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**MxM** · October 30, 2005, 13:20

1) Do you have problem with the worlds smaller than standard?
2) Do you have the latest drivers?

In any case, the problem is your video card, buy another one, you need to do it, if you play games at all. Most of the games are 3D, and 5200 was not very good card when it was released, and now it is aged. You can probably spend less than US$150 for very good 3D card. You can go to tomshardware forums and just read the staff there or simply ask what is the best card for $150 or for $100 if you want.

**MythicalMino** · October 30, 2005, 13:29

hmmm....i have less ram than you....slower processor than you do....the only thing, my graphics card is nVidia GeForce FX 5600XT...and my copy runs perfectly fine. I only had 1 CTD so far after quite a few hours of play. I get no slow down (other than right before that CTD mentioned above).

I also have the graphics set pretty high, on a huge map (huge Terra), with 10 civs total (not including the Barbarians on the other side of the world).

**notyoueither** · October 30, 2005, 16:11

Re: I Am So Frustrated

Originally posted by Lansing
I have a fine computer. It's an AMD 3200 64+ with 1 gig of ram and a 128 meg NVidia Geforce 5200 video card. That setup is MORE than enough for any other game. But I play Civ IV on basically slow motion, even with every graphic setting on minumum. I don't run anything in the background (god forbid!), and restart it every hour because it leaks memory.

WHY IS CIV 4, OF ALL GAMES, SO G-DAMN GRAPHICALLY INTENSE? WHY WAS IT RELEASED IN THIS STATE? WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY THINKING?

I'm sorry for the rant, but this has been the most frustrating few days ever for me. I want to play this game so badly and I can't because it's a steaming pile of bad coding. No word from Firaxis on a patch, nothing I can do helps. So now what? Get a new video card? A whole new bot?

This is ridiculous.

Your computer is fine, but the video card is on the low end of the scale they designed for. It is unfortunate for many, but in the long run it should work out for the better. They developed for the future, not yesterday.

With a Rad9600 the game runs OK for me. With an X850XT it flies and is a very good looking game.

My wish list though, includes a 'stop animations mode' or somesuch, that can be used by people with older hardware.

**spy14** · October 30, 2005, 16:16

I keep mentioning Rome TW tonight, but...

Rome's strategy map is very similar to Civ 4's, with the animations that you can't switch off etc... I had a GeForce 5200 which just couldn't cope with it (although it ran everything else I have superbly). I then purchased a Radeon 9600, amazing card for the money, and the game runs fine. I suspect the same will happen with Civ.

**Willem** · October 30, 2005, 16:38

Originally posted by notyoueither

With a Rad9600 the game runs OK for me. With an X850XT it flies and is a very good looking game.

How does the 9550 compare to the 9600, pretty close? I just bought the thing this summer to play Pirates! and it would suck if it turns out I made the wrong choice. I made a decision to go middle of the road since I didn't have a ton of cash at the time.

**notyoueither** · October 30, 2005, 16:41

Should be close. Don't expect to play huge maps, and be prepared to turn down some grfx options.

**spy14** · October 30, 2005, 16:52

9550 is I think one notch below the 9600, so judging from the performance I get out out the 9600 you should have little to no slowdown.

**Willem** · October 30, 2005, 17:22

Originally posted by notyoueither
Should be close. Don't expect to play huge maps, and be prepared to turn down some grfx options.

Well I was already planning on some graphics shutdowns. For instance, I know I'll prefer single unit animations and I can live without jumping fish etc. But I don't know about having to sacrifice huge maps.

I was sort of planning on getting a much better card in the summer though, so it might be just a temporary thing.

**Nailfoot** · October 30, 2005, 17:27

Originally posted by Willem

How does the 9550 compare to the 9600, pretty close? I just bought the thing this summer to play Pirates! and it would suck if it turns out I made the wrong choice. I made a decision to go middle of the road since I didn't have a ton of cash at the time.

The 9550 is actually a bit better than a 9600! It came out before the 9600, but runs a bit faster. Check it out on tomshardware.com and search for 9550.

EDIT: Here you go:

http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20030416/radeon_9600-07.html#unreal_tournament_2003

**Willem** · October 30, 2005, 18:03

Originally posted by Nailfoot

The 9550 is actually a bit better than a 9600! It came out before the 9600, but runs a bit faster. Check it out on tomshardware.com and search for 9550.

EDIT: Here you go:
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/gra...ournament_2003

Hmm, they don't have the 9550 listed there, just the 9500. However I'm guessing it has the same specs as the 9500 Pro, since mine has 128 meg as well, which is indeed faster.

**ElConejo** · October 30, 2005, 20:15

What does anyone know if a Radeon 9800 IGP 320M 64MB with T&L will support Civ4????? I want to know if its that I dont have the right Drivers or if I need a whole new card! PLEASE HELP!

**notyoueither** · October 30, 2005, 20:34

We need to flag down Canuck Soldier, ElConejo. He is better with the lap tops than I, and he helps a whole lot of people at the ladder.

**notyoueither** · October 30, 2005, 20:35

Originally posted by Willem

Hmm, they don't have the 9550 listed there, just the 9500. However I'm guessing it has the same specs as the 9500 Pro, since mine has 128 meg as well, which is indeed faster.

Can you find the 256M version? They shouldn't be much more and I have a hunch it might actually help with this game.

Edit. I see, already bought. Well, should still go with the earlier provisos.

**notyoueither** · October 30, 2005, 20:36

Or is that a desktop with integrated graphics, ElConejo?

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