General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Vuzix Moves Forward with Smart Glasses, Readies M300 for Pre-Order

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 12:38 PM PST

Pre-orders kick off February 1

Vuzix M300

When you think of smart glasses, Google is probably the name that first comes to mind. However, it's not the only participant. Vuzix is also a player in the smart glasses space, and come February 1, 2016, it will begin accepting pre-orders for its next-generation M300 model.

Vuzix made a splash in the smart glasses market with the M100, beating others to retail in late 2013. Now just over two years later, pre-orders will begin for its successor, the M300, which is slated to ship commercially this summer.

So, what has Vuzix been doing since launching the V100? The company says it's been taking user feedback and applying it to the M300.

"The technological advances and ergonomic flexibility of the new M300 have evolved to meet the needs of the enterprise client, and will foster large scale adoption in a wide variety of industrial applications," Vuzix says (PDF).

Specifically, the M300 is supposed to be more comfortable to wear and feature hot-swappable batteries. It should also be faster and more up to date with an Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and Android 6.0, all wrapped in a ruggedized frame.

Like Google, Vuzix is mostly eyeing up professional settings rather than the average Joe or Jane. Vuzix sees its M300 being useful in industrial, medical, retail, supply chain, remote help desk, and other such businesses.

As part of the pre-order program, customers will be able to take advantage of Vuzix's M100/M300 Migration Package. What that means is customers who pre-order the M300 will receive the M100 right away, and when the M300 comes in out in the summer, they'll be able to exchange them for no additional cost.

Vuzix didn't say how much the M300 will cost. As a point of reference, the M100 sells for $1,000.

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AMD Radeon Software Crimson Edition 16.1 Hotfix Squashes a Bunch of Bugs

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 10:46 AM PST

It's a bug squashing party

Radeon Software Crimson Edition

AMD isn't yet ready to roll out a brand new version of its Radeon Software Crimson Edition drivers, but in the meantime, its latest hotfix -- 16.1 -- addresses more than a few issues you might be experiencing.

We count 30 in all, most of which are minor but still annoying. Some of the fixes are generic, like addressing a bug that was causing a slight uptick in power consumption during video playback, while several others are related to specific games like Fallout 4, Just Cause 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, DiRT Rally, Elite: Dangerous, and Star Wars: Battlefront.

Here's the full list, as found in the release notes:

  • Fallout 4 – The compass flickers during gameplay on AMD Radeon R9 290 and AMD Radeon R9 295X2
  • Elite: Dangerous - Poor performance may be experienced in Supercruise mode under Windows 10
  • The driver installer appears to hang at various stages of the install process
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 – random frame freezes may be observed during gameplay
  • Frame Rate Target Control (FRTC) setting do not apply consistently to all games. In order for FRTC to function properly, Vertical Refresh/VSync must be turned off
  • DiRT Rally – A crash may occur when starting a new race with AMD Crossfire and AMD FreeSync enabled
  • The AMD Gaming Evolved overlay may cause a black screen, or introduce game stutter
  • Assassins Creed Syndicate - Using "Very High" graphics settings in 3x1 Eyefinity mode may cause displays to switch off
  • Star Wars: Battlefront - Some flickering may be experienced in shaded areas of the screen while game levels are loading
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - Frame freezing during gameplay may be experienced
  • Just Cause 3 - The system may hang when task switching on systems with AMD CPUs and GPUs
  • Just Cause 3 - Application profile setting added for laptops with Switchable Graphics Fallout 4 - Gameplay may be choppy in AMD FreeSync mode in Ultra mode at 1440p resolution
  • [82895] Fallout 4 - Brightness flickering observed with AMD FreeSync enabled on certain displays
  • [80254] cnext.exe intermittently crashes during Windows® shutdown
  • [81809] A crash may be experienced if an HDMI display is a cloned display device on an HP Envy 15 notebook
  • [82485] "Failed to create OpenGL context" error message may appear after installation
  • [82842] "Cannot find RadeonSettings.exe" error message may appear during installation
  • [83277] "AMD Install Manager has stopped working" error message may appear during installation
  • [83484] "Cannot find cncmd.exe" error message may appear during installation
  • [82902] Display may flicker on certain laptops after prolonged gameplay with AMD FreeSync enabled
  • [81489] Unable to create 4x1 or 2x1 portrait mode SLS with 4K displays
  • [82042] Video corruption may appear in Movies & TV app when is VSR enabled and scaling mode is set to "Full panel"
  • [82492] Portrait Eyefinity mode may not be configured correctly using Radeon Additional Settings
  • [82695] No display on certain laptops when toggling display mode or connecting an HDMI display
  • [82900]/[81859] Flickering may be experienced on some monitors when AMD FreeSync is enabled
  • [80064] Notifications reverting back to English on non-English systems after reboot
  • Misaligned UI may be observed on the Bezel Compensation screen
  • Launching a game from the Game Manager may launch on a single display after enabling and disabling AMD CrossFire in a 3x1 AMD Eyefinity setup
  • Marginally increased power consumption may be observed during video playback

Despite all the fixes, there are nearly two dozen other known issues that remain unfixed. As with the above, they're mostly minor, though still frustrating. For example, hitting the Print Screen on a 4K monitor can cause Call of Duty Online to crash -- not cool.

If you've been out of the loop for a bit, AMD recently pulled the plug on its Catalyst Control Center and replaced it with Radeon Software, the first of which is called Crimson Edition. It sort of the equivalent of Nvidia's GeForce Experience, but for AMD GPUs. As part of what AMD likens to an OS for graphics drivers, the company vowed release more frequent updates than in the past.

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OCZ Adds RevoDrive 400 and Trion 150 to SSD Lineup

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 09:52 AM PST

More high speed options

OCZ Logo

Right around this time last year Toshiba was finalizing the buyout of OCZ, which had found itself in bankruptcy proceedings. Toshiba saw an opportunity to pair its NAND flash memory business with OCZ's solid state storage operations, and because of that, OCZ continues to pump out interesting solutions. One of those is the new RevoDrive 400.

The RevoDrive 400 is an NVM Express M.2 SSD. It uses a Toshiba controller paired with 15nm multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory and is rated to deliver read and write speeds of up to 2.4GB/s and 1.6GB/s, respectively, along with up to 1TB of capacity on a single M.2 module.

OCZ paraded the new drive at CES last week. What they had on display was the drive plugged into a PCI Express Gen 3 x4 adapter card. It will be available with or without the adapter, though exactly when and for how much is something that's yet to be revealed.

In addition to the RevoDrive 400, OCZ also introduced its new Trion 150, a SATA 6Gbps SSD. It also uses 15nm MLC chips from Toshiba, an upgrade over the 19nm TLC chips found on the Trion 100, and is rated to deliver up to 500MB/s for both reads and writes.

As with the RevoDrive 400, OCZ hasn't yet revealed a release date or pricing information for the Trion 150.

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Raspberry Pi Drudge-Work Solutions

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 12:00 AM PST

01 RPi

The Raspberry Pi 2 Model B features a 900MHz ARM Cortex-A7 CPU, 1GB  LPDDR2 SDRAM, and can handle most repetitive tasks with ease.

Repetitive tasks that you perform using a PC can be tedious and time-consuming. Transferring data from spreadsheets, cataloging photos or music, and resizing images over and over again can quickly put your mind in a shade of grey that's far worse than watching the E.L. James movie. Not to mention that the more tasks that are being done, the more drain it puts on PC resources, which takes away from more important pursuits (like gaming!).

To help alleviate the brain drain associated with those arduous repetitive tasks, some PC users have turned to the popular SBC (Single Board Computer) Raspberry Pi to automate those functions. And why not? It is, after all, a scaled-down PC in its own right, with the newer Pi 2 packing a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 CPU and 1GB of LPDDR2 SDRAM, which can run either Windows 10 or Linux. Let's take a look at some of the applications that have been adapted for use with the Pi.

02 Rpi

Justin Cooper makes use of the Pi as a Wi-Fi access point that automatically blocks ads by default.

While it may not technically be considered a repetitive task, constantly closing out popups when navigating the web is a headache we could all do without. Sure, most browsers have some form of an ad-block application, but they're sometimes fallible and will let a few slip by. To help with the number of mouse clicks needed to close those annoying popups, Adafruit forum user Justin Cooper made use of his Raspberry Pi to block ads by stopping them automatically through a Wi-Fi access point—meaning it works for everything connected to it, i.e., Android/iOS devices, gaming consoles, and TiVo (among others).

To get it up and running, you'll need to have a Wi-Fi module connected to one of the Pi's USB ports and configure it using the instructions provided with the unit. Once that's complete, boot into the Pi and test the Ethernet/Wi-Fi connections. Once they've checked out, you simply set it up as a wireless access point. You can then install the necessary software, which Justin provides in his easy-to-follow tutorial on Adafruit found here on Adafruit.

03 Rpi

How-to Geek provides a handy tutorial on using the Raspberry Pi as an "Always-on BitTorrent Box" that cuts down on energy use.

Anyone who's ever used BitTorrent with a low-bandwidth Internet connection knows the struggle of downloading large files. Running your rig all day or night is not only hardware taxing, it also makes your energy provider smile when preparing your bill. To significantly reduce the power footprint, torrent users can turn to the Pi to handle the chore, thus saving the extra money from being siphoned from our wallets and the repetitive task of monitoring multiple downloads and seeds.

How-to Geek provides a tutorial on how to setup the Raspberry Pi as an "Always-on BitTorrent Box," which makes use of the Deluge client for Linux-based machines. Users will undoubtedly want a bigger storage drive than can be provided for the Pi, so an external hard drive is necessary. A VPN manually configured or a service provider such as Private Internet Access or NordVPN would also be beneficial, depending on the kind of torrenting being done. The tutorial provides a complete walkthrough of setting up the Pi to handle the task, complete with Deluge installation parameters and proxy settings. It can be found here on How-To Geek

04 RPi

Professor Matt Waite uses the Raspberry Pi as a news scraper to get the latest tweets on a particular subject.

Journalists and researchers can benefit from using the Raspberry Pi to alleviate repetitive tasks such as data gathering on a particular subject. Think of it as a news aggregator that is capable of amassing data and dumping it into a database at certain time intervals. Getting the latest information on the newest video cards or the latest updates on leaked CPU specs are just a few examples of what journalism professor Matt Waite has done with his Raspberry Pi, albeit on a Twitter scale.

Matt has designed code as a project to gather information in the form of Tweets based on a given letter—in this case, the letter "R." He programmed his Pi using Python in conjunction with Nix's Cron script automater to scour the net every hour for Tweets starting with the letter R. In a two-week period, he collected 50,000 records that he can turn into a data sheet that can then analyze for reference. Matt uploaded the Python code to GitHub for those interested in turning their Pi into a cheap scraper bot, which can be found here on GitHub. And here's Matt's blog post about it.

05 RPi

Glen Colby of Royal Jay uses the Pi 2 and Jasper to create a Siri-like voice activation platform.

Voice interface or activation is becoming more mainstream with everything from smartphones to home automation, which can also be harnessed for day-to-day activities, such as location mapping, or leveraged for repetitive tasks that could include server monitoring. That's the idea behind Royal Jay's Jasper voice automation application that works with the Raspberry Pi 2. Essentially, the platform works in the same fashion as an "always on" application such as Siri or Google Now, however, it's totally open-source, meaning users can modify it to suit their needs.

Designed by Glen Colby and his team, Jasper was designed to take advantage of the Raspberry Pi 2 and in fact, it's best to use a starter kit to get the most functionality, which typically includes everything from a Wi-Fi module, SD card, and power supply. A microphone is also needed, which can be had from any number of online retailers. The tutorial on the Royal Jay website details the building process and even offers a preloaded SD card with Jasper already installed for those who might be unfamiliar with the Pi software installation. For the complete walkthrough, head over to Royal Jay.

06 RPi

Swapnil Bhartiya designed a file-sharing home server using the Raspberry Pi 2 that can be accessed from multiple devices.

Having a home server has many benefits and can be used for any number of repetitive tasks such as monitoring data traffic, aggregation, or even as an email client (just ask Hillary). In some cases, users have repurposed old PC hardware to handle those tasks; however, they have some drawbacks, especially in the form of power consumption. The Raspberry Pi, on the other hand, uses very little power, is completely silent, and is capable of handling small-scale operations without the need for extravagant cooling.

Setting up your own Pi-based server is easy, and IT World's Swapnil Bhartiya has produced a tutorial that's straightforward and simple to follow, and allows for access from almost any device, including mobile devices and even smart TVs. The build entails having the Pi 2, 5v charger, and an external hard drive for storage (a kit would be beneficial for this project). Of course, a Wi-Fi module is recommended for wireless access over a network, which can be accessed by any number of popular devices. Swapnil uses Samba as the server platform, which is also free to use and easy to configure. Once the platform is configured, users can then access the data stored on the hard drives from anywhere using virtually any device. For a complete walkthrough on how to build your own Pi-based server, head to IT World.

MMORPG News

MMORPG News


The Banner Saga: XBox One and PlayStation 4 Launch Day Arrives

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 07:02 AM PST

Console fans looking for a great RPG will want to take note of today's release of The Banner Saga for both XBox One and PlayStation 4. The game runs $19.99 through each platform's store.

Dying Light: Update Focused on Co-Op and PvP Modes

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 06:59 AM PST

The latest update has been deployed for Dying Light that is focused on both cooperative and PvP modes. In addition, an update has been deployed for the developer tools and the team has laid out some plans for the future.

Black Desert Online: What is Contribution ? A Beginner?s Guide to Trade, Housing, and Production

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:38 AM PST

Black Desert Online is a unique MMO in many ways. Pearl Abyss' design team has taken a lot of the traditional MMORPG elements and seemingly turned them on their head to make a game of non-confirmative systems that feels like an experiment in a lot of ways. One such system is known as Contribution, and today we'll take a look at the CP system, what it is, how it works, and why it's key to your progression and enjoyment of the game.

Guild Wars 2: Profession Balance to be Addressed in Q1 2016

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 05:50 AM PST

ArenaNet is committed to making sure that professions are balanced in Guild Wars 2, so much so that each will be watched closely with quarterly updates focusing on keeping things in check. In a new blog post by Karl McLain, the first series of balances changes are outlined for each class with implementation coming sometime in Q1 2016.

ASTA: The War of Tears and Winds: Open Beta Put Off Indefinitely Due to Localization Concerns

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 04:34 AM PST

Webzen has posted a notice on the ASTA site to let players and fans know that the open beta for the game is delayed indefinitely. While citing exceptional reception from the community, the post indicates that more effort needs to be expended in both voice-over recording and translations as well as several technical issues that need attention.

MU Online: Origin Mobile Tie-In to Start CBT on January 25th

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 02:19 AM PST

Webzen has announced that closed beta registrations have opened for the MU Online mobile tie-in, Origin. MU: Origin has brought the full contents and combined it with mobile enhancements to bring a fully 3D game to mobile devices.

Fallout 4: Play as a Stormtrooper or Kylo Ren in New Mods

Posted: 12 Jan 2016 01:05 AM PST

IGN has posted a new video that shows off a mod that allows Fallout 4 players to take on the role of a Star Wars Stormtrooper. A picture speaks a thousand words, so check out the video below.

DC Universe Online: Five Years Young, Daybreak Plans a Big 2016

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:37 AM PST

You may have read that Playstation 4 and PC players will soon play together on the same mega server, or you may have read that DCUO is coming to Xbox One in the Spring. But that's not all the folks at Daybreak have planned for their superheroic title in 2016. Read on for the studio's full suite of plans, including new powers, new stories, and new ways to progress your characters...

Devilian: 20v20 Guild Battles Coming in Mid-January

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:12 PM PST

Trion Worlds has announced that 20v20 guild battles will be entering Devilian with the mid-January update. Guilds will be able to challenge one another and each Sunday will feature top guilds duking it out for Archgemstones, the top four team each receiving a share.

DC Universe Online: Daybreak Announces PC/PS4 Cross-play & XBox One Version

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:05 AM PST

In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Daybreak Game Company has announced that DC Universe Online will now feature cross play between customers on PC and PlayStation 4 beginning the week of January 25th. In addition, a new XBox One version is in the works and will be available sometime later this spring.

Darkest Dungeon: Latest Edition of Web Comic Features The Leper

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:17 AM PST

Called "The Leper", the latest edition of the web comic based on Darkest Dungeon is now available on the site. The series gives players a look at the back story for each of the characters that will be encountered within the game when it launches later in 2016.

Path of Exile: Melee Earthquake Ability Will Literally Shake Things Up

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:14 AM PST

The Path of Exile team has posted a new video to show off the melee Earthquake ability that will quite literally shake the ground under the feet of enemies and deal some serious damage, particularly if 'chained' together with short burst hits in quick succession. Check out this earth-shattering new ability and let us know what you think.

General: You Can Never Go Back to WoW Again

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:47 AM PST

It's the time of the year traditionally that people don't care about anything. Everything interesting has happened, and there hasn't been long enough for people to get their act together and stop going to the gym.

Black Desert Online: Archer Awakening Weapon to be Added to KR Version This Week

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 09:43 AM PST

On January 17th, Archers in the Korean version of Black Desert Online will receive their Awakened weapons, a sword and dagger, giving them melee abilities. Check out the video to show off the Archer's new found powers and leave us your thoughts in the comments.

General: Vive VR Headset Preorders to Open February 29th

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 09:01 AM PST

The Telegraph is reporting that the Vive virtual reality headset will be ready for preorder on February (yes, 2016 is a leap year!). There is no word on the cost but popular speculation is that it will be about the same as the Oculus Rift at $600.

General: The Upcoming RPGs of 2016

Posted: 10 Jan 2016 01:56 PM PST

The sheer amount of RPGs coming out in 2016, is staggering. Unlike with our MMOs of 2016 list, we won't strive to list them all. Instead, we're curating our Top 25 most anticipated RPGs of 2016. Here's hoping they all launch this year!

World of Warcraft: Zug Zug - Warcraft Movie Trailer with WC Sound Sound Effects

Posted: 11 Jan 2016 07:44 AM PST

If you're in the mood for a good laugh for a dreary Monday, look no further than YouTuber Randy Mermet's reimagining of the Warcraft movie trailer using Warcraft II sounds. Get your zug zug on and check it out!

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