Topics

21

Media / 12 Years A Slave

« on: January 26, 2014, 04:45:59 PM »

One of the FEW I deemed an 'Oscar-worthy' movie worth my time...




PLEASE believe the hype.  ALL of it.
This is the first movie that takes an unflinching, unapologetic snapshot of American slavery in the 1840s.
The director, Steve McQueen, pulls no punches here.  This movie is brutal, and at times hard to watch.

As a black man, and a descendent of slaves, it was HARD to stay emotionally detached from this film.

Manly tears were shed.




This one's already a classic in my eyes.
Quite possibly THE finest movie made about slavery.

TOTALLY worth your 2 hrs and 13 mins.  Hide the kids though.

22

Nintendo Wii U / Miyamoto is the problem...

« on: January 25, 2014, 02:47:23 PM »

...or so the following article shockingly suggests:  http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-25-iwata-isnt-nintendos-problem-its-miyamoto


At first I was like 'nahhhhhh...he mad orr?'
...but then, as I read more and more of the article it started to make sense.

So many gamers my age cut their gaming teeth on a Nintendo console, it's hard to ignore the nostalgia factor when it comes to their 1st-party titles.  So much so, that's it's easy to look past the fact that the majority of the 'new' games are just existing franchises with new graphics and ideas.
This statement is rather telling...

I freely admit that we critics, trained so effectively to love Nintendo and judge it by its own high standards - many of us since childhood - are part of this problem

It's true...

Most of us who grew up on Super Mario and Zelda automatically decide that Nintendo can do no wrong with regard to these franchises, and will freely buy/play every new incarnation.

...and lets face it...Nintendo's titles are a hit with the kids.
You'll quicker buy a Nintendo console for a 8-year old than one of the other console, as you're sure most of the games will be family-friendly.
We've all heard the 'Nintendo is the kiddie platform' assertion in one form or another.

You have to admit, as a gamer, that Nintendo really needs some new IPs that fully utilize the WiiU, while differentiating it from the rest....and don't include the franchises that we've grown accustomed to.


What do you think?
Is Miyamoto really 'the problem'?





Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | SwiftKey | Tapatalk Pro

23

General Gaming & System Wars / Game sales are 'bad'....

« on: January 19, 2014, 11:44:10 PM »

...says this dev on his blog

I totally get where he's coming from, too.

How many times have we, as gamers, literally turned our noses up at a new title for some reason with the phrase 'meh...I'll get it in a Steam sale'?  (Looking SQUARELY at a certain member named after an anime character with a HUGE sword ).
Me?  I love a Steam sale...but I mostly look forward to discounted DLC on games that I would have purchased day-one, or even pre-ordered.

Still, it's a great way to acquire a title that you may not have wanted to buy at full price because hey, lets face it, you may not be able
to buy EVERY game you want at 50 and 60 US.  A sale is a great way to catch those titles that my be 2nd or 3rd tier on your list.

Of course, the many sales now present another conundrum, which I now refer to as 'the game collector's lament',
which basically speaks to the inability (due to time and other factors) to play every single game in your ever-growing library
of easy to obtain digital titles.  It's that very ease to simply click 'Buy' and download that has us gamers in this position.

Just this past week I purchased Darksiders 2 and it's DLC for 13 US.  Not sure when I'll get around to playing it though,
as I haven't even finished playing Darksiders 1, let alone all the OTHER games on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 that I am yet to finish.
I haven't even STARTED Infamous 2 on PS3    and Second Son is right there on the horizon.  Now that I think about it,
I haven't finished Infamous 1 either.  My backlog list is a mile long...I know.  Unfortunately...life got in the way.


The dev goes on to say in his blog that he won't be participating in any more Steam sales as an addendum to his assertions.
Some how, I think that's a bad move, but he has something to prove I guess.


What do you think?  Are game sales 'bad' for the industry, or for gamers in the long run?

24

CASES / Cooler Master Elite 110

« on: January 09, 2014, 06:15:57 AM »

Thought the 130 was small?










WOW!!!

Although I think this one might be a bit *too* small.

25

Reviews, Previews & First Looks / Strike Vector

« on: January 08, 2014, 05:36:32 AM »

I'll let the vids speak for themselves...

26

General Gaming & System Wars / Upcoming 2014 games...

« on: January 02, 2014, 02:20:18 AM »

Remember this thread?  http://www.carigamers.com/cms/forums/index.php/topic,27973.msg298224.html#msg298224

So...what games are you most looking forward to in 2014?



These are my picks, in no particular order.

Titanfall (PC)
The Division (PC)
Metal Gear Solid 5 (PS4)
Infamous: Second Son (PS4)
Driveclub (PS4)
Dying Light (PC)
Watch Dogs (PC)

*maybe* Halo 5 (Xbone)...if I actually end up buying one.  :/

27

General Gaming & System Wars / Titanfall

« on: October 27, 2013, 02:03:17 PM »

I just realised that this stellar-looking title does not have it's own thread. 

Release date has been confirmed for March 11th 2014.

Have a look at the website...you can preorder it from there...



www.titanfall.com


Of course you have to use some internet trickery to be able to access the US version of the site, or else is euros in yuh waist. 
I can confirm though, that 'Strong VPN' works...but it's not free.  The free VPNs don't seem to work on Origin-based sites anymore.


Check out the 'collectors edition'...   



I certainly wouldn't mind having one...but not at the current asking price.


berzerk sent me this torrent file which can get you a video of the Angel City E3 demo.
Be warned, it's quite large and it's only about 5 mins long, but the quality is amazing.


I'm looking forward to this one...and I WILL be pre-ordering it. 

28

Media / Non-Stop...

« on: October 20, 2013, 12:11:02 AM »

Oh.

Em.

GEE!!!




 

*adds to cart*

29

Mobile Phones & Gadgets / Surface Pro pricing

« on: September 05, 2013, 09:55:59 AM »

Topic has been split from the original thread  Nokia Lumia 1020 : 41MP! Windows Phone

Awww...you guys' defence of windows phone is so admirable...it really is.

In the middle of all that adulation...beg them to make a KitKat phone fuh we too nah? 




...and price is a MAJOR factor why Surface Pro has not sold as much as it should have.
That...and the whole Windows 8 design f*#kery.

Most people watch that, and then bought an iPad, Android tablet, or regular-ass laptop.

What M$ SHOULD have done is price the thing to aggressively compete with their biggest competition...yes those same iPads and Android tablets, and people (me included) woulda be trampling one another to get one.
Instead...they playing Apple, and feel that everybody go eat Crix for a year to own a Surface.  Bad strategy.

As nice as the Surface Pro's hardware is...there's nothing compelling about it that can drive people's decisions in the direction of wanting it.

If you and Microkia can't see that, well I hope they prepared to write off more losses.
Surface price need to come down some more...like 200 US more.

 
For a company as big as they are, full a big people wit sense,  some of their decision-making is astonishingly asinine at times.


I still want a Surface Pro, but not for that price.  Gimme a tablet/type-cover bundle for 600 US, and THEN we could have words.



Samsung Galaxy Note 2 | Omega v17 I SwiftKey | Tapatalk 4

30

Trading Grounds / Puppy wuppies

« on: September 02, 2013, 10:48:37 AM »

Last two.  Both female.

German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix

4 weeks old.   No shots yet.

1300 for the pair... 700 each.   


Who say it?





Samsung Galaxy Note 2 | Omega v17 I SwiftKey | Tapatalk 4

31

CASES / Cooler Master N200

« on: August 27, 2013, 01:50:19 AM »

Vengeance showed me this one...




My favourite case manufacturer comes through with another winner.




I was so taken with it that I INSTANTLY bought one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00COGDERY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
At that price...NOT buying it would be foolish.

My download-PC will be going into that this weekend. 
My sister's new build will get the current case.

32

Media / Fast and Furious 7

« on: August 23, 2013, 09:39:51 PM »

Well this franchise seems not to want to die...

Lets start it off with some EPIC news...  http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/24/ong-baks-tony-jaa-joins-fast-and-furious-7?abthid=52180344f6f86c2305000006   

33

Hardware, Tweaking & Networking / Evaluate your rig...

« on: July 20, 2013, 09:32:18 PM »

Someone asked me today: 'what would it cost to build a system like yours?' and I had to admit...I really didn't know.

So I set about poring over all my old Amazon invoices to see what I paid for each and every part in use in my current rig,
and what I eventually discovered shocked me.  Oh yes...nearly shocked my balls clean off.....

Core system
Cooler Master HAF-X                                                                                   -- 189.63 US
MSI X79A-GD45 8D                                                                                     -- 259.99 US
Intel Core i7 3820                                                                                      -- 299.99 US
Corsair Vengeance LP 4 x 4GB DDR3-1600                                                     -- 500.00 TT (purchased locally)
2 x EVGA GeForce GTX 770                                                                          -- 839.98 US
Cooler Master Silent Pro M 1000W                                                                -- 1500.00 TT (estimated, purchased locally)
Asus Xonar DX                                                                                           -- 80.23 US

Liquid cooling kit (including coolant)
XSPC Rasa 750 RX360                                                                                 -- 232.84 US

Fans
NZXT Sentry Mesh                                                                                      -- 24.99 US
2 x G.Skill Turbulence II FTB-3500C5-D                                                          -- 42.00 US
3 x Scythe Gentle Typhoon D1225C12B9AP-30 (120mm)                                   -- 68.85 US
NZXT FX140LB (140mm)                                                                              -- 18.99 US
BitFenix Spectre Pro BFF-LPRO-23030B-RP (230mm)                                        -- 22.95 US
Cooler Master MegaFlow R4-LUS-07AR-GP (200mm)                                         -- 13.80 US

Drives
Corsair Force Series 3 CSSD-F120GB3 (120GB)                                                -- 166.49 US
Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR240GB (240GB)                                     -- 179.99 US
2 x Western Digital WD Blue WD5000AAKS (500GB)                                        -- 110.02 US
Toshiba DT01ACA100 (1000GB)                                                                    -- 69.95 US

Peripherals
Crossover 27Q LED-P                                                                                  -- 458.00 US
Logitech G15 v2                                                                                         -- 79.99 US
Logitech G700s                                                                                          -- 95.24 US
Logitech Z5300                                                                                          -- 300.00 TT (purchased locally, used)
Razer Destructor                                                                                        -- 35.98 US
Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver                                                             -- 33.99 US
Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows                                                    -- 35.98 US
Sharkoon Xtatic Pro Real 5.1                                                                       -- 139.99 US
                                                                                                               -------------
                                                                                                                 24874.10   

Of course this doesn't include the many thousands of dollars in shipping, VAT and Customs duties.  Adding that in might push it over 30K.   



Using the above format, I'd like an idea from other members as to the current value of their complete rig...the whole shebang.  Monitor, speakers and all.

34

Reviews, Previews & First Looks / Ace Combat Infinity

« on: July 19, 2013, 11:22:06 PM »

New Ace Combat coming for the PS3 (thus far)...



http://www.gamespot.com/news/ace-combat-infinity-revealed-for-ps3-6411730

http://kotaku.com/theres-a-new-ace-combat-and-its-coming-to-the-ps3-835463845


Do I spy a Russian T-50 PAK-FA at 0.39?  I think I do.


Namco Bandai loves me.

35

Processors / Intel Skylake

« on: July 04, 2013, 02:33:27 PM »

Intel adds the Skylake 'tock' to the 14 nm Broadwell 'tick'...

Skylake would be built around a totally new 14 nm process design as an update over the Tri – gate architecture. Instead of featuring the Gen 8 GPU, Skylake would feature the latest Gen 9 integrated HD graphics along with the being the first main – stream platform to get Dual channel DDR 4 memory functionality. That being said, Haswell – E ( successor to the IVY BRIDGE – E ) and Skylake would be the only two desktop platforms with native support for DDR 4 memory from Intel and would ditch the much older DDR 3 memory support. Intel were not keen on reporting whether or not DDR 3 memory RAM would be compatible with these line – ups of processors so it seems only time holds the answer to one of the main core questions. Besides having compatibility with DDR 4 memory, Skylake would also feature PCIe 4.0 functionality which  theoretically doubles the bandwidth over PCIe 3.0.

http://www.guru3d.com/news_story/intel_skylake14nm_cpus_have_pci_express_4_ddr4_and_sata_express.html


Interesting times ahead. 

36

Ole Talk / Are you a geek or a nerd?

« on: June 27, 2013, 09:10:27 AM »

http://io9.com/the-difference-between-geeks-and-nerds-settled-by-a-ge-590379134

Read and discuss...   



I can't call it...

Based on the chart... I seem to fall right in the middle there somewhere.   





Samsung Galaxy Note 2 | Omega v16 | SwiftKey | Tapatalk 4 Beta

37

Trading Grounds / ..... for sale

« on: June 06, 2013, 06:34:05 PM »

Stay tuned...   





Samsung Galaxy Note 2 | Omega v16 | SwiftKey | Tapatalk 4 Beta

38

Software, Security, Programming and Internet / Kaspersky TDSSKiller

« on: April 16, 2013, 04:08:13 PM »

Find and eliminate any rootkits hiding on your PC...

http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/kaspersky_tdsskiller_download.html

I found 2 apps that 'behave' like a rootkit, but are safe.
If you use a lot of 3rd-party software, you might want to give this a run.

39

News / EA wins again...

« on: April 10, 2013, 04:32:01 AM »

...for the second year in a row, the 'Golden Poo' award for 'worst company in America'. 

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Consumerist-Poll-worst-Company-in-America-electronic-arts-SimCity,news-16921.html

We know why.

Not surprised one bit.

...and check Peter Moore's so-called 'apology'...  http://www.ea.com/news/we-can-do-better

But he could say that because why?  EA still laughing all the way to the bank.

40

General Gaming & System Wars / FUSE

« on: April 09, 2013, 01:59:15 AM »

New title in the works from Insomniac Games (of Resistance and Ratchet and Clank fame)...

http://www.insomniacgames.com/games/fuse/#/home








I have to admit...it does look kinda good.

4-player co-op for PS3 as well as Xbox this time.