Looking for input on existing rig being ok to run AH 2.16

[Masherbrum]

Current AH version was not released last year.

And to Anodizer: AGP is by all means a dead end. You can't get upgrade paths for any of your components in AGP motherboard. CPU, RAM, display, peripherals.. all a dead end. Even if you could continue getting AGP cards you will come severely CPU bottlenecked. All you can do is give expensive CPR to a dead end system.

I've never said it was and it is still the same situation, CPU over GPU.  

[gyrene81]

The point is I'd rather save money for a complete overhaul than spend money trying to delay the inevitable. Get a new AGP card? Fine. But leave it at there.

In that case Ripley, you will never be saving money...because the "inevitable" occurs much faster these days...you will always simply be "putting it off".

$200 to get a borderline system another possible 2 years vs $1000 to have to do it all over again in 4 or less...for a hobby, not very economic.

 

[batch]

no the point is why spend $200 on a deadend system that might get you by for a couple more years and then you cant upgrade it anymore........ when you can spend as little as $300-$350 that will smoke this game for a few years and has a great path for upgrade down the road

[gyrene81]

no the point is why spend $200 on a deadend system that might get you by for a couple more years and then you cant upgrade it anymore........ when you can spend as little as $300-$350 that will smoke this game for a few years and has a great path for upgrade down the road

You're not going to get a system that will "smoke this game" for under $500...the video card required is $100 minimum just to play the game with decent frame rates.


This is what I would do if I had that system and wanted to "push it" for another couple of years:

Radeon HD4670 - $125
Raidmax Hybrid series 530W PSU - $50
DDR PC3200 GSkill 2GB Dual Channel Kit (1GBx2) - $65

Optional
Used P-4 3.2Ghz 800Mhz FSB 1MB L2 - $45



Definately not worth anymore money than that though.

[batch]

if you dont think you can build a system that will smoke this game for less than $500 then youre done talking

the VC being $100 is the most expensive thing youd have to purchase in order to max settings on this game

as I said for about $350 you can max settings this game and still have a big upgrade path for the future

[gyrene81]

if you dont think you can build a system that will smoke this game for less than $500 then youre done talking

the VC being $100 is the most expensive thing youd have to purchase in order to max settings on this game

as I said for about $350 you can max settings this game and still have a big upgrade path for the future

Well Batch, without hijacking this thread any further...I happen to disagree, from experience....unless you're talking about used/refurb parts...$350 to $500 is going to get you an "adequate" system (i.e. not max settings anywhere). There is a huge gap between "adequate" ($500) and "smoking" ($1000+)...ask your buddy Ripley.

[Westy]

Good morning! first I'm deeply appreciate all of the input and the time folks
took to reply. This topic has been truly a big help. Not only with tips and
suggestions on what I could do or buy to help out but also with bringing me
a bit up- to-date on current technology!  

In the past I'd always leap frogged my pc  updates so as to be able to play with
decent fps but not having to put out a huge outlay at any one time. However not
having playing ANY online games for over three years I've really fallen behind with
current technologies as well as being able to do minour upgrades to keep current.
 This pc (built only a few months ago) has been superb for what we've needed if for
- mainly video conversion work and word processing.
 But unfortunately with Christmas coming up (and other $$$ expenses that two
sports orientated boys require) a complete or major refit/rebuild is out of the
question. At least until early next year.

I've taken down ALL the suggestions on how to either upgrade or where to start
with a new build.  I'm sure now that I should save my $$$ and go with a putting
a new machine together some time after the New Years.

 In the meantime I've got my eyes on  ebay for one of the recommended gfx card
which could be a nice help for a few months and I found the Northwood cpu in this
machine overclocks nicely to 3ghz. I can do that just for when I'm playing AH
which performs pretty smooth (not max gfx settings of course heheheh ) and the
fps is decent enough to enjoy some air time online at the boosted speed. Since
I "fly" for 30-45 minutes at most I think no harm will come. I have a back up pc
in cae that jappens anyway. Also built from spare parts so no major loss if I fry
the cpu or memory.   The gfx may be tamed down for AH-II but they are much
better than AH-I were and I can live with that .  

I owe all of you one!  thanks !!

<S>

[ToeTag]

Dual channel isn't going to make or break his ability to run AH.

Trust me I've done it all over the years in regards to AH. Dual channel, non dual channel, single stick, slow CPU, slow vid card, and upgraded to many different stages of CPU, GPU, and RAM.

His ram is perfectly fine. Going from single channel 1.5 GB to dual channel 2 GB (edit: and changing nothing else along with it) would be a fart in the wind as far as AH is concerned.

Wrong. I had mis matched memory on my board for a year or so with no issues.  Then came the changes and new terrain.  My frame rates were crap and really couldn't play. 

When I matched two sticks of 1gig there was a huge difference. I also was looking at Graphics cards and found that my card needed atleast a 400 watt PSU.  I didnt have that so I needed a swap and bought a 500 watt and everything runs great.  I run AH with everything up except shadows.

P4 2.4
2 gig ram /3200
Xi soundcard
nvidia 7600gs

[Krusty]

Your P4 2.4GHz is more likely the cause of bad frames per second than your RAM is. Especially considering you're running PC3200.

Real question is: what did you have before the 2GB that was so bad it tanked your system?

[ToeTag]

Your P4 2.4GHz is more likely the cause of bad frames per second than your RAM is. Especially considering you're running PC3200.

Real question is: what did you have before the 2GB that was so bad it tanked your system?

Same pc 3200

If you have two sticks evenly matched you are running dual channel if they are mismatched your not running dual channel.  It makes a big difference.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

In that case Ripley, you will never be saving money...because the "inevitable" occurs much faster these days...you will always simply be "putting it off".

$200 to get a borderline system another possible 2 years vs $1000 to have to do it all over again in 4 or less...for a hobby, not very economic.

 

Computer games are not economic unless you're prepared to do serious compromises in quality. Maybe it's just me but I wouldn't spend one dime on a system that's based on a motherboard that won't take current cpu, ram or sata peripherals. That would be sinking money good for a true upgrade into a system that can not be updated to past 2005 level hardware.

I'd try to find a preowned agp gpu upgrade for basically nothing and keep saving money for a new system.

By making the AGP to PCI-E jump you open your options for GPU upgrades wide open. By making the PATA to SATA jump you open your peripheral options wide open. And by making the jump to Core2Duo or preferably even i5 you open your options for easy overclocking. The options being left stuck with a GPU thats already dated even after spending the money, peripherals that are dated and a CPU that can't be upgraded or even overclocked  easily. And all this after spending 50% of the cash required to get an upgrade path for future.