If you've been twitching for Doom 3....

[Wizard]

Taken from there.

 

If there's a gamer in your life, chances are you've noticed some strange behavior since last week.

 

There's that glassy stare, the twitchy hands, jumpiness, maybe even a little drooling and certainly some muttering. It's what happens when id Software says "It's done!" with its latest first-person-shooter title.

 

On Wednesday, Mesquite-based id announced that Doom 3, a much-higher-tech remake of the game that put it on the map, had gone gold. It will ship to stores Aug. 3.

 

In the gaming world, this is no minor event. Doom 3 has been in the works for four years and is built on id co-founder and chief programmer John Carmack's latest graphics technology.

 

Carmack's wizardry usually influences other developers, making a big impact on the future of PC gaming. And because id's titles are also released for consoles like the Sony Playstation and Microsoft's Xbox, they influence video games as well.

 

The last new-generation engine from id was introduced with Quake 3 in 1999, and previews of Doom 3 have hinted it's an even bigger leap forward. Players will be treated to near-cinematic images as they battle demons from Hell on Mars, provided they have the right hardware.

 

Each successive game pushes existing hardware limits, a tradition since the release of the original Doom, which introduced multiplayer death match gaming. College students in 1993 became obsessed with battling their dorm neighbors, to the point that many college networks buckled under the load.

 

A new id game has the potential to drive sales of both components and new PCs as gamers upgrade in preparation. Hardware makers are as excited as gamers.

 

Todd Hollenshead, id's chief executive, said Doom 3 will require:

 

• A 1.5-gigahertz Intel Pentium 4 chip or AMD Athlon 1500.

• 384 megabytes of memory.

• Two gigabytes of hard drive space.

• An nVidia GeForce 3 graphics card or better; or an ATI Technologies 8500 or better.

If your existing rig doesn't meet these specs, here's a guide to beefing it up to play Doom 3 in all its gory glory.

 

• Graphics card. This is the best upgrade you can make for Doom 3. It's also where computer makers, looking to cut corners on mainstream systems, often wimp out.

Here's hoping the PC you own doesn't have a graphics adapter that borrows memory from the main system. So-called shared graphics notoriously choke on high-end games, and most budget systems don't include an AGP slot that lets you install a better card.

 

ATI Technologies and nVidia are the two biggest providers of graphics cards. As you move up either company's set of offerings, the results will improve. Cards at the top of the heap — nVidia's GeForce FX and newer 6800 series, or ATI's Radeon 9800 or newer X series — will provide the best experience and cost the most.

 

If you're upgrading, look for at least 128 MB of video memory in a card with Direct X 9.0 capability that installs into an AGP slot. Cards in the $150 to $200 range — such as a GeForce 5900XT or a Radeon 9600XT — will be a sweet spot.

 

• Memory. The 384 MB minimum may trip up a lot of systems. Many mainstream PCs in the last few years have come with 128 or 256 MB of memory. If you want to play Doom 3, more memory is better. I'd recommend 512 MB, and adding up to a gigabyte would be smart.

 

Check with the maker of your PC to see what type of memory it requires. Prices varies depending on the source and type, but use $50 per 128 MB as a benchmark.

 

• Hard drive. This is one category that may not require an upgrade at all — just some spring cleaning on your part.

 

If your hard drive is nearing capacity, take some time to clear off at least twice as much space as the game requires. That means you'll need at least 4 GB free.

 

Of course, if you're down to your last few gigs, you probably should buy a new drive. Get the biggest you can afford, with at least 7,200 revolutions per minute. You'll pay in the $80 range for a 120-GB Enhanced IDE drive or around $95 for a Serial ATA model.

 

• Processor. Although this is harder to upgrade, it's key to your Doom 3 experience. The minimum may be 1.5 GHz, but you'll probably want at least a 2-GHz Intel Pentium or equivalent AMD Athlon chip. The ideal is 3 GHz or better.

 

But if you do need a new chip, unless you take joy in swapping out a motherboard or building your own system, Doom 3 is probably as good an excuse as any to buy a new PC.

I'm getting a new computer .. No i'm not. I'm planning to play this on my crappy 1.3 GHz p4, 384 RDRAM, Radeon 9800 Pro PC. Why? Because I need a new power supply so I can use my AMD64 with it's 1 GB of ram which has been sitting here for months.

 

If you guys want to know the true way to experience this game (on hardware that yet to exist). You need a:

 

Really, really, really, really power CPU. I'm not talking AMD64 FX-53 or a P4 EE 3.20 GHz. I'm talking overclocked with REALLY cold water control system.

4 Gigs of RAM, really good ram - Sure it exists...

512 MB Video card - Carmack said, that the textures are compressed when running on video cards less then 512 MB, when you TRY to enabled it to play it on the highest setting on your Prescott 3.02 GHz P4 or your AMD64 3400+ with your 2 GB of ram and your X800 Pro or 6800U, be prepared to play it on a really really really small (I'm talking like, 320x400 here) window. Thats right, When playing it on a 512MB Video card, textures, everything from the most smallest pixle to the freaky ass wall with blood all over it while an Imp is throwing a graphical intense ball of fire at you, is uncompressed.

 

Gentalmen, get ready for the greatest game to represent fear for the next 2 to 5 years.

[jeffkong]

Too much work to get Doom 3 to work properly on the PC.

 

I'll just buy it for XBox, it may look worse then some more powerful PCs, but for me it will probably look better.

 

I like my big screen also.

[Gryph]

Yeah, I read that in PC Gamer. I'm trying to upgrade my current 1.4 ghz T-bird to an Athlon XP-M 3000+. And I need more RAM...

[random guy]

Well, it looks like I'll be able to play it on my new PC, but by no means at the highest gfx quality Oh well, what the hey, I'm sure it'll look good even on the lowest quality!

[Smilee]

Too much work and money to upgrade my PC to play Doom 3. I'll just wait for it to come out for xbox and almost get the full experience of the PC.

[Ryuken]

will it come out for ps2 ?

[Agozer]

will it come out for ps2 ?

I'm pretty sure the PS2 can't handle Doom 3. Just look at the existing screenshots.

Edited July 21, 2004 by Agozer

[[S4]The Phantom]

I wonder where GeForce FX5700go fits at.

 

I got a new HP zd7000 few monthes ago and its been running stuff without anything...

 

Laptop video cards are always so controversial...

[Gryph]

There is an official Doom III benchmark over at [H]ardOCP: http://www2.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NjQy

 

The ATI x800 got its ass kicked by the Nvidia 6800.

[L.S.D]

will it come out for ps2 ?

Muahahaha, are you serious???

PS2 can't even handle Shenmue properly.

This is the reason to buy XBOX if the game is really that good.

[emsley]

Well i played the new version 2.0 beta demo.

On the following specs.

512 of RAM.

Radeon 9600 pro graphics card.

3 ghz pentium.

 

It playedallright, but you do need a seriously beefy graphics car.

I am thinking the fianl version will be a bit better for my specs as some code is re vamped etc etc...

 

But holy f crap, you need a monstor for this pice of junk.

An extra bit fo ram i dont mind buying, its the 300 pound + flocking card that worries the crap outta me.

 

I mean my radeon 9600 pro is out of date?

Frikking fu@@tArds.