General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Steam Trading Cards Now Out of Beta

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 08:57 PM PDT

Steam Trading Cards

Collect cards, craft game badges, earn rewards, and level up for more

Announced last month, Valve's Steam Trading Cards feature is now out of beta. Steam Trading Cards, as per the official description, are virtual cards that gamers are supposed to collect inside games and by trading them with other Steam users, with the ultimate aim of earning a wide set of tradeable and non-tradeable rewards, including game badges, profile backgrounds, emoticons, DLC/game coupons, profile showcases and extra friends list slots.

Half the set of cards associated with a particular game are available inside the game itself. At the moment,  more than 30 games are part of the Steam Trading Cards program, including the likes of GRID 2, Company of Heroes 2, FTL, Monaco, Trine 2, Super Meat Boy, Sanctum 2, Magicka, Brütal Legend and Left 4 Dead 2.

"Once you've collected a set of cards you can craft them into a game badge. Like the current badges, they are tied to your account and are shown on your profile," reads the Steam Trading Cards Group page. "Unlike the current badges, crafting games badges earns you tradable items like emoticons, profile backgrounds, and coupons. Level up your badge by collecting the set again and earning more items."

"All badges now have XP which contributes to your Steam Level, a summary of your badge collection. You can view someone's Steam Level by hovering over their avatar. Leveling up earns you non-tradable items like profile showcases, extra friends list slots, and more."

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Microsoft Reveals Windows 8.1's New Features

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 05:40 PM PDT

Windows 8.1 will allow you to boot to the desktop, disable hot corners, and more!

After many leaks and small public demos, Microsoft has officially blown the lid off Windows 8.1 by fully detailing it at the company's Build event in San Francisco, California. The updated operating system offers numerous tweaks and features, some of which include:

metro

You will no longer have to boot to Metro! Yay!

• Boot to Desktop

No longer will you have to boot to Metro as Microsoft will officially allow you to boot to the desktop.

hot corners

You can now disable Windows 8 Hot Corners

• Disabling Hot Corners

The need to maneuver your mouse into a pesky little corner has been an annoyance for desktop users since launch, especially for those with multi-monitor setups. Windows 8.1 will allow you to disable those pesky hot corners. 

• Native Drivers

Windows 8.1 will include native drivers for 3D printers, fingerprint readers, and Miracast support.

• Four Metro Apps Simultaneously 

When Windows 8 launched last year, users were limited to running just two Windows 8 applications at once that were forced into an awkward 80/20-split. Windows 8.1 will enable users to run up to four Windows 8 applications on a screen in a variety of display ratios.

• Dynamic Backgrounds with More Color Options

Microsoft has enabled more color and shade selections for the OS with the ability to mirror your desktop background on your Start screen. The company also took a page from Sony's PSP and has enabled dynamic backgrounds that move and shift as you scroll around your Start screen.

bing

Bing will be integrated into Windows 8.1's search feature

• Bing Search Integration

Search will now search not only the contents of your hard drive and cloud storage, but also use Bing to pull searches from the Web.

• Tiled Resources for Direct X 11.1

Microsoft has chosen to integrate Tiled Resources into their Windows 8.1 update. Tiled Resources is a feature of the Direct X 11.1 specification that ditches the traditional PC route of rendering scenes in their entirety to render scenes in divided sections called tiles. This means that your Direct X 11.1 GPU will be able to render scenes that are larger than its graphics memory.

• High Security

In addition to native drivers for fingerprint readers, Microsoft is including new features such as partial wipes for PCs, better VPN support, and network behavior monitoring via Windows Defender (Microsoft's free anti-virus software).

In addition to polishing the OS, it seems that Microsoft paid attention to the needs of desktop users with Windows 8.1. You'll be able to download the free update this fall. Current Windows 8 and RT users can check it out now if you are feeling frisky, but be warned this is beta software, so you'll be running a BETA OS. You've been warned.

Newegg Daily Deals: NZXT Apollo Chassis, Creative Sound Card, and More

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 03:51 PM PDT

nzxtnewegg logo

Top Deal:

Today's top deal is a steel -- steel chassis, that is! NZXT's mid tower ATX Apollo case is on sale for $55 with free shipping (normally $90 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVR79]; additional $10 mail-in rebate). The steel case comes in black and invokes quite an alien aesthetic.  It also comes with two 120mm fans and fits up to 10.5-inch video cards.

Other Deals:

Intel Core i5-4670 Haswell 3.4GHz Quad-Core Desktop Processor for $230 with free shipping, free Skull t-shirt, and $10 Newegg promotional gift card with purchase 

Corsair Neutron Series 256GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive for $190 with free shipping (normally $210) 

Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion 5.1 Channel Sound Card with Sound Blaster I/O for $80 with free shipping (normally $150) 

Corsair Vengeance M65 8-Buttons USB Wired Laser 8200 dpi Gaming Mouse for $54 with free shipping (normally $70 - use coupon code:[EMCXPVR96]; additional $10 mail-in rebate) 

Ask the Doctor

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 12:11 PM PDT

This month the doctor tackles Windows 7 vs Windows 8, two-system cases, DHCP problems, and more

Upgrade or Toss?

My mother has been using the same Dell Inspiron (P4 2.8GHz) for the past 10 years, and she refuses to upgrade. I've already boosted the RAM from 1GB to 4GB (3.3GB with 32-bit Windows XP), swapped the puny 80GB HDD with a 500GB drive, and tossed in a DVD-RW drive. Then, for Christmas, I got her a 24-inch LCD monitor, but the Dell is so old, the resolution caps at 1024x768.

Should I swap that old Dell with a $400 rig, or try throwing a discrete graphic card on the decade-old board? Any recommendations for a mother who watches a lot of Netflix and DVDs? I want to get her watching Blu-ray, just so she can see the difference.

- Morgan Kuehl

The Doctor Responds: 

While it's possible to get an AGP or PCI graphics card that will enable Blu-ray playback on that old system, you'd be throwing good money after bad, in the Doctor's estimation. Better to spend $400 or so on a system based on an AMD APU, which will give you great HTPC performance, including Blu-ray and Netflix playback, without the need for a discrete GPU.

ps3

Morgan, the PS3 may actually suit your mother's needs.

Hell, the Doc hates to say this, but a PlayStation 3 can play Blu-ray and DVDs and has a Netflix client built in and costs around $250. So if that's all she uses the computer for, you might as well just save some money and get one of those. 

Win8 Without Touch 

I am getting ready to put together a new PC—the first in a very long time. My current box is a Pentium 4 in a Socket 478 motherboard running XP Pro. Should I install Windows 7 or Windows 8? I don't need or want a touchscreen, so does Win8 work well without one?

- Robert Weber

The Doctor Responds:

Windows 8 works fine without a touchscreen. It's the Doctor's opinion that a new Windows 8 laptop should have a touchscreen but a desktop doesn't need one. On a desktop, your hands are much farther from the screen, so the reach-up-and-swipe motion that works fine on a laptop doesn't work as well on a desktop.

classic shell

We prefer Windows 8 to Windows 7 provided you use something like the Classic Shell Start menu.

As for which OS to use, the Doctor has to recommend Windows 8. It's slightly faster than Windows 7 on the same hardware, and if you end up hating the Modern UI interface you can always avoid it and spend most of your time in the desktop (which the Doctor does), or in extreme cases you can use free software like Classic Shell to disable it entirely. In the Doctor's opinion, the Start interface is fine if you use it as a Start menu and annoying if you try to use it for anything else.

Water-Cooling the HAF

I'm currently running a reasonable system in a Cooler Master HAF X. I want to add an all-in-one liquid-cooling loop like the Thermaltake Water2.0 Pro or Corsair H80. The reason I write is this: The rear fan on the case I have is 140mm; everything else on the case is 200mm or 230mm. I've been looking around, and I can't see any prebuilt water-cooling system that can match these larger fans. I've seen some adapters, but the reviews on them say that they'll hold a case fan, but that's it. So, I'm hoping that you can either lead me in the direction of a viable solution, show me something in my case that I've completely missed (like some holes in the top of the case that are pre-drilled to handle the radiator), or just tell me honestly that I'm hosed, and I'll drop it.

- Lue

The Doctor Responds:

The rear fan mount area on those HAF series chassis should have a second set of fan-mounting holes that will accommodate 120mm fans. All you need to do is remove the 140mm fan and install the fan/radiator there. Alternately, you ought to be able to use a 240mm radiator, like that on the Corsair H100 or the Thermaltake Water2.0 Extreme, at the top of the case if you remove the stock fan there. You'll see mounting holes for 240mm and 360mm radiators at the top once the fan is removed.

DHCP Drops

I'm using a D-Link Dir-855 router and several months ago I started having problems connecting to websites after being logged in anywhere from 20 minutes to the better part of a day. I can resolve the issue for the short term by dropping my Internet connection via the router web interface and then re-establishing it. Comcast seems to think I need to make changes to my browser configuration due to some problem affecting Windows PCs, but this affects every device on my network including my iPhones when connecting, and for both wireless and wired devices. I thought that it might be a DNS problem for a while, as I can access sites if I use an IP, but then started thinking it was more likely to be a DHCP issue.

My network skills are tapped out at this point. Are there any techniques for determining an actual cause of the problem? If I understand what I've read, my Dir-855 handles the DHCP duties. Could it have gone bad? I don't want to have to replace the router if I don't have to, but this problem is annoying.

- Michael K. Craghead

The Doctor Responds:

It does sound like a DHCP issue. You've mentioned that you already know how to log in to your router's web configuration panel, so do that and go to the configuration panel. Go to Network Settings and then DHCP settings and make sure that you have the DHCP server setting enabled and that you have enough IP addresses reserved for devices. Set the range to be something like 192.168.0.100 through 192.168.0.199.

Right under that you should see the option to set your DHCP lease time in minutes. Set this for a large number, like 10,000 minutes (if available). This is just short of a week. See if that helps. You can also try setting static IP addresses for each device by using the DHCP Reservation list.

You did mention that you can still get to websites via the IP address. You could try changing your DNS servers from the ISP's to Google or OpenDNS to see if that improves the situation. Go back to Settings and write down the DNS addresses you see under Primary DNS and Secondary DNS Server so you can change them back if necessary. Google's DNS servers are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 and OpenDNS's are 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. Pick a pair and see if that resolves the issue.

SSD or HDD for Me?

I'm about to purchase a new desktop based on what Maximum PC has taught me over the years, but can't decide between SSD and HDD. I primarily use my desktop for email and Internet use. However, I'll also use it to edit HD video and create DVDs/Blu-rays.

I hear SSDs are less desirable for video editing since they run low on program/erase cycles over time. But won't I be fine if the OS is on the SSD and data is kept on a second (HDD) drive? In other words, will the video editing software go easy on the SSD since all the data is elsewhere? Also, does video editing require a robust video card, or can I get by with an entry-level card?

- Ian

The Doctor Responds:

You should be perfectly fine running an SSD in your box and the Doctor recommends it based on your computing needs. There's really no reason to lock yourself out of the joy of an SSD today. You shouldn't worry about the program/erase cycles on a modern SSD, as you will likely toss out the drive or retire it before you ever wear it out. As for getting a beefy GPU for video editing, the Doctor would recommend a good GPU for any machine that will do more than light-duty video editing—just make sure you get a card that your video editor will support. You should be able to get this information by checking out the recommended hardware for the video editor you are using. These days, it tends to be Nvidia cards that support CUDA. If your video editor does not (even consumer video editors do these days), then you can go with integrated or a low-end GPU.

Received via Fax

I have two PCs, one running Windows XP and the other Windows 7. This also means I have two cases and they both take up room under the desk. I want to know if there are any cases that will hold two OSes with MB (and associated components). Both have two SATA HDDs and two DVD writers. I can give up two writers but need all four HDDs.

I keep XP because it is the only OS that will run Symantec's WinFax. I had tried running it in WinXP mode with VMware but VMware doesn't see my modem (important for faxing). Windows Fax and Scan is very limited for what I need a faxing suite to do.

I plan to keep XP as long as possible, so a case holding two of everything is needed. I don't mind upgrading the XP's motherboard to a mini/micro just as long as it can handle two 1.5TB SATA hard drives and one DVD writer.

My other option, which is probably just a dream, would be a way to use the XP HDD and the Win7 HDD in the same case and just switch back and forth. They would need to be running at the same time, so it would be like booting into two different PCs, just all in the case controlled by one motherboard. Any ideas?

- Cassandra

The Azza Fusion 4000 has room for an XL-ATX motherboard on the bottom and a Mini-ITX rig on top, perfect for your multiboxing needs.

 

The Azza Fusion 4000 has room for an XL-ATX motherboard on the bottom and a Mini-ITX rig on top, perfect for your multiboxing needs.

The Doctor Responds:

The Doctor understands, running a fax-spamming business takes work. Just kidding. Since you basically need two PCs in one, check out the Azza Fusion 4000. The case lets you run a full-size system down below and a second Mini-ITX system up top. It should have the room you need for the hard drives, too. The only real problem is that you may not get it under your desk because it's so tall, so you might have to put it next to your desk, instead.

Steve Ballmer Reportedly Spearheading Major Restructuring Effort Within Microsoft

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 09:52 AM PDT

Steve BallmerBig changes could be brewing at Microsoft

Job security is tough to come by these days, even if you're a high-level manager at Microsoft. Check that -- especially if you're a high-level manager at Microsoft. That wouldn't normally be the case, but as the market transitions to mobile, it's being reported that company CEO Steve Ballmer is in the midst of a major restructuring effort, details of which he's hammering out with a small group of confidants and board members.

According to Kara Swisher at All Things D, the vast majority of high-level workers at Microsoft aren't privy to Ballmer's specific plans and therefore have no input on the decision-making process. All they know is that it's Ballmer's goal is to solidify Microsoft as a "devices and services company," as he stated in a letter to shareholders last October.

"It feels like it is going to be titanic — that Steve is doing this change for his legacy," a person close to the situation told Swisher. "And it's the first time in a long time that it feels like that there will be some major shifts, including some departures."

Ballmer could end up firing a bunch of people or he could do nothing at all, though most expect he'll make some changes, whether that entails handing out pink slips or shuffling divisions around. Whatever happens, the most interesting aspect is how the core Windows business will fit into the restructuring effort.

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Digital Storm Unveils Aventum II Crafted Exclusively From Steel and Copper

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 09:00 AM PDT

Digital Storm Aventum IIPlastic? We don't need no stinkin' plastic!

Digital Storm made it a point to show off its liquid cooled Aventum II system at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this year, and was super delighted to showcase its nickel-plated copper piping, steel and copper construction (no plastic whatsoever, the boutique builder says), and room for 22 case fans. It's a custom system in every sense of the word, and having tweaked the design the last few months, Digital Storm is ready to launch its latest gaming PC line.

"We unveiled an Aventum II prototype at CES 2013 and have been working to perfect the design since," said Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm's Director of Product Development. "The final product is a unique system, completely designed from the ground up featuring a bold look and packing enough power to toe-to-toe with any PC on the planet."

The Aventum II is available in four different starting configurations (Level 1/Good, Level 2/Better, Level 3/Best, and Level 4/Ultimate). Starting price ranges from $4,999 (Level 1) to $9,500 (Level 4), the latter of which goes all out with an Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 3970X processor overclocked to anywhere from 4.5GHz to 4.8GHz, Asus Rampage IV Extreme X79 motherboard, 16GB of DDR3-1866 memory (Corsair Dominator Platinum DHX), three Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan graphics cards in SLI, 240GB Corsair Neutron GTX SSD, 1TB Western Digital Caviar Black hard drive, liquid cooling system, Blu-ray player, 1200W power supply (Corsair Pro Platinum), internal LED lighting system, and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.

Digital Storm Aventum II Pipes

You can configure and order an Aventum II system now.

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Futuremark's PCMark Benchmark Headed to Mobile Platforms

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 07:49 AM PDT

PCMark AndroidPCMark is on the move

Serving as yet another sign that mobile platforms are here to stay, Futuremark announced that it plans to port its PCMark benchmark over to Android, iOS, and Windows RT. Like its Windows counterpart, the mobile version will feature benchmark tests based on real-world use scenarios, though they'll be geared toward activities that smartphone and tablet owners perform on a daily basis. It will also examine battery life.

PCMark mobile is still being developed, and with that in mind, Futuremark is inviting mobile manufactures to join its Benchmark Development Program (BDP). Those who become members will have input at each stage of the benchmark development process, and will receive regular builds and site licenses along the way.

The program is likely to attract some major names. As a point of reference, the PCMark Windows BDP is served by Acer, AMD, Compal, Condusiv Technologies, Dell, HGST, HP, INtel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nvidia, Samsung, SanDisk, Seagate, and Western Digital.

Futuremark didn't say when it hopes to have PCMark fully ported to mobile.

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Maingear Rolls Out Two 'Epic' Gaming PC Lines

Posted: 26 Jun 2013 06:29 AM PDT

Maingear Epic Force and Epic RushMeet Maingear's Epic Force and Epic Rush

If you're going to name a PC gaming line "Epic," you better back it up with some hardcore configuration options, lest you're willing to deduct 500 street cred points. Maingear need not worry about that. The boutique system builder today launches its Epic Force and Epic Rush desktops, both of which come chock full of high-end hardware options and offer more choices in liquid cooling and design options.

The bigger of the two is the Epic Force, an all-out gaming line built inside Corsair's Obsidian 900D chassis. Cost of entry is $3,973 for an AMD 990FX setup, $4,355 for Intel Z87, and $4,705 for Intel X79. In other words, you need four large just to get through the front door, and what you exit with depends on how much extra you brought with you.

An Intel Core i7 4770K (Haswell) comes standard with the Z87 setup, as does a Gigabyte G1.Sniper 5 motherboard, EK Supremacy liquid cooling with 400mL reservoir, 16GB of Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR3-1600 memory, Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 graphics card, 240GB Crucial M500 SSD, 3TB Seagate Barracuda XT hard drive, 24X DVD drive, 1200W Corsair Professional Digital Series power supply, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. Upgrade options abound, including up to four GeForce GTX 780, GTX Titan, or AMD Radeon HD 7970 graphics cards in SLI/CrossFire, and you can have them watercooled, too.

Cooling is the name of the game here.

"The Maingear Epic Force and Epic Rush sport a custom dual 'BiTurbo' pump design that ensures continuous cooling in the event of a single pump failure. In addition, this design allows Maingear to tune the Laing D5 Vario motors in order to increasing longevity, maintain constant flow, and minimize noise," Maingear explains. "On the Epic Force, there are up to 3 radiators to keep the system cool including a triple 140mm radiator, quad 120mm radiator, and one 140mm radiator that can be used simultaneously. These are premium, extra-thick copper-core radiators that are optimized for near-silent airflow. On the Epic Rush there are 2 radiators including a 240mm extra thick radiator and 120mm radiator, supported by dual 140mm exhaust. The premium EK waterblocks that are used are coupled with Maingear Epic T1000 liquid metal alloy thermal interface material is backed by oversized reservoirs to ensure stable liquid cooling. There is even a complimentary refill kit that comes with the system when you do need to top off."

Speaking of the Epic Rush, it's a smaller size system that's not quite as expensive as the Epic Force, though not by much. It's available in two different platform options, Intel Z87 starting at $3,275 and Intel X79 starting at $3,788. Similar hardware is available, though GPU options top out at two cards instead of four.

Both rigs are available to configure and order now.

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