FOR UBER! System Requirements on Steam and Uber Store

Dear Uber devs!
I sure you working on game, but there is something need to be done. There on forums and bug tracker probably hundreds of people who trying to run game on their cheap 3-years-old notebook.

Please consider to change system requirements to something real: "You need AMD/Nvidia GPU with 1GB video memory or more. Radeon HD 5750/GeForce GTX 260 and newer. Intel integrated graphics chipsets are not supported".
*Probably it's need to be corrected, it's just a general idea*

I think it's really unfair to sell game to people who doesn't know much about real hardware performance and state of OpenGL drivers.

Thank.

Bump. I read this topic on Steam forums:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/233250/di ... 841066985/
And I really think it's important to correct system requirements of game in Steam description.

First off, sir:

"Intel integrated graphics chipsets are not supported"

Absolutely not correct. Before moving to a full PC, I was playing on an UltraBook with IIG for 6 months. No, not the fastest, but was certainly very playable.

The min spec is pretty accurate. The recommended spec we'll continue to grow. Though I'd rather not change it until we get close to beta, as perf, overall, already is much better than it was at the start of alpha.

And there's still a lot more we can do to continue to improve it.

When I originally posted this topic on "Jun 14" it's was one of first alpha builds and it's actually not worked on HD3000 at all, it's also was laggy even on mine hardware on Windows.
Also Neutrino mentioned its on forum multiple times that minimum requirements for PA it's Intel HD 4000. Did he actually change his mind?

Performance is much better now, but it's still mostly impossible to finish middle and large games on iGPU, lags is too big.

I understand that, but many people who buy alpha feel cheated when they found their laptops can't run it. I think you need to add some extra information about iGPU support to Steam page if it's possible.

PS: I read many forums where PA is discussed and there is really many people who buy game and try to run it on different motherboard-integrated GPU. At least ~50 people have this problem. Some also have problems on HD2000 and others iGPU.

Uber are being very open and honest about the fact that this is an actual real work-in-progress beta. If people come into it thinking that their computer is going to have the same performance now as when the final polished game is released they are dreaming. The game is in an unoptimised state at the moment, of course it is going to run slower than it will on release.

These guys need to cool down and wait a bit; they would probably get frustrated playing in an alpha environment where they are restricted to a single planet anyways, because hey, in the release version you are going to be able to travel between planets, but that is not implemented yet.

Problem is that many people doesn't understand how game development works and how optimization is important. They just buy games based on official system requirements they see on it's Steam page and there is no any notices about iGPU compatibility.

Probably there is some weird and slow moderation process for changes on Steam store page, so I understand why Uber can't just change it.

Appealing to the masses is not something Planetary Annihilation is designed to do.

Indeed, most of my all time favourite games follow that rule too.

What's appealing to the masses have common with system requirements? :shock:

The point is at LAUNCH the minspec will be somewhere around an HD4000. In alpha you'll need beefier hardware to run the game since it has little optimization work put into it. If you're buying a $90 product it is assumed that you have some idea what you're getting and what you'll need to run it. Otherwise why are you buying a $90 buggy alpha?

Unfortunately many people aren't technically literate. Many of them don't even understand what real performance their hardware have. Fresh example:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/233250/di ... 393357525/

That why I think that Uber need to add something like "WARNING! This game won't work on your 5 years old laptop with iGPU!" on store page. Or just "video card with 512 MB of RAM".

Totally agree, I have been in that situation before, and it's better to know the truth.

Yeah, you need at *LEAST* 1gb of VRam, and pretty low load/unload latency as well. Sure, once all the optimization is done you will be able to run a small solar system on low settings with 512mb, but you won't be in any big battles.

I feel you are too honest in this, I totally believe that at retail you'll be able the run the game on a igpu. But we are in alpha now, a HD4000 is a bare minimum to run the game, and preferably any graphics card with a minimum of 1gb of RAM. Imo, change it back when going Beta / Retail, but for now, 1gb of RAM of your graphics card, should definitely be something that you want in order to play the game properly. (I know this will cut into sales, but it will prevent a lot of bad publicity due to people not being able to play due to integrated graphics without a dedicated one.

I have a question about hardware. I have acquired a somewhat new desktop with 4g ddr2 ram and integrated graphics with a dual core. I got it of course because it is upgradeable. It will have 1g gpu and 8g ddr2 ram.

That being said, it should obviously run the game at release, but doyou guys think it will run the game right now? If it helps, i know a lot about optimizing the settings and running nothing elsebut necessary processes and the computer was just wiped clean and reinstated windows 7 64bit.

Can you just try it? Giving simply the vram amount and saying "a dual core" is pretty vague.

Short answer, no.

It is a brand new installed computer, so I still have windows updates, driver updates, ect.

Right now it is a no anyway.

Tried search, now someone give me fast answers here right now, then scold me for not looking hard enough.

I need the file to manually configure PA settings, the file that shows the crash report, and which versions of directx, .net, and other dependencies that commonly cause non-start. Just to make sure it is in fact too heavy a load to start.

EDIT: Java required maybe? Didn't even have that.

Can you upload DxDiag from this computer?

Actually you need: video drivers, .Net for launcher, directx 9c june 2010 redist. It's all.

Laptops are not for gaming. I know there are plenty of "gaming laptops" on the market. This has caused me no end of headaches with friends who come to me as their "tech guy" friend.

Explaining to people that their awesome new gaming laptop is not so awesome is never fun. Laptop hardware is universally underpowered and slow compared to desktop hardware, and laptop hardware costs much more. When "equivalent" processors are available, the laptop version runs slower and with less power. Ofttimes the specs are made to look equivalent, but do not be fooled. There's going to be one crippling aspect to anything going into a laptop - a compromise HAS to be made for space and cooling.

Bottom line: The performance you get out of a $2000+ laptop can be had in an $800 desktop. This has been the case since I began working on PCs in the 1990s, though the gap isn't as vast as once it was.

Yes, it's somewhat tangential (integrated GPUs exist in desktop format, and they're part of the problem you're talking about) but I figure the more people know how **** laptops are for gaming, the better.

I preach this philosophy too brother. I wish someone went to these companies with a lawsuit and forced them to quit calling them gaming laptop.

I am getting a dedicated graphics card, as well as more ram. I just got this because it was cheaply available right now and upgradeable.

All the updates later, no luck. I think it won't run it. I was trying because, as you said, it has integrated graphics, yet a desktop is always stronger by size scale equaling bandwidth. Still, the little edge that offers isn't starting PA. I get terraria to run just fine with no slows, so it is in fact better than it's equivalent laptop.