"New" computer, missing water?

[postalbyke]

Just got a different ( I hesitate to use the word "New") computer, And at first glance it works better than my current one (despite having slower specs)("New" old desktop versus newer laptop) Anyrate!
WinXP AMD Athlon 1.blahGhz, 256MB RAM, GeForce4 MX4000 (this might be the problem) video card.

The problem is as follows:
Load up training missions, torpedo attack (my favorite because it requires no immediate attention, and I know how fast it loads), I arrive in the boat, and my crew is technicolor green and purple, the WEPS is missing his body, and when I jump to external camera for an FPS check, the water is missing. I would post a screeny, but the "new" computer doesn't do the internet here yet. It's black under the boat, the water's surface is missing, and you can see all the way to the keel of the surface ships, and I could see my boat clearly even though it's submerged.
Any Ideas?

p.s. It's much more fun to shoot torpedoes when you can see them rushing toward the target without event cam!

[Flaxpants]

The main culprit is most likely the graphics card, though to be honest you haven't got enough RAM there either- 10 times that will help(!).

And the processor is not the best..

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but I would be surprised if you can run the game properly on that setup.

[Fish In The Water]

Originally Posted by postalbyke

...GeForce4 MX4000 (this might be the problem) video card.

I suspect you are correct...

[JU_88]

Your are running a 6 year old game on a 11 year old hardware.

Up the ram to 512 or higher as 256 is below SH3s minimum, replace the Geforce MX, it will be an AGP slot for sure, (AFAIK these cards are no longer made) so have a look on a Ebay for a good deal, A Geforce 6600pro 128mb -or anything higher, will the run the game maxed out pretty much.

GeForce4 MX4000 - high antiquity

[Herr-Berbunch]

Hi there Postal

Firstly, roughly where in the world are you?
I have a couple of spare AGP boards kicking around, happy to send one your way if you're not in some research station in the Antarctic.

Secondly, go to crucial.com and find out what the max RAM you can have.
I may have some RAM too. (Or so might another kind subsimmer around these parts)

Thirdly, download a little program called Belarc Advisor (free), run it and tell us what motherboard you have.
This will help us with the graphics card to see what sort of slot you've got. If it's AGP x2 then sending a x4 card wont help greatly.

All worth a go if you really can't plump for a new PC right now!

[flakmonkey]

If i remember correctly the geforce4mx series didnt support pixel shaders of any kind, the sea surface uses a pixel shader to display reflections, the crew models also require pixel shaders to display bumpmaps correctly, im guessing that this is the issue.
Sorry cant be of more help.

[postalbyke]

I found the water, it's a green-pink blob slowly changing shape a few hundred meters aft of the boat...

Anyrate!

@Herr, I'm in Maine, and any help would be greatly appreciated!
That computer isn't attatched to the internet, so I did some sleuthing last night. It's a MSI KT4AV, reasonably upgradeable, and it will accept up to 3G RAM DDR4 or less... lemme check the spec on the graphics slot... "AGP 8x/4x slot"

I got this computer for free, so I plan on putting my "allowance" into parts to bring it up to speed

[Herr-Berbunch]

PM en route

[Fubar2Niner]

Of no help, but I had to post to say......... I Love You Guys. I've been here for eons, and I'm still overwhelmed by your help, support and friendship.

Good on you all !!!

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

[postalbyke]

I know, right? Perhaps this is the utopian society...?

[Herr-Berbunch]

Right, I've dug them out. One PNY GeForce 7300 GT (512MB DDR2) card and one stick of PC3200 256MB RAM, heading your way Saturday morning.

Thought I had more RAM but one stick of PC3200 is registered (i.e. for server), and the other two sticks are way old PC100.



Appeal to the Subsim crowd - I'm sure some other guys are running below par kit and trying to make the best of it, whilst others just have old stuff laying around gathering dust. List what you've got that can be used and pass it on, you'll be a couple of pounds/dollars/euros out of pocket but the wife/girlfriend/significant other will marvel at the shelfspace now available* and may even reward your good deeds by, erm, .




*The removal from the shelf of said item will make their life easier, it's much quicker for them to dust the shelf with less on it.

[postalbyke]

Oh. My. Goodness.

I could never figure out why people would use their mouse to play this game before...
Guess my computer was always just too slow!
My current running specs in-game are now just shy of 60 fps everywhere I look!
Thank you so so so so so much!

[Herr-Berbunch]

Glad it arrived quickly and in two pieces, and it's improved your game to let you enjoy it.

Look forward to reading your escapades and seeing screenies.

[postalbyke]

lol Now I have questions... after almost a year of playing (sure sign I wasn't doing it right... :P )
There's a folder labeled "Replay"... Can I capture in-game footage?
Where do the screenshots go?
(I'm sure I can find the answers to these questions )

Also!
I went back to my old computer to play one of my old kaleuns for fun...
I cannot believe how blocky my boat used to look... and I thought it looked awesome!
ummm... I guess I'm going to have to find something worth "shooting" now lol