Best game machine?

#21 I think you should adopt a try before you buy tactic. You probably won't notice much of a difference between a $3000 system and a $14K system. Why? Because when developers are developing software they keep in mind the average system that will be using it. Do you really think you are going to need 293.6 Gigs of storage space? How about we be stupid and say the production each game will take 50 gigs of space. That would mean you could be producing 5 games and have some ideas for another one on the go. I guess producing 5 games at the same time isn't to unreasonable for you?

Or maybe you are thinking of five games in the long run? Ok lets say the production cycle for each game is 1.5 years (this beastly system should be saving you some time after all). So in about 8 years you will have produced all of your games. By that time the high end computers should be at around 6 GHz and your $14k system is worth about $1.4K. Mean while the guy who bought the $3K system the same time you bought your $14K system, has upgraded his computer twice, each time with a brand spanking new $3K system. His comp now has 400 Gigs of hard drive space and and a 4Ghz processor.

Now all system specs a side, what I'm getting at here is that although it's nice to be able to throw money around it's not very efficient. Upgrading regularly will save you money in the long run rather then just trying to lump everything together all at once. You will also have a better idea of what you could produce for the common gamer.

If you have 14K just kicking around and want to spend it on a computer be my guest. But since money doesn't seem to be an object why don't you throw some money at a development team who could use it.

Alc

#22 hehe - last I saw intels roadmap to 2006 ended on a 20ghz system - I wouldnt be paying 14000 for a sytem today...not untill there's something out there that warrants the expense (Im sorry - but to go from 4k to 14k for a system I would want something with 5X the performance - not something 20...maybe 30 % faster).

There *must* be other things that cash can go to...

#23 hmm, in 6 yrs, this computer won't worth $1.4k, in fact, you are extremely lucky if you can get rid of it by giving *out* $1.4K to someone else for picking it up.

#24 this System:

Chassis: Enermax FS-1200B Server Case w/ 350W Redundant Supply
Motherboard: Tyan Thunder K7 AMD760MP w/ Ultra160 SCSI
Processor: 2 AMD Athlon MP 1.53 GHz (1800+) OEM
RAM: 4 Cosair PC-2100 1GB DDR Memory W/ECC & Register
Hard Drive: 2 Seagate Cheetah 73LP Ultra160 SCSI 73.4GB
CD/DVD: Toshiba 16X DVD ROM EIDE Drive
CDRW: Panasonic LF-D311 DVD-RAM/DVD-R Combo Keyboard: Logitech Cordless Freedom iTouch
Mouse: Logitech Cordless Mouseman Optical USB Mouse
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum EX
Graphics: Geforce 3 Ti 500
Speakers: Cambridge Soundworks Dolby Digital 5.1
OS: Windows 2000

How much can I build it for?

Under $5000

Building the "Ultimate System" Doesnt mean you have to visit the most expensive place to get it.

#25 Win 98 cannot fully utilize the ram in the system even. Is Win 98 related to Win ME in performance? Win ME did so horrid the tests compared to Win2k. I know IBM makes fine machines, a problem is they do not seem to make gaming ones. Gamers get stuck with pathetic machines.

#26 Don't waste your cash on such a pitiful machine. If you're gonna spend money, spend it on an sgi. Think about it. 8GB of ram. 4TB fibre optic raid system (don't settle for scsi, it's slow). Gigabit ethernet hooked up to your Cisco 6500(ack, there's bound to be better one's than this, I'm out of date). THE coolest graphics cards ever produced. And for a small additional fee, you can have on site (that means your home) tech support within 4 hours of anything going wrong.

Don't worry that sgi's run irix. You can toss linux on most sgi's. Then you just run WINE and you don't even have to worry about BSOD's (unless they emmulate those as well).

N.V.

#27 indeed, serious game developement houses always have some SGI boxes, especially when performance is the highest piority.

#28 I was looking at this workstation from IBM. http://commerce.www.ibm.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=2209264&cntrfnbr=197329&prmenbr=34784&cntry=840&lang=en_US
The following conifurations to machine would cost just over $24,000.

Processor: Dual Intel Itanium 800MHz processor with 2MB L3 cache, 96K Level 2 cache and 32K Level 1 cache
RAM: 4096 MB, SDRAM, ECC
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro2 Pro AGP with 64 MB Unified Memory
Sound: AC-97 Audio Integrated
Optical Drive: IBM 12X/8X/32X-12X CD-RW Drive
5.25-inch Drive Bay: IBM 12X/8X/32X-12X CD-RW Drive
3.5-inch Drive Bay: 36.4GB 10000 rpm Ultra160 SCSI Hard Drive
Internal 3.5-inch Drive Bay 1: 36.4GB 10000 rpm Ultra160 SCSI Hard Drive
Internal 3.5-inch Drive Bay 2: 36.4GB 10000 rpm Ultra160 SCSI Hard Drive
Internal 3.5-inch Drive Bay 3: 36.4GB 10000 rpm Ultra160 SCSI Hard Drive
Networking: Integrated Ethernet 10/100 Mbps
Controller: Ultra-3 160 SCSI Adapter
PCI Ultra160 SCSI Adapter
Keyboard: IBM 104-key Keyboard (Stealth Black)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
Mouse: IBM 3-button Mouse

This is not the kind of machine that will end of up in scrap antique yard years from now is it? It is even upgradable to 16GB ram.

#29 Look... common, there's really no need to spend more than a few thousand on a workstation.
On a server, sure, since this is a more static piece of equipment but not on a workstation.

If you want a good workstation, get what you need NOW and upgrade it when you need more. There will always be something better in 3 months anyway, it's the way things works.

#30 Still waiting for that punchline...

For the record, I develop 3d applications using Java and all I have is an Athlon 800, 512MB ram, 10GB IDE, and a GeForce2MX. It's most than fast enough for my work.

I've built mission-critical servers for oil refineries (MUST be up 24/7 on penalty of several hundred thousand dollars a day) that aren't as powerful as what you're suggesting.

No then, where's that punchline?

#31 As a developper bying a super-high end pc isn't good for the final product, unless your target market is super-high end pc users...
Also why dual procesors etc? why SCSI, its a 1-user pc.. not a server.... people people, if you don't even know what the difference is between all this overpriced hardware, how will you devellop a game?

btw.. I myself am using 2 computers, both very low end pc's, but for a purpose, whatever I develop almost everyone can play, and the pc's are just good enough to still be able to play the latest games, even online
these PC's are to develop on, not to use as a showcase...

#32 Throwing money around kinda defeats the indie gaming thing... If you have that much money to spend you should use it getting attention from a big company to get even more money for dev. You sound like a guy who has serious demands, don't spend your money, partner up

#33 can you say buzzword gees get a grip

#34 Although there is much controversy surrounding them now for other reasons, the Russian development house MADia made their futuristic air combat sim Echelon on no better than PII 450s with 128 Megs of RAM, TNT graphics cards, and one shared 28.8 K dial-up between them. Before you say "what can you possibly make with THAT?", take a look at what they made....graphically beautiful, only major flaw is the netcode.....

#35 --QUOTE--
Of all the computer configurations I have seen. I have not seen one more costly than SoundBlaster Platinum. I would have no problem paying $1,000 extra for a super sound card if there was one.
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Ok, you're just trying to buy a status symbol, dude. More money doesn't necessarily mean better ( linux == $0, windows == $200+ ).

For an audio solution, look into buying a DigiDesign protools/digi001 setup ( only about $700 ). You get tons of Ins/Outs and primo digital quality sound. Just run the outs to your preferred hi-fi sound system of choice.

For all the other shit, what you've listed is UNBELIEVABLY overkill. I put together my latest computer ( 1.7Ghz, 256MBram, GeForce 2MX400 ) for around $500. And it does EVERYTHING I need it to, from web development, to game development, to graphic design, to 3d modeling and rendering.

#36 In case nobody mentioned, you could buy licenses for all the software you need, a very good computer AND have some leftover cash..

#37 ha ha ha...PC "bench raceing"...it's like car 'gearheads' getting together...

"My stock $25,000 Mustang is quicker then your Plymoth Cruser"
"My friends modified Honda is quicker then your Mustang!"
"HA! My uncles Viper is quicker then any Honda!"
"But it won't beat a McLearn!"

then some bold voice speaks up....
"My $8,000 Yamaha 600cc sport bike is quicker then ALL of them...add the price of that Mustang and I could modify it so it would run a 1/4 mile quicker then that Viper could get to 60MPH!"