will FEAR work?

[Nandaba Naota]

ok, im new to comp gaming, im mainly a console gamer, but i just got my college comp, and i wanna know if FEAR would work on it. Im semi-sure it would, but i dont know if there are any specifics that wouldnt allow it to play on my computer.

the specs:
intel core duo processor @ 2.0 GHz
1 gig ram
direct x 9.0c
128 mb Intel Calistoga Graphics Controller (mobile intel 945 GM express chipset family)

would fear work w/ these specs?

[Zirilan]

Yes, FEAR should work on your PC. Keep in mind that you'll have to tweak with the settings to get a good mix of performance and visual appeal, I spent somewhere around half an hour when I first got it and then some time several days later trying to find the perfect mix of both. So if it doesn't work with the settings it chooses for you when you install it, just work at it a bit, it has a nice demo that helps a lot with finding the perfect settings for your computer.

[Dtortot]

OR if you have a 360 you could wait till it comes out.

[Tyrdium]

Yes, FEAR should work on your PC.Not with integrated graphics, it won't. At least not without turning the settings down all the way and putting up with a truly poor framerate.

[animanic_critic]

You need a high-end graphics card if you really wanna enjoy a first-person shooter game like this. That 128MB card of yours is fine, but you won't get to enjoy its full kick-a** potential. If you can, get a 256MB graphics card.

[Griveton]

Not with integrated graphics, it won't. At least not without turning the settings down all the way and putting up with a truly poor framerate.


Right.

The system as a whole is good... but 128mb is not a lot nowadays, and an integrated chipset /= performance. You could pick up something like a nVidia GeForce 6600GT 256MB or an ATI Radeon X800 or 9600 256mb for less than $150, quite a bit less if you shop around (I think I'd go with a Radeon, but depends on your availability). It's not such a big investment, and if you want to play on your PC, it's a requirement to have a good vidcard, otherwise you'll have a huge bottleneck in graphics performance.

Of course, if you have more money to throw around, you can always search for better cards, which could run you a couple hundred more.

[animanic_critic]

Also, you haven't mentioned anything about your hard disk space. Be sure to have PLENTY of space in your PC 'coz a game, no matter which, will give you headaches if you were it play it with a choked-up hard disk.

Hope this isn't much of an issue at this point of time.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

Why don't you download the demo to see if how your system handles it?
I had about half the ram you did and a pretty low-end graphics card and was able to play it wonderfully.

[Ojisan]

Um, this sounds like a laptop to me, which means upgrading the videocard is pretty much hopeless. As for hard drive space... that's not really going to choke much at all.

I don't know how well integrated Intel graphics perform, but the best advice is from Pyscho, try the demo.

Edit: Har har, I winz

[Erigion]

It sounds like you have a laptop. And not one of those 9 pound desktop replacement ones either.

You're going to have difficulty running FEAR at any acceptable level. You're going to have massive tradeoffs for visual quality and frames per second. I'd save the money and not buy the game or the time for acquiring it.

With that laptop you're going to have trouble running any modern game. If you can get it running at all.

Edit: Damn you ojisan.

[Corpse]

If you own an xbox360 or plan on owning one...just wait for that version of FEAR....your laptop isn't gonna do it justice if it can run it without stutter at all. FEAR is one of the few games where graphics heavily affect the enjoyment of it. I first played it on a 128mb video card, looked ok, was fun. Upgraded to a Radeon x700 pro 256mb and it looked like a completely different game, and actually caused me to play through the whole thing again to re-experience all the cutscenes and junk.

[Ojisan]

Upgraded to a Radeon x700 pro 256mb and it looked like a completely different game, and actually caused me to play through the whole thing again to re-experience all the cutscenes and junk.

Ooo, fancy upgrade, sounds like you really need that job.

[Corpse]

well i really upgraded cause my other vcard was crapping the bed. Also I didn't go crazy because I eventually plan on just building a whole new pc. This pc doesnt have PCI express so there was no point in going nuts on an AGP card that I'd toss in a while. :P

Still though, it runs just about any game ive tried on it with all the bells and whistles on just fine. :P

[Ojisan]

I abuse any opportunity to stretch the ol' e-penis.

I well understand your situation.

[Syner]

I have a..

1.47 Ghz Processor
GeForce 6 6600GT
768 MB Ram

it runs perfect on mine so you should have no problems at all

[Tyrdium]

I have a..

1.47 Ghz Processor
GeForce 6 6600GT
768 MB Ram

it runs perfect on mine so you should have no problems at allWrong. You have a midrange graphics card in your computer. His is... well, crap.

(Oh, and given the Core Duo at this date and the mobile chipset, it's obviously a laptop. Sounds like a lightweight, given the specs. I'm guessing around 4 pounds. A cheapo wouldn't have such a powerful processor, and a larger system would have a better graphics card.)

[Syner]

Wrong. You have a midrange graphics card in your computer. His is... well, crap.

I forgot to add though

it worked on my crappy Nvidia GeForce 4 4200ti before it died so yea, it could still work

[Tyrdium]

it worked on my crappy Nvidia GeForce 4 4200ti before it died so yea, it could still workDoesn't matter. A GeForce4 Ti is way more powerful than his integrated graphics card. A GeForce2 MX400 *might* be a reasonable comparison.

[animanic_critic]

Your GeForce4 Ti is one of the best graphics card around. You can't compare it with his... ATI's close rival for that is probably Radeon X800.

[Erigion]

Your GeForce4 Ti is one of the best graphics card around. You can't compare it with his... ATI's close rival for that is probably Radeon X800.
I hope you're joking.

[Syner]

ok well my suggestion is before going out to buy the game, go to fileplanet and download the demo..that way you don't waste money on a game that your PC might not beable to handle...

Return Plans don't work on PC games very good so I suggest this method

[animanic_critic]

I hope you're joking.
OF COURSE, I am... I'm no Einstein but I'm not that dense. The point is, high-end graphics card = kick-a** gameplay. End of story.

[Zirilan]

His question is whether it'll work on his or not and I still stand by what I said, I believe it'll work on his machine. You don't need an awesome vid card to enjoy an incredible game like FEAR. I play on a laptop that has a 128 mb Ati x600 and I love the way the game looks and plays. Yes, it will look much better and play better on a better machine with a better vid card, but the game still looks awesome and plays well without a high-end vid card. But it's not a requirement to enjoy a game like this.

And Psycho made a good suggestion, go d/l the demo and see if you can get it to run to your liking.

Not with integrated graphics, it won't. At least not without turning the settings down all the way and putting up with a truly poor framerate.

There are ways to get a balance of both framerate and graphics, like I said it took me a while but I eventually found the perfect settings and my settings give me both better graphics and a better framerate than the settings that the game had chosen for my system.

So all of you know I have an AMD 64 1.7ghz with a 128 Ati x600 and 1 gig of RAM.

[PsychoSaiya-jin]

The 1GB ram will probably be the most important thing. The game is pretty awesome so you don't need the top-spec graphics, it just helps.
Like I said before though, get the demo ;)

[Erigion]

He's running integrated graphics which not only limits the GPU power he has but also takes up CPU cycles. Your graphics card is by far the most important thing for FPS games.

And the x600 is infinitely better than any integrated graphics chipset.

[Dtortot]

So... From the experts above we can gather that you need to spend at least 150 bucks to get a decent card, then get the game which should be around another 40-50 bucks... or Zero... so if you only need to buy the vidcard, and you have a X360, wait till November and just spend 60 bucks on it.

If you don't have an X360, buy a 256 mb Video card and be happy with your game, only after you test the demo to see how it runs with your current Video card.

I think that sums up what everyone has said.

[Erigion]

Except he's on a laptop, so he can't exactly plug in a video card he buys off the shelf.

[Zirilan]

He's running integrated graphics which not only limits the GPU power he has but also takes up CPU cycles. Your graphics card is by far the most important thing for FPS games.

And the x600 is infinitely better than any integrated graphics chipset.

Granted, but I still believe it can run at least decently on his machine. I think he should take Psycho and Syner up on their idea and d/l the demo to find out for sure.

[Dtortot]

Except he's on a laptop, so he can't exactly plug in a video card he buys off the shelf.
Fine... then what should the price be for a 256 mb Vcard for a laptop? 250 USD tops? Still cheaper than a X360.

[Zirilan]

The problem with that is that there isn't room in a laptop for a standard vid card. Only a laptop with a motherboard that's been designed to accomodate a certain type of vid card has video that's not integrated, and they're not as common as laptops with integrated video. And even then I don't think they're upgradable, I'd love to be able to upgrade my laptops vid card in the not so distant future but I don't think it's possible.

The nice thing about consoles though is that after the initial investment you don't have to worry about upgrading it, you just buy the games you want as they come out where as with any kind of PC once the market passes it by you need to either upgrade or get a new one.

[Tyrdium]

I've also never heard of a laptop with integrated graphics having an upgradeable card. You generally only see that on laptops specifically meant for gaming, and those have much better cards to begin with.

A laptop with integrated graphics is definitely not good for gaming. I'd suggest either a laptop or desktop with a midrange graphics card (expensive) or a console (less expensive).