opjose
Posts: 8987
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Joined: 11/26/2005
Last Login: 3/12/2010
From: Poolesville,
MD, USA
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quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
Okay, I’ll admit it ... I’m not a ''computer gamer''. My ''general'' use computer is not configured as a gaming computer. But, then according to RealFlight I don’t require a gaming computer to run their software.
That is correct.
You do not need a computer with high end "gaming" specifications to run their software.
However you DO need DirectX9 compliance, as with ALL 3D programs and games.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
Generally when I buy a piece of software and my computer meets the ''minimum systems requirements'' I’m able to run that software as advertised. I’m not able to do that with RealFlight.
Only if you've overlooked something, that made you believe your system meets the minimums.
DirectX9 compliance, enough memory and a suitable processor and you're good to go.
The problem is with the first item.
Video card vendors often pull a fast one on the consumer so to speak.
Most people walk into a store and declare "I don't play games".... without thinking.
So the video card manufacturers cater to this.
They take their older chipsets, dress them up a bit, and sell them to this crowd.
Along comes a 3D product that requires DirectX compliancy, and the user BELIEVES their machine is compliant because DirectX is installed.
However that may NOT be the case.
In the example given which started your quiery, the person is using a video system that was developed for DX7, and later enhanced for DX8. When DX9 came along, the manufacturer took their older chips and sold them to new buyers as a low end/low cost device.
So if he runs older software, or normal work related programs he may never notice or care about this difference...
Along comes a 3D game, etc... and the buyer is complaining about the software developer, when in point of fact, they were unfortunately not given all the details about their purchase.
I've been in stores and seen this happen over and over again. I've even seen the salespeople try very hard to explain this to a laptop or desktop computer purchaser. Ultimately the purchaser tries to cut corners, and refuses to pay the extra 40-70.00 dollars needed to get something better suited to their computers.
They go home, never realizing that they've introduced a BIG bottleneck on their own computer. But it is ultimately their OWN mistake. On laptops, it's a BIG mistake since it cannot be corrected later.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
RealFlight’s ads tell me that I have features like ''depth of field, real rendering, reactive 3D objects, sensory environmental elements, backgrounds that are anything but static'', or ''ambient sound''. I get ''Simulated shadows ... Reflecting surfaces ... and colors with breathtaking accuracy.'' Yet, I don’t have all of these features with a minimum requirements computer.
Why would you expect to?
If you don't have the hardware to support something, there is nothing the software can do about it.
If the software attempts to do all of these things WITHOUT hardware, the program would turn into a slide show....
This is true of ANY and ALL 3D software.
Some of those features you listed, which are not dependant upon your video hardware, do work even on minimum spec machines. You just will not see them in the same numbers.
For example on a high end machine, the computer can instruct the video card to render tens of thousands of trees, dissappearing into the distance.
If your video card is not up to it, you may only see a few trees close by.
This is all done to maintain that "backward compatibility" that people scream about.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
The only other experience I have in ''gaming'' is with MicroSoft's Flight Simulator. With that game I'm able to run the software ''as advertised'' with the minimum requirements.
Actually, sorry to say, but that is COMPLETELY untrue.
Try loading up Flightsim 9 or Flightsim X, and all of those features which you named above, that Flightsim9 and Flightsim X also uses, WILL BE DISABLED.
This in order to get the sim to run.
What is happening, is that you've missed that this is the case.
As you said you are not a "gamer", which is why you are unfamiliar with all of this.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
But, is that the norm for computer games?
No you are mistaken, the "norm" is DIRECTX compliance.
Next time you are in a store, pick up any "GAME" box and look at the requirements.
DirectX 9 ( and in some cases DirectX 10 ) compliance is MANDATORY for all 3D games written in the last four years.
There are a few exceptions that may also cite Opengl 2.x or above compliancy as well which ads another complicating wrinkle.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
Am I not able to use the game ''as advertised'' with the minimum requirements?
Sure you are, you just will not get all of the stuff you would see with the PROPER hardware.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
With other types of software I am.
Not true. That is a misconception. Other 3D software does exactly the same thing.
Nor can you include 2D software and games into this mix, as flight sims are not 2D programs.
BTW: Aerofly Deluxe now has requirements that exceed those of Realflight. Go figure.
quote:
ORIGINAL: johndou
Do you have a reference to that? Where could someone verify that information if they wanted to and find out just which processors are in question?
Sure, it's a sticky on the Knifeedge site.
Look at the posting at the top of the G5 subforum which talks about the installation issue.
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