To recap, I had a Dell system: 4GB RAM, AMD Athlon IIx4630 processor (2.8 GHz), and an ATI Radeon HD4200 video card. With G&K, the lag in activating a unit when clicking led me to switch permanently to strategic view. What would I need to change in order to be able to play without that lag on regular view? (I could live with no clouds, although I'd rather not.)
Have you tried setting the game to not use multi-threading? Support for multi-threading was introduced in G&K, and disabling it has been known to speed things up for some people.
I had tried this a long time ago, and initially wrote that it didn't help. Then I tried it again, given the many patches and updates since, and... it worked! I could play at good speed, with video settings on "low" except for Fog of War (min) and Terrain (medium).
Ironically, by then I had already decided to buy a new video card, based on the following advice.
Your video card is a huge bottleneck. Spend $150 on a video card and you'll feel like you have an entirely new machine, as far as graphics go. I prefer mid-tier. The GeForce 650ti is a decent card. Given the rest of your computer is somewhat older, no point in going over $150 IMO. I've built and modified many computers and the jump from old and/or low-end to new mid-range is far more than from mid-range to top-tier IMO.
You are probably right. An AMD Athlon II X4 630 is probably going to be a bit of a bottleneck, so there's not much point in going very high-end. Another relevant question would be to ask which resolution is being used?
I didn't know how to answer the last question, but got some help:
What is the resolution of your LCD monitor? It isn't so much that one "looks best". You run at the highest that the machine can sustain. More always looks better.
I have a Dell 2408WFP monitor whose recommended settings are 1920x1200 .
That's a nice monitor. Since you're running that resolution, I would get at least a GTX 650 Ti.
And that's what I got: a 650 ti OC, to be precise. Its recommended settings are all highs and mediums. Was it worth it, given that I already had my integrated graphics card giving me what I would have settled for in the first place? Yes! Never mind the clouds and the water and the detail of flora and fauna - the way the earth bends as I scroll is amazing! And then the unit movement and combat... OMG. Forget playing quick movement and combat. They're so graceful! The Incan slingers alone are worth it (maybe)! I am loving the game, and am having no problem waiting another three days for BNW.
You have a wonderful monitor but the rest of your system isn't up to par. I'm pretty sure you could fit a 650 TI in there and I'm thinking you probably have a slot for it but it isn't going to make a big difference because of your CPU. I'd recommend saving your money and buying a new pc or learning how to build one. You can get the 650TI if you want to but your really going to want to make sure that PSU can handle it.
I checked with Dell, and the PSU holds up with my new video card. So far - the early game, playing on a standard map - I wouldn't want more speed. But...
Keep in mind that the game in question is Civ 5 which is a game that really relies upon cpu power to run it smoothly. The larger the map the more it will work your CPU.
I haven't gotten there yet, but will definitely test the game both on huge maps as well as (obviously) late-game clutter. If there is a problematic drop-off, I'll post it as a PS to this saga. Thanks again for your help, CH - and everyone else.
This type of rig was what immediately popped into mind when I first saw the thread. $3k is a NICE computer if you DIY.
