Colonel J Lee Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 I have an "Integrated Intel 3D AGP Graphics Card" and a Windows XP Home OS. I am not very computer savvy and need help. I have tried hitting SHIFT/W several times to get the Fog graphics for "Fear in the Fog" (CMBO), but am having no success. The manual says I "may need to enable 'fog table emulation' in the control panel for Direct X and/or your video driver." It would be nice if the manual gave the steps to this resolution since most people are not technically as skilled as the designers of the game :mad: (and in some cases, like my own, are not skilled or educated in computers AT ALL)....PLEASE HELP. I want the full effects of the scenario visible. Give me the steps simply, PLEASE! THank you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 Step One: Forget it. The integrated Intel 3-D chip will not render fog under any circumstances. Note that this has no effect on actual gameplay. No ATI based video chip will render fog, either. Only Nvidia based cards will give you proper fog table emulation. (I'm not sure of the other manufacturers, like Matrox). This also holds true for Intel's next generation chip, Extreme Graphics 2. Time to invest in a video card, my friend. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted February 23, 2004 Author Share Posted February 23, 2004 Thanks, Hauptman Lisse. Crummy news, though. I just bought this computer. (2.5 ghz, 256 RAM, etc. etc.) Oh, well......... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 No problem, Herr Colonel, list out your new box's specs and we can steer you in the right direction. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted February 23, 2004 Author Share Posted February 23, 2004 Hpt. Lisse! Here are my new box's specs: Windows XP Home Pentium 4 Intel Processor at 2.53 Ghz Integrated Intel 3D Extreme Graphics Video Card 256 Megs of RAM 40 GB ATA 100 Hard Drive 16X DVD Rom Integrated Audio Sound Card Can you get something decent for around $100 ? $200 seems like a lot ...but if it's worth it I can wait. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Well... if you really want fog in CM, then NVidia will be your most popular choice. However it seems as if the $100 price point is avoided with most of the models out there. The GeForce 4 MX series (420,440.460 & 4000) are all under US$100, but don't offer really good performance - though it will be better than your integrated Intel video. If you go over $100, starting around $130 or more, you'll see some of the GeForce 4 Ti's or FXs. Newegg has a GeForce 4 Ti4600 for $140 or you can possibly bid on them for less on eBay (if you trust getting an used videocard from an individual). The GeForce FX 5700 is in the same $140 range too. The FX5200's aren't really worth their price generally speaking. They have sub-par performance (a GeForce 4 MX may be faster at a number of things). The FX5600's are OK, just a little slower than the 5700's. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junk2drive Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 schrullenhaft, do most of these new computers have agp slots? or should a person check first before shopping? i would assume 8x is standard now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 Yyyeeessss, if there's any way to find out what motherboard you have inside, we could better assist you... it should be visible when you first boot up your computer. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 As Hpt. Lisse said, yes, most new computers have AGP slots, but not all do. Occasionally some of the 'really cheap' computers may come without an AGP slot (even though they may have a fairly decent CPU). You can either identify your motherboard or computer model (if it is a name-brand computer) for someone here to help or you can possibly look through your documentation for the computer/motherboard. However you have to be on the watch for 'AGP Graphics' as a term since it may indicate that the built-in video is using the AGP bus, but it may not actually have an 'AGP Expansion slot' to add another video card into. Hopefully the documentation will be concise enough to specify that there is an available AGP expansion slot. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted February 24, 2004 Author Share Posted February 24, 2004 So, Herr Schrullenhaft....this new computer of mine is a Dell Dimension 2400 (I gave you the specs above). Do I have to worry about having the proper port to install the GeForce FX 5700 card, for example? Do I take the integrated extreme graphics card out? I'm really not very tech as far as computers go, but would like to do it if it's not too difficult. I appreciate your input greatly.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Canuck Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 Col. You need an Accelerated Graphics *Port*, I'm guessing you can determine this with a phone call to Dell? KC 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junk2drive Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 there are pci graphic cards. not as good as agp. most computers have a couple of empty pci slots for modem cards, ethernet cards, etc if not built in. if you can use one i dont know, call to dell or websearch. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 No, Colonel, an integrated graphics chip resides on the main motherboard of your computer, and usually shares the system's (in your case, 256MB) memory for it's display duties, so one doesn't remove it. In many cases, though, one can disable it IF an add-on graphics card is plugged into the afforementioned AGP slot. This article here demonstrates that even low-end video cards outperform integrated graphic chips by a wide margin. The bad news is that, when I go to Dell and try to spec out a 2400 like yours, it doesn't give me any other graphic options other than the integrated one, which leads me to think that your motherboard may not have an AGP slot on it. However, all is not lost. As Junk2drive mentioned, there are video cards that reside in PCI slots, of which your computer has several. Inno3D even makes a 128MB FX5600 model that is PCI. Check out Pricewatch for your options and cost. Let us know if this is a direction you want to proceed in, and we can continue to help out. (or Dell tech support can, too, I would think). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 Colonel J Lee the Dell Dimension 2400 unfortunately does not have an AGP slot. You're limited to three PCI slots, which means that an upgrade to your video would have to be a PCI videocard. Here's an image of your motherboard. That limits you to either (for the NVidia-based cards) a GeForce 4 MX 440 or a GeForce FX 5200. Neither of them are great cards, but I would probably recommend the GeForce 4 MX series over the FX 5200 series (which really has anemic performance). edit - I stand corrected, the Inno3D FX5600 PCI would probably be the best card to get by far. There's a 128Mb and a 256Mb version of the card. In my experience Inno3D videocards have been good. I'd recommend Newegg as an online retailer (good prices, fast and often free Fedex shipping), but there are probably some decent ones in the greater Atlanta area too. edit - Amamax seemed to be one of the only (or few) retailers to carry the Inno3D card, which will probably be hard to find locally (almost everything will be AGP in most retail stores). [ February 24, 2004, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: Schrullenhaft ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted February 24, 2004 Author Share Posted February 24, 2004 You guys are excellent at what you're doing on this forum. Is this member contribution work; or are you associated with BFC in some other capacity? I'm just curious. You're very helpful. Thanks! I checked out Amamax and they have the Inno3D FX5600 card for $119. I'll check with Dell regarding how to proceed. I'm not going to bother you guys any more; you have helped enough! THANKS again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 It's all volunteer. But BFC should be paying Schrullenhaft - look at this guy, over 4500 posts, he's helped countless CM players with hardware/software issues. I'm beginning to suspect that he never sleeps... My only worry is that Dell may not want to help you with this. Let us know how it works out... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 One word of warning - that "$119" card you picked out is actually an FX5200 and not an FX5600. The PCI FX5600 128Mb is $135. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted February 25, 2004 Author Share Posted February 25, 2004 You're right Herr Schrullenhaft, I purposely picked out the 256 meg card. If the one your citing is BETTER, than I have no problem with the marginally more money. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU THINK IT IS. By the way, is this an easy install? THanks again, Herr! :cool: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 25, 2004 Share Posted February 25, 2004 The step up from a 5200 to the 5600 is significant, as you can see here . This is far more important than the vid card having 256MB vs. 128MB. Schrullenhaft can walk you through the physical installation, but you will have to find out where in your BIOS to disable that on-board Intel vid chip once the card is in place. Was Dell helpful at all? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted February 25, 2004 Author Share Posted February 25, 2004 Actually, Hptm., I'm going to print this thread and get back to you guys when I have the cash to buy the video card. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easytarget Posted February 29, 2004 Share Posted February 29, 2004 anyone else reading this thread about to buy a new system would do themselves a huge favor if they held off for a few months PCI Express is just around the corner and replaces the AGP slot if you can hold off a few months you'll benefit from being on the front end of new video card technology and avoid paying for the last of the old technology 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hpt. Lisse Posted February 29, 2004 Share Posted February 29, 2004 True - ATI is embracing PCI Ex. whole hog, while Nvidia will continue to have their GPU's AGP accessable, producing two versions of the same card (which theoretically sacrifices some speed when used on a PCI Ex. card). Nvidia wants to see how fast PCI Ex. gets universally accepted first. However, many people on this forum have to save up just to buy a $200 vid. card, let alone an entirely new motherboard (a new system, really, if one considers what's involved). Maybe, when CM X2 comes out... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel J Lee Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 Gentlemen: After networking successfully this past weekend (with the help of a good friend), I've decided to upgrade the video card in my Micron PC and let the wife and kids use the newer Dell Computer. Okay....I need Herr Schrullenhaft and Hptmn. Lisse's invaluable input. Here are the specs: Micron PC - 1 ghz Athlon processor 384 mgs DDR RAM (upgrade - was originally 128) 40 Gb Hard Drive NVidia Vanta LT card, 16 mg RAM (whew!!!! Scary, huh? !) The computer tech manual says there are 4 PCI expansion slots and 1 AGP expansion slot. I've had this computer for 3 years and it's been great. What do you recommend in the way of a video card that is reliable and likely a problem free performer (at least initially)? Do you recommend going with a PCI card, AGP? etc. I am willing to spend $150 or less. THANKS GUYS! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Canuck Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Col. Lee; Even though I'm neither of the two you asked, here is a reference on Vid card prices from last week. Video card prices Go with an AGP card, 5600 series or up. If the greatest demand(game?) on your PC is going to be CM, a 5600 will work just fine. KC 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 AGP will be less expensive, a better performer (generally speaking) and will offer more selection than PCI. The same card offered in PCI and AGP implementations will be more expensive in the PCI form factor, just because there is less demand for PCI videocards. I'd suggest a GeForce 4 Ti4600. You can find them used (and new) on eBay, though you'll have to trust the individual or company selling it. You can buy them new from several places online too. I usually recommend Newegg, which has free FedEx shipping on many items. The one disadvantage of the GeForce 4 Ti line is that they are DirectX 8.x capable cards. That means that some of the very latest titles won't show all their effects with this slightly older generation of cards. However for CM's purposes they work fine (and they may still be good for CMx2 when it comes out, but that is a major guess). The other detail that we would probably need to know is which motherboard you have for your Athlon 1GHz or if you know the Micron model of your desktop (though that may not give us conclusive info). Some chipsets/motherboards don't cooperate very well with some higher performing videocards, so knowing the model of the motherboard may give a heads up on possible problems. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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