rls669

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

The Thermaltake is a nice PSU, modular cables are a big plus especially if you're into modding. And don't worry, you can always replace the stock HSF whenever you want.

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

4 gb is a theoretical limit of 32 bit addressing, in reality you won't be able to use more than about 3 gb with a 32 bit OS. Unless you're doing some heavy duty image editing or 3d rendering you shouldn't need that much in the near future anyway. Another good cheap mobo to look at is the Abit IP35-E. Much cheaper than the Pro version but still uses all solid state caps, very high quality. I have the midrange IP35 board myself. One thing to check for is support for the newer

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

When I got Vista Ultimate I kept XP in a dual boot configuration. The big deal with Vista is DX10 support, but so far DX10 either doesn't make a noticeable difference, or does make a difference but with an unacceptable performance hit. So I've still been using XP 99% of the time. I do 3d animation and level design as a hobby and it's very, very rare that I run into a situation where I'm in XP and find myself needing support for 4gb of ram. In Vista I have that ram available if I need

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

That looks like a good cooler for the price. And while the 8600 has half the memory, it is far less than half the card compared to the 8800GT.

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

You don't need to tell me about bling A much more, umm, sane cpu cooler would have given me at least 90% of the performance. But what the heck I got a good deal, so for only five bucks more I went with insane: [img]http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u287/rls669/quad008.jpg[/img]

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

Are you sure the cpu doesn't come with a cooler? Most Core2s are box retail units with an Intel HSF. I use Thermalright heatsinks -- very good quality, and they don't come with a fan but are designed to accommodate the aftermarket fan of your choice, allowing you to choose your own best noise/performance ratio and not forcing you to replace the heatsink when the fan fails. Thermalright is pretty good about producing bracket kits so you can keep your old heatsink when you change platfo

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

I recommend looking at the new Radeon 3850, in the same price range as the 8600 but a much better card. Or, for a more future-proof rig, wait until the current buying frenzy/price gouge on the new 8800GT dies down. When you can actually get one for retail price it'll be a great value -- 8800GTX performance for about $250.

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

There's no reason to go for ddr2-1066 unless you're going for extreme overclocking . . . and I mean really, really extreme. I've got the fastest air cooled Q6600 (3708 mhz) in the HardOCP database (hardware site with over 80,000 members) and I use 800. If you're a gamer rather than someone who runs memory bandwidth benchmarks as a hobby, the extra cash would be far better spent on faster video.

Reply to computer technology chat in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

SLI and Crossfire make absolutely no sense unless you're going for ultra-high end performance regardless of cost and you get 2 high end cards right away. The buy-one-card-and-add-another-later approach just doesn't work out. By the time you add another card for SLI there will be a single card out there that will trounce your older SLI cards and cost less than the 2 of them as well. For less than ultra performance, SLI/Crossfire doesn't deliver either. 2 midrange cards don't equal o

Reply to TA 0.87[b].003 - research coordination center bug? in Beta Reports Stardock Forums

I don't consider myself to be beta testing, just previewing

Reply to TA 0.87[b].003 - research coordination center bug? in Beta Reports Stardock Forums

I've put my TA games on hold until this is fixed -- too many research buildings draining my economy without any benefits.

Reply to Preorder the new Expansion in Game Talk Stardock Forums

It would be nice to have a Platinum Edition, because it sucks having to pay full price for DA in order to get TA. I just upgraded from DL to DA and TA and it seems like there is very little point to playing DA now.

Reply to Quad Core and Galciv II TA in Beta Reports Stardock Forums

Running out of memory (as opposed to a memory error in the app itself) won't crash the system either, it'll just grind to a halt as it starts swapping to the hard drive.

Reply to Quad Core and Galciv II TA in Beta Reports Stardock Forums

How is "running out of cpu cycles" not a showstopper? Of course it would be. Load your system to 100% cpu usage and see how responsive it is. Before I got my Q6600 I asked this same question and never got an answer from the devs, so I don't know whether or not GalCiv will take full advantage of 4 cores. If it doesn't, you still might see a small performance increase over a dual core of the same speed because the quad will have twice the cache. Although, since the game ran on

Reply to Beta 2B Bugs in Beta Reports Stardock Forums

I upgraded a research center to a Pain Amplifier on a lab world and research points decreased. OTOH the Political Capital definitely delivers the moral boost. Not sure about the influence. Maybe it's just research percentage buffs that aren't working?

Reply to Improve Minor Races in Galactic Civilizations II Stardock Forums

[quote] yes, I would like them to use the powerful warships i gift them effectively [/quote]Absolutely. What's more fun than using minions to do your bidding? It would be nice if you could fund them to spy on or sabotage other races as well.

Reply to Bug or Feature? in Game Talk Stardock Forums

Note to self: when you rush build a ship on a threatened planet, make sure it's not better than anything the enemy has. Especially don't do what I did and give them a ship that was better than anything else [I]I[/I] had.

Reply to Hydrogen Cars in Off-Topic Stardock Forums

[quote] As far as i am aware the only way of getting hydrogen in a usable state is by making it from petrol... [/quote] QTF. Hydrogen is NOT an energy source. It is an energy CARRIER, like a battery. Free hydrogen doesn't exist on this planet, it must be manufactured and the energy to do so must come from some other source. And of course the energy used in the making is more than the energy which you get out of it, that's just basic thermodynamics.

Bug or Feature? in Game Talk Stardock Forums

I noticed an enemy transport approaching an undefended planet of mine so I rush-built a ship to defend it. The planet was successfully invaded the next turn and my new ship appeared in orbit -- belonging to the enemy. I don't recall this ever happening in DL, I've only been playing DA for a few days so I don't know if this is normal or not.

Reply to Minor Race Colonized a Planet in Beta Reports Stardock Forums

I saw the Snathi declare war on the Drengin once. That was pretty awesome.

Reply to I blame all of you . . . in Game Talk Stardock Forums

A few impressions of DA: the economy is much tougher to deal with. My econ rating is 370 and I'm virtually penniless compared to DL. I also don't much like the bigger/more expensive engines. Patience isn't my strong point and I guess I got spoiled by 50pc/wk transports and 37pc constructors I really, really like the new colonization techs, and soil enhancement/terraforming seems to be a lot stronger than before. I wasn't e

Reply to I Don't Like your Update/Patch System using Stardock Central in Galactic Civilizations II Stardock Forums

[quote]You do only need to register once.[/quote] Does SDC do this for you automatically? I was never asked for a serial or prompted to register after buying the game via direct download. I was a little leery of SDC because of my annoyed/enraged/maniacally homicidal feelings toward Steam, but no problems yet.

Reply to I blame all of you . . . in Game Talk Stardock Forums

Paypal transfer finally complete, downloading DA and TA now. Good thing I'm off work for a while

Reply to for all the people having money problems in Modding Stardock Forums

Isn't that the truth. I can work a lot and lots of money and things, or work less and have no money or toys but lots of time. The older I get, the more the balance comes out in favour of time.

Reply to for all the people having money problems in Modding Stardock Forums

You can buy from Stardock using a Paypal transfer from your bank account, no credit card needed. And ncix.com currently has a Geforce 7900 on sale for $90 Cdn.