Howdy, I have a older Intel Motherboard D815EEA AGP 4x P3 1.4 Tualatin maximum Ram it can take 512sdram with Windows 98SE and a Voodoo 5500. The Voodoo 5500 has always played better in 3d mode instead of glide, but there is a low level cloud glitch in 3d mode. Anyhow I am finally ready to upgrade to the fastest and best Video card for this older system hopefully so I can play Carriers at War2 on it, I made a few unique open ocean map very random just carrier war scenarios for it thats passes the time quiet well.

Whats the best card for system above for EAW, would like to be able to still use older CRT monitors too. I will also be playing Strike Fighters, Vietcong on this computer.
The original Steel Beast is a keeper to but not so important, I know I heard there are issues with newer cards not being able to play in 640x480 resolution and 256 colors and the game is not 3d accelerated. I was surprised to see some post below about Geforce 6x series cards not playing EAW.

Thanks for any advice!

Lonny

Hi Lonny007.

I used to have a Geforce 4800se on my old PIII rig, and it worked fine with EAW, as long as I used the original drivers. I had very bad problems with the so called later drivers from Nvidia, so stick with the stock drivers supplied with the card.

Thanks Col Gibbon had a few others recommend the Geforce 4x series also. I am assuming this will work with Windows 98SE.
Seems no one is mentioning the Geforce 5x series cards. Also theres a post below that states the AGP version Geforce 6200 plays EAW and another post that states it will not play EAW. Be nice to know for sure so I can narrow down which Geforce series to get.

If I get a Geforce 4800se with no drivers, then you are saying to look for older drivers instead of the newer ones.

Also had 1 post recommend a ATI 9800 Pro for Strike Fighters, How does the ATI 9800 Pro do for EAW?

Also I intend to have this card working with Windows 98SE, maybe the Geforce 6x and 7x series cards do not run in Windows 98se or the ATI 9800 Pro, any idea, that would eliminate them.

Thanks for your help!

Lonny

Hi Lonny007.

I have a ATI X550,16x PCI express card in my current computer. I have the latest drivers and EAW runs very well, with full 512x512 24bit textures. On my 4800se I never tested 24bit, because I got this rig a while ago, before we activated BMP textures. As your only going to use 4x AGP the 4800 series should be good enough as it was a 8x AGP. I've always run EAW in D3D mode, so the current 24bit textures should work with the 48xx card.

Hi Lonny,

I am using XP and a geforce 7600 card, it works fine in d3d mode on an old crt monitor but I use the 'windower' program to avoid distorted maps in the selection screens in-game.


cheers,


Pobs

Ah ha, but a 48xx does not need that in D3D.

Well I am curious now so I will look for some good cards on Ebay and see for myself which cards will play what and any performance gain that I get I will post my results as I go. I will be tested my results with WINDOWS 98SE First before Windows XP.

Okay I will try the latest drivers for all these cards for Windows 98SE then if those dont work, I will have to research which version in the past seem to work.

I already have Geforce2 GTS 64 coming, but I will hunt down a GeForce 4000 series, 5000 series, and the 6200.

Now you say 6200, is there less a chance with the 6600 and the 6800? You would think if one 6 could do it then the other 6 would too, 6 series?

I think all the 7000 series cards have dvi port only no video port, so the 6 series will be as high as I test for now. Pobs you state you have a 7000 series with a Video Port not just DVI only, interesting will have to re look that over.

Again using Windows 98SE is it worth trying a ATI 9800 pro to see if it plays EAW? Any Windows 98SE success storys with this card the Ati 9800 Pro?

For me to keep the new card and replace the Voodoo 5500 it will have to play EAW patch 1.1pc4, Strike Fighters patch SP2a and Vietcong better then the Voodoo 5500 plays them right now. Plus hopefully the new card will run Carriers at War2.

For the record the Voodoo 5500 with Windows 98se does not work with Carriers at War 2.With Windows 98SE and the Voodoo 5500 and EAW patch 1.1pc4 and playing in D3D mode a certain cloud down low, maybe this is low fog I would get a glitch when I passed thru it, some things turning all White real quick, this seems to happen in certain weather conditions only. In fact I was going to see if I could omit this weather from game or campaign to get rid of this glitch, but have not got around to it. Strike Fighters Sp2a has a RWR bug in 32 bit where it does not show up, I have to run in 16 bit for that to work but then the overall graphics are not nearly as nice as 32bit, specialy terrain,clouds and smoke.
Vietcong some maps look great and run great while other maps have graphic glitches and slow downs.

Thanks for all your help!

Lonny

Highest card I ever ran was nvidia XFX5200 AGP4X on XP sp2, all worked a treat, however the mobo died and put an end to all that.

EDIT: I also ran the last gForce drivers for that card aswell.