please recommend new graphics card, and possibly new CPU, to play BG:EE

Lemernis

The computer I had planned to play BG:EE has a graphics card that is evidently incompatible with BG:EE:

Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20 GHz (specs)
NVIDIA GEForce 8600 GT (specs)
2.0 GB RAM - I'm going to add more now
Windows 7 Premium Home (32 bit)

So rather than wait for a fix that may never come or work well, I'm just going to replace the graphics card to ATI. As for quality level, I really only play BG:EE, although I look forward to Project Infinity and BG: Next (BG3). I guess I'll pop for an upper middle-range/lower high-end card.

If folks can recommend a good bang for the buck card I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm not sure about whether I need to replace the above CPU in order to play BG:EE. If I don't have to replace it right now, I would rather not. If I just purchase an ATI graphics card, should I still be able to run BG:EE with the Intel CPU shown above?

If I do need to buy a new CPU I guess I'll go with AMD. But my computer store guy can help me out there (although by all means please make recommendations if you have any).

Thanks!

bivbi

I think your NVIDIA is OK for BGEE, maybe your computer is using the Intel inside graphic card, which isn't compatible with BGEE, but BGEE should work well on your computer. You don't need to buy anithing (except RAM) to run BGEE, and there is no reason to switch for Intel to AMD/ATI. In your NVIDIA specs, down the page : "Full OpenGL® support". You could change your process to a Intel i3, i5 or i7. This i3 : http://ark.intel.com/products/65693/Intel-Core-i3-3220-Processor-3M-Cache-3_30-GHz is pretty nice. Also if you want to change your NVIDIA you could try GeForce GTX 660 (http://www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-660) or the AMD Radeon HD 7850 (http://shop.amd.com/US/All/Detail/GraphicCard/FX-785A-CDBC?tabid=2). Better check compatibility before, i didn't.

Lemernis

Thanks, but if I buy anything new at this point it will definitely not be Intel or NVIDIA! I'll be going with AMD for the CPU and ATI for the graphics card. For. Sure.

I haven't tried all the fixes for BG:EE with the setup that I have. But I don't want to spend hours noodling around to try to get the game to run. I just want to be able to download the damn thing and play it.

Okay, whinge over.

I dunno, I guess I'll take another look at the most recent recommendations to get Intel graphics to work and give it one more go. Thanks.

elfuego

It is cheaper to just make a new partition, install linux (new ubuntu for example), load up Wine and play the game within Linux. If you insist on getting a new rig, check out this thread and get something that has was proven to work:

http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/171873

Edit: Basically, an i5 2500k with a GF 560(ti) will do the trick.

ekster

If you are going to replace the CPU, I would suggest an i3 or an i5 over an AMD. AMD hasn't been the best right now, unless you need an 8 core, but I doubt you'll be needing that.

I can't recommend about any fixes as I'm not sure what part BG:EE doesn't like right now... as for videocards, I have the HIS Radeon HD 7770, that was going for about $130, it worked without a problem with BGEE, and handles all the newer games well as well, so it should be safe for Project Eternity, BG3 or any other newer RPGs coming out in a year or two.

But I really think it's better to try and look at the fixes, or give it a week to see if any patches fixes it... it's a bit extreme to buy new hardware if the current one works. Just give it another shot at figuring out the compatibility issues!

InkeytheRPG

I wouldn't recommend a new PC or graphics card to play BG:EE at this time. I have two pc's that can't play the game, constant crashing. Both with AMD CPUs and one with an Nvidia graphics card and one with ATI. There is no guarantee that buying new hardware will fix your issues, I would wait and give them a chance to fix the game on your hardware first.

The hardware you have should have plenty of horsepower to play a game designed for a Pentium 166 and a graphics card with 4mb of ram, no matter what extra features they add.

Allen63

As an avid gamer and AMD fan, I suggest an HD7770 as the minimum for serous-but-casual gaming on a single monitor -- ballpark $125 on-sale delivered. For most folks, the HD7870 supports serious gaming on a single monitor very well -- ballpark $235 on-sale delivered.

The high end cards (HD7950 and HD7970) can be overkill on a single monitor -- but, are needed for triple monitor gaming. I use an HD7970 with 3 monitors (single monitor for BGEE though), FWIW.

BGEE does not stress even an entry level HD7750 card. But, HD7750 is mainly for HTPCs. It will play all the games (I have one, so I know) -- but, most folks would do better with the HD7770 in the long haul -- if they have a little extra cash.

In the end, the decision of "how far to go" is a personal one.

The following is a page listing AMD 7000 series cards and prices at Newegg (a favorite shopping place for geeky types):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709 600100181 600286767&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon HD 7000 series&Order=PRICE&Pagesize=100

Generally, when picking a card from the list, I go with what's on sale that day and am less concerned with manufacturer -- HOWEVER, read the user comments. Occasionally, cards are on sale because they are unusually defective. Generally, folks do well to avoid HIS (though that is based more on "feeling" than "fact").

Allen63

Regarding AMD CPUs:

Cutting to the bottom line: Games typically use one or two cores of a CPU. Four cores is plenty. Of the AMD CPUs, the "old" Phenom II 965 Quad Core plays all the games well -- as well as the newer AMD CPUs. Nice thing is that its only about $85 today. This assumes one is building the PC one's self.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

Intel makes CPUs that are faster and lead to higher "measured" FPS. However, one rarely "sees" any difference with the unaided eye. The comparable Intel device is the i5-2500K (a gaming favorite of many "do-it-yourselfers"). This is faster than the above CPU. But, again, not so most folks would notice in normal use or normal gaming.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

Serious Gamers' simplistic rule of thumb: Save money on the CPU, Memory, Motherboard and put the savings into the Graphics Card.

InkeytheRPG

Still confused as to why everyone here is even recommending new hardware for a game which his current hardware meets all requirements. Its not like the game is going to play any better or look any better after the OP buys all these new graphics cards suggested.

Allen63

InkeytheRPG said:

Still confused as to why everyone here is even recommending new hardware for a game which his current hardware meets all requirements. Its not like the game is going to play any better or look any better after the OP buys all these new graphics cards suggested.

Agree.

Don't buy new hardware until you find an important App or game you're sure your equipment won't handle. Price/performance keeps falling -- so, the longer one puts off a purchase, the more one gets for the money.

Personally, I leave it up to the individual to decide when its time to buy. I merely try to give some general guidlines to be used -- if one decides to make the purchase. But, always, the final decision when to buy and what to buy rests with the individual.

Lemernis

Well, I have yet to send a DXDIAG report to Beamdog support to see if they can figure this out. [Edit: I did send it.] But the game keeps crashing that computer. I also have another computer that the game does run fine on, fortunately.

For the computer that the game crashes, I have updated the Intel chipset driver, NVIDIA graphics card driver, reinstalled OpenAL, manually forced the graphics card to the NVIDIA setting (versus the CPU), and turned off V-sync. I have uninstalled/resintalled over half a dozen times to no avail. (Most recently earlier today.) That is basically everything that is outlined here: http://www.beamdog.com/support/766, plus some direction from Philip Daigle.

I even tried copying the "Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition" folder (note: this is the folder with Baldur.ini) from My Documents on the computer on which the game does run fine to the one that crashes, placing the folder in the same respective location.

Now interestingly (?), when I looked for C:\Users\XXX\Documents\My Documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition on the computer that the game crashes, I did not find it--even after repeatedly reinstalling the game. So I figured perhaps something was working incorrectly with the download. Both computers are shared on a home network so I copied that folder (i.e., Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition in My Documents) over, seeing if that might do the trick. But still no good.

I mean, at this point I'm tempted to try replacing all the game's files from one computer to the other and see if that works!

For easier reference:

Computer A (game crashes)
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20 GHz
NVIDIA GEForce 8600 GT
2.0 GB RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
1680x1050 native resolution

Computer B (game runs great)
Pentium Dual-Core CPU E5700 @ 3.00 GHz
ATI Radeon HD 4600 Series
2.00 GB RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
1920x1080 native resolution

InkeytheRPG

Personally I have 2 PCs that both crash the game.

Computer A
Athlon II x4 610
Nvidia Geforce 8800GTS 320MB
4.0 GB RAM
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
Dual monitors 1280x1024 each

Computer B
Phenom x3 8450
ATI Radeon HD 4600 series
4.0 GB RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
1680x1050 resolution

As you can see, one of my pcs has the a radeon 4600 also, and it crashes on it. Whatever is going on is not graphics card dependent.

Allen63

Really seems like the above machines that don't work -- should work. However, I don't know the specifics of the particular installations -- and am not expert enough to guess.

FWIW in context, my machine (I have listed this elsewhere on the forum). BGEE does not need anything near this powerful -- in fact, a very basic PC should do the job:

AMD FX8350 CPU
AMD HD7970 GPU
GSkill 16GB RAM @ 1866
ASUS Sabertooth Motherboard on-board Sound
Windows 8 Pro 64b
1920x1200 resolution (have 3 monitors that total 5760x1200 for most games -- only use one for BGEE).

All drivers, etc up to date. Use default settings for everything -- no special settings for BGEE. I've noticed on other forums that for gaming, in general, I have virtually no problems (unlike many others). I think part of that is due to using Windows and GPU "defaults" for all my settings. I think most games are developed on "basic default" PCs -- so work well on "basic default" PCs.

So far, no issues with BGEE.

metro

you're crazy if you update your computer to play this horrible re-release. go install the original with some of the better mods. your computer is about 10 times more powerful than what is needed to play bg...

Lemernis

I'm about due for an upgrade anyway. I update components about every three years.