Quick Question about Total War: Rome II Specs

[Cavouku]

Sorry to make a forum post about this, I tried the IRC, but it was dull today, and I'd like this answered before I head to the mall.

I've been watching some Let's Plays of Total War: Rome II, and decided it is totally a game I want to play, but I don't really PC game (only just yesterday made a Steam account) and even after checking the system requirements am unsure of how the game will run on my laptop.

I think I meet recommended specs for most aspects; I have Windows 7 on my Toshiba notebook, about 6GB RAM (says 5.89GB usable), plenty of space on the hard drive, and am not entirely sure where to check what Graphics card I have, or what my screen resolution is. It's the processor that most concerns me; I have an Intel Core i3-2370M CPU, 2.40GHz if I'm reading everything right.

Do you guys think I can still have a time with the game? I mean, I'll probably still get it, and maybe play it on friend's computers and such, but it'd be nice if it ran on this thing.

Thanks for the time, I know this won't be a long thread, sorry about that.

 

[Cavouku]

Don't bother with a laptop. Its pretty hefty.

Laptops only have integrated graphics cards, which means you don't actually have one.

You have a CPU that does both jobs of processing and graphics. Which is awful for gaming. Which turns your 2.40 ghz into an even worse processor.

Even then, I recommend at least 2 gigs of VRAM on the card to even get the good non muddy textures. Most likely, your laptop wouldn't have the graphical memory for all the textures that will be thrown at it. Which is a lot because the troops are varied with some "units" have 100 soldiers a piece with different looks and textures.

I'd be amazed you even get to the main menu screen. Total war games are NOT the games you can play on a laptop. That doesn't stop people from trying.

There is too much going on in the game with thousands of soldiers and animations happening at once. Not counting physics, particle effects, and the AI. This isn't something a laptop can do. If you want a total war game, you have to go all the way back to the old ones.

If you want the total war experience, you need to build your own PC. Not buy pre built because those are under powered garbage meant to scam you out of 1,000$ with a poorly built money pit with forced obsolecense in mind.

Eeeh... That's a pity. I wouldn't know the first thing about building a PC. Or the price involved. It's something I'd probably get into someday, but still.

Well, for future reference, what is paying too much when making your own PC? What should I keep the budget to?

 

[Cavouku]

ive got a crappy little $500 desktop made from laptop parts thats 3 years old and it runs rome 2 on low settings so you should be able to play it even if the textures look a little muddy. fair warning though it doesnt have the lasting power of the previous games for a lot of people

This'd be my first Total War game, I just thoroughly enjoyed the Let's Plays, and was constantly wanting to tear the controls from the video poster.

I had anticipated running it on low textures, and was fully ready to experience the battles as little polygon rough-cuts attacking slightly different coloured polygon rough-cuts, so I'll probably get it and see what happens when I crank everything to minimum.

 

[LetalisK]

Its just an increase of power, and older gens are not necessarily automatically obsolete. You can tell straight away which is for gaming when you look at the numbers. For example, I found a 6850 and a 7850 only had about 20% performance difference if a benchmark was to be believed.

Fuck yeah, my 6850 is a champ! I don't think I have found a game where I couldn't run it on highest or near highest, at least not with my video card being the limiting factor. IMO, I think in general too much emphasis is put on getting screaming video cards when 9 times out of 10 the bottle neck is going to be at the CPU.

 

[Hafnium]

My new laptop runs the game very well, so it can be done. It's an ASUS with i7 cpu (needs at least i5 IMO for the game), 8gb RAM, with a Geforce GT740M (you shouldn't go lower than this gpu). If you get it, putting the settings properly and maybe getting a mod that removes unecessary effects is a good idea. I use twcenter.net for all my TW info and mods.

 

[Cavouku]

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Sorry to necromance, just wanna thank you guys for the input, I got the game and it runs on lowest settings with minimal lag. Not gonna do any multiplayer anytime soon, and definitely gonna pause before near every movement, but still stoking over it.

I'll save the PC-building stuff for another time, but you guys've given me interesting stuff that I'll be sure to look into.

Thanks again.

 

[LetalisK]

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Sorry to necromance, just wanna thank you guys for the input, I got the game and it runs on lowest settings with minimal lag. Not gonna do any multiplayer anytime soon, and definitely gonna pause before near every movement, but still stoking over it.

I'll save the PC-building stuff for another time, but you guys've given me interesting stuff that I'll be sure to look into.

Thanks again.

To make a quick note, make sure you update your game(though it probably auto-updates). Not only has it improved the gameplay, but it also really helped with how it runs, ie I'm not getting those excruciating wait times while the computer figures out what it's doing anymore.