Interesting trend noted with Civ4 (artificial obsolete computer syndrome)

[dearmad]

It used to be that *hardware* drove the requirements of computers, but now I see it is the totally artificial "performance" difference that the OS provides that is at the heart of it.

I keep about three computers. When I 'upgrade" I end up building a new one and keeping the old.

For about 3 years now my *old* computer has been quite capable of running software that's coming out. With details turned up.

And I only upgrade about once every 2 years!

But, the OS I'm running (win2000) is rapidly closing in on "obsolete" due to totally artifical reasons...

Civ 4 has some pretty darn *low* requirements. The video card required is pitiful (slower then my worst computer's gfx card), the memory use is very low (1/4 what I have in each machine), and the processor speed is about 1/3rd as fast as my best machine, half that of my secondary machine, and right at the level of my most wimpy machine.

I would LOVE a game that actually took advantage of more memory, and cpu time to + the AI's analysis for sp play. I had HOPED civ iv would do this, but I see it isn't going to.

I don't know- seems to me there's something rotten in the state of Denmark.

But then a lot of people on this board make me laugh when they whine about not having a dvd rom drive! Wha-!? I mean they cost $20 now and are the simplest thing to install inside the box.

[Ninot]

I have a DVD drive for sale.

[dearmad]

Crap, I can DONATE a DVD/CD combo drive with rw/+r/-r etc... drive. I have 6 or so of them. A NICE one- lite-on.

[Sabre2th]

It must be nice to have enough money to upgrade so often. I recently graduated from school, so I still have an "obsolete" computer. It's over 4 years old now and could run the newest software very well until recently.

Low minimum requirements don't necessarily mean that the game won't take advantage of a faster computer. Software can be very scalable if properly coded.

As for Windows2000: It is supported. You can stop whining now.

MIMIMUM
# Windows 2000/XP with SP1 or higher
# Intel Pentium 4- or AMD Athlon CPU with at least 1,2 GHz
# 256 MB RAM
# 64 MB graphics card with Hardware T&L (GeForce 2/Radeon 7500 or better)
# DirectX 7 compatible soundcard
# DVD-ROM drive
# 1,7 GB free hard disk space

RECOMMENDED
# Windows XP with SP1 or higher
# Intel Pentium 4- or AMD Athlon CPU with at least 1,8 GHz
# 512 MB RAM
# 128-MB graphics card with DirectX 8 support (pixel- and vertex shaders)
# DirectX 7 compatible soundcard
# DVD-ROM drive
# 1,7 GB free hard disk space

[Brizey]

Hate to tell you this, but keeping three computers and upgrading every two years probably puts you in the top 1/2% in terms of dollars spent on personal computers per unit time.

The five year old machine I am typing this on will not run Civ4, but it runs XP and the latest version of office just fine.

I agree with you about the OS thing, though. A pentium II 500 MHz is more than enough for email, Office, etc. but people will get forced to upgrade to run XP.

Games are the only application that pushes the limits of a typical user. Very few people do hard core number crunching or graphics/video processing.

[sophist]

Re: Interesting trend noted with Civ4 (artificial obsolete computer syndrome)

Originally posted by dearmad

But, the OS I'm running (win2000) is rapidly closing in on "obsolete" due to totally artifical reasons...

That's Microsoft wanting more money. You don't have to stop using it, though. A lot of people aren't bothering to upgrade from 2000 because they don't see much benefit in it (me included). And a lot of developers know that.

[AeonOfTime]

@dearmad: Civ 4 has some pretty darn *low* requirements. The video card required is pitiful (slower then my worst computer's gfx card), the memory use is very low (1/4 what I have in each machine), and the processor speed is about 1/3rd as fast as my best machine, half that of my secondary machine, and right at the level of my most wimpy machine.

Whoa, now THAT's a little different from the usual "Will my good ole 486 run Civ4" posts... And is smells like someone needed to boast a little

Honestly though, brizey is right - your setup is not really a normal one. I am a gamer, and have always been one, but I can't afford that kind of equipment... I have two PCs, one for work and the other for leisure, and it really made me bleed when I bought those 260 Euros worth of ATI Radeon 9600 (which is my most prized possession)...

[Sarxis]

My computer can well hack even the suggested requirements, but the DVD drive was missing when I bought this system from a friend. I knew it was missing (actually has a slot for it, and originally had one, but was taken out by a previous owner) but now it looks like the game may be coming only on DVD! Could be an unprecedented move for a PC game (though I may have seen one other game on a shelf that had only DVD versions; could have been Myst IV).

[dearmad]

I'm genuinely surprised you you all would think upgrading once every 2 years or so was a huge deal. It costs me about $500 and is something I save up for over the two years... like about $20 a month set aside. No big deal. You can't claim that's a big deal if you're logging into the internet on anything faster than a 56k modem... if you have cable (I don't and THAT'S a lot of money right there), if you smoke (cigarettes?? Ciggy's = $$$--->toilet)

Then I shop/research like hell for the best equipment, look at cost/performance ratios and THINK a lot about my choices.

I order my parts from various places that are reputable and assemble the beast myself.

Seriously, not bragging rights at ALL on this.

Well, anyway, I still think the OS obsoleteness is artificial and that hardware is NOT being pushed like it used to. I have been on this upgrading cycle for years now and back with Ultima VI I was juuuuust barely on the curve for hardware, and now I'm always way ahead and spending LESS money on it.

I think the computer market has changed somehow in a way I'm not perceiving yet.

[Kinjiru]

The computer market hasn't changed.

Two component bits have... cpu's and graphics cards. Each has two big-time competitors (AMD/Intel and NVidia/ATI) that are going head-to-head. It doesn't matter if there is no software outthere than can take advantage of the features in your last model, your competition is releasing their new product next month and it will defintely 'out-benchmark' your last product. Unless you want to go broke (because retailers will only stock the new stuff, reviewers will only talk about the new stuff, and the poor consumer hasn't a clue about the inner workings so will play it safe and buy the new stuff), you had better gin up a new model yourself.

Fortunately, we are getting to a point in both those sectors that this cycle will be slowing. The price points (directly related to the R&D costs, with a hefty marketing mark-up of course) are getting so far beyond what the normal consumer can take that the product cycle will start to lengthen.

[CustodianV131]

Originally posted by Kinjiru

Fortunately, we are getting to a point in both those sectors that this cycle will be slowing. The price points (directly related to the R&D costs, with a hefty marketing mark-up of course) are getting so far beyond what the normal consumer can take that the product cycle will start to lengthen.

I hope so! Maybe finally gameplay will get more focus again then having the lastest most flashy graphics for your game.

[H Tower]

Originally posted by dearmad
I'm genuinely surprised you you all would think upgrading once every 2 years or so was a huge deal. It costs me about $500 and is something I save up for over the two years... like about $20 a month set aside. No big deal. You can't claim that's a big deal if you're logging into the internet on anything faster than a 56k modem... if you have cable (I don't and THAT'S a lot of money right there), if you smoke (cigarettes?? Ciggy's = $$$--->toilet)

Then I shop/research like hell for the best equipment, look at cost/performance ratios and THINK a lot about my choices.

I order my parts from various places that are reputable and assemble the beast myself.

Seriously, not bragging rights at ALL on this.

Nope, you're still bragging. Most of us, hell, 90% of us don't have the time, inclination or expertise to build our own computers. Not everybody online is a computer nerd who knows what the latest terminology is or what the benefits of a dual core processor are.

A friend of mine, is a computer nerd, he works in IT 9 hours a day, sometimes 6 days a week, and he doesn't have the time to build his own computer, he doesn't want to spend the time doing research, he wants to play with his kids.

[Wittlich]

Well stated H Tower!

[petermarkab]

Originally posted by Sabre2th
As for Windows2000: It is supported. You can stop whining now.

Where did you get that civ 4 requirements info? Is that official or patched together from sources?

regards,
Peter

[petermarkab]

oh just read the poly front page!