I'm very scared if you consider a GF4 to be low end...I have what I consider to be a very nice computer that came with a GF2, and its still got a GF2, and I had no intention of buying a new video card any time soon.
So for those of us who don't invest money in graphics cards, they could very well be the bottleneck.
Edit: I can add a comment on the mousepad question as well. I haven't tried any $20 + mousepads, but I bought a $9 "optical mouse pad", and I now use a $2 standard mouse pad instead because it seems to work better. I just didn't like the traction offered by the optical mousepad. (And yes, I am using an optical mouse.)
i know what you mean Cxwf. i have a geforce 2 ultra in my other computer, and its not getting another card for a very, very long time. still gets around 60fps, but only on 1024, with less stuff turned on. people who are buying 9800's to play hl are pretty dumb in my opinion.
here's my mouse setup (for now). old dell mouse (with a ball!!!), and the surface of my desk as a mousepad. works well for me, until i get a dorito stuck under it and wonder why i can only make left turns. lol
60 fps? The only way I get that is by staring at a wall. If I start up a game on my own computer and stand still in the ready room I get under 30 fps. That is with 800x600 resolution.
[threadhijack] cxwf, when I say an mx440 is low-end I am of course refering to a PC mostly intended for gaming, not a PC mainly used for spreadsheet and surfing the net and stuff.
A geforce 4 ti is sort of mid end I guess, but the geforce 4 mx440 is not really a geforce 4 in terms of features, it is an overclocked geforce 2. The geforce 4 ti4200 is about twice as fast and sports directx 8(Pixelshaders 1.1 but not 1.4 I think...), still the ti4200 is ~100$ or so.
If you call an mx440 mid-end, then a ti4200 would probably have to be called high-end since it totally whips the mx440, and then what is a radeon9800xt or something such? super duper ultra high-end? I'd rather just call the mx440 low end...
And it may just be the fact that my mom has a radeon 9700 non-pro(birthday present from me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->, that's how I aquired my mx440 and how I rationalized buying a 9800pro), I have an 9800pro with one of those coolers that directly went hot air out of your case from the adjacent PCI slot(almost silent too), both my brothers have 9700pros, my dad has a crap computer with a tnt-2 m64 and a celeron 300a which he doesn't play games on(he doesn't play games, period) and I have 2 friends who play games, one has a radeon 9800 non-pro and a ti4600 which he uses for HL and those stereoscopic LCD shutter glasses(radeons have no in driver support for stereoscopic shutter glasses) and the other has a radeon 9800pro. Maybe this scewers my views on things a bit? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->people who are buying 9800's to play hl are pretty dumb in my opinion. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> r3dsk4r3, yes definetly, espesially considering 9800's are crap in HL(they don't much like old openGL games and will run about as bad as a mx440). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->[/threadhijack]
<!--QuoteBegin--Soylent green+Oct 16 2003, 12:43 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Soylent green @ Oct 16 2003, 12:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> [threadhijack] cxwf, when I say an mx440 is low-end I am of course refering to a PC mostly intended for gaming, not a PC mainly used for spreadsheet and surfing the net and stuff.
A geforce 4 ti is sort of mid end I guess, but the geforce 4 mx440 is not really a geforce 4 in terms of features, it is an overclocked geforce 2. The geforce 4 ti4200 is about twice as fast and sports directx 8(Pixelshaders 1.1 but not 1.4 I think...), still the ti4200 is ~100$ or so.
If you call an mx440 mid-end, then a ti4200 would probably have to be called high-end since it totally whips the mx440, and then what is a radeon9800xt or something such? super duper ultra high-end? I'd rather just call the mx440 low end...
And it may just be the fact that my mom has a radeon 9700 non-pro(birthday present from me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->, that's how I aquired my mx440 and how I rationalized buying a 9800pro), I have an 9800pro with one of those coolers that directly went hot air out of your case from the adjacent PCI slot(almost silent too), both my brothers have 9700pros, my dad has a crap computer with a tnt-2 m64 and a celeron 300a which he doesn't play games on(he doesn't play games, period) and I have 2 friends who play games, one has a radeon 9800 non-pro and a ti4600 which he uses for HL and those stereoscopic LCD shutter glasses(radeons have no in driver support for stereoscopic shutter glasses) and the other has a radeon 9800pro. Maybe this scewers my views on things a bit? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->people who are buying 9800's to play hl are pretty dumb in my opinion. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> r3dsk4r3, yes definetly, espesially considering 9800's are crap in HL(they don't much like old openGL games and will run about as bad as a mx440). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->[/threadhijack] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I tweaked my graphics settings a little on the most basic levels by changing half a dozen c-var's in NS, and with Open Gl it is easy to get about 75-99 fps with a Gforce 4.
--------
Some things to append to your guide:
-Skulks move fast... if they use the leap attack try a strafe duck, unesperianced skulks can't control that speead to easy and will tend to overshoot you. Then you shoot them in the back <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> -> -> -> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> -> -> -> <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Early in the game you can hide near a large doors outcrop and wait for a skulk to run past you, then once again shoot them in the back. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> -> -> -> <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Sit in a vent when a ono's or fade is nearby and emty everything on them <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
-JP up to the beams in the ceilings and shoot down at an onos from the roof in big rooms <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Knifes are more effective on buildings than your gun with the exception of a point blank shotty (only if you have a lot of ammo)
-Get on top of RC's, and hives when duck-knifing them, it makes you harder to hit.
-It takes about 12 hitting bullets to kill a skulk in the beginning of the game, so only reload when you have less than half a clip when by yourself.
-In general players have a harder time controling the aliens directions, try shooting just in front of where they are, this is especially usefull against skulks and lerks.
-If an ono's rushes a group of you, and yopu are in front, run forward and shoot his butt and side.... trust me it works. Just stay close and keep circling, unless you have a JP (where you fly away <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ).
Hope this stuff helps your aim!
PS: <span style='color:red'><b>ALWAYS CHECK THE CEILINGS IN A DOORWAY</b></span> as mentioned before!
Actually, weapons kill buildings faster then knives do. You can load up with 250 ammo, and with some luck shoot down a res tower before any skulks can kill you. Otherwise, some great tips, especially the one about strafe ducking.
P.S. thread hijackers = nubs P.S.S. I own you don't i?
Ugh, i suck at starcraft. I can't get the hang of it. I don't mind 400x300 at all, sometimes it's unclear, but the FPS boost I get is incredible. I can actually aim to some extent w/ phase gates.
I have a problem with aiming.I can see,and put the crosshair on the skulk fine.But tracking is a problem.Oh,its not the moving around of the crosshair thats the problem,its the fact that everytime i start shooting,the MUZZLE FLASH OBSCURES THE CROSSHAIR(using defaults,since i cant find a laser dot crosshair).So picture this.I see a skulk.I start shooting.Skulk starts dodging.I start moving crosshair to track skulk.Muzzle flash obscures the crosshair and thus the skulk so i have no bloody idea where the skulk went.
<!--QuoteBegin--Last.+Oct 17 2003, 12:52 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Last. @ Oct 17 2003, 12:52 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Your screensize might be too small. Confg -> Video -> Screen size on max. It's easy to accidently lower your screen size by pressing "-".
Anyway, get a screenshot of this happening, I might be able to help you out. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> The "-" key decreases screen size? So I guess that means the "+" key increases screen size.
just a few things i would like to add. mouse acceleration is helpful as it allows you to react faster with less movement without getting to quick for aiming/tracing slower moving targets. the problem is getting used to it though, personally i hate it and i cant really be bothered going back to square one and relearning how to aim just for acceleration but if you still havent found your aim i'd recommend using it :> also on mouse sensitivity, lower is better. however, you need to find a balance between turning and tracing ability. if you try setting your sensitivity low you'll find its easier to trace targets but it reaches a point where you see a skulk up on the roof but you cant react fast enough to kill him cos your mouse wouldnt turn fast enough, thats the point where its too low. On mouse filter i would recomend turning this on. it basically makes the mouse move alot smoother making it easier to percieve where your aim is going, its pretty much having a few more fps only your pulling them out of your **** ^_~ On resolution i think this should be based on your monitor size, i have a 17" and i use 800x600. using a high res makes everything alot smaller, using a lower res makes everything bigger, and this isnt just perceptual as your viewable screen area remains constant. it would be logical to use the lowest res as this makes all your targets 'bigger' and in theory easier to aim at however, i find aiming with low resolution kinda chunky. i dunno how to explain it but the crosshairs dont seem to move in a smooth line.... anyway of course if you have limited graphics performance you'll go for a lower res anyway but if not, i wouldnt reccomend going over 1280x if you have a 17". everything just gets too small D: On mice, lasers are definitely superior to ball mouse, you just need a good one. the intellimice form microsoft or the mx series from logitec are good for gaming but all you need is something that feels nice in your hand and isnt crap (tracks good, buttons dont stick). the technology also provides more advantages in terms of performances (like 10x the refresh rate from a ball). Mouse pads also help alot as well, maybe not as much for ball mice but for laser mice you'll find spending $20 on an allsop or ratzpad will help alot! it just makes using your mouse alot smoother and more comfortable and generally easier to move your mouse where you want it to go. and to finish off i have one aiming tip that i think is really really helpful. <u>Don't shoot unless the target is under your crosshairs</u> it may sound stupid but i think alot of people see their target then just snap there mouse to it and shoot. when you snap to your target just take a little bit more time to aim again and make sure that hes under your xhairs. This is really important when using the pistol. try it out, aim your pistol and dont shoot unless hes under your xhair. hopefully this will develop your aiming more as your actually trying to aim rather than just snapping to your target and shooting.
Nice reading. Thought just to mention that since most TFT screens have a small delay too, mine has 16 ms, and optical mouse has ~10 ms (didn't know that <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> ), that's about 25-30 ms of extra lag to the count you see at tab-screen. Oooo... <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
Not much, but if the lag is already something like 200...
30 ms of lag... uhm... wow? 1000ms = 1 second. Don't stress about the small stuff.
JD: Nice post, clarified some stuff for me. One way to train yourself to shoot only when you've got a sure shot is to turn on mp_drawdamage 1 when you're playing (not applicable to most servers, I know). It teaches you when to shoot and when not to, try it.
the best onos trap by far is outside sewer of ns_caged
By the sewer res tower... in there.. the onos has to crouch and crawl... ive KILLED, and REDEEMED 6+ onos in there with lvl 0 or lvl 1 weapons totally alone (rambo usually)
with level 2 and 3 weaps ive gotten about twice that many
Just keep making a figure 8.... and vary the pattern, there is always something to dodge behind the onos has to crawl through to get to you...
ya thats my strategy for going up againist the heavy aliens. put as much crap between you and him as possible. because aliens are meelee fighters it makes it harder for them to damage you at all while you can still fire back and do as much damage as possible. when the alien does catch upto you, dodge it by doing the least expected movement, msot of them time people just jump around in a circle (which isnt a bad idea as it accelerates you slightly giving a varied velocity and making it harder for the alien to accurately predict your location) but this isnt always best, sometimes its just a good idea to just duck when he reaches you then jump away, or if your running around him in a circle jump into him as he'll probably be moving to where you would be if you were still circling. anyway the key is surprize, if he cant predict where you'll be he wont be able to aim/hit you, this especially applies to close range as targets dissapear off-screen very quickly.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->using a high res makes everything alot smaller, using a lower res makes everything bigger, and this isnt just perceptual as your viewable screen area remains constant.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really? When I change the resolution it actually changes the viewable screen area. This might be something screwed up on my computer though. When I try to run Doom (yes, I still like that game), it opens up in a box only using half the screen area, with a black border all the way around it. With 800x600 resolution there is still a little black border, but it is really noticeable with 400x300. Any help on changing that would be appreciated. By the way, I use Windows XP, a laptop, I think a 15" screen.
I find a good thing to do if you're alone and have NOTHING to shoot at is:
Shoot at the broadside of a barn
Yep, I just said shoot at walls. A few things to work with:
Shoot a STRAIGHT line across a wall...if you aren't used to doing this, you'd be amazed how crooked it will turn out (I was REALLY suprised) That helps with skulks attacking your friends.
Shoot a wavy line across the wall, up and down in a consistent pattern. Shooting at jumping skulks attacking your friends
Shoot in a series of waves, which connect hard at the bottom /\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\ in that form (round off the top) That is the way a skulk really moves, although /^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\ is sometimes more accurate. A more advanced version of jumpings skulks.
Strafe next to a corner, and spin around it, shooting low on the wall in a straight line around the corner. Fighting skulks who have missed on the initial charge.
Strafe around a box, and shoot at that about the same level, or a series of boxes. Same as before, but against a different type of skulk.
shoot both wavy patterns on the same boxes, for skulks that seem to have springs on thier feet.
Gorges don't really move fast enough to require target practice, although the waves will again come in handy because a good gorge has springs on his feet.
Fades, you HAVE to learn the hitboxes, and you'd be amazed. Shoot belly and legs, the upper torso has no hitbox. And really, you can't train against fades, because if they have celerity, shoot at them like they're a skulk that won't die, and if they aren't, you can just bury your muzzle in the thing's **** and watch the guts fly out the back.
Onos...yes, the onos. The best way to deal with him is to get alongside, I don't care how close, and strafe along with him. So to practice, go up to a wall, fire, and strafe one way, drawing a nice straight line. This is aggravatingly simple, and you should be able to draw a nice line after only a few tries.
Anyway, that's my input. ALL for LMG/HMG work. For shottie, you just have to be careful when you fire, and GL.....well....GL is a whole new ballpark.
<!--QuoteBegin--i'm lost+Oct 19 2003, 12:32 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (i'm lost @ Oct 19 2003, 12:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->using a high res makes everything alot smaller, using a lower res makes everything bigger, and this isnt just perceptual as your viewable screen area remains constant.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really? When I change the resolution it actually changes the viewable screen area. This might be something screwed up on my computer though. When I try to run Doom (yes, I still like that game), it opens up in a box only using half the screen area, with a black border all the way around it. With 800x600 resolution there is still a little black border, but it is really noticeable with 400x300. Any help on changing that would be appreciated. By the way, I use Windows XP, a laptop, I think a 15" screen. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> yeah thats on your computer, it would be some setting with your video/monitor drivers or even hl itself. it doesnt matter what res you use the image should still fit your whole screen.
Um, only just found this post and really can't be bothered reading every post in detail, but skimming over I think one thing may have been missed out, which was touched on only slightly by Merc which is prediction...
Pretty much every FPS out there, if you can predict how your enemy is going to move on the screen then you've got half your aim sussed. This takes experience though. Its almost like getting into the habit of aiming where the enemy is going to be before they're there. Whether it be qw rocket-launcher, q3 rail gun etc. Keeping true to that is another thing altogether though (this part having seemed to be discussed at length on this thread)
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> yeah thats on your computer, it would be some setting with your video/monitor drivers or even hl itself. it doesnt matter what res you use the image should still fit your whole screen. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, its because he has a laptop, and his laptop has a TFT screen, and his TFT screen has a native resolution. Running in a resolution below his native resolution would either result in the TFT screen scaling the image up (which would look blurry and generally horrible). Or displaying the lower resolution image pixel-by-pixel in a smaller screen area.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> using a high res makes everything alot smaller, using a lower res makes everything bigger, and this isnt just perceptual as your viewable screen area remains constant <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sigh.
As you increase the resolution on a CRT, the real size size of each pixel becomes smaller. However since we're dealing with a 3D rendered image, the 'real' size of 3D objects on your screen does not change. They are simply rendered using more pixels which results in greater detail being shown. The only objects which become smaller in realworld terms as you increase resolution are sprites and fonts which are not scaled. Case in point:
Comments
So for those of us who don't invest money in graphics cards, they could very well be the bottleneck.
Edit: I can add a comment on the mousepad question as well. I haven't tried any $20 + mousepads, but I bought a $9 "optical mouse pad", and I now use a $2 standard mouse pad instead because it seems to work better. I just didn't like the traction offered by the optical mousepad. (And yes, I am using an optical mouse.)
here's my mouse setup (for now). old dell mouse (with a ball!!!), and the surface of my desk as a mousepad. works well for me, until i get a dorito stuck under it and wonder why i can only make left turns. lol
I havnt bothered doing all this in my life though,,,still am fairly skilled imo anyway...
And yes about sound....well, if they get MC first and have silence, you're essentially screwed if you don't keep your eyes peeled.
A geforce 4 ti is sort of mid end I guess, but the geforce 4 mx440 is not really a geforce 4 in terms of features, it is an overclocked geforce 2. The geforce 4 ti4200 is about twice as fast and sports directx 8(Pixelshaders 1.1 but not 1.4 I think...), still the ti4200 is ~100$ or so.
If you call an mx440 mid-end, then a ti4200 would probably have to be called high-end since it totally whips the mx440, and then what is a radeon9800xt or something such? super duper ultra high-end? I'd rather just call the mx440 low end...
And it may just be the fact that my mom has a radeon 9700 non-pro(birthday present from me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->, that's how I aquired my mx440 and how I rationalized buying a 9800pro), I have an 9800pro with one of those coolers that directly went hot air out of your case from the adjacent PCI slot(almost silent too), both my brothers have 9700pros, my dad has a crap computer with a tnt-2 m64 and a celeron 300a which he doesn't play games on(he doesn't play games, period) and I have 2 friends who play games, one has a radeon 9800 non-pro and a ti4600 which he uses for HL and those stereoscopic LCD shutter glasses(radeons have no in driver support for stereoscopic shutter glasses) and the other has a radeon 9800pro. Maybe this scewers my views on things a bit? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->people who are buying 9800's to play hl are pretty dumb in my opinion. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
r3dsk4r3, yes definetly, espesially considering 9800's are crap in HL(they don't much like old openGL games and will run about as bad as a mx440). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->[/threadhijack]
U OWN NOTHING !!!!
A geforce 4 ti is sort of mid end I guess, but the geforce 4 mx440 is not really a geforce 4 in terms of features, it is an overclocked geforce 2. The geforce 4 ti4200 is about twice as fast and sports directx 8(Pixelshaders 1.1 but not 1.4 I think...), still the ti4200 is ~100$ or so.
If you call an mx440 mid-end, then a ti4200 would probably have to be called high-end since it totally whips the mx440, and then what is a radeon9800xt or something such? super duper ultra high-end? I'd rather just call the mx440 low end...
And it may just be the fact that my mom has a radeon 9700 non-pro(birthday present from me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->, that's how I aquired my mx440 and how I rationalized buying a 9800pro), I have an 9800pro with one of those coolers that directly went hot air out of your case from the adjacent PCI slot(almost silent too), both my brothers have 9700pros, my dad has a crap computer with a tnt-2 m64 and a celeron 300a which he doesn't play games on(he doesn't play games, period) and I have 2 friends who play games, one has a radeon 9800 non-pro and a ti4600 which he uses for HL and those stereoscopic LCD shutter glasses(radeons have no in driver support for stereoscopic shutter glasses) and the other has a radeon 9800pro. Maybe this scewers my views on things a bit? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->people who are buying 9800's to play hl are pretty dumb in my opinion. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
r3dsk4r3, yes definetly, espesially considering 9800's are crap in HL(they don't much like old openGL games and will run about as bad as a mx440). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->[/threadhijack] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
I tweaked my graphics settings a little on the most basic levels by changing half a dozen c-var's in NS, and with Open Gl it is easy to get about 75-99 fps with a Gforce 4.
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Some things to append to your guide:
-Skulks move fast... if they use the leap attack try a strafe duck, unesperianced skulks can't control that speead to easy and will tend to overshoot you. Then you shoot them in the back <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> -> -> -> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> -> -> -> <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Early in the game you can hide near a large doors outcrop and wait for a skulk to run past you, then once again shoot them in the back. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> -> -> -> <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Sit in a vent when a ono's or fade is nearby and emty everything on them <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
-JP up to the beams in the ceilings and shoot down at an onos from the roof in big rooms <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
-Knifes are more effective on buildings than your gun with the exception of a point blank shotty (only if you have a lot of ammo)
-Get on top of RC's, and hives when duck-knifing them, it makes you harder to hit.
-It takes about 12 hitting bullets to kill a skulk in the beginning of the game, so only reload when you have less than half a clip when by yourself.
-In general players have a harder time controling the aliens directions, try shooting just in front of where they are, this is especially usefull against skulks and lerks.
-If an ono's rushes a group of you, and yopu are in front, run forward and shoot his butt and side.... trust me it works. Just stay close and keep circling, unless you have a JP (where you fly away <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ).
Hope this stuff helps your aim!
PS: <span style='color:red'><b>ALWAYS CHECK THE CEILINGS IN A DOORWAY</b></span> as mentioned before!
P.S. thread hijackers = nubs
P.S.S. I own you don't i?
I'm upgrading soon tho <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->.
Anyway, get a screenshot of this happening, I might be able to help you out.
Anyway, get a screenshot of this happening, I might be able to help you out. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
The "-" key decreases screen size? So I guess that means the "+" key increases screen size.
mouse acceleration is helpful as it allows you to react faster with less movement without getting to quick for aiming/tracing slower moving targets. the problem is getting used to it though, personally i hate it and i cant really be bothered going back to square one and relearning how to aim just for acceleration but if you still havent found your aim i'd recommend using it :>
also on mouse sensitivity, lower is better. however, you need to find a balance between turning and tracing ability. if you try setting your sensitivity low you'll find its easier to trace targets but it reaches a point where you see a skulk up on the roof but you cant react fast enough to kill him cos your mouse wouldnt turn fast enough, thats the point where its too low.
On mouse filter i would recomend turning this on. it basically makes the mouse move alot smoother making it easier to percieve where your aim is going, its pretty much having a few more fps only your pulling them out of your **** ^_~
On resolution i think this should be based on your monitor size, i have a 17" and i use 800x600. using a high res makes everything alot smaller, using a lower res makes everything bigger, and this isnt just perceptual as your viewable screen area remains constant. it would be logical to use the lowest res as this makes all your targets 'bigger' and in theory easier to aim at however, i find aiming with low resolution kinda chunky. i dunno how to explain it but the crosshairs dont seem to move in a smooth line.... anyway of course if you have limited graphics performance you'll go for a lower res anyway but if not, i wouldnt reccomend going over 1280x if you have a 17". everything just gets too small D:
On mice, lasers are definitely superior to ball mouse, you just need a good one. the intellimice form microsoft or the mx series from logitec are good for gaming but all you need is something that feels nice in your hand and isnt crap (tracks good, buttons dont stick). the technology also provides more advantages in terms of performances (like 10x the refresh rate from a ball). Mouse pads also help alot as well, maybe not as much for ball mice but for laser mice you'll find spending $20 on an allsop or ratzpad will help alot! it just makes using your mouse alot smoother and more comfortable and generally easier to move your mouse where you want it to go.
and to finish off i have one aiming tip that i think is really really helpful. <u>Don't shoot unless the target is under your crosshairs</u> it may sound stupid but i think alot of people see their target then just snap there mouse to it and shoot. when you snap to your target just take a little bit more time to aim again and make sure that hes under your xhairs. This is really important when using the pistol. try it out, aim your pistol and dont shoot unless hes under your xhair. hopefully this will develop your aiming more as your actually trying to aim rather than just snapping to your target and shooting.
Not much, but if the lag is already something like 200...
JD: Nice post, clarified some stuff for me. One way to train yourself to shoot only when you've got a sure shot is to turn on mp_drawdamage 1 when you're playing (not applicable to most servers, I know). It teaches you when to shoot and when not to, try it.
By the sewer res tower... in there.. the onos has to crouch and crawl... ive KILLED, and REDEEMED 6+ onos in there with lvl 0 or lvl 1 weapons totally alone (rambo usually)
with level 2 and 3 weaps ive gotten about twice that many
Just keep making a figure 8.... and vary the pattern, there is always something to dodge behind the onos has to crawl through to get to you...
~Jason
Really? When I change the resolution it actually changes the viewable screen area. This might be something screwed up on my computer though. When I try to run Doom (yes, I still like that game), it opens up in a box only using half the screen area, with a black border all the way around it. With 800x600 resolution there is still a little black border, but it is really noticeable with 400x300. Any help on changing that would be appreciated. By the way, I use Windows XP, a laptop, I think a 15" screen.
Shoot at the broadside of a barn
Yep, I just said shoot at walls. A few things to work with:
Shoot a STRAIGHT line across a wall...if you aren't used to doing this, you'd be amazed how crooked it will turn out (I was REALLY suprised)
That helps with skulks attacking your friends.
Shoot a wavy line across the wall, up and down in a consistent pattern.
Shooting at jumping skulks attacking your friends
Shoot in a series of waves, which connect hard at the bottom /\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\ in that form (round off the top) That is the way a skulk really moves, although /^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\_/^\ is sometimes more accurate.
A more advanced version of jumpings skulks.
Strafe next to a corner, and spin around it, shooting low on the wall in a straight line around the corner.
Fighting skulks who have missed on the initial charge.
Strafe around a box, and shoot at that about the same level, or a series of boxes.
Same as before, but against a different type of skulk.
shoot both wavy patterns on the same boxes, for skulks that seem to have springs on thier feet.
Gorges don't really move fast enough to require target practice, although the waves will again come in handy because a good gorge has springs on his feet.
Fades, you HAVE to learn the hitboxes, and you'd be amazed. Shoot belly and legs, the upper torso has no hitbox.
And really, you can't train against fades, because if they have celerity, shoot at them like they're a skulk that won't die, and if they aren't, you can just bury your muzzle in the thing's **** and watch the guts fly out the back.
Onos...yes, the onos. The best way to deal with him is to get alongside, I don't care how close, and strafe along with him. So to practice, go up to a wall, fire, and strafe one way, drawing a nice straight line. This is aggravatingly simple, and you should be able to draw a nice line after only a few tries.
Anyway, that's my input. ALL for LMG/HMG work. For shottie, you just have to be careful when you fire, and GL.....well....GL is a whole new ballpark.
Really? When I change the resolution it actually changes the viewable screen area. This might be something screwed up on my computer though. When I try to run Doom (yes, I still like that game), it opens up in a box only using half the screen area, with a black border all the way around it. With 800x600 resolution there is still a little black border, but it is really noticeable with 400x300. Any help on changing that would be appreciated. By the way, I use Windows XP, a laptop, I think a 15" screen. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
yeah thats on your computer, it would be some setting with your video/monitor drivers or even hl itself. it doesnt matter what res you use the image should still fit your whole screen.
Pretty much every FPS out there, if you can predict how your enemy is going to move on the screen then you've got half your aim sussed. This takes experience though. Its almost like getting into the habit of aiming where the enemy is going to be before they're there. Whether it be qw rocket-launcher, q3 rail gun etc. Keeping true to that is another thing altogether though (this part having seemed to be discussed at length on this thread)
yeah thats on your computer, it would be some setting with your video/monitor drivers or even hl itself. it doesnt matter what res you use the image should still fit your whole screen.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, its because he has a laptop, and his laptop has a TFT screen, and his TFT screen has a native resolution. Running in a resolution below his native resolution would either result in the TFT screen scaling the image up (which would look blurry and generally horrible). Or displaying the lower resolution image pixel-by-pixel in a smaller screen area.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
using a high res makes everything alot smaller, using a lower res makes everything bigger, and this isnt just perceptual as your viewable screen area remains constant
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sigh.
As you increase the resolution on a CRT, the real size size of each pixel becomes smaller. However since we're dealing with a 3D rendered image, the 'real' size of 3D objects on your screen does not change. They are simply rendered using more pixels which results in greater detail being shown. The only objects which become smaller in realworld terms as you increase resolution are sprites and fonts which are not scaled. Case in point:
<a href='http://www.oclube.com/usuarios/teoh/high.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.oclube.com/usuarios/teoh/high.jpg</a>
<a href='http://www.oclube.com/usuarios/teoh/low.jpg' target='_blank'>http://www.oclube.com/usuarios/teoh/low.jpg</a>