NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm not exactly an expert with computers so bear with me...

Alright, I believe my current video card is an Intel one, and it came with the whole computer.

It's fine and everything, but I haven't been able to play the demos of Call of Duty 2 and of Battlefield 2 because I believe my video card isn't able to support these two games.

So, I am looking to find out what's the cheapest way I can go to be able to play these two games. I have no clue where to look or where to start, so I figured I'd start by asking people who knew more than me.

If you need more information, I'll tell you.

What kind of motherboard do you have?

If you have an Intel GPU (graphics processing unit) you most likely have a built in video chip solution on your motherboard, not a video card. So, you have to be able to tell us if you have an AGP slot for a video card, if you don't have an AGP slot, do you have a PCI slot.

There is a small chance that you have a PCI-x16 slot, if your system is brand new or very new you can check for that.

Can’t recommend a video card for you until I know what you can use. The rest of your system specs would be nice too, to better understand what your system is capable of utilizing.

Alright, I believe my current video card is an Intel one, and it came with the whole computer.On board video eh? Yeah, that sucks.
It's fine and everything, but I haven't been able to play the demos of Call of Duty 2 and of Battlefield 2 because I believe my video card isn't able to support these two games.Does the game start? Error message? Slow shitty graphics?
So, I am looking to find out what's the cheapest way I can go to be able to play these two games. I have no clue where to look or where to start, so I figured I'd start by asking people who knew more than me.

If you need more information, I'll tell you.
More info would be helpful. ;)

BTW, What is your computer's specs? Does your mobo have an AGP port or PCI-E?

On board video eh? Yeah, that sucks.
Does the game start? Error message? Slow shitty graphics?

...

I think both of those games do a check at boot up looking for a DX9.0c capable video card and the intel graphics solution can't do those so the game says 'you need blah blah blah' to run this game.

If you have an Intel GPU (graphics processing unit) you most likely have a built in video chip solution on your motherboard, not a video card. So, you have to be able to tell us if you have an AGP slot for a video card, if you don't have an AGP slot, do you have a PCI slot.

There is a small chance that you have a PCI-x16 slot, if your system is brand new or very new you can check for that.

Can’t recommend a video card for you until I know what you can use. The rest of your system specs would be nice too, to better understand what your system is capable of utilizing.
Ah okay, how do I find all that stuff out?

Wait, here's what it says under System in Control Panel.

Intel (R) Pentium 4 CPU 2.40GHz
2.40 Ghz, 512 MB of RAM

Ah okay, how do I find all that stuff out?

Tell us the model number and names on your computer, and what you do know about it, such as what year you bought it, how much memory do you have, did you buy a system brand that we might be able to check for you.

OR

You can look inside your case to see if you have one of these.

http://www.cheapcomputersandparts.com/Images/Parts/Motherboard-AGP-Slot.jpg

Tell us the model number and names on your computer, and what you do know about it, such as what year you bought it, how much memory do you have, did you buy a system brand that we might be able to check for you.

OR

You can look inside your case to see if you have one of these.

http://www.cheapcomputersandparts.com/Images/Parts/Motherboard-AGP-Slot.jpg
Yes, it looks like that. Above those gray slots, little to the right...brown colored...

...But I dunno if it's EXACTLY the same...(It's segmented 1/3 of the way from the right)

I got it somewhere around 2002-2003.

I think both of those games do a check at boot up looking for a DX9.0c capable video card and the intel graphics solution can't do those so the game says 'you need blah blah blah' to run this game.Hmm... maybe that's the problem. I had that same problem once with my other PC, the problem is that DX9.0c do not support some Intel video drivers. So if you recently update the drivers, DirectX won't support the video card because MS did not test the driver or the driver is incompatable with DirectX.

Sounds like an AGP slot to me.

How much can you spend on this video card?

Sounds like an AGP slot to me.

How much can you spend on this video card?
How low am I able to go? I'm not exactly in a high-income family...

Yes, it looks like that. Above those gray slots, little to the right...brown colored...

...But I dunno if it's EXACTLY the same...(It's segmented 1/3 of the way from the right)

I got it somewhere around 2002-2003.
Ugly brown color? AGP. Get a Radeon 9800 something.

How low am I able to go? I'm not exactly in a high-income family...
I recommend you go to these websites:

www.ncix.com (and then click USA)
www.tigerdirect.com
www.futureshop.com
www.newegg.com

I recommend you go to these websites:

www.ncix.com (and then click USA)
www.tigerdirect.com
www.futureshop.com
www.newegg.com
Alright but...what do I look for...? :confused:

You can go very low, less than fifty bucks, however, the games will have to be played at the extreme lowest settings, and even then, they will play jerky and you won't like it, and the other people that see you playing like that will say,, WTH is wrong with your computer man?

I can't recommend them, but they will play the games as a technicality. You could get a 5500 AGP card, like this one, $48 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814145082

But I HIGHLY recommend that you save more money and wait an extra month or whatever it takes, to pay for a least something like this... $66
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102409

And I wouldn't buy either one of those for a system in my house, I would rather pay at least $134 or not play (I'm not kidding)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130001

Ugly brown color? AGP. Get a Radeon 9800 something.

If he will spend the money, I agree, good card for it's day. But I think the 9800's are still around a $100+ and for that you might as well get the 6600GT or the 700X and get the newer technologies so it will last longer.

If he will spend the money, I agree, good card for it's day. But I think the 9800's are still around a $100+ and for that you might as well get the 6600GT or the 700X and get the newer technologies so it will last longer.
Which would require a new motherboard, and probably a new processor then. Nice try though.

Which would require a new motherboard, and probably a new processor then. Nice try though.

No it wouldn't, the AGP 6600GT is linked to above (the one I recommended).


EDIT:
And here is a two slot X700 for the AGP slot for $136
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161147

And a single slot for $105
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102584

When you install whatever you get, see if you can find anything in your manual about disabling the on-board graphics chip, otherwise it may cause a hardware conflict with whatever you put in.

Damn integrated video crap...I've got one, its weak shite to begin with, and it won't step aside for my new graphics card without a fight...

I think both of those games do a check at boot up looking for a DX9.0c capable video card and the intel graphics solution can't do those so the game says 'you need blah blah blah' to run this game.

Thats strange, normally the rule of thumb is if the graphics card doens't support those features in 9.0c, it should simply use software mode, aka, 'the cpu' to carry out the same task - there is a suckage factor involved, but it should still run.

OpenGL is the same situation - and when OpenGL come out (which is just the consolodation of all the extensions which each video card vendor added to their video cards), you'll find that some will run in hardware mode and others in software mode, and like DirectX, if you want it fully in hardware mode, then you need upgrade.

Thats strange, normally the rule of thumb is if the graphics card doens't support those features in 9.0c, it should simply use software mode, aka, 'the cpu' to carry out the same task - there is a suckage factor involved, but it should still run.

OpenGL is the same situation - and when OpenGL come out (which is just the consolodation of all the extensions which each video card vendor added to their video cards), you'll find that some will run in hardware mode and others in software mode, and like DirectX, if you want it fully in hardware mode, then you need upgrade.

The two games he mentioned, Battlefield 2 and Call of Duty 2, are the supposed latest and 'greatest' games as far as advanced graphics go right now. They are pushing the envelope with shaders and whatnot, so to speak, and trying to maximize their sales to the high end graphics card owners (although I still think the FarCry with it's next patch will be just as good and hard to run at maximum detail). Intel lists both of those games as 'unplayable red games' at their Intel Graphics website for their solutions...

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel945g/sb/CS-020666.htm

You can go very low, less than fifty bucks, however, the games will have to be played at the extreme lowest settings, and even then, they will play jerky and you won't like it, and the other people that see you playing like that will say,, WTH is wrong with your computer man?

I can't recommend them, but they will play the games as a technicality. You could get a 5500 AGP card, like this one, $48 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814145082

But I HIGHLY recommend that you save more money and wait an extra month or whatever it takes, to pay for a least something like this... $66
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102409

And I wouldn't buy either one of those for a system in my house, I would rather pay at least $134 or not play (I'm not kidding)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130001
So uh, would the $66 one work with normal settings or high settings, or is that too hopeful...?

The two games he mentioned, Battlefield 2 and Call of Duty 2, are the supposed latest and 'greatest' games as far as advanced graphics go right now. They are pushing the envelope with shaders and whatnot, so to speak, and trying to maximize their sales to the high end graphics card owners (although I still think the FarCry with it's next patch will be just as good and hard to run at maximum detail). Intel lists both of those games as 'unplayable red games' at their Intel Graphics website for their solutions...

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel945g/sb/CS-020666.htm

They're an awful card, they should make it a crime punishable by painful torture for companies to sell computers with such anemically under powered equipment given that even the most basic of end users will want to play games on their computer.

So uh, would the $66 one work with normal settings or high settings, or is that too hopeful...?

1024x768 medium settings

They're an awful card, they should make it a crime punishable by painful torture for companies to sell computers with such anemically under powered equipment given that even the most basic of end users will want to play games on their computer.

Agreed. But meh, it is what it is. Works great for databases and spreadsheets I'm sure.

1024x768 medium settings
Alright, I can live with that perhaps. Thanks a bunch for all your help.

I need to make some money decisions now...:(...See what I can and can't get.

Alright, I can live with that perhaps. Thanks a bunch for all your help.
...

You're welcome, don't mention it.

Agreed. But meh, it is what it is. Works great for databases and spreadsheets I'm sure.

yeah, but in a desktop computer that is obviously going to be used for atleast a small amount of gaming? sure, I can understand in a fleet of enterprise pizza box computers, but a desktop one for Joe Blogs - oh well, then again, they could easily turn around and say that the individual wished to be a cheap skate when the offer to spend an extra hundred for a better graphics card was on the table.