A newbie with a stupid question

[bgrand]

Ok, I have an HP a6700y with a geforce 6150se video chip and this software just does not seem to work right -- hangs == slow response and just generally unusable. OS is vista64. I think it is the video card that is the problem. But before I just trash this software all together I thought I would ask the group what I should get to replace the video that might work. Updated to the current nvida driver and the install says that everything is fine. but the software is still unusable -- it almost works.

Bob

 

[meatloaf747]

Bob, can you list your computer spec's? (If I remember rightly, the HP a6700y is a reasonable low spec'ed PC, with a lower-end AMD quad-core processor that wasn't really designed for gaming).... A PC that has generally SLOW performance and is p_ss poor at multitasking with... - (The geforce 6150se video card is a very low spec'ed video card in today's world that will struggle to run any modern/new game)...

You could try turning all the "settings down" in the game, reduce the resolution, turn off Anti-alias Mode, turn off shadows, etc, etc. You could even try running it in DirectX !!!

Cheers, Mac...

 

[Stagefright]

Welcome aboard, Bob! You'll find the ride a little bumpy at first, but the other passengers are mighty friendly and helpful.

HP's website says you've got a quad-core AMD with 4 gigs of RAM, which is the good news. The bad news is that the built-in video is apparently the culprit here. I note that your computer does support a PCI-express video, so all is not lost. If you can afford it, plan on spending another $100 - $200 or so on a decent video card. I've used www.newegg.com for years; they have good prices & great service. For specific recommendations on a new card, head over to the 'Parts & Labour' forum and ask for input. I personally prefer the Nvidia chipset but there are plenty of ATI aficionados also.

In the meantime, experiment with the various settings within Trainz. Try both DirectX and OpenGL modes. One may work better than the other. Adjust the sliders in the video options down to 1/2 way or less.

Again, welcome aboard. The Trainz learning curve is quite steep, but the reward is definitely worth it.

Edit: Mac is correct - 99.9% of consumer-level store-bought computers are ok for general stuff but not designed for gaming.

Darrel