BLITZ! PC build

[deano7]

I am building a new MAME box because my motherboard in my old box died.  Time to try and upgrade and add some games.  I'd like to build a new compy that can play Blitz and some of the CHD games.  I have an old AGP arcadevga that I'd like to transfer over to the new computer and I'd like to use win XP 32 because I have like 10 licenses for it laying around.  Any advice for the most inexpensive processor and mobo that will let me play Blitz?  Thanks in advance.

[Dazz]

Last I heard Blitz was barely playable with a 4ghz processor.

[Malenko]

Prolly easier and better to run either pc version or dreamcast/n64 emulated version of blitz

[deano7]

Thanks for the replies. 

Well, if Blitz is off the table, then what is the sweetspot for cost/processor power for other Mame and CHD games?  Let's say I wanted to run Tekken and most other games at full speed?

[Malenko]

tricky answer. You wanna get the fastest dual core mobo/cpu you can afford that still has an AGP slot. Heard 64 bit builds run a bit faster, I'd suggest TinyXP to squeeze that much more out of your hardware.

[ragnar]

Can NFL blitz be played at all with modern hardware?  Anyone got it running?

Also, don't skimp on MOBO and memory speed.  It is amazing what fast memory can do for you.  The more on die the better!

[bpark42]

A high end pc should play blitz and tekken fine.  I am currently running an i7 920 overclocked to around 3.5 GHz.  I did quick tests on Blitz and Tekken 3...both played great.  Blitz has some sound stuttering in the startup screens, but the gameplay is solid.

That said, you may want to look to other emulators for those games.  I've heard Zinc is the way to go for the Tekken games.

[DillonFoulds]

I dunno about blitz, but gauntlet legends runs like CRAP on every machine I've tried (some pretty powerful i5 and i7's). It just sucks, all the way around.

The reason I'm commenting, is that the two games use the same basic hardware.

[jimmy2x2x]

tricky answer. You wanna get the fastest dual core mobo/cpu you can afford that still has an AGP slot. Heard 64 bit builds run a bit faster, I'd suggest TinyXP to squeeze that much more out of your hardware.

Why an AGP slot?

Is TinyXP available in 64 bit?

[deano7]

Just because I have a arcadevga AGP version and I'm broke.  I've never been able to get soft 15khz to work.

I have 10 or so licenses for Win XP Professional, but don't I need to have a special license to use XP 64 bit?     

[ragnar]

I asked some computer experts on what is the best hardware for single threaded apps.  Instead of reiterating here, go check it out:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=30368358&posted=1#post30368358

[shateredsoul]

If you just want mame.. why not try hyperspin?

In hyperspin it's not too difficult to install mame, and it's pretty easy to install a game that uses another systems.  Using these means you can install all the zinc, dreamcast, or ps1 games instead of the mame versions that don't quite work yet. Yes you'll have the sony or dreamcast logos reminding you that it's not really the arcade version.. but sometimes the home versions were better (i.e. soul calibur).