UT3

[Jademz]

UT3 demo: http://files.filefront.com/Unreal+Tourn ... einfo.html
Thanks for the link Anderson!

I'll post more info later this week.

[Jademz]

Here's my screenshots, all I can say is wow, this is amazing looking, this game mode is CTF vehicles. Very fun!
















(590 foxconn sli 2.2 AM2 x2(4200) single 7600GT pcix 256mb ddr3 2GBcheap supertalent RAM)

[Avi]

I played the demo last night for a while, but it would only run smoothly at 800X600...which made everything look like it was covered in Crayola Doo Doo.

This is troubling since I have yet to run across a game that I can't max out the video on and still have it play like a champ.

I haven't checked the specs of the game yet, since I figured my PC can handle it with no problem. Is my PC becoming "middle-aged"? Over the hill? Even the new Half Life game runs like melted butter with everything maxed out.

Blah.

[TronFAQ]

The Half-Life games have always been very hardware-friendly, and not too demanding. HL2 runs like a dream even on my old Athlon XP 3200+ and Radeon X800 XT.

But, the Unreal engine has also been pretty hardware-friendly. At least, it was in the past. UT3 is probably a different story. They must have decided to be less friendly to older systems, with the new engine.

What are your system specs, Avi?

[Avi]

Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2048MB RAM
Hard Drive: 450 GB Total
Video Card: Radeon X1600 Series (512MB)
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi sound card
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)

[TronFAQ]

Well, I'd say your system is pretty darn good, Avi.

The only part I could see as a bit of a weakness, is the video card. The X1600 is a decent performer in most games, but I could see it perhaps struggling with the latest titles.

If you replaced that card (and I'm not saying you should), right now you could pick up one of the new ATI 3850 cards for a song and it would probably offer twice the performance of that X1600.

I noticed, though, that right now Newegg is gouging people on the new cards from both ATI and nVidia. I just bought a 3870 card for $239 Canadian, and Newegg wants $279 US for the same thing. :-x

[Avi]

Yeah, the video card was a steal when I came across it, and I was buying it to replace my Radeon X300 card that came with my PC...so it was money well spent at the time. I can see that I'm going to have to drop some major coin to stay ahead of the curve this time. This next generation of games has my wallet aching already.

[xistence]

I tried to run UT3 on my system but the only thing that was possible to run were the in-game menus. As soon i tried to start a map - blasted. Well, my system is running well since nearly 5 years now, only the latest titles like Bioshock or UT3 seem to force me to make an upgrade :mad: . I just need to know when and where i can make the bank-robbery for the money...

Talking about HL2 : i just bought and played the complete orange box and i think i'll will have a look myself into modding HL. Seems to be intresting.

[Avi]

and i think i'll will have a look myself into modding HL. Seems to be intresting.

I can't wait for some LDSO guys to get into modding HL. You can download Garry's Mod for ten bucks and have all of the tools at your disposal. I've been messing with a HL version of Disc Arena, but you have to use the gravity gun to propel the discs (which are saw blades that glow and leave trails). It's pretty gory when you make contact with your opponent. Cuts 'em right in half.

[xistence]

Yeah, i also think it can be done in a better way, but most try to go an easier way in just altering existing content. But for a good result you need to create a new weapon. Don't think that it is impossible to do.

[Mor.Evil-1]

On my now ancient :
AMD 2500 oc @ 3200 specs,
1.5 gig of ramm,
5700 ultra gold edition 256 mb Geforce FX nvidia card
I was able to play the UT_3 Demo also.

Had the same problem as Avi,
Had to play at the 800x600 settings and it looked like crayola poodoo!!

I could see what I was doing and it performed well,
But just looked a little water colored out! So, boo on UT_3.

Cool game, but bummer for older gaming systems.

2008 is going to be the year of a million upgrades!!

Mor

[xistence]

2008 is going to be the year of a million upgrades!!

So the masterplan of the soft- and hardware industry worked again... not to mention that by the current performance of a typical system you could run one and a half UT3, without even upgrading the system. But otherwise, how could you sell new stuff that nobody really needs right now? Well, if they give me the money i'll upgrade my system... really, i promise!

[TronFAQ]

So the masterplan of the soft- and hardware industry worked again...

Yup. I've already bought most of the parts I need, to build a new computer. I'll probably have everything I need by next week.

But I was overdue for an upgrade. My current system is 5 years old. This is the longest I've ever gone without an upgrade. The reason being, that there was no compelling reason to upgrade my system, all this time.

The pace of hardware improvement slowed greatly, these last few years. The difference between an Athlon XP 3200+ and an Athlon 64 3200+ was pretty negligible. When that chip was introduced, there was no 64-bit software anyway. Even now, there's barely any 64-bit applications.

It's only with dual and quad core CPUs, a new bus architecture, and a new type of memory, that it's finally become worthwhile to upgrade.

[Daddyo]

Video cards & moore's law sure never quit though

[TronFAQ]

I forgot to post this earlier. Sorry, but this was too funny for me to resist sharing. I couldn't stop laughing when I first saw it, and even now I still grin every time I see it.