Armed Assault - Horsepower Hog?

[LtUlrich 0]

We have to ask ourselves what kind of CPU/GFX muscle this game will require. This has been eluded to in other threads but I would like to open a discussion on hardware as it relates to Armed Assault.

We can only assume that this new title will be as, or more, CPU-intensive than the original(s). We can also guess that the new release will make better use of system memory. Graphics is an ongoing debate; but now it's time for many of us to decide whether to embrace PCI-Express or to stick with AGP.

My stab at minimum specs would be the following:

CPU: 2200 Mhz ^

RAM: 512 DDR 333 ^

GPU: 64MB ^, GPU 300 ^, AGP 8x or PCI-X

HD: 1024MB ^

CD/DVD: I had heard that this title would be on CD-Rom. Verify?

DirectX 9.0c

Windows 2000 SP4/XP SP2, Linux

Let's discuss specific hardware. Will any AMD Barton/Thorton/Thoroughbred do the trick do ya think? Any good overclocking results? Also should mention that I'm currently playing with my first ATI card and I'm finding it extremely powerful and overclockable. It's an MSI Radeon RX 9600 Pro AGP 8x plugged into an MSI K7N2 Delta. I, for one, am planning a hardware upgrade.

[Gadger 0]

My guess:

Minimum:

CPU: P3 or equivalent 1.5ghz

GPU: 64mb DX9 compatiable

RAM: 256mb

Optimul:

CPU: P4 or equivalent 2.53ghz

GPU: 128mb

RAM: 512mb

[txalin 2]

My guess

Minimun

p3/athlon64 1.5

64 dx9

256 ram

Optimal

p3/athlon64 2.5

128mb dx9 gpu

512 ram

Full

Maybe NASA main computer....

[somebloke 0]

Think we're gonna need more than a 1.5ghz min to run it.

[Blake 0]

Quote[/b] ]My stab at minimum specs would be the following:

CPU: 2200 Mhz ^

RAM: 512 DDR 333 ^

Hopefully you are wrong.

I would not want Armed Assault turn into major horsepower hog, I'm looking more towards realism,physics engine, command & control and mission editor improvements rather than graphics improvements. Hopefully those guesses fit to OFP2 but not Armed Assault.

[MATRA 0]

OPF1 has 4 years old, sure the AA wont request the same system specs.

I want all the goodies they can give on this one.

[bn880 5]

My guess:

Minimum:

CPU: P3 or equivalent 1.5ghz

GPU: 64mb DX9 compatiable

RAM: 256mb

Optimul:

CPU: P4 or equivalent 2.53ghz

GPU: 128mb

RAM: 512mb

I'll agree that's my prediction as well. However a recommended spec would have 1024MB ram.

[EiZei 0]

That's still quite a jump for join-in-progress and prettier models.

[baff 0]

100x 100 km maps

so it will probably require 9 x the ram the original did.

[Ironsight 1]

100x 100 km maps

so it will probably require 9 x the ram the original did.

100 square km not 100x100 km

[berghoff 11]

I don't really think you'll need an state of the art system for it. The textures on the models still look quite the same. I think you'll only gonna need a card that can handle dx9 effects for the rest I think it is gone up a notch.

[agent556 5]

100x 100 km maps  

so it will probably require 9 x the ram the original did.

100 square km not 100x100 km  

so that would be around 10km x 10km... isnt nogova island 25km x 25km?

[Heatseeker 0]

My opinion is it will have same system requirements of VBS1 maybe less because VBS uses better models and stuff, wich arent that high or demanding specs, for what we can see the game has some improvements but not many on the visual side, plus the code was optimised to work on a xbox with 700mhz cpu and 64 RAM . I think the game will be a little more demanding on the graphics (a little) and less stressfull on cpu and system ram meaning it will problably run smoother than OPFR does .

This is what i think, nothing but speculation but i would advise you guys not to worry much about Armed Assault's performance if OPFR runs good enough for you now and save for The new game not called OPF2 because that will be a brand new game with a new next generation engine.

[Acecombat 0]

Ok i need advise which GFX card in the R9800 and the FX5900 series performs for OFP better? Is it better to get these or get on of those GT6600? I am also trying to save money for OFP2 as well so i want a temporary solution i just cant play AA with my current shameful card its a major bottleneck in my system.

Also how do 9800 and the modern offerings compare in price anyone whos bought recently wanna offer some advise? I sometimes see a old radeon 9800 with a higher price tag then the X-700 cards .

[ExtracTioN 0]

Ok i need advise which GFX card in the R9800 and the FX5900 series performs for OFP better? Is it better to get these or get on of those GT6600? I am also trying to save money for OFP2 as well so i want a temporary solution i just cant play AA with my current shameful card its a major bottleneck in my system.

Also how do 9800 and the modern offerings compare in price anyone whos bought recently wanna offer some advise? I sometimes see a old radeon 9800 with a higher price tag then the X-700 cards   .

A FX5900 GT6600 would be good enough for AA

If you ask me Geforce all the time

[Heatseeker 0]

Ok i need advise which GFX card in the R9800 and the FX5900 series performs for OFP better? Is it better to get these or get on of those GT6600? I am also trying to save money for OFP2 as well so i want a temporary solution i just cant play AA with my current shameful card its a major bottleneck in my system.

Also how do 9800 and the modern offerings compare in price anyone whos bought recently wanna offer some advise? I sometimes see a old radeon 9800 with a higher price tag then the X-700 cards   .

If you want temporary solution i think the 9800 would do, i have a 6600GT but its not has reliable has my ti was with OPF, ocasional out of memory error (rare but happens), performance wise high fps with 1280x1024 and 4x AA, considering AA engine is updated it should run fine, if you only play OPF i think ti4600 must be a great card for it and a cheap, fast and reliable temporary solution if you can find one, better than fx series i think .

[Acecombat 0]

Yeah i tried to find Ti 2 years ago and couldnt forget it now

I guess a Radoen 9800 or FX5900 is a better choice? Which one in between them is good and what FPS you got with it please post that too i would appreciate it. I wanna see what the ofp'ers in general have come up with these cards performancewise so i can choose wisely.

[Heatseeker 0]

Yeah i tried to find Ti 2 years ago and couldnt forget it now

I guess a Radoen 9800 or FX5900 is a better choice? Which one in between them is good and what FPS you got with it please post that too i would appreciate it. I wanna see what the ofp'ers in general have come up with these cards performancewise so i can choose wisely.

Well, keep in mind that even with high fps the gameplay may still chop down a bit depending on cpu and ram, i think theres plenty of 9800 users here, Placebo for example .

Them 9800 are still expensive, if you can get a 6600/ 6600GT for just a bit more i sugest you go for it, i think they are around 200€ now, maybe less depending on manufacturer. Plus you would take good advantage of other games like SC3, D3, etc .

[kerosene 0]

The 9800 is a good card, I had one but my jerk brother ruined it, so I upgraded to an X800 pro, I think my computer should be able to handle AA.

All that stuff about the huge levels with hundreds or thousands of npcs wpndering around, I'm guessing you'll need a good processor as much a good graphics card.

[hoz 0]

I'm hoping the specs will slightly better then the xbox. After all they've been tuning the engine for a 64 meg 700mhz pc for 2 years now.

[LtUlrich 0]

I really don't think graphics cards are going to be much of an issue, unless yours sucks.  My primary concern is CPU power.  Even the current OFP gives my 1900-something AMD a run.  I don't know how they make games like Halo2 run on Xbox, and I don't care.   But I know that with all these dynamic AI and huge islands, your graphics (I'm sure they'll be as scalable as in OFP) settings could be all the way down and with a slow (< 1800) processor, it will still slow down.

Probably a bad example but I play SimCity 4 and I can turn down all the graphics and set it to 800X600 but it still slows down because of all of the sheer mathematics.  Not much that can be done about this except for a CPU upgrade.

As far as the Nvidia/ATI debate, I was a big Nvidia fan but I didn't want to spend lots of money on a new Geforce, especially because of all the driver confusion and incompatibilities with Windows 2000 (my baby).  I heard that the Geforce 5 series were basically 6-MX's and that I should save for a six.  I'm sure you've checked the prices on some of these and they're pretty crazy compared to ATIs.  Also I found that there are more ATIs available without special features such as TV input.  ATIs are also much more overclock friendly.  Don't remember which thread I found it in but a tool called ATITool is extremely powerful for tuning.

Also Nvidia seems to be allowing the worst board makers to make their cards, whereas ATI is using MSI primarily.  MSI/ATI card on an MSI board is an unbeatable combo for effeciency and speed.

I got the 64 MB Radeon but there is a 128 available for not much more.  Don't recall if it's a 96 or 9800 tho.

Over.

[Acecombat 0]

My current CPU is 2.4 GHZ P4 @ 533FSB. And 512 RAM @233mhz.

My geforce 440 MX card is shit my OFP often stutters with addons and stuff loaded though with little units or BIS ones i get ok FPS around 20-25 but stutters are always there randomly coming in between and i am fed up of this now . Thats why i wanna upgrade for AA i cant hold on till OFP2 like this and OFP is long way away 2006 it wont be released is my bet mor elike Q2 2007.

[Heatseeker 0]

Your cpu should handle it fine, post you MB model too, it should support 266mhz and 333mhz ddr ram i bet?

1 gig of ram and a 6600GT/9800pro and armed assault should run perfectly fine with 50+ fps (depending on mission size, number of units, etc) i think.

A very big number of addons instaled can and will screw performance due to increased memory usage. defrag your HD and reinstall the game, it may help.

Also keep in mind that armed assault shouldnt be more demanding than OPFR, infact it may run even better, remember BIS optimised the engine alot for it to run on xbox and that the current OPF engine is very old and problably doesnt put your harware to its full potential.

I think people who are very worried about performance are the same ones who are mixing up AA with OPF2 er... i mean the game that is not gonna be called OPF2.

You are being a bit paranoid about it .

Oh, and be sure there are no compatbility problems betwean your new vcard and your MB if you choose the 6600GT card and to get atleast a 450W psu, it is recomended, hope this helps .

[Gadger 0]

My guess:

Minimum:

CPU: P3 or equivalent 1.5ghz

GPU: 64mb DX9 compatiable

RAM: 256mb

Optimul:

CPU: P4 or equivalent 2.53ghz

GPU: 128mb

RAM: 512mb

I'll agree that's my prediction as well.     However a recommended spec would have 1024MB ram.

Yep, we are not going to see a "major" pentium or amd release before now and Q2005, BIS won't freeze out aprox 50% of their prospective market by not making the game settings suitable for those with either low end GPU or CPU's, your probably right about the 1gig ram, I only have 512 so...

[WackyIraqi 2]

i'd like a option in the options menu ingame to turn post processing on and off (so if you have a crappy card you can still kinda play the game) that would help some people...