[sangel]

OK - so the HTPC arrives next week. I'm not a gamer, but it'd be great to screw around with one that will show me what the system can do and to wow the family and friends. Any suggestions for the one blow-away game (within my system's constraints) to have when my PC arrives?


Set-up is as follows:


Asus p4p800 mobo, 512 mb ram, p4 3.0 HT, ATI Radeon 9600, either Audigy 2zs or m-audio revolution (debate still raging on another thread). All going out to a Samsung DLP 56" via DVI and a consumer level receiver (mid-range Denon). Thanks!!

 

[stgdz]

UT2003

 

[jathos]

Nothing impresses my friends more than playing driving games on a HTPC. Get a good quality driving wheel, hook it up, and play Need for Speed Underground, Live for Speed, RalliSport Challenge, or Colin McRae Rally 2 racing. You'll get hooked.


A decent wheel will cost

 

[Namlemez]

WinAmp visualizations. Jet heavily abuses your 3D card.

 

[kweezr]

Halo-combat evolved

 

[jvincent]

UT2003 and Need for Speed are both good. Make sure you check out nintari's and Tigerdave's game pages. They have all the scoop on which games work with which resolutions.


Also, make sure to crank up the game render quality as high as it will go.

 

[taz291819]

Max Payne 2. Looks beautiful at 1920x1080.

 

[AaronNWilson]

I would definitely have to go for need for speed underground, but choose the car view which removes the car from the hud. The season of speed you get that way is unbelievable and if you get good at the game it will look amazing watching taking corners at 100mph + on that big screen.

 

[Thue]

AaronNWilson-> I couldn't agree with you more.

 

[CygnusX1]

Grand Theft Auto Vice City. It has a widescreen 1080i option w/ surround sound. 'Looks fantastic on an HTPC.


-Karl

 

[jammarjim]

Combat Flight Simulator has the best air scenery I have seen on a pc.

 

[sangel]

Just a quick update for anyone that cares...


So I got the new HTPC about two weeks ago, and just got around to thinking about games for it over the long weekend. I threw in the Rainbow Six Raven Shield discs that came with my Audigy 2 ZS card.


Whoa....omigosh. This is incredible. And I know this isn't even the best stuff out there. But the quasi-realism is very cool.


I know I'm going to sound like an idiot, but this stuff is amazing. Now I know why you guys go nuts about this stuff. As I mentioned in another post, the last serious 'gaming' I did was on my C-64 playing Zork, so you can imagine, this is a bit of an improvement.


Thanks again for the suggestions. Now I've really got to check out Need for Speed and Grand Theft Auto.

 

[neuroking]

Sangal: Hahahaha! I felt the same way. In fact I still do. It's probably one fo the single coolest technology things that you can do on a reasonable budget, within a reasonable amount of time, and get results that EVERYONE is wowed by. I "finished" (you never REALLY finish) mine a couple weeks ago. Simply amazing!


Brandon

 

[SKoprowski]

FarCry Demo- my wife even commented how great it looks.

 

[2ntense]

UT2004 Demo

 

[ElectricLegs]

Hehe.. ZORK.... Slide newspaper under door, insert letter opener in keyhole. Clunk. Get newspaper. Get key off newspaper. Open lock with key.


Neuromancer and Leisure Suit Larry!!! W00T!


Ut2004 demo (try Onslought) and NFSpeed Underground.

 

[Thue]

For 16:9 hack visit widescreen gaming forum. NFSU looks incredible in 16:9. -EVERYTHING DOES

 

[Fists_of_Legend]

Quote:

Originally posted by Thue For 16:9 hack visit widescreen gaming forum. NFSU looks incredible in 16:9. -EVERYTHING DOES

Thanks for mentioning that. I'm an HTPC newbie. I'll definitely hit that forum as soon as my new DLP gets installed and it's time to game.



Fists....

 

[greenday]

I know that u American guys dont like soccer so much like us Europeans, but playing Pro Evolution Soccer 3 in a big screen just blows u away

The detail, graphics and realism of the game are the best.


Nuno

 

[llamameat]

Farcry is currently the best example of graphic splendor, whether you like the game or not.