High resolution in Civ3?

sboog · August 11, 2001, 08:50

I just read the things necessary for your computer to have for playing Civ3. And two things concern me.

My monitor is set 800X600. But the requirements for Civ3 are 1028 x 750 . So will I have to change the setting in order to play? What about all those people whose monitors are not capable of anything higher than 800x600? Or people whose eyes are strained looking at the smaller images?

And I see it calls for Directx8. I have x7, and hear that x8 can cause problems. Will Directx7 work with Civ3?

Any clarification here would be appreciated.

sboog

BeBro · August 11, 2001, 08:57

This was already discussed, but if they say it needs DirectX8 then I doubt that it works with V7 also.

To the resolution, I can understand you, but I also had a 15´ monitor unitl last year, and used 1024x768 - ok, not the ideal resolution for that size, but still possible.

If you really have such an old model that cannot display this resolution - ok, then you are in trouble...

Laszlo · August 11, 2001, 09:08

It looks like people will need new video cards that can handle it, and you a bigger monitor to ease the eye strain, and if it says DirectX 8, you need DirectX 8. I tried sneaking by on some other game without DX 7 and it was a real **tch about it. Made me reinstall and everything.

Though I shouldn't be laughing, because I also will have to upgrade before playing it, because my computer only runs at 266mhz. Maybe if I disabled the animation it wouldn't notice...

Solver · August 11, 2001, 09:16

If you want, go to http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...9&pagenumber=2 , that's a thread full with my whining.

sboog · August 11, 2001, 09:36

Thanks, Solver. I have been reading the thread you mentioned.

Did anyone ever get Firaxis to reply?

I'm with you on wanting 800x600 to be possible. My monitor is not old, but 1024x750 makes the images too small to be comfortable for me.

sboog

Solver · August 11, 2001, 09:48

Too small for me, too.
No, Firaxis don't reply to that.

Draco aka Se7eN · August 11, 2001, 10:04

I think everyone will be upgrading for this game

wheather it be a new moniter, processor, vidio card, or just a whole new computer.

Thanks firaxis

i think ill be upgrading my moniter to a nice 21 inch from my 15 inch, which will be somewhat expensive. Cool thing is that ive had this 15 inch for like 5 years and its still usable. Maybe ill hook up a second computer

And ill be upgrading my 466 mhz processer to a nice gig and half maybe. I know my processer is still above the minimum, but i dont like being at the minimum, i like to stay ahead of the game.

Provost Harrison · August 11, 2001, 10:13

There are no issues of concern for me here fortunately. My monitor can do a reasonably comfortable 1600x1200 if need be (I use 1280x1024 as standard desktop resolution) and I doubt my GeForce will have trouble with DX8

MarkG · August 11, 2001, 11:13

Quote:

Originally posted by sboog
So will I have to change the setting in order to play?

most probably the resolution will be changing to 1024x768 when you start the game and going back to 800x600 when you exit the game

Quote:

What about all those people whose monitors are not capable of anything higher than 800x600?

the game will not work for them

Quote:

And I see it calls for Directx8. I have x7, and hear that x8 can cause problems. Will Directx7 work with Civ3?

i highly doubt it. the setup might not even progress if you dont let it install directx8 first

BeBro · August 11, 2001, 11:31

Quote:

Originally posted by sboog
And I see it calls for Directx8. I have x7, and hear that x8 can cause problems.

BTW, what problems can Dx8 cause? Under all Win9x versions and NT/2000?

tniem · August 11, 2001, 14:32

Direct x 8 will only cause problems if your hardware cannot handle it as I understand it. And if it can handle 7 then it should be a simple, easy, painless upgrade. I have not had any problems to this point.

Sabre2th · August 11, 2001, 14:40

My computer came with DirectX 8, so no problems here. The only problem I see is with people like Solver who have reeeeeeaaaaally old monitors and video cards.

sboog · August 11, 2001, 14:43

I hear Directx 8 causes many of your older games to crash.

I hear Directx8 does not do well with GeForce graphics

I have not heard good things about it, and I have never had any problem with my Directx7.

And once you install 8, you can't go back to 7. It won't work unless you reinstall Windows as Directx8 will have become a part of your operating system.

sboog

Sabre2th · August 11, 2001, 14:47

Quote:

I hear Directx 8 causes many of your older games to crash.

I have never had a game crash because of Directx8. ANY game. EVER

Quote:

I hear Directx8 does not do well with GeForce graphics

I don't know where you're getting this, but I have also never had a problem with Directx8 and GeForce graphics.

sboog · August 11, 2001, 15:36

That is good to know that Dx8 is working fine with all your games and with GeForce graphics. I think I read about the problem on the directx newsgroup.

So perhaps it will work for me, too! Because I very much want Civ3. But I want to be SURE Direct x8 is not going to cause problems with any of my games.

I have Myst 3. It says you need Dx8 and offers to install it. But I said no, and it runs fine on Dx7.

I guess I want to be absolutely sure before I get Dx8.

But your post offers encouragement.

sboog

ancient · August 11, 2001, 15:45

Geforce 3 is designed to work wirth Directx 8...

Sabre2th · August 11, 2001, 15:45

I should point out that my computer is only two months old and is running win2000. My directx8 experience with earlier versions of windows is limited (but still no problems in 95+98)

Sabre2th · August 11, 2001, 18:43

For the record, I have a 32 Mb GeForce2

sboog · August 11, 2001, 19:07

Sabre, I have 32mg GeForce - but I don't know if it is 1 or 2. My desktop computer is a Dell 700mhz that I got in Feb. 2000.

It ought to run Civ3 ok, but I really don't like having to put directx8 on it until I know more.

sboog

Provost Harrison · August 11, 2001, 19:12

Well providing you have a reasonably recent card, the most you will probably need is a new set of drivers for your card and DX8 itself, which will come on the Civ3 CD anyway...I would expect any card from recent history to support the DirectDraw features for DX8, and the DirectSound stuff goes without saying. Those things can run with soundcards as old as the dinosaurs...