Specs for playing? - Guild Wars Forums

CrypticApathy · Mar 15, 2005, 06:26 PM // 18:26

on the website its says

* Windows?? XP/2000/ME/98
* Intel Pentium?? III 1GHz or equivalent
* 512 MB RAM
* CD-ROM Drive
* 500 MB Available HDD Space
* ATI Radeon 9000 or GeForce 4 Ti Series Video Card with 64MB of VRAM
* 16-bit Sound Card
* Internet connection
* Keyboard and mouse

as the recommended. My question is if you have all those but you only have a 32mb video card. How much of a diffrence do you notice in graphics? Im asking for one of my friends that will be playing this on his laptop so upgrading really isnt a option. Anyone have any screenshots from a 32mb videocard?

Loviatar · Mar 15, 2005, 06:28 PM // 18:28

some people here are using lappies with various results

as they say your results may vwry

Bgnome · Mar 15, 2005, 06:34 PM // 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrypticApathy

on the website its says
as the recommended. My question is if you have all those but you only have a 32mb video card. How much of a diffrence do you notice in graphics? Im asking for one of my friends that will be playing this on his laptop so upgrading really isnt a option. Anyone have any screenshots from a 32mb videocard?

what are the actual specs on his laptop? if everything is minimum and the onboard graphics chip only has 32 mb vram, (which most likely is shared with the regular ram on laptops), he is not gonna be a happy monkey. some laptops have a bios setting that lets you increase the video memory. there are also programs out there that might help you out. but it really depends on the specs..

i remember playing the e3e with a p3 933 that had 256 megs of ram and a g4mx420 pci with 64 megs of vram. i got about 8fps..

CrypticApathy · Mar 15, 2005, 07:00 PM // 19:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bgnome

what are the actual specs on his laptop? if everything is minimum and the onboard graphics chip only has 32 mb vram, (which most likely is shared with the regular ram on laptops), he is not gonna be a happy monkey. some laptops have a bios setting that lets you increase the video memory. there are also programs out there that might help you out. but it really depends on the specs..

i remember playing the e3e with a p3 933 that had 256 megs of ram and a g4mx420 pci with 64 megs of vram. i got about 8fps..

he has all the max specs BUT the video card. its only 32mb

Bgnome · Mar 15, 2005, 07:08 PM // 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrypticApathy

he has all the max specs BUT the video card. its only 32mb

i dont think there are "max" specs..

if the onboard vid chip is crappy, i doubt the laptop would be much better..

CrypticApathy · Mar 15, 2005, 07:44 PM // 19:44

max was the wrong word, its the recommended specs.

Spooky · Mar 15, 2005, 08:20 PM // 20:20

You can get away with running the game with a subpar video card, the biggest thing that's going to be affected by it is the atmospheric effects. Before I got a new computer, I was never able to see any of the oft-touted 'glow technology' .. things like the Boss auras wouldn't appear for me, and some of the more advanced textures (Water, for example) looked a little drab (especially compared to how they look under a good video card, very nice reflections, etc.) I would extrapolate that it would end up running at around 20~ FPS .. it's low, but serviceable. However, I would expect to run into some slowdown if you're maneuvering around more complex terrain.
On the bright side, a good, even just a decent video card, doesn't cost all that much nowadays, and it is a worthwhile investment.

Dave III · Mar 15, 2005, 10:47 PM // 22:47

Y'know what I think would be cool? (And let me know if you all agree enough for me to post this in the "Suggestions" thread...)

I would like to see a program, freeware maybe, that one could download and run, and if the program works, then you can run Guild Wars. That's all it need do. Sure, the programmers could have fun and make a little video demo-ing the game or something, nothing major, but testing your system to see if the game will work would be the point, or "raison d'??tre" as snooty hoy-faloy types might say.

Dave III, Snooty Hoy-Faloy Type.

Bgnome · Mar 15, 2005, 10:50 PM // 22:50

if you run the client, you get an idea of how well the game runs on your computer.
you could alwasy try to download various benchmarks online as well. but i would also like to see an official guildwars benchmark

Devil's Dictionary · Mar 15, 2005, 10:52 PM // 22:52

You can download and run the GW client. If you see the main-menu scene, it's highly probable that you can play the game

.

Dave III · Mar 15, 2005, 11:10 PM // 23:10

That's what I figured. (And it works for me. ^_^) I just thought it might be a good idea. Kind of a "shake down" program or something. ^_^

Dave III

CrypticApathy · Mar 16, 2005, 12:48 AM // 00:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spooky

On the bright side, a good, even just a decent video card, doesn't cost all that much nowadays, and it is a worthwhile investment.

the problem though with that is he is using a laptop. so its not just a simple snap in to place type of upgrade. you pretty much have ot send it back to the manufacture to get it upgraded and that costs more money.

KiegeKiamora · Mar 16, 2005, 04:45 PM // 16:45

Being that the universe isn't equally fair when it comes to allowing all persons to have access to broadband, I'm using dial up. My question is simply, how well, or how poor, does the game play using dial up? If anyone has played it through dial up please give me some info. I really want to try the game but if it's crappy on dial up then I really would rather not spend money for a game I won't be able to play.

Loviatar · Mar 16, 2005, 04:48 PM // 16:48

for the beta you will spend a ton of time downloading what will be on the retail game discs
after the downloading of a place you will go in and out rapidly even with dial up

designed to be a good experience on average dial up connection as most is on your hard drive

NOTE

i am going by what GW says along with comments of dial up playere

KiegeKiamora · Mar 16, 2005, 05:00 PM // 17:00

Thanks L. After having spent nearly a full 24 hours downloading the stuff for everquest and their ungodly collection of expansions, 13hours downloading FFXI data, and 7 or 8 hours downloading stuff for WoW, I'm more or less used to that part, but as long as the ingame experience isn't hindered by my being on dial up then this game is as good as bought when it hits the shelves.

Bgnome · Mar 16, 2005, 09:04 PM // 21:04

the actual gameplay does not require much bandwith at all -- arenanet designed the game with this concept first. the only problems with dialup are loading screens and such, especially if you have never experienced that content before and need to download files from servers. it is not as bad as other mmorpgs because you do not download full blown patches; you only download the data that you need immediately, ie if a texture changed in a mission you are playing.
i have also heard of some complaining about bandwith issues when using 3rd party voicechat programs, but most folks seem to manage fine and it is completely optional anyhow..

Mar 15, 2005, 06:26 PM // 18:26	#1
CrypticApathy Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, FL	Specs for playing? on the website its says * Windows?? XP/2000/ME/98 * Intel Pentium?? III 1GHz or equivalent * 512 MB RAM * CD-ROM Drive * 500 MB Available HDD Space * ATI Radeon 9000 or GeForce 4 Ti Series Video Card with 64MB of VRAM * 16-bit Sound Card * Internet connection * Keyboard and mouse as the recommended. My question is if you have all those but you only have a 32mb video card. How much of a diffrence do you notice in graphics? Im asking for one of my friends that will be playing this on his laptop so upgrading really isnt a option. Anyone have any screenshots from a 32mb videocard?

Mar 16, 2005, 04:45 PM // 16:45	#13
KiegeKiamora Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Mar 2005	Playing with Dialup Being that the universe isn't equally fair when it comes to allowing all persons to have access to broadband, I'm using dial up. My question is simply, how well, or how poor, does the game play using dial up? If anyone has played it through dial up please give me some info. I really want to try the game but if it's crappy on dial up then I really would rather not spend money for a game I won't be able to play.

Mar 16, 2005, 04:48 PM // 16:48	#14
Loviatar Underworld Spelunker Join Date: Feb 2005	for the beta you will spend a ton of time downloading what will be on the retail game discs after the downloading of a place you will go in and out rapidly even with dial up designed to be a good experience on average dial up connection as most is on your hard drive NOTE i am going by what GW says along with comments of dial up playere Last edited by Loviatar; Mar 16, 2005 at 04:52 PM // 16:52..

Mar 16, 2005, 05:00 PM // 17:00	#15
KiegeKiamora Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Mar 2005	Thanks Thanks L. After having spent nearly a full 24 hours downloading the stuff for everquest and their ungodly collection of expansions, 13hours downloading FFXI data, and 7 or 8 hours downloading stuff for WoW, I'm more or less used to that part, but as long as the ingame experience isn't hindered by my being on dial up then this game is as good as bought when it hits the shelves.

Mar 15, 2005, 06:28 PM // 18:28	#2
Loviatar Underworld Spelunker Join Date: Feb 2005	some people here are using lappies with various results as they say your results may vwry

Mar 15, 2005, 07:44 PM // 19:44	#6
CrypticApathy Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, FL	max was the wrong word, its the recommended specs.

Mar 15, 2005, 08:20 PM // 20:20	#7
Spooky Bokusatsu Tenshi Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bellevue, WA Guild: KEA Profession: E/Mo	You can get away with running the game with a subpar video card, the biggest thing that's going to be affected by it is the atmospheric effects. Before I got a new computer, I was never able to see any of the oft-touted 'glow technology' .. things like the Boss auras wouldn't appear for me, and some of the more advanced textures (Water, for example) looked a little drab (especially compared to how they look under a good video card, very nice reflections, etc.) I would extrapolate that it would end up running at around 20~ FPS .. it's low, but serviceable. However, I would expect to run into some slowdown if you're maneuvering around more complex terrain. On the bright side, a good, even just a decent video card, doesn't cost all that much nowadays, and it is a worthwhile investment.

Mar 15, 2005, 10:47 PM // 22:47	#8
Dave III Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: I'm always where I'm at, or else I'm nowhere, man.	Y'know what I think would be cool? (And let me know if you all agree enough for me to post this in the "Suggestions" thread...) I would like to see a program, freeware maybe, that one could download and run, and if the program works, then you can run Guild Wars. That's all it need do. Sure, the programmers could have fun and make a little video demo-ing the game or something, nothing major, but testing your system to see if the game will work would be the point, or "raison d'??tre" as snooty hoy-faloy types might say. Dave III, Snooty Hoy-Faloy Type.

Mar 15, 2005, 10:50 PM // 22:50	#9
Bgnome Elite Guru Join Date: Feb 2005	if you run the client, you get an idea of how well the game runs on your computer. you could alwasy try to download various benchmarks online as well. but i would also like to see an official guildwars benchmark

Mar 15, 2005, 10:52 PM // 22:52	#10
Devil's Dictionary Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Presumed missing... Profession: Me/N	You can download and run the GW client. If you see the main-menu scene, it's highly probable that you can play the game .

Mar 15, 2005, 11:10 PM // 23:10	#11
Dave III Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: I'm always where I'm at, or else I'm nowhere, man.	That's what I figured. (And it works for me. ^_^) I just thought it might be a good idea. Kind of a "shake down" program or something. ^_^ Dave III

Mar 16, 2005, 09:04 PM // 21:04	#16
Bgnome Elite Guru Join Date: Feb 2005	the actual gameplay does not require much bandwith at all -- arenanet designed the game with this concept first. the only problems with dialup are loading screens and such, especially if you have never experienced that content before and need to download files from servers. it is not as bad as other mmorpgs because you do not download full blown patches; you only download the data that you need immediately, ie if a texture changed in a mission you are playing. i have also heard of some complaining about bandwith issues when using 3rd party voicechat programs, but most folks seem to manage fine and it is completely optional anyhow..