Pc Gaming

norrie rugger · 17-02-2012 2:57pm

I spent €700 for my build recently and it is creaming anything that I throw at it.
I can upgrade the GPU in coming years no prob, wish that I had thought to get a MB with two GPU slots though. Ah well build and learn

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 3:15pm

Kiith wrote: »

I agree that 'high end' will cost you more than €600, but i'd also argue that high end is almost pointless these days. It's a luxury, that if you can afford is great, but for the vast majority of people it's pointless. Mid range will easily play any game that you could throw at it, at full settings. There is a very common misconception that you need to spend over €1000 just to be able to play any game, when that isn't even remotely true.

this.

now we are in games section, so we will talk about high end PC for gaming. PC in general have no roof, the only limitation is your wallet. the way limerics put it: " well high end pc is expencive, and if you want some decent enthusiast pc, then it will cost you a leg and kidney."]

PC gaming does not need most powerfull PC on the market anymore. for example i5 2500k is THE MAX you need for gaming, you wont see any improvement in gaming with i7 or even EXTREME series CPUs, which will cost 7 times more. so for pc HIGH END is i5 2500k. you need 4gb ram for gaming, but it is so cheap so 8gb is best choice, which is HIGH END. there are new GPU generation out from ATI. it is expencive, because its new. 6 Series is still very powerfull. before 7 series came out 6970, gtx570, gtx580 were high end. these cards can max out any game at 1080p with solid fps, these will drop in price ALOT very soon. if you turn off AA it will be super fps. ( with such high resolution like 1080p you need less and less AA, i personally dont even bother with it anymore as it is making such little difference).

this is pc that i putted together in 3 minutes, if i will make it properly i could knock of price, or make better. this build is over 800eu, but it includes 22inch 1080p monitor, high end CPU, high end ram, high end mobo gen 3, high end gpu. you need to add 20eu on mouse+keyboard. ( i bought myself a very good microsoft for that money ). if you use your TV, then you can knock off 100 quid of price again. keep in mine hdd prices are overpriced as **** atm, because of the floodings in factories. you could normally get 2TB for 60eu, not its a bit off, but soon it will get sorted.

Total build cost: €867.66 + €30 shipping
Xigmatek Asgard, ATX, ohne Netzteil, schwarz €32.63
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 550W €52.51
ASRock Z68 Pro3 Gen3, Sockel 1155, ATX €93.83
Intel Core i5-2500K Tray, LGA1155 €191.73
6GB-Kit Corsair DDR3 PC1333 C9 Classic €35.99
Seagate Barracuda Green 7200.12 500GB SATA 3 6GB/s €79.00
Powercolor HD6970 2048MB Dual-DVI €280.99
BenQ G2225HD €100.98

so here you go, a PC which will max out any game at 1080p for 900eu. high end pc for gaming. i am not the best pc builder on boards.ie, the lads from " building pc" forum here will make better then i can and make it cheaper too, so this is only rough example.

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 3:31pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

this.

now we are in games section, so we will talk about high end PC for gaming. PC in general have no roof, the only limitation is your wallet. the way limerics put it: " well high end pc is expencive, and if you want some decent enthusiast pc, then it will cost you a leg and kidney."]/

I did not say that, please don't misquote me. The term expensive is dependant on the observer.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

PC gaming does not need most powerfull PC on the market anymore. for example i5 2500k is THE MAX you need for gaming, you wont see any improvement in gaming with i7 or even EXTREME series CPUs, which will cost 7 times more. so for pc HIGH END is i5 2500k. you need 4gb ram for gaming, but it is so cheap so 8gb is best choice, which is HIGH END. there are new GPU generation out from ATI. it is expencive, because its new. 6 Series is still very powerfull. before 7 series came out 6970, gtx570, gtx580 were high end. these cards can max out any game at 1080p with solid fps, these will drop in price ALOT very soon. if you turn off AA it will be super fps. ( with such high resolution like 1080p you need less and less AA, i personally dont even bother with it anymore as it is making such little difference).

Allot of the parts you mention are of last gen and have been replaced by the newer gen (mostly the gfx cards) While the nvidia range cards have not been replaced yet the will soon with the kepler series cards. A mid range PC would use last gen's technology. A mid range pc can play all games right now, but a mid range pc will get capped at the hardware level in a short few years as technology grows and since we are in the gaming forum as game graphics and computation complexity grows. I am not arguing that you can build a pc for 800 euro nowadays and it will play all games at 1080p out now and I disagree, I find having no AA to be very offputting even at 1080p but of course that is my own opinion.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

this is pc that i putted together in 3 minutes, if i will make it properly i could knock of price, or make better. this build is over 800eu, but it includes 22inch 1080p monitor, high end CPU, high end ram, high end mobo gen 3, high end gpu. you need to add 20eu on mouse+keyboard. ( i bought myself a very good microsoft for that money ). if you use your TV, then you can knock off 100 quid of price again. keep in mine hdd prices are overpriced as **** atm, because of the floodings in factories. you could normally get 2TB for 60eu, not its a bit off, but soon it will get sorted.

Total build cost: €867.66 + €30 shipping
Xigmatek Asgard, ATX, ohne Netzteil, schwarz €32.63
Super-Flower Amazon 80Plus 550W €52.51
ASRock Z68 Pro3 Gen3, Sockel 1155, ATX €93.83
Intel Core i5-2500K Tray, LGA1155 €191.73
6GB-Kit Corsair DDR3 PC1333 C9 Classic €35.99
Seagate Barracuda Green 7200.12 500GB SATA 3 6GB/s €79.00
Powercolor HD6970 2048MB Dual-DVI €280.99
BenQ G2225HD €100.98

so here you go, a PC which will max out any game at 1080p for 900eu. high end pc for gaming. i am not the best pc builder on boards.ie, the lads from " building pc" forum here will make better then i can and make it cheaper too, so this is only rough example.

Where is the operating system in that build? please add 80-150 euro depending on what version of windows you want. Also if you go that cheap with a case you will have airflow and space problems no doubt. I am not familiar with that specific case but this is true in the general term. You will also be stuck for upgrading capacity with that psu.

gizmo · 17-02-2012 3:33pm

If we're talking "high end", add a case which isn't a total ****house, a nice reliable PSU from Corsair or such and a reasonable soundcard and we can talk.

Also, **** 16:10 monitors for PC usage. Leave that 1080p rubbish for TVs.

I really wish Nvidia would hurry the hell up with Kepler, papa wants a new GPU. :cool:

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 3:41pm

Limericks wrote: »

I did not say that, please don't misquote me. The term expensive is dependant on the observer.

Allot of the parts you mention are of last gen and have been replaced by the newer gen (mostly the gfx cards) While the nvidia range cards have not been replaced yet the will soon with the kepler series cards. A mid range PC would use last gen's technology. A mid range pc can play all games right now, but a mid range pc will get capped at the hardware level in a short few years as technology grows and since we are in the gaming forum as game graphics and computation complexity grows. I am not arguing that you can build a pc for 800 euro nowadays and it will play all games at 1080p out now and I disagree, I find having no AA to be very offputting even at 1080p but of course that is my own opinion.

Where is the operating system in that build? please add 80-150 euro depending on what version of windows you want. Also if you go that cheap with a case you will have airflow and space problems no doubt. I am not familiar with that specific case but this is true in the general term. You will also be stuck for upgrading capacity with that psu.

45eu if you student. 80eu new. if you know what you doing you can get it free. :rolleyes:. fool parts with his money very easy. if you want to pay 200% for stuff, just because it says " HIGH END, NEW!, NEW GEN!, MAKES YOUR MISSES PANTIES WET!, 4 INCH IN 2 WEEKS! ULTRA! etc, then it your own fault.

550w psu can take 7970 card which is fastest on the market, so wheres the problem?

that sort of pc is a HIGH END gaming wise. you dont want to admit it, just because new stuff is coming out, which is NOT NEEDED, then it is your problem m8, not PCs.

gizmo · 17-02-2012 3:46pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

45eu if you student. 80eu new. if you know what you doing you can get it free. :rolleyes:. fool parts with his money very easy.

Pfft, I could get that PC for free if I just stole all the parts too. :pac:

ShadowHearth wrote: »

550w psu can take 7970 card which is fastest on the market, so wheres the problem?

Output rating isn't the only important part of a PSU. There's no way I'd put in anything other than a reliable unit in a PC which is going to cost several hundred quid and will be pushed for gaming.

Totally agree on the CPU though. Although I'm loathe to have a CPU with an unlocked multiplier and not push it a little bit more with a better cooler.

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 3:49pm

gizmo wrote: »

Pfft, I could get that PC for free if I just stole all the parts too. :pac:

Output rating isn't the only important part of a PSU. There's no way I'd put in anything other than a reliable unit in a PC which is going to cost several hundred quid and will be pushed for gaming.

Totally agree on the CPU though. Although I'm loathe to have a CPU with an unlocked multiplier and not push it a little bit more with a better cooler.

we put 550w psu with 7970 builds. its amazon quality psu, not a cheap 20 quid 1k psu

. its expencive psu m8. trust me, i know about PSU m8, and i know that W means **** all. that particular PSU is spot on.

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 3:51pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

45eu if you student. 80eu new. if you know what you doing you can get it free. :rolleyes:. fool parts with his money very easy. if you want to pay 200% for stuff, just because it says " HIGH END, NEW!, NEW GEN!, MAKES YOUR MISSES PANTIES WET!, 4 INCH IN " WEEKS! ULTRA! etc.

550w psu can take 7970 card which is fastest on the market, so wheres the problem?

that sort of pc is a HIGH END gaming wise. you dont want to admit it, just because new stuff is coming out, which is NOT NEEDED, then it is your problem m8, not PCs.

Sigh, there is no point in having a debate with you is there?

For your information, my pc is very mid range with a 965be processor and 560ti gfx card.

What I am arguing and you cannot understand it is that if you use last years technology and don't plan for future proofing and use sub par parts such as that psu and case then you have a mid range pc.

I already admitted that you could build a pc for 800 euro and play any game out there right now but what about the future? You can't possibly tell me that in 2 years time you will still be able to play any of the games out then at full graphics with everything maxed out at 1080p? Infact I cant possibly tell you if the latest gen can do that but you have a much bigger chance to do that with the latest gen and especially with the top end kepler which is 40% faster than the 7970.

Please also have a more mature stance to your argument if you want to be taken seriously.

Chairman Meow · 17-02-2012 4:08pm

Can i just point out again to anyone thinkign PC gaming is super expensive and yadda yadda, i put together a PC in work that cost less than 200 euro with the following results

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6cMl9cd7PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6-KqsU4ou8

heres the mass effect 3 demo running on it too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jayjiqV45Dg

I valued all the component parts on ebay for a grand total of something like 129 euro.

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 4:18pm

Limericks wrote: »

Sigh, there is no point in having a debate with you is there?

For your information, my pc is very mid range with a 965be processor and 560ti gfx card.

What I am arguing and you cannot understand it is that if you use last years technology and don't plan for future proofing and use sub par parts such as that psu and case then you have a mid range pc.

I already admitted that you could build a pc for 800 euro and play any game out there right now but what about the future? You can't possibly tell me that in 2 years time you will still be able to play any of the games out then at full graphics with everything maxed out at 1080p? Infact I cant possibly tell you if the latest gen can do that but you have a much bigger chance to do that with the latest gen and especially with the top end kepler which is 40% faster than the 7970.

Please also have a more mature stance to your argument if you want to be taken seriously.

sorry, i have mature stance, because i did not called you name or insulted you etc. i just pointed out your view, which is quite spot on i can say. so once more, dont try to hide from this debate under " you are immature " excuse. and this is not an insult, incase you will go *sigh* again.

*puts down the monacle and top hat.

so lets move on. if 2500k is caping gaming and higher CPU that are out currently do not give any advantage, then what will be the point of ivy bridge CPUs ( so called NEW GEN ) for gamers? just to increase e-penis? 8gb are not being used out in gaming, games are coded for 32bit so they draw only 2.5gb max and 1gb from gpu on 1080p. so 16gb is for e-penis too.
the only thing that matter for gamers - GPU. so heres a real world example, which i did:

i have old q6600 3gb ram pc 8800gt pc. it was bought 5++ years ago. i played all games on med/high settings so far. the only game that kicked it in the balls - witcher 2, which is one of the most demanding games out there. so i bought 6870 for 170eu and now it is maxing out all games at 1080p with solid FPs. yup, its old gen PC, but can it still play games with great quality? **** yeah.

i bought new pc in november: 2500k, 8gb ram, gtx570. all new gen stuff back then. Is it alot faster then my old pc? nope... was 1keu worth that upgrade? nope. would i build new pc, if i would not be a pc junky/geek who just likes shiny objects? NOPE.

my current pc is faster, but not that much then old pc, and its 5 years old machine + 170eu gpu. if i would put in gtx570 in to it, i doubt it would be bottlenecked much, as people put 6950 in to q6600 and it works perfect.
the current 2500k are so powerful, that they will be still great for pc gamers in next 5 years, so why would i want new gen stuff? ( e-penis ).

if you want to call those PC mid range, then its your right, but it would be the same as going out there and calling BMW M3 a family car.

gizmo · 17-02-2012 4:30pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

we put 550w psu with 7970 builds. its amazon quality psu, not a cheap 20 quid 1k psu . its expencive psu m8. trust me, i know about PSU m8, and i know that W means **** all. that particular PSU is spot on.

Oh I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that while the Amazon is a very good PSU, when it comes to choosing a part for a rig coming in at around a grand, I'd be a lot more confident about choosing a good Corsair or Seasonic instead. I think that's what Limericks is debating too, these parts are all "very good" (with the exception of the case and the lack of sound card) but I don't think they're classed as "high end" even if they get the job done in terms of a gaming rig.

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 4:31pm

Sorry, but advocating the stealing of windows is clearly immature.

Also you are still focusing on the current generation of games, I have said multiple times that is not the issue it is the future that will bring changes.

games being coded in 32 bit can change on a whim. From a quick google I came across this list of games natively coded on 64 bit here there may be more then this, I do not know.

your 5 year old pc played games until now, that is great that you got so much out of it as I had a similarly built pc (minus quad core but dual core and 8800gtx instead of gt) and it lasted about the same amount of time. But technology is moving faster and faster and things get outdated fast. Also 5 years ago your pc would of been considered high end.

It is of my opinion, if you want to sufficiently future proof then be on the bleeding edge of hardware and do one huge build and your ok for the next half decade or more if your lucky.

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 4:35pm

gizmo wrote: »

Oh I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that while the Amazon is a very good PSU, when it comes to choosing a part for a rig coming in at around a grand, I'd be a lot more confident about choosing a good Corsair or Seasonic instead. I think that's what Limericks is debating too, these parts are all "very good" (with the exception of the case and the lack of sound card) but I don't think they're classed as "high end" even if they get the job done in terms of a gaming rig.

well, the argument could be different then: what we call a high end pc m8.

i call a machine that can let me play any game max out - a high end gaming pc.

i guess he is calling a machine which has all the newest stuff - a high end PC ( i dont know where gaming part comes in here )

the problem i see: you are not bringing a bazooka or barret m82 to hunt a rabit, as its too expencive and overkill, the rifle, which will be cheaper and will do it properly is better option.

Retr0gamer · 17-02-2012 4:40pm

Limericks wrote: »

Sorry, but advocating the stealing of windows is clearly immature.

Ring Microsoft, tell them you are chaning the hardware in your PC and want to be able to activate your current copy of windows on it. Get windows for free and don't break any laws. Of course you need to own windows already but most people do.

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 4:43pm

Limericks wrote: »

Sorry, but advocating the stealing of windows is clearly immature.

Also you are still focusing on the current generation of games, I have said multiple times that is not the issue it is the future that will bring changes.

games being coded in 32 bit can change on a whim. From a quick google I came across this list of games natively coded on 64 bit here there may be more then this, I do not know.

your 5 year old pc played games until now, that is great that you got so much out of it as I had a similarly built pc (minus quad core but dual core and 8800gtx instead of gt) and it lasted about the same amount of time. But technology is moving faster and faster and things get outdated fast. Also 5 years ago your pc would of been considered high end.

It is of my opinion, if you want to sufficiently future proof then be on the bleeding edge of hardware and do one huge build and your ok for the next half decade or more if your lucky.

it is not moving faster. technology is coming faster, but it is not being used out. perfect example: pcie 3.0. pcie 2.0 is not even saturated by pci 3.0 gpus as pci 2.0 still so fast. pcie 3.0 is just not even needed now.

have you been in to PCs at age of pentuim I, II and III? now that was **** times. you buy pc for 1000eu and it was top of the range, then 2 months later twice faster pc comes out for same price and your current pc was worth 100eu.
the best part of this time - we get more time out of same hardware, it is not becoming outdated as fast as it used too. so 2500k 8gb pc will be still high end good few years in, the only thing you will be swaping - GPU. Even now gtx570, gtx580 or 6970 will be very great card in few years time.

the only problem we got now: i really awefull name that pc gaming got from back then: " VERY EXPENSIVE ", which is not that true. It can look very expencive from one point of view, but it can look a real bargain when you see the big picture.

gizmo · 17-02-2012 4:47pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

well, the argument could be different then: what we call a high end pc m8.

i call a machine that can let me play any game max out - a high end gaming pc.

i guess he is calling a machine which has all the newest stuff - a high end PC ( i dont know where gaming part comes in here )

the problem i see: you are not bringing a bazooka or barret m82 to hunt a rabit, as its too expencive and overkill, the rifle, which will be cheaper and will do it properly is better option.

I think the answer lies somewhere in between though. I'm certainly not saying an Extreme Edition CPU is required to be high end, but I'd still regard a certain standard of componet in such a machine. As I've said the case and lack of soundcard are such issues, dito for the screen. The PSU is debatable but I've been stung in the past before so I'd always err on the side of caution and go with the brands I've highlighted. Either way, more examples such as these at least dispell that delightful myth that you need to spend a grand on a rig to match console graphics.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Ring Microsoft, tell them you are chaning the hardware in your PC and want to be able to activate your current copy of windows on it. Get windows for free and don't break any laws. Of course you need to own windows already but most people do.

I'm confused, are you saying MS will give you a free copy of a newer version of Windows?

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 4:55pm

gizmo wrote: »

I think the answer lies somewhere in between though. I'm certainly not saying an Extreme Edition CPU is required to be high end, but I'd still regard a certain standard of componet in such a machine. As I've said the case and lack of soundcard are such issues, dito for the screen. The PSU is debatable but I've been stung in the past before so I'd always err on the side of caution and go with the brands I've highlighted. Either way, more examples such as these at least dispell that delightful myth that you need to spend a grand on a rig to match console graphics.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! silence! or you will be get them out of the cave!! you know... them....

well onboard sound became better m8. i have xfi sound blaster in old pc and on new pc i got integrated. honestly... i dont hear any difference between them. i know some people who spend 200eu on sound card, but for them sound is more important, then it is for me. to be honest we havent included any sound cards to any builds lately. on board is doing a great job!

i promise you, that psu is solid m8

case - yes, it would not be on the expencive side, but it does everything that expencive one does. you can add few fans for few quid from ebay. i use corsair 500R myself which is great case, but i will admit, case wont be my strongest part of knowladge

.

i puted that in 3 minutes. lads could put a way better system with same budget. so its not perfect machine and has a lot of room for improvement.

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 4:55pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

it is not moving faster. technology is coming faster, but it is not being used out. perfect example: pcie 3.0. pcie 2.0 is not even saturated by pci 3.0 gpus as pci 2.0 still so fast. pcie 3.0 is just not even needed now.

have you been in to PCs at age of pentuim I, II and III? now that was **** times. you buy pc for 1000eu and it was top of the range, then 2 months later twice faster pc comes out for same price and your current pc was worth 100eu.
the best part of this time - we get more time out of same hardware, it is not becoming outdated as fast as it used too. so 2500k 8gb pc will be still high end good few years in, the only thing you will be swaping - GPU. Even now gtx570, gtx580 or 6970 will be very great card in few years time.

the only problem we got now: i really awefull name that pc gaming got from back then: " VERY EXPENSIVE ", which is not that true. It can look very expencive from one point of view, but it can look a real bargain when you see the big picture.

Okay I agree that some technology is moving faster than it needs too but sometimes that leads to the last version of it being cheaper even though it has not been fully used up.

Haha, one of my first real pc's was a dell xps which cost 1400 pounds at the time. it was a pentium 3 with 256mb ram. Now that's painful to look back on!

again I reiterate, you can build a pc quite cheaply and have it run all the latest software and all the latest games. But if you truly want to be future proofed then spend some more and get the latest components, then you won't have to worry about your pc for a long time.

I agree that some people thing that pc gaming is more expensive then it should be, but most of those same people are console junkies and don't understand that the PC can do so much more then simply gaming and will usually outlast a generation of consoles and will outlive it as far as hardware failures go. They also probably don't realise that it is cheaper to get games for the pc then it is for consoles.

I am planning my next PC build. It will be ivy bridge, it will be kepler based, it will be multiple gpu and it will be awsome. Then I don't have to worry for a LONG time about upgrades.

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 4:59pm

Limericks wrote: »

Okay I agree that some technology is moving faster than it needs too but sometimes that leads to the last version of it being cheaper even though it has not been fully used up.

Haha, one of my first real pc's was a dell xps which cost 1400 pounds at the time. it was a pentium 3 with 256mb ram. Now that's painful to look back on!

again I reiterate, you can build a pc quite cheaply and have it run all the latest software and all the latest games. But if you truly want to be future proofed then spend some more and get the latest components, then you won't have to worry about your pc for a long time.

I agree that some people thing that pc gaming is more expensive then it should be, but most of those same people are console junkies and don't understand that the PC can do so much more then simply gaming and will usually outlast a generation of consoles and will outlive it as far as hardware failures go. They also probably don't realise that it is cheaper to get games for the pc then it is for consoles.

I am planning my next PC build. It will be ivy bridge, it will be kepler based, it will be multiple gpu and it will be awsome. Then I don't have to worry for a LONG time about upgrades.

and i will welcome you in " building computer " forum on boards.ie

Kiith · 17-02-2012 5:05pm

Limericks wrote: »

Haha, one of my first real pc's was a dell xps which cost 1400 pounds at the time. it was a pentium 3 with 256mb ram. Now that's painful to look back on!

Ahh the old Dell XPS. I had a similarly priced pc as my first pc, and absolutely loved it. Was the same spec, and it was like a bloody super computer to me. I got the it delivered and was supposed to wait for someone to come home to unbox it, but i couldnt wait. I remember sitting up till 5am that night playing Birth of the Federation (not in any way system intensive) until my mother came in and told me to go to bed. Good times.

Good times

Retr0gamer · 17-02-2012 5:15pm

My first PC was my P100 back in christmas 1995, 16MB or RAM and a 1MB piece of **** graphics card. Had great fun with it but the hardware was obsolete fast, although it got a bit of a kick in the ass when I got a Power VR card for it but only for a short time. Only problem was I was stuck with that until the summer of 2001 when I got a 1GHz machine, now that was quite a jump. Lucky I had some friends that were big into PCs and had a small lan in the house so I got enough PC gaming in before 2001

CodeMonkey · 17-02-2012 5:32pm

Limericks wrote: »

again I reiterate, you can build a pc quite cheaply and have it run all the latest software and all the latest games. But if you truly want to be future proofed then spend some more and get the latest components, then you won't have to worry about your pc for a long time.

I agree that some people thing that pc gaming is more expensive then it should be, but most of those same people are console junkies and don't understand that the PC can do so much more then simply gaming and will usually outlast a generation of consoles and will outlive it as far as hardware failures go. They also probably don't realise that it is cheaper to get games for the pc then it is for consoles.

Well some people don't understand that gaming is not about playing the latest game in the highest graphical settings. I built my quad core gaming pc 2 years ago and it would've been mid range at best at the time and it cost around 600E excluding monitor. I can play all the latest games I am interested in at a resolution and graphical setting I am happy with.

Most games are also now developed for multiple platforms. This means good game developers are not just focusing on making the game look good and pushing the pc hardware bounderies like the old days and the quality of the games are better for it. Future proofing by wasting money on over priced bleeding edge tech? What is the point apart from an e-penis extension?

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 5:35pm

CodeMonkey wrote: »

Well some people don't understand that gaming is not about playing the latest game in the highest graphical settings. I built my quad core gaming pc 2 years ago and it would've been mid range at best at the time and it cost around 600E excluding monitor. I can play all the latest games I am interested in at a resolution and graphical setting I am happy with.

Most games are also now developed for multiple platforms. This means good game developers are not just focusing on making the game look good and pushing the pc hardware bounderies like the old days and the quality of the games are better for it. Future proofing by wasting money on over priced bleeding edge tech? What is the point apart from an e-penis extension?

Eyefinity, 3d, tesselation, massive AA. the list goes on.

I also wholeheartedly disagree with your statement that games are better for not being specifically tuned for pc.

norrie rugger · 17-02-2012 5:37pm

Kiith wrote: »

Ahh the old Dell XPS. I had a similarly priced pc as my first pc, and absolutely loved it. Was the same spec, and it was like a bloody super computer to me. I got the it delivered and was supposed to wait for someone to come home to unbox it, but i couldnt wait. I remember sitting up till 5am that night playing Birth of the Federation (not in any way system intensive) until my mother came in and told me to go to bed. Good times.

Good times

Anyone got a patch to let Birth of the Federation run on windows 7?

Christ, I build my PC and I want to play Birth on it:rolleyes:

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 5:39pm

norrie rugger wrote: »

Anyone got a patch to let Birth of the Federation run on windows 7?

Christ, I build my PC and I want to play Birth on it:rolleyes:

came across this on google

1. Install BoTF (probably from .iso is your best bet)
2. If you run it the way it is, it will freeze and crash, due to Windows 7 not being able to automatically dumb itself down to those levels
3. Enter compatibility mode... to enter compatibility mode on Windows 7:
3a. Right Click on the icon I am sure you have placed on the desktop, and click "Properties"
3b. Click the "compatibility" tab
3c. check the "run in compatibility mode" check box
3d. set the compatibility for "Windows 98/Windows ME"
3e. in the settings area, turn the following things on:
- Run in 256 colours
- Run in 640 x 480
- Disable Visual Themes
- Disable display scaling on high DPI settings
4. Click "Apply"
5. Run trek.exe (that is the icon you have just edited)
6. Have fun playing BoTF
7. Yes, it also works with mods

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 5:54pm

Limericks wrote: »

Eyefinity, 3d, tesselation, massive AA. the list goes on.

I also wholeheartedly disagree with your statement that games are better for not being specifically tuned for pc.

Well, I'm a way I agree with him. Pc gaming is not always about graphics.

Remember quake 3? ID,we're so proud of that engine: look how beautifull it is! Lightning! Textures! Models! It's pure orgasm!!!
Quake 3 gamers: lower textures, turn of shadowing and lightning, replace weapon models with icons, remove weapon model on screen. Play like a boss!

))

Starcraft 2: beautifull looking rts!
Gamers: turn graphics down so you have it more clear and less distraction

We are weird bunch!

Eyefinity sounds good on paper, but I would just take 1 bigger monitor then 3 small monitors. Though 3 monitor setups are pure sex for driving sims!! Sometimes this is is matter of taste, not a must. I would go for eyefinity only if I can play and not feel like being prison cell bars

AA is introduced only t smoother the edges. With such high resolution AA is less and less important as there is enough pixels to smother edges already. To be honest I am not fan of AA in the pest place. It makes it blurry, I prefer more crisp view, but once again, it's a matter of taste.

This only proves same thing: pc is such versatile, that it has no limits and you ca do some really awesome crazy setups, but on the other hand just to be able to play pc games the normal way is not that expencive!

gizmo · 17-02-2012 6:16pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

well onboard sound became better m8. i have xfi sound blaster in old pc and on new pc i got integrated. honestly... i dont hear any difference between them. i know some people who spend 200eu on sound card, but for them sound is more important, then it is for me. to be honest we havent included any sound cards to any builds lately. on board is doing a great job!

Oh aye, it's certainly better than it used to be and in fairness, to get the benefit out of a good card you need good speakers or good headphones but get them and the difference is as clear as integrated graphics versus a dedicated card.

ShadowHearth wrote: »

case - yes, it would not be on the expencive side, but it does everything that expencive one does. you can add few fans for few quid from ebay. i use corsair 500R myself which is great case, but i will admit, case wont be my strongest part of knowladge .

Again cases are one of those areas that when you look into them, you can see the massive difference a well designed case can make. Cleaner cable management, well positioned and efficent fans (although they're generally the reserve of third party fans) and air flow may not be high on many people's list of priorities but when you start putting high powered parts in, you can see the benefits.

ShadowHearth · 17-02-2012 6:25pm

gizmo wrote: »

Oh aye, it's certainly better than it used to be and in fairness, to get the benefit out of a good card you need good speakers or good headphones but get them and the difference is as clear as integrated graphics versus a dedicated card.

Again cases are one of those areas that when you look into them, you can see the massive difference a well designed case can make. Cleaner cable management, well positioned and efficent fans (although they're generally the reserve of third party fans) and air flow may not be high on many people's list of priorities but when you start putting high powered parts in, you can see the benefits.

I know lads always offer some case which is cheap and cheerfull. I just don't remember the name! I know few powerfull pcs on cardboard box, so it's not so vital

.

It's always better to get better case, but it is not so vital. There are some really good cheap and cheerfull cases, which will do everything what big boys do, then ofc you get pile of shot cases, which will suck in hot hair instead of taking it out!

Cable managment? Oh yeah... That thing.. I do use it!

* tries to get out of the room unnoticed.

cherryghost · 17-02-2012 6:57pm

I spent 70 euro this week to turn a crappy dell I found into a working gaming PC. 50 euro graphics card, 20 euro CPU and update the bios. PC sails through Battlefield 3 now. Happy days as my friend was broke so he took the PC off me

Dcully · 17-02-2012 8:18pm

My son is using my 6 year old rig, Q6600,4 gig DDR2,ati 4870, playing everything @ max settings without any issues.

aN.Droid · 17-02-2012 8:27pm

Dcully wrote: »

My son is using my 6 year old rig, Q6600,4 gig DDR2,ati 4870, playing everything @ max settings without any issues.

Using a dx11 card at 1080p or beyond? The reason I ask is because dx11 adds tessellation and extra AA features which are very heavy performance vampires :P

//nevermind it isn't overlooked it on your post

kearneybobs · 17-02-2012 8:39pm

Dcully wrote: »

My son is using my 6 year old rig, Q6600,4 gig DDR2,ati 4870, playing everything @ max settings without any issues.

I assume the case is the only thing that's 6 years old by now?

Dcully · 18-02-2012 11:26am

kearneybobs wrote: »

I assume the case is the only thing that's 6 years old by now?

Checked dates and its 5 years old my bad :P
Only thing i upgraded in 5 years was the gfx card which i bought for €180, at the time i didnt actually need it but it was on some sort of special offer and too good to resist.

cloud493 · 18-02-2012 11:32am

If I buy starcraft, will I have to download stuff? Cos I tried to download the demo, and it was like, 7gb.

Dcully · 18-02-2012 11:55am

cloud493 wrote: »

If I buy starcraft, will I have to download stuff? Cos I tried to download the demo, and it was like, 7gb.

Probably just the updates unless ofcourse you buy the game digitally.

cloud493 · 18-02-2012 11:56am

Is it a big update? 7GB was massive for a demo :eek:

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 18-02-2012 11:59am

thye demo is the full game
it's just locked to only a few missions
if you dl'd the demo and bought the game, you'd just input the key and you'd have the full game already downloaded

and you will have to download patches to play online, there's quite a few

cloud493 · 18-02-2012 12:00pm

Oh

this is bloody confusing.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 18-02-2012 12:02pm

well it doesnt really have a "demo" in the traditional sense
you've downloaded the full game, but you need to buy an account to play the full campaign or play online

cloud493 · 18-02-2012 12:11pm

Oh I see what you mean. Is this why PC games are hard to pirate?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 18-02-2012 12:19pm

well it's why starcraft 2 is hard to pirate, you need an internet connection to even sign into your account and play the campaign.
it's something starcraft 2 players are pretty annoyed about as blizzard refuse to release any kind of lan mode, all games have to be played over an internet connection and in the last 2 years there hasn't been any tournament.. from the 100 dollar to 100 thousand dollar ones that hasn't been plagued by lag issues or connection issues.

Canis Lupus · 18-02-2012 3:27pm

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

well it's why starcraft 2 is hard to pirate, you need an internet connection to even sign into your account and play the campaign.
it's something starcraft 2 players are pretty annoyed about as blizzard refuse to release any kind of lan mode, all games have to be played over an internet connection and in the last 2 years there hasn't been any tournament.. from the 100 dollar to 100 thousand dollar ones that hasn't been plagued by lag issues or connection issues.

My... ahem... 'copy' of SC2 was as straightforward to install as any other game although I only played it for about 30 mins and went back to WoW.

Zillah · 18-02-2012 4:01pm

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

well it's why starcraft 2 is hard to pirate, you need an internet connection to even sign into your account and play the campaign.
it's something starcraft 2 players are pretty annoyed about as blizzard refuse to release any kind of lan mode

This is the horrible irony about protection on games. You force the paying gamers to jump through hoops, but the pirates get a superior product that has been stripped of the annoying crap.

gizmo · 18-02-2012 4:05pm

Zillah wrote: »

This is the horrible irony about protection on games. You force the paying gamers to jump through hoops, but the pirates get a superior product that has been stripped of the annoying crap.

Yet if it wasn't for people playing their "copies" of games, there'd be no need for it in the first place. :pac:

aN.Droid · 18-02-2012 6:17pm

gizmo wrote: »

Yet if it wasn't for people playing their "copies" of games, there'd be no need for it in the first place. :pac:

Shouldn't be there in the first place, games get pirated, no matter what the devs do to stop it pirates find a way around it, the only game that comes to mind that pirates didn't crack is hawx 2 and that is because they didn't want to pirate such a terrible game.

Completionist · 18-02-2012 7:12pm

Limericks wrote: »

Shouldn't be there in the first place, games get pirated, no matter what the devs do to stop it pirates find a way around it, the only game that comes to mind that pirates didn't crack is hawx 2 and that is because they didn't want to pirate such a terrible game.

So the only way to stop piracy is to make terrible games!:O