What are the minimum system requirements of MBAC?

[-Sakurazaki-]

Just want to know.

As I'm not willing enough nor have the money to just go out and get myself a good pc and/or videocard, I want to check if my pc is up to the standards.

I know the game works fine, but my video card sucks...

Also, if I were to buy a new video card, would you suggest AGP or PCI? It says that my pc has an AGP installed, but I only see pCI slots when I open the thing up... and I don't see any brown slots for AGP... Help me out?

[Legendary Blue Shirt]

Just for reference -


In practice, PCI video cards do not perform as well as their AGP counterparts.  Not to mention that both are outdated and you should be going for PCI Express.  If your motherboard does not have PCI Express slots, it's time to get out of the dark ages.

As far as requirements go, you need a video card with 64mB of VRAM.
I highly doubt that you're behind enough that you'd fail to meet the Pentium 3 500mhZ processor requirement.  Same goes for the 256mB memory requirement.

[-Sakurazaki-]

Yeah you're right.

My Pentium 3 is okay with 1300MHz and 256 RAM... but my video card goes only up to 32 MB... crap

and, I don't see any PCI Express slots just PCI. Plus, I don't see myself having a good pc in the future, being only in 10th grade with no say in getting what I want... Sucks for me xD

So I'll just have to buy those on sale $30 256/512 MB PCI ones... or wait a few years...

What does your pc have? just so I can see what I SHOULD be having. Most likely in the future something better will be in the market.

[abitofBaileys]

The "official" requirements are:

OS: Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista
CPU: Pentium III 500MHz or higher
RAM: 256MB or higher
Disk space: 150MB
VRAM: 64MB/Direct3D
DirectX9.0c with DirectSound

Just to make it clear. You can play MBAC with every supermarket PC.

[scottind]

10th grade with a pentium 3?

i suggest getting a job.

[Legendary Blue Shirt]

My PC is a frankenstein of a machine with parts I've collected/bought over the years, I have no idea what the motherboard/processor is!
My HD is 12 years old and holds 120gB...

Disk space: 1.50gB

Fixed.

[Animeruko]

and, I don't see any PCI Express slots just PCI. Plus, I don't see myself having a good pc in the future, being only in 10th grade with no say in getting what I want... Sucks for me xD

Ive been building my own PC's since i was a freshman in HS.

Go Go its a good time to start working!

[noradseven]

10th grade with a pentium 3?

i suggest getting a job.

or using 2-3 years of Christmas+Birthday money. if you don't mind not getting a new screen keyboard or mouse you can get a pretty amazing computer for $800, and a decent one at $400. 
By the way if you are thinking about buying a compy, never buy an alien ware or a voodoo they are wastes of money, you can buy the cases they look cool.  And no I don't want to hear about their gaming laptop.  I belive my fav laptop on the market right now is the Asus M51 (check this one out, my friend even bought it on sale lucky bastard), and Lenova accually has some decent tablets, wouldn't trust anything else though, those are all about $1000

[-Sakurazaki-]

10th grade with a pentium 3?

i suggest getting a job.

9th going 10th in August. Call me a psuedo-10th... and yes I plan for a job. Sorry, didn't clarify that.

Ive been building my own PC's since i was a freshman in HS.

Go Go its a good time to start working!

I'm/I -also/was trying to build my PC... well just started mid-April and haven't done much. I was just able to get a 40gB HD and a 64MB video card. I also have an external/portable HD thats over 150gB. (All I didn't buy, but uh... took from other computers in the house). Either way, my PC is still utter crap . I'll just start all over when I get money.

(Any job suggestions for my age? All can only think of at the moment is holding signs for newly built housing, lawn work, etc.; or is this the wrong place for this? lol.)

[noradseven]

start up an internet business.

[Legendary Blue Shirt]

Craigslist some parts.

[Devereaux]

My PC is a frankenstein of a machine with parts I've collected/bought over the years, I have no idea what the motherboard/processor is!
My HD is 12 years old and holds 120gB...

http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php

[noradseven]

.
Craigslist some parts.

hmmm interesting idea but Im not sure if I would trust second hand computer parts because its so easy to break them if your not careful, + tigerdirect sales, dell and IBM back lots and , neoseeker are cheap already.

[Animeruko]

10th grade with a pentium 3?

i suggest getting a job.

9th going 10th in August. Call me a psuedo-10th... and yes I plan for a job. Sorry, didn't clarify that.

Ive been building my own PC's since i was a freshman in HS.

Go Go its a good time to start working!

I'm/I -also/was trying to build my PC... well just started mid-April and haven't done much. I was just able to get a 40gB HD and a 64MB video card. I also have an external/portable HD thats over 150gB. (All I didn't buy, but uh... took from other computers in the house). Either way, my PC is still utter crap . I'll just start all over when I get money.

(Any job suggestions for my age? All can only think of at the moment is holding signs for newly built housing, lawn work, etc.; or is this the wrong place for this? lol.)

your like 16? not sure hwo it works in whatever state your in but you should be abel to work part time with a working permit from school.  I dont know if things have changed since i was in school but thats what i had to do ... just look for something simple.     my first job was at a clothes store ... BOOORRRRINGGG. good luck.  If you cant find a job just save money your parents give you lol thats what i used to do... thats how i got my first computer.  I bought a junker store brand and fixed it up and sold it for profit lol and then i built my first real custom system.

Oh another idea for a job is you could do stuff ... like i do computer repairs and other work with electronics for people for a good bit ... i charge 50/hour for my computer work the toehr stuff depends on the task.  i dont make a whole lot of money but its somethign the helps on the side whenever i do get someoen who needs help.

[scottind]

if there is a Frys Electronics around your area, i highly recommend getting the Celeron 430 combo. The barebones cpu/mb combos sometimes go for $45 and its a VERY VERY good deal as a starter system. If you do, don't bother with your videocard, use the one onboard the MB, it should be more than sufficient.

as for jobs, dont really know what skills you have. but when i was your age, i worked in the school library. my first custom system was a 486DX4 running @ 133mhz

[-Sakurazaki-]

your like 16? not sure hwo it works in whatever state your in but you should be abel to work part time with a working permit from school.  I dont know if things have changed since i was in school but thats what i had to do ... just look for something simple.     my first job was at a clothes store ... BOOORRRRINGGG. good luck.  If you cant find a job just save money your parents give you lol thats what i used to do... thats how i got my first computer.  I bought a junker store brand and fixed it up and sold it for profit lol and then i built my first real custom system.

Oh another idea for a job is you could do stuff ... like i do computer repairs and other work with electronics for people for a good bit ... i charge 50/hour for my computer work the toehr stuff depends on the task.  i dont make a whole lot of money but its somethign the helps on the side whenever i do get someoen who needs help.

Uh turned 15 in February. Thats why I mentioned jobs that were somewhere in my age group, although anyone can do 'em.

It seems that I just have to save money, though. I'm good at academics and my parents want me to stick to that instead of a job. Maybe I can get payed for doing homework for others o_O, lol.

Whats a custom system anyway? o_O I'm oblivious.

@scottind: it seems that there isn't one close to my area, but they do offer shipping on the website.  I can see why you recommend it o_O. It'll just b on hold for a moment. I have the money though xD

http://shop1.frys.com/product/5340398?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG <---- is that it?

[scottind]

the frys website is not so good, might as well order from newegg.com or mwave.com if youre doing online

but yeah if you do have a small amount of money, i recommend getting the following parts new-

power supply- 380w Antec or Thermaltake $40
memory- 512mb DDR2 $10
celeron 430- $40
any 775-socket Motherboard (that doesnt use SiS or S3 video chipset)- ymmv

[noradseven]

the frys website is not so good, might as well order from newegg.com or mwave.com if youre doing online

but yeah if you do have a small amount of money, i recommend getting the following parts new-

power supply- 380w Antec or Thermaltake $40
memory- 512mb DDR2 $10
celeron 430- $40
any 775-socket Motherboard (that doesnt use SiS or S3 video chipset)- ymmv

Listen to this man he knows what he is talking about, even thought it pains me to see the word celeron they are cheap and get the job done.

[scottind]

well. These generation's celerons are VERY VERY good, they use the core2 architecture, run very cool, and is very overclockable. Honestly it's untapped power for those who know what they are.

benchmarked against the last-generation Pentium4 prescotts, these celerons beat it out in sheer performance.

you just gotta know how to use the hareware, and streamline everything else. Last year's Evo, the official Melty Box that ran all the top8 matches was a Sempron 2800 w/ 512ram.

[noradseven]

The new celerons use the core2 architecture, cool, must of missed out on that yeah I knew the celerons were overclockable as all get out, I still remember my friends running at over 5Ghz, lol, maybe not the best of Ideas to overclock it that much.  I knew the semperons were pretty decent but I haven't heard anything about the celerons I guess I have to take a look at them again.  Never liked the pentium 4 series mainly cause the G5's did a much better job on performance even though they got super hot.  The core2 series is when I finally switched over to intel myself from AMDs and IBMs.

By the way get a nvidea graphics card preferably 7600 or better, possible a radeon as well im not sure if they are still good now but they were still hot a few years ago. stay away from integrated graphics they suck *trust me.

[Animeruko]

i'd really just try to sit it out infact dont buy anyhitng untill late Q4 2008 to early 2009 because intel is releasing thier new chips and it would be a total waste to make an investment on current generation stuff.  thier new processor is boasting 30% performance increas per watt compared to core 2.  i strongly recomend siting on what you got now till then.

save your money up and early next year you can build a really nice system with the latest processor technology and whatever the current videocard stuff is.

[scottind]

i dont think we're talking about the LATEST technology, but just what's practical. Running melty, internet, word processing, basic stuff for a 15-yo. we're talking bang-for-your-buck (with very little buck), not performance-per-watt. if you can find "new chips" for $~40, then id say sure why not.

It's already a socket775, thats enough futureproofing already.

By the way get a nvidea graphics card preferably 7600 or better, possible a radeon as well im not sure if they are still good now but they were still hot a few years ago. stay away from integrated graphics they suck *trust me.

i'm assuming a lot here, but he probably does not have the money for a 7600, and if hes digging through P3 era stuff, then the videocard he currently has doesn't surpass what integrated video offers (gf7100,intel945+), i mean most of the people who play melty at the tournaments play on laptops. And that's all integrated video right there.

[Animeruko]

It's already a socket775, thats enough futureproofing already.

No it not,  Intel is changing sockets Q4 08.




The most cost effective thing to do would be to buy a better PCI video card especialy if you just want to play MB and dont do much else(and dont have the money to buy something good). 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131082

nothing amazing but cheap and a great upgrade from a card that wont play MB.

 

[noradseven]

i dont think we're talking about the LATEST technology, but just what's practical. Running melty, internet, word processing, basic stuff for a 15-yo. we're talking bang-for-your-buck (with very little buck), not performance-per-watt. if you can find "new chips" for $~40, then id say sure why not.

It's already a socket775, thats enough futureproofing already.

By the way get a nvidea graphics card preferably 7600 or better, possible a radeon as well im not sure if they are still good now but they were still hot a few years ago. stay away from integrated graphics they suck *trust me.

i'm assuming a lot here, but he probably does not have the money for a 7600, and if hes digging through P3 era stuff, then the videocard he currently has doesn't surpass what integrated video offers (gf7100,intel945+), i mean most of the people who play melty at the tournaments play on laptops. And that's all integrated video right there.

Ohh I know I have an integrated video card as well, I just have so many random problems with windows apps because of it, they arn't that expensive $50 + $5 shipping
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500031
I know its being sold by NVidea but it is there basic design.

[scottind]

i think you and I are thinking on very different scales here.

When 4Q 2008 comes, and new Intel sockets arrive, no one but hardcore enthusiasts are going to buy them. BECAUSE 1) It's probably not gonna hit mainstream usage for another year, or more because of Core2's success. 2) No one will buy DDR3 memory because DDR2 is still good, and dirt cheap.

in the meantime- LGA775 already has so many multi-core options available. But that's already thinking out of anyone's price range.

And what will happen to LGA775 in 08 and 09? It'll still be here, because no one here, especially the OP, is planning on playing Crysis at 60FPS.

btw

radeonHD 2xxx series are utter shit. DO NOT buy them. Go for the 34xx series, cheaper, faster, cooler. you can't argue Cost Effective when youre recommending a cheap video card, and unreleased Intel socket.

like i said- INTEGRATED VIDEO = $0 = Cost Effective