Video card dying a horrible death

[Saruke]

For the past few weeks my computer has been stroking out when I try to play a game thats more graphically intensive then pac-man. At first it only did this when after like 4-5 hours of gameplay and then I could just turn it off for a while and it's be fine but now I cant even play for an hour before by monitor either goes dark or the game crashes.

So I was just wondering if this is unavoidable and I'll have to get a new video card or if theres something I can do to delay the inevitable. (Cause I'm kinda poor right now)

 

[Crash]

If you are sure it's your card, make sure it's staying is cool as possible...Clean the dust out of the case, etc...If possible add (another) fan to get some airflow across the card. Fans are pretty cheap. Other than that, talk really nice to her. (Your computer is a her, isn't she?)

 

[Saruke]

Her name is Emma