I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction for a video card I can get to run Flaming Cliffs 2 for my pc?



I have an AMD Athlon 5000 Dual Core, 4gigs of ram, nvidea geforce 6150 LE built in graphics(most likely this crummy shared graphics is why I can't get the game to run). It has a 300w power supply. I am running Windows 7 32bit home premium edition.



I can barely get LOMAC to run on it too. It will stop responding if there's too many things going on at once. I've installed all the needed patches and still have problems with it. My guess is the graphics card again.

Any help would be appreciated.



I also have a seperate question about Flaming Cliffs 2. I installed it anyway knowing it will not likely run properly. My question is: what is the launcher.exe error all about? Do I need to update the starforce drivers I've read about in the forums or is it something totally different?



Again, any help would be appreciated.

shared graphics??? Plus your PC is Lower end for any Sim.

First, More CPU, RAM, 6gb if you go to win764 bit, 32 will not see or use it. For sims 2gb GPU Memory for smooth graphics, PSU too low to power anything, 850 to 1200W PSU to drive it all... SORRY, You need a new PC!!!

Thanks for the replies. I kind of figured my pc was getting outdated(just want to be sure though). Time to shop for a new one.

Yes, sadly your PSU is not strong enough for any hi-end graphics card...

But as you look, Call OriginPC, Ask for Jamie, he will answer any ? you might have, even if you don't buy from them, Sales and Lab techs confirm what is best for any set up!! Cheers my friend, and good luck., Jim

My GTX 460 runs the game smooth as silk. But you are due for a big upgrade if you only have a 300W PSU.

Thanks again for the replies. Not sure if its worth my while to put any $$$ into this pc. Seems to be getting more outdated by the day. I might be better off building my own and use some of the components from this one(Lightscribe dvd drive, multicard reader, tv tuner), and upgrade the rest. Being on a tight budget where money IS an object, I'm not sure if I want to spend upwards of $1000 on an already built pc.

-Rob

Talonslair, if budget is tight, it's best to build it yourself. Heck, even if you've got money to spare, it's still best to build it yourself.

You know one of the big pluses of SimHQ? You can SET YOUR OWN BUDGET, go shopping, then post your prospect setup, and a lot of people here are willing and knowledgeable enough to help you out. You can take their word, or you can take their word as advice, use it as a springboard for your research, then make your own decision. I take anywhere between 2 weeks and 2 months just to research and decide on a part --- basically, I see what the trend is, research it, then "sell" it to myself.

Also, one reason to "spend just a little more" on a new PC is to future-proof it. What this means is to buy a PC with specs a little higher than what you need them (ie, a little more overhead) so as to be able to "cope" with games coming out 2-3 years down the line.

Now if all of the above makes sense to you, here's a little nudge in the right direction. You will want a decently powerful quad core CPU. Intel i5's and AMD Phenom II x4 comes to mind. You will want a decent, branded motherboard, the spec of which will depend on the CPU you decide to go with. You will most certainly want a powerful videocard. In fact, buy the fastest card you can afford. Two videocards isn't necessary, one powerful one is enough. Good quality DDR2 or DDR3 RAM is next, and look at the 4-6GB range. Whether you go dual-channel or tri-channel will depend on the CPU/motherboard setup you select --- if it supports dual-channel, 4GB or 8GB is the way to go, if it supports tri-channel, 6GB is sweet. Finally, you want to power your new rig with a dependable powersupply. Again, depending on your CPU/mobo/GPU setup, you might get away with 600W, but 650/700/750w might be worth the investment, if nothing but to assure you that you've got enough "juice" for the whole thing.

So again, in order of priority, you will want the fastest GPU, then CPU, then motherboard. I would say GPU decision comes fourth, as it gets the whole thing running, and then RAM comes in last, as it is cheap and easy to replace later on as funds allow.

Hard drives, optical drives, monitors, etc. are secondary items as far as I'm concerned. Sure, you can get faster load times with an SSD, but I see you're on a budget so that's not really an option --- better use the money on a GPU.

Hope that helps, welcome to the forums (though I see you've been lurking for a while), and congratulations on your first posts!

Hey Ice. Great advice. All makes perfect sense. Thank you. I pretty much do the same thing as far as shopping. I spent weeks searching the internet looking for a tv last year until I decided on what I wanted and it payed off. I do that with everything I buy(drives the wife crazy) but I've become quite thrifty.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I do want to future proof my pc. No sense spending money on something I'll have to upgrade in a couple of years, so I will take your advice and go from there. Next is spending countless hours looking for the best deals. No big deal though, I'm used to it.

I'm leaning towards the AMD Phenom II x4(heard good things about AMD). What would be a good starting point to go from there and what to add with it?

Thank you for the warm welcome as well. Yes, I have been lurking around here for awhile(most of the questions I've had have been answered in other posts so there was no need for me to post anything until now) and it looks like I came to the right place.

Regards,
-Rob

Glad to be of help Rob. A word of warning regarding future-proofing though. Don't take it too far. IMO, you can only future-proof for 3, maybe 5 years. If you "need" to upgrade a major component in a year or two, that isn't good future-proofing. Note I said "need," as "want" is an entirely different thing On the other hand, it's hard to tell how games/applications will develop in the next 3+ years. So if my PC can last 3 years without having a hard time coping with the latest releases, then that is a good investment.

A word on GPU selection --- the fastest card on the market isn't necessarily the best card, especially when you're on a budget. Usually, when a new (or competition) card comes out, the previous "top-end" card drops down in price, so it may be worth looking at the top 5 cards rather than just focusing on which one is #1. Also, the top-end card may only provide a small speed boost compared to the #2 or #3 card, but may be significantly more expensive, kinda like "deminishing returns." So what you're essentially looking for is a "best bang for your buck" card, though "buck" is still dependent on how much you're willing to spend for that component.

As for AMD Phenom II's, I'm not too familiar with it, as I went with the i5 750 option. Allen is the resident AMD expert here, he can help you more than I can. All I can tell you is that the Black edition chips are good choices and can compete with similar Intel offerings. So far, most games are GPU dependent, hence the emphasis on the beefiest GPU you can find.

CAN YOU POINT ME IN THE DIRECTION AS TO WHAT YOU HAVE? PRICES AND/OR LINKS? YOU SEEM TO HAVE A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTERS AND I TRUST YOUR ADVICE(BEEN LURKING FOR AWHILE

Hey Ice. I have a few questions if you don't mind taking the time to answer them(above in your quote in CAPS). I'm kind of computer illeterate with what goes with what but I am mechanically inclined so installing components should not be a problem for me. I'm just not sure of things like: what motherboard goes with the i5 750? That kind of thing.

The best gaming chipset for the i5 750 is the P55. Actually, I would get the i5 760 as I think the i5-750 is generally unavailable.

Here is a kit with everything you need except the OS and vid card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.606598

This is a killer deal here in my opinion. Only today too. Hard to go wrong with the X58 chipset as it will continue for a while while the P55 chipset will die pretty soon.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.610625

More combos are here, just be wary that some use less than stellar components and last generation processors and other hardware. You will probably want to consult with our resident AMD guy here, Allen, before making the jump to AMD since I am a Intel guy.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/MasterComboStore.aspx?StoreID=7&name=DIY-PC-Combos

Rob, I apologize. I cannot make any specific suggestions since I bought my rig a year ago and have not closely followed the hardware trends since. For instance, I have an i5 750 but it is no longer for sale now. Whether they discontinued it or rebranded it I do not know, it will take research to find out that is why I am telling you to do your research. Sell the components to yourself, don't buy stuff because I said so --- I bought my components because they were what I needed at that time and they fit the bill performance/price/expectation-wise. Obviously your budget/expectations will be different from mine and the market has also moved since I last looked.

Take a look at speedbumps links. The second one, the one with the i7 looks good, but again, is more pricey than the first one, the i5. Budget considerations here, and only you can decide on that.

As for the GPU, again, I am wary of recommending a specific card. I am biased towards AMD, but that's just me. You may be an nVidia guy. So, let me just point you to the Best Graphics Cards For The Money: February 2011 page from Tom's HW as a rough guide to the best bang-for-buck depending on price range.

In the end, Rob, YOU decide what you want --- how much you want to spend, how you allocate your money on different components, the actual components you buy. What WE can do is advise and comment on your selection Suffice to say that whether you go AMD or Intel, the market is competitive enough right now that with a little research and some forum help, it is unlikely that you'll be unhappy with whatever you end up with, regardless of your budget.

As a point of reference, I am gaming on an i5 750 (no overclock), on a Gigabyte P55 motherboard, with 4gb (2x2gb) high performance DDR3 RAM, on a HD 5770 1gb video card. It can play FC2 like a dream, though I would go for a beefier card if I could, and go triple-screen gaming.


To directly answer your question -- decide first what kind of GPU you want. That will limit your CPU choices. Then decide on which CPU you actually want. AMD? Intel? During your research (I assume you decide based on research and not just a flick of a coin!) most articles will point you with a compatible motherboard, or we can give you better suggestions once you have actually decided on your CPU. With the amount of choice available (and more coming out each month!), it just isn't as easy as "this one goes with that one" sort of thing.

Hope that helps!

Once you decide to upgrade, you can post the intended budget here and your preferences for manufactures (if you have any). Based on the parts you have that can be used again, an suggestion for a build can be put together.

Hey Ice, no apologies needed. I understand. I was just looking to get a few ideas on where to start and go from there. I'm not real tech savvy but now I have a general idea on where to start and keep my spending around $1000 or less. The advice given will help me decide which direction to go. I appreciate the time you've taken to help out.

Thanks Speedbump for the links. That helps me a lot too.

I don't have any general preferences as to which brand to go with but want to find something that will be reliable and cost efficient.

Time to do some studying.

Talonslair. Look at the thread above this one on the guy looking for a good $1000 built.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.591935
How does this one sound?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.591916
Or this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.610625
Or this one?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.569868
Or this one?



Newegg.com cannot guarantee the compatibility of Combo items. Please contact the manufacturer(s) directly if you have issues or concerns regarding compatibility.
Whats up with this? I'm confused as to why they would offer a combo and mention about compatibility.

Never trust anyone but yourself. Hence the need to do research. Off to work in a few, will comment in full later.

Yep, I get it. Just want a few opinions though. Ultimately it will be my decision in the end and I WILL be reaserching each component from each manufacturer. I have plenty of time to decide which direction I am going.
This is how I usually buy things. Opinions...research....questions.....research....opinions/reviews....research. I have a couple of friends from the IT department at work and I'll be chewing on their ears for awhile too. They're going to get sick of me