The FFXI PC

[Ryce]

I was going to post in response to one of the latest "Drop PS2" threads, but I thought this could be a valuable resource on it's own (if anyone responds).

We hear over and over again on these forums that it would be dirt cheap to buy a PC for FFXI, and PS2 users should make the switch. I built a PC for FFXI when it was first announced (I currently play on Windows 7 on my MacBook). I know they can be cheap and easy to make. I'm wondering if a few community members will share their cheap configurations or recommend a cheap pre-built PC that can run FFXI effectively.

Knowing that these affordable options are out there (specifically) may prompt some PS2 users to make the switch... especially if it increases the likeliness of new content.

[Inafking]

www.pricewatch.com

in a hurry but found this real quick

http://www.ascendtech.us/customkitit...TBBIC780MA2545

KIT PRICE: $ 305.79
The Items of the kit are shown below
Amd Socket Am2+ Am3 Athlon Ii / Phenom Ecs Ic780m-A2 Amd 770 Am3 Ddr3 Sataii Mb
Amd Athlon Dual Core / Phenom Quad Core Amd Phenom Ii X2 545 3.1ghz Processor
Ddr3 240-Pin Desktop Memory 4gb(2x2gb) Ddr3 1333mhz Dual Channel Kit
Pci Express Video Card Adapters Nvidia Geforce G310 512mb Pci-E 2.0 Card
Additional Storage 500gb Serial Ata Sata 7200rpm Hard Drive
Internal Drives And Burners Dvd±Rw Dvd Burner / Dvd Reader Drive Ide

More than enough to run the game at full settings through a hdtv. Just gotta use ubuntu or buy / pirate windows. Also would need to buy a mouse and a cable to connect it to a hdtv. Could use KB from PS2. But cheapest way is to dumpster dive or get spare parts from PCs others throw away.

[Kagato]

Anything pre-made and store-bought can run FFXI atmax settings. I bought a $500 laptop earlier this year for college and it's built with a GeForce graphics card equivalent to a 7900 or so.

Back when FFXI first came out, the graphics card I had was a GeForce Ti 4600. Guess how much that card is worth now? About $10-50 depending on where you buy it online. This card is almost 10 years old and it can run FFXI at near-max, if not completely max. Just need enough RAM and CPU power to keep it smooth and since PCs for the last 5 years come with about 2GB or ram built-in and Core 2 Duo or higher CPUs, you'll be fine.

The worst I have ever run FFXI was with the GeForce Ti 4600, 2GB of Ram and a Intel Pentium 3 CPU. That crap set-up was enough to play FFXI just fine and almost very smoothly, only showing some slow-downs during very packed cities and during certain cutscenes. All of that is worth about as much as the stuff you drop in the toilet.

Just a rule of thumb. The more recent your computer, the less you'll have to spend to upgrade, but if your PC is no more than 4 years old without upgrades, especially laptops, chances are you can already run FFXI at decent to high settings.

[slakyak]

I got an acer tower earlier this year for under £300 that wouldn't run it as it has on board graphics (don't laugh!). Luckily a £30 PCI-E card sorted that... Still not convinced it's running at full but the monitor is oooooold.

[Gennadi]

I hacked my timex watch and now i can play ffxi easily. So ya down with the ps2

[Alhanelem]

Even a modern netbook should be able to run the game decently (even integrated graphics in newer machines should have the T&L that the game requires), and you can find those for less than $300. Some onboard intel chipsets might not work. For those that don't, I believe there is some tool out there that can emulate it.

This card is almost 10 years old and it can run FFXI at near-max,

virtually any chipset except for some intel integrated chipsets made in the last several years will work fine. FFXI barely utilizes any functions of the video card whatsoever other than T&L. Take a look at your driver's control panel while the game is running- the GPU utilization will generally be very low.

[Zemarin]

Tahngarthor is very informative, does that "bench mark test" help find out ifI can run it on my pc >.>?

[Alhanelem]

Tahngarthor is very informative, does that "bench mark test" help find out ifI can run it on my pc >.>?

Was there really any reason for that? No, there wasn't (Unless my sarcasm detector is broken and you weren't being sarcastic). I was being vague for a reason- it matters very little what PC you buy. Most of them can run an 8 year old game, even if they weren't built for games.

You're all forgetting that you don't need a PC that runs FFXI at max settings for it to be better than PS2

This is barely an issue because almost any PC that can run the game can do it better than a PS2. The PC settings that make the game equivalent to the PS2 version are the near minimum settings. Any resolution above the minimum makes it automatically better than the ps2 version. You have to go up a bit higher to beat the default xbox settings though.

[wish12oz]

This is barely an issue because almost any PC that can run the game can do it better than a PS2. The PC settings that make the game equivalent to the PS2 version are the near minimum settings. Any resolution above the minimum makes it automatically better than the ps2 version. You have to go up a bit higher to beat the default xbox settings though.

It's funny how you quote me then expand on what I said, but what you expand into was stuff I also said in my post but you made it long winded.

[Alhanelem]

I read it wrong, okay? But I'm happy it provided entertainment for you.

I somehow took it to mean "You need a PC that can run the game at max settings for it to be better than ps2"