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As of this morning - 11/8/2002 6:22:50 PM

Les_the_Sarge_9_1

Posts: 4392
Joined: 12/29/2000
Status: offline

Well I am sad, seriously sad. No make that totally sad.

I had my two local computer capable buddies over last night. The plan being to install his now not required by him 32 meg video card in my system (he bought a nice new system, and he was graciously giving me the now not required redundant video card to me).

And it's not like it was junk either.

Can't install it.

When I got this system upgraded (which was also obtained through the generosity of a buddy), it was decided I guess (don't recall the specifics) to settle with an on board video and sound.

Long story short, I need a new motherboard to allow for a new video card and or sound card.

What that means, is I will be remaining with an 8 meg video capacity indefinitely. That means I have no expectation of going past an 8 meg video period end of story.

As it stands, I WANT Combat Leader.

The reality is I will NOT spend 150 bucks approximate on a new mother board plus 100 bucks, approximate on a video card (Canadian prices there). Just so that I can spend 60 bucks on a video game.

I am absolutely certain, that I will NEVER spend 300+ bucks to play virtually ANY video game. Especially when I have so many good game now I have yet to even master. And the idea to get games my wife and son could enjoy, that require an upgrade, was largely my notion, not theirs.

The doctor has declared my hopes of getting Combat Leader officially dead. It won't be happening in the life time of this computer.

My plans to get a video card to convert vhs through my system to cds appears to also have died in the process (I suspect I will be allowing a friend to do this before my computer is capable of it).

I hope Combat Leader is fun. Heck I hope that there are several success stories for Matrix. I am hoping the new game Hearts of Iron will be fun. I am also hoping that it runs on my system.

I noticed in a thread in the Combat Leader forum commenting it "might" run on an 8 meg set up.
60 bucks to maybe luck out with it though, is asking a lot.
I will be waiting to hear of any success stories in that area.

That's really it this time.

This is why I support board games. I can always get a game of ASL in. And maybe even play it online through my computer.

Matrix, please for god's sake, make your programs with the capacity to allow for multiple video card capacities. Some of us just won't be upgrading soon (and please guys, no explanations of how cheap video cards might be, to some of us 20 bucks is a lot of money).

_____________________________

I LIKE that my life bothers them,
Why should I be the only one bothered by it eh.

Post #: 1

- 11/8/2002 7:23:58 PM

Ludovic Coval

Posts: 2155
Joined: 1/5/2001
From: Toulon, France
Status: offline

Les,

May be a sunray : even with your 8 meg video card, your computer *should* be abble to run CL (and BF ;) ) but you should wait for winter because it will take loooooooong time to complete drawing. (I simply hope that you get at 32 meg as RAM :( )

LC.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 2

- 11/8/2002 7:25:04 PM

nyarlathotep

Posts: 169
Joined: 4/28/2001
Status: offline

What kind of computer do you have? Some on board graphics can be turned off to facilitate a separate video card.

_____________________________

That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange aeons even death may die.
H.P.L.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 3

- 11/8/2002 7:29:24 PM

nyarlathotep

Posts: 169
Joined: 4/28/2001
Status: offline

Also dig through the internet. I've seen new systems going for as low as 300$, including mobo, processor, memory, case, power supply, drives. Only thing missing is monitor and OS + the flashy stuff. Granted it's low end(talkin duron/celeron here) but from the sound of it, it would be a major leap from your system.

_____________________________

That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange aeons even death may die.
H.P.L.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 4

Re: As of this morning - 11/8/2002 7:54:08 PM

jnier

Posts: 402
Joined: 2/18/2002
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
[B]Well I am sad, seriously sad. No make that totally sad.

I had my two local computer capable buddies over last night. The plan being to install his now not required by him 32 meg video card in my system (he bought a nice new system, and he was graciously giving me the now not required redundant video card to me).

And it's not like it was junk either.

Can't install it.
[/B][/QUOTE]

Les,

You've probably tried these things already, but I thought I'd mention them.

Did you try to upgrade with a PCI card? Your exisisting motherboard sounds like it's more likely to be compatible with PCI than with an AGP card.

Also what the earlier poster said - about turning off the onboard video - may be true. I have integrated video on my machine, and I can turn it off in my BIOS.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 5

- 11/8/2002 8:28:47 PM

msaario

Posts: 245
Joined: 5/22/2002
From: Back in E U R O P A
Status: offline

To me, upgrading the PC is another need-to-do-every-now-and-then thing. If I want to play some of the new titles, it just may be too much for my current system (P450). Luckily I play mostly wargames, so I don't need the latest and best PC.

Then again, it is part of the overall gaming experience not to wait the PC to calculate some stuff or to redraw the screen all day just because the machine is too "slow".

If the cost is unacceptable, I hope you can sort out the video card trouble with the current components!

--Mikko

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 6

- 11/8/2002 9:18:09 PM

Voriax

Posts: 1719
Joined: 5/20/2000
From: Finland
Status: offline

Perhaps someone has a spare mobo lying around that would work with a separate vid and audio card..and could donate?

Voriax

ps. I have a spare super socket 7 board but afaik Les has a faster computer already.

_____________________________

Oh God give Me strength to accept those things I cannot change with a firearm!

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Post #: 7

- 11/9/2002 12:00:14 AM

Les_the_Sarge_9_1

Posts: 4392
Joined: 12/29/2000
Status: offline

What the heck is "mobo" hehe.

Just so you guys know (and thanks for the comments guys), my system as it currently stands, is an 800 celeron. I have 256 megs of Ram.
The motherboard (according to my friend that bought it for me) should have upgradability). He will get a chance to look at it tomorrow.

Tried to run Battlefield 1942 (friends game) the system wouldn't do it.

I won't mind if Combat Leader runs slow (I am old enough to know what patience is for hehe).

With respects to "turning off onboard video" the snag was I think my friend said "I had no agp slots". I wouldn't know one slot from another though. I watched himn though illustrate how his card would not match into the slots that were there.

The only positive thing right now, is my friend (that has not looked at system yet) is the only one that ever seems to know whats going on.
Although one of the other lads has done tech support and is used to cobbling systems together with parts. So I am not yet feeling any reason for hope.

I don't recal waiting for my son to be born to be this nerve wracking hehe.

_____________________________

I LIKE that my life bothers them,
Why should I be the only one bothered by it eh.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 8

- 11/9/2002 3:47:37 AM

jnier

Posts: 402
Joined: 2/18/2002
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
[B]

With respects to "turning off onboard video" the snag was I think my friend said "I had no agp slots". I wouldn't know one slot from another though. I watched himn though illustrate how his card would not match into the slots that were there.
[/B][/QUOTE]

My machine is the same way...no AGP slot. I've done some research on this very same issue, since I have thought about upgrading my videocard too. You'll definately need a PCI videocard, which are now rarer (and usually a little more expensive) than AGP videocards. You probably can get a decent PCI card for about $40-$50. Once you install a PCI card and turn off the onboard video, you should be all set...in theory. ;)

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 9

- 11/9/2002 4:02:36 AM

Les_the_Sarge_9_1

Posts: 4392
Joined: 12/29/2000
Status: offline

I hate it when people give me hope.

My friend told me I might be able to take from my Ram and devote it to video (whatever that means).

But he said I could devote up to 64 megs.

Going to bug him about that tonight.

I have 256 Ram so it's not like I have to little to work with.

_____________________________

I LIKE that my life bothers them,
Why should I be the only one bothered by it eh.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 10

- 11/10/2002 1:08:58 PM

jnier

Posts: 402
Joined: 2/18/2002
Status: offline

Les,

You're right again - you usually can change the amount of RAM devoted to video if you have oboard video. Hopefully that will do the trick for you.

You certainly would see MUCH better performance with a separate video card (which is why I intend to upgrade).

Dedicating your regular system ram to video essentially creates a bottleneck that slows the system down, compared to having ram on the videocard that is - obviously - dedicated to video.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 11

- 11/12/2002 12:39:25 AM

nyarlathotep

Posts: 169
Joined: 4/28/2001
Status: offline

Ooh BF1942...you're definitely gonna need more power for that one.

I have it and even on 800 tbird + GF2MX it gets choppy.

Brown slot=AGP

If you don't have it, kick the sales assoc. who sold you that skank in the arse and go get a PCI card.

_____________________________

That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange aeons even death may die.
H.P.L.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 12

- 11/12/2002 9:39:03 PM

Arralen

Posts: 827
Joined: 5/21/2000
Status: offline

You may get yourself something like this:

32 MB SDRAM - TNT2 M64 - PCI
49.00 EUR

32 MB SDRAM - GeForce2 MX 400 - PCI 74.00 EUR

64 MB SDRAM - GeForce4 MX 420 - PCI 99.00 EUR

.. I definitly would go with the GF4-chipset .. processing power is much higher; the card does more calculations "on chip", not via drivers, you would get more from the original performance the VPUs offer in spite of the slower PCI bus.

.. and check out ebay for used cards - those gamers tend to upgrade regularly - I found them quite happy to sell their "uotdated" cards to someone ;)

yours
A.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 13

Where's the maple syrup? - 11/13/2002 12:08:55 PM

Les_the_Sarge_9_1

Posts: 4392
Joined: 12/29/2000
Status: offline

I think I should rename myself Les the Waffle heheh.

Ok the skinny on that comment.

Went to friends place in nearby city of Belleville. Where I enjoyed a weekend visit. Then we checked out Canada Computers.com's store location in Kingston.

http://www.canadacomputers.com/periph.html

Check em out my Canadian buddies. They do cod orders to anywhere in Canada, and if you can reach an actual store you will rapidly notice their prices are abnormally low.

Well I managed to locate a new video card among other things. Nothing aaaaaaawesome to be sure.
I got a PCI Radeon 7000 (don't ask for much more it's outside of my jargon limitations heheh).
So now I have an actual video card not some onboard notion.
And I have a 32 MB capacity.

Which means I can stop bloody well crying so much heheh.
Or at least I can isolate my crying to "when is Combat Leader going to be finished" hehe (god I love the sound of that comment doncha know).

Battlefield 1942 now runs on the system, but hmmm it's a high end game by the looks of things, and I could likely assume I will not be getting a hi end experience even with this new video card.
Oh well BF1942 is a hi end gamer's sort of game though.
And it's for my son not me heheh (if he wants a better machine, he can start hoarding his own money and stop renting Playstation games eh).

My video card was a family purchase though, or it would never have happened.
I am not sayng I have the greatest video card (heck any gamer knows that). But it was tech that was compatible with my system and it was what I needed.

God what next I wonder, now that I can't whine about video capacity.
Going to be a long time before I see the amount of cash I spent this last weekend though. Strictly speaking a fluke (funds for helping parents move).

I have nothing anxiously coveting my pathetic amount of spending money currently, lucky for me I guess. This spring I will be likely praying Combat Leader appears close to my birthday heheh. I think it won't be march till I see any gratuitous spending money again.

_____________________________

I LIKE that my life bothers them,
Why should I be the only one bothered by it eh.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 14

- 11/13/2002 10:03:58 PM

Widi

Posts: 51
Joined: 8/9/2002
Status: offline

**cheers**

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 15

- 11/15/2002 4:54:47 PM

nyarlathotep

Posts: 169
Joined: 4/28/2001
Status: offline

Good job, the vid card should be more than sufficient for CL.

I'll bookmark that comp site, meanwhile head to [url]www.ditcorp.com[/url] they have very good prices and deals.

_____________________________

That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with strange aeons even death may die.
H.P.L.

(in reply to Les_the_Sarge_9_1)

Post #: 16