Discussion:
Why doesn't Zoo Tycoon 2 play on a common 2Ghz IBM laptop
(too old to reply)
Handon
2004-12-28 06:54:07 UTC
Permalink
Considering dxdiag shows no problems (I can post the complete results),
can/should a "normal" person should infer that a stock IBM A31p
laptop PC (64M ATI Radeon Mobility 7500) is not supported
from what little information is provided by Microsoft printed on the box?
Yes, because the box says you need a DirectX 9.0 capable card and your
card
doesn't do DirectX 9.0.
Are you crazy?

Do you really expect the average mom or dad who buys Microsoft
Zoo Tycoon 2 game for their kid to be 100% computer literate?

Cmon.

It's Microsoft's attempt to snooker them at any price.
Clear and simple (if not illegal) & it should be in the product review.

Tell me how many regular moms and dads would know what
graphics card is in their portable computer and also whether
it completely supports DirectX 9.0 downloads.

Your response belies your ignorance of the common people.

This illegal microsoft pc game is a great software article for
Consumer Reports to print on the back of their magazine!

Someone who knows someone at Consumers Union, please
send this information to them as many parents are being
fleeced by Microsoft every day with this tactic they use!
Matt Beals
2004-12-28 07:13:51 UTC
Permalink
I just had to spend another $70 to get the game to work by buying a new
NVIDIA Gforce 4000 (128MB RAM) to get ZT2 to work. No where on the box,
which I have right here, does it say what kind of video card is needed. It
just says "16MB/3D Direct X9.0 or later". The built in video card of my sons
PC (Compaq Presario S6200CL 2.8GHz AMD, 512MB RAM) has 64MB of RAM. No where
does the box say that integrated video cards are incompatible. Had I known,
I would have bought the card as one of his Christmas presents. Which would
have been in my best financial interest.

On 12/27/2004 10:54 PM, in article
Post by Handon
Considering dxdiag shows no problems (I can post the complete results),
can/should a "normal" person should infer that a stock IBM A31p
laptop PC (64M ATI Radeon Mobility 7500) is not supported
from what little information is provided by Microsoft printed on the box?
Yes, because the box says you need a DirectX 9.0 capable card and your
card
doesn't do DirectX 9.0.
Are you crazy?
Do you really expect the average mom or dad who buys Microsoft
Zoo Tycoon 2 game for their kid to be 100% computer literate?
Cmon.
It's Microsoft's attempt to snooker them at any price.
Clear and simple (if not illegal) & it should be in the product review.
Tell me how many regular moms and dads would know what
graphics card is in their portable computer and also whether
it completely supports DirectX 9.0 downloads.
Your response belies your ignorance of the common people.
This illegal microsoft pc game is a great software article for
Consumer Reports to print on the back of their magazine!
Someone who knows someone at Consumers Union, please
send this information to them as many parents are being
fleeced by Microsoft every day with this tactic they use!
Michael Vondung
2004-12-28 07:38:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Handon
Someone who knows someone at Consumers Union, please
send this information to them as many parents are being
fleeced by Microsoft every day with this tactic they use!
Is there a reason why you are crossposting this thread? It was started
in csipgs, where it belongs. The original poster's problem also has been
solved already, and his child is happily playing ZT2.

What exactly do you expect Microsoft to do? Produce a modern game with
3D graphics that runs on hardware that was becoming obsolete four years
ago already? Like it or not, you can't have modern graphics and
compatibility with old computers. If you buy PC games, you'll need to
have some very basic knowledge. Microsoft's DXDIAG (comes with DirectX)
does provide all necessary system information that you need in order to
check whether your computer can run a specific game.

If you are unwilling or unable to learn very basic specs of your
computer (CPU, memory, video card and video RAM), then you shouldn't buy
PC games for your kid, but instead get them an X-box or another console.
If you drive a car, you're also expected to know what type of gas you
need. If you are unable or unwilling to figure this out, take a train.

M.
Bill Bonde
2004-12-28 09:14:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Michael Vondung
Post by Handon
Someone who knows someone at Consumers Union, please
send this information to them as many parents are being
fleeced by Microsoft every day with this tactic they use!
Is there a reason why you are crossposting this thread? It was started
in csipgs, where it belongs. The original poster's problem also has been
solved already, and his child is happily playing ZT2.
What exactly do you expect Microsoft to do? Produce a modern game with
3D graphics that runs on hardware that was becoming obsolete four years
ago already? Like it or not, you can't have modern graphics and
compatibility with old computers. If you buy PC games, you'll need to
have some very basic knowledge. Microsoft's DXDIAG (comes with DirectX)
does provide all necessary system information that you need in order to
check whether your computer can run a specific game.
If you are unwilling or unable to learn very basic specs of your
computer (CPU, memory, video card and video RAM), then you shouldn't buy
PC games for your kid, but instead get them an X-box or another console.
If you drive a car, you're also expected to know what type of gas you
need. If you are unable or unwilling to figure this out, take a train.
Then there's the time tables.
--
Even though the world knows that these areas are susceptible to this
sort of thing, there apparently are no warning systems in place to
attempt to mitigate a disaster like this even for those areas literally
a 1000 km away, a distance that puts the inundation, I think, a couple
of hours from the original seismic event. It is simply unconscionable
that I could find out here in America about this threat before people
who are actually at grave risk could.
Wooly
2004-12-28 14:45:26 UTC
Permalink
On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 08:38:51 +0100, Michael Vondung
Post by Michael Vondung
If you drive a car, you're also expected to know what type of gas you
need.
83, 88, or 92 octane?
Bill Bonde
2004-12-28 19:24:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Wooly
On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 08:38:51 +0100, Michael Vondung
Post by Michael Vondung
If you drive a car, you're also expected to know what type of gas you
need.
83, 88, or 92 octane?
Diesel or gasoline or propane or ethanol. It's more complicated than you
think. You might even run your car on wood.
--
Even though the world knows that these areas are susceptible to this
sort of thing, there apparently are no warning systems in place to
attempt to mitigate a disaster like this even for those areas literally
a 1000 km away, a distance that puts the inundation, I think, a couple
of hours from the original seismic event. It is simply unconscionable
that I could find out here in America about this threat before people
who are actually at grave risk could.
Mike Hall
2004-12-28 16:39:21 UTC
Permalink
Your remarks would be more valid if Microsoft were going to make money out
of the improved hardware that the end user buys..

You are just one more troll jumping on the anti-MS wagon..
Post by Handon
Considering dxdiag shows no problems (I can post the complete results),
can/should a "normal" person should infer that a stock IBM A31p
laptop PC (64M ATI Radeon Mobility 7500) is not supported
from what little information is provided by Microsoft printed on the box?
Yes, because the box says you need a DirectX 9.0 capable card and your
card
doesn't do DirectX 9.0.
Are you crazy?
Do you really expect the average mom or dad who buys Microsoft
Zoo Tycoon 2 game for their kid to be 100% computer literate?
Cmon.
It's Microsoft's attempt to snooker them at any price.
Clear and simple (if not illegal) & it should be in the product review.
Tell me how many regular moms and dads would know what
graphics card is in their portable computer and also whether
it completely supports DirectX 9.0 downloads.
Your response belies your ignorance of the common people.
This illegal microsoft pc game is a great software article for
Consumer Reports to print on the back of their magazine!
Someone who knows someone at Consumers Union, please
send this information to them as many parents are being
fleeced by Microsoft every day with this tactic they use!
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