Will it run smoothly on this system?

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Hey guys, here's a detailed description of my new computer. My question is: will the game run smoothly on it? Because it makes the minimum requirements but I don't want to play it if it's going to be choppy or hanging and stuff. Thanks guys.

Processor : Pentium D 2.80Ghz Dual Core Processor W/ 800Mhz FSB 2mb Cache

Motherboard : ASROCK 775i65GV with INTEL865GV CHIPSET MATX Form 800Mhz FSB

Memory : 512mb DDR RAM Expandable to 2Gb PC-400 (KINGSTON / APACER / PQI)

Cache : 2mb L2 Cache Memory, Built-In Math-coprocessor

Storage : 1.44mb FDD (SONY), 80gb Serial ATA HDD Seagate 7200rpm

Video : 128mb MICROSTAR ATI Radeon 9200 AGP Video Graphics Accelerator Card PLUS
Integrated 64mb Intel Graphics AGP Video Accelerator Card


I think the biggest problem is my crappy RAM, I'm gonna have to convince my dad to upgrade it again

 

Well, in theory, my PC is higher spec than that and it does not run smoothly on mine - but everyone seems to have a different experience with the game so it's impossible to tell.

 

I think it should, but with the memory settings rather low. Your system is not much different from mine, and I've ran the game without too many issues.

 

AFAIK ATI Radeon 9200 is not supported.

 

Videocard: Ati radeon sappire x1600pro 126€, or the competition nvidia XFX7600gs 129€. Both type will keep you running for a while. cheaper cards can work but can give you trouble later with new games. Try to look for at least 256mb on the card in memory, and an interface of 128 mb. (As far as I know vista runs on these cards, correct me if I am wrong)

For the memory I found ddr 400 kingstonvalueram 512 mb for 39€ and 1 gig for 75€.

Note! memory works in pairs or single. If you have two memory slots you must have two simms of the same serie, called a kit, or just one. One simm now and later an other might give problems. 3 slots on old motherboards: one slot works single, the other two in duo. With four slots: One simm only, a kit in slot 1/3 or 2/4, or two kits(I think that the kits can be of different mb, but not sure.)

Your nice blue motherboard has two memory slots so I advise 1 gig or ram mentioned above, or the same 512 if you can find it. if you want to go to two gig(most games do) buy the one, and save for a second. Or save for one 2 gig kit containing two 1 gig sims. 149€

It is a lot of money

[ January 19, 2007, 21:17: Message edited by: Merlanni ]

 

Merlanni makes a good recommendation when he talks about 7600GS, but make sure you get DDR3 memory and the real timings (processor: 500, memory: 1400). And 256 MB is good, but 512 is too much if the card has a 128 bit memory bus.

Your motherboard should support Dual Channel. Make sure you use it (consult manual for how to).

If you can afford RAM replacement, swap the one 512 for two 1GB ones. Otherwise get a matching (exact same size and type and everything) stick from the same manufacturer - in your case, Kingston. If you go for 2*1GB, you can sell the 512 on ebay.

Your graphics card is by far the biggest bottleneck, apart from the size of your RAM (less so the type). Get more RAM, at least to 1 GB and a new graphics card. I would suggest the best you can afford, even if it means just another 512 MB of RAM instead of getting 2*1GB. You will probably feel more difference.

Additionally, your mobo seems a bit old for a Dual Core processor - I have i865 chipset in my Abit IS7-E from 2003 that supports socket 478 processors of the PIV type (Pentium D, which is what you seem to have, has always and only been 775 only, I think), but that doesn't mean it's time for replacement, of course. All in all, get more RAM and a new graphics card. In the longer run, try to replace your HDD with a SATA one.

As for smoothness, it's a lottery. I've seen much better rigs lag behind my old rig and I've seen relatively old setupts pwn the game.

 

Well, it runs just fine on my computer, and it is below minimum specs, so I'd say it would run fine on your system.

(Damn, it's been a very long time since I've been here)

 

The fundamental problem with this game is it doesn't seem to run smoothly on even high-end systems. There are a few folks who claim that it runs just great on their rather low-end systems but it's all rather relative. Define "great." The thing is the performance varies so much: an indoor area with few NPCs and furniture will give even a low-end system 60 fps while an outdoor area with lots of NPCs wandering around will be a paltry 5 fps on the same system.

 

hmm.. I think I may have to give it a pass.. the RAM is pretty cheap (at least to upgrade to 1024 for now..) and I can convince my dad to get it, but no way will he agree to get an expensive video card, and I'm kinda broke too..

 

Well that depends on what you are expecting.

You don't have to buy an expensive videocard, just a newer one supported by NWN2.

My gamerig is a Pentium 4 2.6 Ghz, 1 GB RAM and ATI Radeon 9600 TX with 128 MB (AGP).

The game runs smoothly on that. But of couse if you want higher screen resolutions than 1024x768 or shadows or other settings set to highest, then an expensive videocard is required.

You or your father could probably get a newer videocard supported by NWN2 for a reasonable price included in your new computer and then you could wait until later investing in an more expensive one, when you have the money.

But anyway, go for that nice 1 GB RAM.

Oh, and the game adjust settings according to your hardware when you install. If you don't mess with the settings yourself, then it probably runs fine. As said if it works, don't fix it.

 

I found a ati 9600 for 59€, Enagonios, making it reachable. I did not mention the card earlier because the step from 9600 to 1600/7600 is large. But if you relly need to economize the basic 9600 is a fair card which will run the game on low setting. the xt runs it on minimum. (according to a faq tread on bioware)

But still I would say the memory first, the card second. The rest of your pc is fair, many people have less. Whit 1 gig mem and this card you can play te game for years, also Jade empire and Oblivion. So, before you are finished with those 3 and the expansions....

 

huy guys, I decided to give NWN2 a go and borrowed my friend's copy as he as done with it. It installed fine, but after I hit the desktop icon and the menu comes out, I hit play but it refuses to work. An error message comes out: "Could not find any compatible direct3d devices". Based on my first post in this thread I have at least the minimum specs so I should be able to run the game right?

 

I have an above spec desktop PC that NWN2 runs slowly on and stutters to the point of idiocy. I also have a much lower spec laptop that NWN2 runs on just fine - shadows and all - go figure :>)

 

I guess so :/ This bites. Oh well, good thing I was only borrowing

 

This one is pretty old now, but it highlights a very fundamental situation. The human sensorium is variable, and the term "smoothly" is a very poor choice (not nearly as bad as "best" and "better", of course). Everyone can have entirely different individual responses to the same conditions.

The Radeon 9200 was a Dx8-only part. Nothing newer than Pixel Shader One in the hardware, so NWN2's test for SM-2 fails. The Radeon 9600 is actually not a great deal "faster" than a 9200 (both are SLOW in my own opinion), but it does have the SM 2 shaders.

The advertised minimums for the game do not "Run Smoothly" in my opinion, because they have slow performance when faced with NWN's graphics (the Geforce 6600 Vanilla is particularly slow, but a Radeon 9700 Pro really is hardly any faster than that, and an X600 is slower than the other two).

Exactly "WHY" the graphics requirement is as high as it is for the overall level of eye candy isn't at all apparent yet. Anisotrophic Filtering was even disabled at release time, with no mention in the Readme about the omission. Odd. It's been put "back in" by a patch since then.

 

Anyone know if it will run on Vista? I've been trying out a number of games and it seems to be pretty random what will and what won't.

 

The way I see it, Obsidian releasing an expansion next winter is the answer, since they will surely be considering Vista when workin with that. There will be some sort of patch for the expansion, and the cost to make it apply to the OC will be nominal.

Meanwhile, put Vista on the shelf, and go back to what works.

 

I've been running NWN2 on Vista and I have had no problems at all at 1024X768. Framerates are very smooth, all the eye candy is turned on and the game is fairly stable. Graphics: 7900GTO.

 

Until I just couldn't stand it any more, I was making regular visits to BioWare's forums, but that's over now. Nevertheless, the overall satisfaction rate there, with Vista, seemed to be something like 3 to 1 against, when it comes to NWN2, and far worse than that for anything else that their forums cover.