So what's the longest amount of time you have gone Bearcat without pissing and moaning about pc games? You need to find another outlet for your personal fullfillment, 'cos playing computer games just ain't working out for you.

I believe they are indicating the minimum CPU that will run the game assuming all other components are capable of running the game. I have many games that run on CPU's that are below the minimum suggested by the publisher.
Edit: In March you said "Of course it burned out, and I ended up reinstalling the original card: Nvidia GeForce2 MX/MX 400". I gave you the following advice (for a different game) and still believe it is applicable. Even if steam "lied" this card would not run that game.
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I am using this card as my reference for your card. Because it has only 128 MB of memory, this may be the cause of many of your problems. It does meet the minimum system requirements but the 128 MB will give you less than desirable performance.
I would check my installed driver date to see if it is the last version offered for this card. The last offered was Version: 93.71 WHQL Release Date: November 2, 2006.
If you right click your desktop, click Properties on the resulting dialog, click the Setting tab, click the Advanced button, click the Adaptor tab and the Properties button on that tab, click the Driver tab and see if your driver version and date are the same as the last driver released.
If not the last driver Nvidia released is available for download at this link from Nvidia.
If your driver is the latest than I would recommend that you upgrade to a better card as that, IMHO, is the cause of many of your problems. An AGP card may be hard to find but you might have a PCI slot open which will be easier to find a card for. DO NOT buy a PCI-E or PCI Express card as that will not work. Make sure you remove the AGP card if you install a new card.
I would get a minimum of 256 MB of memory with 512 MB being readily available. Amazon has a 512 MB AGP card for $45 at this link. If you have an open PCI slot you may be able to find a newer version something like this card I am not recommending these cards . . . only using them as examples of cards you could replace your current card with. Read the user reviews on any card you might buy. . . .=)
I know everyone has different circumstances, myself included, but replacing this card would be a major update for your system I believe. Your RAM might also be a good thing to look at as well. You can download a scanner tool from Crucial Memory that will tell you what kind of memory your system uses and how much you can add. The max for XP will be 4 GB. Some of the older Gateways only had 256 MB or 512 MB of RAM. Upgrading your video card and maxing out your RAM might worth thinking about and would help your system run games better as well. (There also may be a limit on how much memory you system will accept)
This is the best advice I can give you concerning your system . . .=) . . . I believe you would see a noticeable change in performance with a video card upgrade and even more if your RAM was maxed out . . . =)

And to what monster have you upgraded your computer? What is the best CPU that your EL PASO motherboard can take? What CPU did you replace your original with? What graphics card do you have now?
For me you turned into a joke when you blamed Steam for your download speed AND told another member here to go die.
Still, I am bored so this is why I type now.

Dude, you have BY FAR THE CRAPPIEST COMPUTER KNOWN TO MANKIND. Time and time again you have bitched on and on about how the fault is everywhere else but at your end.
Personally I get by far the fastest download speeds through Steam than I do anywhere else and I doubt anyone else with adequate hardware is having the same problems as you. Either upgrade or shut the fuck up.

If you have decent internet connection and the download from steam seems slow, you should consider changing the download server. It helped for me.
And michaelleung, that was the absolutely most awesome answer I've heard in a while :)

well this thread sure backfired

It's funny because it's true.

Your computer sucks. Don't blame others for the game not running. Just save up and buy a better PC.

I disagree. My laptop before my current one was made in 2004 but it could have been made in 1984. It overheats when I run Half Life, crashes under Plants vs Zombies, and it just shuts off in Call of Duty. The first one.
But at least I understood it was godawful. Bearcat probably still thinks his computer is teh pwn and it's a leet gaming rig.

It probably has something to do with Ubisoft's own online store being incorrect. Besides the fact that the title images on the pages are switched, the and [url=http://shop.ubi.com/store/ubina/en_US/pd/ThemeID.8605600/productID.180126600]second games show the same system requirements.

It's worth it because waffles taste good!

And at least it's capable of running one or two games. Bearcat must have spent more on games that don't work on his shitty computer than it would have cost him to build a proper modern gaming computer.