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new video card needed

Whenever I start the game, it lets me know that I have Direct3D9 & I need to switch to Direct3D11. I am using the video on the motherboard rather than a dedicated video card. Do I have to purchase a new video card or is this a preferences switch in-game but still using my old hardware?
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  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
    Without knowing what Video Chip you're using, there is no way to tell if your video chip/card will require an upgrade.

    You should be able to look in your device manager and see what type of video card/chip you're using. If you can post that information then it will be a lot easier to answer your question.
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  • daveynydaveyny Member Posts: 8,227 Arc User
    edited December 2016
    This actually doesn't go into effect till March 1st of 2017.

    They have just recently added the warnings to the game so that folks have a heads-up about the changes coming.

    And yes you might have to upgrade to a newer vid-card by that time.

    If you know them, post your current vid-card stats in this thread...

    http://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1225790/updated-system-requirements-for-star-trek-online/p1

    ... and somebody there will let ya know if you do need an upgrade.
    B)
    STO Member since February 2009.
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    Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
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  • sagen#3662 sagen Member Posts: 454 Arc User
    Chip type is NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250
    DAC Type is Integrated RAMDAC
    4069 Mb video memory
    Direct3D accelerators enabled
    Please advise if I need a stand-alone card or will I be unable to play after March?
  • davefenestratordavefenestrator Member Posts: 10,865 Arc User
    edited December 2016
    This link says no: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/328888-33-support-direct
    Yes and no. like my hd-4870's it only supports dx10, aka Vista. I am running windows xp-pro that is limited to dx9.0c. There are windows 7 drivers for the gts 250 that support dx11. What happens is dx11 games just run with the extra dx11 features disabled. On a slower 250 that is actually a good thing. It will just run the games in either dx9.0c mode, or dx10. dx10 is poorly supported so most games are either dx9.0c or dx11. basically most games will run in dx9.0c mode.

    What is your budget? In the USA, for $115-120 you can get a GTX 1050 that is much much much much much faster than that GTS 250. If you make sure to get a normal one it does not need an extra power connector (no 6-pin connection).

    This assumes you have a motherboard from this decade that has a PCI-E slot, and that your case has room for the graphics card. Check that before buying! Also even though this is a low-power card you should have a decent 300 watt power supply.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125919&cm_re=gtx_1050-_-14-125-919-_-Product

    Other options would be something like a used nvidia 750ti

  • kodachikunokodachikuno Member Posts: 6,020 Arc User1
    I run a gtx 650ti right now, and it does STO pretty much at max tho I manually reduce certain settings. This card is pretty cheap if you're lookin for the low end, if not a nvidia gtx 1060 should keep you playing anything you like for a couple more years as long as you keep it to like 1920x1080 and one monitor
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  • davefenestratordavefenestrator Member Posts: 10,865 Arc User
    I run a gtx 650ti right now, and it does STO pretty much at max tho I manually reduce certain settings. This card is pretty cheap if you're lookin for the low end, if not a nvidia gtx 1060 should keep you playing anything you like for a couple more years as long as you keep it to like 1920x1080 and one monitor

    That's a nice card, but does require a better power supply with the extra power connectors for video cards.

    If the system is really old it might just be time to replace it all. That will cost a lot more than a used 750ti of course.
  • theraven2378theraven2378 Member Posts: 6,102 Arc User
    I'm running a Nvidia geforce gt 710 atm, quite a decent card
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    • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
      edited December 2016
      sagen#3662 wrote: »
      Chip type is NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250
      DAC Type is Integrated RAMDAC
      4069 Mb video memory
      Direct3D accelerators enabled
      Please advise if I need a stand-alone card or will I be unable to play after March?

      You will not need a new Graphics Card, no.

      You could get a performance boost by upgrading, but it is not required to keep playing STO.
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    • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
      edited December 2016
      Yeah, the GTS 250 is good enough to play STO because it is a DirectX 10 graphics card (GPU). Only DirectX 9 and Win XP support is going to be dropped.

      Having said that, if you want to use the Light 2.0 effects in the game then you will need to upgrade to a modern GPU that supports DirectX 11 since I believe DirectX 11 is a requirement to use those effects.

      DirectX 10 was kinda like an orphaned child, not many game developers adopted it for their games.
    • berginsbergins Member Posts: 3,454 Arc User
      I was a little bit perturbed today when the little window popped up warning me about Direct3D 9 and how I wasn't going to be able to play the game after March 1st. Then, I realized it was telling me to change a setting in the game, not anything on my rig.

      That's right people. Before you get too far into upgrading your computer, make sure you have the game set to run on Direct3D 11 in the Video tab of Options.
      "Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD." - Spock
    • davefenestratordavefenestrator Member Posts: 10,865 Arc User
      bergins wrote: »
      I was a little bit perturbed today when the little window popped up warning me about Direct3D 9 and how I wasn't going to be able to play the game after March 1st. Then, I realized it was telling me to change a setting in the game, not anything on my rig.

      That's right people. Before you get too far into upgrading your computer, make sure you have the game set to run on Direct3D 11 in the Video tab of Options.

      Good point, I got that warning too and I have a GTX 980ti from last year.

    • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
      edited December 2016
      jaguarskx wrote: »
      Having said that, if you want to use the Light 2.0 effects in the game then you will need to upgrade to a modern GPU that supports DirectX 11 since I believe DirectX 11 is a requirement to use those effects.

      The lighting effects are supported by Direct X 10. Direct X 11 is only available with Windows 10, so if the lighting options required Direct X 11 then they would only work for users running Windows 10. There are currently no games outside of XBox Play Anywhere games that require Direct X 11.

      What the game uses is Direct 3D 11 which is different from Direct X. Direct 3D 11 should not require most people to upgrade Video Cards, but it does require Windows 7 or newer. The pop up message telling players to upgrade Video Cards is somewhat inaccurate since the user could simply need to change settings as mentioned before. I have a GTX 1080, if I launch the game in Direct 3D 9 mode, it will pop up and tell me that my $700 graphics card needs to be upgraded. You would honestly have a very hard time finding a Video Card, even an on board chip that was made in the last 6 years that won't run Direct 3D 11. Direct 3D 11 has been in use since 2011.

      As long as the OP is running Win 7 or later, he can use all the lighting effects on his current card. The card is a little dated, but honestly should be fine for most content that STO has to offer. STO isn't all that hard on the GPU.
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    • sagen#3662 sagen Member Posts: 454 Arc User
      I can afford to get a new card. I'm concerned about the operating system as I want to keep Windows 7. Thanks for mentioning there is driver support for that OS. The GTX 1050 recommendation seems a good one. I'm running an ASUS M4A87E-T which has one PCIe x 16 slot. Do the recommended cards in this thread work with that slot? Thanks
    • sagen#3662 sagen Member Posts: 454 Arc User
      It's comforting to know that I don't have to have a new card. Thanks Seaofshadows! Will I need to grab some new drivers for the integrated video card?
    • daveynydaveyny Member Posts: 8,227 Arc User
      edited December 2016
      I've got a GeForce GT 720 in my PC and the game runs fine with just about all the settings on high.

      I'm hoping to upgrade to GTX 750 when I get my tax return in January 2017.

      B)
      STO Member since February 2009.
      I Was A Trekkie Before It Was Cool ... Sept. 8th, 1966 ... Not To Mention Before Most Folks Around Here Were Born!
      Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
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    • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
      sagen#3662 wrote: »
      It's comforting to know that I don't have to have a new card. Thanks Seaofshadows! Will I need to grab some new drivers for the integrated video card?

      While it's always a good idea to keep your video card drivers up to date, you shouldn't have to, no.

      As for the GTX 1050, it's a solid card, but I would consider going just a few bucks more on the 1050Ti. Either one is a significant upgrade. And yes, all newer cards like the GTX 1050 work in the PCI-E x16 slot. You should be able to just plug it in, install your driver and enjoy. :)
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    • buffer4buffer4 Member Posts: 15 Arc User
      I was running the game on a Gigabyte Radeon R7 260X OC 2GB video card. I just recenlty upgraded to an EVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC 4GB for $150 dollars on the Saturday after Black Friday. Right now EVGA has pretty good price on their gpu's if you looking for a new card and this game runs great on the 970.
    • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
      buffer4 wrote: »
      I was running the game on a Gigabyte Radeon R7 260X OC 2GB video card. I just recenlty upgraded to an EVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC 4GB for $150 dollars on the Saturday after Black Friday. Right now EVGA has pretty good price on their gpu's if you looking for a new card and this game runs great on the 970.

      That's a great deal, congrats!

      The GTX 970 is a stellar card, that should last quite a few years.
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    • buffer4buffer4 Member Posts: 15 Arc User
      buffer4 wrote: »
      I was running the game on a Gigabyte Radeon R7 260X OC 2GB video card. I just recenlty upgraded to an EVGA GeForce GTX 970 SSC 4GB for $150 dollars on the Saturday after Black Friday. Right now EVGA has pretty good price on their gpu's if you looking for a new card and this game runs great on the 970.

      That's a great deal, congrats!

      The GTX 970 is a stellar card, that should last quite a few years.
      Thanks, the GPU was recommended to me by my fleet mate who's running the FTW+ GTX970 from EVGA. I'm loving how much better the game is and what it's like with Lighting 2.0.
    • lordsteve1lordsteve1 Member Posts: 3,492 Arc User
      I have STO running on max settings on a GTX 750Ti OC. That's a pretty cheap card, and to be honest even if you went with a cheap version of the new 1050/1060's you'd have no issues running the game on max either.
      STO is 6 years old and doesn't do anything overly fancy in terms of graphics. Depends if you play anything else and want those games to have good settings also.
      If all you play is STO and a few oldish MMO's i'd not recommend buying a massive $200+ card as it's utterly excessive for what you need.
      Remember a super powerful card will potentially need a better power supply and it'll also need mobo that can support it plus a case with room & cooling suitable for the heat, so if you're not careful you could end up with costs spiraling out of control

      That said my card will run Skyrim on max, and GTA V pretty darned high as well, so you can go quite high in terms of settings without anything too pricey.
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    • theraven2378theraven2378 Member Posts: 6,102 Arc User
      I recommend the Nvidia Geforce GT 710, really good card and DirectX 11 compatible
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        -Lord Commander Solar Macharius
      • berginsbergins Member Posts: 3,454 Arc User
        Again, check your in game settings, make sure the game isn't set to Direct3D 9 unnecessarily.

        The pop-up window could be more helpful in this instance, as it simply tells you D3D9 will no longer be supported and you won't be able to play the game. Panic mode ensues, and they fail to mention that if you simply go in game and change one setting FROM WHAT IT WAS SET TO AS DEFAULT your issues may be over.
        "Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD." - Spock
      • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
        edited December 2016
        bergins wrote: »
        Again, check your in game settings, make sure the game isn't set to Direct3D 9 unnecessarily.

        The pop-up window could be more helpful in this instance, as it simply tells you D3D9 will no longer be supported and you won't be able to play the game. Panic mode ensues, and they fail to mention that if you simply go in game and change one setting FROM WHAT IT WAS SET TO AS DEFAULT your issues may be over.

        This is great advice, the pop up window is misleading. It automatically assumes that the problem is your video card when it could be as simple as changing one drop down box in your settings.
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      • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
        reyan01 wrote: »
        Agreed.

        I fairly recently switched from using a laptop with the Nivida GT640 to a desktop with a (3gb) Nividia GTX1060. Game looks superb on it :)

        Glad to hear you are enjoying your new PC.
      • sagen#3662 sagen Member Posts: 454 Arc User
        Thanks so much guys for the insightful advice. Since my GPU is Direct3D 10 I think the game only has settings for Direct3D 9 and 11. Would I change the settings to Direct3D 11 even if my card is Direct3D 10?
      • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
        edited December 2016
        I guess that the option will be changed so that you can selected between DirectX10 and DirectX 11. For GPUs that do not support DirectX 11, that option would be grayed out.

        Either that or the option to choose between DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 will be removed. Players with only DirectX 10 GPUs will simply not have the ability to activate Lighting 2.0
      • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
        edited December 2016
        sagen#3662 wrote: »
        Thanks so much guys for the insightful advice. Since my GPU is Direct3D 10 I think the game only has settings for Direct3D 9 and 11. Would I change the settings to Direct3D 11 even if my card is Direct3D 10?

        As I said before, you don't need a new card.

        The problem here is people are muddying things up by confusing terminology.

        Direct X is not the same as Direct 3D. These are two entirely different applications and Direct X has nothing to do with this issue.*

        The game currently offers 2 options Direct 3D 9 and Direct 3D 11. They are dropping support for Direct 3D version 9. Again, this has nothing to do with Direct X, this is not the same thing.

        While the game runs on Direct X 11, you're fine running a DX10 card. DX11 offers a few little extra options that aren't really all that significant anyway. If you run the game on a DX10 card it simply won't use the DX11 options. They are not changing the games Direct X version, if your card can run it now, you can run it in March. They are changing the Direct 3D version which is something different. The only real concern is to people running Operating Systems older then Windows 7 since Direct 3D version 11 requires Windows 7 or later.

        Again, your card is fine. You may upgrade if you wish, but it's purely optional.



        *Disclaimer: There are actually relations between Direct 3D and DirectX but they aren't relevant to this particular issue.
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      • tigerariestigeraries Member Posts: 3,492 Arc User
        edited December 2016
        sagen#3662 wrote: »
        It's comforting to know that I don't have to have a new card. Thanks Seaofshadows! Will I need to grab some new drivers for the integrated video card?

        ummm you'd need a new OS... your OS doesnt do DX10 or higher. Might just buy a new PC with Win10... it should have a better vid card or chipset than what you have now.

        edit: your using win7 so you should be fine and not get any message about dx9... is your drivers current and do you have dx11 selected? you shouldnt see that message if your set up right.
      • jaguarskxjaguarskx Member Posts: 5,945 Arc User
        edited December 2016

        The problem here is people are muddying things up by confusing terminology.

        Direct X is not the same as Direct 3D. These are two entirely different applications and Direct X has nothing to do with this issue.*

        .
        .
        .

        *Disclaimer: There are actually relations between Direct 3D and DirectX but they aren't relevant to this particular issue.

        Direct3D is a subset of DirectX. Direct3D refers specifically to the graphics portion of DirectX. Therefore, when speaking about graphics, stating "DirectX 11" is synomous with stating "Direct3D 11". When shopping around for a graphics card, if you look at the specifications it will state "DirectX" instead of "Direct3D". For example, according to the specs of the following GTX 1060 desktop GPU, it is listed as "DirectX 12" under the 3D API section, not "Direct3D 12".

        http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487261


        From a consumer / average person perspective the terms are interchangeable. From a programming prespective , yes you need to be specific if you are focusing on a specific aspect of the program.

        DirectX is basically a collection of APIs (application program interface) which includes the following:

        Direct3D
        DirectDraw
        DirectMusic
        DirectPlay
        DirectSound
      • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,919 Arc User
        edited December 2016
        jaguarskx wrote: »

        The problem here is people are muddying things up by confusing terminology.

        Direct X is not the same as Direct 3D. These are two entirely different applications and Direct X has nothing to do with this issue.*

        .
        .
        .

        *Disclaimer: There are actually relations between Direct 3D and DirectX but they aren't relevant to this particular issue.

        Direct3D is a subset of DirectX. Direct3D refers specifically to the graphics portion of DirectX. Therefore, when speaking about graphics, stating "DirectX 11" is synomous with stating "Direct3D 11". When shopping around for a graphics card, if you look at the specifications it will state "DirectX" instead of "Direct3D". For example, according to the specs of the following GTX 1060 desktop GPU, it is listed as "DirectX 12" under the 3D API section, not "Direct3D 12".

        http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487261


        From a consumer / average person perspective the terms are interchangeable. From a programming prespective , yes you need to be specific if you are focusing on a specific aspect of the program.

        DirectX is basically a collection of APIs (application program interface) which includes the following:

        Direct3D
        DirectDraw
        DirectMusic
        DirectPlay
        DirectSound

        I'm aware of all that, but using the two terms interchangeably muddies the waters. Especially in this case where the Direct 3D version is changing and not the Direct X version. The only thing that's being changed in this case is the drop in support for Direct 3D version 9, there is nothing changing with Direct X.

        I put in the 'disclaimer' because I had a feeling someone would say something like this. The fact is though that in this case it's irrelivant. The only thing that's being 'changed' is dropping support for D3D version 9. There is no change in the Direct X Version and nothing that requires most people to get a new graphics card.

        The bottom line is that the OP does not need a new graphics card. He is of course, free to upgrade if he wishes, but it's not required and won't be required for the vast majority of the games player base.
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