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    Elder Scrolls IV:Oblivion on Gateway 8510GZ

    Discussion in 'Gateway and eMachines' started by mcrivas, Mar 22, 2006.

  1. mcrivas

    mcrivas Notebook Enthusiast

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    Specs:
    Intel® Centrino™ Mobile Technology with Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740
    (2 MB L2 Cache | 1.73 GHz | 533 MHz FSB)
    Chipset Intel 915PM
    Screen 17-inch Widescreen Ultrabright TFT WXGA
    Memory 1 Gig of DDR2 (2 x 256 MB) 533 MHz, Dual Channel
    Expandable to 2 GB
    Video ATI Mobility™ Radeon® X700
    64MB video memory with Omega Drivers

    Well, went out and bought Oblivion and installed it on my Gateway 8510GZ. I was worried about the 64MB limit on the X700 (why Gateway?). Here is what I found:

    Installation:
    -No problem, no complaints about the 64MB Video card.

    Performance (bit of a spoiler ahead, but not much):
    -1st Attempt at 1024x768 default settings, guestimating around 10-20fps in the cell and as I followed the emperor, slowed down as the fighting increased, unplayable. :(

    -2nd Attempt at 800x600 (actually looks great at this resolution, quite happy about that :D ), default settings, fps jumped to about, guestimating 29 - 40 fps, very playable, had a blast killing rats and goblins. (The real test would be getting out into the open world).

    Finally, got out of the sewers into the open world and fps dropped back down to (guestimating) 10-20 fps it was night time. :( I decided to rest in game for 9 hours wait for daylight. When my character "woke up" it was raining, my fps dropped even more (unplayable). :eek: I went into the options and noticed the drawing distance slider was maxed out. Set the drawing distance slider to half way and fps shot back up to very playable (guestimating 29-40fps). :D Went into the city and encountered several NPC and fps dropped a bit, talked a little with some NPC, then turned around and the game locked up :eek: . Don't panic, I may have hit one of my function keys on my laptop by accident so I wouldn't count the lockup as legit just yet.

    Overall, quite pleased that it runs and looks very good at 800x600. :D
     
    mcrivas, Mar 22, 2006
    #1
  2. USAFdude02

    USAFdude02 NBR Reviewer & Deity NBR Reviewer

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    USAFdude02, Mar 22, 2006
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