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BlueMage

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Posts posted by BlueMage

    New system build

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Depends on the game. I'll echo support for the 8800GT - they're a solid mid-to-high end card. If you intend for your system to be a games/multimedia rig, I'll also recommend the quad - I run a QX6700, and the system itself usually is running a media player, several instances of firefox, any number of documents and a game simultaneously. Thanks to the quad, I don't suffer crashes from deadlock.

    Keep in mind the QX6700 was the first available quad - there are at least two others on the market now, one higher spec, one entry spec.

    Puppy Wars!

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I name Puppy Linux 3.00 as my contender. Because this little guy never gives up, even on old hardware, is playful, and is Australian (yay, I'm patriotic).

    He also fits on (and boots from) a 256MB USB stick very comfortably with room for expansion.

    Any co-op games coming out?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It's because I don't live near to them. Co-op is not that great if you play with random people on the internet.

    I'll check it out!

    Edit: Naa, dood. That game was released in 1999. It's really time for something new.

    Hence why I said grab yourself the latest patches from the website - it includes a high-def texture pack, a higher-poly-models pack, etc.

    Seriously, it's worth getting - BioShock simply did not live up to what System Shock 2 started. SS2 is from the era when Looking Glass Studios still graced us with their presence.

    That said, Crysis <3

    Who keeps tracks of every game you've played?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Shoot man, I just remebered another game I am missing:

    It's an old racing game with a futuristic setting where everyone had vehicles that looked like spaceships. AND GET THIS! After most races, there would be a 3d-animated commercial of some futuristic product. Some of them were funny, such as the mechanical hand where you could lift large boulders with ease. I think that one was where the guy drops a boulder on his head.

    Another game I am missing that I remembered the name of: Whiplash

    That sounds like Cyberspeed. Man, I remember that. Fun times.

    Why I don't play PC games.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    No they don't. Auto updates that does everything for you with perfect function is not even close to the amount of updating we all had to do for PC games since the Doom days. Also, you don't need to log online for almost no console games except for something like Phantasy Star Universe. That isn't much of a point to make. So a few console games are like PC games. But with almost none of the similar hassles otherwise.

    Hassle I hear you say. What hassle? You get the patch, you click the button, and off it goes. You just have the choice about whether you install the patch or not (example, I personally prefer the unpatched version of System Shock 2). Beyond that, the only hassle I've encountered was with mods, and then, more a case of weeding the worthwhile from the piss-weak.

    I never said anything about modding. And since when was modding consoles ever a necessary experience? Never.

    Given that I find the cost of purchasing most game media ridiculous, I'm going to go out on a limb here and call it fairly necessary. Let us not forget the hassle of importing if you wish to go the purely legal path, nevermind ensuring your system is compatible with the game you imported.

    Statistically, the console problems are way overblown. Even at the worst times for the 360, the statistics were approximately at the MOST, 2% of all the millions of consoles.

    I couldn't care less - 2% of several millions is still on the order of tens of thousands - significant.

    And the vast majority of them were eligible for refund or replacement.

    Huzzah!

    Compare that to the constant problems most PCs face no matter how much you try to avoid them

    What problems? No, really, what problems? Maybe it's because I live in the magical wonderland of Australia that I'm not subjected to what PC gamers in other nations clearly are, but I'm not sure I quite understand what problems you refer to.

    my CD/DVD player exploding. Literally EXPLODING was pretty spectacular. I never came across anything like that with any consoles, ever

    Jesus fucking Christ what did you DO to that poor thing to make it do that?

    And that's not mentioning the neverending stream of viral attacks even when I'm running three virus/spam detectors at once.

    Never ending? What, you click every single .exe that comes into your inbox? This "never-ending" stream you talk about is hype - browse intelligently, sufficiently obfuscate your email, and you won't be subject to this. Common sense.

    I don't see this as any sort of bashing for PC games. It's just reality. I still lean towards console games as THE gaming systems, but I'm in no way bashing PC games. But if you're in it only to play games, it is for a fact more of a hassle than just opening a box and plugging a system in.

    Uh, yeah? Where did I ever say it wasn't more of a hassle. Pardon my geekiness, but that's always been half the fun - getting things just right. Must be my perfectionist streak at work again, but knowing I got the game running by my hand alone is significantly more satisfying than just popping it in and watching the pretty colours.

    I mean, look at it the other way, and it's for a fact that console games aren't as easy to openly modify or manipulate using a controller compared to the keyboard (not a bash on controllers since I prefer them. It's just not as complex that's all).
    Both have their pros and cons that way.

    Granted.

    And by the numbers, the vast majority of gamers steer towards console gaming for a reason. I doubt they do that because 'games are simpulrrr hurrrr'.

    I have a theory on that. You probably won't like it. Anyone who espouses the "wisdom of the masses" definitely won't like it.

    Why I don't play PC games.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    "perhaps not hardware upgrades".

    Wow. Thanks for proving ALL my points.

    I did nothing of the sort - it's not a point of contention that console hardware does not require upgrading as PC hardware does. However, the console traditionally required NO upgrades, software or otherwise, nor online activations, nor anything else of the like. Simply, this means that if anything, PCs and consoles now share a similar limitation.

    And taking 5 seconds for auto-downloading/updating patch is nothing compared to manual patching you typically SHOULD do for optimal performance for most PC patches. Console updates are inconsequential. Period.

    Bullshit. Patching a modded X360 leads to a useless X360. Hardly inconsequential. Yet some games require that update. I'm sorry, what was that about not requiring upgrades?

    Another deal with PC gaming, for me, is that you typically can't get reimbursed for software problems, troubleshoots and downloaded content. The customer support for those tends to be either horrendous or basically nonexistent. Compare that to getting a new PS3 or 360 if they have internal problems and getting it delivered back, I think that's one huge plus for console games. It's just a lot easier to insure as an actual gaming hardware.

    I'm going to point out that it seems to be a far more likely if in the case of the X360 and PS3 vs most PC hardware. And it's more the way you approach the issue of your warranty. To date, I've never been screwed over on warranty for any of my PC hardware in the long-run.

    Why I don't play PC games.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    No it doesn't. I used to pay $50 for NES games, $70-$80 for new SNES games. Didn't bat an eye. Even if it used up all my monthly allowance at the time.

    Then there is the ironclad fact that you don't need to upgrade consoles.

    Hahahaha, hahahahaha, haahaha. Never tried to play Guitar Hero 3 out of the box, did you?

    Perhaps not hardware upgrades, but this latest batch of consoles suffer all the same software upgrade limitations.

    Also keep in mind that such a proportion of games played most likely is that PC-only gamers tend to be more selective about games on the PC since the price you pay is generally higher for longer.

    O rly? I thought it was because I was a cheap bastard who is very picky about what he plays in the first place, and therefore only gets the games he really wants. Oh, and the fact that console media are the same price (or more expensive) than PC media. 120AUD for a PS3 game? Please, Ridge Racer isn't that good.

    Also, what DRM issues? I've not yet had a DRM issue. I dunno, maybe I just take good care of my rig.

    Why I don't play PC games.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On the other hand, I'm not the type of guy that plays games on a PC because of the whole "keyboard, mouse" setup. I've never been a fan for this type of control even though a lot of people say that it's the coolest setup in terms of FPS games. Also, I really don't feel like worrying over tech specs and buying more upgrades (graphics card and the like) with each game I want. I'd rather waste that money on buying the games themselves, their respective consoles, and upgrading my gaming hub with an HDTV and 7.1 surround system.

    The simple fact is that you have far greater and exacting control using the keyboard and mouse.

    From what I'm hearing these days, the PC market is really going down under because the latest games require some heavy-duty graphics/physics cards to make them run. CRYSIS bombed at retail because most people can't run the damn game...I think it needs like 5000$ worth of PC upgrades to get the most out of it. Same thing with UT3, while not as heavy as CRYSIS, it still needs a really good PC to get the most out of the game. I'd rather get a PS3 or 360 to play PC ports....it's a lot cheaper and I don't need to worry about graphic cards, installation problems, errors, and the like...even if the console ports don't look as good as the PC ones runned on high-end setups. Hell, getting consoles are a great option for PC fans these days because developers are paying more attention to please the original market. I hear that UT3 for PS3 can work with a keyboard/mouse setup and they've been recently testing the waters on MODs.
    They are testing water for mods. PC games are better off being ported to console than the other way around, however - it's easy to remove complexity, not so to introduce it.

    Also, my rig was only 3500AUD for the entire lot, and apparently we have far higher costs on electronics than in the US, so 5000USD in upgrades is a bit overkill. Unless you're intending to get a 30" screen.

    Max, for modern games, Vista is superb. I have not encountered any Vista-related problems on modern games - it's rather well-behaved regarding system notifications, hasn't crashed due to OS faults, and politely concedes RAM to the higher priority applications, all without bothering you over the details. And then, when you finish your gaming session, it returns to your usual settings.

    Why I don't play PC games.

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Now, particularly in this community, I'm sure there are a lot of you who'll balk at this stance. So, really, what is the point of gaming on a computer? Aside from the games which are exclusive to the PC platform, why would you invest in PC gaming?

    Because the PC exclusives tend towards superiority. Don't blame the game for your machine's inadequacies - you noted that you're not using the recommended card, you have none to blame but yourself.

    And for the record, I run Crysis at 1680x1050 all settings on high. Very playable. And Bigfoot, I checked - even on Low settings, Crysis looks anything but ass.

    so what do YOU want for christmas?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I don't want to go to Dubai. I want to stay home, and spend the time with my girlfriend.

    Understandably, I'm not getting what I want for Christmas this year.

    But I do get Crysis when I come back (makes me look forward to going in a way)

    Oh yes, something else I'd like for Christmas - a well-paying job in my field of study. Because I enjoyed what I studied Goddammit and I want to work in that particular field.

    whitebox laptops

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    It will eventually. But the Eee is intended at this point to run linux. It's a way of getting linux some more market exposure while simultaneously demonstrating the low spec requirements compared to a comparable Windows system.

    I've seriously toyed with the idea of getting one.

    Martial Arts

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    A retractable shiv would be pretty damn cool ... but for practical (and I guess legalistic) reasons, I'd take a telescopic high-density plastic baton. Unlikely to kill, and would work a treat against a knife-wielding opponent - a quick snap to the wrist and I disarm my opponent without risking my possibly-unshielded foot.

    As for multiple opponents, that is not something you can win by playing defensively. You need to take the initiative and not surrender it. Not as hard as it sounds, as multiple opponents simply means more possible attack opportunities. If you are going to take one of them down for purposes of aweing the rest, treat it as you would a dog-attack: Pick the biggest, meanest looking one, and you take him down with one hit. If you don't, no-one's going to be awed. They'll simply go all at once and you will get swamped.

    I'm not going to comment on the differences between traditional and modern arts - my own experience tends more towards the traditional ones, with application included, which generally would be greatly influenced by modern arts. All arts have an underlying philosophy, and it is that philosophy that will drive the techniques taught. If that philosophy is winning the fight and saving your own skin without regard for the opponent, techniques will be geared towards bodily destruction and brutal attacks - muay thai and boxing come to mind. If the philosophy is geared more towards preserving one's self while causing as little harm as possible, the techniques will hinge more on understanding the body's weakpoints and how to manipulate them. My only comment shall be, I'm pretty sure I know which one would hold up better in a legal sense.

    Martial Arts

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Uh, that was me that said it lost pretty hard.

    I'm not sure it specified, but I THINK it was Shaolin kung fu. Can't be sure about that though.

    But they measured impacts of the strongest punches and kicks and whatnot, and the kung fu guy came in last for every test, if I recall correctly. If not last, near for sure.

    Side note: that section on drunken boxing was pretty epic.

    In relation to what I was asking about, Shaolin can also be referred to as a Southern style, and is the grounding for a number of other traditional hard and soft arts (karate, aikido and shorinji kempo among them), whereas the Northern styles tended to focus more on what are commonly known as the animal styles.

    Martial Arts

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Ninjitsu really is centred around striking rapidly to vital parts of the body - the throat, the groin, the eyes and particularly along meridian lines. Now, I know that last bit sounds a bit mystical, but consider that the vital points along meridian lines have generally now been mapped to nerve clusters that, when triggered, can have adverse effects upon organs or muscle control. It's the understanding of the human body that gives most ninjitsu practitioners that fearsome skill.

    Incidentally, pretty much all serious arts are about balance, and how you can fuck someone else's up.

    Also, Flare4War, which Kung Fu were they talking about? Northern or Southern?

    Martial Arts

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Including ninjitsu. Despite what people may think, once you see what some of the people who claim to practice it can do, you'll conclude it is a very real way of fighting.

    It is real, it is effective and at the higher levels, it is scary. I trained in it for around six months when I was young, and I learnt more about practical self-defense in those six months than I did in the two years of karate prior.

    And I was doing ninjitsu long before I even knew what anime was.

    That said (and I'm wondering if this is the same thread ... looks like it) I'm still doing Shorinji Kempo. There are some pretty cool vids of it on youtube (and when watching them, I was amazed at just how awesome some of the exchanges look) and I would highly recommend it.

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