NFS5(PU) runs slow

[Priit]

I just got that game. Looks really awesome, but runs kinda badly: in 640x480 with most things turned down it doesn't run smooth in bigger places even with only one car. Is there something that I can do or is NFS5 just meant for faster computers? I have K6-2+/450, Riva TnT and 192Mb RAM. OS for playing is W98SE. Thanks for any kind of advice!

 

[Cosmic_Horror]

sorry to tell you but the game requires a very fast cpu.

the k6 isn't cutting it anymore. I have a cel450A (o'c 300A, with a tnt card and 192mb ram win98/2k) and i also have to run it at lower resolutions. This game is very cpu intensive. Hope this helps.

 

[Priit]

Thax Cosmic_Horror. So the faster v-card wouldn't help much ?Guess I really need to leave the SS7 platform in the near future or quit playing newer games

 

[Cosmic_Horror]

in regards to your question about a faster video card..

the video can only process data that has been sent to it by the cpu, if the card is waiting then a faster video card just will still be waiting. If the video card was the limiting factor then yes a faster card would definately help.

with my cel450A and tnt card i run the game at 640 x 480 x 16 bit with most setting at medium but useing the very high setting for distance view. the game runs smooth with 7 other cars. Once you start increasing resolution on my system the game becomes unplayable.

(low resolutions test tends to show limits in cpu, where as high resolutions tend to show limiting video card preformance)

hope this helps.

 

[sandorski]

Actually, a Voodoo3 would make it playable. k6-2's and Voodoo3's work well together.

 

[Priit]

Cosmic_Horror, you're probably right about v-cards CPU dependency, but driver optimisation and stuff like that should matter, too (fastest video card doesn't have to be fastest on a low-end system). I thought about buying newer video card and after reading Anand's SS7 video guides, Voodoo3 seemed to be pretty good choice. But V3-3000 is just as expensive as Geforce2-MX and I don't now how Geforce2 would run with K6. Moving to T-bird/Duron isn't option cause my finances are pretty limited

 

[Cosmic_Horror]

Priit

i understand where you are coming from, i am also up in the air about upgrading but funds are also a bit tight.

Without having a voodoo 3 it is difficult to say what preformance gain would be achieved. I haven't read Anand's super7 article, (i had a quick look and the only one i could find was written in 1999), however Anand and many other sites use FPS games such as quake, q2, q3 etc as the scale very nicely as you increase cpu power and also vary the resolution. We have to remember that not this benchmark doesn't nessacery relect what happens in all games. (look at a flight sim, such as MS flight simulator 2000, this game is cpu limited, every video card will preform approximately the same untill the become the limiting factor).

Super7 systems tend to run very well with voodoo based cards (basically voodoo2 and 3), when running games like quake, but i have to admit i haven't seen benchmarks of racing simulators such as need for speed5 (pu).

I definately agree that driver optimisation etc make a huge difference in preformance, and are also very important. The only concern with super7 and geforce2-MX cards (and other agp cards) is whether the motherboard can supply enough current to the video card.

 

[sandorski]

My personal experience with k6-2's is that TNT's don't work well, but Voodoo2's and 3's make practically any game playable in most situations. My old k6-2 300@350 12mb Voodoo2 was able to play NFS PU not glassy smooth, but smooth with no stutters.

BTW, if you get a Voodoo3, just go for the 2000. If you want, they'll usually overclock to 3000 speeds.

 

[Priit]

There's only $10 difference betweet V3-2000 and 3000, so I thought 3000 would be better for that money (faster RAMDAC, memory). Only newer FPS-game I play is UT and that's runs almost well with TnT (you might laugh, but 35FPS average seemed smooth to me). But NFSU looked soooo nice that I really considering upgrading my system only cause of it I have tested my system with ATI Rage Fury MAXX, so videocard's power requiments shouldn't be the problem. Talking about cheapest v-cards, theres also Matrox G400 (16Mb SH) and some ATI cards within the price range of V3, but I guess those really shouldn't help me to get faster 3D-performance. Sorry, if my post looks kinda off topic...

 

[sandorski]

$10? It's been awhile since I checked, so for sure that would be better.

 

[Priit]

sandorski: I can get V3-2000 for $100, V3-3000 for $110, Geforce2 MX for $127... I thought V3 would be my "best-buy". How expensive are those in USA/Australia/wherever you live ? Online shops mostly doesn't shipping anything into Estonia