Your favourite game

[Cobra2]

How much is a graphics card? and can I play with what I have now and just downgrade the graphics a little bit or more? and how much would I have to downgrade to make it run smoothly?

Also, can you do the "Mission Editor" or whatever its called where you make your own missions and just play a custom mission and delete it? and do you do that in the game menu or at a site?

one more thing...can I play the game with 256MBs and no graphics card? and would I have to turn down the graphics a bit? and say a game takes 120MB and your comp has 130MB does that mean you only have 10MB left or isnt that counted as memory? just what it takes to run the game?

[Viggen]

There is no way you can play the game without a graphicscard. 95% of today games are 3D based models, you need the card so your pc understands all these polygons and effects.  Like 10 years ago some games had software possibilities to run 3D-graphics without a card, real crappy stuff. 

Some of todays software that helps the graphic-card to understand the effects and advanced 3D-models are DirectX. But you can not substitute the card with only the software. The games do not allow it. The cost of a reasonable card is not that expensive, you really dont need the latest model on the market. It would just make you loose a lot of money. See if you can find a 128Mb or 256Mb card from Nvidia or ATI. There are more brands on the market, that are cheaper, but these two are the ones that lead the way and the ones that first surfaced in my mind at the moment. 

The RAM in your pc and the memory on the card work together in such way that you card deals with all the calculations of heavy graphics, and the CPU with the RAM takes care of the rest. So one without the other is acutally of no use. If you run your PC with 2Gb of RAM but without a graphics-card, you would not be able to play the game or the other way around. (without any RAM you would not even be able to start your pc).

So for example when the game needs 128Mb graphicscard, 512 Mb RAM and 2.3Gb Hd. Then this is usally the minimum requirements to be able to install and run the game with the lowest-medium settings in graphics. Now,  you can run the game with less RAM, but it will behave sluggish. Loading the game takes a long time. Clicking through the menu also just takes alot of time, everything on screen works very slow but your PC is working like crazy.  Now lets say you have sufficent RAM but your card is only 32Mb, then once your in the game you will need to downgrade the graphics really much. You will loose all detail and effects on the models, and the surrounding. You will prabably even experience "Lag" while playing.

About  playing online... The connection speed does affect the game. But mostly if you play on big servers with alot of people. Then you need to send and recive alot of information, this might even affect your graphics in such way that you need to downgrade on some effects (shadows, lightning etc). The connection and the PC overall cant keep up with all the information being transferd with 10 fast jets dogfighting and blowing stuff up.

I tried my best to explain this to my ability in english, hope you understand the most of it and what im trying to say. And maybe it is not the news you wanted to hear but if you have more questions just ask and i´ll try to help. 

[Cobra2]

 :'(  :'(  :'(  :'(  :'( Oh no.
I can't downgrade enough that it will work ok? even if its just a little bit sluggish is ok if its not to bad...how much do graphics cards go for? but there is NO WAY POSSIBLE that I can play the game?....AT ALL? I dont need to play online...just mission editor...but any graphics card over $20 is to much for right now.


BUT THERE IS NO WAY WITHOUT A GRAPHICS CARD THAT I CAN PLAY THE GAME IN MISSION EDITOR EVEN IF ITS DOWNGRADED ENOUGH???

note: the big letters are just stuff I want you to read and reply to the most.

[Cobra2]

But wait! Lock-On: Modern Air Combat without upgrades like Flaming Cliffs and others is from like 2002 or 2003...and my cousin said with my computer and no graphics card I can play games from 2 years or earlier....is this true? I'm not gonna use add-ons like Flaming Cliffs...so will it work if I do that? it is like 4 or 5 years old  so will it?


note: I replied on the previus page too so don't forget to look there.

PS: please answer these questions like you have been especially this post. Also, thanks for the help Viggen, I appreciate it 

[Viggen]

No problems Cobra!  Glad if i can be of any help. 

Honestly i dont know how the game will work while playing only through the mission editor, since i have never tried it. Just give it a go and see if it works. You just might get lucky!  Truthfully i have even not realised it had a mission editor.   

Without a graphicscard of some sort, you wont be able to play the game at all, not even in mission editor. That im sure of. Finding a cheap  card is not that hard, just search on Ebay or on other auction website. You can always get your hands on good cards cheap. I dont know what the dollar stands in compared to Swedish crowns, so i cant tell you an exact prise. But i think that tech-stuff usally are cheaper in the States then in Sweden.

Your cousin is right, but that does not mean every game. Flightsimulators of all kind always need and needed a powerfull PC. For an example, My PC is less then a year old, with all the new technologi and goodies. But i cant fly in MS FSX with all the graphic settings set on maximum. The sim requires only a 32Mb graphicscard, mine is a Nvidia Geforce 7800GT 256MB. Still it is very bad. I can run the game on medium settings if  i want the sim to flow on the screen, any higher and it just lag in flight. This is due to the developers programming. Not much i can do about it unless im made out of money.

The only real way to know for sure is always to test your way forward. Diffrent PC´s behave diffrent even if its the same game. It all gets down to the hardware.  This is why i dont want to be optimistic in your case. I dont want to promise you that it will work and then you perhaps get dissapointed when it does not. I´ve been through that plenty times enough myself.

Try out the game, if it will not work, I can help you find a cheap card or recomendations based on how and what does not work when you tested the game. 

[Cobra2]

Your a good person Viggen 

so your not saying it will work....but it might? right?

anyway, what kind of cheap card that will work do you suggest buying? that will work for Lock-on: Modern Air Combat.

thanks again Viggen.

[Cobra2]

      





This is what a graphics card looks like? tell me I dont have to take apart my computer to install this  :'(
I'm guessing you dont stick this in a slot right?

[Cobra2]

I guesse you need a 'Driver' or something too besides having to take apart your computer  :'( :'(
So iether with very much luck I can play with graphics turned way down or not play my game at all  :'( 

If I dont have a graphics card and I still try to install it it will probably crash my computer and it will need rebooted right?

Oh, Viggen, by the way...dont all comps have a built in graphics card? mines a Windows XP 256MB, 120GB, Intel Celeron, Extreme Graphics 3D

note the EXTREME GRAPHICS 3D...what about that? plus and XPs are for gaming...so will it work now? 

I think I'm trying to hard 

[Viggen]

Hey, i know how it feels. I have been there more times then i ever wanted. It really sucks when you cant afford new or the latest hardware just to be sure you can play a game. 

Extreme Graphics 3D is probably built into your PC. Its a sort of graphicscard, but it wont have the same preformance as a "loose" one. But your PC seams to be relative new, so it just might work. 

The card on the picture is a S3 64Mb, cant remember the maker of those cards (Virage???).  My brother had a 32Mb version in his old PC. You do need to open up the computer to install or remove a graphicscard. They usally sit in the AGP or PCI slot, you cant put it in the wrong one.

When buying a card, you get a CD with the correct drivers on. You uninstall the old drivers. Turn the PC off. Make sure the powercabel is unplugged. Then it is just opening up the side, remove one screw and then it is just pulling the card out slowly. Attach the new card on its right place (AGP or PCI). Screw it all together. Start the PC up again, you can put the CD with the drivers in the CD-rom or DVD-drive. You PC will search for the new cards driver and install them. Then you make the last settings by right-clicking on the desktop. Choose "properties", then "settings". Make the changes that suits you and finito. 

Lock On: MC-specs.

Windows(r)98/ME/XP/2000
Pentium III 800/AMD Athlon 600 or better
256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended)
3D video card (DirectX 8.1 compatible) w/32MB RAM (128MB recommended)
Sound Card (Direct 8.1 compatible)
DirectX 8.1 or higher (included on disc)
4X CD-ROM or better (Not recommended for use with CD-RWs)
(Internet connection (56 kbps or better) or LAN for multiplayer)
Hard Drive Space 1.1 GB


I suggest a 128Mb or 256Mb AGP-graphicscard of whatever brand you can afford. Most cards today are of high quality even the cheaper ones. Btw make sure you have an AGP-slot on your motherboard first, (grey rectangular slot). These work faster on older machines. The AGP can send and recive more information faster then the PCI-slot.

You defenatly need more RAM, Lock On: MC recomends atleast 512 RAM. I can almost bet that your PC is working a bit slow now. But i recomend this because of what i have heard and been taught,  that Win XP needs a minimum of 1Gb RAM to work optimal. Anyway im working from my point of view, meaning what i would of done if i had your hardware and wanted to play Lock On: Modern Combat. 

Just out of curiosity, what speed does your CPU have?

If I dont have a graphics card and I still try to install it it will probably crash my computer and it will need rebooted right? It will probably crash once you try to start the game or it wont even let you start it. But nothing will happen during the installation. 

Hope i did not forget anything... 

[Raptor]

I'v got 3 spare Graphics cards... After opening up 4 computers... I snapped one by accident... 

[Cobra2]

Hey, i know how it feels. I have been there more times then i ever wanted. It really sucks when you cant afford new or the latest hardware just to be sure you can play a game. 

Extreme Graphics 3D is probably built into your PC. Its a sort of graphicscard, but it wont have the same preformance as a "loose" one. But your PC seams to be relative new, so it just might work. 

The card on the picture is a S3 64Mb, cant remember the maker of those cards (Virage???).  My brother had a 32Mb version in his old PC. You do need to open up the computer to install or remove a graphicscard. They usally sit in the AGP or PCI slot, you cant put it in the wrong one.

When buying a card, you get a CD with the correct drivers on. You uninstall the old drivers. Turn the PC off. Make sure the powercabel is unplugged. Then it is just opening up the side, remove one screw and then it is just pulling the card out slowly. Attach the new card on its right place (AGP or PCI). Screw it all together. Start the PC up again, you can put the CD with the drivers in the CD-rom or DVD-drive. You PC will search for the new cards driver and install them. Then you make the last settings by right-clicking on the desktop. Choose "properties", then "settings". Make the changes that suits you and finito. 

Lock On: MC-specs.

Windows(r)98/ME/XP/2000
Pentium III 800/AMD Athlon 600 or better
256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM recommended)
3D video card (DirectX 8.1 compatible) w/32MB RAM (128MB recommended)
Sound Card (Direct 8.1 compatible)
DirectX 8.1 or higher (included on disc)
4X CD-ROM or better (Not recommended for use with CD-RWs)
(Internet connection (56 kbps or better) or LAN for multiplayer)
Hard Drive Space 1.1 GB


I suggest a 128Mb or 256Mb AGP-graphicscard of whatever brand you can afford. Most cards today are of high quality even the cheaper ones. Btw make sure you have an AGP-slot on your motherboard first, (grey rectangular slot). These work faster on older machines. The AGP can send and recive more information faster then the PCI-slot.

You defenatly need more RAM, Lock On: MC recomends atleast 512 RAM. I can almost bet that your PC is working a bit slow now. But i recomend this because of what i have heard and been taught,  that Win XP needs a minimum of 1Gb RAM to work optimal. Anyway im working from my point of view, meaning what i would of done if i had your hardware and wanted to play Lock On: Modern Combat. 

Just out of curiosity, what speed does your CPU have?

If I dont have a graphics card and I still try to install it it will probably crash my computer and it will need rebooted right? It will probably crash once you try to start the game or it wont even let you start it. But nothing will happen during the installation. 

Hope i did not forget anything... 

Yeah, I'll just forget it and play Area00 then and ps2.

[Webmaster]

Before you try upgrading anything you might want to check with a professional. For RAM memory you can check your mainboard manual, harddrive are not to difficult as long as you get the right one for your board and PSU and remember to set the jumpers correctly. For about everything else today, you just need to get the correct drivers in most cases. There are two exceptions, upgrading your graphics card and upgrading your processor... it's better to have a professional look at it first, especially when it's been some years since you first bought it. Why am I saying this?

I bought a XFX 7600GT (GeForce) 256MB AGP card, it fitted, I upgraded my power unit, and tried everything to get it to work. I am not completely stupid when it comes to computers. Anyway, after spending a few days without good result, I knew it was not the heat, nor the power, I went back to the vendor... the card was working, so I suggested it must be my mainboard. No, the support guy said, can't be, because of external power, and we have it running here on an older processor, blablabla. Must be your installation, re-install... So I re-installed everything, didn't work. Went back with the PC, was lucky because I had a good support guy this time, one look at my mainboard, and he told me that the graphics card had fucked up the power management inside the board. The board clearly could not handle this card. He told me I needed a new computer, and I agreed, so I got my money back and am saving for a new computer now... which kinda stinks because I also want to buy a new lense for my camera.

Just in case your wondering how old my PC must have been... 4 years, with a KT600 mainboard and Athlon XP 3000+ processor.

By way, works fine with the FX5600 256MB card, although I have to play FS and BF2 at low quality.