800x600, 32-bit true color game--just how slow would it be?

[Powerless Newbie]

I want to make a game with the very best possible graphics and highest color count and resolution. However, I also see a lot of people being warned away from those 800x600 and 32-bit color. I guess my question is, just how slow is it... and what sort of specs would someone need on their PC to run that kind of game? Assume file size is not an issue because the game would be distributed on CD instead of via download.

[TerranRich]

You'd probably need at least a 1GHz processor and 256 MB of RAM to play it without any problems whatsoever, as well as no other programs running. That's just my guess, however.

[RickJ]

I've made a couple of applications (module tester, event timer)  using 800x600 and 16 bit color without any problems.  
I have a 700Mhz Celeron processor and 192MB of RAM.  I would suggest that you do some tests yourself and then let us know what you come up with.  

[computerbynar]

it goes pretty fast on computers that have come out this year. I made one, and it worked fine

[InCreator]

I don't think that would be a very good idea.
Maybe you should wait a year or so before releasing a game with such reso/color depth.
While 640x480/32-bit should be running on any machine nowadays, AGS is a bit slow engine and your choice just narrows the number of potential players down.

Are you really able do draw graphics worth such requirements on system?

[Squinky]

I have no probs playing a game like that with 750 mhz and 500 some odd ram...even with other programs running in the background...

[FlyRider]

Are there things that work in 32-bit but don't work in 16-bit?

[Theme]

alpha transparency only works with 32bit
and 32 is better if you are doing backgrounds with lots of colour and gradients

o/

[FlyRider]

I'm doing that, and when testing the game I noticed that the music skipped while changing room. I tried running the game in 16-bit mode and found that the skipping was gone. Speed was also increased. I want to have the ability to use alpha transparency though.

Isn't there another way around?

[Theme]

test this:
ctrl + alt + del to open task manager
go to the process list and find your game process there
right click with mouse define a priority higher than normal
game should run faster with this

o/

[FlyRider]

Ok, thanks, I will test that, but is there a way to make the game do that itself?

[Theme]

I don't think so 

o/

[Candle]

If you could run exe from AGS I could program a file that would doi it .
But it won't.

[Gilbert]

It may be possible if you use a plugin, but it certainly don't worth making such a plugin.

[Elliott Hird]

Bah, my computer sucks and only has 256mb of ram with an athlon xp, old stuff, it runs fine. The graphics card is only 32mb too .