Insane Civ IV System Requirements announced

[Cougarcat]

And they are insane:

Minimum System Requirements
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later
CPU Processor: PowerPC G5/Intel chipset
CPU Speed: 1.8 GHz or faster
Memory: 512 MB or higher
Hard Disk Space: 3.5 GB free disk space
Video Card (ATI): Radeon 9600 or better
Video Card (NVidia): GeForce FX 5200 or better
Video RAM: 64 MB or higher
Disc Drive - DVD

Multiplayer
Internet (TCP/IP) and LAN (TCP/IP) play supported. Internet play requires
broadband connection.
*Supported Video cards: NVIDIA GeForce 5200, 6600, 6800, 7800 ATI Radeon
9600, 9650, 9700, 9800, X600, X800, X850, X1600

Recommended System Requirements
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later
CPU Processor: PowerPC G5/Intel chipset
CPU Speed: 2.0 GHz or faster
Memory: 1 GB or higher
Video RAM: 128 MB


These system requirements are identical to Call of Duty 2, and are greater than Quake IV! This is crazy for a turn-based strategy game. I was thinking the reqs would be more in-line with the pc version, requiring a 1.33 processor but reccommending a 1.6.

I'm sure glad I didn't preorder. I'll wait and see if anyone has success running this monster on a 1.67 Powerbook. *sigh*

 

[ejday]

Astonishing.

I've been looking forward to this strategy game for two years. Now it's about to roll out and I can't play it because of hardware requirements?! All I can think is that they're looking for long-term sales... because [comparatively] nobody is going to buy this in the short term.

Let's think: I got my laptop just a couple of years ago. At 1.5 GHz and 1 GB of RAM, it's still a very competent computer. I'm not working in HiDef, but I can still edit broadcast video on my little workhorse. For better or worse, there's no way I'll be jumping to the next level – at least for another 18 months when I've milked every last bit of usability from my $3000 investment.

I know a couple of people that have a MacBook. One is a professional hardware critic, the other is a student that had leftover money from a loan. Everybody else has computers equivalent – or a little slower – than mine.

Wow. That's a shame.
...And that's about all I can say.

 

[AlanH]

Insane indeed. That'll limit its sales appeal.

Sure destroys the credibility of my current Mac, which happily does everything else I ask of it. It falls short on most the above by factors of 2 or more! Only my RAM comes up to spec. But I'm not yet ready to invest in Apple's current product line, so Civ4 will have to wait.

I also note that the Mac Civ4 description doesn't include an SDK. Are Mac users going to be second class customization citizens again?

 

[Padma]

Sounds like the Mac community is hitting the same wall that the PC side did with Civ4: many, many people don't have equipment that will run the game satisfactorily.

 

[Cougarcat]

Someone at Insidemacgames noticed that the disk space required is almost twice the PC version. It should be roughly the same. So perhaps someone at Aspyr made a boo-boo and accidentally used the CoD 2 specs, which are identical. [Edit: well, so much for that theory. At Asypyr's site, CoD2 requires 4.0 GB, not 3.5. Still, how can the Mac version of CivIV double in size??]

 

[DocOrlando]

As Alan and I have virtually identical system setups, I must sadly pass on Civ4 as well, at least for a year or more. My G5 at work (where I am now) could probably handle it. My G4 at home just shrugs.

 

[Beamup]

Good grief. I've got one of the most powerful new Macs in existence, and it just barely makes the recommended specs!

For fun, I've looked back through Apple's product lines to see how new a system you have to have to make the specs, with no upgrades beyond RAM:

MacBook/iBook: Apple has never made a home laptop that can handle CIV.

MacBook Pro/PowerBook: The MBP makes the recommended specs, but no PowerBook ever made can even do the minimum.

eMac: Not hardly.

Mini: Are you kidding?

iMac: Intel iMac and 2005 iMac G5s meet the recommended specs. Earlier iMac G5s make the minimum specs, except for the first low-end model.

PowerMac: Any 2005 model or any high-end G5 fits the recommended specs, any other G5 but the first low-end model will meet the minimums.

Basically, you have to have something less than a year old from particular product lines OR have something top-of-the-line 2 to 3 years old. Slightly older iMacs or mid/low-end PowerMacs make the minimum but not recommended.

Depressing. I was really hoping to do some SGs with you guys.

 

[JoAT]

Wow those are indeed steep requirements. Couple of observations if they are to be believed:

1.) The only way way to play CIV on-the-go will be a shiny new MacBook Pro. No Powerbooks or iBooks cut the mustard.

2.) No mention of the integrated Intel GMA950 graphics anywhere. Looks like Macbook and Mini users are SOL.

Dissappointing to say the least. I was going to drop some money on a G4 DA and upgrade the heck out of it (I still want a Mac with OS 9 booting) to play some CIV on. Looks like I'll have to keep saving for a while if I want CIV.

JoAT

**Edit: LOL. Beamup beat me to posting while I was looking up the same info... **

 

[Cougarcat]

Glenda at IMG says:

Civ 4 is a very demanding game, it's no longer a simple 2D world. It has as many shaders and special effects as a game like COD2. We always catch flack because we try to set requirements with a bit more caution than a lot of PC games, but in the end I'd rather have them be a bit high than too low.

It may have many shaders and effects, but at least CoD2 requirements resembled the PC version. Here's to hoping that these requirements are more than "a bit high."

 

[Beamup]

Keep in mind the fact that, as I've heard it, the "minimum" specs on the Windows side couldn't actually run it playably, and the "recommended" specs were about the least you had to have to make it work at all properly.

And Aspyr's "minimum" specs are pretty comparable to the Windows "recommended" specs. Which seems about right to me, based on what I've heard. That is, if you relabel the Windows specs according to what actually works IRL, the "minimum" specs on either side would be about the same.

 

[Pharaohx]

CPU Processor: PowerPC G5/Intel chipset

I hope we can we assume it is a universal binary.

 

[Beamup]

Indeed we can.

 

[imadork]

So, if you have a G4, will the game refuse to run at all?

 

[dojoboy]

Glenda at IMG says:

Civ 4 is a very demanding game, it's no longer a simple 2D world. It has as many shaders and special effects as a game like COD2. We always catch flack because we try to set requirements with a bit more caution than a lot of PC games, but in the end I'd rather have them be a bit high than too low.

Civ4 is a graphics-whore, that much is true. And, this really bites because it is the most unnecessary element ever in a strategy game of this type. However, Aspyr is not the designer.

So, if you have a G4, will the game refuse to run at all?

I imagine lower specs will run the game. And, those of you who were known to fold laundry in-between turns of Civ3 will be right at home.

I can walk the line on this one because I've got a Dell laptop (compliments of my workplace) that runs Civ4 well. C3C on my Mac will do me fine until I get that nice shiny machine down the road, the one that my beautiful wife has signed off on. Maybe because she knows there's no way in hell I can buy one atm.

I'll tell you one thing. If I bought this game under the assumption my machine would run it and it didn't, I'd be pissed.

Oh, about that new Mac in my future. It will be upgradeable. I love my eMac. Best damn computer I've ever used, but... .

 

[VALIS Ashwa]

Doesn’t look good for my 1.67 Powerbook.
How sad...

 

[ancestral]

It's my assumption the integrated graphics cards would be sufficient (after all, they're 64 MB). THEY HAVE TO or they will get no sales. Under that assumption, the entire line of Macs currently are compatible. However, the iBook, PowerBook, and Mac mini PPC of yesteryear do not meet it.

I would assume it could run on a G4 (how well though?) unless Aspyr decides to outright prevent that when you go to install/run it. The G4 and G5 are both PPC, so unless they're optimizing the hell out of it to the point where it requires some piece on the G5 that's not present on the G4.

Certainly disappointing as Brad Oliver early on suggested you could probably run it just barely on a Mac mini PPC. Obviously he is not to blame, they want it to run well on the machines they officially support, but to meet these specs you literally need to have bought your computer now (MacBook) or in the last few months (Mac mini, MBP, iMac). or be a G5 owner.

 

[Nicci]

damn, if this right, my iMac G5 just makes it! i was hoping for a slightly lighter game, so my iMac would run it nicely.

 

[Gatekeeper]

My first reaction is, "Thank God I haven't upgraded my iMac in seven years!" (I'm currently) in the market for the latest and greatest iMac.)

The RAM requirement really stuns me. Even with an Intel iMac, it's going to take half of the machine's RAM (they max out at 2 gigs) just for Civ IV. By the time you factor in OS requirements and Internet browser, you're probably looking at three-quarters of the machine's RAM taken up. Good grief! So much for multi-tasking!

It also looks like it's a good idea to max out the VRAM. The iMac ships with 128MB, but can be upgraded to 256MB.

Wow. These requirements are going to shut out a significant chunk of the Mac base. And I sure as *hell* hope we're not being left out to dry in terms of our ability to customize Civ IV.

Gatekeeper

 

[AlanH]

The RAM requirement really stuns me. Even with an Intel iMac, it's going to take half of the machine's RAM (they max out at 2 gigs) just for Civ IV. By the time you factor in OS requirements and Internet browser, you're probably looking at three-quarters of the machine's RAM taken up. Good grief! So much for multi-tasking!

I think the 1 GByte RAM requirement includes the need for space for the OS as well. In my view OS X needs 1 GByte if you want to do anything serious with it, and that spec doesn't surprise me at all. It's also the cheapest element of your system to upgrade.

 

[waltham845]

I have about 1.5gigs of ram that and a 256mb 9800pro and I still am on the low end. I have preordered and have been lurking about watching for what the new specs would be. Never dreaming that I would be on the low end. I've run homeworld 2 and a browser plus a few background apps they ran fine together. I've even put in the ATI accelerator software to beef up the fps. We will see if 1.5gb of ram can handle it and still multitask.