Minimum System Requirements...

[TrekkiELO]

Do you guys @ Firaxis have any idea what they will be yet?

You've always been really good about making all Civilization games as backwards compatible or low end as possible!

I have a:

Pentium III 800 MHz Laptop w/256 MB Ram & 16 MB Trident CyberBlade XP graphics card running Windows 98 SE.

Unfortunately I can't afford to upgrade to a new high end system as of right now.

Thanks in advance,

Rick Vendl II

[Fredric Drum]

Why would you upgrade 'right now' for a game that's 10 months down the line anyway? You have plenty of time to save up for a new PC

[Alex]

I would say that the minimum requirements will be something like the ones for Pirates!:

System Requirements
- Operating System: Windows® 98/Me/2000/XP

- Processor: Pentium® 1.0 GHz or higher

- Memory: 256 MB RAM

- Hard Disk Space: 1.2 GB Free

- CD-ROM Drive: 4X Speed

- Video: 64 MB video card* with Hardware T&L support

- Sound: Windows® 98/Me/2000/XP-compatible sound card*

- DirectX®: DirectX® version 9.0b (included) or higher

* Indicates device should be compatible with DirectX® version 9.0b or higher.

Maybe the videocard will not require a card which is compatible with T&L.

[Trifna]

Alex, what exactly makes you believe that Pirates is establishing a precedent giving an overview of cIV's requirements?

[Leto]

probably because cIV is using the same 3D engine as pirates.

or have we only surmised as much?

[Brent]

I guess the requirements you listed sound like I can handle them.

[Solver]

Hopefully it will be less 3D than pirates. The less resources it uses, the better.

[Brent]

I'd prefer bare minimum graphics, mostly like Civ2, but it's safe to say that won't happen. Remember the screenshots. They may have been ugly, but they looked like resource hoggers.

[Aramis]

All game designers want to tax our systems. It's inherent in their psyches.

[Leto]

Originally posted by Aramis
All game designers want to tax our systems. It's inherent in their psyches.

woah, woah, woah. hold it right there, spinach chin.

all game PRODUCERS want to tax your systems. (this is because they have a secret deal with the hardware manufacturers.) no, not really a secret deal (well, possibly over at EA), but producers inevitably demand that a graphical standard is met, or else the game simply won't sell off the shelf.

just remember that the production of this game could not possibly be funded by the returns they'd get from selling to hardcore fans only. so, they have to appeal to a wider audience. that, or the game doesn't get made. i opt for the prior and hope for a general improvement, even if i still have gripes.

game DEVELOPERS, if they are doing their job, want to make a fun game. leave Sid, Jeff, Soren and their team out of such a discussion. Civ is their baby more than anyone's. you have to believe they are doing everything they can to make it worth our time and money.

so if we want to go "GRR" at someone for campy graphics or some similar gripe, let it be the producers. they are the ones who make stupid decisions based on marketing statistics, not the artists or designers.

[Aramis]

Golly, 'twas said in jest didn't mean to make you upset
You are right, it is those who distribute the games that have sold their very souls to the prince of darkness.

but I remain confused . . . "spinach chin"?

[Leto]

Originally posted by Aramis
Golly, 'twas said in jest didn't mean to make you upset
You are right, it is those who distribute the games that have sold their very souls to the prince of darkness.

but I remain confused . . . "spinach chin"?

no, it's all good. i wasn't upset at you, i just have strong feelings regarding the producer/developer relationship and where things are headed.

and then i went off because i do read so much general *****ing in here about how the new game is turning out (already!), and i think it happens to be directed at members within Firaxis simply because we know their names. but it is the nameless producers lurking in shadow who we should shake our collective fist at.

see, i did it again. sorry.

the spinach chin line is from Army of Darkness. if you haven't seen it, get some buds and some drinks and watch.

[Aramis]

There is a lot of pointless *****ing directed at Firaxis, and perhaps this is why the Firaxis website only credits Apolyton with having good CivII forums (the last I looked there--a month or so ago).
Sid Meier designed the two games that renewed my interest in pc games: Gettysburg and CivIII. I trust a game is worth a shot if he's involved.
I assumed all the problems with PtW (which seemed rushed and had more bugs than my porchlight on a summer night) were the result of Infogrames/Atari wanting to get product out. I don't blame Firaxis and I don't blame the design team. Designers work under a lot of pressure produced by number crunchers.
So rant all you want!
I shall be more careful in my word choice.

[Alex]

Originally posted by Leto
probably because cIV is using the same 3D engine as pirates.

Yes, that is my assumption. But, as Solver said, cIV will probably be less 3D than Pirates, after all it is a TBS game. We'll spend most of our time on the main map.

I hope it doesn't have steep system requirements, my computer is not that fancy.

[TrekkiELO]

Originally posted by Leto

the spinach chin line is from Army of Darkness. if you haven't seen it, get some buds and some drinks and watch.

I believe Mo originally said 'spinach chin' in a 20-minute Three Stooges short entitled "Malice in the Palace"!

Signed,

Rick Vendl II