General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


AMD Piledriver CPU Pre-Order Pricing Leaks Out

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 02:14 PM PDT

AMD Piledriver CPUAMD processor fans unite. Piledriver CPU's will not only be launching soon, but we finally have some rumored price points for the new parts. According to the ever reliable ShopBLT.com, 4 new SKU's will hit the market in October, with prices ranging from $131.62 to $253.06. Piledriver, for those who haven't followed its progress, is the codename for a new "Enhanced-Bulldozer" CPU, and will be manufactured on a 32 nm SOI process. 

Piledriver promises better performance by way of an updated microarchitecture, and slightly higher clock speeds. The quad-core FX-4300 will round out the new low end offerings, with the eight-core FX-8530 being touted as the next big thing to hit the CPU market. Clock speeds range from 3.5 GHz  to 4 GHz, but can hit upwards of 4.2GHz using the built in turbo functions. The low end also sports a lowly 4 MB of L3 cache with a 95 watt TDP, while the high end has 8MB of L3 with a TDP of 125 watts. 

We will give you our full review when parts start to hit store shelves, but until then we can only speculate on the value of AMD's new architecture. 

Model Box OPN Cores Frequency Turbo Frequency L3 cache TDP Pre-order
price
FX-4300 FD4300WMHKBOX 4 3.8 GHz 4 GHz 4 MB 95 Watt $131.62
FX-6300 FD6300WMHKBOX 6 3.5 GHz 4.1 GHz 8 MB 95 Watt $175.77
FX-8320 FD8320FRHKBOX 8 3.5 GHz 4 GHz 8 MB 125 Watt $242.05
FX-8350 FD8350FRHKBOX 8 4 GHz 4.2 GHz 8 MB 125 Watt $253.06

(Table Source = CPU-World.com)

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Seagate Forecasting Slight Contraction in the Hard Drive Market

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 12:06 PM PDT

Seagate Hard DriveWestern Digital and Seagate command over 90 percent of the traditional hard drive market, so when one of these companies pipes up with concerns, everyone stops and takes note. According to Seagate, first-quarter revenues are likely to be 5 to 7 percent lower than its previous forecast of $4 billion, and it makes us wonder if it's the start of a new trend.

Recent price cuts which have brought consumer costs closer to pre-flood levels than ever before certainly can't be helping the bean counters, however they also mentioned that demand for hard drives was "muted". The company expects to maintain its 40 percent market share with around 140 million units sold, however nobody in the spinning disk industry wants to hear growth has stalled.

Low cost mechanical drives will have a place in data centers for years if not decades to come, but could consumers be accounting for the discrepancy? Tablets and Ultrabooks rarely ship with traditional hard disk drives, and seem to be all the rage these days. It's also possible capacities have reached a point where the average consumer simply can't fill a 2TB drive, and thus rarely need more.

Anyone else care to theorize?

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Dell Releases New S Series Monitors With Edge-To-Edge Glass for Eyefinity and Surround Setups

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 11:12 AM PDT

Dell S SeriesDell has always been among the best when it comes to quality monitors at a reasonable price, and it appears as though they are looking to carry on the tradition with five brand new S Series models. The new display's range from 27-inches with edge-to-edge glass, all the way down 21.5-inch panels for those on the hunt for the best price. Each one is capable of 1080p, but as one would expect, connectivity and quality varies considerably based on the price.

The two highest end display's are the 27-inch S2740L for $399, and the 24-inch S2440L for a more reasonable $299. Both display's feature adjustable bases, and that amazing edge-to-edge glass we mentioned in the title that is a must have feature for anyone thinking of an Eyefinity or Nvidia surround setup for gaming. Both pannel's sport HDMI and VGA ports, however oddly, only the 27-inch monitor adds DVI. HDMI to DVI adapters are inexpensive enough, but it's still an odd choice.

The three lower end models range from 23-inch to 21.5-inch, and while the bezels are smaller, they simply don't compare to the edge-to-edge glass featured on the higher end models. Starting at just $199 however, its still amazing how much LCD one can get for so little cash these days.

Surround Setup

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Microsoft Releases a Brace of Out-of-Band Patches for Internet Explorer

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 07:41 AM PDT

Friday saw the release of a critical out-of-band patch for Internet Explorer from Microsoft. The security update (MS12-063) addresses as many as five vulnerabilities, but none more important than the critical zero-day bug (CVE-2012-4969) that was made public by French researchers earlier this week, and one which even prompted Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) to issue an advisory requesting German citizens to stay away from IE. The Redmond-based company has also released a security update for Adobe Flash IE 10.

Rated "critical" for IE6, IE7, IE8, and IE9 on Windows and "moderate" for IE6, IE7, IE78, and IE9 on Windows servers, the said security update not only patches the much talked about execCommand Use After Free (CVE-2012-4969) vulnerability, but also the cloneNod Use after Free flaw (CVE-2012-2557), the LayOut Use After Free bug (CVE-2012-2548), the Event Listener Use After Free bug (CVE-2012-2546), and the OnMove Use After Free flaw (CVE-2012-1529).

"Today we released Security Update MS12-063 to address limited attacks against a small number of computers through a vulnerability in Internet Explorer versions 9 and earlier," the company said in a blog post on the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) blog. "In addition to addressing the issue described in Security Advisory 2757760, MS12-063 also resolves four privately disclosed vulnerabilities that are currently not being exploited."

With Adobe Flash being built into Internet Explorer 10, the responsibility of keeping the Flash Player updated on Windows 8 is now Microsoft's. To this end, Microsoft on Friday released Security Advisory 2755801 that addresses a bunch of flaws in Flash in IE10 on Windows 8. The original plan was to patch these vulnerabilities after the release of Windows 8, but the company changed its mind earlier this mind, saying "our goal is to make sure the Flash Player in Window 8 is always secure and up-to-date, and to align our release schedule as closely to Adobe's as possible."

MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com

MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com


Review: Black Mesa

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 06:30 PM PDT

Half-Life is a great game, but it’s been over ten years since its release. What if Half-Life were made in 2007 instead of 1999? Black Mesa is a re-imaging of Half-Life using Source, the engine powering Half-Life 2. Valve has already created an HD remake of Half-Life called Half-Life Source, but that was a simple port over [...]

Sunday Feature: What we’re playing – (23/09/12)

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 08:25 AM PDT

This week, a lot of our writers travel to Pandora for some co-operative Borderlands 2 action while some strive to complete their vast back catalog. And then there are few of us who are quite content with gaming on our handheld devices as well. Welcome to our weekend. Sameer Desai I’ve been a slave to [...]

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates

Latest Gaming and MMORPG Updates


Review: Rayman Jungle Run

Posted: 22 Sep 2012 06:30 PM PDT

When did Ubisoft start becoming awesome again? Who would have thought the French studio would be the one to properly reinvigorate the 2D platforming genre, thus beating Nintendo at its own game? That’s how I felt when I first played Rayman Origins at last year’s E3 and then the Wii U sequel at this year’s. [...]

IVG App Round-up (22/09/12)

Posted: 22 Sep 2012 08:25 AM PDT

By the end of last week, Super Hexagon had put us through so much shame and humiliation that we just couldn’t get ourselves to write anything. But we’re back this week, with no less than a positive review for Super Hexagon, which goes to show who the bigger person in this is. Read on to [...]

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Rise and Shiny: IMVU

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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IMVU screenshot
I can see now what many of you might say about IMVU, especially after watching the embedded video. I know that many players will find the game, the world, and the virtual social connection nothing but an excuse for strangers to get together to talk dirty. As soon as I saw the game, I knew that it was trying to cover a few different bases, but I never worried about the appearance of virtual sex or sleazy creeps. Remember, I've been playing Second Life since 2004, and even that world is horribly misrepresented when someone says it's "nothing but virtual sex." That's simply not true.

IMVU is a much more stripped-down social experience than Second Life, but it still holds its own. I actually found myself enjoying the heck out of certain aspects probably because I like a game to actually work as promised. IMVU runs in a browser-like environment but still looks respectable most of the time.

I am as surprised as anyone that I had a darn good time.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: IMVU

MassivelyRise and Shiny: IMVU originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Previously on MV TV: The week of September 15th

    Posted: 23 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    Previously On MV TV banner
    Ah, what a week in livestreaming for the Massively crew! Luckily, no one was discouraged by the fact that I was unable to stream my usual amount because I was waiting on a new PC to arrive. What brave soldiers, what fearless souls! I begged them to go on without me, and... well, they did. Pretty easily, actually. Be sure to bookmark our livestream schedule page so you won't miss another!

    Anyway, what did we do on to stream? Well, tons of stuff. I took some of the very best streams from last week and assembled them in one easy-to-swallow pill. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and watch the wackiness! Like what? Like Richie taking on some more Guild Wars 2 in beautiful HD; MJ leaping bravely into The Secret World, EverQuest II, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, City of Heroes and Aion; and Mike PvPing in EVE Online and World of Tanks. I rounded things off with my one stream of the week: a look at IMVU, a social MMO for those who really, really like to go goth.

    Continue reading Previously on MV TV: The week of September 15th

    MassivelyPreviously on MV TV: The week of September 15th originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Do jumping puzzles belong in MMOs?

      Posted: 23 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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      Guild Wars 2
      Among the many map locations Guild Wars 2 entices its players to explore are vistas, and let's not kid ourselves: Vistas are jumping puzzles. Some are easier than others, of course, and some don't require much jumping at all (like those that ask you to take a leap of faith into an Asura gate or dive deep into a lagoon). But most of the time, your spacebar skills will be tested.

      Though I am no platforming champion, Guild Wars 2's jumping puzzles have seemed very doable for me. A few have been frustrating enough to annoy me, especially those that require a few minutes of set-up so easily spoiled by a single overshot. But I like that MMO developers are bringing in new gameplay elements that both challenge and reward us and aren't just another round of "click here to make the foozle go."

      What do you think -- do jumping puzzles belong in MMOs?

      Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do jumping puzzles belong in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Guild Wars 2 players suffer a server outage

        Posted: 22 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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        Guild Wars 2 players suffer an accidental rollback
        Guild Wars 2 players were distressed last night to find themselves kicked from the game during loading screens and unable to log in. Shortly after the problems began, ArenaNet's community team started communicating about them via Twitter, saying that the issues were being looked into. Forum logins were also disabled.

        After about an hour of downtime, the game was once again accessible to all -- with a slight problem. Many players discovered that they'd lost the fruits of recent endeavors, including map exploration, items, experience, and gold. According to the Guild Wars 2 Twitter, the team is unable to restore progression or items due to the nature of the outage.

        Beyond updates as the issue was being resolved, no one from ArenaNet has given comment about the nature of the outage or how such problems will be avoided in the future.

        MassivelyGuild Wars 2 players suffer a server outage originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Tattered Notebook: Gearing up for SOE Live

        Posted: 22 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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        The Tattered Notebook  Gearing up for SOE Live
        In just a few weeks, SOE fans will gather in Las Vegas for Fan Faire SOE Live. The name change isn't the only thing that's different this year, though. As the convention details begin to take shape, we're finding a lot more questions than answers. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll look at some of the changes this year and try to read the tea leaves of what they might mean for fans. We'll look at what's on the schedule, like money and a possible Mobhunter sighting, and also what's not included (but should be).

        Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Gearing up for SOE Live

        MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Gearing up for SOE Live originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Mog Log: Generating a wow factor in FFXIV

          Posted: 22 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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          The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
          The more I see about Final Fantasy XIV's relaunch, the more anxious I get.

          If there's any doubt remaining in the minds of others, let me be entirely transparent: I'm a big fan of Final Fantasy XIV. Wonders never cease, I know. To say that I'm looking forward to the new version is pretty much irrelevant. Of course I'm going to play it when everything changes over; I'm playing it now and would continue to do so even without the promise of rebirthing realms.

          But while I was discussing the game over dinner with Ms. Lady a few nights ago, she said something that struck me as very relevant: "It's going to need to really be awesome to pull me back." And she has a point. I'm getting a bit anxious because the new version thus far seems to set the bar at a very respectable level that's still nowhere near as high as it needs to be, and I wonder whether it's even possible to hit the mark it needs.

          Continue reading The Mog Log: Generating a wow factor in FFXIV

          MassivelyThe Mog Log: Generating a wow factor in FFXIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            General gaming

            General gaming


            A Change in Tactics for Metal Gear Rising

            Posted: 22 Sep 2012 09:31 PM PDT

            You know how modern action games work; surely you've played a few. You move into position to start wailing on a bad guy, he winds up for a response, and you either hit the evasion button or the block button to avoid taking damage. I don't recall exactly when this style of action became the standard -- maybe God of War canonized it? -- but just about any action game worth its salt has some sort of get-out-of-jail-free button to keep players safe and ensure your victory as long as you can master a modicum of timing to roll out of a slow-flying missile's splash damage radius in time.

            But not Metal Gear Rising. Platinum Games has elected to take a different approach to player defense for their action-game take on the Metal Gear universe, and it'll take some getting used to. My session on the TGS show floor ended in horrible failure, because I kept trying to figure out how to break away from foes with the one-button block or defense skill. Why wouldn't Raiden hold up his sword to protect himself, like Ninja Gaiden's Ryu? Why wouldn't he simply roll invincible away from danger, like Kratos? And I wasn't alone in my consternation; every other game writer I spoke to who had tested the new TGS Rising demo observed the same experience.

            An Oral History of Japanese Games

            Posted: 22 Sep 2012 05:30 PM PDT

            Feature

            1UP COVER STORY

            Header

            1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17 | RETHINKING JAPAN

            An Oral History of Japanese Games

            Cover Story: A celebration of Japanese video games by the people who love them.

            A

            ll this week, you've had the chance to read several stories by 1UP staff and contributors about Japanese games and game designers. But for the end of this Japan-focused cover story, we've decided to cap things off by asking our community (and a few notable friends) for the various reasons they treasure Japanese games. Thanks again to everyone who submitted their thoughts, and if you didn't get a chance, please contribute via the comments section! As usual, your input is always welcome.

            A Window into a Different Culture

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