Time for a new computer...again

[WillNeedsHelpFast]

Hey guys, Will.

So, Im about to be getting a job and I want to save up some money cause I want a new computer, for a game I plan on getting. So...if I leave the reccommended requirements, can you guys virtually "build" me it, with an estimated price, then I can print it out and order it custom.

Note: It needs to be able to run extremly fast with mods, cameras, msn, etc etc all of it running at one time. The game is GTA IV.

Recommended

CPU - Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz, AMD Phenom X3 2.1 GHz

RAM - 2.0 GB (Windows XP) 2.5 GB (Windows Vista)

HDD Space - 18 GB of free space

512 MB Nvidia 8600 / 512 MB ATI 3870

Also, how much would it take to upgrade my current PC to be able to run it?

Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06 GHz

1 Gig of RAM

Enough Space

NVIDA Geforce 6200

So estimated price for buying a brand new one, and estimated price for upgrading what I already have (If I can)

[Azzaboi]

GTA IV is a buggy nightmare when it comes to system requirements when it first came out. I truely love the GTA series... but GTA 4 is well infected by Microsoft! It's the only one that is bugged, doesn't work the first time you install it from DVD, and requires a lot of patching (after it's already been released). It also forces you to install 'Gamers for Windows' and some other side applications.

I suggest you need  a 2.4GHz Duo Core Processor or more, it's not really processor hungry except the loading.

Your'll need at least 2GB RAM, 4GB recommended.

However, what really bugs this game or gets it to run smoothly is the graphics card and video card memory!

I had a 8800GTX - run like a dog, freeze, lagging, ripping, auto-locked the graphics all on low. I uninstalled the game, nothing would improve it even tweaking... read some of the troubleshooting forums around for bugs in this game, it's useless... I got an error during install, solution return the DVD to store, re-install 3 times, suddenly works. Got this Graphic card error blah, solution downgrade graphic card driver. Got lag and ripping, solution ...

I got a Nvidia 275GTX 896MB later on, tried the game, it was totally different. Runs smoothly, max the graphics, no graphic ripping or lag. It was seriously like playing a different game. Still had a few bugs like issues can't go bowling, etc, but they released patch updates for those.


Bottom line: It's a graphic card memory hog. The graphic card will cost you a good chunk. Stick to the older 'real' games of the series if you don't. They released this too early, not the same programmers and messed it up working with MS.

[WillNeedsHelpFast]

Well, is my computer at a stan dpoint where it can be upgraded to run well?

How much approximatly?

[Azzaboi]

Well unless you want to go the full mile and invest into a new computer with i7 Core, i would suggest:

Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06 GHz > upgrade to > Intel Core2 Duo 3.0GHz+
1 Gig of RAM > upgrade to > 2GB DDR2+
NVIDA Geforce 6200 > upgrade to > Nvidia GTX260+

Processor and Graphic Card could be expensive. Nvidia GTX260 is a cheaper option.
I would look up on 'pricespy' for the cheapest prices, but that's only for here in NZ Stores.

[BC_Programmer]

I skipped GTA4 myself, and opted for Just Cause 2. similar in many ways, but not so unjustifiably demanding on my system.

Well unless you want to go the full mile and invest into a new computer with i7 Core, i would suggest:

Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06 GHz > upgrade to > Intel Core2 Duo 3.0GHz+
1 Gig of RAM > upgrade to > 2GB DDR2+
NVIDA Geforce 6200 > upgrade to > Nvidia GTX260+

Processor and Graphic Card could be expensive. Nvidia GTX260 is a cheaper option.
I would look up on 'pricespy' for the cheapest prices, but that's only for here in NZ Stores.

problem is, with those "upgrades" they will probably need a new motherboard as well, (GF 6200FX is almost certainly AGP, memory is probably DDR, and the pentium 4 uses a different slot from the Core2 Duo) so it wouldn't really be an "upgrade" as much as it would be "replacing everything but the case". It would probably be just as well to build a new PC, that way they will have their older PC to either sell or fall back onto if their new build ever has problems.

Bottom line: It's a graphic card memory hog. The graphic card will cost you a good chunk. Stick to the older 'real' games of the series if you don't. They released this too early, not the same programmers and messed it up working with MS.

I think the whole "Games for windows"/"Windows Live" or whatever it is is more for games that are developed and have versions for the Xbox 360- I suppose they decided to keep that bit in for their other ports (aside from PS3). I know Fallout3 has it, which is nonsense. (it's not even multiplayer...). You can usually find patches to remove them if you want to, though.

Oh yeah... it runs fine on a PS3 too I think that's why it has the funky requirements, they originally designed it for  the PS3, not your average PC. (from what I can tell, Consoles started off much better for games then PCs... then around the time of the gamecube/PS2/Xbox they were very close (so games like GTA3, San Andreas and Vice city, and a few other games that were probably originally created for the PS2) ran rather well on what was your average PC at the time of their release). but now the PS3, Wii* and the Xbox 360 have a lot more graphical and CPU horsepower so when you design a game for that you are going to need more horsepower on your "everyday" PC.



* I struck out the Wii because if I can run SSBB in an emulator at 100% speed with 4 players then I'm apt to believe the Wii might not be as powerful as I originally thought.

[WillNeedsHelpFast]

Yeah, well Im a big GTA nerd. I mean, I plan on playing some of the smaller games, like San Andreas, Face of Mankind, some of my more favorited games, but at the same time I love GTA IV, and what comes great with all good games? Modding. So I really want to mod GTA IV on the PC + I heard about the LCPDFR mod which is amazing. Im a machinima creator aswell as Im anticipating IV:MP for the RP scripts.

So really, I do not care much about how hard it will be, Im more looking into what it'll take so I can get a computer ready for said things, with no lag. Plus ultimately it'll improve the games I currently own aswell.

[BC_Programmer]

San Andreas is a "Smaller Game"?

*FAINTS*

[WillNeedsHelpFast]

I mean smaller as in, not as straining on your computer.