Video memory and Minimum Game Requirements

[MichaelD]

My laptop has a 64MB GPU (ATI X700). I was looking at a game today (Gothic 3) and for MINIMUM requirements it lists 128MB graphics memory.

Will the game load and run on my laptop anyway or will it just flat out not load?

Thanks.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
My laptop has a 64MB GPU (ATI X700). I was looking at a game today (Gothic 3) and for MINIMUM requirements it lists 128MB graphics memory.

Will the game load and run on my laptop anyway or will it just flat out not load?

Thanks.

forget G3 on your rig ... even with patch 1.4 it makes an x850xt cry ... and i would say 1GB system RAM is the absolute minimum even though they claim 512MB ... 2GB is realistic unless you want to make a cup of coffee each time while waiting for a level to load.

 

[Keysplayr]

Michael, is your laptop's video upgradeable? What is the make and model? 64MB X700 isn't going to cut it for that game. You will have disk thrashing galore and un-enjoyable gameplay. And that is probably at lowest settings possible.

So, what do you have bud?

keys

 

[MichaelD]

Wow, so much for my little fantasy world. Hahah!

My laptop does surprisingly well with most games. Even Far Cry, Dark Messiah MM, BF2 and Q4. Due to it's relatively low resolution of 1280x800 games play really well with the candy turned down to Medium or lower.

I have an Acer TravelMate 4400, and it's got:

1.6GHz Turion
ATI X700 64MB video (which AFAIK is hardwired to the MB and not upgradable)
1.5GB of RAM (really helps with games)
100GB 5400 RPM HD (not 7200 but not 4200rpm either)

I guess I won't be loading up Gothic 3 then. I almost tried loaded Oblivion before I went on the road, but ran out of time. That game also lists very high Minimum requirements.

Thanks much, guys. :beer:

 

[apoppin]

Try Gothic2 .. [very] slow starter but about 60 plus hours of good game-play and story [64MB vRAM recommended i.e. - 8500 series level GPU/1.2Ghz PIII/512MB system RAM]
... i haven't finished it yet; i am going back there today ... i got distracted with my new rig and then played OverLord and some dx10 CoJ/LP:EC.
- OverLord is "fair" - great dx9c graphics, cool minions to command, but repetitious, tedious and the story's ending stinks.
i give it 6.9/10 and glad i got it relatively cheap.

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks Apoppin. I'll check out G2.

It's amazing how quickly hardware becomes outdated...I sure do miss my main rig at home. But lugging a full tower and a 24" monitor on the road just isn't really a possibility.

My laptop is great with most things; 1.6GHz isn't really all that bad, and I've got plenty of
RAM. But the videocard leaves a little to be desired. But, being that the laptop is in perfect working condition and paid for, I won't be upgrading any time soon.

 

[MarcVenice]

It's not really your laptop, but gothic 3. Gothic 3 just stinks in the way it's programmed.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
It's not really your laptop, but gothic 3. Gothic 3 just stinks in the way it's programmed.

no ... it's really his laptop
--G3 runs OK on your system or mine with the latest 1.4 patch and is a very well-written - if not programmed - game ... easily the equal or better than Oblivion [with the fixed bugs and SQs]

-and you actually liked OverLord and recommended it?
:Q

. . . and MichaelD, G2/NotR is from '05, so it isn't ugly ... but it should be an ideal on-the-road fantasy/advanture RPG ... i got it bargain-bin for really really cheap.

edit: did i type '05?
:Q

'03/'04 i think

and your laptop is "fine" ... you just can't play the latest games - that is why there are older games

 

[MichaelD]

Hey! Aside from the GPU, my lappy really is pretty nice.

/hugs laptop

Two years ago, 64MB in a laptop seemed like a pretty good specification. Getting a new laptop just isn't in the cards right now.

This thing runs hot and the battery life is nonexistent, but damn if it's not reliable as heck. It even burns dual layer DVDs...not that I've ever actually DONE that on my laptop...but I could if I wanted to...so there.