No Flesh on Me

I recently purchased a brand new Gateway 200ARC laptop with:
Windows XP Professional
1.4M Centrino processor (1400ghz)
512mb DDR SDRAM
64mb intel extreme 2 82852/82855 GM/GME video (driver 6.14.10.3722)
9.0b DirectX, all tests successful with D3D and all
1024x768 14.1" digital 3.54 gamma correction LCD
3D supported audio (also external speakers)
AGP works, D3D works, DDraw works

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What I don't get is why I would've just spent $2100 on a top-of-the-line laptop that will play anything else I put into it. I've benchmarked and aquamarked at highest anistropy and anti-aliasing settings, high-bit textures... everything, and I never had a problem.

What's the error?
-Flesh cannot initialize!

Okay, I spent many hours christmas-eve night (got this from my brother, he got a copy too, which won't work on a qualified nvidia-carded computer). I made sure I had all the DirectX and video card drivers. Eidos support said it won't work on my video card because it lacks hardware support? Here we go, that's the problem I have. Regardless of my limited knowledge, it is not unreasonable to assume that if my video card can support absolutely everything else, there is no reason why it shouldn't support this.

Barring all my frustration, the main point is I'd like some sort of explanation of what 'flesh' (isn't it something with C++?) and why it won't work. Can I get this to work with some tweaking? (maybe something in default.ini).

Another thing to note is that on the system requirements on the box it says recommended video cards, under the RECOMMENDED column not the basic REQUIREMENTS column. It is impossible to return this item because it's been opened, well, I had no reason to believe this may not work, considering I meet/exceed the recommended requirements (except the video card, which should just be a minimum, just not one of the recommended ones).

I do recall if the video card didn't work on Deus Ex: Conspiracy, you could opt for software rendering, which wasn't as good but it still worked. I don't seem to have that option here. From what I gather from scanning these boards, nobody has that option.

I've been extremely loyal to Eidos games. Deus Ex: Conspiracy is by far the best game I've ever delved in to. I've been anticipating DX2, just waiting to see the story continue, and I really do not want to be disappointed

Much thanks to reading my long, frustrated ramblings!
Please help!

Paul Stasik (Kerith)

[thegrommit]

Originally posted by Kerith
64mb intel extreme 2 82852/82855 GM/GME video (driver 6.14.10.3722)

No offence, but the only thing "Extreme" about that graphics chip is how much of a rip-off it is. If you want to game, laptops aren't really a good choice - even if they're equipped with the latest mobile Radeon chipset.

Software rendering has gone the way of the dodo because it's impossible to achieve the same effects at the resolutions many gamers expect nowadays.

Same effects eh? I'd atleast have some effects, because then I could follow the good stories I always get from Eidos games, especially Deus Ex. Makes you wonder if people play for the game or for the graphics. Software rendered is better than not rendered at all, right?

I don't know, for a sucky card I sure seem to perform well with everything *else* I load on this computer.

Another interesting thing I noticed is that Best Buy has different system requirements on my copy of DX2 than on my brother's copy. One was purchased in Ohio, the other South Carolina... odd eh? I guess I'll have to take that up with Best Buy.

So, you didn't really help, but I'm not sure I expected anyone to, I'm venting

I guess it's back to Syberia (beautiful environment textures and anti-aliased characters!) now that I beat Omikron. Perhaps Splinter Cell will get my time.

The Frustrated Rambler,
Kerith