Video card q?

gwnewbie

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2005

Rabid Dogs From Hell - Grr

W/Mo

I just bought the guild wars preorder package and am waiting to test my computer during the next beta event. I am not sure it will be able to handle it. I am running a windows 98se, 512 ram, 800 mHz and a nvidia Geforce 256. Do u think it will work? Any suggestions on how to get it to work better?

William of Orange

William of Orange

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Feb 2005

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Thousand Tigers Apund Ur Head, The Consulate

An 800 MHz processor is just squeezing past the minimum requirements for the beta testing if I remember correctly from what it says on the Preorder box. And I'm assuming that by saying "nvidia Geforce 256" you meant your video card had 256 MB of memory? If that's the case, it'd helped if we knew the exact type of card you have, and then we could give you a better estimate on whether or not the game will run.

Other than that, it looks like your computer should be able to handle it, though if you were looking to put even $200-300 down you could get a new computer which has at least a 2 GHz processor. But that's getting a little drastic if you've had no problems with your current computer.

baranovan

baranovan

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2005

Doom Brigade

No the 256 is not what you are accustomed to seeing today's cards. In this case the Nvidia GeForce 256 is the card model and it was one of thefirst GeForce cards to be released (maybe even Nvidia cards period). Anyways it came standard on a lot Pentium III computers, and although not a top tier card it may be able to run the game. My cousin has PIII Dell w/ 700Mhz Proc. 256 RAM and that same card. He is able to play the game at the lowest settings, but with some nasty hardware lag and slow loading times for new areas.

*Note: If have $300 - $400 you can get some decent parts of off NewEgg and build yourself a decent system.

Sin

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2005

The Joint :p

baranovan, can you please state something like this...

Pentium III 800 Mhz
512 meg ram
nividia 256 video card
etc...

As that would help alot. Also is your computer a brand name model? Like an HP Pavillion XXXX, then say that too. Okay?

*Edit* I read at nividia's website it supports up to 128 mb of frame buffer memory and has a 350 mhz ramdac, and it is a 4x agp so it's not entirely out of time. It will likely lag some, mostly due to your 800 mhz cpu. Please post more complete info. Thanks.

Armaio

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canada

I would suggest buying a stick of 512mb RAM, this would help you alot in-game. Even if you have to run on lowest settings, you will not lag as much.

gwnewbie

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2005

Rabid Dogs From Hell - Grr

W/Mo

Here is some more info on my comp:

Dell Dimension T800r
512 megs
nvidia Geforce 256
800 mHz

I also have high-speed internet. Will high-speed help in cutting down lag?

Sin

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2005

The Joint :p

gwnewbie, of course high speed internet will help, however, only to the point your system can process the information. How much ram is on your video card?

gwnewbie

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2005

Rabid Dogs From Hell - Grr

W/Mo

I am not sure how much ram my video card has. How do i find out?

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwnewbie
I am not sure how much ram my video card has. How do i find out?
that card has 32 mb of very slow memory

there is also a question of how much the motherboard is capable of upgrading even including a bios flash

Sin

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2005

The Joint :p

well, it still meets the "minimums" i believe. He should be able to run the game, although probably on all the lowest possible settings. Remember I am on one of those archaic old fart systems too (old fart is redundant to archaic isn't it? ) Anyway, I think he'll be okay for PVE.

Loviatar

Underworld Spelunker

Join Date: Feb 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sin
(old fart is redundant to archaic isn't it? ) Anyway, I think he'll be okay for PVE.
not really as you could be a very spry old fart

baranovan

baranovan

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2005

Doom Brigade

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sin
baranovan, can you please state something like this...

Pentium III 800 Mhz
512 meg ram
nividia 256 video card
etc...

As that would help alot. Also is your computer a brand name model? Like an HP Pavillion XXXX, then say that too. Okay?

*Edit* I read at nividia's website it supports up to 128 mb of frame buffer memory and has a 350 mhz ramdac, and it is a 4x agp so it's not entirely out of time. It will likely lag some, mostly due to your 800 mhz cpu. Please post more complete info. Thanks.
Why am I being criticized? I shared my knowledge about the card and explained that the 256 is not the ram, just the card model. I provided the specs to the best of my ability, considering I dont own the computer myself, and suggested that he should be able to play the game with his specs.

Sin

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2005

The Joint :p

baranovon sorry, imeant gwnewbie. hahahaha, you both have the same system or just about? Anyway, i got confused.

baranovan

baranovan

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2005

Doom Brigade

Yeah, I though about it and came up with that conclusion ... was about to edit my post.

PhineasToke

PhineasToke

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2005

in a house

Phantom Menace

W/Mo

Those old Nvidia cards were great, it will probably JUST make it.

As I have stated in previous posts, most players will not have the uber computers some of us have, and I think the game was set up to accomodate them (ask Mom for a new system for your birthday ).

PhineasToke

PhineasToke

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2005

in a house

Phantom Menace

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwnewbie
I am not sure how much ram my video card has. How do i find out?
I checked the Dell site. If it's an XPS T series (which I think it is) Lovitar is correct, 32 MB. Upgrading to one of the newest AGP cards could be a problem because the AGP slot may not support it. You may want to try an MX400 which shoud be compatible. But the most important part is testing to see if it even works this Friday morning.

Sin

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2005

The Joint :p

It's been suggested it'll work but be at the lowest settings, the nvidia site said the card could have 128 megs of that slow memory though wouldn't that be enough?...Or let's say it doesn't work, can gwnebie be resonably sure it's because of the graphics card?...If so and they can't get a newer AGP card then?....newegg? Or something like that? Just thinking "outloud" to see if it might just be best for them to get a new graphics card ASAP before Friday, and obviously something low cost but takes as much work off the CPU as possible.

Anyway, talk amongst yourselves.