Stupid RCT3 STUPID STUPID STUPID

I bought RCT3 about a week after it came out. It didn't work on my computer, as in as soon as I selected ANYTHING on the menu, my computer would restart!! WTF? So, I talked to some people, and they said I needed more RAM. I was running 256mb, which is the bare minimum for XP, so that sounded reasonable. I'd held off and held off, and picked up 2 512mb blocks yesterday for $50 each... Good deal. No, RCT3 isn't the only reason, I'd wanted to upgrade for a while. So now I'm running a gig of RAM, 4x what RCT says it needs. Start up the game, it loads a hell of a lot faster, I select RollerCoaster Designer, and BLACK SCREEN... The computer restarts. What gives? Is it my video card? The card is the POS it came with, I think 128mb shared memory. I know its junk but before I go spend another $200 on a kickin' card, what else can I try here? I don't get any error message, nothing saying my computer isn't up to speed, nothing... What am I missing here? Thanks!!

I had the same anger. I truely don't think the game is worth all the trouble I went through. I get bored with it for some reason, a lot of features I was hoping for didn't make it in the game and usually when I make a good park, it'll just freeze up or crash.

I don't have an answer to your question.

Not sure what other meaningless features they could pack in there. I think to a degree that's what killed the game - they pandered to too many wish lists full of vanity features.

YOu do touch on something though, the game just isn't fun to sit down and mess with. I can't explain it any better than you, RoS - it just isn't fun, you get bored before you create anything meaningful.

As far as the original post, there's basically 3 things that need to be up to par - CPU, RAM and vid card. 99% of the problems seem to be related to vid cards. Shared memory almost certainly means intergrated vid chip - and yes, that seems to be a huge game killer.

Maybe you know someone with an old-ish vid card laying around that you can borrow. Install it and see if it runs the game (poorly even) without crashing if you're afraid to spend the $$$ without being sure.

I've a question to add to this thread:
Has anyone actually seen this game work w/the minimum requirements?

UBRHINO: For the most part, the people in this forum have covered most of the probs w/this game. Most of the issues are with shared mem and vid cards. Good luck!

256MB is the bare minimum for XP? I'm running it just fine on 128MB!

^Steve, who wishes he had 256MB of RAM...

I'm very frustrated with RCT3 as well. My fiance bought it for me for Christmas but apparently my video card doesn't meet requirements, even though the computer is 6 months old. So now it just sits on my desk watching me play RCT2.

From the bottom of the RCT3 box, under system requirements:

Memory128 MB RAM; 256 MB for XP (256 MB, 384 MB for XP reccommended).

Steve, are you running XP fine on 128MB, or RCT3?

How many people that can run the game have an Intel based processor and how many here have AMD? I don't think the game was written for anything but Intel based ones... just a thought...

Mulfdog - it's been established that computer age does not mean anything. It's the pieces in that PC that matter. If you buy a 'budget' PC today, it most likely won't run RCT3. If you bought a top end PC 2 years ago, it most likely would.

Not that you said you bought a 'budget' PC, but at 6 months old and not able to play RCT3, I have to assume.

Sara - I think most of us running the game (at least here at CB) have AMD's

*** Edited 1/5/2005 6:54:38 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

I have an AMD, and cannot run RCT3

My system is a 1.8mhz P4 with 256 ram and a crappy card and mine works fine. Try updaing the drivers for the graphics card.

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ShaneDenmark said:
I have an AMD, and cannot run RCT3

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Yeah, but in your case I'm 99% sure you have an integrated vid card and that's you issue.

Like I said in the earlier post, three main things to run RCT3 - CPU, RAM, Vid Card (simplifying)

I've yet to see a CPU issue causing the game not to run. Older CPU's just crawl.

I've also not seen a RAM issue to date.

99% of the problems at this point are based on vid cards.

That's absolutely the first place you should look if RCT is causing problems. It seems that if you bought a 'budget' PC and have an intergrated video chip, that you just can't run the game. Older vid cards may just need driver updates, some need upgraded.

People with newer, updated vid cards tend to be able to run the game as well as it runs (which still isn't spectacular)

I have an AMD 2100+ with a GeForce 4 Ti and run it fine (except for coaster cam mode - it stutters there). I am probably going to buy a new video card so I can run Doom3 and HalfLife2 in their full gory glory.... ;)

Gory glory hallelujah?

Sorry, just saw the thread title and came a-runnin'...;)

Gonchar - Yeah I know that age has nothing to do with compatability but it is frustrating to have a computer that can't run a game I was looking forward to playing. But from what people have been saying it doesn't seem like it's worth throwing down $100 to get a video card just to play the game.

what, Bill, you thought you were being summoned?? ;) ;)

Yeah, that's a decision for each individual to make.

I built my PC in 2001 and was looking to upgrade anyway. I have no need for bleeding edge (or even cutting edge tech in my PC), I"m happy with good deals on solid pieces.

I went from an AMD running at 1.4Ghz, 512MB RAM at 266mhz and an original ATI Radeon AIW to an AMD running at 2.14Ghz, 1024MB RAM at 333mhz and an ATI 9600 with 256MB onboard for under $400.

For me it was worth it because I was itching to upgrade anyway and the timing coincided with RCT3's release.

That upgrade (and I could've done it for $100 less with half the RAM and saved a little bit more for a card with less RAM onboard and RCT3 would probably still run the same - I just like big number RAM setups - it's a penis thing ;) ) gets me around 25 to 28 FPS with all settings in the game maxed.

It seems even people with much better video cards still only squeak out 5 or 6 extra FPS.

My advice to anyone forced to buy a new vid card solely to play RCT3 is to go with a midlevel card costing in the $100 to $150 - you'll get almost all the peformance of the high end cards for minimal cost.

If you're a gamer, you'll want much more, but then again, you probably have it already.

*** Edited 1/5/2005 7:28:47 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

LG: What'd you do with that All-in-Wonder card? You keep it or put it on eBay? BTW: what mobo did you decided to go with? Last I remember, your old mombo couldnt do 333 FSB.

Maybe it's just me, but I couldnt imagine updating my PC *just* for one game. There would have to be at least a handfull of games that I needed to play. But to each her own.

I'm just really suprised that RCT3 is so demanding even when compared to the high-end games like Doom3 and HL2. Weird...

lata, jeremy

I did ebay the AIW card. I loved it at first, then hooked up with a DV cam and firewire and it became essentially useless. Also caused a lot of weirdness with XP (had ME when I put the system together) that I couldn't really fix.

You're right, I did swap out my MoBo too. (so include that in the under $400 price tag)

I went with EPOX again. I've always used their boards with no issues. Once I find something that works well, I tend to stick with it. Went with the EP-8RDA3 of some variation. Not sure which, but it's the one without SATA and built in LAN and the NVIDIA nforce2 U400 chipset.

I believe it was under $50 at the time on Newegg, but I just checked it out (to try and find an exact model number for you) and that variation isn't even on the site anymore. Looks like they all went to nforce3 since then.

I used the pieces I pulled from mine along with an old CD burner, hard drive and GeForce card I had and stuck it in this case for my daughter for an X-mas gift from mom and dad. Added a monitor and it handles everything a 7 year old needs to do and more. Nice to throw together a system for $110 plus parts lying around. ($40 for the case with free shipping at the time and $99 for a 17 inch monitor with a $30 rebate)

The monitor is nothing special, but it does the job and the case is a tad cheap, but looks cool as hell when you boot it up and it's all glowing. The front panel, side fan and PSU fan all glow blue. :)

*** Edited 1/5/2005 7:59:41 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***