Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: Halo 2 vista hardware discussion.
  • Subject: Halo 2 vista hardware discussion.
Subject: Halo 2 vista hardware discussion.
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Alright, the purpose of this thread is to show bungie that we are just contented with the way Halo 2 looks and plays, we just want to make it clear to them that we don't need them to go knocking up the graphics on the game any more like they did with the first Halo. I have a Pentium 4 3.02 gig processor (no typos anywhere in that) 1.512 gigs of ram, and a Radeon 9250 256 MHz video card, and my pc still has incredible framerate issues with the game. I'm almost certain that all of us whom have played the halo 2 xbox version are looking forward to the PC version as well, right? And I figured that so long as we have the time on our hands, much time as a matter of fact -until windows Vista becomes released- I thought maybe we should all have a discussion of the minimum hardware specifications. I don't want to have to cough up another $300 to get my processor replaced with a 3.5 gig Pentium 4 just so I won't have any framerate issues Halo 2's graphics on the xbox version were amazing. This is what the xbox had that Halo 2 console version had to work with:
733 MHz PentiumIII processor connected by a P6 64 bit @ 133 MHz FSB to a 233 MHz GPU.

This is about the equivalent of a high end Windows 98 gaming PC at its prime, which costed about 800-$1000 with the monitor and all. Lets look at what we all have now. At a minimum you could go out and buy a PC with a Pentium 4 2.4 gig processor, 256 MHz of Ram and a 40 gig hard drive (with monitor again, mind you) for about $400 dollars. Subtract the monitor and your looking at at least $300 or less.
Point in case: We (at least most of us PC gamers anyway...) already have hardware good enough to handle the game in it's original format. Just give us the standard game with all the decals, all the luster, all the texture, and everything the Xbox version's visuals had at a 800x600 resolution and we'll be fine. worry about tweaking it once most everyone can meet the needs of the game itself. We don't want a light show in a disc, we want Halo 2 for the PC in it's untainted format. Just grant us that and we won't be whining anymore

  • 11.03.2006 10:12 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

A 9250 is a crappy card. Thats your problem.

  • 11.03.2006 10:35 AM PDT

Gaming Systems:
Intel Core i7 720QM (4 cores, 8 threads)
4Gb DDR3-1333mhz
1Gb AMD Radeon HD 4650
Windows 7 64bit

Xbox 360 w/ 20Gb HDD (2008 edition) & XBL Gold.

Good Idea making the thread, but a lot of what you said is a bit iffy. For example, these days processor clock speed has become irrelevant, here's why: An Intel Core 2 processor with Dual Core 2.2Ghz CPU's run about twice as fast in performance if not more than ANY single core P4 CPU, even one at 3.5Ghz. These days, you could get a Core 2 Processor for about $180/£100.

The good thing about PC's is that they CAN run the graphics better than any console ever could, so most PC Gamers like me are really looking forward to the major graphical updates Bungie are giving the the Halo 2 Vista version of the game.

Halo 2 will not run on your Radeon 9250 i'm afraid, you'll be surprised to know it isn't even running Halo 1 PC to it's full, as the 9250 doesn't support Shader Model 2.0. Now Shader Model 2.0 will be a minimum requirement of Halo 2 for PC, that is quite likely. I would expect the minimum system requirements of Halo 2 Vista to be as such:

1.6Ghz CPU (32/64bit, depending on Install version)
512Mb of RAM (with 1Gb Recommended)
128Mb GPU supporting at least Shader Model 2.0. (Radeon 9600+, Geforce 5600+, Intel GMA900 +)

Most PC Gamers run their games at 1024x768 on average these days, the days of 800x600 are pretty much over, at least as an acceptable standard. The original Halo 2 ran at 640x480 on TV's, which is extremely poor.

  • 11.03.2006 10:38 AM PDT

you may know me as X[IGN]

Posted by: Iggwilv

*hands Kim a crowbar*
Here you will need this to help you get your foot out of the back of your throat, looks llike its in there pretty deep. And what is that on your face? Egg?! *hands Kim a washcloth*

Not being the owner of a crappy 9250, I say bring on the graphical upgrades. I do not want pop-in or incredibly low resolution textures with no detail.

  • 11.03.2006 11:47 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

They can't simply give it to us right away, It worked on the Xbox's specs because it was optimised to work on the Xbox alone. For PCs there are thousands of choices in hardware, so the game must to be optimised to support them all, in order to work right for almost everyone. Plus, without updating the graphics and things like that, on any higher resolution the game would look like crap, they were made to run in 800X600 resolution, remember that.

  • 11.03.2006 12:59 PM PDT

Gaming Systems:
Intel Core i7 720QM (4 cores, 8 threads)
4Gb DDR3-1333mhz
1Gb AMD Radeon HD 4650
Windows 7 64bit

Xbox 360 w/ 20Gb HDD (2008 edition) & XBL Gold.

Well said. Actually Halo 2 Xbox ran at roughly 640x480, that's why the general image looks so damn poor with last gen consoles and the Wii (which is about as good as a last gen console, but with a funky wand controller thingy, which looks rediculous).

  • 11.03.2006 3:50 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

I'm sure as hell not content with the way Halo 2 looks and plays; I'm glad they're revamping the game. Also, sorry if this comes off as an assinde remark, but if you can't keep up with technology then don't ask it to take a step back for you.

  • 11.03.2006 3:59 PM PDT