How to make Team Fortress 2 run on Not-so Powerful PCs?

[superflip96]

So, I'm redownloading Team Fortress 2 PC in hopes of using the TF2 Tweaker program, Which is said to help make it start in Direct X8 without giving me a hl2.exe error.

But, does anybody have Ideas on how to make it run even Faster?
Personally, I'm not caring about graphical appearance, More so on at least getting it playable, So if anybody has some tips, Those would be much appreciated.

If your wondering, Here are some specs you should know about my PC if you wish to help:

Memory:
RAM: 2037 Mb
Vendor: GenuineIntel
Speed: 1729 Mhz
Video Card:
Driver: Mobile Intel(R) 945 Express Chipset Family
DirectX Driver Name: igdumd32.dll
Driver Version Not Detected
DirectX Driver Version: 7.14.10.1437
Driver Date Not Detected
Desktop Color Depth: 32 bits per pixel
Monitor Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
DirectX Card: Mobile Intel(R) 945 Express Chipset Family
VendorID: 0x8086
DeviceID: 0x27a2
Number of Monitors: 1
Number of Logical Video Cards: 1
No SLI or Crossfire Detected
Primary Display Resolution: 1280 x 800
Desktop Resolution: 1280 x 800
Primary Display Size: 17.80" x 11.10" (20.94" diag)
45.2cm x 28.2cm (53.2cm diag)
Primary Bus Type Not Detected
Primary VRAM: 193 MB
Supported MSAA Modes Not Detected

 

[Blitzzo]

You might not have a whole lot of luck with a chipset like that, but you could try downloading Quantum's Little Config.

 

[akirahedgehog]

Make the resolution really low and look at the video settings menu inside TF2.

 

[superflip96]

Well, First of all.
I tried running TF2 in DirectX 8, And when the Welcome to (insert map here) screen appears, It crashes with a Windows based error saying: "hl2.exe has stopped working".

I've tinkered with the -autoconfig and launch settings so many times, But all of the possiblities led to that crash every time.
Any way I can prevent said crash? Cause google isn't doing jack for me.

 

[Bigboi]

I'm going to tell you right now.

Don't ****ing bother.

 

[akirahedgehog]

I'd have to agree with Bigboi.

 

[Bigboi]

Wow, that was a quick reply.

Anyway, if you're REALLY jonesing for some TF2, get it for the 360 if you have one. It's your only shot if you don't upgrade your PC.

 

[superflip96]

I'm going to tell you right now.

Don't bother.

That wasn't very helpful.
Besides, I dont care how crappy the game looks, I just want it to run.

 

[luis90]

You can't make it run with one of those crappy integrated video cards. Get one of the ones that cost ~50 us dollars. You have enough RAM, but you didn't list your processor speed.

 

[Bigboi]

That wasn't very helpful.
Besides, I dont care how crappy the game looks, I just want it to run.

You couldn't get it to run at a playable rate, period. Don't bother. Trust me. I've gone through plenty of **** with a similar computer.

 

[akirahedgehog]

Seriously, you'd have better luck running it on a PDP-1:

 

[Naga]

Intel integrated? Source engine? HL2.exe stopped working?

Exactly what I had when I tried Source based games on my laptop. Nothing would work. As far as I know, Intel integrated chips have compatibility issues with the Source engine: it USED to be listed on the Intel website, an "unresolved issue". Now it isn't listed - but, it's not listed as compatible, either.

But, assuming it DID work (driver update, patch, w/e) the framerate would be rockbottom.

Bigboi's not very helpful post is very helpful. TF2 is a demanding game, and an integrated chip like that has no chance of ever running it at a playable framerate. Even if you do get it running "playably" in a test server, you have got to rememebr that in a real game you're going to have a hell of a lot of spies sappin'; heavy's shooting; soldiers blowing **** up; Pyros burning **** up, etc.

For comparison, that chipset struggles on Halo: Combat Evolved.

 

[a bee]

Wow, that was a quick reply.

Anyway, if you're REALLY jonesing for some TF2, get it for the 360 if you have one. It's your only shot if you don't upgrade your PC.

The costs it gets to pull that together is not worth the lack of new maps and updates, he's better off getting a quick video card like a HD3850.

 

[Bigboi]

The costs it gets to pull that together is not worth the lack of new maps and updates, he's better off getting a quick video card like a HD3850.

He has a 360, and you can get the Orange Box 360 for criminally low prices.

 

[Shadow Hog]

I don't recommend the 360 version. It only has six maps (although they're mostly decent maps, and to be fair Dustbowl is one of them), has common hacking issues (I've seen my brother wind up in Nova Prospekt once), have none of the additional weapons, game modes or voice clips (including the lack of the Pyro's airblast ability, damningly), and apparently is never going to be updated (prove me wrong, Valve). That being said, it's better than no TF2 at all.

If you have a desktop, check what expansion ports you have on your motherboard. If you only have a PCI slot, you can PROBABLY get by with a Radeon 9250 - I've run TF2 with said card, and it's definitely not pretty, but it works. If you're lucky and have a PCI-E slot, though, do a bit of research and see if you can't get/afford a midrange-good card to toss in there. The 7600GT is outdated as hell, but if nothing else, it'll work, and work damn well.