Showing posts with label gaming in bangladesh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gaming in bangladesh. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

PC Gaming is Doomed | Why That's A Bad Idea

I just read the article called "PC PHOBIA - Is the PC dead as a gaming platform" written by the Gaming Wiz a while back. Decided just to add my two cents in. I've been playing games for almost the last two decades or so and I can safely claim that "I know what I am talking about". So it's console VS PC once again.

Even though I started my gaming career with a funky console called the Atari 800XL, still I can never align with consoles. This console was capable of running enhanced version of already popular games like River Raid, Moon Patrol, Pac Man, Missile Command, Gyruss, Qix etc. I really had a blast with the console, and I kind of grew up playing these games. Later on, I had a Nintento 16 bit console, and now I own PS2.

However, even after playing with consoles for so many years, I still prefer PC as a gaming platform. PC games are almost always more challenging and intriguing. Only recently real time strategy games and first person shooters are being released on consoles; previously these marvel of video games were PC exclusive. Xbox might have Gears of War or Halo, but nothing compares the satisfaction of using a keyboard+mouse combination to map movement keys to WASD and to use the mouse buttons to blast away waves of enemies; be it zombies, demons, Nazi soldiers or anything else--the satisfaction is unmatched.

I really find it retarded to play strategy games using a gamepad; or even a keyboard and mouse attached with a console. The feeling is not just the same. While on PC, I can simply pause a skirmish battle, minimize the window and reply back to the gazillion messages sent to me by my friends through MSN. I can check my emails, I can post a message or two in Facebook, and what not.

Although there are some painful moments; these comes when you've found that so and so hardware manufacture has just slashed prices for processor and graphics card whereas you just spent a fortune to upgrade your PC. The bottom line is, if you really want to enjoy gaming in this platform, you always have to be alert and informed. Downloading patches, applying cracks, installing mods, graphics update, downloading new version of directX and graphics card driver--overall it's a very engaging process. Sounds painful? Hehe, it is, to some extent. But the end result is rewarding.

On a console, a game has little or no value after you finish the single player missions once (although the Wiz touts about the Achievements and GamerScore of the Xbox 360). Few games have (had) multiplayer support, and the communities and available games are smaller as well. Well, you can always call in a friend or two for some split screen or vs action, but it's not always easy to find a friend with similar gaming interests and free time.

Although in Bangladesh internet gaming is still a far cry, but there are now a good many gaming cafes, and all of them are solely PC gaming cafes. I remember visiting a console gaming cafe in Kolabagan and playing x-box and ps2 games, but that cafe went out of business very soon.

The most irritating fact about consoles are their relative obsolescence and small life cycle. Perhaps the PS2 enjoyed the longest life cycle, ever, but few consoles live beyond 2 or 3 years. After this short life cycle, there are no new games for that particular console. However, for a PC, I can still find games that will run on my 10 year old pentium II PC. Well, yeah, definitely these are not new games, but flash, emulation and many other stuff keeps old PCs alive, but few consoles get that kind of support.

You can call me a PC fanboy, but this is my verdict--PC's rule!

Signing off for today...your friendly (new) blogger Dead_Man_Rollin.

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Friday, August 03, 2007

NFS Carbon Collector's Edition DVD Giveaway

5 lucky readers of the Gamers World Bangladesh Blog will win an NFS Carbon Collector's Edition DVD

In order to celebrate the success of our site, Gamers World Bangladesh Blog is proud to present it's NFS Carbon Collector's Edition DVD Giveaway. 5 lucky readers will get their very own copy of the Special Edition NFS Carbon DVD.

With an in-depth look at the game, scoops on cars and locations, exclusive soundtracks and behind-the-scenes documentary, and a movie trailer, this is a must-have for any NFS Carbon fan!

To be eligible to enter this contest, you must be a newsletter subscriber of our blog. Enter your email address below to get all the latest gaming news, opinions, articles and lots more delivered straight to your inbox!

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

After that, head on to this online form to register. It's as simple as that! Results will be displayed on the 31st of October 2007 and the winners will be notified by email, and the prizes delivered straight to their homes.

But before that, let's take a look at the rules:

1. Offer valid only in Bangladesh
2. You must be an email subscriber of our newsletter to be eligible to enter
3. Only one entry per person

PRIVACY POLICY:

We will never, in any way, sell, rent or lease your private information to any third party. Your email address is completely safe with us and we will only use it to send you the latest updates from our website. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter and all your personal information will be removed from our database. If you still have any enquiries, then please contact us.

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Sunday, July 29, 2007

Arcades of Dhaka City

Whatever happened to the arcades? Well, they haven't disappeared; they simply got overwhelmed by the rising number of consoles, handhelds and multiplying networked gaming zones popping up everywhere.

Hi people, I'm the newest kid on the block...err..I mean blog. While others will enlighten you mostly about new games and gaming devices, I will just talk non-sense. Well, of course it'll be gaming non-sense, but it has got nothing to do with the parental theory of gaming being a non-sense activity.

Anyways, back to arcade gaming. Back in the 80s , we were a lot younger and people used to call us confused kids. One prime entertainment activity for us was to hangout in the local arcades. See, there were good games and great gaming champions, and you could spend the entire day out there without even spending a single taka. So why wouldn't the youth flock to these 2/3 taka costing gamer's heavens?

But gone are the golden days of Shoryu Ken, Haoh Shiko Ken, Haohmaru, Ryu, Ken, Guile, Mustapha, Captain Commando, Aero Fighters and such. Now there is DOTA, NFS, Fifa, Counter Strike--the concept is similar, but the implementation is different. Previously you would join with your friends and beat up enemies. Now you join up with your friends to beat up some other friends. Nothing can be satisfying than beating the hell out of your best friend in a good 5 vs 5 defense of the ancient normal mode game as Terrorblade.

So what caused this transition? When we were flocking to the coin operated arcades of Dhaka, some rich kids still had the Segas and Nintendos in the comfort of their living rooms. But the arcade games were still more fun, and competitive. Kids from all social classes would be there. However, due to remarkable advancements in console games graphics and game play, and also due to the surfacing of PC as a viable gaming device made most coin operated arcade games to fade in to oblivion. Also, the crowd changed. More and more so called slum kids started visiting the arcades, which made some of the more sober crowd to feel further isolated. Thus most of our generation retreated to consoles and or PCs. However, we all were missing multi player gaming, and the new multi player gaming zones came to us as a savior.

More on gaming zones in the next issue.

Too bad this blog is bereaved of comments at this moment. Bad, bad spammers! I would've really liked some comments. Anyway, good bye till the next time we meet. Adios, amigos. I'll be back.

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Saturday, July 21, 2007

World Cyber Games 2007 in Bangladesh

World Cyber Games 2007 will be held at Bangladesh on the 27th-29th July. Winners go to the Grand Final at Seattle, USA for their chance to win $1 Million

World Cyber Games 2007 is here once again. Missed it last time? Or was it just that you couldn't show your top performance? No worries, you can still prove your mettle in this years Cyber Games 2007.

The World Cyber Games 2007 starts in Bangladesh at the 27th July and will continue to the 29th. It will be held at the China Friendship Convention Center near IDB. Two games have been listed this time - NFS Carbon and FIFA 07.

The winner of this year's national championship goes to the Grand Final, which will be held at Seattle, USA. If you can prove your worth against 70 other competing countries, then you might be the lucky winner of $1 Million.

Register now because only 1,200 spots are available. To register, simply send a SMS from any GrameenPhone or Djuice number with the code "nfs" or "fifa" to 3030.

To know more, log on to the official World Cyber Games Bangladesh website.

Get more up-to-date news alert by subscribing to the Gamers World Bangladesh Blog Feed/Newsletter. 

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Tuesday, July 03, 2007

What Everybody Should Know : Which will win in Bangladesh - the PS3 or the Xbox 360?


An in-depth analysis of the next-generation console wars in Bangladesh - which will win - the PS3 or the Xbox 360?

Yes, when the entire world rumbles around which of the new next-gen consoles is going to win the battle, we are PS3 and XBOX 360going to actually focus on, which console suits best for Bangladeshis. As one of the major poor nations in Southeast Asia , Bangladesh is not actually considered as a profitable region for the console giants, but that never pulled back the very enthusiastic gamers in Bangladesh. We have been playing games on  PC for years. However, the consoles are merely a new notion in Bangladesh. It is unfortunate that Bangladeshi gamers started to switch to consoles for last two years. Now, many events like PS2 gaming competitions are held in the city. It is still very new to most of the people in the country. Well, the last two years have shown quite a hasty trend of gaming in consoles.  I mean, though the PS2 and Xbox took almost more than four years to get acknowledged to the hardcore and optimistic gamers of this poor nation, the new consoles are taking away the hearts of the gamers of Bangladesh pretty quick. It’s like, since the launching of PSP, already many gamers have collected PSP, and already there is market for the handheld in Dhaka. We can easily collect PSP games, both original, and non-original, from Banani, Gulshan, Boshundhara City and Rifles Square. As the Xbox 360 is already here, and many are showing their earnest interests, it is hoped that, we will not take very long to enter the next generation of gaming than Europe. 

So, this is the best time to provide you all the information of which will be best for you to pick up, considering the amount of money you will be spending, and give you suggestion for which you should have a go-ahead. We will also be telling you, for which should you save money, if you want to play next generation games.

Playstation has earned huge popularity in Bangladesh. Partially because of its huge inventory of gaming, lower price level and Sony as a branded Asian manufacturer. But is the Playstation 3 going to serve up to the expectations?? To answer that question we will have to take a closer look. 

STEP 1: COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PS3 AND THE XBOX 360

PLAYSTATION 3 XBOX 360
Console Type Home Console Home Console
Platform PlayStation 3 Xbox 360
Gaming Type On-line and Single player * Multiplayer On-line and Single player * Multiplayer
Processor 3.2 GHz Cell 3.2 GHz Triple Core IBM PowerPC
Installed RAM 256 MB of 3200 MHz XDR 512 MB of 700 MHz GDDR3
Installed Cache Memory 512 KB 1 MB
Memory Bus Bandwidth 25.6 GB/sec 22.4 GB/sec
Display
Max. Resolution 1920X1080 1280X1080
Graphics
Graphics Processor NVIDIA RSX Custom ATI Graphics Processor
Polygons per second 75 Million 500 Million
Storage
Hard Drive Size 60 GB 20 GB, 120 GB
Optical Drive Type Blu Ray Disc (BD-ROM) DVD-ROM standard, High Definiton DVD (HD-DVD ROM) optional
Optical Drive Speed 24x (CD), 8x (DVD) 12x (DVD)
Audio
Audio Support Dolby Digital 5.1 256 Audio Channels, Dolby Digital 5.1, 3D Sound Support (64 3D Channels), Macronix 16 Bit
Audio Out Line Out, Digital Out (Optical) Connector, HDMI out x2 Multi-channel surround sound output
Technical Features
Communication Type Bluetooth, 802.11b, 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, USB 2.0
Expansion Slots SD Card, Memory Stick, Compact Flash Xbox Memory Card Slot
Wireless Capabilities 802.11b, 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g
Input/Output Ports RJ-45, 4x USB 3x USB, 2x Memory Unit Slots
DVD Movie Playback Yes Yes
Dimensions
Height 3.86in 3.27in
Depth 10.79in 10.16in
Width 12.8in 12.17in
Weight 11.02lb 7lb
Miscellaneous
External Colour Silver, Black White, Black
Release Date November 2006 December 2005

 

Now, if you look at the comparison, you will see that both of the machines are extremely powerful. In some areas, one may slim down and the other soars up, but they provide quite the same performance. There have been debates and many talks about this, because,  hey it is a battlefield.

The largest contrast between the two machines is maybe, that the PS3 is equipped with a next-gen Blue-ray DVD ROM, whether the X360 only comes with a current-gen DVD-ROM (optional HD-DVD ROM). Still, that doesn’t make the PS3 better. We will see it shortly.

STEP 2: COMPARISON OF PRICES IN BANGLADESH

Now for the most important part. The price of PS3 is minimum 500 US dollars, while the Xbox 360 is nearly 400 dollars or less. There is a cheaper edition of X360 which is lesser than this price, and the next price range for the PS3 is 600 dollars. In Bangladesh, the price of X360 is now, 40 thousand taka. Don’t freak out. Where from US you buy it for 28 thousand Bangladeshi taka, the price is almost 40 thousand because an electronic converter and a game are added here. So, the retailers are making profit of around 4 thousand here, now. However, things are about to change. It is predicted, that the price will drop within five months in Bangladesh as soon as the games are available. One reason is maybe that Microsoft is bringing the console to India in September (or November), for 20 thousand rupee. Things get easier for us then. So, it can be hoped that in the beginning of next year, we can grab a console for 32 thousand taka, or a little less or more.

Now, considering the X360’s price, the price of the PS3 can get more than 50 or 60 thousand taka in Bangladesh. You can freak out now. The consoles are almost identical. Then why is the huge price difference??

It is because of the added Blue-ray DVD in PS3. For X360, you may have to upgrade it later, adding another 200-300 dollar, but hey, you might not need it for the next four years. You can not also forget the fact that you live in Bangladesh. So, it is totally on you, whether you want to spend almost double the amount behind PS3 (not to mention, the games are more expensive for it), or you can purchase an Xbox 360. It is pretty risky to go for  a PS3, because you do not know when and will will the games available in Bangladesh run on the console or not. We can get pretty sure about the Xbox 360, because, there are games already that are being sold for 5000 taka and the pirated ones cost around 800 taka. It is still impossible for us to buy, but this is still not the time. We are trying to make the retailers come into the GAME RENTAL business like US, and it will happen. We all have to pursue the retailers, if we want to play the next generation games. With it we will be spending not more then 300- 400 taka primarily, for a week. We can rent the original games, being a member of the shops and can play new games.  So, Xbox 360 is clever decision to go for. PS3 might not see any light in this country, for next three years. If considering all this, you are thinking of buying a new PC, look at the comparison back again, and then talk. The price of a PC with such a configuration is even higher then PS3. There is also a risk, that the games might not run. The consoles assure us, that we will be playing.

STEP 3: COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE AND GAMES

Gamer TV has shown some exclusives on both of the consoles, and did let the gamers decide, if there is any difference can be noticed. I must admit, watching the exclusives, I even failed to differ them. Yes, the games provide similar performance on both consoles. “Sonic: the hedgehog” is the game that they used, in an attempt to provide some significant graphical differences. They failed.

Now if you consider the games, as a Bangladeshi, I will again go for Xbox 360. We have always been fascinated by good games that Sony has provided. Everyone loves PS2’s “Metal Gear Solid” series. Sony will be bringing the next generation of MGS, in PS3, but hey, most other games will be in X360 format, too; and also, to beat MGS4 or Devil may cry 4, there will be Gears of War and GTA 4. Yes, people, GTA 4 is coming to X360 later this year. Also many other great games are already there in X360, like G.R.A.W. or Elder scrolls 4: oblivion. Two similar GTA games like Saints Row, and Crackdown, is coming to X360, even before the PS3 launches. This is because, in US X360 has already sold 5 million copies, and that makes it a safer platform for the developers to maximise their revenue and thus profits. From next year, be sure that all the great titles will be for both platforms.

To make you sure about the visual appearance of two rival companies two biggest title, I’m providing you a screenshot from gears of war and MGS4. You decide which one looks better, or that both are almost same.

 

Gears of War Xbox 360 Screenshot

Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 Screenshot

STEP 4: THE FUTURE OF GAMING IN BANGLADESH

Now, as you have considered everything, you see that the cheapest is the X360, and it is better to go for it. Because with the huge inventory of games and even before the release of PS3, it may become the next PS2. It is because already there are many games and, by November 2006, X360 may have hundred titles in its inventory. Therefore, we suggest Xbox 360 will win the game market in Bangladesh, by next year. It is better for you to hope for an X360. As a middle class guy, I suggest, it is the best suited for me.

In Bangladesh we have always relied on alternatives. However, modding of these consoles may not be possible. If anyone claims that they have earned success in modding the consoles that may put us even into more delicate situation. The cheaper games may not work, or the modded ones may not work. Meanwhile, we loose our warranties, by modding and modded consoles are being banned from Xbox Live. Therefore, it is high time that we lure the retailers into Game rental business, and make them understand the huge profit they can gain from the high profile games of next generation. It is really lucrative. A retailer can earn back the money spend behind an original disc within two and a half months, and earn extra profit from the games by renting it. It is like, if they can rent a game for five months, they can collect double the amount that they are selling for. This business is so lucrative, that anyone can get involved into this business. University students can try investing in it too. Even, any entrepreneur can set up this rental business, and high profit can earned from it.

All the people out there, if you think that upgrading your PC is good enough then you are wrong. You will only waste your money. Come on people. If you can spend 25 thousand taka behind a PSP, or around 30 thousand taka in upgrading your PC, you can spend 30 thousand taka behind the next generation of gaming, behind these super consoles. It is ensured, that they will be providing you next-generation gaming for the next 5 years atleast. Do not forget, a merely eleven thousand taka priced PC is good enough for doing the regular works, now-a-days. The consoles are for gaming, not the PC’s.

So, talk your nearby retailer today into it, or think about investing in this business. Others try to sum up at least 30 thousand taka. You will surely be bringing home the XBOX 360very soon, the next generation of gaming. 

RELATED ARTICLES:

You Thought Wrong: Why the PS3 won't lose out in the next gen console wars

Burning Question: Has the PS3 already lost in the next-gen console wars?

7 Ways the Xbox 360 Beats the PS3

Article written by guest writer Raisul Islam
No responsibility is taken for the individual views expressed here

 

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Sunday, June 24, 2007

My Xbox 360 just took a bath!

As hard as it might be to believe, my Xbox 360 really did take a bath, although I was not responsible for it. You see, last Friday (or maybe it was before?) there was torrential rain in Dhaka city and all roads and drainage system got waterlogged (don't ask, it happens every time it rains). This time it rained so hard that water came pouring down the stairs from the roof and into our house (now that doesn't happen very often)! And it happened at night, so I didn't realise it until the next morning. And what a shock I got! My imported premium 360 was a goner for sure I thought. It was just soaked! Now how did it happen? Well, you see, my precious 360 lies on the ground in a dusty corner of my room. But luckily, I was able to recover it from it's bath.

First I unplugged all the power cords and left it to dry for an hour or two. Next I got out my mom's hairdryer and blasted every vent holes with hot air. I would have taken the console apart and dried each part individually, but, I wanted to keep the warranty sticker intact. Lucky for me, I happened to put some old newspapers under the 360 which soaked up most of the water before it could really do much harm to my console.

The next time I turned on the power, I was happily playing Project Gotham Racing 3 on my squeaky-clean X360 without a glitch. Guess it needed the bath, right? And in case if you are wondering, yes, my X360 still lies on the ground in the same exact spot. I think that I still haven't learned from my experience, that is, until the next flood comes. That's how careless I am.

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Saturday, June 23, 2007

Die hard Oblivion fan - disk error - you've just wasted 110 hours!

Ugh! That's why I hate consoles - because of their over reliance on the DVD drive and the DVDs itself. If anything goes kaput, then it's game over. Worse still is the fact that a malfunctioning DVD drive in next-gen consoles is next to impossible to replace by yourself.

Take my point for example. I'm an avid fan of the Elder Scrolls IV : oblivion. I've completed every single quest in Oblivion. But my love for Oblivion didn't stop there. I've taken great pains to set up a home network to share my internet connection, so that I could download the near 1 GB expansion pack, Shivering Isles, over my lousy 128 kbps connection (it's the fastest in Bangladesh). Trust me it wasn't a happy moment. Not only that, but I've had trouble paying for Shivering Isles because I live in Bangladesh ( and goddamned Microsoft won't accept an international Visa credit card!!). Nasty details aside, and fast forward a couple of days, I was happily exploring the wonderful realm of Sheogorath in Shivering Isles. I've spent over 110 hours in total playing Oblivion, I just can't put it down.. But it seems that I am cursed, because my woes with Oblivion didn't end there.

Recently, I'm getting an unreadavle disk error while playing Shivering Isles. It's gotten so frequent that I can't even load the goddamned game. The cause? If you play long enough on the 360, your game disk could get scratched(more at http://gamersworldbd.blogspot.com/2007/06/xbox-360-can-scratch-your-game-disks.html). My warranty period has expired so there's no option for replacing the disk. I could just buy a new one - yep, that seems the best option. But ther's just a teeny-weeny problem. I've imported my Xbox 360 and all its game from the US. So none of the pirated games available here in the whole of Bangladesh is going to work on my unmodded X360.

Looks like I will just have to travel thousands of miles to the nearest Gamestop retail outlet in the US to grab a new copy of the game. Yeah, I'll do that. I'll even go to the ends of the earth just to be able to play Oblivion again - heck, it's the only reason I bought an Xbox 360.

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Friday, June 22, 2007

Xbox 360 can scratch your game disks!

I've read about this issue a couple of times online, but I didn't find enough evidence to backup this claim. So, I dismissed it. But it seems that the Xbox 360 CAN scratch your game disks! Yep, its true. As far as you would like to avoid this unpleasant fact, the truth is that if you play your games long enough on an Xbox 360, it might end up getting scratched.

Now here's the fact. I'm a big fan of Oblivion, with playtime well over 110 hours. Recently the game just freezes up for no good reason and I receive an error message saying that the disk is unreadable. I pop out the disk and upon further inspection, find a couple of scratches on the game disk. Now, I don't know how it occured. I've always stored the game disk back into its protective case and always handled the game carefully. I never lent the game disk to any of my friends. So the most obvious culprit is my 360 and the long hours I've spent with it in Oblivion.

It seems that I'm not the only one suffering the same problem. Head online and you are bound to come across some stories similar to mine. Infact, in a recent press release, Microsoft DID say that the Xbox 360 MIGHT scratch your game disks. Not only that, but Microsoft has an offer in their support section to replace scratched Xbox 360 game disks that are published by Microsoft.

So, in the end, remember that prolonged use of a game disk in an Xbox 360 might end up getting scratched. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

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Sunday, June 17, 2007

Taxes to be imposed on computer products


It seems that tax-free computer products and peripherals are history in Bangladesh. Our caretaker government has recently decided to impose taxes on computers, peripherals and accessories in the fiscal year 2007-2008.

Although the exact rate of tax is yet to be declared, this recent decision might have some serious effects on the ICT sector in Bangladesh. With the aim of promoting growth through ICT and exporting home-made softwares, taxes could make life more complicated for these relatively new software industries in Bangladesh.

But wait. What about us consumers? It will make computers more expensive to afford in the lower and middle class groups. But will it have any serious effects on our purchasing trends? That remains to be seen.

Well, taxes or no taxes, there is no way anyone can stop me from getting a Geforce 8800 later this year.

Readers, what do you think? Do you support this or against the idea of taxes on computers. Let us know by leaving a comment.

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Saturday, June 16, 2007

Online Gaming for the least fortunate


This represents my first how-to article.




All of us Bangladeshis have known it and longed to try it out, that is, online gaming - the major step forward for video games. But every Bangladeshi knows that to attempt such a feat is a complete suicide, with net speeds in the mere single digit kilobytes per second and webpages that take forever to load, online gaming is nothing but a luxury to behold. But we've known it and seen it - the likes of World of Warcraft with over seven million subscribers, many of us have dreamed to divulge in this far-away treasure.

But take heart people! It seems that online gaming is not so far away from our grasp. Today, I will give you some advice on how to play online games even on slow net connections, right now, right here! I've had my own experiences as a successful online gamer in Bangladesh and here is what I've learned to get you up and running.



1. Turn off bandwidth zapping programs: You would be surprised at the increase in your net speeds. Turn off windows automatic updates, your antivirus/firewall updates, etc. during the time of your online play. Look for background apps that require an internet connection and give them the boot - you want to squeeze out the last frop out of your bandwidth. Just remember to turn you updates back on again!

2. Do a spyware/adware scan: No, this isn't your routine security maintenance. All of these notorious programs call back to its creator at the expense of your bandwidth. So, eliminate them!

3. Choose a server closest to you and with the least ping: While inside a game lobby, choose a server that is closest to your location. This reduces the time that it takes for the data to travel and, ultimately, reduces lag. Most games automatically clalculate the time required and displays it as "ping". So choose the game server with the lowest ping.

4. Don't play shooter/action games: Try games, such as racing and strategy, which are still playable under lag. I personally don't recommend playing fps games as lag will constantly get you fragged and pwned - no matter how good you are.

5. Play at off-peak hours: Usually this time is after midnight when more people are sleeping than surfing. So less people are on your ISP's network and, therefore, you will gain a lot of increase in speed. In a couple of times playing online at off-peak hours, lag was virtually eliminated!

6. Switch to a better ISP: It is a common fact that different ISPs provide different speeds at the same price (see my post "The Search for a better ISP" at http://gamersworldbd.blogspot.com/2006/08/search-for-good-isp-fed-up-with-worst.html). So you could get an increase in your net speed by just switching your ISP and you will still be paying the same. One ISP that I particularly recommend is Sirius Broadband. Not only do they have a dedicated gaming server for local play, but they also offer a meaty 128 kbps connection at an affordable price. Note: I was NOT paid by Sirius Broadband to write this post.

If you take care to follow these guidlines that I have mentioned, I'm sure that you will be gaming online in no time. But that also means you gotta own legal copies of your favourite games (sorry, pirated games do not work online). A good and immensely popular online game that I recommend is Savage. It is an interesting blend between strategy, action and roleplaying, so check it out at http://www.s2games.com/savage/downloads.php. And it's only 150 MB in size!

I hope this helps. Just leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out. You can also share your own tip. If you have a 360 and do make it online, then make sure to invite me to yout game. My gamercard is TUSHAR451. And happy online gaming everyone!

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Monday, October 30, 2006

CD Comapatibility Woes

This is completely nuts! None of the CDs that I buy can install without a glitch!

Well, I am writing this after the 10th time I wanted to install Fifa 2007. At the end of the installation process, I always get an error saying that CRC checking failed. For the last time, I changed the CD and tried it ONE MORE TIME.
97% complete ... 98% complete ......... 99% complete ........ ERROR MESSAGE AGAIN!

I am totally upset. Most of the CDs that I purchase will have some sort of problem, whether be it installation errors, file transfer errors or just plain scratches! Ugh! And the shopkeeper doesn't want to change the faulty discs! One time he is very friendly and the next time he won't even recognize you!

This is totally absurd. All the discs that are locally burnt in our country (NPP, AZE, etc,) are downright unprofessional - they just care about making money, not the fact that you could even install the game in the first place! The soluion to this problem? Get Malaysian CDs/DVDs. They might not be original ones or cost as much, but they are the next best thing.

They cost around 250 taka for a single DVD (the local ones cost 100-150 taka), and in my opinion, they are worth the money. All the DVDs are golden discs and I have never encountered an error with them. They also have long shelf life.

So I guess that I am going to buy Malaysian DVDs/CDs afterall. I am just upset with our local ones!

What experience did you have? Share it with our readers by leaving a comment.

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Saturday, September 02, 2006

You Thought Wrong: Why the PS3 won’t lose out in the next-gen console wars

Sony has been long enough in the console business, far more than Microsoft. So it is not going to let that crown of No.1 console slip off its head, not yet.

All of the recent discussions in forums, blogs, analysts’ reactions seems to indicate that the PS3 could lose out on the next-generation console wars. But I beg so to differ.

The main dispute seems to be with the $600 price tag (although there is a cheaper version for $500). I mean no one’s ever going to spend that much money on a console, right? Why bother 600 bucks for a PS3 when there are cheaper alternatives like the X360 or the Nintendo Wii for that matter? So you’d be thinking that no one is going to bother about it in Bangladesh, right? Well you thought WRONG!

If everyone wanted the cheapest of everything, then we wouldn’t had Mercedes or BMW’s rolling down the streets of Dhaka, or first-class flights, or the A380, or those ridiculously expensive home theatre systems for that matter! Now ask yourself. Did that price tag on the expensive T-Shirt hold you back on purchasing it? The Nintendo Gamecube is a whole lot cheaper than the PS2, but did you buy it? I don’t think so.

And besides, the extra price is for the Blu-Ray Disc reader that you’d be getting. For the X360, you have to spend around 200-300 dollars for the optional HD-DVD reader. And the launching price of anything is unreasonably high. The only ones who is going to get the console with its launching price are those who are plain stupid (and with tons of money). As time goes on, the price is surely to drop, I mean its basic Economics! Case in point: The PS2 cost around $500 as it was released in the US in 1999. But look now, you can get it for less than 200 bucks! So I am definitely sure that the price will go down.

The next seems to be about the Blu-Ray discs. It has “that” state of the art copyprotection technologies that everyone is fearing, so that pirates have a hard time cracking it. Well, it is going to take some time for pirated discs to appear. But nobody said it is not going to! And did you ever think once about what the No.1 piracy hater Microsoft is going to put in their HD-DVD discs?

The PC games that come with SecureRom, StarForce, etc. employ the toughest copy protection technologies (to date), but did that stop pirated discs from appearing? No! You can play those games just as well. And stop moaning if no-one can’t pirate your favourite PS3 game – it will save the game publishers billions of dollars in lost revenue and you can finally play it over the internet.

So in the end, Sony might win again in the console wars. My predictions are that Sony will claim the first spot, with Microsoft at second and Nintendo at third (as usual). I am no analyst here, it’s just my opinion from the years of experience I had with games and technology. But then again, this is a dog-eat-dog business, so we might even see Nintendo in the 1st spot. Yeah right, that’ll happen. When cars fly.

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Sunday, August 13, 2006

The Worst Copyright Infringement Ever

Ever since Gamers World Bangladesh started (first as a magazine and then this website) we have a few copycats on our tails. But by far, this is the worst attempt to copy our website ever!

With fame comes headaches. Recently, Gamers World Bangladesh has been a popular target for copycats. A few sites like us have sprung up (even they publish their non-professional magazine) but a recent search at Yahoo groups revealed the worst attempt, ever.

A certain Yahoo group (I am not mentioning their name), has been claiming that they have published the first ever Online Bangladeshi Games Magazine. Okay, like whatever. We all know who was the first one, right? Anyway, they were so amazed with our articles that they are collecting it and putting it up as a magazine at their forum, claiming that we(!) stole it from them! They are also blaming us about a lot of things that even I cannot relate.

Next month they are going to publish a collection of our articles saying that it was stolen from them. Way to go LOSERS!

And so pathetic they are that the whole group is devoid of real members. The owner has made a couple of Yahoo IDs and have added them to his group to boost his groups membership numbers. Even if you post a message, no real reply will come. Only the owner trying to act like a different person - and the similarities are always obvious.

Recently, he has taken matters to the extreme. Now he has turned to hacking other Yahoo accounts in order to add them to his group. He even hacked mine, once or twice. No matter how much they try, good always wins over evil.

So readers, remember. Gamers World Bangladesh is the first ever magazine (online or off) and now we are the first website in Bangladesh dedicated to games only (see Prothom-Alo). That's a lot of firsts, right?

And we have only one forum at http://forum.gamersworldbd.com/ which redirects you to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gamers-world_bd/ If you see any work(s) and/or article(s) that you think that might have been taken from Gamers World Bangladesh, then please report it immediately. We need the help of the public to battle this ongoing war against copyright infringement.

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The Search for a Good ISP

Fed up with the worst service that I came across, I decided to switch my ISP. When all hope was lost, an unbelievable offer came up - which I couldn't resist.

Yesterday, I just reached the end of my patience with my current ISP, Dtech Ltd. from whom I took a broadband connection. The speed was unbearably slow. Everything seemed to take ages to load. Trust me, it took forever. Worse still the connection would drop suddenly and I would not be able to go online for days.

After not receiving the connection for three consecutive days, I got fed up. I decided to call in tech support. There didn't seem to be any good reason for the connection to keep dropping continually. The tech support wasn't of great help either.

"We're doing the very best we can, Mr. Rahman. I will at once increase the bandwidth of your connection."

After receiving a temporary boost of about two hours or so, my connection resumed its previous state. Again. Agh. That was the last straw, I thought. I need to switch my ISP.

A search on Goolge revealed several ISPs near my home. Most of them offered more or less the same packages to home users. a 28.8 kbps shared bandwidth at 1,500 taka (the same service as I had from Dtech Ltd.). Once or twice, I even considered getting a corporate package in my home!

I feared that the end was nigh. There didn't seem to be any good ISP available in all of Dhaka city. So it was a chance of luck that I landed on www.zipbd.com Now, what they were offering to home users was unbelievable. A 128 kbps (average) shared fibre optic connection at 1,500 taka per month! Moreover, they offered other ancillary services, such as Video over IP, a gaming server (yummy) and 30 or so free videos on demand. It seemed too good to be true. I even contacted customer support to make sure that all the details were accurate!

So fast forward to today, and I have a delicious fibre optic connection pumping at more than 128 kbps. Now everything loads faster and downloads don't take forever. I do not have to wait overnight for a 1GB game demo to near completion and suffer from little or no lag while I play Battlefield 2 online. Well see you slow-pokes later, I've got a date with my Battlefield 2 clan, online.

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