What sort of computer should A3 expect players to have ? Consider for a moment the following...

A1 required:
200Mhz Pentium, DirectX 7.0
Windows 98/ME
32mb ram basic, (they recommended: 64)
Graphics: matrox g200, tnt2 vanta, 3dfx voodoo /rush/2/3, ati rage 128, nvidia gforce

A2 required:
300Mhz p2 /athlon
windows 98/me/2000
64mb ram
direct X 8.0a
Graphics: 8mb video card or higher, such as voodoo 3/4/5, matrox g550
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Is that truly amazing or what ! Just consider that the concept for A1 was devised in 1999, with the release in spring 2000. Processors, graphics cards and memory have changed immensely since then. Things have improved by around 1000% in technology levels etc.
 

System Proposals

1. Broadband enabled !
A3 should be made with broadband in mind. Building an online multiplayer game that is designed to the lowest modem speed (as was the case with A1) is crazy.

2. CPU: I suggest that 2.4 Ghz is the new level to aim for.

3. Memory: 512mb as standard

4. Windows XP as standard

5. Graphics card, 128mb memory, a card that is currently 'mid-range'. The key issue is that A3 should not be built with 'onboard' (the motherboard) graphics in mind. A3 should strive to be the most dynamic and graphically superb RTS ever made.
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Some might say that these system requirements are aiming too high, but by the time A3 is made- whether its 2006/7 or even later, almost everyone will have a desktop pc that runs even faster than these 'standard' levels. With the addition of Blu-Ray DVD technology, each disk will be able to have around 20-50gig of data - which opens up the option for immensely superior graphics and general quality.