_FFC_
While I was'nt real pleased with their timing (doing the switch in the middle of our UO fest last night), the ServerXtreme admins did add-in CoD2 to our available game list. This means we can now flop between that and UO. I know this is a little early since not everyone here has CoD2 yet, but I wanted to have some time to get familiar with the administration of the new game and the associated AWE mod release (which is still beta at this writing).
Crow, myself and BigDaddy played a few maps of CoD2 last night. I like the environment better; more smoke/haze effects, cleaner textures for the world and models. Gameplay is mostly the same. The gun sounds are kinda wimpy...I'll have to see what can be done about that. I also need to go thru the stock maps and setup a rotation of the ones that aren't too big for our wee band.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Monday, November 28, 2005
Adding CoD2 Soon
_FFC_
Since the AWE modders have now released their beta mod for CoD2, I've gone ahead and submitted a request to our gameserver host to add CoD2 to our account. This means we can switch between the two games on occasion. I'd like to see how the gameplay and maps compare without spending a lot of time on the publics. I know some of us don't have CoD2 yet (settle down Greg...we won't shut you out, lol) but figure those of us who do can try it out this way. Besides, I know Crow is ache'n to see if he can possibly lag any more than he does today with UO. hahaha
Plus it'll give me a chance to get familiar with the admin side of things during the off-game time slots.
Don't know how long it'll take the host to process the new request. No rush in any case. And there's no extra monthly fee for having more than one game available..just the one-time $40 setup fee. Since ya'll have been so generous with donations I want to make sure you get your $ worth! Will advise when we're ready to ROCK.
Since the AWE modders have now released their beta mod for CoD2, I've gone ahead and submitted a request to our gameserver host to add CoD2 to our account. This means we can switch between the two games on occasion. I'd like to see how the gameplay and maps compare without spending a lot of time on the publics. I know some of us don't have CoD2 yet (settle down Greg...we won't shut you out, lol) but figure those of us who do can try it out this way. Besides, I know Crow is ache'n to see if he can possibly lag any more than he does today with UO. hahaha
Plus it'll give me a chance to get familiar with the admin side of things during the off-game time slots.
Don't know how long it'll take the host to process the new request. No rush in any case. And there's no extra monthly fee for having more than one game available..just the one-time $40 setup fee. Since ya'll have been so generous with donations I want to make sure you get your $ worth! Will advise when we're ready to ROCK.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Please Read! - Server IP Changed
_FFC_
IMPORTANT! - Our gameserver host has changed the IP for our server, as follows:
"Due to our company merging with another to offer more server locations I have to change your IP as we are doing maintenance work and removing all 66 block ips. Your new IP will be 64.37.120.119."
Be sure to update your shortcuts, Favorites, whatever or you won't be able to connect! I had to update a couple settings for the server-side config but have tested and things are working on the new IP. If you need help connecting, drop me an email or catch me on TeamSpeak later today...I'll be on around the usual time or earlier.
Hope everyone had/is having a great holiday weekend...cheers!
IMPORTANT! - Our gameserver host has changed the IP for our server, as follows:
"Due to our company merging with another to offer more server locations I have to change your IP as we are doing maintenance work and removing all 66 block ips. Your new IP will be 64.37.120.119."
Be sure to update your shortcuts, Favorites, whatever or you won't be able to connect! I had to update a couple settings for the server-side config but have tested and things are working on the new IP. If you need help connecting, drop me an email or catch me on TeamSpeak later today...I'll be on around the usual time or earlier.
Hope everyone had/is having a great holiday weekend...cheers!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
WOT: Part Deux
_PC_
Edit: Here is a link to some pix of the finished product!
I finished up the basics of my HTPC project that I talked about in the last post here. Hooked it up to my HDTV on Friday, and been tweak'n and learn'n thru the weekend. Man o'man, these are THE best TV accessory since the invention of the remote control! Here's a list of the features I now have working:
Now all I need to is win the Lotto so I can quit my job and have time to enjoy all this! Oh, and did I mention that other than the build costs all this is free? No subscriptions. ;=)
Related links:
http://www.snapstream.com/
http://www.byopvr.com/
http://htpcnews.com/
Edit: Here is a link to some pix of the finished product!
I finished up the basics of my HTPC project that I talked about in the last post here. Hooked it up to my HDTV on Friday, and been tweak'n and learn'n thru the weekend. Man o'man, these are THE best TV accessory since the invention of the remote control! Here's a list of the features I now have working:
- PVR - scheduling/recording Live TV is as easy as click'n a button
- Timeshift - Pause/Rewind/FastForward Live TV
- Commercials - everyone hates'em, so now I can auto-strip them from the recordings
- Music - my thousands of music files are now just a click away for hi-fi playback
- Video - our family videos (and soon DVD movies) will be cataloged for easy playback
- Weather - Click! 5 day forecast on the screen in brillant color
- Web Radio - Listen to underground stations streaming over the 'net
- DVD - playback via PowerDVD working, still hammer'n on the upconvert howto
- Movietimes - Theatrical release info including trailers & local theater showtimes
- Comics - Popular daily strip feeds (Garfield, Dilbert, etc) right there on the big screen
- System - Disk usage pie charts & system temps/fan speeds in realtime
- Web - for $30 got a wireless desktop so can surf the 'net from the couch
Now all I need to is win the Lotto so I can quit my job and have time to enjoy all this! Oh, and did I mention that other than the build costs all this is free? No subscriptions. ;=)
Related links:
http://www.snapstream.com/
http://www.byopvr.com/
http://htpcnews.com/
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Wandering OT
_PC_
Excuse me while I wander slightly off topic (ahem, it is MY blog after all ;) and talk a little about my latest project...the HTPC (codename: HoTPoCket).
Since the advent of the Xbox, and shortly thereafter the Xbox modchip, I've been enjoying the ability to stream media from my home-network to our livingroom TV/Home Theater. What does that mean exactly? It means using the Xbox combined with my TV/HT to watch downloaded video files, play music, and slideshow pictures in all their myriad formats (avi, mpg, wmv, mp3, jpg, etc). These media files "live" elsewhere on my network...the Xbox just streams them to the TV/HT. The advantage being that it's a cheap solution if you already own an Xbox...less than $50 for the modchip. Disadvantage is that there is no PVR ability, and finding the software and performing the configuration needed for the Xbox to do this magic can be daunting. The Xbox is mostly a PC but the OS is proprietary. Therefore, lots of busy hackers out there constantly twiddle'n bits to get around the OS quirks, which makes working with the result into something of a black art.
Enter the HTPC. Now you have a standard PC, usually in a HT complementary-style horizontal case, running standard Windows XP (or Linux if you have web'd feet) and standard application software. Being "just" a PC, playing media files off the network becomes a no-brainer. Add in a TV tuner card, and/or an HDTV tuner card (if your set is HD-compatible) and waalaa! you have a Tivo without the excessive cost...or as someone called it, a "Freevo". Think for a minute about the additional possiblities. Say you're watching "Baywatch" re-runs and suddenly need to lookup a phone number or some other datum off the Internet. Use the remote (or wireless keyboard) to switch over to your web browser. Want to know the weather forecast for your locale? Most HTPC media center software includes that on the menu. Telephone rings just as Pamela Anderson flounces across the beach? Eyeball the (optional) caller-id display which discreetly pops up in the corner of your TV screen. Not sure if the baby is awake in the other room? Use your remote to flip the display over to the webcam you installed in the baby's room. And the list goes on...all those cool & mystical things that PC's can do is now in your livingroom.
Another big HTPC advantage for HDTV videophiles is that now you have the means to upconvert your DVD playback from the already decent 480p (on a progressive scan player) to the mucho better 720p or 1080i resolutions. Although this is not the same as watching your DVDs in true high-definition, as current DVDs are not recorded in high definition, you will experience increased detail and color you didn't think was possible from a DVD player. Note that this works best on LCD or Plasma sets. While you can now buy upconvert DVD players, the prices are still in the $200+ range. Using an HTPC you can do this using a $20 DVD-ROM as the player and run cheap or free decrypting software. Thus my interest in the whole HTPC concept.
As I already had most of the spare parts to build another PC lying around, I ordered the few I needed (HTPC case, DVD-RW, low noise power-supply, TV tuner) and have started piecing things together. As the project progresses I'll post updates on the experience and whether or not it lives up to my expectations. So stay tuned!
Excuse me while I wander slightly off topic (ahem, it is MY blog after all ;) and talk a little about my latest project...the HTPC (codename: HoTPoCket).
Since the advent of the Xbox, and shortly thereafter the Xbox modchip, I've been enjoying the ability to stream media from my home-network to our livingroom TV/Home Theater. What does that mean exactly? It means using the Xbox combined with my TV/HT to watch downloaded video files, play music, and slideshow pictures in all their myriad formats (avi, mpg, wmv, mp3, jpg, etc). These media files "live" elsewhere on my network...the Xbox just streams them to the TV/HT. The advantage being that it's a cheap solution if you already own an Xbox...less than $50 for the modchip. Disadvantage is that there is no PVR ability, and finding the software and performing the configuration needed for the Xbox to do this magic can be daunting. The Xbox is mostly a PC but the OS is proprietary. Therefore, lots of busy hackers out there constantly twiddle'n bits to get around the OS quirks, which makes working with the result into something of a black art.
Enter the HTPC. Now you have a standard PC, usually in a HT complementary-style horizontal case, running standard Windows XP (or Linux if you have web'd feet) and standard application software. Being "just" a PC, playing media files off the network becomes a no-brainer. Add in a TV tuner card, and/or an HDTV tuner card (if your set is HD-compatible) and waalaa! you have a Tivo without the excessive cost...or as someone called it, a "Freevo". Think for a minute about the additional possiblities. Say you're watching "Baywatch" re-runs and suddenly need to lookup a phone number or some other datum off the Internet. Use the remote (or wireless keyboard) to switch over to your web browser. Want to know the weather forecast for your locale? Most HTPC media center software includes that on the menu. Telephone rings just as Pamela Anderson flounces across the beach? Eyeball the (optional) caller-id display which discreetly pops up in the corner of your TV screen. Not sure if the baby is awake in the other room? Use your remote to flip the display over to the webcam you installed in the baby's room. And the list goes on...all those cool & mystical things that PC's can do is now in your livingroom.
Another big HTPC advantage for HDTV videophiles is that now you have the means to upconvert your DVD playback from the already decent 480p (on a progressive scan player) to the mucho better 720p or 1080i resolutions. Although this is not the same as watching your DVDs in true high-definition, as current DVDs are not recorded in high definition, you will experience increased detail and color you didn't think was possible from a DVD player. Note that this works best on LCD or Plasma sets. While you can now buy upconvert DVD players, the prices are still in the $200+ range. Using an HTPC you can do this using a $20 DVD-ROM as the player and run cheap or free decrypting software. Thus my interest in the whole HTPC concept.
As I already had most of the spare parts to build another PC lying around, I ordered the few I needed (HTPC case, DVD-RW, low noise power-supply, TV tuner) and have started piecing things together. As the project progresses I'll post updates on the experience and whether or not it lives up to my expectations. So stay tuned!
News & Reviews
_PC_
Top 10 PC Games - Interesting that 8 of the 10 are RPGs...at least CoD2 made the list.
Combat Elite: WWII Paratroopers - Not into top-downers myself, but could be fun!
Wired calls for Sony boycott - Normally I love Sony, but this time they've gone too far.
QUAKE 4 Guide (PC) - Quake, what more needs to be said?
RIAA faces off with satellite radio - Is there ANYONE that the RIAA isn't pissing off yet?
And here's one for Crow: GUN - Looks like it'll be out for the PC after all.
Top 10 PC Games - Interesting that 8 of the 10 are RPGs...at least CoD2 made the list.
Combat Elite: WWII Paratroopers - Not into top-downers myself, but could be fun!
Wired calls for Sony boycott - Normally I love Sony, but this time they've gone too far.
QUAKE 4 Guide (PC) - Quake, what more needs to be said?
RIAA faces off with satellite radio - Is there ANYONE that the RIAA isn't pissing off yet?
And here's one for Crow: GUN - Looks like it'll be out for the PC after all.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
I Will F.E.A.R. No More
_PC_
I finished F.E.A.R. last night. I won't spoil the fun by describing it but do have mixed opinions on the ending...some good some bad. The second half of the game is definitely more into puzzle'n than the first (how do I get from point A to B), tho' again none are too difficult. But it was get'n a wee too repetitive for my tastes. The new weapons you find are very nice (think rockets) but I still believe the particle gun wins for best damage effect. Nothing like watching your target melt down into a blackened skeleton...that's just so 50's SF. lol
For now I'll set the game aside and concentrate on CoD2 for SP replay and online MP. But I'll drag it back out after my next PC upgrade so I can enjoy seeing what the eye-candy looks like at max settings. And that upgrade got pushed out on my schedule, as I have a few other items farther up on the priority list. My old web server is finally flak'n out on me, as you may've noticed by my site, FAQ, and so on being sporadically offline. I thought it was the latest MS Security Updates causing the BSOD crashes, but I swapped in an older GHOSTed drive and same thing...so it's hardware. Thus I'll be rebuilding that box soon..maybe this weekend. I also put in my order for the few HTPC parts I don't already have and hope to build up that unit over the turkey holiday. Will write more about that experience as it evolves.
I finished F.E.A.R. last night. I won't spoil the fun by describing it but do have mixed opinions on the ending...some good some bad. The second half of the game is definitely more into puzzle'n than the first (how do I get from point A to B), tho' again none are too difficult. But it was get'n a wee too repetitive for my tastes. The new weapons you find are very nice (think rockets) but I still believe the particle gun wins for best damage effect. Nothing like watching your target melt down into a blackened skeleton...that's just so 50's SF. lol
For now I'll set the game aside and concentrate on CoD2 for SP replay and online MP. But I'll drag it back out after my next PC upgrade so I can enjoy seeing what the eye-candy looks like at max settings. And that upgrade got pushed out on my schedule, as I have a few other items farther up on the priority list. My old web server is finally flak'n out on me, as you may've noticed by my site, FAQ, and so on being sporadically offline. I thought it was the latest MS Security Updates causing the BSOD crashes, but I swapped in an older GHOSTed drive and same thing...so it's hardware. Thus I'll be rebuilding that box soon..maybe this weekend. I also put in my order for the few HTPC parts I don't already have and hope to build up that unit over the turkey holiday. Will write more about that experience as it evolves.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Nothing To Fear But F.E.A.R. Itself
_PC_
Been play'n the SP mode of F.E.A.R. a lot lately. Man, this game just ROCKS! The environment can get a little repetitive (office, basements, rooftops..and the enemies are'nt real varied) but the detail and creepy ambience there-in keeps it interesting.
You want detail? How about magazine covers on desktops that you can actually read; I love the headline on one, "Event Horizon Found!"...any SF-Horror fan will get a chuckle from that one. Or phones with message lights that flash so you can play them back. Or blood trails leading off to....no, shouldn't tell you about that.
While there IS an element of puzzle-solving (ala Half-Life) to the game, the puzzles are pretty simple most times and not so constant that they get annoying.
The use of lighting and shadowing in the game is outstanding...often you're not sure if you saw something move or if it was just a trick of the lighting. Altho' I do find it somewhat unfair that the baddies get night-vision helmets while all you get is a recharging flashlight, which often gives away your position anyway.You can take out your targets silently with a melee move if you can sneak up behind them...which doesn't happen often. The AI is such that they are very aware of movement and your position even if stationary. And they will lean around corners, split-up and flank you, even duck behind cover and raise only their guns above cover to fire. Nor do they stay still often..always moving as they shoot, and will toss an occasional grenade to flush you. Definitely a test of your skill, patience, and QuickSave key to finish the game without cheats. But seeing one nailed to a wall or staircase by your railgun makes it all worthwhile. lol
The supernatural cut-scenes and horror effects are thrown in just enough to keep up the suspense and add to the plot. Quite a few times I've gotten a real chill as I creep around a dark corner in time to hear "something go bump in the night" and see a ghastly figure disappearing into the shadows. Of course the soundtrack plays into that with the appropiate scary sounds and music. In some ways it's like working your way through a murderous haunted house...if you can survive. In summary, if your PC has the ponies to play this game (and you do require some serious hardware to do it right), run don't walk to your nearest game source and feel the F.E.A.R. yourself!
Been play'n the SP mode of F.E.A.R. a lot lately. Man, this game just ROCKS! The environment can get a little repetitive (office, basements, rooftops..and the enemies are'nt real varied) but the detail and creepy ambience there-in keeps it interesting.
You want detail? How about magazine covers on desktops that you can actually read; I love the headline on one, "Event Horizon Found!"...any SF-Horror fan will get a chuckle from that one. Or phones with message lights that flash so you can play them back. Or blood trails leading off to....no, shouldn't tell you about that.
While there IS an element of puzzle-solving (ala Half-Life) to the game, the puzzles are pretty simple most times and not so constant that they get annoying.
The use of lighting and shadowing in the game is outstanding...often you're not sure if you saw something move or if it was just a trick of the lighting. Altho' I do find it somewhat unfair that the baddies get night-vision helmets while all you get is a recharging flashlight, which often gives away your position anyway.You can take out your targets silently with a melee move if you can sneak up behind them...which doesn't happen often. The AI is such that they are very aware of movement and your position even if stationary. And they will lean around corners, split-up and flank you, even duck behind cover and raise only their guns above cover to fire. Nor do they stay still often..always moving as they shoot, and will toss an occasional grenade to flush you. Definitely a test of your skill, patience, and QuickSave key to finish the game without cheats. But seeing one nailed to a wall or staircase by your railgun makes it all worthwhile. lol
The supernatural cut-scenes and horror effects are thrown in just enough to keep up the suspense and add to the plot. Quite a few times I've gotten a real chill as I creep around a dark corner in time to hear "something go bump in the night" and see a ghastly figure disappearing into the shadows. Of course the soundtrack plays into that with the appropiate scary sounds and music. In some ways it's like working your way through a murderous haunted house...if you can survive. In summary, if your PC has the ponies to play this game (and you do require some serious hardware to do it right), run don't walk to your nearest game source and feel the F.E.A.R. yourself!
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
PC Gaming Renaissance on the Horizon?
_PC_
PC Gaming Renaissance on the Horizon?
Major industry players plan a major push to revitalize segment.
PC Gaming Renaissance on the Horizon?
Major industry players plan a major push to revitalize segment.
Call of Duty 2 Ships Out
_Xbox_
Call of Duty 2 Ships Out
Activision gives stores a Big Red One.
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One Cinematic
Re-live the epic battle.
Call of Duty 2 Ships Out
Activision gives stores a Big Red One.
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One Cinematic
Re-live the epic battle.
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