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Can Oblivion be run on a Sentia?

post #1 of 18
10/15/06 at 3:56am
Thread Starter 
Just wondering whether with the notebook's integrated graphics card whether Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion can be played on it. Probably on the lowest settings if possible?
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post #2 of 18
10/15/06 at 4:01am
Someone with a Sentia will be better placed to answer this, but I doubt it would be playable. Even if you can load it, and start it, you won't have much fun playing at the slow frame rates at lowest resolution...Best bet with the Sentia is to try some older games that have less demanding graphics requirements.
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post #3 of 18
10/15/06 at 11:41am
The Sentia may be able to run some games but the integrated chipsets on thin and light systems lack the graphics processing power and transformation and ligthing routines that mobile systems with dedicated video cards have and are required by most graphic demanding games.

If you want a system that is a balance between portability and graphics power you should take a look at the Area 51m 5550. It has the same type of processor but has a dedicated video card which will allow you to play current games decently and by that I mean medium to high settings depending on the game.
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post #4 of 18
10/15/06 at 9:54pm
No, the Sentia can not play Oblivion. It won't even start up because the integrated graphics card isn't capable of the rendering required by Oblivion.

I run F.E.A.R. and Doom 3/Doom 3: Ressurection of Evil just fine on my Sentia, but Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Oblivion won;t even launch. But the Sentia isn't really a gaming platform.
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post #5 of 18
10/16/06 at 12:44am
Thread Starter 
Doom 3? Wow... but does Splinter Cell Chaos Theory require more than Doom 3?
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post #6 of 18
10/16/06 at 12:49am
Chaos therory doesn't start because alienguise theme is enable, just disbale and it'll run

BTW, as a sentia owner, i can tell you that the m3450 isn't suitable for games, i tried a trial of world of warcraft on it with low details, and OMG, it was very unplayable, i don't understand how people can play with this laptop.

BTW, i contnue to play on my nintendo ds light with the new mario
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post #7 of 18
10/16/06 at 12:40pm
I don't use AlienGUIse.

How well a game plays also depends greatly on how it's coded. WoW has awful patchwork coding running so many major parts of the game the performance drops. There's also server lag on medium to high population servers and your connection lag.

I run Doom 3 and F.E.A.R. great. I use the Medium CPU and video card settings.

I'm going to try Oblivion, Splinter Cel and a couple other new games and I'll let you know how they play, if they do play.

Yes, I know I said Oblivion doesn't run, I said I was going to try it again. I was not retracting my previous comment.
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post #8 of 18
10/16/06 at 12:45pm
Guerilla, you said upper that oblivion doesn't run :

"No, the Sentia can not play Oblivion. It won't even start up because the integrated graphics card isn't capable of the rendering required by Oblivion."

And now, you tell that you'll try oblivion :

"I'm going to try Oblivion, Splinter Cel and a couple other new games and I'll let you know how they play, if they do play."

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post #9 of 18
10/16/06 at 12:52pm
Thread Starter 
Okay, everyone get a copy of Oblivion. Stick it on a laptop with integrated graphics card and tell what the result it

Hopefully we can get on the same page. It either works or not...
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post #10 of 18
10/16/06 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by joelsentia
Guerilla, you said upper that oblivion doesn't run :

"No, the Sentia can not play Oblivion. It won't even start up because the integrated graphics card isn't capable of the rendering required by Oblivion."

And now, you tell that you'll try oblivion :

"I'm going to try Oblivion, Splinter Cel and a couple other new games and I'll let you know how they play, if they do play."

Ya, it doesn't start up. I'll take a screenshot if you really want me to. Oblivion will start up, but then it'll crash with an error. It requires a 128MB video card and reccomends an ATI x800 or Nvidia GeForce 6800 or higher video card. The Sentia can meet every requirements except that.

I'm willing to retry Splinter Cell since you seem to think it can run on a Sentia.
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post #11 of 18
10/16/06 at 2:02pm
You can assign 64MB or 128MB to the video module
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post #12 of 18
10/16/06 at 2:12pm
Look, Oblivion doesn't run on a Sentia. You can say what you like, but you're not going to get a Sentia to run that game.

Here's the screenshots:
LL
LL
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post #13 of 18
10/16/06 at 2:36pm
From Intel's GMA 950 game compatibility list:
Quote:
Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion* game does not start; instead, when the game is launched, a small window appears with an error message. This game requires a graphics adapter with hardware T&L (Transform and Lighting) support to run. The listed Intel® graphics controllers do not support hardware T&L. T&L can be done by the processor (in software) with acceptable performance in most cases, but since the game specifically checks for hardware T&L, it fails to run.
There is now fix for this for the GMA 950. As for Splinter Cell: AlienGUIse does not stop it from loading, but can cause the game to crash periodically unless a patch is installed. You can get it to run on a Sentia, but it's not pretty. Intel reports the compatibility as "yellow" (compatible, but with issues) due to low frame rate when the action picks up. But if you really wanted to play it a patch can get the game to start. http://www.ubi.com/US/Downloads/Info.aspx?dlId=806 Edit: I downloaded the update and updated to version 1.04 and Chaos Theory still doesn't start. Intel says it can run with the update, but so far it hasn't for me.
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post #14 of 18
10/16/06 at 3:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guerrilla
From Intel's GMA 950 game compatibility list:


There is now fix for this for the GMA 950.

How do you override the error message then?
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post #15 of 18
10/16/06 at 3:34pm
You can't.

If there is a way it would involve editing files. You can try Googleing ways to bypass it, but it would probably run like crap. You'd have to find the software to mimic T&L, too.

Oblivion doesn't run on a Sentia. I'll say it could be possible to rig the game to open, but playing it would make you cry.
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post #16 of 18
10/16/06 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 
So question: What is the point of Sentia if it can't be a gaming laptop? I thought Alienware only sold gaming related rigs?
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post #17 of 18
10/16/06 at 6:33pm
Alienware markets the Sentia to students and professionals who need a small and light laptop they can carry around with high battery life.
Quote:
* Students who need a thin-and-light notebook to make life in the classroom and dorm room a lot more manageable. * Professionals on the go who need to stay connected and professionals in the office who need to create presentations, analyze sales data, and execute any other vital tasks. * Households wanting a second, more mobile PC to complement their high-performance desktop.
The Sentia is made to be a small, thin, and light notebook for traveling from class to class or from home to your office. It's definitely not meant as a desktop replacement for a gamer. Alienware says it right on their notebook webpage, the 5550 is meant as a mobile platform for gamers and professionals alike and the higher end models are geared specifically towards gaming.
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post #18 of 18
10/16/06 at 10:50pm
As gurilla said:

Most new games use hardware T&L, some require it.

The difference is that some game companies include code to let software simulate Hardware T&L, others add it after release usually as a downloadable patch, others never bother.

The problem is, even if the game allows software emulated hT&L, that it usually runs but only at very low settings and while playable its not that fun of an experience.

If u want oblivion, sentia is not for you. m5550 is or other company.
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