Author Topic: Ace's High playability (Read 1565 times)

kj714 · « **on:** August 04, 2007, 02:22:47 PM »

I've seen comments posted about the playability of Aces High and how it's too strong for many older machines.

I have a 3 or 4 year old Dell Dimension 4550, nothing stellar, and I was having issues with screen stutters and freezes. I spent $50 on a graphics card from Ebay, Radeon 9250, mid range at best, probably less, and $100 to upgrade my 512k system mem to 1024k and now it's smooth as silk all issues are gone. Being able to load textures into memory makes a huge diff.

Since my initial $50 graphics card investment, I'm considering upgrading again just to see what I get out of it. I've got all the video options enabled and running at a high resolution.

So my point is, some cheap upgrades to your system will probably cure your ills, no need to get a new system, AH2 is still kind to a wide range of CPU's. If I could only upgrade my ACM and gunnery skills at BestBuy life would be perfect.

Fulmar · « **Reply #1 on:** August 04, 2007, 02:42:29 PM »

You must be flying with 1mb of RAM now!

I know you mean 1gb

Is this what your computer looks like? It should be able to run the game. Try lowering your resolution settings and use smaller textures like 256.

http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/dell-dimension-4550-2/4505-3118_7-20478986.html

BaldEagl · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2007, 02:50:40 PM »

I bet I've got the lowest end machine of anyone playing.

I've got a 7-8 year old Dell, Win 98, 600 meg PIII, 64 meg NVidea graphics card and 512K PC100/PC133 SDRAM.

I've got to leave object detail at min but otherwise everything's turned up. I get 35-40 fps most of the time... not great but not terrible either. Sometimes I'll dip into the teens but not often. I also only use default skins.

I do keep a very clean machine though and I think it makes a big difference.

The only time I have trouble is around massive bomber missions where my fps get killed (3-5 fps when there are 5 or more buff flights together). No real trouble with fire, smoke, clouds or any of the other things I hear affect peoples fps.

Panzzer · « **Reply #3 on:** August 04, 2007, 02:58:53 PM »

I'm visiting my parents now, have my older computer here, AMD XP1800+ and Radeon9600Pro, works almost as good as my current computer does. No worries.

Krusty · « **Reply #4 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:18:27 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by BaldEagl
I've got a 7-8 year old Dell, Win 98, 600 meg PIII, 64 meg NVidea graphics card and 512K PC100/PC133 SDRAM.

I've got to leave object detail at min but otherwise everything's turned up. I get 35-40 fps most of the time... not great but not terrible either. Sometimes I'll dip into the teens but not often. I also only use default skins.

I do keep a very clean machine though and I think it makes a big difference.

The only time I have trouble is around massive bomber missions where my fps get killed (3-5 fps when there are 5 or more buff flights together). No real trouble with fire, smoke, clouds or any of the other things I hear affect peoples fps.

I'm gonna have to call you on that. I had a 650MHz PIII with 384MB ram, a 32MB (and later a 128MB) GeForce card and had it set to minimum settings, most "goodies" turned off, and it was unplayable...

It got 30FPS at 20k over the water.

Over land? You're down to 20fps. Other cons in the area? Down to 15. CV anywhere withing 10 miles? Bomber? Bomber on FIRE? We're talking 3 FPS.

That's why I upgraded. It wasn't adequate at all. You'll note that even HTC's min reqs are 1.5GHz (last I recall)

kilz · « **Reply #5 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:19:03 PM »

man yall have nice machines. my squadie has an e-machine from walmart. he can not fly with everything at high. he has to fly with 5-20 FPS most of the time. consider yourselfs lucky that you can up grade you computers cause his does not even have an upgrade port for his video card.

Fulmar · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:23:05 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by LTARkilz
man yall have nice machines. my squadie has an e-machine from walmart. he can not fly with everything at high. he has to fly with 5-20 FPS most of the time. consider yourselfs lucky that you can up grade you computers cause his does not even have an upgrade port for his video card.

~~$400 doesn't get you everything. Onboard video is the suck.~~

1K3 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:26:28 PM »

I have an old rig that can still handle AH2

- 700mhz Celeron processor
- 384mb ram PC-133
- 64mb ATI Radeon 7500 PCI

Nilsen · « **Reply #8 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:38:09 PM »

Sadly i had to leave after AH2 was released, and maybe the break did me good

Upgrading the laptop was not an option and i only ever buy laptops. When i now got a new one i made sure it is as futureproof as i could make it. So to all you laptop players out there... skip bargains with lots of memmory and get the best cpu and gpu you can affort and put in the ram yourslef and you are good to go. Ram is cheap now so a laptop that uses lots of ram as main selling point may not be smart in the longer run.

Fulmar · « **Reply #9 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:43:40 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen
and put in the ram yourslef and you are good to go.

I love going to Best Buy (not really cuz they're mostly a rip) and seeing the Geek Squad signs up for some computer hardware. 'Let Geek Squad insatll it for you.' $39 for any hardware install. $29 for installing AV. $129 for installing an operating system.

I undestand a lot of people have computer phobias. But at these prices it's like me going to get my oil changed for $119.99.

Nilsen · « **Reply #10 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:49:00 PM »

Yeah lol

Installing ram and harddrives (atleast in lappys) is as simple as it can be. Only thing you can possibly do wrong is add some bad static to the chips or system. But that can be avoided with ease.

Fulmar · « **Reply #11 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:52:41 PM »

In 10 years I've never used an anti-static strap...

knock on wood

Nilsen · « **Reply #12 on:** August 04, 2007, 04:57:04 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Fulmar
In 10 years I've never used an anti-static strap...

knock on wood

Me neither...

rubs the carpet and fiddles with microchips

BaldEagl · « **Reply #13 on:** August 04, 2007, 05:17:32 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
I'm gonna have to call you on that. I had a 650MHz PIII with 384MB ram, a 32MB (and later a 128MB) GeForce card and had it set to minimum settings, most "goodies" turned off, and it was unplayable...

It got 30FPS at 20k over the water.

Over land? You're down to 20fps. Other cons in the area? Down to 15. CV anywhere withing 10 miles? Bomber? Bomber on FIRE? We're talking 3 FPS.

That's why I upgraded. It wasn't adequate at all. You'll note that even HTC's min reqs are 1.5GHz (last I recall)

Really. I'm not lying. Why would I?

My machine is what I said it was and if it was unplayable I doubt I'd be able to crack the top 50 like I have a couple of times recently or maintain the stats I do.

kj714 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 04, 2007, 05:22:06 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Fulmar
You must be flying with 1mb of RAM now! I know you mean 1gb

Is this what your computer looks like? It should be able to run the game. Try lowering your resolution settings and use smaller textures like 256.

http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/dell-dimension-4550-2/4505-3118_7-20478986.html

Re-read my post Fulmar, my old beast runs silky smooth with all options enabled and the upgrades to mem & video as meager as they were, max resolution and max textures. That's what I'm saying, this myth it has to be latest and greatest isn't true, just put a little $$$ in the old clunker every once in a while.