or full. You suffer only in high time compression and a lot of ships in you view because your hard driver start page filing and acting like RAM. This give you a jitter or two. Other than that if your card and processor are up to snuff, you should have a reasonably smooth game. Take it from me.....the low end of the spectrum computer guy

Anyway....welcome aboard.

Captain Scribb · 08-02-07, 07:47 PM

I have been running the game on 1 gig since May and feel no need to upgrade for this game. I run it at fairly moderate settings as well. If you can upgrade do it, but you will still have a blast with this game on 1 gig. Time compression can get a little dicey, but other than that I have no real problems.

orangenee · 08-02-07, 07:49 PM

I'm with the other one gig people, it runs perfectly fine for me. Just switch off as many surplus programs off as possible before you start the game.

08-02-07, 04:17 PM	#1
Lost Nebraskan Nub Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Do I really need 2 GB memory? I ran the original Silent Hunter about 10-12 years ago and really enjoyed it. I want to buy and use SH4, but my computer is limited to 1 GB memory instead of 2 GB. I can make all the other modifications. I know SH will run on 1GB, but will it run wel enough to really enjoy. Fair winds and following seas to all.

08-02-07, 04:21 PM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Welcome aboard, Herr Kaleun Flatlander! And greetings from the mountains of Utah. I run SH3 with only 512KB, but will be upgrading to at least 2GB when I can finally get SH4. It couldn't hurt, anyway, so why not make the leap? At least that's what I tell myself. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

08-02-07, 04:22 PM	#5
Seaman_Hornsby Engineer Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 203 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	I run it fine with 1 GB, are the rest of your system specs up to snuff? Video card is going to make a big difference, as older systems don't run it as well. __________________ Friends, when once a man is launched on such an adventure as this, he must bid farewell to hopes and fears, otherwise death or deliverance will both come too late to save his honor and his reason.

08-02-07, 04:35 PM	#7
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Hey! I LIKE my photo album.:p Actually, I've never had too much trouble, even in port. Of course the very smoky ship sinking does bad things if I try to zoom in, but I'll get it fixed. Someday. [edit]: Oh. I wrote KB, didn't I. I meant MB, of course. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

08-02-07, 04:39 PM	#12
Linavitch Officer Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Hull Posts: 239 Downloads: 170 Uploads: 0	Welcome Lost. You should get 'reasonable' performance with 1gb of Ram and I certainly recommend that you get SHIV 1.3 modded up. Personally I have 2GB of ram but only a x850 graphics card which is down the lower end of the specs but I too have 'reasonable' performace. Check this to score the rest of your rig:- http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest Welcome aboard and good hunting, __________________ Like music only more painful http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndID=108090746

08-02-07, 04:35 PM	#3
Fish40 The Old Man Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yonkers, NY U.S.A. Posts: 1,507 Downloads: 154 Uploads: 0	I'm running the sim with only 1gig, but mind you all other requirements are exceeded. I'm not obsessed with FR, but rather if the game plays decently smooth, that's good enough for me. I have tweaked my rig the best I could by shutting down all background applications, and whatever else I could think of to squeeze an extra ounce of performance out of her. Keeping your rig in tip top shape will help performance for sure. Defrag regularly, and be sure all your drivers are up to date. To take it one step further, update your BIOS, and Chipset as well. This all helps. I set the ingame settings at half or better and suffer no major slowdowns, to speak of. Fine tune your rig, and you will be able to run this sim with 1gig of memory.

08-03-07, 02:03 PM	#11
EAGLE_01 Machinist's Mate Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dayton, OH. Posts: 127 Downloads: 46 Uploads: 0	I used to run it on 512 MB RAM pc 133, and it ran ok.. (with an old ATI 1050 series card); got a new machine with Vista Home Premium and 1G RAM and the sim took off. 38-40 fps in port, on the bridge, 70 at sea... went to 2 gigs of ram and even time compression has NO problems. Get 2G if you can, but these men are steering you right! 1G will make you happy.

08-02-07, 06:47 PM	#13
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,282 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	I ran the game fine with 1 gig. FPS were good and most goodies checked and sliders at half or full. You suffer only in high time compression and a lot of ships in you view because your hard driver start page filing and acting like RAM. This give you a jitter or two. Other than that if your card and processor are up to snuff, you should have a reasonably smooth game. Take it from me.....the low end of the spectrum computer guy Anyway....welcome aboard. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

08-02-07, 07:47 PM	#14
Captain Scribb Sailor man Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 50 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have been running the game on 1 gig since May and feel no need to upgrade for this game. I run it at fairly moderate settings as well. If you can upgrade do it, but you will still have a blast with this game on 1 gig. Time compression can get a little dicey, but other than that I have no real problems.

08-02-07, 07:49 PM	#15
orangenee Engineer Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 211 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm with the other one gig people, it runs perfectly fine for me. Just switch off as many surplus programs off as possible before you start the game.