problems with the game

[xl vogester lx]

so, i bought my copy of H2V from bestbuy and couldn't be happier to get home. I put the disc into my computer, pressed install/play, and right before it started downloading it said that my graphics card wasn't supported by H2V.

I just got this laptop not more than a half a year ago (probably less) and it came with windows vista on it, and was pretty expensive. plus its a sony vaio and those gennerally have good video cards, so I wasn't worried about the message. Just because it was not supported, doesn't mean it won't work, right?

That's what I want to know. After clicking the continue button, it downloaded normally so i thought i was right, but then when i tried to open it it said something like this:

" Game Failed initialazation. Reinstalling the game may solve this problem."
Now that doesnt say anything about a graphics gard, but i reisntalled it and it still popped up. Anyone have an idea for me? please respond

Thanks.

[TPE]

plus its a sony vaio and those gennerally have good video cards,
ummm no sony fails at life

it probably has a intel GMA 950.

[MrUncool]

Yeah, Vaios pretty much suck at anything gaming-related.

[xl vogester lx]

ok, thanks for the unfortunate but good help.

can laptops get new graphics cards? if i can install one ill buy an N-Vidia probably... im just not sure if laptops can get new ones installed. probly another noobish question.

thanks

vogester

[Amit]

Normally, they can't.

[xl vogester lx]

Normally, they can't.
AGH
so what do i do?? i just bought this laptop so im not buying a new one... all i need is a better graphics card way to make my current one better. Any ideas?

[`Abias]

Do you own private property insurance? Accidental drop in the tube will get you a better laptopTBH. Sry thats the best I could do. If you have that insurance then thanks me later.

[Melterx12]

A laptop for gaming.... wow..... you shouldve bought a desktop if you planned on buying any decent former-gen game... and next-gen... well i think if a next gen game even starts on a laptop (which probably wont happen), the video card and processor will explode.

[Mr Buckshot]

Actually, the high-end VAIOs (17") pack Nvidia Geforce Go 7600 GT's.

My dad's business laptop is a 13.3" Sony VAIO SZ and it packs a Geforce Go 7400 (he doesn't game but he does design work).

But the cheaper ones only have GMA 950's. You might be in that category, vogester. Can you give us the model of your video card? To do so, go to the My Computer Icon on your desktop. Right click and go to Properties. Click on the Hardware tab. Click on Device Manager. Click on the "+" sign next to Display Adapters and tell us what you see there.

And at those who think laptops are bad for gaming, look at the specs of MY laptop and think again. My laptop doesn't have Vista yet but my desktop does. Plus, my laptop cost me only $1600 USD from Cyberpower (back then, Intel Centrino Duo wasn't out yet), and it can run most modern games at 1280x800 on high. My laptop's CPU and video card are far from dying out right now. My laptop is not revolutionary anymore, but it will probably serve me until university (when I will sell both of my computers and get one top-of-the-line laptop since the dorm won't be very desktop-friendly)

And Masters owns a Dell Inspiron e1705. Yes, it's a Dell so you have the usual Dell problems, but the specs include a Geforce Go 7900 GS and a 2.00Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo plus 1 GB RAM. You think that's bad for gaming? Hell, Masters's laptop beats my desktop all the way. Melterx12, go do your computer research and come back later.

Laptops are excellent for gaming without a power cord.

[xl vogester lx]

Actually, the high-end VAIOs (17") pack Nvidia Geforce Go 7600 GT's.

My dad's business laptop is a 13.3" Sony VAIO SZ and it packs a Geforce Go 7400 (he doesn't game but he does design work).

But the cheaper ones only have GMA 950's. You might be in that category, vogester. Can you give us the model of your video card? To do so, go to the My Computer Icon on your desktop. Right click and go to Properties. Click on the Hardware tab. Click on Device Manager. Click on the "+" sign next to Display Adapters and tell us what you see there.

And at those who think laptops are bad for gaming, look at the specs of MY laptop and think again. My laptop doesn't have Vista yet but my desktop does. Plus, my laptop cost me only $1600 USD from Cyberpower (back then, Intel Centrino Duo wasn't out yet), and it can run most modern games at 1280x800 on high. My laptop's CPU and video card are far from dying out right now. My laptop is not revolutionary anymore, but it will probably serve me until university (when I will sell both of my computers and get one top-of-the-line laptop since the dorm won't be very desktop-friendly)

And Masters owns a Dell Inspiron e1705. Yes, it's a Dell so you have the usual Dell problems, but the specs include a Geforce Go 7900 GS and a 2.00Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo plus 1 GB RAM. You think that's bad for gaming? Hell, Masters's laptop beats my desktop all the way. Melterx12, go do your computer research and come back later.

Laptops are excellent for gaming without a power cord.
finnaly, someone with some usefull information who doesnt want to nay say everything i have.

I actually will probably sell this laptop ( i know a few dolts who will buy it for alot) and get a 17" Alienware Aurora M9700. Titled "best gaming latop". now look at it and tell me its bad for gaming....

+rep to Mr. Buckshot for not being an asshole.... -rep ( i wish that was possible) Melterx12. I wanted helpful input, not somone to yell at me for asking a question.
and for the question regarding the card... the way Buckshot said is probably for XP (correct me if im wrong) and doesnt work on Vista. Do you know how to find it on Vista?

thanks
Vogester

xl vogester lx-gamertag

[Mr Buckshot]

Run the PC rating tool, I think. It's the program that rates how good your PC is for vista. I never bothered to figure it out on Vista since my desktop wasn't upgraded for Vista.

you can add and remove rep by clicking on the white icon (looks like a scale) to the left of the green circle at the bottom left corner of anyone's post.

You cannot upgrade a laptop video card, as in you can't take out the current card and slap in a new one (with some exceptions like Dell and Alienware, but such laptops are super high end and super expensive)

However, the ASUS XG Station (http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/hands-on-with-the-asus-xg-station-external-gpu/) may be your key to improving your graphical performance, provided you have an ExpressCard slot on your laptop. Click the link to find out what that amazing gadget is.

[Mr Buckshot]

Double post, but another heads-up:

If you cannot get Halo 2 to work, don't bother anymore. The porting job is one of the shittiest console-to-PC ports I have ever experienced (yes I have the game). I own numerous shooters that look waaaaaay superior to Halo 2, and yet I can run those at 1680x1050 on high without lag. Halo 2 doesn't look much better than the Xbox version, even on highest settings (according to what I see in screenshots, because I can't do high on my desktop), and the system requirements are fucked up for a game that looks like that.

The PC already has its fair share of amazing shooters, and you won't miss much by not playing Halo 2. Besides, I played the campaign to death on the Xbox (which I then sold with all my Xbox 1 games), and the price of a pre-owned Xbox 1 with a pre-played Halo 2 is lower than the price of Windows Vista alone, so if you're dying to experience Halo 2, the console version is the superior choice, except for the lack of free online multiplayer.

I'm running Halo 2 at 1024x768 on medium without AA or AF, and I have seen the frames dip below 30 even when I'm not fighting. I ran Halo 1 at 1280x1024 on highest possible settings and got 80 fps or higher (usually around 100). I run FEAR at 1024x768 on high with 2xAA and I get 60 fps. Hired Gun has no excuses for making the game so demanding, let alone a Vista-only title (I Have Vista Home Premium but my friends don't). Sure, if the game had a full DX10 makeover, I'd even upgrade just to play it, but no, Hired Gun and Microsoft slap in some useless additions (LIVE anywhere) and make minimal visual upgrades and decide to call it a modern PC game.

I'm not bashing Halo 2 as a game - I loved the game when I played it on Xbox, and often invited friends to come over for some split screen fragging. I'm just bashing the way it was delivered to the PC. Halo 2 for PC could've been an awesome must-get title, but many technical aspects seriously get in the way.

[xl vogester lx]

ok, im an avid xbox 360/live halo 2 player, so i'll stick to that:)

thanks for the help.

[Cortexian]

Alienware over prices all of their products. I'm not saying they arn't good, I'm saying they are WAY over priced.

[Mr Buckshot]

Cyberpower and Toshiba have good deals too. I got a 7200rpm hard drive and a Geforce 6600 for lest than $2000 back in early 2006.

[Pooky]

Double post, but another heads-up:

If you cannot get Halo 2 to work, don't bother anymore. The porting job is one of the shittiest console-to-PC ports I have ever experienced .

Play jedi outcast for gamecube, that's a worse PC to console port than H2V is a console to PC port :downs:

[Mr Buckshot]

Actually, the worst console-to-PC port is Splinter Cell Double Agent. From what I heard, the game may be outstanding, but oh my, the bugs and ridiculous system requirements!

As for the worst PC-to-console port, that would be Mafia.

[Reaper Man]

Luxium (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/06/06/msi-luxium-frag-with-high-end-graphics-from-your-laptop) or the Asus XG (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/01/08/6524)
External graphics cards

Kthx.

Actually, the worst console-to-PC port is Splinter Cell Double Agent. From what I heard, the game may be outstanding, but oh my, the bugs and ridiculous system requirements!

As for the worst PC-to-console port, that would be Mafia.
Plays fine on my system. Max settings etc.

[Pope]

Do you own private property insurance? Accidental drop in the tube will get you a better laptopTBH. Sry thats the best I could do. If you have that insurance then thanks me later.

It's also illegal.

I play H2V on my laptop and may I say my performance is amazing. I have a pretty decent rig with

1.6Ghz Core 2 Duo Processors
1 Gig 667Mhz Ram
160 Gig HDD
Geforce 7600 GS 256MB
17" Monitor
Vista Home Premium

All for exactly $1800 Canadian

My recommendation for this if you're planning for new laptop is to go for something a little better than mine but mine isn't bad. I can still play H2V at full everything.