Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: wiskyfog on January 07, 2012, 09:24:17 AM
-
In playing AH and getting my arse handed to me all the time, and reading some of the posts about the "Turbocharged,8 screens,$ 900.00 graphics card, mother of all motherboards,3000 watt, liquid cooled guaranteed 80 fps PC they have created"
So, how can my lil ol computer barely squeaking out 40fps on a downhill with a tailwind POSSIBLY compete fairly when you fire some rounds and it goes into a slo-mo like on The Matrix because the screen is filled with activity?
Yea, Ill take every advantage I can see to make up for lack of capital to ensure a win,
If that's the case...
maybe I'm wrong and it all really is just skill...
(I KNOW graphic cards don't cost that much, just making a point. so don't write back with prices, don't care, no money for one anyway.)
-
It is mostly just skill. A high end system helps a little bit, but skill is the overwhelming determining factor.
-
I have an issue with that... let's say your nme never has an fps issue because of his PC mods. kinda hard to develop skill when your lagging seconds in the fight. So, do you learn to shoot where you THINK they will be when your screen stops jumping around in "stop-motion"? Or choose a fight where there is only a few players at that base?
-
The game isn't THAT demanding. A simple $200-300 dollar Dell or eMachines (shudders) would run it fine on lowest settings. You don't have to spend a grand to get a good gameplay. You just need a good internet connection, and a PC that can handle 60fps on the lowest settings.
If you don't want to go out and buy a brand new PC, buy a cheap graphics card. Even a $30-40 one will run AH decently.
-
It is mostly just skill. A high end system helps a little bit, but skill is the overwhelming determining factor.
Its definately skill, I've been using the crappiest laptop forever, barely squeezing out 5-40 frames in a "perfect situation" - you really have to learn to
home your skill in one area and not switch away from it - for example use a Panther Tank and stay in it for a tour, switching around will
mess your aim up for example - I generally take either a T34/85 or Panther - T34 offers the HVAP which at 1,000 yards does wonders to heavier tanks.
I know the feeling believe me, I finally got tired of dealing with 5-20 frames (as of lately) and gave up playing for now, with 40 frames if you can lower any more graphics do so - anything above 30fps doesn't lag - sometimes when you dip below it can screw up rendering which makes shots "seem like kill shots but miss".
-
I have noticed that the good sticks are lethal with really outdated computers. Here in Finland the ping times are around 200 ms, which sometimes has caused whining among the American fellow gamers. I don't know Martian ping rates, but AFAIK the connections have to be made by satellite, which isn't as stable as wired.
I built my computer basically five years ago and it still runs AH @ 60 fps most of the time with everything maxxed, object self shadows disabled though. Main specs are: E8500 (bought recently second hand), 4 GB RAM @ 800 MHz, Radeon 3870/512MB, XP. It wasn't too expensive back then, today I'd get about 150 euros for the whole bunch at some net auction, max. Not knowing your computer specs I can't tell any bottlenecks, but I'd recommend looking for a little older used video card from the higher end of it's days.
-
"Skill"??? :rofl
Nah. It is more about being smart, patient, and learning the game mechanics. This "skill" people speak of is not as important as those three mentioned traits. A crack shot/vet/ACM expert can have his arse handed to him by someone if he is in a P40C that is low, slow, and with no cards left to play by someone with a far lower "skill" level if they are in a Spit16, has altitude, has E, and is not in danger from anything else (SA not needed).
The aircraft, and those 3 traits will get many of the lessor and average "skilled" players a long way to getting a kill or two.
-
when i first started this game i was using a crap "office" computer and using a Dail-up connection and still whooped some tail!
-
Good computer helps...
But like with guitars, nothing makes you sound better than practice.
-
Skill is being able to retake the advantage after your computer just uber lagged leaving you helpless.
-
I went from a POS 6-year old WalMart e-Machines with a 15" monitor that managed to run AH with all settings minimized at a blistering 13-15 fps, and that dropped to between 5 and 8 fps in a furball or around smoke (hangers, cv, etc.) I avoided Titanic Tuesday out of frustration, the fights were normally so large it was made my view look like a bad stop-action move.
I now have a uber game machine with all the bells and whistles, running full detail, shadows, hi-res pack, etc, on a 27" monitor, never drops below 60 fps even in the most intense action.
My scores are virtually unchanged since the old computer..... maybe 10% better, but that's probably due to more practice and not the hardware.
However, I enjoy playing about 100 times more now. THAT is what matters to me.
-
I have an issue with that... let's say your nme never has an fps issue because of his PC mods. kinda hard to develop skill when your lagging seconds in the fight. So, do you learn to shoot where you THINK they will be when your screen stops jumping around in "stop-motion"? Or choose a fight where there is only a few players at that base?
You play the game on your computer. What the other guy has for a computer has nothing to do with it. The only issues you might have is if your computer is too weak to play the game. If your computer runs 4-5 FPS them sure your going to have a hard time getting the timing right. Get your computer to run the game as smooth as you can. Clean up the number of processes you have running, turn down the eye candy in the game.
The rest is just practice. If you can get your computer smooth you can get the timings of your turns and shots down much better. As you practice them you'll start winning more and more.
-
It has always been my opinion that a good computer does help, although it will always be a strong second to skill. My computer runs AH on low settings around 30 frame rates. If I get near clouds or smoke, it will drop down into the single digits. I have missed out on hundreds of kills and have been killed dozens of times because the game looked like a slide show and I couldn't quite pull that shot off,or get out of the way of that diving con.
-
In playing AH and getting my arse handed to me all the time, and reading some of the posts about the "Turbocharged,8 screens,$ 900.00 graphics card, mother of all motherboards,3000 watt, liquid cooled guaranteed 80 fps PC they have created"
So, how can my lil ol computer barely squeaking out 40fps on a downhill with a tailwind POSSIBLY compete fairly when you fire some rounds and it goes into a slo-mo like on The Matrix because the screen is filled with activity?
Yea, Ill take every advantage I can see to make up for lack of capital to ensure a win,
If that's the case...
maybe I'm wrong and it all really is just skill...
(I KNOW graphic cards don't cost that much, just making a point. so don't write back with prices, don't care, no money for one anyway.)
Why don't you post the specs of your current system and maybe we can help you tweak the settings to get a few more FPS out of it (if possible)?
-
"Skill"??? :rofl
Nah. It is more about being smart, patient, and learning the game mechanics. This "skill" people speak of is not as important as those three mentioned traits. A crack shot/vet/ACM expert can have his arse handed to him by someone if he is in a P40C that is low, slow, and with no cards left to play by someone with a far lower "skill" level if they are in a Spit16, has altitude, has E, and is not in danger from anything else (SA not needed).
The aircraft, and those 3 traits will get many of the lessor and average "skilled" players a long way to getting a kill or two.
You are misunderstanding what he is asking -
"So, how can my lil ol computer barely squeaking out 40fps on a downhill with a tailwind POSSIBLY compete fairly when you fire some rounds and it goes into a slo-mo like on The Matrix because the screen is filled with activity?
Yea, Ill take every advantage I can see to make up for lack of capital to ensure a win, "
Your reaction has to be twice as fast, since my laptop doesn't render enemy tanks and often lags - sometimes enemy tanks get a shot on me before I can even see them on my screen. It does come down to skill, someone who lags constantly in a fight cannot compete equally, and as some will whine "is cable pulling" when its not the truth.
-
If one can fly with a consistent 20fps or higher, they really don't *need* an upgrade.
-
Why don't you post the specs of your current system and maybe we can help you tweak the settings to get a few more FPS out of it (if possible)?
Best way is to crank the graphics far down as you can get them and comfortably sit above 30 fps without dropping below it. Defrag the hard drive often and use the lowest video settings, if you can't sit above 30fps its time for an upgrade, regardless.
If you go well above 30, then you can tweak until you sit comfortably above 30 in a firefight, its tough to say what the settings are because it varies on each hard drive.
My laptop cannot be updated, thus is why I gave up when I started dipping below 25, I got used to it until now, its simply to frustrating.
-
If one can fly with a consistent 20fps or higher, they really don't *need* an upgrade.
Apparently you never flown with below 25fps before.
-
:noid :noid Dude..I suck, and I still get a kill with my 1998 Dell. :rock :x :joystick:
-
This is one of the reasons I'm not in favor of losing icons for air or ground targets. Some of these guys really need the icons to make up for their weaker systems.
That said, except for really big furballs I never drop below 60 fps and that is with everything but shadowing turned on.
-
keep this in mind when you decide to keep/upgrade/buy a computer. it's whatever makes you happy that is import. I have spent around 3k on my puter including trakir, 3 monitors, sli cards....blah, blah, blah.
I cant afford to buy all of it at same time, so when I build my own i decided to build it in a way that would allow to upgrade without spending lots of money. I have bought all my stuff in about 3 years. my computer is really fast (Ithink anyway:)) and it doesnt really help my score/skill/whatever. but it makes me happy :banana: :banana:.
game is about fun. some guys have their fun with a 200 dollar computer and some others spend 1000s. and when it comes down to it, only you can decice what makes you happy :salute.
semp
-
I used to fly with 30 FPS, that would drop off to just over 20 when I was near a furball, and it would drop below 10 whenever I fired my guns. Then I got a new computer and better graphic card that shot my FPS up around 90-100. I have since seen my gunnery improve as well as my situational awareness.
Like many have already said, a good computer helps but skills are what counts.
-
Apparently you never flown with below 25fps before.
I flew at 9fps at the highest for three years.
Now my laptop hits no higher than 30fps. I'm speaking from experience.
-
I think we have to talk about stable frame rates and low frame rates and lag.
Lag is the issue obviously.
30 fsp without lag is good.
60 fsp with lag is poor.
My interpretention of lag is your position of yourself in game in regards to the guy your flying against.
In regards to skill that's based on interpretation of what you regard as skill.
Skill = Prowess in game to ability to Aim,manoeuvre plane or SA.
Or
Skill = Hide behind a squads numbers, looking for easy kills, leaving others to maintain score etc.
High score as everyone knows is reveals nothing but a good score.
Those with a good attitude within the game are the people who keep this game the fun, I also appreciate that certain indivuduals are competitative which is also good for game play as long as they appreciate in non cartoon land it amounts to little.
One obviouse flaw in score/skill assessment is that good looks are not accounted for, I would be the best game player in AH :rofl
-
keep this in mind when you decide to keep/upgrade/buy a computer. it's whatever makes you happy that is import. I have spent around 3k on my puter including trakir, 3 monitors, sli cards....blah, blah, blah.
I cant afford to buy all of it at same time, so when I build my own i decided to build it in a way that would allow to upgrade without spending lots of money. I have bought all my stuff in about 3 years. my computer is really fast (Ithink anyway:)) and it doesnt really help my score/skill/whatever. but it makes me happy :banana: :banana:.
game is about fun. some guys have their fun with a 200 dollar computer and some others spend 1000s. and when it comes down to it, only you can decice what makes you happy :salute.
semp
QFT....Semp knows my machine and I built it about 7 months ago...my score hasn't changed one bit...not an ounce. Whoa unto me because I thought it would make a difference.... so $2K was for me to feel better about competing I guess.
If you decide to upgrade and have kiddos, do it with them. It was the most fun my son and daughter and I had on a household project...we've built 4 total now for neighbors and parents of kids they go to school with and now we have an 8 machine order for my brother in law for his business. We wont make squat but its a ton of fun building them and seeing them work correctly. Hell, even when they don't work correctly its great seeing my kids try to work through the problem....because they're young and their brains work better than mine. Also, this community may beeyatch and moan and troll the boards but when someone has a puter problem there are about 700 people here that will come to your rescue and they know their shiz....I got more help from this community than I did from the guys at Fry's...and they been TRAINED!! These folks here know computers.
Speaking of Squat, anyone seen Squat2 lately?
-
IMO, ya gotta have both.. I remember when I first started, dropping to 25 or 30 fps when things get sporty.. And 15 or 20 when firing guns or droppin bombs.. Always wondered, HTF did I miss that?? Well I really didn't, just some of my laggy projectiles vanished into the outer limits.. Seemed like the game engine just lost the bombs and bullets.. Like weak sperm, just never made it, ya know!
But when I got a better machine, just for the game, my kills went up sharply.. Seemed to me that every bit of data counts to the game engine.. More is better, just so it doesn't forget you, or your bombs and bullets are even there.. But people tell me, that is only a human perception.. But still..
Skill in the game? Well sure, that goes without sayin.. But no amount of skill can make up for intermittent laggy bullets..
-
:noid :cheers: I miss Squat2 :cry He was my FPH! :noid
-
I sent Squat a message on FB a few weeks ago.. he says that he's doing good, but doesn't have a computer at the moment. He hopes to be back in a few months.
-
I sent Squat a message on FB a few weeks ago.. he says that he's doing good, but doesn't have a computer at the moment. He hopes to be back in a few months.
That's great news...it will be good to have him around again.
-
More skill then system. Though if you insist on running the higher end on the graphics end on a low end system. You success will suffer because of it.
-
I have an issue with that... let's say your nme never has an fps issue because of his PC mods. kinda hard to develop skill when your lagging seconds in the fight. So, do you learn to shoot where you THINK they will be when your screen stops jumping around in "stop-motion"? Or choose a fight where there is only a few players at that base?
The fastest computer is still lagging. It is the connection.
If your at 40FPS and flat line your fine.
-
Good computer helps...
But like with guitars, nothing makes you sound better than practice.
As an old hand i have to agree with this :aok