Graphics and soft effect. - Page 2 - Guild Wars Forums

Soul Monarch · May 05, 2005, 04:12 PM // 16:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Principa Discordia

It depends... Having 1Gb of the newest RAM isn't going to help much if you bottleneck the rest of the system with an old graphics processor.

Oh, indeed. But GPU's don't get old as fast as other parts of a system do.

Pretty much any 128 Mb GPU can run Guild Wars great. (Well, actually, it can run most any game great at the moment.)

Aniscape · May 05, 2005, 04:40 PM // 16:40

hmmmm... my head is starting to hurt

If when I get home find out my card can't support the "bloom" effect can you recommend a good card and about what price point it's at. I know you mentioned some above but narrow it down to cost then performance. 2 kids keeps the fundage in the low end

Also where can I go to see if I have to most current drivers for the card I currently have or the directx?

I really want to sink my teeth into this game!!

Soul Monarch · May 05, 2005, 04:54 PM // 16:54

I am an ATI-fan personally. I can guarantee that someone will here will pop on to tell you that nVidia is better, but they're just fanboi's.

In all honesty, they are both just fine, but I've had a better experience overall with ATI cards and I stick with them. If you don't have a personal preference, just get the best price for the best card you can.

Oh, and only buy ATI or nVidia manufactured cards. Whatever you do, do not, under any circumstances buy from one of the OEM sellers. (Sapphire, Jaton, Lead Tek, etc.) Just trust me on this one.

On the low end: ATI 9600 series (still a useful GPU, but will be out of style in a very short period.)

In the middle: ATI 9800 series (Will last a pretty long time, price is still a tad high for some folks.)

On the high end: ATI X700-X800 series (okay, they're expensive, but they WORK.)

Hope it helps.

Talus · May 05, 2005, 05:01 PM // 17:01

nVidia 6600GT would be a good card for you.

Sideways · May 05, 2005, 05:03 PM // 17:03

Check out ATI's site, and do a product comparison between some of the cards I mention below... check out their pricing list to see what fits your budget, and then do the comparisons between them as well (click the link for comparisons)

clicky

Cards that may be suitable for you:

Radeon 9800 Pro 256 = $349
Radeon 9250 256 = $129
Radeon x850 XT 256 = $449

The 9250 would be the most economical, and would allow you to play the game with decent settings... it would also allow you to take advantage of those smartshading features, the glow effects, the enhanced lighting, etc... all that stuff that is available with DirectX 9.0.

However, the 9250 does not have much power, overall... hence the cheaper price. Running your settings on max would not be a good idea, but you will notice an improvement over the card you currently have.

The 9800 pro 256 is what I run, and the game looks and plays fantastically! It's really an awesome mid-range card.

The x850 XT is orgasmic, and not much more expensive than the 9800 Pro anymore. It's one of the most powerful cards available on the market, and will let you run any current game at max settings beautifully. It's also a great card for longevity, it will be perfect for your PC gaming needs for the next 5 years at least.

But, it depends on your budget... so check out that product comparison.

BattleAngelZero · May 05, 2005, 06:13 PM // 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aniscape

Thanks all... Unfortunatly I am at work now

... I will check these out when I get home tonight and will post with results. One reason why I had reservations on picking up a PC game.

there is always something you need better. On a console what you see is what you get so I guess I am a bit spoiled.

Uh, no. Consoles can be tweaked, tuned, and overclocked as well. And nothing about the PS2, XBox, or Gamecube "spoils" anyone - try a P4 3.6GHz HT, 2GB DDR, and a GeForce 6800GT... THAT's spoiled (and no, that's not my system.. I run a P4 2.8GHz, 1.5GB DDR, Radeon Mobile 9000 series).

And there isn't always something "better" to be had if you always upgrade, eh? Gotta' love logic

BattleAngelZero · May 05, 2005, 06:24 PM // 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sideways

The x850 XT is orgasmic, and not much more expensive than the 9800 Pro anymore. It's one of the most powerful cards available on the market, and will let you run any current game at max settings beautifully. It's also a great card for longevity, it will be perfect for your PC gaming needs for the next 5 years at least.

You're on crack, right? You do know that graphics processors increase just as fast as the rest of PC technology out there (x2 approx every 18 months), right? This means that in 5 years the x850 will be approximately 3 generations behind whatever graphics card technologies are considered "modern" at that point.

And "perfect"? No. Not a chance. Direct X's many technologies (pixel shaders, light/bump mapping, etc) are optimized for NVidia's GPUs, not ATI's. Microsoft has contracts with NVidia for this. On the other hand, Microsoft might be jumping ship to ATI for the XBox 2 (as has been discussed in several publications) which would likely move ATI up the ladder quite a bit.

Soul Monarch · May 05, 2005, 06:31 PM // 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by BattleAngelZero

And "perfect"? No. Not a chance. Direct X's many technologies (pixel shaders, light/bump mapping, etc) are optimized for NVidia's GPUs, not ATI's. Microsoft has contracts with NVidia for this. On the other hand, Microsoft might be jumping ship to ATI for the XBox 2 (as has been discussed in several publications) which would likely move ATI up the ladder quite a bit.

I told you. Here comes the fanboi's...

Please don't try to confuse this guy with that kind of commentary. You'll probably swear to your death bed that nVidia can slice, dice, and make Julienne fries, but this guy just wants to play the game. As long as his card is the right generation, he'll be fine.

My personal experience (quite a bit) says that ATI is awesome. nVidia does an okay job, but my compatability is far higher with my ATI cards. Now, you may have different conclusions, but this really isn't the place to argue the point.

BattleAngelZero · May 05, 2005, 06:39 PM // 18:39

I'm not arguing pro-NVidia - I use ATI myself and am a fan of their compatibility. I was simply arguing that you were incorrect, based on the information provided (which is available, uh, everywhere).

If I had the cash, I'd have two systems with two different cards anyway - a NVidia GeForce 6800 Ultra 512MB PCI-X for graphics editing and an ATI Radeon X850 XT Platinum PCI-X for gaming. But that's besides the point.

Aniscape · May 05, 2005, 06:46 PM // 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soul Monarch

I told you. Here comes the fanboi's...

Please don't try to confuse this guy with that kind of commentary. You'll probably swear to your death bed that nVidia can slice, dice, and make Julienne fries, but this guy just wants to play the game. As long as his card is the right generation, he'll be fine.

My personal experience (quite a bit) says that ATI is awesome. nVidia does an okay job, but my compatability is far higher with my ATI cards. Now, you may have different conclusions, but this really isn't the place to argue the point.

Thank you Soul

I can take care of myself discussing consoles but graphic card this and that not mean much to me. Just does it work and how much

Anyway. nVidia is what i have 64 meg. It came with the pc I bought. Later tonight will give u all the extra info you need but i do have one question outside of this discussion.

If my PC is at or above recomended specs for the game why shouldn't it play "screenshot Quality" as you all put it? That is like telling me "hey!! go get the PS2 to play Final Fantasy with these great graphics and when I put the game in it looks like a PS1." The only difference I see is the card specified they have ATI on box? and mine is nVidia.

The game runs and don't get me wrong it is pretty but nothing like the Screens I have seen hence this thread.

Thank you all for the comments and your friendlyness

BattleAngelZero · May 07, 2005, 05:29 PM // 17:29

Recommended specs do NOT equal maximum quality - instead they typically equal minimum or "mediocre" quality. "Recommended" is just a marketing term used by game publishers to increase sales. I have friends in the field.. I know how they work (and I do call each of them "bastard" from time to time, but it doesn't matter as publishers set the specs, not developers).

Joysze · May 07, 2005, 06:42 PM // 18:42

Aniscape... hey you. ^.^ Can't wait to play with you soon, you FFIX addict.

This discussion is waaay over my head... and I'm with Aniscape in that I just want a card that runs the game and preferably the cheapest I could find. So, we got me an nVidia GeForce FX5200 128 DDR for about $48 a couple of months ago. It does all the pretty soft edge thingies and runs the game beautifully. We got it from Newegg and they ship super fast for a very low price.

Linkie is here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ubmit=Property

Sir_Munroe · May 07, 2005, 06:59 PM // 18:59

I also get the Choppy Effect in towns just on Characters and Armour though.. o.O

I also notice when I go into an area and the sun shines on somethings its literally blinding and really white, I know it's not meant to look like this. Why is this happening could someone help me? : )

Principa Discordia · May 07, 2005, 07:34 PM // 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soul Monarch

I can guarantee that someone will here will pop on to tell you that nVidia is better, but they're just fanboi's.

Pot, kettle, hello you are looking very black today.

BTW did I mention that the Geforce 6600GT is in the same price-range as the Radeon 9800 Pro and performs a whole lot better? I think I did.

Principa Discordia · May 07, 2005, 07:35 PM // 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir_Munroe

I also notice when I go into an area and the sun shines on somethings its literally blinding and really white, I know it's not meant to look like this. Why is this happening could someone help me? : )

Hit F11 to go into the options menu, hit the "Advanced" button half-way down, and uncheck the "enable post-processing effects" button. This will turn off that stupid and annoying bloom feature, it gives me a headache to be honest.

tool++ · May 08, 2005, 11:52 AM // 11:52

I get bloom with my cruddy 5600xt - post process effects. Surprisingly it doesn't slow the game down too much either.

I know some games you can force software emulation of full 9.0c support (ie mat_dxlevel 90 blah blah) - is this true for GW?

Brink Morone · May 08, 2005, 01:41 PM // 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aniscape

I have been playing GW for about a week, off and on, and I have noticed that the soft effect you see in screen shots or online preview movies doesn't seem to be in my copy. everything looks crisp and solid not soft at all. I meet or excede the recomended requirements. I have a 2.4 gig Proc. the over 500 megs of ram. Also an Nvidea 64 meg graphic card. I am pretty sure I have current version of directx i clicked on the link on download CD for it. Is there a setting I am not aware of that turns to soft focus on or off? Also in towns or wilderness the character seems a bit choppy at times. If anyone knows how i can fix these with my current hardware please let me know. Or if there is something I need to get? Like I said never used PC for gaming before so please use lamens terms

Thanks.

Well the problem is definately your graphics card. A good card to have for high end games is something like an ATI Radeon 9800 pro with atleast 128 MB Memory. Not to mention, ATI is recommended for GW.

I have this card and the game runs and looks exactly as intended.

Zodiakos · May 08, 2005, 02:42 PM // 14:42

I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Radeon 9600 supports shader spec 2.0. The 9600 is actually just a slower version of the 9800... and in fact supports EVERY feature that the 9800 does. I have a 9600 128MB, and Guild Wars runs like a dream on my meager 2.4 athlon (running at 2Ghz) with the graphics settings at HIGHEST (I don't use Anti-aliasing though). I absolutely love the bloom effect, as it seems to be much lighter than the usually Fake-HDR bloom effect seen in several other recent games (Deus EX 2 is the one that stands out, I think, for misusing it). It really makes those later beaches look awsome.

Freyas · May 08, 2005, 07:59 PM // 19:59

You might try adjusting your graphics settings in-game(under advanced controls in the options menu, iirc). Make sure post-process effects are turned on, and try out some of the options there to see if you can increase the quality of appearance without slowing the game down too much for yourself. You might also want to check the manufacturer's website for you graphics card and make sure you've got the lastest drivers- a lot of older cards have support for newer stuff that's been included via drivers, so often you can increase your performance by getting newer drivers.

May 08, 2005, 07:59 PM // 19:59	#39
Freyas Champion of the Absurd Join Date: Jan 2005 Guild: Spirits of War Profession: Mo/W	You might try adjusting your graphics settings in-game(under advanced controls in the options menu, iirc). Make sure post-process effects are turned on, and try out some of the options there to see if you can increase the quality of appearance without slowing the game down too much for yourself. You might also want to check the manufacturer's website for you graphics card and make sure you've got the lastest drivers- a lot of older cards have support for newer stuff that's been included via drivers, so often you can increase your performance by getting newer drivers. __________________ Freyas- Spirits of War ~The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity

May 05, 2005, 04:40 PM // 16:40	#22
Aniscape Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Mar 2005	hmmmm... my head is starting to hurt If when I get home find out my card can't support the "bloom" effect can you recommend a good card and about what price point it's at. I know you mentioned some above but narrow it down to cost then performance. 2 kids keeps the fundage in the low end Also where can I go to see if I have to most current drivers for the card I currently have or the directx? I really want to sink my teeth into this game!!

May 05, 2005, 04:54 PM // 16:54	#23
Soul Monarch Krytan Explorer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: In the between. Guild: Heros Etc. Profession: Me/N	I am an ATI-fan personally. I can guarantee that someone will here will pop on to tell you that nVidia is better, but they're just fanboi's. In all honesty, they are both just fine, but I've had a better experience overall with ATI cards and I stick with them. If you don't have a personal preference, just get the best price for the best card you can. Oh, and only buy ATI or nVidia manufactured cards. Whatever you do, do not, under any circumstances buy from one of the OEM sellers. (Sapphire, Jaton, Lead Tek, etc.) Just trust me on this one. On the low end: ATI 9600 series (still a useful GPU, but will be out of style in a very short period.) In the middle: ATI 9800 series (Will last a pretty long time, price is still a tad high for some folks.) On the high end: ATI X700-X800 series (okay, they're expensive, but they WORK.) Hope it helps.

May 05, 2005, 05:01 PM // 17:01	#24
Talus Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Hamilton, ON Profession: E/Me	nVidia 6600GT would be a good card for you.

May 05, 2005, 05:03 PM // 17:03	#25
Sideways Academy Page Join Date: May 2005 Location: Calgary, AB - Soviet Canuckistan	Check out ATI's site, and do a product comparison between some of the cards I mention below... check out their pricing list to see what fits your budget, and then do the comparisons between them as well (click the link for comparisons) clicky Cards that may be suitable for you: Radeon 9800 Pro 256 = $349 Radeon 9250 256 = $129 Radeon x850 XT 256 = $449 The 9250 would be the most economical, and would allow you to play the game with decent settings... it would also allow you to take advantage of those smartshading features, the glow effects, the enhanced lighting, etc... all that stuff that is available with DirectX 9.0. However, the 9250 does not have much power, overall... hence the cheaper price. Running your settings on max would not be a good idea, but you will notice an improvement over the card you currently have. The 9800 pro 256 is what I run, and the game looks and plays fantastically! It's really an awesome mid-range card. The x850 XT is orgasmic, and not much more expensive than the 9800 Pro anymore. It's one of the most powerful cards available on the market, and will let you run any current game at max settings beautifully. It's also a great card for longevity, it will be perfect for your PC gaming needs for the next 5 years at least. But, it depends on your budget... so check out that product comparison.

May 05, 2005, 06:39 PM // 18:39	#29
BattleAngelZero Ascalonian Squire Join Date: May 2005	I'm not arguing pro-NVidia - I use ATI myself and am a fan of their compatibility. I was simply arguing that you were incorrect, based on the information provided (which is available, uh, everywhere). If I had the cash, I'd have two systems with two different cards anyway - a NVidia GeForce 6800 Ultra 512MB PCI-X for graphics editing and an ATI Radeon X850 XT Platinum PCI-X for gaming. But that's besides the point.

May 07, 2005, 05:29 PM // 17:29	#31
BattleAngelZero Ascalonian Squire Join Date: May 2005	Recommended specs do NOT equal maximum quality - instead they typically equal minimum or "mediocre" quality. "Recommended" is just a marketing term used by game publishers to increase sales. I have friends in the field.. I know how they work (and I do call each of them "bastard" from time to time, but it doesn't matter as publishers set the specs, not developers).

May 07, 2005, 06:42 PM // 18:42	#32
Joysze Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Mar 2005	Aniscape... hey you. ^.^ Can't wait to play with you soon, you FFIX addict. This discussion is waaay over my head... and I'm with Aniscape in that I just want a card that runs the game and preferably the cheapest I could find. So, we got me an nVidia GeForce FX5200 128 DDR for about $48 a couple of months ago. It does all the pretty soft edge thingies and runs the game beautifully. We got it from Newegg and they ship super fast for a very low price. Linkie is here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ubmit=Property

May 07, 2005, 06:59 PM // 18:59	#33
Sir_Munroe Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK, England	I also get the Choppy Effect in towns just on Characters and Armour though.. o.O I also notice when I go into an area and the sun shines on somethings its literally blinding and really white, I know it's not meant to look like this. Why is this happening could someone help me? : )

May 08, 2005, 11:52 AM // 11:52	#36
tool++ Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: May 2005 Location: Surrey, UK (EU Server!) Guild: Legion of Anarchy Profession: R/Mo	I get bloom with my cruddy 5600xt - post process effects. Surprisingly it doesn't slow the game down too much either. I know some games you can force software emulation of full 9.0c support (ie mat_dxlevel 90 blah blah) - is this true for GW?

May 08, 2005, 02:42 PM // 14:42	#38
Zodiakos Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Apr 2005	I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Radeon 9600 supports shader spec 2.0. The 9600 is actually just a slower version of the 9800... and in fact supports EVERY feature that the 9800 does. I have a 9600 128MB, and Guild Wars runs like a dream on my meager 2.4 athlon (running at 2Ghz) with the graphics settings at HIGHEST (I don't use Anti-aliasing though). I absolutely love the bloom effect, as it seems to be much lighter than the usually Fake-HDR bloom effect seen in several other recent games (Deus EX 2 is the one that stands out, I think, for misusing it). It really makes those later beaches look awsome.