Curse

xenoranger · Jan 09, 2006, 06:39 PM // 18:39

I just got a laptop for free and it meets the min requirement except for the video.

Specs:
1.6 Ghz P4
256MB DDR
ATI-Mobility w/ 16MB

K... so
I'm thinking I might try overclocking (power strip) or something to run this game since I bought my wife a copy for christmas and she's been itching to play.

Anyone ever tried running GW on a 16-MB vid card?

Anyone ever tried overclocking a 16-MB Vid card?

I'd successfully overclocked my 128MB Radeon 9600 to 200MB, but honestly never tried it with anything smaller. It runs stably while overclocked.... so..... might give it a try unless someone thinks I can run GW without overclocing my Vid Card.

Kaguya · Jan 09, 2006, 06:54 PM // 18:54

You can't overclock 128MB vidcard to 200MB vidcard

128MB is the amount of PHYSICAL MEMORY onboard the videocard, no way you can add any there. You can overclock the graphics processor, and the clock speed of the memories, but the amount of memory, no way you can up that

And what it comes to running GW on a 16MB vidcard.. highly unlikely. You can always try, but it will be limited to lowest possible detail, and possibly even not drawing certain things (shaders etc), if it starts up.

Josh · Jan 09, 2006, 07:02 PM // 19:02

Hell yeah, my Grandma has a 16MB nVidia 4 or something card, it loads Graphics so meeping slow, it's unbelievable, it looks awful as well, lol.

cannonfodder · Jan 09, 2006, 07:03 PM // 19:03

Well, according to minimum requirements Guild Wars reaquires a graphics card with at least 32mb, as OP said above, it may work, it may not. Overclocking a laptop is virtually impossible.

Dex · Jan 09, 2006, 07:11 PM // 19:11

A couple of things here.

1. GW may not run at all with 16MB of video RAM no matter how much you overclock the GPU.

2. In general, overclocking the GPU in a laptop is a bad idea. The cooling in a laptop is usually bare-minimum to keep the components stable at stock speeds. You're likely to overheat it -- possibly damaging other nearby components due to proximity.

That's my biggest gripe with laptops for gaming: you can't upgrade the video, so the whole system will be obsolete for running most new games within a few years (maybe less).

Plutonic · Jan 09, 2006, 07:17 PM // 19:17

i have the exact same laptop with the same card (but 32meg version), and also got it for free, lol.

On the lowest res, lowest settings and all advances graphics stuff turned off it runs (walks?) ok in instanced areas but takes for ever in outposts. I used it occasionally for playing in bed lol.
I don't suppose it will work but if you have an account it can't hurt to try. Your allowed to have the game on multiple computers so it can't hurt

xenoranger · Jan 09, 2006, 07:21 PM // 19:21

Ever heard of Power Strip?
There are utilities like that that will overclock your vid card using software. It actually works. I've tested it and seen it work on my desktop.

Now....
the deal is.. I'm not 100% sure how it works, I just know that it does and that there's a tolerance for every GPU and such. I'll try that.. but to know that it at least can be played.. that's somewhat comforting.

Kaguya · Jan 09, 2006, 07:45 PM // 19:45

Tested and seen it work on a desktop. Laptop computer is entirely a different case, they tend to run very hot even with the factory settings. Overclocking them might result in stuff breaking down, because you can't improve the cooling of a laptop as you can improve the clock speeds.

Dex · Jan 09, 2006, 11:00 PM // 23:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenoranger

Ever heard of Power Strip?
There are utilities like that that will overclock your vid card using software. It actually works. I've tested it and seen it work on my desktop.

Now....
the deal is.. I'm not 100% sure how it works, I just know that it does and that there's a tolerance for every GPU and such. I'll try that.. but to know that it at least can be played.. that's somewhat comforting.

Yes, I've heard of and used PowerStrip, and it will work. I didn't say it wouldn't work, I said that it's a bad idea. Laptops are much easier to damage permanently than desktops. They get hotter, have no cooling options besides what was built-in, and are packed together so tight the heat could damage other components as well. If you damage the video components the laptop is trashed. You can't replace it without sending it out for a new mainboard (unless it's a daughter-board, but even then they'll make you send it out).

If you decide to mess with your laptop video you're doing it at risk of killing the whole computer. Do what you will, but you're taking a chance. That's all I'm saying.

xenoranger · Jan 10, 2006, 01:21 AM // 01:21

hmm..... I might just use it for tradign with my wife's acct.

I did check it out... looks like it'll run GW.. but only if i'm in the guild hall or an empty place.

As for overclocking my Vid Card.... I'll do more reading on that. I've heard from others that it hasn't damaged their laptops...(heard = key word).... but I might have to do more research before hand.

N E Rate...

Leddy · Jan 10, 2006, 01:47 AM // 01:47

Overclocking laptops is uneccessarily risky. The performance tradeoff is miniscule.

xenoranger · Jan 10, 2006, 03:05 AM // 03:05

well... I gave it a shot. It worked... but not well enough to make a difference. Any higher, and I prob would've damaged it.

Well....
without overclocking I got to the end of "The Wilds"
The video crashed when I summoned 40 minions (had others supporting).

I guess it wasn't meant to be....
So, I"ll just play Typing of the Dead on it. =p

Dex · Jan 10, 2006, 09:07 AM // 09:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenoranger

well... I gave it a shot. It worked... but not well enough to make a difference. Any higher, and I prob would've damaged it.

Well....
without overclocking I got to the end of "The Wilds"
The video crashed when I summoned 40 minions (had others supporting).

I guess it wasn't meant to be....
So, I"ll just play Typing of the Dead on it. =p

Oooooh...Typing of the Dead. I liked that game until I tried to play in arcades in Tokyo. All of the words were Japanese-Roman Kanji, and I just didn't have the muscle memory to type the combinations of characters fast enough. Getting whipped by several teenage Japanese kids kinda killed the game for me....

xenoranger · Jan 10, 2006, 12:57 PM // 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dex

Oooooh...Typing of the Dead. I liked that game until I tried to play in arcades in Tokyo. All of the words were Japanese-Roman Kanji, and I just didn't have the muscle memory to type the combinations of characters fast enough. Getting whipped by several teenage Japanese kids kinda killed the game for me....

Romanji?

N E Rate.... that game runs rather well (req 8MB Video). I'll stick to that and the older PC titles I've added to my collection.

BTW... had no clue that Typing of the Dead was in arcades. I guess the japanese will put anything there.

well...i'm out
I have no more on topic things to discuss at this point

phreek · Jan 10, 2006, 01:07 PM // 13:07

just 'romaji' dude, no 'n' just thought it should be said

Dex · Jan 11, 2006, 01:00 AM // 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by phreek

just 'romaji' dude, no 'n' just thought it should be said

Right. I wanted to spell out "Roman Kanji" for those who wouldn't know what romaji is.

ange1 · Jan 11, 2006, 10:36 AM // 10:36

oh well, i think she can still play gunbound