[Jelena]

bysmitty
I was installing Broken Sword the Shadow of the templar on my XP but didn't get far. (The system requirements says pentium or above, win 95/98)
I've got DirectX9.0 but the game needs DirectX2. It seems I have to download an older version of DirectX to be able to play the game. I've read somewhere that installing another DirectX can really mess things up.
What do you suggest?

[Gordon Bennett]

Originally Posted by samIamsad

Dear bysmitty,

I got a brand new computer recently.
I type Load"*",8
I push play on tape.
I wait and I wait and I wait.
And do wait some more.

What might be taking my computer so long?


With love,
sam

Your problem is that you have typed the command to load the first file from floppy disk, not cassette. Try tying LOAD on its own, then pressing play when prompted.

Be prepared to wait a very long while if your tape does not feature a turbo loader. Be prepared to attempt to load it several times before it works properly if it does.

Be careful to avoid allowing anyone other than yourself in the same room with the computer while loading. This may disrupt the chuntey, invariably leading to tape loading error.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by Gordon Bennett

Your problem is that you have typed the command to load the first file from floppy disk, not cassette. Try tying LOAD on its own, then pressing play when prompted.

Doh, I should've known that I'm gonna make an ass out of myself by pretending to still remember how that tape loading business works. My bro still has got one of them, though...



Good times. Thanks!

[RLacey]

No... bad times. At least the Amstrad had the multiface...

[Huz]

Jelena, I don't think installing such an old version of DirectX in Windows XP is even possible. If it is, doing so would make an unholy mess of things.

I seem to remember having difficulty with Broken Sword on one of my XP computers recently, but it worked fine on the other. I never did figure it out, especially as I was running exactly the same version of DirectX (9.0) on both. My solution was to use ScummVM. It works well, but I understand you might prefer to run the original executable.

Something you can try is running BS in 'compatibility mode', or its setup program if that's what you're having trouble with. Simply right-click on the executable (or the shortcut to it), choose Properties, go to the Compatibility tab and choose one of the previous versions of Windows from the list. This can be quite helpful in a lot of cases, but I don't remember if it makes any difference to BS...

Right, now it's my turn to give bysmitty a grilling. In May I asked what was the best choice of 'future-proof' motherboard for a new PC, and bysmitty said...

Originally Posted by bysmitty

Depending on when you want to make a decision, I would say get a 939 if you are buying within the next few days, AM2 if you are buying within the next few weeks, and in a few months, "conroe" will most likely be the best choice.

What's the state of play now? No need to give me a detailed answer - considering the minimal research I've done so far, I'll feel guilty if you do! - but as I don't follow these things, a pointer would be handy. Thanks!

[bysmitty]

@ Jelena: I agree with Huz. ScummVM is the way to play BS1. I just replayed it two weeks ago and it ran flawlessly using Scumm. The details on how to install and play it are on the ScummVM website. Just post if you have any questions.

@ Huz: Since I posted that, Intel released its new Core 2 Duo processors and they are ungodly fast. Even a mid range C2D wipes the floor with the fastest AMD offering. If you want future proof, pick up any CPU in the core 2 duo family. They run $200 - $1000. If you go this route, make sure the motherboard you get is socket 775 and C2D compatible. Memory is regular DDR2.
AMD's AM2 isn't licked though. All the athlon 64 processors are still very fast and the speed difference won't be very noticeable in games anyways as games are all video card dependent now. The other benefit of AMD is that their prices are much cheaper than Intel's new blistering CPUs. AMD chips start at $80 for 3000+ and go up to $800 for a fx62. The $150 3800 x2 is the current sweet-spot. You need AM2 specific motherboards and DDR2 memory for these CPUs.

...bysmitty

[Tobbe]

Bysmitty: Do you know why my internet connection goes down almost every time I turn of the computer? I have to reset the modem to get it working again, could it be something wrong with the DNS?

[Jelena]

Huz and bysmitty
Thanks for your advice. I've read about this ScummVM-thing and knew that one day I'd have to deal with it. Now, it seems.
I'll give it a go and hope it works. You're both so great for helping me out.
Lena

[bysmitty]

@ Tobbe: Hmmm, I need a little more info. What type of internet connection is it? DSL? Cable? Also, do you have any other computer or devices on your network?

@ Jelena: You will love Scumm. Playing all the old lucas arts and revolution classics on any modern computer is just gold. The only thing you need to remember is to download and install the cut scenes for BS1. Click me to download them. To get the game working with Scumm, copy the following files to a location on your hard drive

*.clu
swordres.rif
MUSIC folder
SPEECH folder
Rename speech.clu on CD1 to speech1.clu
Rename speech.clu on CD2 to speech2.clu

Next copy in the cutscene pack to that same location. Finally, start ScummVM, click add game, point it to that same location, and click ok. It should give you details on the game to prove it found it. It sounds a bit complicated but is really not.
...bysmitty

[Jelena]

bysmitty
Is there a file called *.clu? Haven't seen anything called that way. Or do you mean all the files ending with .clu? (Honestly, I haven't got a clue. Ha Ha
I've copied swordres.rif and the music and speech folders from disc 1
but I don't seem to be able to rename speech.clu. I tried to rename it before copying, but of course that wasn't possible.
Will it cause problems? or do I just go on copying from disc2?

EDIT: I've renamed speech.clu now. Don't know why it didn't work before.

[The Viking]

Sir bysmitty,

I have been referred to you by Kuze. Could you possibly take up my case? I am a software enginner by profession, but when it comes to hardware, my knowledge is definitely limited. Here is an excerpt from one of my posts regarding the new BS game:

HeinzHarald,
Do you think I should upgrade my video card from the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 if I really want to play this game in all its glory? For me, it stuttered WAY too much, deeming it unplayable (even with AA off).

Anyone,
How do I know if my video card supports "shaders" as specified in the requirements? Lastly, what video card should I buy to set myself up to be in great video card shape for a while?

Thanks in advance!

[Jelena]

ScummVM and Broken Sword1 is working!
bysmitty
I'm pretty sure I can manage on my own next time I'll use ScummVM thanks to your help!

[bysmitty]

@ Viking: Unfortunately, the 5200 just isn't up to snuff for today's games, even adventures. The fx line of cards is actually one of the biggest blunders in hardware history. One of the main reasons for this is very poor shader 2.0 support. Basically, the card does support shaders, but sucks at them, hence the stuttering. As for what to do about it, you can try updating the drivers from nvidia's website. This may help performance but likely, it won't do anything. In my opinion, it is time for an upgrade. I'm going to assume that you have an AGP motherboard, if that is incorrect, let me know as it will change my recommendations drastically. There are a few options depending on how much more life you are looking to get out of your current computer and what your budget is.

-You can retire your current machine, strip out the useful parts from it (things like hard drive, optical drive, and sound card), and build the rest of the machine from new parts (motherboard, cpu, memory, and video card). This will give you blazing fast speeds and will allow you to design a computer that will last you well into the future. Of course this is the most expensive option, setting you back roughly $600+ for anything gaming-worthy.
-If you really want to eak out more life from you current machine, just upgrade the video card. Since you are likely stuck with AGP, video card options are pretty well limited. On the lower end of the spectrum, you can pick up a x1300 for $80. With only 4 pixel pipes, the card is fairly limited but will at least be able to handle most new games without too much trouble. In the mid range, you can pick up a 7600gs for $130. This is a much better option if you don't mind throwing down a few extra dollars. It is similarly clocked to the x1300, has the same amount of memory, but the big benefit comes in the form of 10 pixel pipes as opposed to the x1300's 4. In the high range... well don't buy the high range. There is no reason to dump a lot of money on a AGP card that won't be able to carry you into the future.

You, like millions of others are in a tough spot trying to upgrade. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.


@ Jelena: Awesome. Enjoy the game. Even after all these years, it is fantastic.

...bysmitty

[Tobbe]

Originally Posted by bysmitty

@ Tobbe: Hmmm, I need a little more info. What type of internet connection is it? DSL? Cable? Also, do you have any other computer or devices on your network?

I got DSL, 2mbit directly connected to the modem, and no other computers/devices connected to a network.

[Huz]

Originally Posted by bysmitty

@ Huz: Since I posted that, Intel released its new Core 2 Duo processors and they are ungodly fast. Even a mid range C2D wipes the floor with the fastest AMD offering. If you want future proof, pick up any CPU in the core 2 duo family. They run $200 - $1000. If you go this route, make sure the motherboard you get is socket 775 and C2D compatible. Memory is regular DDR2.
AMD's AM2 isn't licked though. All the athlon 64 processors are still very fast and the speed difference won't be very noticeable in games anyways as games are all video card dependent now. The other benefit of AMD is that their prices are much cheaper than Intel's new blistering CPUs. AMD chips start at $80 for 3000+ and go up to $800 for a fx62. The $150 3800 x2 is the current sweet-spot. You need AM2 specific motherboards and DDR2 memory for these CPUs.

Brilliant, thanks for your help.

It looks like the Intel route is much more expensive than AMD's, especially if you buy the faster RAM the Intel processors support. I'd either go for the cheapest Intel Duo there is, or the AMD 3800 X2, the latter being much cheaper. My question is, is it a worthwhile investment, in terms of being 'future-proofed', to go for the Intel option? Are AMD's X2 range likely to catch up in terms of speed?

Or should I just not worry about future-proofing and go for whatever my budget allows right now? Being able to keep the same motherboard and RAM for a while would be nice, but in reality, I'm not sure if I'd bother upgrading my CPU until they were years out of date anyway.

[The Viking]

Originally Posted by bysmitty

@ Viking: Unfortunately, the 5200 just isn't up to snuff for today's games, even adventures. The fx line of cards is actually one of the biggest blunders in hardware history. One of the main reasons for this is very poor shader 2.0 support. Basically, the card does support shaders, but sucks at them, hence the stuttering. As for what to do about it, you can try updating the drivers from nvidia's website. This may help performance but likely, it won't do anything. In my opinion, it is time for an upgrade. I'm going to assume that you have an AGP motherboard, if that is incorrect, let me know as it will change my recommendations drastically. There are a few options depending on how much more life you are looking to get out of your current computer and what your budget is.

-You can retire your current machine, strip out the useful parts from it (things like hard drive, optical drive, and sound card), and build the rest of the machine from new parts (motherboard, cpu, memory, and video card). This will give you blazing fast speeds and will allow you to design a computer that will last you well into the future. Of course this is the most expensive option, setting you back roughly $600+ for anything gaming-worthy.
-If you really want to eak out more life from you current machine, just upgrade the video card. Since you are likely stuck with AGP, video card options are pretty well limited. On the lower end of the spectrum, you can pick up a x1300 for $80. With only 4 pixel pipes, the card is fairly limited but will at least be able to handle most new games without too much trouble. In the mid range, you can pick up a 7600gs for $130. This is a much better option if you don't mind throwing down a few extra dollars. It is similarly clocked to the x1300, has the same amount of memory, but the big benefit comes in the form of 10 pixel pipes as opposed to the x1300's 4. In the high range... well don't buy the high range. There is no reason to dump a lot of money on a AGP card that won't be able to carry you into the future.

You, like millions of others are in a tough spot trying to upgrade. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.


@ Jelena: Awesome. Enjoy the game. Even after all these years, it is fantastic.

...bysmitty

bysmitty,

Wow! Thanks for the thoughtful reply! Here are some responses / questions ...

You're right about updating the drivers. I'm always updating to the latest one, and did so just before playing the demo, and it didn't make a difference.

As for upgrading vs. buying a new machine, my PC is only a couple of years old and (I think) still quite capable. It's a Dell 8300, 2.8 GHZ, 1 GB RAM. Still good, don't you think? BTW, does that tell you whether or not I have an AGP board or not? If not, how do I tell?

Assuming a video card upgrade is still your recommendation, I'm OK with spending a couple bucks for some good video. When you recommended the 7600 gs, did you mean GS or GT (see http://www.nvidia.com/page/geforce_7600.html)? I'll go with wahtever you recommend.

Thanks again, bysmitty! Much appreciated!

[bysmitty]

@ Tobbe: It sounds like the issues is likely with the modem itself. The computer gets the settings from the modem during boot so if that doesn't happen, then something is amiss with the modem. If you post the exact model number of the modem I can dig around the online and see if I can find something. The only fix I can think of off the top of my head is to pick up a cheap switch (usually just a few dollars) and place that in between the computer and the modem. This way the modem and the switch will always be communicating, the computer will just handshake with the switch on boot up. The other benefit of doing this is most switches have a built in firewall which will give you another layer of protection. Wish I had a more definitive answer for you. Post the model and I'll see if I can find anything else out.

@ Huz: Future proof vs cost is always a tough one. With games being more GPU dependent than CPU dependent now-a-days, having the fastest CPU on the block isn't as important as it used to be. If this is going to be a gaming rig, your best bet is to get the capable CPU instead of a screaming fast one, and sink the money you save into a better video card. I also forgot to mention that right now, C2D motherboards currently run at least $50 more that AM2 boards. A descent mid range C2D mobo will set you back at least $150 while a fully decked out AM2 board can be had for under $100. Personally speaking, my pick would be a 3800 x2, Gigabyte GA-M55SLI-S4, and 1gig (2x512mb) of G.Skill DDR2 800. Other upgrade options would be a 4200 x2 which would give an extra 200mhz bump over the 3800 x2 for $35 more or a 2gig (2x1gig) kit of G.Skill DDR 800 on sale now for $200. Just out of curiosity, what video card are you going to be using with this setup? Good luck man. Let me know if you have any other questions.

@ Viking: No, it doesn't sound like your machine is in that bad of shape. A 2.8ghz p4 and 1 gig of mem should last you another year or two. Plus if games start crying for more memory down the road a bit, you can always slap in another stick or two. I'm fairly certain that your machine is AGP. If you want to be sure, download and run CPUz. It will pop up with a window with the specs of your machine. Click the tab that says 'motherboard' then look at the bottom of the window. It will say if you have AGP, PCIe, or PCI under the section called 'Graphic Interface'. As for the cards I recommended, I did mean 7600gs and not 7600gt. The 7600gts are a superior card for only a few dollars more but unfortunately for you, they are only available in PCIe flavor. In this current generation of video cards, the only AGP options are the Nvidia 7600gs, the ATI x1600 pro, the ATI x1600, the Nvidia 7800gs, and the ATI x1300. The 7800gs is ridiculously overpriced at about $300 and doesn't deliver anywhere near the power that it should for the price. Basically, a waste of money. The ATI x1600 and x1600 pros are not bad cards for roughly the price of the 7600gs but they just don't deliver the speed that 7600gs offerers. I personally would go with the 7600gs card I linked above* and start putting a little money away for a system overhaul in maybe a year or two. Best of luck with the upgrade, post back if I can be of any more assistance.

* I just checked and NewEgg is sold out of those cards. The next cheapest has a passive cooler which I wouldn't trust not to overheat during heavy gaming. The next up from that is made by PNY who I never have had any luck with. Up from that are descent cards from eVGA and Asus but at $143, you might as well get the XFX 512mb 7600gs for $145. You will likely never need the extra video memory but for a measly $2 over the competition, it doesn't hurt. Plus the black PBC on the XFX looks pretty wicked.

...bysmitty

[Huz]

Thanks again bysmitty, for two reasons!

Firstly, I hadn't considered the possibility of getting a motherboard capable of running SLI video cards. Your board seems better than the one I had in mind in all respects, and looks to be about the same price. The only problem is that none of the 'usual suspect' UK retailers seem to be selling it, only the next model down (no SLI) and the next model up (loads of crap I don't need!). Still, I'll have a proper look tomorrow.

And secondly, I was about to take issue with your assertion that C2D motherboards are more expensive, because I thought I'd found the perfect candidate at the right price. Spot the deliberate mistake though!

By the way, I don't think much of that Newegg site in terms of usability. I presume it is the US website for PC component shoppers - Ebuyer (the one I linked to) is ours. I must say I prefer it to Newegg.

Anyway, I was erring towards the AMD solution simply due to the cost of the Intel offering. I'll try to track down the motherboard you suggested, as it looks good (and it looks like it's passively cooled, an advantage in the system I'm building). The 3800+ is the sweet-spot for price in the UK market, too (I did a graph and everything!), so I'll go with that. And I was thinking 2GB of el cheapo unbranded RAM, I've never gone wrong with it before.

As for the graphics card, I'm a bit undecided. As someone pointed out, DX10 will be along soon and it'll wee all over the current generation. I'm tempted by something in the area of the 7600GT you're recommending to Viking - no point going overboard, especially as I'm not sure whether I'll get back into PC gaming in a big way. I've been out of it quite a while - currently running a Pentium 2 after renouncing my aging Athlon Thunderbird system.

Edit - yay, I found that this exists. Should make things easier!

[Huz]

Originally Posted by bysmitty

1gig (2x512mb) of G.Skill DDR2 800.

Oh, just one more question, if you don't mind. For some reason I'd got it into my head that I only needed PC2-5400 (667) DDR2 RAM for the 3800+ X2 because it wouldn't take advantage of anything faster. I haven't a clue where I got this idea from now. Is it rubbish?

[Huz]

Hooray, I've made some progress this evening. As my ambitions in the graphical arena are quite low and I'm determined to have as quiet a computer as possible, I think I'm going for this contraption. I realise that with passively cooled products like this, you run the risk of your system overheating, but I hope I'm well-versed enough in the early signs of trouble that I can resolve any such problems before they become an issue (my Thunderbird system used to overheat like a bastard - nothing to do with scrimping on cooling though, it was just rubbish).

I'm sick and tired of computer noise, so I'm chasing the elusive 'quiet PC'
even if I do run the risk of coming home to find my computer has become a bubbling heap of slag. It's not happened yet anyway, and I'm running my Pentium 2 (not quite in the same league I know!) with only the PSU fan.

Sorry to babble on in this thread, but it's really useful to have someone to point me in the right direction and hopefully shout "NO! YOU MAD FOOL!" if I'm barking up entirely the wrong tree. Many thank again, bysmitty.