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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NFS ProStreet Video Analysis | An In-depth Look

EA Blackbox has taken NFS ProStreet in a new direction - the right one. The recent NFS series have been sub par at best. While I enjoyed Most Wanted and Underground 2, but I can't say the same for Carbon.

A couple of trailers have been released. Here's what I like so far: 

1. The physics engine: The previous NFS games lacked an important element - the physics. Sure its an arcade racer but you need the rudimentary physics at the very least. No, I am not saying that turn NFS into Gran Turismo or Project Gotham Racing. What I am saying is that if I drive a car, it should feel like one and handle accordingly. I am sick of pulling off all those corners at excessively high speeds - it's plain dumb. While I don't know whether the cars handle realistically in ProStreet but I can sure say one thing - the crashes rock! Which brings me to my next point.

2. Realistic damage models: Now, the car makers won't like it, but I sure love crashing an expensive car (in videogames, that is)! EA has acquired rights to apply damage models to these licensed cars which means even more realistic damages. Gone are the days of minor scrapes and broken rearview mirrors. We're talking about body transformations that truly mimics what you'd expect if you drove a Mazda head long into a wall at 150 mph.

3. Sense of speed: The fast paced action packed races are back in NFS ProStreet. From what I saw, you really do feel like driving a fast sports car. I hope they feature motion blur this time.

4. A change of locale: What does NFS Underground, Underground 2, Most Wanted and Carbon have in common? They are all about illegal racing in cities. While it rocked in Underground and Underground 2, but the midnight racing theme is getting a bit - um, I don't know - a bit boring. So kudos to EA for making the switch to daylight locations and not making me drive in a city all again.

5. Getting rid of those cheesy cut scenes they called a story line: They might have worked in Underground and Most Wanted but Carbon was a laugh off. I barely went through them - all I want is some good old fashioned racing. But the racing girls are hear to stay (thanks!) and EA hinted that there will be some sort of persuasion to keep players going for more.

6. Smoke effects: I just love what I saw - the burning of rubber and getting to see the smoke as it fills the air. This is a new feature in the NFS franchise. Hope they handle it properly and not blow it off.

Now that's not to say that I like everything in NFS ProStreet. I was a bit disappointed with what I saw in one trailer - the way that the cars drove off the cliffs - they seemed a bit too flimsy for my likings. Anyway, don't take my word for it. Head on to Gametrailers and see them yourself. Can't wait for NFS ProStreet to release this October.

RELATED ARTICLES:

NFS heads to a new direction : PROSTREET
NFS Carbon Collector's Edition DVD Giveaway
Exclusive NFS ProStreet Screenshots

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Crysis to be released in November 2007

Crytek today announced that Crysis will be hitting retail stores in North America and Europe on November 16, 2007 exclusively for the PC. Crysis recently won Best PC game from the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2007.

“Crytek is constantly striving to push the boundaries of both game design and technology, while maintaining quality at the highest bar,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO and President of Crytek. “We’re thankful to our fans for their support and patience, and we’re excited to bring them Crysis this year. It’s going to be worth the wait.”

 In Crysis, players are outfitted with a Nanosuit and an arsenal of fully customizable weapons, giving them a wide array of options not only in approaching the game, but every objective or individual encounter.  And they will need every advantage they can get going head to head against an intelligent alien threat amid dynamic, hostile battlefields that range from tropical jungles, frozen landscapes and a zero gravity environment.

Crysis also breaks new ground in multiplayer with the introduction of PowerStruggle – a unique team-based strategic mode for up to 32 players, where opposing sides battle for control of advanced weaponry and vehicles to overcome their enemies.  For those who prefer deathmatch, Crysis will also feature an Instant Action mode, with the Nanosuit serving as the tool to outwit your opponents.

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Far Cry 2 Coming to PC in 2008

Through a brief press release, Ubisoft announced Far Cry 2, the sequel to the award-winning FPS from Crytek, who are now working on Crysis. The game is being developed by Ubisoft’s Montreal studio for release in Spring 2008 for PC.

Far Cry marked the beginning of a new era for shooters. An era of gorgeous graphics and of advanced artificial intelligence, declared John Parkes, EMEA marketing director at Ubisoft. We are confident that Far Cry 2 will have the same impact again on the FPS genre landscape.

No information on the game itself was revealed. However, a teaser website is up.

Missed the original Far Cry for PC? Get this ground breaking FPS while supplies last.

Source: DigitalBattle

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PC PHOBIA - Is the PC dead as a gaming platform?

It got me wondering. I mean, I'm not spending as much time with my PC as I used to. I admit that I find myself buying more games for my console than for PC. If a game releases on multiple platforms, I will most likely get the console version, preferable for Xbox 360. To put it in short, I mostly prefer consoles to PCs. But it got me thinking - what does the future hold for computers as a gaming platform? Are we going to accustom computers with offices and consoles with homes?

I don't blame you if you are thinking the same. I mean, the PC graphics are oh-so last-generation, even if you do own a decent gaming rig. For the half that you spend on your PC, you will most likely find a top-of-the-line next generation console. And should I start about the next-gen graphics in consoles and HDTVs? Sure, that will soon change when Direct X 10 graphics cards hits Bangladesh, but come on, are you kidding me? Is anyone willing to cough up $500 just for a graphics card when you can get the wlite Xbox 360 just for $480?

Then there isn't the hassle of ensuring that your system meets the requirements to play the game, just pop the disk inside your console and start playing - even no installation required! Unlike PCs, you don't have to constantly upgrade your consoles meaning that your "investment" won't get obsolete by the next year or just six months from now.

Besides, the analog controller in consoles is more fun to play with than a standard "keyboard and mouse" setup. Couple that with rumble and motion sensing support and you know what I mean.

Then there is the achievements in X360 and PS3 - the main reason why I bother to stick with single player games on consoles - bragging to your friends of your gamerscore is a truly satisfying experience. Now why don't we see that on PCs?

Xbox Live for 360 is, I believe, one of the greatest online multiplayer experiences avaialable at the moment. I know there is multiplayer support in Pcs, but it has to be more streamline. Games for Windows Live is nothing but a flop. Look at consoles, ther are no viruses, spywares, adwares or crashes to deal with. And now you can browse the internet with consoles!

Heck, you even get to watch DVDs/HD-DVDs/Blu-Ray discs on consoles any experience "next-generation entertainment", which is expensive to do so on computers. And then you have to ensure that all your hardware is HDCP compliant or its standard definition or even no movies at all for you!

Now don't get me wrong. I've been using PCs since way-back 1995. But something needs to be done to help promote PCs as a gaming platform. The "Games for Windows Live" and "one-click game installation" in Vista is one step forward in the right direction by Microsoft. Sure, the PC is not entirely doomed and excels in certain areas. You cannot get the fast and twitchy gunplay in consoles as in PCs. And a true RTS experience is only possible on computers. But the point is that something needs to be done for this waning platform - and SOON - because consoles are quickly catching up.

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Manhunt 2 gets "Adults Only" Rating

Earlier today, the British Board of Film Classification gave Manhunt 2 a thumbs down, banning it from sale in the UK due to its "unremitting bleakness" and "casual sadism." Now it appears the Entertainment Software Rating Board is ready to hand down its own most restrictive rating to the latest controversial offering from Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games.

A Take-Two representative told GameSpot today that the ESRB has issued an initial rating of AO for Adults Only to Manhunt 2. While not an outright ban, the rating would severely limit a game's sales potential, as most major American retailers have chosen not to carry games rated AO.


As for the reason this is only an "initial" rating, when the ESRB rates a game, it notifies the publisher 30 days prior to publicly releasing its decision. This gives publishers unhappy with ratings the chance to either modify their games and resubmit them for a second assessment, or go before the ESRB's appeals board to challenge it directly.

"We believe the process of rating video games is to help people make informed entertainment choices and not to limit them," a Take-Two representative said. "Manhunt 2 was created for mature audiences and we strongly believe it should receive an M (Mature) rating, aligning it with similar content created in other forms of media. We are exploring our options with regard to the rating of Manhunt 2."

While Take-Two doesn't agree with the idea of an AO-rated Manhunt 2, one parent watchdog group believes it's only appropriate. Earlier today, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood demanded that the ESRB give Manhunt 2 an AO rating, saying that "harmful effects of ultra-violent video games on children will be magnified by playing them on the interactive Nintendo Wii system."

The group's announcement contained a statement from Dr. Michael Rich, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital Boston, who explained, "The content of Manhunt 2 and the unique physical interaction with the Wii control combine to take [the game's simulation] a level closer to reality--we can expect that the effects of this experience will be even greater."

The group directed like-minded individuals to contact ESRB president Patricia Vance with their concerns, and Vance today issued her response.

"We have received the letter from CCFC and, while we might take issue with some of the statements made within, we sincerely appreciate their expressed concerns," Vance said. "Our ratings are intended to provide guidance that allows parents to choose games they deem suitable for their children, and that is a responsibility we take extremely seriously."

Manhunt 2 is currently slated for a July 10 release on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii.

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NFS heads to a new direction : PROSTREET

EA Blackbox is at it again. After the release of Carbon, EA has announced that another NFS series is in the works, dubbed NFS : ProStreet. With ProStreet, EA has decided to drop out its stereotypical "control the city by taking on the top dogs" setting for a more real-life experience of street racing today. Gone are the arcade type underground racings, replace by more realistic races, cars that hadnle as it should and close quarter day light courses. "We’re trying to reflect what we see the culture doing. The culture is really moving away from that bling, the neon, the fast and the furious thing; the cars that ride on trailers but don’t actually ever ride on the track.", said Black Box producer John Dyle in an interview with Gameinformer.

But the wide array of cars, and, ofcourse, the hot girls are here to stay. And so is the widely popular "Autosculpt" feature. Although there will be no "cheesy" cutscenes as in the previous games, but, EA has promised that there will be some sort of motivation to keep players pushing forward.

The main highlight of the game is the car damage system and physics. Cars now crash more realistically and with visible damages, including flipping them, rolling them and totaling them.

Sadly for gamers, the police is out of the scene in NFS Prostreet. "This year that consequence is really driven by damage. This game is about your ability to build and drive fantastically powerful cars and that’s where we wanted to keep our focus."

I'm pretty excited about NFS ProsStreet. I think the pull away from night-time arcade type racings is going to pay off. Lets just wait and see.

For more images, visit: http://www.ea.com/nfs/prostreet/media.jsp?locale=us

For the full interview with EA Blackbox producer John Dyle, head on to: http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200706/N07.0601.1611.06445.htm

For the officila trailer: http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=19790&type=mov

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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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Free and superb Gaming Magazines you don't read

These are some very good gaming magazines that you probably don't read. It contains lots of previews, witty reviews and exclusive interviews. So check them out now!

Gamerzines.com is the answer to every gamers prayer, free gaming magazines! It might be free, but they did not skimp on the quality. Each issue is jam-packed with tons of previews, reviews and exclusive interviews with game developers. What sets this apart from the competition is how they used multimedia content - beside every review and preview is a game footage and other interactive contents. Brilliant.

The quality of these zines rivals some of those print magazines. Updated on a monthly basis, gamerzines.com currently publishes five magazines, the 360zine for Xbox360 gamers, the PCGzine for PC gamers, the P3zine for playstation fans, HGzine which is for handle held gamers and last but certainly not least is the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) Zine.

Grab your copy today and you could also win a PS3, X360 or a DS for you and your friends! How sweet is that?

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Command & Conquer 3 has taken over my life!

I find myself slipping away from my studies just to write this. Why couldn't I do it in my free time you ask? Well, I was too busy playing Command & Conquer 3! C&C3 is the higly anticipated sequel to the C&C3 : Tiberian Sun released way back in 2000. The earth has been infested by an alien-like radioactive substance called Tiberium. The world's two superpowers, the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and NOD are battling it out to take control of this stuff. GDI sees Tiberium as a threat and wants to eradicate it while NOD embraces the power of the "green crystal" and is bent upon spreading it all over the globe.


C&C 3 greatly improves upon the already excellent gameplay of C&C: Tiberian Sun with over-the-top visuals, an electrifying soundtrack that keeps your adrenalin pumping and over an hour of high definition videos in between the missions to keep you pushing for more. But its strategy and that means, well, you might think its boring. But boring is hardly on your mind when you go through the game. There are thrills and surprises right through the beginning of the game.

The missions are well-varied and balanced; its challenging but not impossible.Fans of the series will notice some familiar units such as the all favourite GDI's Elite Mammoth tank, NOD's flame units and structures such as the Ion Cannon and Nod's Obelisk of Light to all new units such as Pitbulls, Predators, Scorpions and Battle Bases. The interdace has been greatly improved; everything is right where it should be and is easier to micromanage. C&C 3 is not your typical build a base and wipe off your opponents type of strategy game. To accomplish a mission, you have to be tactical; rush all your units to full-scal frontal assault and you'll get nowhere of smelling victory.

There are a couple of twists in the storline; right when you think its going to end, it start all over again. Plus there is a new third faction ( I won't spoil it for you) and an unlockable campaign. As I've said before, the missions are diverse. Your objectives will range from infiltrating the enemy base with an elite commanto to sabotage their defenses to bombarding the hell out of them with your firehawk and stealth bombers.

If you're a fan of the Command & Conquer series (an Tiberian Sun in particular) then I need not say more. I guess you're probably blowing NOD staright back to those yellow zones with your Mammoths just as I speak. And there's good news for you, and I can sum it up in two words; Kane's Back. For those whore are not familiar with the series (which I doubt), I urge you to atleast try this game; if you're a strategy fan then you'll surely not be dissapointed if not wowed. As for me, I'm getting back to a quick round of C&C before I resume my studies.

- PEACE THROUGH POWER! (KANE)

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The True Meaning of F.E.A.R

I haven't been this scared all in my life (except for the time I burned my PC!)Man, this is one frightening hell of a game!

I'm the cowardy type. I can't stay in a room alone and I also can't go to the bathroom all by myself ;) So it is unliley for me to go, purchase a shiny copy and start playing F.E.A.R. My first reactions while playing the game? Absolutely scary!

The intro is pretty gory and had me running off to the bathroom once in a while. I anxiously watched the intro and then it all started. I was dropped of all alone (oh no!) in an abondoned warehouse to investigate something. Yikes! While I am not going to spoil the game for those who have not played it, but FEAR is pretty scary.

The flashbacks to your previous life is eerie and also the sudden appearance of a defouled being, out of nowhere, on your screen and into your face!

My reactions after playing for a couple of minutes? Too scary! I haven't still got past the second level and have no intentions to do so. I can't just take it anymore!
Purchase the game, and the superb graphics and sound effects and the chilling cutscenes will make you understand the true meaning of FEAR.

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My Top 10 Favourite Games of All Time

I've played a lot of games (trust me, a-l-o-t!). So to compile them into a list of the Top 10 was a hard decision! So after a lot of thinking and tinkering, here it is!

1. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II
2. Warcraft III
3. Half Life 2
4. NFS
5. Dog's Life (PS2)
6. Jak III (PS2)
7. The Settlers V - Heritage of Kings
8. Star Wars Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy
9. Battlefield 1942
10. Sims

Make sure you leave your Top 10 favourite games list in the comment box!

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