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Matrox Parhelia Reef Demo – The Best DirectX 8 Benchmark Ever?
Dungeon Siege Tweaking Guide
 
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Midnight Club 2: XBOX
Inside Pitch 2003: XBOX
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  Thursday, Aug 1, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
Celtic Kings And Prince Of Qin Are Gold
- Posted 10:06 AM By Kagato
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Just an FYI to those of you who have heard of either title and may be looking forward to them, both Celtic Kings and Prince of Qin went gold yesterday, so look for them to start showing up at your favorite retail within the next week or two. In similar news, Battlefront Studios has announced their new title, Strategic Command : European Theater, has shipped to stores today. From the looks of it, players of the old Axis and Allies boardgame, might find it a rather intriguing game as it appears to have the same layout behind it, definately not the most graphic intensive game.
 
America's Army Patch v1.0.1b
- Posted 3:03 PM By Kagato
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While the official America's Army appears to be rather logged at the moment with users downloading the new patch, they have set up alternate links for users to visit to download the update from. You can find updates at Nvidia, GameSpy, IGN, and Gigex. Updates to the new version include:
  • The aao_patch_100to101b.exe fixes the problem some people had when trying to patch their 1.0 game and got errors of registry keys not found. If you had that problem please install this patch. This patch also replaces the original aao_patch_100to101.exe patch.
  • Corrects client and server-side flooding issues.
    -Auth server issues are cleared up now that the game server has enough time and resources to communicate scores.
  • Removes Sniper Rifle bug from random weapon selection (you need to qualify at Sniper School to use these weapons - Sniper School will be available in the next update).
  • Removes Rifle Range exploit of multiple rifles. (Players will have to requalify on the Range when the Sniper Pack is released.)
  • Obstacle course bug fixed
  • Admin Spectator Mode added: Allows admin to spectate anyone in the server.
  • Community Game Server Support added, allowing authentication of registered public servers. All servers will need to pass authentication before players can join them.
  • Dedicated Server executable added.
  • Added Official Server Classification:
    - HomeLAN/Army servers will display "RECON 1.0.1" in the top corner
    - Non-HomeLAN/Army servers that have authenticated will display "Unofficial RECON 1.0.1"
    - Servers without authentication will not allow players to join.
    - Any public server with the cheats enabled will display "(Cheats)" in the top right corner. Ex: "(Cheats) Unofficial RECON 1.0.1" ("Cheats" allow users to select any weapon they'd like, nothing more.)
  • For all notes reguarding this update, head here.
     
      Friday, Aug 2, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    mp3DirectCut v1.24
    - Posted 11:32 AM By Kagato
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    With MP3's being as household of a name as television, you can bet that are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of choices when it comes to MP3 software, both in recording and editing. But what if you don't need all the bells and whistles of a retail package? Ever wanted a utility that simply allows you to remove parts, change the volume, split files or copy regions to several new files, all without the need to convert your file back to a PCM format? Then mp3DirectCut is just what you're looking for, and best of all, it's Freeware! It is also said that there is no quality loss through any re-compressions done by the application. New to this version is:
  • Main window rewritten (style kept, new interiors)
  • Improved keyboard shortcuts
  • Editable fields for position and selection
  • Fixed a framesize calculation error on MPEG 2 Layer II
  • Check for illegal chars on split saving
  • VU meter display improved
  • Some other corrections
  • Definately worth a look if you do any type of work with MP3 files.
     
    Marvel To Have A MMOG?
    - Posted 11:43 AM By Kagato
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    It's still just a rumor at this point, but according to a little story over at the Hollywood reporter (Yahoo), Sony/Verant (you know, the folks behind EverQuest) are looking to making a massively multiplayer game based on your favorite Marvel superheroes. Word:
    Flush with the success of its MMO game "EverQuest," Sony Online Entertainment has been in negotiations with Marvel Entertainment, intent on creating an MMO universe filled with some of Marvel's 4,700 superheroes, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Daredevil, the Hulk and Blade.

    Although Korean video game publisher NCSoft is developing "City of Heroes," an unlicensed MMO that will let players create their own superheroes, Sony Online Entertainment vp marketing Scott McDaniel said an MMO coming from a Sony/Marvel partnership would have a broader appeal than the NCSoft game.

    Sony Online Entertainment also is interested in turning "The Terminator" movie franchise into an MMO and had spoken with the Wachowski brothers about an MMO based on "The Matrix" movies, though Warner Bros. Pictures eventually granted that license to game makers Monolith and Eon.
    Not sure how well a title like this would do, but could be rather intersting to say the least (for a few months anyhow).
    Source: Hollywood Reporter
     
    DOOM III At QuakeCon
    - Posted 11:54 AM By Kagato
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    Good news for those of you planning on attending the upcoming QuakeCon 2002 as id Software will be giving fans their first demostration of the upcoming DOOM III title in their DOOM III Theatre! Snip:
    MESQUITE, Texas - August 1, 2002 - id Software and Activision's DOOM III theater, which unleashed its fury at E3 2002, last May in Los Angeles, will endure a 1,000 mile journey to arrive in Mesquite, the home of id Software, in time for QuakeCon 2002. The theater will showcase a demonstration of DOOM III, a mind-searing mixture of cutting-edge graphics, design and revolutionary 5.1 sound design.

    Members of the id Software team will also host a special session, offering a guided tour of the DOOM III world and talking about the game's development. The preview at QuakeCon 2002 is a terrifying journey through over 12 minutes of gameplay running completely in-engine. This exclusive opportunity for gamers is only available to registered attendees of QuakeCon 2002. Each attendee will receive an admission ticket for the preview upon registering at the event.
    Pure Sweetness to say the least, would almost be worth going even if you weren't competing!
     
      Monday, Aug 5, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Horoscopes Gone Gaming
    - Posted 2:58 PM By Kagato
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    How many of you live by the daily teachings/messages of the stars (i.e. horoscopes)? Ever wish for something a bit more exciting than "Take charge in your customary manner", maybe something a bit more up-to-date with today's gaming environment? Then look no further than PlanetQuake's humorous take with their QuakeScopes, their Astrological Guide to Quake. I only wish I'd of found this page sooner, it's a great way to pass idle time during the day.
     
    Busting Punks in Soldier of Fortune II
    - Posted 3:08 PM By Kagato
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    With the ever-increasing amount of cheats and hacks out there for loosers to use so they can win in popular online/LAN games these days, it's good to know that some companies are actually doing something about it. Activision has announced that future patches for Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix will add PunkBuster Online Countermeasures support to help prevent some of the rampant cheating. Word:
    We are pleased to announce that Even Balance, Inc. is working on integrating PunkBuster into Soldier of Fortune® II: Double Helix © by Activision and Raven Software. We will release more details here as they become available. Any PB supporters who have specific knowledge of where to download hacks and cheats for multiplayer SOF2 should send information to research@evenbalance.com.
    I imagine this'll help quite a bit in cutting down on the cheaters, now if only some of the graphics manufacturers would stop making see-through-wall drivers to try and sell more product.
     
    Empire Earth Expansion Multiplayer Beta
    - Posted 10:02 PM By Kagato
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    Fans of Sierra's Empire Earth (heck, any Strategy game fan) should be excited to know that Sierra Entertainment has released multiplayer beta of Empire Earth: the Art of Conquest. This upcoming 3D real-time strategy expansion, in the works at Mad Doc Software, contains one multiplayer map and offers "a sneak peak at the new units and epochs to be included in the upcoming expansion pack." If you're on dial-up, you may wanna find a friend who has broadband that can just burn 'ya a copy as the download weighs in at a whopping 278MB. If Sierra's download is too backlogged, you can try some alternate download locations over at 3D Gamers.
     
      Tuesday, Aug 6, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Day of Defeat v3.1 Due Tomorrow
    - Posted 2:27 PM By Kagato
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    According to the folks over at Planet Half Life, the ever-popular Day of Defeat mod for Half Life will have a new release (version 3.1) released tomorrow (08.07.2002). Word up:
    An update for Day of Defeat (DoD), the World War II based Half-Life MOD, is set for release this Wednesday, August 7. This update adds Valve's Anti-Cheating Technology to DoD, as well as various fixes and tweaks. The Linux server files will be released Tuesday evening for download. The DoD 3.1 client update will be available via traditional download as well as through Steam. Those running the Steam beta will be updated automatically on Wednesday morning. For more information on Steam, visit www.steampowered.com.
    Weee, more hack fixes. I may just have to start playing this game again, but then again, if it's like any other hack updates, somebody will have a new way around them in a day or two *sigh*.
    Source: Planet Half Life
     
    BioWare Developing Exclusive Title for Microsoft's Xbox
    - Posted 2:35 PM By Kagato
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    Apparently not content with owning nearly the entire desktop operating system market, Microsoft is constantly striving to get developers to release Xbox only titled games (*cough* Halo *cough*) as can be seen today when Microsoft announced that they have signed a deal with BioWare to develop an exclusive first party title for the Xbox console system. Snip snip:
    BioWare is known for its extremely popular "Baldur's Gate (TM) " role-playing game (RPG) series, of which more than 4 million copies have been sold worldwide. Currently BioWare, in conjunction with LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC, is developing an RPG for the Xbox video game system titled "Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic." BioWare recently released "Neverwinter Nights (TM) ," which debuted at No. 1 in North America and remained there in its first two weeks at retail.

    "I'm very excited about this new alliance between Microsoft and BioWare," said Ed Fries, vice president of Xbox Game Content at Microsoft Game Studios. "These guys are some of the most creative developers in the world. We're looking forward to working with them to bring the creativity and great gameplay they're known for to Xbox."

    "This opportunity to work on a brand-new intellectual property owned by BioWare as a first-party Xbox developer for Microsoft is very exciting to us," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, joint CEO of BioWare.

    "Microsoft clearly shares BioWare's vision in creating first-rate games, and the team at BioWare is looking forward to working with it," said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, joint CEO of BioWare.
    As much money as they've sunk into the Xbox, I can see the need for them to try to get Xbox only titles, at the same time, it just makes me want to own one less and less (i.e. burn baby, burn!).
     
      Wednesday, Aug 7, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Dungeon Siege Update v1.1
    - Posted 12:33 PM By Kagato
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    Gas Powered Games has released the official v1.1 patch for players of their semi-recently (i.e. this year, haha) released Dungeon Siege. Weighing in at about 30MB (8MB for those upgrading from v1.09.2), the patch is available http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiege/8.asp. Users upgrading from v1.0 (clean insteall), will need to grab this update, while users who updated to v1.09.2 will need this patch. There's a whole slur of new changes, too many to list here. For a full listing of fixes and updates, click on the Read More... from below.
    Read More...
     
    Official Announcement of ATI's RADEON 9700
    - Posted 12:47 PM By Kagato
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    Nothing earth-shattering being that everyone has heard of ATI's upcoming RADEON 9700 line of cards, but just as a formality, today ATI made a formal announcement of the impending release of their new line of video cards. Some of the "features" of the new line of cards include (RADEON 9700 Pro retail that is):
  • 128MB of DDR memory
  • Dual-display configuration including VGA, DVI-I and s-video connectors with independent resolutions and refresh rates for any two connected displays
  • Fast engine (325MHz) and memory (620MHz) clock speeds
  • CATALYST™ software support including WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certified driver and HYDRAVISION™ desktop management software
  • RADEON 9700 PRO visual processing unit featuring SMARTSHADER™ 2.0, SMOOTHVISION™ 2.0, HYPER Z™ III, and VIDEOSHADER™ technologies
  • All this and more for the suggested retail price of US$399. With the prices Nvidia and ATI charge for their top-of-the-line adapters, almost makes you think about purchasing a Trident XP4 like AnandTech was discussing, doesn't it? Not that I could bring myself to buy a Trident for my main gaming machine anyhow.
     
    Neverwinter Nights Patch v1.22
    - Posted 4:37 PM By Kagato
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    If you've alrady run the 'Update' option within the NWN Launcher, you probably have already realized that Bioware has released a new patch (version 1.22) for the recently released title. There are WAY too many updates and fixes to list here, as usual, just click below on the Read More... link below. Enjoy.
    Read More...
     
    Official 30.82 Detonator Drivers Released
    - Posted 8:18 PM By Kagato
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    Just a quick note for those of you who've been trying the latest leaked versions of Nvidia's 30.xx Detonator driver series. Head to Nvidia's homepage and download the newly released 30.82 driver set for your specific OS. The Win2K/XP version wieghs in just over 10MB the Win9X/ME series is around 8MB, both are WHQL Certified as well.
     
      Thursday, Aug 8, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Day of Defeat v3.1 Release Info
    - Posted 2:20 PM By Kagato
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    In case you have not yet grabbed your copy of the new ever-popular Half Life mod Day of Defeat, what are you waiting for?! Besides including new anti-cheat protection, there's a fair amount of other updates and fixes, those being:
  • fixed textures problem in basic.wad
  • fixed para round timer not ending round on 0:00
  • fixed +Use exploit
  • added garand\carbine selection to light inf. in normal dod gameplay
  • added thompson\grease gun selection to assault inf. in normal dod gameplay
  • added k43\kar selection to light inf. in normal dod gameplay
  • took away 1 grenade from axis light inf.
  • fixed switching classes while dying sets reinforcements to 0:00
  • added K43 normal gameplay sleeve texture in coding
  • added\Edited Vgui class menus and pics
  • new Bar model tweak
  • I don't think it has yet been added to our download section, but there are over 20 linked sites on the Day of Defeat homepage so there shouldn't be much of an issue finding a viable download.
     
    IMAX Introduces New Movie Transfer Technology
    - Posted 2:32 PM By Kagato
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    Ok, so it's not really game related, but it's cool technology to say the least, not to mention, it might be an easy way to get more people back into the theater. Ever thought it'd be exciting to see your favorite movie like The Matrix or Star Wars in one of those big IMAX theaters (You know the ones, floor to ceiling screen, kicking audio, etc.)? Well, your wish may someday come true as they've announced a new technology called DMR (for "digital remastering") which allows them to digitally convert good 'ol 35mm filmes to the IMAX format without any significant loss of detail. Hmm, wonder how much it'd cost to get some pr0n transferred over to IMAX, haha.
     
    Halo 2 Announced
    - Posted 5:29 PM By Kagato
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    *SIGH* We don't even have a PC version of the first Halo and they're already making announcements for Halo 2 (Xbox only at the moment, nothing mentioned for a later PC/Mac release) due out sometime before the 2003 holiday season. Snip:
    Halo 2," a sci-fi action/first-person shooter game, is a full sequel to the best-selling original and will continue the story of the Master Chief, a genetically enhanced supersoldier who is the only man that has successfully defied the Covenant, a coalition of alien races on a murderous march toward Earth. "Halo 2" surpasses its predecessor both in graphical beauty and combat intensity. The Master Chief and his marine allies return to battle the full complement of Covenant forces, as well as new enemies who have not yet revealed themselves. "Halo 2" also expands the Master Chief's already substantial arsenal with powerful new weapons, many pried from the twitching claws of defeated enemies, as well as more than twice as many drivable vehicles for exploring vast landscapes or speeding into battle. In addition to its epic single-player campaign, "Halo 2" will be playable online through Xbox Live.
    For your viewing pleasure, preliminary screenshots posted. Might be a good idea, if you use a modded Xbox or are even thinking about it, to use one of the new X-Ecuter chips as it has an on/off switch. Being that the new version will use Xbox Live, you never know what Microsoft may be able to see about what you've done to the 'ol Xbox, haha.
     
      Friday, Aug 9, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Stonghold : Crusader Demo
    - Posted 2:30 PM By Kagato
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    If you enjoyed Firefly Studios and Take Two Interactive's previous titled Stronghold, then you'll be glad to know that you can now download Stronghold: Crusader, the upcoming castle building sequel. Weighing in at 79MB, the demo offers the player a tutorial and three skirmish levels. If you're having issues with the link above, here's the direct link. Enjoy.
     
    WorldCom Keeps Finding Errors
    - Posted 8:00 PM By CCMC
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    WorldCom claims another $3.3 billion accounting error. This on to of the already $3.85 billion in errors. This would bring their total errors to about $7 billion. But whos counting small change?
    The earlier accounting errors brought fraud charges against WorldCom by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in June and pushed the company into bankruptcy last month--the largest in U.S. history listing $41 billion in debt.

    The discovery of further accounting problems is not a total surprise, as WorldCom has said it was probing its books as far back as 1999. The company is also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and Congress.
    So big companies can misplace several billion dollars, But when we try to the IRS gets all over us.
    Source: CNet News.com
     
    Tesla Coils Come To Life
    - Posted 8:00 PM By CCMC
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    Remember the wonderful game of Command and Conquer? If you do then you can't forget the Telsa Coils. They would zap anything that got to close to them. Well now you can make your own, to keep people out of your yard. This could be the answer to the next generation of home security.
    Source: Slashdot.org
     
      Monday, Aug 12, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    AT&T And Lucent Making Waves
    - Posted 10:33 AM By CCMC
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    Lucent Technologies and AT&T will pay close to $300 million to settle a 1996 class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of misleading actions over telephone leases. The settlement also includes pre-paid calling cards, which are being donated to charities.

    After the 1984 breakup of AT&T into smaller local telephone companies, custumers had the option of leasing lines or getting new ones. This is about how they were misleading when it came to the leases and charges for them.
    Source: BayArea.com
     
    Winamp3 Released
    - Posted 2:21 PM By Kagato
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    For the ever-faithful followers of Nullsoft's Winamp MP3 player application, be sure to head to their Download area and nab Winamp3. No alphas, no betas, this is the full, final release of their new and updated version. Sw33t!
     
    XP Antispy v3.61
    - Posted 5:12 PM By Kagato
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    Definately one of those utilities that's found a place in my home (easier than hackin' away at the registry) is this little program called XP Antispy. Basically, the app automates the removal of "questionable" applications and processes running in the background (sending info to MS on your MediaCenter viewing habits, etc) all with the click of a single button. No word on what's new, the last released version was 3.51 so there may not be any functionality differences, maybe just some updated misspelling =P.
     
      Tuesday, Aug 13, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Microsoft's Xbox Live To Go Online November 15th
    - Posted 10:43 AM By Kagato
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    Well, nearly a year after Microsoft's release of the Xbox console system, it looks as if they have finally nailed down a target date for the launching of Xbox Live, their online gaming environment for Xbox owners. For $50, owners will get the Xbox Live start kit which includes a headset microphone, a one-year subscription to the service, and of course the software needed to connect the Xbox into an existing broadband (Cable, DSL, etc.) connection. This should bring an interesting development to the console market, especially with Sony's annoucement of their August 27th release of their own network adapter to allow PS2 owners to plug into their own broadband links.
    Source: C|Net News
     
    AMD Price Drops A'plenty
    - Posted 10:52 AM By Kagato
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    If you've been considering upgrading to a newer, faster AMD chip, now looks to be a good time. After a little browsing around Pricewatch for XP 2200+ processors, it looks as if there have been some nice price drops. On average, you can find the XP 2200+ selling for around $160-$165, a drop of around $40. Nice drops across the board on the whole line of AMD processors, great deals if you're not even wanting to go all the way with the 2200+.
     
    EverQuest - Sony's Cash Cow
    - Posted 10:59 AM By Kagato
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    Those who know me and my gaming habits, know that I've always had an addiction towards playing Sony and Verant Entertainment's ever-popular EverQuest title. I know there's many who never got into it and don't see the attraction, but they're apparently doing something right according to this article over at Business 2.0, as they pull in an average of $5 million a month from their customers. Can you say cash cow? Mooooo! Snip:
    On any given day, you can find John Smedley smiting the odd necromancer or brandishing his sword alongside wood elves who want to kill the emperor of the snakelike Shissars. Sometimes, though, he just strolls around observing his fellow citizens. To you, they might look like knights, wizards, and ogres, scuttling across a three-dimensional landscape of castles, caves, and dank swamps.

    But to him, they must look like money.

    Smedley, 33, is the chief operating officer of Sony Online Entertainment, where he's master of the virtual boomtown known as EverQuest. Once a destination for the fringe Dungeons & Dragons crowd, the online role-playing game now has 433,000 paying customers who generate $5 million a month for the Japanese entertainment giant. Given the 40 percent gross-profit margins, and the fact that this world practically runs itself, the dragon-slaying business is looking pretty good these days.
    Yep, EverQuest is an AD&D fanatics best friend. Just imagine what Star Wars Galaxies will do for the ever-faithful Star Wars fans.
    Source: Business 2.0
     
    Neverwinter Nights Going Linux
    - Posted 11:04 AM By Kagato
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    Run Linux? Really bummed out that all your Windows counterparts have been playing their hearts content with Bioware's recently released Neverwinter Nights? Cheer up, Bioware has now put up a Linux Client page devoted to information reguarding their Fall 2002 release of the Linux compatible version of the game. Imagine, now you can hack and play an awesome game at the same time!
     
      Wednesday, Aug 14, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Dell Offering Non-Windows Based Desktops
    - Posted 12:44 PM By Kagato
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    Many of you know the folks at Dell have always offered the option of no pre-installed operating system at time of order. Well, due to recent changes in Microsoft's Licensing Agreement which basically state that Microsoft vendors can no longer off a "NO OS" option, Dell announced that they would no longer provide this option. Now there comes word that Dell has a new offer for those not wanting to pre-purchase a PC with Windows pre-installed. Word:
    The PC maker next month will introduce n-Series corporate desktop and workstations that ship without Microsoft's Windows, or any other operating system, pre-installed.

    The new desktops appear to be a slick interpretation of Microsoft's new licensing terms and a way to navigate customer demand for PCs without an OS installed. The Microsoft licensing terms, which were put in place on Aug. 1, specify that PC makers must ship PCs with an operating system.

    With the n-Series, Dell will include a copy of a free operating system - FreeDOS - inside the cardboard box. However, the OS will not be pre-installed, so customers will not have to worry about reconfiguring their machines should they want to use a different product.

    Dell has been shipping PCs without operating systems to its largest customers for some time, offering them a limited number of models of Optiplex and Precision machines.

    The company will not promote the new models heavily, let alone make them easy to purchase. Optiplex n-Series desktops will be available only to customers who buy the desktops in large numbers through Dell's Custom Factory Installation program. Individuals will be able to purchase n-Series Precision workstations, but not Optiplex PCs, via Dell's Web site.

    (..lines omitted..)

    N-series PCs will cost the same as PCs that ship with Windows, a Dell representative said.
    Hmm, I have no idea where people get the idea that Microsoft has a monopoly on the market. Considering they can force retailers to effectively sell Windows only machines (sure, some people order Linux, but I doubt that accounts for any large percentage of Dell's yearly sales - and does anybody really even use O/S2 Warp anymore?) or loose the ability for direct software ordering from Microsoft (can you imagine what kind of deals Dell gets) and have to be forced to order via a 3rd party. Nah, no monopoly there.
    Source: C|Net News
     
    SpySites v1.0
    - Posted 2:58 PM By Kagato
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    SpySites is one of those handy little utilities that makes many wonder "Why didn't someone think of that before?". What exactly is it? Well, rather than explain it, I'll blatanly rip an explanation from their site :
    SpySites includes a database of over 1,500 known Spy/Sleaze sites and guides you through the simple process of including them in Internet Explorer's Restricted Zone and setting policies to prevent them from performing intrusive acts on your PC or from compromise your privacy and security such as installing and/or running:

  • ActiveX controls
  • Java applets
  • JavaScript
  • Cookies and alot more
  • Basically it helps you avoid the pitfalls of some of those cheesy webpages that try and get you to uninstall unwanted software (CometCursor, etc). You can grab a copy over at MajorGeeks.
     
    C# - Now Part Of Your Daily Curriculum
    - Posted 6:31 PM By Kagato
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    In yet another turn of "What you can buy when you have an arseload of money", Microsoft made an announcement today reguarding their "joint initiative" (i.e. here's a bucket load of cash) with the University of Waterloo. Basically, in addition to the normal classes required for electrical and computer engineers to base, there is now a mandatory course on C#. "Completion of this course will be mandatory for students entering the E&CE program.". Guess they figure since big business isn't adopting C# as quickly as they'd like, they'll take the Apple Computer route and try to stupify them while they're still in school. Programmers alike should probably start beefing up on C# (*cough* ) as Microsoft may come knocking at your place of employment, offer a bit of cash for some "joint initiative" and require that all their programmers have a background in C#. Hmm, wonder how hard it'd be to port Q3 to C#?
     
    Top 10 PC Games
    - Posted 8:24 PM By Kagato
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    With all the big named titles that have finally seen the light of day or lack thereof depending on where your PC is located, it's interesting to see which games are leading the pack in sales. For those wanting to know the facts, NPDTechworld has posted its latest top 10 best selling PC games list for the week of August 3rd. Snip:
    1) Warcraft III: Reign Of Chaos - Vivendi Universal Publishing $57
    2) Neverwinter Nights - Infogrames Entertainment $44
    3) The Sims: Vacation Expansion Pack - Electronic Arts $29
    4) The Sims - Electronic Arts $43
    5) Grand Theft Auto 3 - Take 2 Interactive/Rockstar $44
    6) Backyard Baseball 2003 - Infogrames Entertainment $19
    7) MS Zoo Tycoon - Microsoft $27
    8) Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault - Electronic Arts $46
    9) The Sims: Hot Date Expansion Pack - Electronic Arts $30
    10) The Sims: Livin Large Expansion Pack - Electronic Arts $29
    Hard to believe that out of the top 10 selling games that four of the slots are taken by variations of the ever-popular The Sims titled series!
    Source: NPDTechworld
     
      Thursday, Aug 15, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    The Sims Online Preview
    - Posted 4:06 PM By Kagato
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    You've heard the talk, now thanks to the folks at Gamespy, you can see a bit more about what's behind the upcoming title, The Sims Online. For those of you who prefer a care-free, virtual world (well, you've still got girlfriends in the virtual world too, so it's not all that care-free of a place,haha), read on :
    The best part of The Sims Online is being someone your not. The main thing I noticed in the game -- as in the real world -- is that most of the players online flock together, chat with each other, and mimic each other's actions. It's hard to say how this will translate on a larger scale -- especially when one player's character will depend on others to earn a living. Sure, I could go online and be a total ass at the club, but then no one would patronize the establishment, and I'd lose my job. So, also as in real life, the usual social courtesies apply.
    Electronic Arts is aiming for a 4Q 2002 release of this title, and if they hit it, I imagine we could see a rather interesting mix of holiday sales. If you'd rather skip over the "blah blah blah" and see some shots from the game, head here.
    Source: GameSpy
     
    QuakeCon 2002 Coverage
    - Posted 4:26 PM By Kagato
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    Well, as many of you gamers know, the festivities at this years QuakeCon kick off today and GameSpy is there to bring you coverage of this yearly fragfest. Snip:
    There hasn't been an official exhibitor lineup released for QuakeCon 2002, but there is one game that we know will be shown off for sure: DOOM 3. id and Activision have brought their massive award-winning E3 display down to Texas and have dropped it right in the middle of the show for everyone to enjoy. (All attendees are being given a ticket for one showing.) In addition, a DOOM 3 demonstration is planned for 2 p.m. Friday afternoon (3 p.m. EST, noon PST), and we suspect there could be some new footage shown. Rumor has it that the demo from E3 has been expanded from 11 to 15 minutes, and that the Friday afternoon demonstration will include the developers playing the game live.
    For those wanting to skip it all and head for the goods, there are direct links for the new DOOM III screenshots as well as Elite Force 2.
    Source: GameSpy
     
    Mowing The Lawn Via The Internet?
    - Posted 4:35 PM By Kagato
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    With some of the heat we've had this summer, don't you wish there was a way to keep the lawn trimmed without all the sweat and stress? Well, these guys may have an answer for you. Snip:
    Four Albany researchers have built a machine to answer the prayers of every gardener on the planet. The South African quartet have built a robotic lawnmower. It needs no human involvement, except for the click of a mouse. Instead of sweating away on a Sunday afternoon trying to mow long grass, the robot will keep the grass trimmed after a simple command over the internet.
    Amazing what you can rig up using a laptop these days, although I would hate to see the result of a hacker getting ahold of your lawnmower and terrorizing the neighborhood, you know, like your neighbor's prized flowerbed, hehe.
    Source: Stuff
     
    Warcraft III Patch v1.02
    - Posted 9:57 PM By Kagato
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    While it is currently not available via FTP, there is a new patch (version 1.02) available for Blizzard Entertainment's recently released Warcraft III via Battle.Net. Changes include:
    FIXES
  • Fixed an issue that allowed players to abuse dragons with Devour.
  • Fixed an issue with dragons that could cause them to divert attacks.

    BALANCE CHANGES
  • Necklace of Immunity, Tome of Greater Experience, and Goblin Land Mines no longer randomly drop in multiplayer games.
  • Scroll of Resurrection & Scroll of Animate Dead item level increased.
  • Bridges are no longer destroyable on the (6)Stromguarde.w3m map.

    NOTE: Replays are incompatible between major game revisions. (1.01 replays cannot be viewed with the 1.02 version of Warcraft III.)
  • I'll add links to the FTP file once it becomes available, until then, just use Battle.Net (assuming you have a legitimate copy, hehe).
     
      Friday, Aug 16, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    QuakeCon Live
    - Posted 10:47 AM By Krogue
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    Just a quick add-on to Kagato's earlier post about QuakeCon coverage. You can listen to live 24-hour coverage of the tournaments and activities at QuakeCon by checking out TSN Central. Just click on the link at the top of the page. It is pretty cool to listen to play-by-play coverage of the RtCW and Quake tourneys.
    Source: Planet Quake
     
    Iomega Pushes Zip Drives To 750MB
    - Posted 3:35 PM By Kagato
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    While this new storage increase may seem a tad to late for many of todays CD-R users, it may still be prove to be useful for those wanting an alternate method of backup besides CD-R/DVD-R/Tape, etc. Apparently, the engineers over at Iomega have increased the density on the Zip brand of disks by 3 fold, giving users 750MB of storage goodness. Word:
    Drive triples the storage and hits twice the speed of old Zip drives, but will CD-RW lovers care? Using a USB 2.0 interface, this external drive offers data rates comparable to a still-theoretical 50X/50X/50X CD-RW drive, according to the company. That means it could write to archive, rewrite, and read at 50X speeds (about 7.5 MB per second). Iomega's USB 2.0 drive sells for $179; 750MB disks sell for about $12.50 each if you buy them in an eight-pack.

    In order to squeeze more data onto a disk the same size as Iomega's existing 100MB and 250MB products, engineers worked to improve dramatically the track density of its flexible media, says David Greenhalgh, worldwide product manager, future products.

    In addition, the company improved the drive's internal transfer processes, including its chip set, software algorithms, and channel efficiencies. To utilize USB 2.0's faster throughput, the drive also spins the flexible media inside the cartridge considerably faster than the older units did, resulting in the maximum throughput of up to 7.5 MB per second, he says.
    Considering CD-Rs can be had for $0.50/each or even cheaper these days, it may prove to be a hard sell for those already entrenched in CD-R usage. And with the further progression of DVD-R and DVD+R, Iomega may be left with a small, niche market.
    Source: PCWorld
     
    More QuakeCon News
    - Posted 4:14 PM By Krogue
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    Can you tell where I would rather be????

    In further QuakeCon coverage, our own local Blue Springs, MO, native Johnathan Wendell (aka Fatal1ty), won his match today against a Brazilian Quake dueler. You are suppposed to be able to check tournament standings at The Zone. However, I have had problems connecting all day.

    On another cool note ... In addition to listening to live coverage of QuakeCon (see earlier post), you can also watch all the tournament games. These are the instructions from Red Barchetta at Gamers TV:
    Starting Thursday we will be providing full coverage of the tournaments with GTV (Quake3) and WolfTV, programs which allow you to watch LIVE on your own computer. Speakeasy will be providing enough servers and bandwidth for all to watch, and Clanbase will have some European relays.

    Using GTV and WolfTV is easy. To watch the Quake 3 (GTV) matches simply connect to gtv.speakeasy.net:27970 using Quake 3. To watch WolfTV follow the install instructions, and then connect to wolftv.speakeasy.net using RtCW. After connecting you can use the gtv_nextgame and gtv_nextview (or tv_nextgame and tv_nextview for WolfTV) commands to watch. You will also need the latest version of the OSP mod. Additional server IPs and help will be available in IRC. Here is a list of official IRC event channels:

    IRC server - irc.enterthegame.com
    #quakecon
    #qcon-scores1
    #qcon-scores2
    #gtv
    #TsN

    And you can also get help and information on the GamersTV page. We hope to see you there!

    Source: QuakeCon
     
    Doom III Confirmed For Xbox
    - Posted 7:46 PM By Kagato
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    More news arising from QuakeCon today (go figure). This time the news comes from Id software's own John Carmack, who confirmed that Doom III will be released as an Xbox title. Word:
    Id Software had previously expressed interest in doing an Xbox version of its upcoming first-person shooter, but hadn't confirmed that there would be a console version of the game. Today during his keynote at QuakeCon, id's John Carmack said that the Xbox is the only console platform that id is "completely committed" to releasing Doom III on. Carmack further commented that the Xbox version will have the "full graphics fidelity" of the PC version, which made a major debut at this year's E3, where it won a number of awards.
    Ok, now there's two reasons to own an Xbox, Doom III and Panzer Dragoon Orta.
     
      Monday, Aug 19, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    VisionTek Goes Under
    - Posted 3:24 PM By Kagato
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    I first heard rumors floating around about this last night but dismissed it as just rumor. Now, with other sites like [H]ardOCP reporting in on the rumors, it appears that one of the biggest Nvidia graphics card manufacturers (here in the US at least), VisionTek, has indeed sunk. Word:
    Friday, after more than a week of abortive management restructurings and a failed deal with an investment company, VisionTek called it's remaining employees together and issued their final checks.

    Also, they notified their ex employees, and those who'd come in to collect their severance checks, that no more severance was being issued. And that all deals with them as to severance packages was null and void.

    VisionTek is now owned by the bank, which is in the process of liquidating the company.

    This has already claimed one of VT's suppliers, when VT failed to make payments, the supplier folded. This may also affect TotalEMS, a manufacturing company that was a supplier for VisionTek, and is owned by the "owners" of VisionTek, as TotalEMS was picked up in bankruptcy proceedings to begin with.

    Also, for those waiting on, or sending in mail-in rebates for VisionTek products? Don't bother. The rebate management company stopped honoring the rebate offer when VisionTek stopped paying them.
    Rather disheartening, considering VisionTek was always the first to the market with Nvidia's newest badboy of chips. I imagine this will have a rather lasting effect with the folks at Nvidia, considering they've been working to get the new NV30 out for the holiday season, and now one of their largest North American distributors is gone from the picture. This news probably has ATi folks plastered with smiles from ear to ear today.
    Source: nV News
     
    DVDs To Go Region Free?
    - Posted 9:02 PM By Kagato
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    If you're like me, one thing that I've always hated about the DVD format is Region Encoding (ok, so import alot of anime, so sue me, haha). If you're not familiar with Region Encoding, simply put, the worlds countries are divided into regions and given numbers, DVDs from other regions won't play in players not configured for that region, i.e. a DVD from Japan won't play in an American DVD player. The good news is that Region Encoding may be on its way out according to this report over at BBC News. Many can only hope that the industry does move towards no Region Encoding rather than moving towards Regional Code Enhancement. I personally bought a "universal" player when I shifted to the DVD format, but it'd be nice to upgrade to a new generation player and not have to worry about being unable to play a large portion of my DVD collection.
    Source: BBC News
     
      Tuesday, Aug 20, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Neocron Beta 4 Client Posted
    - Posted 3:41 PM By Kagato
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    Bored or burnt out with the current line of MMORPGs? Looking to try a new one before it's released? Well, the folks at Reakktor Media have released the beta 4 client of Neocron, their upcoming, futuristic MMORPG for your downloading pleasures. Would-be players will also need to sign up for an account in order to play online. As a bit of warning, 56k users will probably avoid trying to download this as the file weighs in at a whopping 1.08GB (yes, that's 1 Gigabyte!).
     
    VisionTek - Not Quite Six Feed Under
    - Posted 11:15 PM By Kagato
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    As soon as I read this story, thoughts of Monty Python ("I'm not dead yet!") filled my head. Apparently while still struggling, the folks at VisionTek are still working and aren't buried yet. Word:
    John Malley, VisionTek's director of marketing, said in a statement Tuesday that although creditors had appointed a trustee, the company remained in business. "An assignee/trustee has been appointed and will attempt to maximize the value of the company's assets," he said. "The trustee is continuing to operate the company to determine if a sale is a viable alternative to a liquidation, and he is currently talking to interested parties. The company is continuing to take orders, ship products and honor rebates."
    Good news for anybody that happened to be mid-way through an RMA I'm sure, haha. Hopefully this'll pan out well for the folks at VisionTek, even if they get bought out, I'm sure Nvidia would have a big sigh of relief.
     
      Wednesday, Aug 21, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    AMD AthlonXP 2600+ Reviews
    - Posted 4:10 PM By Kagato
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    With AMD lifting the NDAs today and officially announcing the launch of the new AthlonXP 2600+ processor, it looks as if anybody and everybody has their own reviews of the new processor. You can find reviews at AMDMB, AnandTech, [H]ardOCP, Tech Report, Xbit Labs. One little note that I like came from Tech Report's article:
    From a price-performance standpoint, the Athlon is still far and away the leader. Intel's pricing for the new Pentium 4 chips looks like so:

    Pentium 4 2.53GHz: $637
    Pentium 4 2.40B GHz: $562
    Pentium 4 2.26: $423

    For $637, you can put together the core of a nice Athlon XP-based system with a motherboard, memory, and a graphics card. (We're talking Athlon XP 2100+ processor, KT266A motherboard, 512MB PC2100 memory, and a GeForce4 Ti 4200 graphics card for that price.) Yeowch!
    Can't wait till they start shipping the 333Mhz FSB models!
     
    Via KT400 vs DDR400
    - Posted 4:22 PM By Kagato
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    Those who have been keeping up-to-date with Via's newest chipset to be, the KT400, have probably noticed that Via has made no formal announcement reguarding DDR400 support, while several manufacturers have stated that their boards will indeed work with the memory. Thanks to the folks over at Xbit Labs have unearthed a reason as to why AMD may or may not officially support the new type of memory. Apparently the issue related to issues with the VT8368 north-bridge, causing such issues as machine instability and the ability to only use two (and in some instances, only one) of the provided memory slots when using DDR400 based memory. You can get more information by reading the entire report over at Xbit Labs.
    Source: Xbit Labs
     
    Various Software Updates
    - Posted 4:44 PM By Kagato
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    Just some quick little links to various software/driver updates that some may find handy:

    Office XP Service Pack 2
    Unreal Tournament IpDrv.dll patch for Win2k+/Linux Servers (i.e. Solves Broadcast Storm issue from days gone by).
    HyperSnap-DX v4.52.01
    Creavtive Labs drivers v5.12.02 WHQL
    Creative Labs AudioHQ v1.10.22
    DVD Region-Free v1.0 Final
     
      Thursday, Aug 22, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    America's Army : Operations Patch
    - Posted 3:47 PM By Kagato
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    There's a new patch available for America's Army: Operations, upgrading you to version v.1.2.0 (for users currently running v1.1.1). The patch weighs in at 49MB and adds the Airborne School/Tour, Ranger School/Tour, weapon improvements, various other gameplay changes, and a handful of bugfixes. For those of you who are registered with FilePlanet, you can download the 71.2 MB patch which allows you to upgrade to v.1.2.0 from ANY previous version, or you can nab the 260MB full install which includes all current patches and updates. For a full list of what's been added and fixed, click on the "Read More..." below.
    Read More...
     
    Neverwinter Nights Beta Patch
    - Posted 9:01 PM By Kagato
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    For those who may be experiencing a few issues (see below for what's fixed in the new Beta) not currently fixed with the latest Neverwinter Nights patch, you may want to try your hand at the new Beta Patch. Bioware has also released a client for those wanting to run a NWN server on Linux (woot!). Here's a quick rundown of issues resolved in the beta:
  • Resolved most SecureROM issues.
  • Added the option "Supress Base Servervault" to prevent listing characters in the root of a Server Vault:

    nwplayer.ini
    [Server Options]
    Suppress Base Servervault=0

  • Set this to 1 if you don't want your clients seeing character files from the root of the Server Vault.
  • Added code to handle bad save game data properly.
  • Invalid Character bug in Server Vault is fixed.
  • More DM Client fixes for factions and crashes
  • "dm_spawnitem" command readded to the game
  • more fixes that will be listed in the final patch notes
  • Be aware that it IS beta code and therefor has no implied support from the folks at Bioware (go figure). Or if the bugs aren't that bad, just wait for the final release, I imagine we'll see it sometime very soon anyhow.
     
      Friday, Aug 23, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Critical Patch for Office Web Component 2K/XP Users
    - Posted 8:20 AM By Freex
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    Microsoft has announced that there's some kind of backdoor to Office 2K and XP which, of the most serious, would allow an attacker to run commands on your computer. They gave this "vulnerability" a Maximum Severity Rating of Critical, and they advise that this patch should be installed immediately.
    Source: Ars Technica
     
      Monday, Aug 26, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Pentium 4 2.8Ghz Reviews
    - Posted 11:29 AM By Kagato
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    Falling on the heals of AMD's newest XP line of processors, Intel has followed suit with their new 2.8Ghz P4. Now with the NDA lifted, reviews are flowing from every website like a raging river. Here's the links to just a few of the many sites offering their own look into Intel's speediest chip yet.

    [H]ardOCP
    Tech Report
    VR Zone
    Acive Hardware
    Gamers Depot

    There's also a notice on [H]ardOCP's page noting that there may be a new stepping in the retail processor, which, if true, could mean better speeds and overclockability.
     
    Karma-Physics Preview
    - Posted 11:39 AM By Kagato
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    For those of you keeping up to date with Unreal Tournament 2003, you may remember hearing about the Karma Physics Engine which would be used in the upcoming title. The good news is you can now dowload a stand-alone demo from the folks at UnrealDaily. What exactly is it?
    The new Karma-Physic, wish is used in Unreal Tournament 2003, is now testable in a demo. The Karmaphysic is used to animate all things you can move. (Example: chairs, tables, bottles). In the demo you are in a room, can touch and throw all what you want. By that way you can see the perfectly animated moves. these are the most realistic physics seen yet anywhere. download it and try it, we guarantee you'll be impressed!
    The demo weighs in at about 10.1MB. If you have any issues running the demo, you may wanna grab this patch as it is supposed to resolve alot of issues users are describing in the demo.
     
    Neverwinter Nights Patch v1.23
    - Posted 7:42 PM By Kagato
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    Bioware has released a new patch (version 1.23) for Neverwinter Nights. Although Bioware recommends users update via the "Update" option from within the game launcher, you have the option of downloading the patch instead. The update weighs in at 1.8MB and includes quite a few updates/fixes. Click on the Read More... link below to get a full list of updates/fixes.
    Read More...
     
      Tuesday, Aug 27, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Team Speak v2 Released
    - Posted 12:35 AM By WaRMaN
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    For all you clans who depend on quality voice for team communications, there is great news in the community! Team Speak has released version 2 of its popular voice program. Better yet, you can download it from our files section under the catagory "Team Speak". Improvements include:
  • Support for lower latency. (Theoretically as low as 50 ms)
  • Support for better quality codecs. (CELP and GSM)
  • Support for user based logins
  • Support for per channel passwords
  • Support for temporary channels
  • Support for sub channels
  • Support for moderated channels for conferencing
  • Linux client--TeamSpeak uses fewer threads on a server now--Helps to conserve resources
  • TeamSpeak Super Server design--One program can start several TS servers
  • Web based management interface to the server
  • TeamSpeak Client/Server SDK's, for including in your games/applications.
     
  • Winamp 3 Update
    - Posted 11:39 AM By Kagato
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    For users of Nullsoft's most recent release of Winamp, there's a new update you may be interested in running. Before running the update, make sure you are running Winamp 3, Build 488, as the update will cause older versions to no longer launch/run.

    Winamp3 Plugin Update updates the Output plugin system, Winamp 2.x input plugin support, Archive reader, WAV, MIDI, MOD, SPC and Vorbis plugins, and now includes the Disk Writer plugin to allow the output of audio files to a new, local file on your drive (i.e. Output an MP3 to WAV file, etc.)
     
    Defender Is Reborn
    - Posted 11:52 AM By Kagato
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    I don't know about you, but back in my days of youth, I can remember spending insane amounts of time at the 'ol arcade (Fun Factory) at the mall. Sure, as time went on, the graphics got better, but one of my favorites was always Midway's Defender. It definately wasn't a pretty game, compared to todays standards, but it, for me at least, proved to be quite a mesmerizing game, I'd hate to know how many hours I wasted away playing it. Well, for other fans who always enjoyed a good game of Defender, GameSpy has word that there's a sequel to Defender on it's way (Defender II doesn't count, it sucked in way of comparison to the original), and they've got the interview with George Collins, the man bringing us this sequel. Snip:
    Gamespy - Is there anything I left out? Any final comments?

    George Collins - There are two things that I think really add to the play value of this game. First -- the variety of the ships. There are six different ships in Defender, and the difference between them is not just in their appearance. They have different strengths and weaknesses that make them favor different styles of play. Some ships are slow, some are fast, and some have extra towing capabilities. Each ship has its own unique physics model, which means that some ships are good at doing stunts, while others have outstanding strafing and hovering capabilities. And each ship has unique special weapons. When you augment this kind of variety with the ability to customize a ship, there are a lot of variations to explore.

    And finally, I'd like to mention something I personally really enjoy -- multiplayer. You can play against a friend in split-screen deathmatch, or you can cooperate with a player to complete missions in a split-screen mode. I love to play missions with a friend because you have to work together under extreme pressure. You learn a lot about people when you see how they handle impossible odds!
    Word has it that they're looking for a November release, something us old gaming farts can look forward to.
    Source: GameSpy
     
      Wednesday, Aug 28, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    DOSBox DOS Emulator
    - Posted 5:27 PM By Kagato
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    For those of you who've found that you can no longer play some of your old, favorite DOS based games under some of todays operating systems like Win2K and Linux, there may be hope. There's a new handy little emulator called DosBox which basically emulates an x86 PC with a sound card and DOS environment while running in your current O/S. I don't think I've run across many old games which I still play from time to time that don't run under one of the new OSes, but if you fall into that catergory, give DOSBox a try.
     
      Thursday, Aug 29, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Nvidia Detonator 40.41 Drivers
    - Posted 11:04 AM By Kagato
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    For gamers running Windows 2000 or XP, you may wanna run over and grab Nvidia's newest Detonator driver set (Version 40.41) which they released today. New updates/features include:
    Release Highlights:

  • Up to a 25% increase in performance
  • nView™ 2.0 multi-display technology increases productivity and provides the necessary tools to control the way users access and view applications.
  • NVRotate™ enabling image rotation on today’s advanced flat panel displays.
  • NVKeystone™ allows for real-time image correction on portable projectors and heads-up displays.
  • Digital Vibrance Control™ allows users to adjust color controls to achieve accurate, bright colors under all conditions.
  • New control panel streamlines user interface and enables faster and easier access to all video settings.
  • Robust Channels enables higher faster performance and better stability for all applications through fail-safe paths in the drivers.
  • CineFX Simulator allows developers to use Cg—“C for graphics”—to write complex shaders in a high level language faster and more easily than before.
  • NVIDIA’s patented Unified Driver Architecture (UDA) – supports all products in single a driver binary.
  • Mmmmmm, up to 25% performance increase, now why didn't they just release these drivers when they launched the Ti4600?! There's already been some performance comparison between the 30.82 and new 40.41 drivers done over at Warp2Search. Looks like it's a thumbs up, these drivers definately are faster.
     
    Moral Minus Demo
    - Posted 5:01 PM By Kagato
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    If there's one genre of games that doesn't get much attention or titles these days, it's gotta be a good 'ol vertical shooter. Look no further than Akatora's newly released Moral Minus. It's goes a tad beyond your typical shooter though, as it's renedered in full 3D graphics, including some rather snazzy effects. You can download the demo and give it a try. If 'ya like it enough, you can buy it online for a measly $16.95. Here's a brief description of the game, as taken from their site:
    Moral Minus is a game in the same game genre as classics such as Capcom’s 19XX series, Cave’s Donpachi series and Treasure’s Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun. The player pilots an airborne character, named Pher, with the aim to destroy the incoming enemies. Moral Minus is combining classic 2D game play with 3D real-time rendered backgrounds and objects.
    Definately looks to be pretty cool, hopefully it plays as well as it looks.
     
      Friday, Aug 30, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Battlefield 1942 Screenshots
    - Posted 4:32 PM By Kagato
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    For those of you who have yet to try out the multiplayer demo of EA's upcoming Battlefield 1942, do yourself a favor and download a copy NOW!. If you don't wanna take my word for it, head over to XGR and check out some of the new screenshots they've smacked up from the "gone gold" title. All I can say is that I've found a new addiction, I downloaded the game the other day and it has consumed all my spare time (i.e. if I'm not at work, I'm at home playing this game!).
    Source: XGR
     
      Saturday, Aug 31, 2002 Report News | Archive | Top  
    Laptop Gamers REJOICE!!
    - Posted 1:23 PM By Freex
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    ATI has announced the release of its Mobility Radeon 9000. In their press release, ATI boasts this as the "World's first mobile graphics solution with programmable pixel shaders delivers stunning 3D performance and impeccable photo-realism".

    The impressive list of new features found in the MOBILITY RADEON 9000 includes:

    • Hardware support for version 1.4 programmable pixel and vertex shaders: ATI's SMARTSHADER™ technology takes full advantage of the advanced new features in Microsoft® DirectX® 8.1 and means even the newest and most advanced 3D games will be fully supported;

    • The world's first mobile quad-pipe 3D architecture: Four parallel rendering pipelines to power the most challenging games and 3D business multimedia applications with amazing speed;

    • POWERPLAY™ 3.0, a significantly enhanced version of ATI's industry-leading power management technology which extends battery life in 3D applications and DVD playback, enabling, for example, full playback of feature-length movies. Enhancements include a new user interface and more user control over power management features, and improved power-to-performance ratios;

    • Industry-leading Internet video streaming: New FULLSTREAM™ technology leverages pixel shaders to accelerate video, remove blocky artifacts and improve the quality and scalability of streaming video;

    • Flexible multiple display architecture supported by HYDRAVISION™ ATI's desktop management software enabling productive and effective use of multiple displays and presentation software.

    • A host of other features including ATI ZOOM (to quickly and easily toggle between screen resolutions), an improved ratiometric expansion filter which provides clearer, crisper text and 2D graphics, and frame modulation, which makes 18-bit LCD panels look like high quality 24-bit panels.
    Notebooks featuring the Mobility Radeon 9000 will begin shipping in September.
     
    Review For ATI's Mobility Radeon 9000
    - Posted 11:29 PM By Freex
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    Anandtech has posted a review for the newly released Mobility Radeon 9000. The reviewer gives a postive endorsement:
    "...with Carmack's words and our benchmarks you should feel confident that a Mobility Radeon 9000 powered mobile system will be able to handle the games of today (Jedi Knight 2/Serious Sam 2), the near future (Unreal Tournament 2003), and the far future (Doom 3) which marks the first time we have been able to make such a statement about a mobile chip."
    The new Radeon series looks like it is going to be awesome!
    Source: SlashDot
     
     
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