Your FX 5200 Video card should play any game that is currently out there including the forthcoming Half Life 2 and others coming down the pike this year. Course' if you have a computer with low power MHz and low RAM then it will not live up to your cards capabilities.
A lot of new games are coming out with DirectX 9.0b which if you don't have on your computer from other games or MS, then the game CD will have it for you to select and intall on your PC.
I do not have the Halo game, but from what I have read you should review the 'Readme' file. It tells you not to enable AA and AF in your graphic card, get the latest card drivers, and download patches.
The blue/black you are seeing happens with some of the newer games on some computers/graphic cards (including my GeForce 4 TI4600). Try to find the 'Brightness' (or Gamma) bar for adjustment, it is usually under the 'Options' in the game. Also, search around on your FX card for a lot of adjustments like
brightness/Gamma/Contrast etc.
Here are some sites to review:
{GameSpot is a CNET Networks Media Property}
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo/readers.html
Halo discussions at Gamespot:
http://forums.gamespot.com/gamespot/board?board.id=291594
Several patches to the Halo game:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo/downloads.html
PC GameSpot Forum:
http://forums.gamespot.com/gamespot/board?board.id=basic_pc
PC GamesSpor Hardware Forum:
http://forums.gamespot.com/gamespot/board?board.id=pchardware
JR
Ok here is my question/problem.
I have a GeForce FX 5200 w/256 MB of RAM (I know it isn't great) and it claims full DirectX 9.0 or better.
It will play Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (Which is a game I really didn't want, it came bundeled with something so I just installed it to see what it was) but my FX 5200 wont play Halo, I know Tomb Raider is DX9 (At least that is what i have found on tomshardware.com) So is there either a problem with my card (which I doubt since it does everything else 100%) is the version of Halo corrupt (which I again doubt since the Auto play works it loads and then just goes to I am assuming a main menu but I only see blue and black screens and hear the music, which has no distortion) so do I just need to upgrade to a better graphics card (Like a 5700 ultra or a 5900se)
or do I need to just realize a bought a screwed up game and send an email to microsoft customer service.
any ideas
PS
if the case is that I need to upgrade my graphics card does anyone have any suggestions, and will a GeForce FX 5600 Ultra work for my needs (the most advanced game I wish to play is Halo, and Half-Life 2 when it eventually goes up for sale)

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