Ok,I finally figured out how to download EB 1.0...

**overweightninja** · 03-21-2008, 12:56

A quick google reveals the specs for the 1501 to be:

# AMD Sempron 3500+ (1.8GHz/512Kb)
# 512MB DDR2 SDRAM 533MHz (1 DIMM)
# ATI Xpress 1150 256MB HyperMemory (Integrated graphics)

If this is correct, 512mb is not a lot on its own today anyway, but do you have any idea if your graphics chip has its own memory? If not, it could mean up to 256mb of your system ram is then being taken by the graphics chip.
Running EB with 256mb of ram = painful

Cheers

**Korlon** · 03-21-2008, 21:43

Originally Posted by overweightninja

A quick google reveals the specs for the 1501 to be:

# AMD Sempron 3500+ (1.8GHz/512Kb)
# 512MB DDR2 SDRAM 533MHz (1 DIMM)
# ATI Xpress 1150 256MB HyperMemory (Integrated graphics)

If this is correct, 512mb is not a lot on its own today anyway, but do you have any idea if your graphics chip has its own memory? If not, it could mean up to 256mb of your system ram is then being taken by the graphics chip.
Running EB with 256mb of ram = painful

Cheers

Oh man, that computer definitely cannot handle this game, especially EB. Only the processor may be ok, but that's fairly outdated as well. With only 512 MB of ram (well, really only 256 MB), you're not going to be getting good loading times. I think the loading times depend a lot upon RAM. You said it took you about two minutes per end turn. I feel as if that's fairly fast for your system. My one gig ram system uses exactly one minute to get through a turn. 30 seconds to get through a turn on my two gig ram system. I timed it before. Though I would recommend this mod to everybody, I don't think you'd enjoy it very much when you had to wait 2 minutes every turn.

Now, the video card is definitely the killer of your system. First off, IT'S INTEGRATED! Integrated graphics cards steal your own system ram to use as its video ram, which is why I said you really only had 256 megabytes of system ram. Integrated graphics cards also tend to be extremely crappy, and this is certainly the case here.

I suggest trying to play only vanilla or some other, less taxing mod. As I said, you won't enjoy it nearly as much if you had to wait a long time between turns. If you want to play EB, you're going to have to get some cash out and start looking for a new computer all together.

**Spartan198** · 03-22-2008, 00:08

There aren't any inexpensive upgrades I can get for my system to play it,then,huh? Would EB play better on an Inspiron 531S (I think) desktop?
If I were to get a new notebook just for EB,which is the cheapest model I could get for decent performance?

**Hax** · 03-22-2008, 01:24

I wouldn't try running it on a notebook though. You're better off with a desktop.

**Spartan198** · 03-22-2008, 01:42

Originally Posted by Hax

I wouldn't try running it on a notebook though. You're better off with a desktop.

Not even a Sony Vaio? I thought those were insanely powerful?

Hmm,okay. I'll try it on my mom's desktop. Thanks,guys.

Well,at least I can finally say that I've played EB now.

BTW,I know I've been involved in that EB2 / SecuRom debate,but I hope you guys aren't holding that against me.

It would really take a load off my mind to know for sure.

**overweightninja** · 03-22-2008, 17:04

Originally Posted by Spartan198

Not even a Sony Vaio? I thought those were insanely powerful?

Hmm,okay. I'll try it on my mom's desktop. Thanks,guys.

Well,at least I can finally say that I've played EB now.

BTW,I know I've been involved in that EB2 / SecuRom debate,but I hope you guys aren't holding that against me.

It would really take a load off my mind to know for sure.

Vaios tend to be fairly high performance yes...for a laptop. In general though laptops will never be as powerful, components will always be nerfed to preserve battery life and space. It is possible to get laptops that can quite competently play most modern games, however you'll be paying through the nose.

You mentioned getting a 531S. I would advise against this, a quick google reveals these specs:
AMD Sempron 3600+
NVIDIA GeForce 6150

In one word, nasty, especially for that price. 3.6Ghz is very slow for the money you're paying, and the 6150 is ridiculously outdated. As a benchmark, I was able to pickup a rig with a 5.6Ghz Athlon cpu, 2gb of ram and a Geforce 8600 (not a brilliant card but it'll do on a budget) for perhaps fifty pounds more about six months ago. In short that rig looks very pretty, but inside its a dog.
With three or four hundred pounds (or more) you should be looking at at least 5-6Ghz, a couple of gigs of ram and hopefully a 8800GT or 8800GTS if you shop around.
Cheers

**Tellos Athenaios** · 03-22-2008, 21:32

The lower performance shouldn't be your main concern when trying to play EB on a notebook. The heat, however, should. Really: to cram in as much components as possible the cooling system is a wee-bit left behind, which isn't exactly alleviated by the fact that there is very little isolating air to begin with. So after some time the laptop will be hot like a 25W lamp... Well not exactly that hot yet, but you get the point: too hot to be comfortable.

**Spartan198** · 03-23-2008, 01:01

Originally Posted by overweightninja

Vaios tend to be fairly high performance yes...for a laptop. In general though laptops will never be as powerful, components will always be nerfed to preserve battery life and space. It is possible to get laptops that can quite competently play most modern games, however you'll be paying through the nose.

You mentioned getting a 531S. I would advise against this, a quick google reveals these specs:
AMD Sempron 3600+
NVIDIA GeForce 6150

In one word, nasty, especially for that price. 3.6Ghz is very slow for the money you're paying, and the 6150 is ridiculously outdated. As a benchmark, I was able to pickup a rig with a 5.6Ghz Athlon cpu, 2gb of ram and a Geforce 8600 (not a brilliant card but it'll do on a budget) for perhaps fifty pounds more about six months ago. In short that rig looks very pretty, but inside its a dog.
With three or four hundred pounds (or more) you should be looking at at least 5-6Ghz, a couple of gigs of ram and hopefully a 8800GT or 8800GTS if you shop around.
Cheers

EB appears to be playing pretty much as fast as vanilla Rome on my mom's 531S right now,so maybe hers has upgraded performance than the stock version. I played numerous custom battles and about 15 turns of a Greek long campaign last night without incident after I downloaded and installed it. So all's good for right now.

Originally Posted by Tellos Athenaios

The lower performance shouldn't be your main concern when trying to play EB on a notebook. The heat, however, should. Really: to cram in as much components as possible the cooling system is a wee-bit left behind, which isn't exactly alleviated by the fact that there is very little isolating air to begin with. So after some time the laptop will be hot like a 25W lamp... Well not exactly that hot yet, but you get the point: too hot to be comfortable.

Heat actually isn't a problem for me as I have a really good external cooler which keeps my notebook at around 5 degrees even on its highest power setting. PC,XB360,PS3,I get external coolers for all my high performance electronics.