How much are YOU upgrading for CM:BB?

[Captain Wacky]

After chugging along for 3 years on my out-of-the-box HP PII 400mhz, with upgrades to 196 RAM and Voodoo5 PCI, I have decided it's time to do some major upgrading.

The final straws for this PC came when I couldn't run Return to Castle Wolfenstein, or when I was getting 4-9fps in Age of Empires. Not very fun.

So in a little more than a month I will say goodbye and good riddance to this wimpy desktop computer and say hello to a screaming game machine. Marvel at my components, an AMD Athlon 1900 processor (1.6ghz but as fast or faster than a P4 2ghz), 512 DDR RAM, and GeForce 3 Ti500 video card, 20gig hard drive (not a lot, but I never use more than 5gig anyway). ALL YOUR HIGH POLYGON COUNTS ARE BELONG TO ME! It all comes wrapped in my snazzy metallic space-black full tower case with matching black keyboard & intellimouse.

I ordered the thing online from Alienware, and *GASP* a day later I got a call from, *GASP* a REAL person to confirm my order and make sure I got everything I wanted. It will set me back 1800 and some odd dollars (not too bad for what is in my opinion a dream rig), but I got a $100 rebate for and Alienware PC from Age of Empires

My one worry-the rig comes with Windows XP, and I've heard that CM doesn't run with the Nvidia XP drivers. Please, say it ain't so! I guess I could partition the drive and put Windows '98 on part of it, and run CM off of that. Still, a minor pain in the arse.

So who else is doing some upgrading (or major overhauling) to prepare for CM:BB? I'm sure I'll appreciate my new processing speed when modeling the hordes of Russian infantry and tanks waiting to be mowed down

[Silvio Manuel]

Well I'll have to upgrade, since I only have a shared 2MB video card (crappo HP computer). My 191MB of normal ram is the only saving grace. According to their website, my HP 6645C's shared VRAM are non-upgradeable (for the vid-card). We'll see about that.

I'm not looking forward to the expense of buying a new what- motherboard? whole cpu? to play CMBB, but then again my rig is way on the extreme of the bell-curve.

I also used to get some grief w/ Age of Empires...during a big clash w/ 30 or so units from each nation on screen at once, my OS would crash. That also happens to me sometimes w/ CM....playing some stupid big battle w/ 20 tanks, 40 other AFVs, hi-res mods, etc...pushing my machine a bit too hard.

[Andrew H.]

Well, you can follow my exciting upgrading story in full on the Tech Support part of the bbs, but basically I'm getting this computer:

1.53Ghz 266FSB AMD XP CPU w/ 256KB Cache

ASUS A7V266 Socket-A ATX Motherboard

256MB PC2100 DDR RAM

80GB UltraATA/100 HardDrive 7200RPM

16X DVD-ROM w/ Software

16X/10X/40X CD-RW w/ Adaptec V5.0 Software

1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive

64MB GeForce2 MX AGP Graphics Accelerator Card

Ambient 56K PCI Data/Fax V.90 Modem

On-Board PCI Sound System

2-Serial / 1-Parallel / 2-USB Ports

Deluxe ATX Mid Tower Case w/ 300W Power Supply

It's not quite at the level of your system, but I'm very happy with the $925 price. I'll probably upgrade the video card at some point, of course, which will add another couple hundred dollars to the cost.

I put my order in today, and I should be able to pick it up next Thursday.

[Schrullenhaft]

CMBO does run with NVidia drivers on XP. The one major problem is that the 2D screen white elements will appear transparent. This can be cleared up by ESC'ing or ALT-TAB'ing and then remaximizing CM. FSAA (2X, 4X or Quincux) fixes the other problems with white in the game. You'll want to use either the 15.70 or the 23.10/23.11 drivers (though the 21.xx-23.xx drivers may not work properly for everyone, depending on their motherboard chipset).

I'm under the impression that a future driver may clear this problem up completely. It may take a month or two, but the fix should be coming pretty soon.

[ 01-04-2002: Message edited by: Schrullenhaft ]</p>

[Captain Wacky]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Andrew Hedges:

Well, you can follow my exciting upgrading story in full on the Tech Support part of the bbs, but basically I'm getting this computer:

1.53Ghz 266FSB AMD XP CPU w/ 256KB Cache

ASUS A7V266 Socket-A ATX Motherboard

256MB PC2100 DDR RAM

80GB UltraATA/100 HardDrive 7200RPM

16X DVD-ROM w/ Software

16X/10X/40X CD-RW w/ Adaptec V5.0 Software

1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive

64MB GeForce2 MX AGP Graphics Accelerator Card

Ambient 56K PCI Data/Fax V.90 Modem

On-Board PCI Sound System

2-Serial / 1-Parallel / 2-USB Ports

Deluxe ATX Mid Tower Case w/ 300W Power Supply

It's not quite at the level of your system, but I'm very happy with the $925 price. I'll probably upgrade the video card at some point, of course, which will add another couple hundred dollars to the cost.

I put my order in today, and I should be able to pick it up next Thursday.

<hr></blockquote>

Pretty damn good for the price though. 1.53ghz, I think that is the Athlon 1800 processor. The AMD's are slower, but more efficient, which is why I like them. They end up being as fast as P4 2ghz. If I were you I'd hold off on the vid card for now and go for the RAM & crank it up to 512. Nothing could stop you then

[ 01-04-2002: Message edited by: Captain Wacky ]</p>

[Andrew H.]

Yeah, it is the Athlon 1800 processor. WRT vid cards, this system is so superior to what I have now, that I might as well be blown away by it as is, and then upgrade as I become more jaded. Or when CMBB is actually released.

I made pretty much same the initial computer mistake you did, buying a Compaq K62 533 from best buy, around 2 years ago. I knew enough to look for AGP, but didn't know enough to realize that "integrated AGP" was not the same as an actual AGP slot. Not at all the same .

And of course my compaq has a weird form that prevents just putting in a new motherboard.

So I can't wait for my new standard computer!

[Captain Wacky]

I know those out-of-the-box horror stories well. My brother's HP is SO SMALL. The thing is only like 12 inches high. They didn't even bother to put a fan in it to keep it cool! We had to put a room fan next to it to keep it cool after installing the Voodoo5 (PCI no less, grumble...) They also built his computer on a slant leaning back, so when the CD tray closes it knocks the CD off. He had to put blocks of wood under the back to make the thing level! HP also screwed up the little CD lights. The green light goes on when the CD is being read, and is orange when idle. For the longest time he couldn't figure out why the CD was reading when the light was green & idle, and why the CD was idle when the light was orange & reading!

[Kirill S.]

well, after reading in horror that 16mb vram is not enough, I added a GF2 GTS to my 1GHZ system...

[BFCElvis]

Just upgraded:

P4 1.7GHZ

256RAm

64MB GeForce

The last timeI upgraded my computer was Oct. 1999 whn I thought CM would be out for Christmas.

[stodge]

I just upgraded my PC to Linux, so I guess I won't be playing CM for a while.

[busboy]

Well, I bought my current Mac with "World War II Online" in mind.

WW2OL is one of the most hardware intesive games around, so I got what I considered a satisfactory combo for price and performance.

As a result, I am quite confidant my Mac'll be able to handle CMB:B.

I've got a G4 466Mhz, 512 megs of RAM, and an NVIDIA 32 meg graphics card. OS 9.2.2.

I'm looking forward to B:B. Course, I'm also still looking forward for the Mac version of WW2OL as well. I manage to play WW2OL anyway, my fellow Mac users are, for the most part, left out.

[Bog]

I just upgraded my 600mhz Celeron to 320MB of RAM, and a 32MB TNT2 card. I think I'm prepared for CMBB.

[Iron Chef Sakai]

WW2OL???? I was silly enough to buy the game on release.......i paid 50 dollars for a card board box with pictures of a game that was about 1/4 finished.

It was a good idea, but the game still is'nt even what it's advertized as. Even if cornered rat somday comletes their game i would'nt bother playing it just because of how awful the game was for 3 months that i tried to play it.

Also, my computer had more then the recommended requirements to play the game, and i was'nt on a dial up modem.

[Cauldron]

The Nvidia problem is not trivial.

The 21.8x drivers have worked best for me, the 23.xx drivers are a step backwards ( though actually work faster.

I have the zip on my machine if you need this baby.

eric\\

[Wolfe]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Andrew Hedges:

On-Board PCI Sound System

<hr></blockquote>

Sounds like a very nice system, Andrew! But what is the "onboard PCI sound"? If it's the integrated AC97, then this may be the weakest part of your new system. I recently replaced the AC97 sound I was using with a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, and what a difference! There's actual *Bass* sounds coming out now. And sounds in CM no longer cut out when the action gets hot-n-heavy. I set up a face-off of an infantry company, 3 platoons of tanks, and 5 different arty FOs on each side and had them shoot at each other for a couple of turns. The AC97 would cut sounds out before playing all the way thru them or even completely omit some sound effects (often incoming artillery). T'was very annoying. The Santa Cruz now plays everything and with much more gusto!

The AC97 isn't horrible, but it's not that great either. If you have some decent speakers (and some money left! ) you might want to consider a true PCI soundcard. Just a thought about an otherwise very nice setup.

- Chris

[Pvt. Ryan]

Capt. Wacky, I will probably get an Alienware when the time comes as well. What monitor are you going to use? You didn't say you were getting one from Alienware, and I have heard the ones they offer aren't so good. I have a PIII 933 now, but it is having trouble coping with some of the newer stuff without turning down some options.

[PiggDogg]

I'm upgrading in about 6 weeks. My 3 year old (2/2/99) P2-400, TNT 16 meg, 512 RAM is just too old. My wife is getting this computer, & I'm getting near the fastest Athlon XP CPU with all the bells & whistles. I'll be ready for CMBB easily & for Medal Of Honor.

But, damn, I don't want MOH to take time away from my CMBO & CMBB. :mad:

Cheers, Richard :cool:

[Swift]

I have ordered a P4 2GHz with a GeForce 3 Ti500 card and 500Mb RAM... Hopefully this will do the job

I'm amazed that anybody could write "I just upgraded my PC to Linux, so I guess I won't be playing CM for a while". There should be a law against that sort of thing. :mad:

[Swift]

I forgot about Neverwinter Nights... it also could be a reason to upgrade my computer.

[busboy]

Sorry to hear that Iron Chef, you're missing out on a lot of fun.

Don't hold the grudge against CRS, they didn't finished product. The culprit was Strategy First. Since the release, the game producers and the testers have worked their asses off to make the game what they want it to be.

And ya know what? They're almost there too.

CRS is not an immoral, money grubbing company. They are dedicated to making their game be as close to real war as they can make it. And they will continue to improve the game too. It already is a blast, though it isn't quite the war simulation it hopes to be. There's not enough strategic element there yet. Tactically, the game is OUTSTANDING.

Trust me bud, give the game another chance and don't be bitter.

[Captain Wacky]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Pvt. Ryan:

Capt. Wacky, I will probably get an Alienware when the time comes as well. What monitor are you going to use? You didn't say you were getting one from Alienware, and I have heard the ones they offer aren't so good. I have a PIII 933 now, but it is having trouble coping with some of the newer stuff without turning down some options.<hr></blockquote>

I have a 17-inch NEC monitor which I'm just going to keep using for now. It's got great color, so I don't mind that it's not flatscreen (I just gave my 17 inch flat to my mom cuz it was flickering, and she won't use it that much). I think the monitors Alienware offers are all NEC, and I thought they were a pretty reputable company. I don't really keep up on the monitor market though.

[phil stanbridge]

I'm playing CMBO on an overclocked XP1500, running winXP. It's currently running at 1.43ghz . Still more to come I think, there's a lot of scope with the old AMD stuff.

I'm running that on an Epox 8KHA+ motherboard with 512mb PC2100 ram. OOhh and don't forget my Coolermaster ATCS 101 case - it cost me £250.

All that in conjunction with a Sonic Fury sound card, DTS2500 speakers and a Sony G400 19" monitor. A pretty good setup IMHO.

[Stixx]

I'm thinking of upgrading but like always it is just a matter of money.

I had a Celeron 300 and upgraded to a P3 600. I was very disapointed! My system seemed to go backwards. In the last 6 months i have been getting excesive disk crunching when opening up programs.

What is a reasonable CPU around the $200 US mark?

I don't plan on buying another intel. AMD?

[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Stixx ]</p>

[Vanir Ausf B]

My current rig (P3 500, 256 meg of PC133 ram, Geforce 256) will run CM2 fine. But I will likely upgrade in about 6 month anyway... for Unreal Tournament 2

I'll probably go with:

Asus 766a motherboard

AMD Athlon 1.5-2.0 Gig (depends on budget)

384 megs of PC 2400 ram

Leadtek GeForce 3 500i

I'll probably get a new HD as well. My current 27 Gig Western Digital is starting to make an odd noise.

[Splinty]

I think I'm ready. I've got a Dell 4300,running a Pentium III 1Ghz with 512 Megs of SDRAM,a 20Gig HD dedicated to nothing but games and my creme de la creme an Xctasy 6564 GeForce 3 Ti 200 Video card. It may not be the fastest thing around,but it sure does the trick.