Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: ttflier on December 30, 2011, 01:57:23 PM

Title: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: ttflier on December 30, 2011, 01:57:23 PM
I am thinking about doing an upgrade on my PC - it is a system I built a year of so ago with an ASUS M4A78 MB, AMD dual core Phenom II processor (3.1 GHZ) and an ATI Radon HD 4000 Graphics Card with 512 memory - 4MB system memory.

I currently run the game pretty well as long as I don't use any self shadowing (pretty consistent 60 FPS).  With self shadowing enable and high resolution smoothing my FPS takes a real dive.

My question is: Since I don't want to spend a chunk of change updating both processor and graphics card, which am I better off investing in to improve game play (would like to run full advance graphics in the upcoming new release)? 

Do I need to invest in a processor and graphics card upgrade to accomplish a better game play experience?

thanks,

ttflier
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: Tigger29 on December 30, 2011, 02:48:42 PM
Graphics card.  While your processor isn't exactly the most state of the art it still should function well enough for a video card to make a huge improvement.

You should up your ram too.. 4mb isn't NEARLY enough!  :lol
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: skribetm on December 30, 2011, 03:14:11 PM
get a radeon 6970 (getting cheaper now since 700-series is launching);
+ dell IPS monitor (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-8277&SMCID=703&CAWELAID=405505612&dgc=SS&cid=27530&lid=627063) = you wouldnt believe how pretty this game is.

1Billion colors do make a difference! specially on that grinder map! the shorelines are just amazing!
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: ttflier on December 30, 2011, 04:24:54 PM
Thanks guys!
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: ttflier on December 30, 2011, 06:45:37 PM
Been doing a bit of online research, seems that 4MB of ram is the max for a Windows 7 32 bit system.  Diagostics show 4mb installed but only 3.25mb usable.
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: BaldEagl on December 30, 2011, 08:54:46 PM
Been doing a bit of online research, seems that 4MB of ram is the max for a Windows 7 32 bit system.  Diagostics show 4mb installed but only 3.25mb usable.

That's true and besides that a 32 bit application like Aces High can't access more than 2 mb of RAM.  As long as you don't have other apps open at the same time you're probably not even using all the RAM you have.

BTW, video card memory counts against that 4 mb limit so you'de be best off with a fast card (fast memory BUS, high memory speed and high GPU speed in that order) with 512 mb of memory.
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: Tigger29 on December 30, 2011, 11:35:36 PM
Been doing a bit of online research, seems that 4MB of ram is the max for a Windows 7 32 bit system.  Diagostics show 4mb installed but only 3.25mb usable.

You sure about that 4MB limit?  :lol
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: Chalenge on December 30, 2011, 11:58:38 PM
4GB hehe

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: cattb on December 31, 2011, 01:10:36 AM
Make sure you have enough PSU for the new card. CHeck your PSU you have installed and check the recommended PSU needed to run card.
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: FLS on December 31, 2011, 10:44:38 AM
Save your money, the new version will work with your current system. Enabling shadows won't improve your gameplay.
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: 11Kenzy on December 31, 2011, 11:17:56 AM
That's true and besides that a 32 bit application like Aces High can't access more than 2 mb of RAM.  As long as you don't have other apps open at the same time you're probably not even using all the RAM you have.

BTW, video card memory counts against that 4 mb limit so you'de be best off with a fast card (fast memory BUS, high memory speed and high GPU speed in that order) with 512 mb of memory.
Dudes, is this MB or GB?
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: Bizman on December 31, 2011, 12:38:01 PM
Dudes, is this MB or GB?

Read yourself:

4GB hehe

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: guncrasher on December 31, 2011, 02:36:04 PM
Dudes, is this MB or GB?

dont worry no way you can buy 4mb of ram anyway.  everybody knows what he meant.


semp
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: olds442 on December 31, 2011, 02:48:40 PM
Been doing a bit of online research, seems that 4MB of ram is the max for a Windows 7 32 bit system.  Diagostics show 4mb installed but only 3.25mb usable.
you mean 4 GB not MB lol
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: ttflier on January 02, 2012, 01:43:14 PM
Double post again  :(
Title: Re: Frame Rate Advice
Post by: ttflier on January 02, 2012, 01:51:30 PM
Oops 4GB  :D

Just a quick update - purchased a Radon HD 6850 graphics card and upgraded my PS to 750 watts. 

It is amazing the difference in the basic display - much crisper (never noticed all of the screws in the instrument panel on the Delta Pony before).

I am now running full advanced graphics (smooth shadowing at 2048) and visibility ranges at full distances while maintaining a FPS of 59-60.

My total investment for graphics card and PS after rebate was right around $200 (purchased at MicroCenter).

A bit of tweaking was required once the hardware was installed (on the 3D effects), however overall the process was very simple.

Thanks again for all the comments and support!

ttflier