Traveller

3 hours ago, wolfpaw said:

That's super interesting! You might be the first person I know who builds downgraded PCs instead of upgraded ones 

Really? If you look for videos in YouTube with search term "retro pc" you'll find it's not that uncommon. I know there are vibrant communities around this subject. It's not that different from people collecting old consoles and analog synths or tube radios. I know personally some guys who would go drooling bat-crazy just for looking at a fully functioning MacIntosh II.  I also know some people in these communities who fulfill the definition of "scary", for what goes on in their heads. One guy I used to chat with, had a really worrying obsession for acquiring a working Xerox Alto, the first personal computer (released in 1973), which had a mouse, Ethernet and a Graphical User Interface built into it.

But seriously, what I meant to say is that there isn't really any reason for anyone to acquire a retro gaming PC, if you're not experiencing any issues with old games on you current state of the art 64-bit PC. Don't get me wrong, I have the same enthusiasm for the top high end computers, which I naturally would use for the modern games - but... one day in the future these computers will also be considered antique, and the circle keeps on going, until we have the very first naturally evolving organic quantum computer, which can upgrade itself... "grow up", that is.

For me, it's mostly the nostalgia, part of it just enjoying working with computers and technology in general, and part of it is that it can also be challenging and educating. There is just something fascinating at looking at a 4 color screen, with only the green text and a blinking cursor, and how just loading a game to play on a pure DOS can easily take 10-15 minutes - if you're using 5" soft floppy disk drive.

5 hours ago, wolfpaw said:

That's pretty cool, do you find that everything is actually running better on older hardware and software?

That's a very good question! - The best part of running older games with a retro computer is the lack of any compatibility issues, which is great. However, as we all know, RCT3 is a very demanding game, and even when running RCT3 Platinum on the latest 64-bit system with Windows 11, and the latest top high end components, it is still quite possible to bring the hardware to its knees, without even trying too hard. It is naturally obvious that playing RCT3 on an older 32-bit computer requires the same compromises as much as it did back in 2004. I admit my own current retro rig is not really the most ideal for RCT3, and I am planning to upgrade it slightly, buy upgrading motherboard and CPU, add DDR2 memory and max it to 4Gb in dual channel, So it can use the 2Gb available in fast mode. I think also that better GPU card would be better as well, such as GeForce 8800 or better. Key here is to keep everything, hardware, drivers and O/S running as native 32-bit. I have never, not even once, run into any compatibility issue with this kind of a system running an old game - and that I think is sort of the whole point! BTW. The only issues I have ever encountered on a retro PC are always related to graphics drivers. If a game has been "optimized" for Nvidia, this means that there will be issues with ATI and Radeon graphic cards and their well known shoddy drivers causing a multitude of problems! Curiously games which have been "optimized" for ATI (such as RCT3) I have never had any issues running these games with Nvidia cards and drivers.

-I was just today testing RCT3 Platinum GOG edition on a sort of "mid-way" PC, approx. 14-year old system with 64-bit Intel i7 quad-core CPU (1st Generation) - and although it ran fine, there was a noticeable lag in loading the game and weird issues with FPS fluctuating unusually. I believe these issues could be resolved, but it would take a lot effort, which I am not convinced would be necessarily worth the time spent on it.

My own solution to most common issues related to old 32-bit games was exactly just that: To build a retro gaming PC. Mind you, that this isn't necessarily as easy to do as it sounds, and most certainly requires extensive knowledge working with older computer systems. The older the PC is, more knowledge is required is the thumb rule. I have two different retro PCs, one running 32-bit Windows XP for games released from late 90s to mid 2000s, (like RCT3), and one 1st Gen. Pentium running the last version of pure DOS for REALLY old games, although I am considering downgrading the rig into i486, because Pentium CPU does produce compatibility issues with some pure DOS games released before Windows 95, and on my mind running a DOSbox or any other virtual DOS is far from an ideal solution - although using a virtual DOS environment also offers solution to common issues with sound drivers. As a big fan of retro gaming I also have a fully working Vic 20 and C-64 for real genuine antique Commodore games!   - Can't beat "Attack of the Mutant Camels" and "Duck Shoot"!

I must say it really wasn't easy to find old components in full working order (fully working 20" 4:3 flat screen without noticeable burnouts proved to be the hardest to find!), but gradually I was able to assemble a rather nice rig, 32-bit Pentium 4 HT 2nd Gen. running steadily overclocked at 3.4 GHz, PCI-E GeForce 6800 GT 256Mb, Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE32, with 2 Gb DDR1 RAM in full dual channel mode, two 80Gb SATA1 HDDs and 500W ATX PSU running smoothly Windows XP SP3, which I keep 100% air-gapped to prevent Mickeymousesoft and OogleGoogle messing with perfectly and nicely working setup! Most of the components I found from various auction sites and thrift shops, and in total I think I spent less than 200 € (roughly 216 US Dollars). Well worth the price, and no need to worry about issues which come with modern 64-bit computers. Personally I have really come to regret getting rid of old PCs and components. I have since started actively to collect old PC components when ever I see them for sale in order to build more rigs, which I have then been able to sell at a nice profit to my great surprise to find there really IS a market for retro gaming hardware!