10 years isn't enough to save for a new PC?
...
AH has maintained its basic playbility for a really, really, really long time. I've started the game around AH1.05, and that was around winter of the year 2000. My system remained basically the same all along through AH2 without any problems, barring the occasional changes around every 2 or 3 years in adding a little bit of more RAM, saving up for a new GFX card until the old one became absolutely obsolete after some 4~5 years of use. At a given time my system was never state of the art, but always around one or two steps behind and that was still plenty enough to enjoy AH1 and AH2. I've finally quit the subscription due to the upset in the cancellation of Combat Tour project, but I checked the recent version out and it still runs fine on my system which is currently unchanged for about 3 years since 2006.
This kind of compatibility with old PC systems is by all means almost unprecedented in the history of PC gaming, and the way HTC constantly tried to keep people with obsolete systems (..which probably went extinct around 65 million years ago) in the loop, is to be commended with great respect, if not with a hearty thanks from the customers.
Give them an inch, and they'll ask for a mile.
After 10 years of keeping visual upgrades to AH at minimal levels - relying on basically the same GFX engine since AH1 - with very low-resource consuming changes and all the rest relying purely on 'cosmetics' involving better textures, AH finally took another small step... and considering what kind of system other games require nowadays, this new version is still shockingly friendly to low-end users.
If your system can't handle AH2, then seriously, dude, you're driving a Ford Model T in the 21th century highway. At least try to get a car from around 1970s or something... and stop expecting people will cut slack for your car from 1908.
i shoudnt have to upgrade
Machine name: DELLXPS
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.090206-1233)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dimension XPSGEN5
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A04
Processor: Genuine Intel(R) CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 3070MB RAM
Page File: 315MB used, 5664MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode
------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.
--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 8800 GTS
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0193&SUBSYS_22521682&REV_A2
Display Memory: 320.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.8206 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 2/9/2009 13:18:00, 6185088 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 2/9/2009 13:18:00, 6307328 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-42D3-11CF-3C55-590203C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x0193
SubSys ID: 0x22521682
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalSt
retch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalSt
retch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalSt
retch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalSt
retch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run
-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: SB Audigy 2 ZS Audio [CCC0]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_20021102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1196 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 8/11/2006 15:45:38, 499584 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Creative
HW Accel Level: Standard
Cap Flags: 0xF5F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 4000, 192000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 64, 62
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 64, 62
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run