FarCry performance question

[asdasd12345]

My computer is an Athlon 2400+ (266 FSB I think) with 512 MB PC2100 Ram, 20GB 5400RPM HD, Geforce 3Ti200 64MB Ram. I can play FarCry on the lowest settings (800x600) and it goes OK. I tried to play it on medium and it was very jerky and poor. On the high setting the computer crashed and I had to restart.

I dont know too much about computers. What is the one thing I need to get better performance. Does my whole computer need a total overhaul? If I get the 9600XT 256MB will it greatly improve the quality and perhaps allow me to play the game on medium setting? Also will Half Life 2 be of similiar performance to what Im getting on FarCry? Thnaks

 

[lans]

Half-life 2 should play much better than Far Cry, it'll hopefully be a very optimized game. Your computer should run it fine - but it's time you get a new graphics card.

You can play Far cry on high settings at 1024 x 768 and no AA with a 9600XT, but for the same price you can find a 9800 pro these days which will allow you to play the game at very high settings and even better resolutions. So go for a 9800 pro instead.

 

[Malfunction]

Well, the first thing I'd get would be a new video card. If you can afford it, a 9800 Pro, or if you can go even higher, go get a 6800-GT.

Then, if you still have money, upgrade your processor. Once again, if you can afford it, get an Athlon 64, maybe a 3000+.

But let me know what your budget is and I'll help more.

 

[asdasd12345]

The budget isnt too bad. I figured if I needed a total overhaul I would get a Athlon 64 2800, 1gb Ram, keep my old case and spend 200 on a radeon 9800 pro. but then I think I may as well wait till Christmas when I can get them all for cheaper. So perhaps for now I should just buy the 9800 pro and wait till Christmas to do a massive upgrade.

Do you think the 9800 pro will be enough for any game that comes out within the next year or so?

 

[bosox188]

Yes, get a 9800 pro now, and get the Athlon 64 and 1GB ram for xmas. And your hard drive is kinda old, 5,400 rpm is slow, 7,200 rpm is the standard today. If you have anything leftover to spend I would get a faster hard drive.

 

[Shadow-warrior]

Have you tried changing the settings to use OpenGl instead of DirectX

Believe it or not I can run both the Far Cry demos at 30-40fps with high texture and low/medium on the other settings with a Geforce 2 PRO / Athlon 1.4!!! LOL


Go to the Far Cry folder, open the file 'systemcfg.lua' with notepad, find the line
r_Driver = "Direct3D9"

and change it to

r_Driver = "OpenGL"

Save it and now the game should run in Open GL. Simply change it back if it doesn't work.

 

[iamaelephant]

Your current system with a 9800 pro would run Far Cry at mostly high settings, possibly need to turn down either texture detail, world detail or shadow detail, but it will still look brilliant.

Although we don't know for sure, the general concensus is that HL2 should run alot better than Far Cry.

 

[Roland Deschain]

Ok, FarCry on a 9800Pro plays like a dream. I can push 1024, very high (everything), 4xAA and 8xAF and still keep above 50 fps all the time (the only time it gets that low is when there are a lot of mercs around).

I doubt HL2 will be that leanient, since from what I've seen of the VSA (if is does reflect the game play), at 1024 and 4AA and 8AF, the 9800 pro drops to ~30 fps.