Some questions

S

saltylog

Guest
Hello Folks,
I discovered this game while researching RB3d. I have never played a flight game outside of a wwii PS2 game. I am very interested in wwi air combat and have read some on the subject and board game alot, including some on the subject.
I will need to get a new computer, probably something with just slightly more than the entry level requirements listed on the OFF page. I will also need a joystick and know nothing of these. Would folks kindly recommend budget computers and joysticks that will function reasonably without forcing my wife to file for divorce. Thanks in advance. THe game looks beautiful!
Tim
 
Hey Tim Welcome to OFF, that's a pretty tall order
Firstly I'd suggest reading the STICKY OFF Tips & Cheats

Is there an echo in here, I've said it that so often

This is a Patch of CFS3, which you will need first-off

Computers is a tough call, what have you got, can it be Hot Rodded ?

Do you have a video card of any kind, or do you have integrated video

Plenty of Help is available here, and the only Stupid Question, is the one that's never Asked
 
Sounds like me about 3 years ago saltylog :costumes: You have much to read and learn ;) But it is a fascinating and rewarding journey.

Start off with a cheap stick (with twist for rudder control) to get the feel of it. Check out your local gamer shops.

For P3 enjoyment, I would not build/buy/beg a PC with less than the following specs ...

3 ghz dual core processors
2gb fast ram
8800 nvidia w/256mb graphics card or equivalent ATI
Well ventilated case with plenty of cooling fans
500w pwr supply
300gb hard drive
XP Pro (if you're able)

Good luck and welcome !
 
Thanks for the responses. My current computer is a Dell CeleronM 1.3 Ghz with no video card. It's 4 years old. I'm assuming that it is not worthy of upgrading. I would also like to have a bluray player. What's the most important aspect of a computer? Ghz? Also, any specific recommendations for a reasonably priced joystick?
Thanks again, Tim
 
Catch is right. You have much to read and learn grasshopper. When I ran across OFF a year and a half ago I knew nothing about what is inside that "magic box". My desire to enjoy OFF in "all it's glory" started me on a quest to build the best computer I could afford. I'm not a guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I have learned enough here at the OFF forum, SOH in general, and all over the web, to put together a pretty decent machine on an extremely limited budget. Many of the people in the OFF community are very knowledgeable and don't mind sharing their knowledge with others. You could also Google "How to build a PC". You'll be surprised at what you'll find. Beware though. OFF and computers can be addicting, almost like Harleys and hot rod Fords. If you have family, make sure they get their fair share.
I'll probably get a few rounds whizzing about my head for this one, but, as far as processors and graphics cards are concerned, may I suggest Intel and Nvidia. Not that either is better than the other, I just find that you have a lot more options with them than you do with AMD or ATI.
Welcome to the OFF community and good luck. If you need any help, come to the forum and holler real loud. Someone will hear you!

Cameljockey
 
I was there about a year ago. I had a slightly better computer than the OP, (Dell E521) and decided to upgrade the one I had. I did some research and found that the E521 was a horrible gaming computer. As stock, it did fair with FS9, but I had to have things turned back quite a bit. I stuffed it with RAM (4Gb, and yes, I know XP only uses 3Gb, but the price was better on 4!), replaced the PS, upgraded the processor to AMD 2.8 dual and added a 8600GT video card (to replace the 7300LE). I can run FSX almost at full now and the upgrade was much cheaper than a new machine with those specs. Besides, I still have XP!:applause:
As for the OP, I think it's time for a new machine, there isn't much in there that could be upgraded. The tough part will be getting one with XP.
 
I was using a computer my brother-in-law put together for us when I stumble onto OFF. It had an AMD Athlon 1.2Ghz in an ECS K7VZA mobo, 512Mb DDR400, a 60Gb HD, and a AGP 4x Siluro GeForce4 MX440 graphics card with 64Mb of memory. Tried to run OFF on it. How'd that go, you ask? NOT TOO GOOD! It was like trying to run the Daytona 500 in a Yugo! Now I can run with the big dogs (albiet a few steps behind) and I am completely satisfied (for now) with how my machine performs. Now I can enjoy my all time favorite flight sim in "all it's glory" (at least until Phase 3 comes out) without having to worry about such things as stutters and low frame rates. Life is good!

CJ
 
An interesting question will be , will OFF3 run better on Vista, or will XP have the edge? Maybe there will be no advantage, although Vista's ability to utilise more ram may be decisive.
 
One thing is for certain, the Celeron CPU at any speed, cannot handle the amount of mathimatical computations needed for an image in any flight simulation.

Don't get me wrong there's nothing lacking in a Celeron, it's perfect for Email,, Websurfing, and perhaps video checkers or chess or 53 variations of Solitare, but that's about it

What becomes Extemely Important, is do you have the ability to build one yourself, or do you need DELL to build it for you

With Me, unfortunately it's the latter, in that I severely lack the eyesight needed
 
Salt,

My understanding is that OFF Phase 3 will run on many older/slower machines, but the guys are right, your current Celeron with no video card is likely not going to hack it.

There are many of us here preparing to buy a new computer just so we can better enjoy this new flight sim. The answer is the stock one, "get as a good a computer as you can afford."

The three main factors are going to be processor speed, RAM, and a decent video card. Again, the best you can afford. You can't go wrong with Dell and you can somewhat customize your own PC at Dell.com. Good luck and have fun! :mixedsmi:
 
HP's can be customized as well and their prices are pretty good.
 
Daveebee said:
An interesting question will be , will OFF3 run better on Vista, or will XP have the edge? Maybe there will be no advantage, although Vista's ability to utilise more ram may be decisive.
Click to expand...

Daveebee S!

I'm going for XP mainly because my Joystick drivers may not work with Vista, but a strong second reason is that of the limited dealing i've had with Vista, i think it is, for me, being used to XP, a horrible O.S.

Also, the extra RAM only works for 64 bit O.S and not 32.
 
You can keep Vista, it's not the gamer's friend, unless the game was written for Vista . . Maybe. Go to any Computer HELP Forum, it's packed to the gunnels with people running Vista, and their games won't work right

Most people on these forums have NEVER Defragmented

The Magic Box . . Don't work

A lot depends on if you're building your own, having it built to you specs, or Buying it off the shelf :bs:
 
Saltylog, Suggest finding a local Computer shop. One that has a good reputation and has been around for some years. Tell them what you are going to use the computer for. Buy the highest end CPU and Mother Board you can afford, along with tons of ram. They can build one and support it.
Buying a Dell or some other name brand will limit you with the upgrades, and future modifications because of their proprietary requirements. A shop built system has no boundaries. And they are normally a lot less expensive.
Make sure you invest in a high end video card, and look at a good sound card and speaker system as well.
If you enjoy WWII flying check out Warbirds at http://www.totalsims.com/index.php. It's white knuckle, and a lot of fun. You will be flying against other live pilots wanting to shoot you down.
Course if you want to do some bush flying check out
http://www.EagleValleyAir.com
 
Lots of good advice from thedcn. I don't have much personally to add, except that if you buy a retail computer, Dell is usually pretty good. Go with the fastest CPU you can afford and avoid integrated graphics. Also, a solid power supply (PSU) is a must. Don't go for less than 400 watts.

If you're daring enough to put your own system together (actually, it is not that hard and can save you some money) there are some excellent sites to help you become familiar with all the various parts you will need along with lots of product recommendations. Try these links to get you started:

http://www.tomshardware.com

http://www.anandtech.com

http://www.hardocp.com

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions!
 
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