Well, I finally got a better video card, hoping it would help my situation. Picked up a GeForce FX 5200, 8x AGP, 128mb. Looks like I'll be stuck with this setup for a while. I can now run 60fps more often than not, but I'm still having the same skipping or pausing problem as before, when firing. I'm running the game a 1024x768, textures at 256, and sound accel at 3/4.
Any more ideas would be immensly appreciated, but I'm guessing it's still video related. Here's my dxdiag, if I need to post more of it, let me know:
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 9/11/2008, 22:31:19
Machine name: A
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp1.020828-1920)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dimension 4550
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.00GHz, ~2.0GHz
Memory: 768MB RAM
Page File: 293MB used, 1582MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: /PackageInstall
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode
------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input 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 FX 5200
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce FX 5200
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0322&SUBSYS_80CF1043&REV_A1
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Dell 1700FP
Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.4403 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 5/2/2003 01:19:00, 3180171 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 5/2/2003 01:19:00, 1312555 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4062-11CF-C062-C5A000C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x0322
SubSys ID: 0x80CF1043
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run
-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24C5&SUBSYS_01421028&REV_01
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.3515 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 8/5/2002 10:23:58, 545208 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Analog Devices
HW Accel Level: Standard
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
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