Hardware interest thread?

[NossedEvo]

I'm very interested to know what PC gear is best suited for Nascar 2003.

Is there a thread, or forum section, I have not been able to locate?

I know (or I think I know) that older sims may be better experienced thru different systems than a system engineered for a newer games'/sims' requirements.

I had an OC'd Opty 146 system, with a professional graphics card (Fire GL3x 256mb) which gave me over one hundred frames per second with all settings max'd. Currently purchasing new system for Nascar 2003 (almost exclusively but play in Photoshop too) and want to make an informed purchase.

If you have a computer system you're happy/proud with I would appreciate hearing about it. (In the words of Big Bang Theory's Sheldon: "& please don't say a white one!')

I'm headed towards a Sabertooth 67 mobo, Intel i5 2500 Sandy Bridge unlocked cpu, EVGA or Galaxy GTX 470 x2SLI video cards, and a couple of small 10k Raptor hdd's. Not sure if I'll use XP Pro or Windows 7 Ultimate.

That being said; anyone have a guess (single vid card to start) what kind of frame rates to suspect. For all I know there's a governor restricting max fps. Fast fun is so often regulated.

I've never raced online and I'm currently researching the 'how to's' of things related to accomplishing it properly*. I only race at around 95%, or better, with AI -- so a newbie (powder puff) type group would be great. I also only have a Momo wheel so any affordable upgrade available would be welcome news.

(*I won't try and win it on the first lap.)

Hard to find info on trad' gaming forums -- some kids can't get past how old the sim is.

Thanks for your time.

 

[NossedEvo]

First: I do apologize if I have offended the members of the forum.

I did not mean to be rude by attempting to post pic's, or viewing pic's of other people's work.

I was welcomed thru an email -- but I'm thinking this is a closed shop.

I'll make only two more posts. This one & another when the new system is fully tested.

You have my word: I will not BS or spin anything to mislead.

The problem: I built a PC to challenge a Mac G5's strangle-hold on the digital arts performance charts. I feel I was extremely successful. Inadvertently I stumbled on a system that also gave me exceptional sim play. I (exclusively) drive Nascar2003. I'm not a guru and sit in awe at how much others know about programming, tweaks and PC's in general.

I am profoundly aware I do not know it all. I'm just trying to scratch the surface.

I am trying to replicate the fps I had with the old system. It's been a real problem.


Old System

Various power supplies -- but I never scrimp here.

4400+ x2 AMD (and sometimes a 146 Opteron with 2 rev bios 939 socket -- server cpu)
Asus mobo (specifics unkown - premium unit but nothing real fancy)
Twin SCSI 10gb 15k rpm WD Cheetah hdd's with Adaptec adapter card (known as 'Scuzzy' server system)
2 gigs OCZ platinum ram (1333 C9 maybe)

ATI Fire GL 256gb x2 (professional graphics card -- $300 new clearance eBay 2005/06)

Zalman cooling

& a 22" inch professional graphics Viewsonic CRT monitor viewed at whatever max rez for game is 1024 x 768 I think. Not sure on this.

XP Pro OS

Momo wheel

The fps meter showed about 150 fps sitting in back row 41 car field, cockpit, with enough eye candy you certainly did not feel deprived. Close to max settings. The last two digits where barely readable because they changed so quickly but you could def' make out specific numbers at times. I assure you I saw 156 fps clearly. Might have had pit crews turned off and animated object off, and maybe sound not max'd. But nothing crazy.

If I saw a fps in the 90's I looked for a problem -- when racing. Anti virus turned on etc..

When I first raced, with this system, I was surprised to see my lap times improved significantly. I attributed this to this enhanced visual ques.

I'm not sure if Nascar 03 accesses the hard drives excessively, or whether the fps were thanks to the Fire GL. Don't think ram was an issue

I do not have the privilege of posting pics.

The system crapped out eventually -- after brutal use.

I have purchased the following.


New System

NEXUS RX-8500 Tranquility 850W modular power supply
ASUS M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3 AM3 DDR3 ATX AMD Radeon 4250 Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T overclocked to 3.4GHz
8GBs of Patriot Memory Sector5 G Series (2 x 4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800 1600MHz RAM

MSI GeForce GTX 570 Fermi 732MHZ 1280MB 3.8GHZ GDDR5
&
BFG Geforce 9800 GT 1GB Video Card to handle the PhysX

Seagate Momentus XT 500GB Solid State Hybrid SATA Drive for OS & games
Digital Caviar Black 500GB SATA3 6GB/S 7200RPM 32MB Cache 3.5" Dual Processor Hard Drive for storage & multimedia

CORSAIR Cooling Hydro H50 High Performance CPU Cooler
-an adequate amount of Corsair cooling fans
& Fractal Design Define R3 Titanium ATX Mid Tower Silent Computer Case (sleeper? lol)

I understand the 8gigs of ram is not necessary -- but I use Photoshop CS2 extensively and I like buying ram at same time -- future proofing without risk of subtle changes that could cause conflicts. I'll only use one dimm to run. (less choices for os to make)

The cpu is OC'd to 3.4 and the processor should cut back from 6 to 3 cores during N'03 giving me (with boost) a 4.0 ghz final speed.

Asus 24" 2ms monitor -- not yet purchased
Possibly 27" Viewsonic 1ms -- is a little pricey tho.

Windows 7 Pro 64 bit



I was unable to find folks interested in hardware and I'm getting by with a cheap Toshiba Satellite lap top loaded with Vista Home. It's six years old and not even an adequate typewriter. I'm unable to load sim and I'm not at all sure I could find the info if I could. I was guessing on whether PhysX will come into play -- but knew SLI wasn't a factor. Hence single card solution -- even though it's two cards. 9800 handles the grunt, and the 570 glamor.

I'm anticipating a two week period before I am able to test system and report. Everything is being expedited but there's always that 'one thing' that lags behind.

I'm 54 (can't believe how quickly that happened), ? credits short of a Fine Arts Degree, have a 2 year diploma in Digital Arts & Design (TRU) and love Nascar. I'm not a spy. I don't enjoy drama.

I was engaged by this particular site because of the clean design, lack of spinning things, and it's sans advertizement.

If this is a closed shop just lmk. Not here to cause trouble or depreciate others' pleasure.

I enjoy painting cars. I don't steal others.

I'm newbile in most areas. I've never raced online.

If there is a site where you think I would be accepted, given my current interest in fps and gear, please point me in the right direction.

's all good

Thank you.

 

[Paul Johnson]

That PC is better than mine and i get about 30-100 fps(depending on the cars on the screen)
Amd X3 3.4 GHZ with a EVGA gtx 460(oc-ed, 850-900-1700)
4 gigs of ram.

 

[NossedEvo]

That PC is better than mine and i get about 30-100 fps(depending on the cars on the screen)
Amd X3 3.4 GHZ with a EVGA gtx 460(oc-ed, 850-900-1700)
4 gigs of ram.

Great info. Thanks so much!(y)