Evening Reading

Just when I think messing around with computer hardware is starting to get easy enough where I would feel comfortable suggesting a non-geeky...

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Just when I think messing around with computer hardware is starting to get easy enough

where I would feel comfortable suggesting a non-geeky friend give it a try I run in to

some insane nonsense dealing with bios updates and all that other crap. While I am

comfortable still doing that kind of thing it still baffles me that a company can expect

all of their customers to be. I suppose that is why those Geek Squad things make so much

money though. Sigh.

As for the the videogame news around these parts for today:

Lastly, given that our server didnt blow up last night with all of those stats we linked

yesterday, I suppose we can almost feel comfortable starting to integrate that stuff

further. One would hope there are a zillion uses for this kind of thing. From as simple as

customizing your news feeds to even suggesting what type of games you would like ala

Netflix style. One thing is for sure though, I sure know how to make a website ugly!

Thanks!

Steve Gibson is the cofounder of Shacknews.com. Originally known as sCary's Quakeholio back in 1996, Steve is now President of Gearbox Publishing after selling Shacknews to GameFly in 2009.

From The Chatty
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    May 28, 2008 6:49 PM

    I haven't enjoyed a game's flamethrower since RTCW.

    Far Cry 2's is gonna give that flamethrower a run for its money http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/52884

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      May 28, 2008 6:50 PM

      oh shit a fresh chatty

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      May 28, 2008 6:52 PM

      Supposedly there's a flamethrower in Gears of War 2 that's pretty cool as well. Hitting the perfect reload on it increases it's range and intensity.

      Read more here: http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/05/28/gears-of-war-2-multiplayer-detail-explosion/

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        May 28, 2008 8:18 PM

        The reload "timing" thing is a neat idea, but it bugs the shit of me how often I end up looking at the upper right corner of the screen.

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          May 28, 2008 8:36 PM

          that gameplay mechanic is what made me think that maybe GoW wasn't totally shallow.

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          May 28, 2008 8:51 PM

          I'm at the point where I pretty much have the timings for all the guns in my head. I don't have to look.

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            May 29, 2008 4:59 AM

            Yeah - its great once you get to that point, which doesn't take long at all imo

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              May 29, 2008 5:18 AM

              I'll still look if I really want to make sure I get that active reload. Like with the sniper rifle I will often look because it makes such a big difference with that gun but even then when I am reloading as someone is closing on me I just feel it out.

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      May 28, 2008 6:59 PM

      I love a good flamethrower - like Kingpin, RTCW, TF2.

      Fire looks like it plays a big part in FarCry 2 if you've watched any of the gameplay videos. You can set the buildings, trees, and savanahs align, then the wind can carry the flame and move it along to do all sorts of crazy shit.

      I just hope that the guns in FarCry 2 go where you point them, and have some stopping power. FarCry 1 was legendary because it had more than 1 gun which could mess guys up from a decent range, and the guns generally shot where you pointed them. FarCry 2 is in one bigass map though - so I'm worried they might try and make it last longer and feel more dangerous by gimping the shit out of the guns.

      Here's hoping it is as awesome as it looks - a huge map (20, or 50 square km they said?), shitkicking guns, good ai, non-linear mission structure, and then 99% just setting you loose to do as you see fit.

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        May 28, 2008 7:25 PM

        Kingpin's flamethrower sucked, but you can't attribute that to the weapon itself. It definitely threw flames. The 'sucked' part about it was how you would light guys on fire, who would then proceed to run around like retards, screaming their heads off. Then, suddenly, MAGICALLY, the flames would go out and they would continue shooting like nothing happened.

        What a fun game that was.

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          May 28, 2008 7:31 PM

          I loved Kingpin :)

          My love of the flamethrower was probably influenced by how amazing it looked. I have only passing recollection as to its effectiveness, and thinking back on it, I seem to recall being in a crappy spot on a roof with the flamethrower trying to find health after I guy I tagged didn't die from it.

          I remember I loved the game and its style - and I remember that the tommygun was damned effective.

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            May 29, 2008 5:35 AM

            That three round burst rifle was so awesome.

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        May 28, 2008 11:52 PM

        It's like captain planet, only real.

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          May 29, 2008 12:17 AM

          as long as I don't get stuck playing that "heart" pansy...

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      May 28, 2008 7:27 PM

      TF2 I would say is the de facto minimum all flamethrowers in games should be like.

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        May 28, 2008 7:47 PM

        minimum is right, that thing sucks

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        May 28, 2008 7:50 PM

        [deleted]

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          May 28, 2008 8:14 PM

          I'm going by looks mainly.

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            May 28, 2008 8:16 PM

            it looks nowhere near as good as RtCW's either. it's just fire puffs

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          May 29, 2008 2:15 AM

          Bleh, with the TF2 one you can totally cover people in flames and still not set them alight, and yet if you run past a pyro as one of the weaker classes you can die in under a second despite him not even looking at you,

          Its hit detection is awful, and seems to be getting worse. It also likes to shoot out at odd angles, too. Trying to burn someone on the floor below you is almost impossible, the flame just wants to zoom off at right angles :(

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        May 28, 2008 9:15 PM

        The TF and TF2 flamethrowers are shit. They're just streams of individual, slow-moving projectiles. Which sucks.

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      May 28, 2008 7:43 PM

      [deleted]

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      May 28, 2008 7:45 PM

      IAWTMFP. RtCW had the best flamethrower ever

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      May 28, 2008 7:46 PM

      ummm... Serious Sam???

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      May 28, 2008 7:48 PM

      AVP

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      May 28, 2008 7:50 PM

      Natural Selection 2 is dreaming of a flamethrower with proper volumetric fire and everything, so bursts of flame whoosh down narrow vents.

      I, in turn, am dreaming of Natural Selection 2 :|

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        May 28, 2008 8:40 PM

        I played NS all the time, and I keep forgetting about #2 until someone posts about it. It's always a couple months between the times when I go and look at their website, and always it seems like they have made 0 progress. :(

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          May 28, 2008 8:46 PM

          They've got mockups now... are they even working on NS2 at all? :( NS2 is the next DNF at this rate.

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          May 28, 2008 8:48 PM

          They seem to release a new podcast every now and then but it seems typically to be little more than "Wouldn't it be awesome if..."

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        May 28, 2008 8:52 PM

        they need to release a new podcast already! :(

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        May 29, 2008 7:22 AM

        oh man i love NS...can't wait for their sequel

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      May 28, 2008 8:10 PM

      when is farcry2 coming out?

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      May 28, 2008 8:12 PM

      definately between RTCW and Kingpin for best looking flamethrower, loved them both. From what I've seen the FC2 one looks pretty crap.....but I haven't tried it myself of course

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      May 28, 2008 9:13 PM

      Needs more pink monsters.

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      May 29, 2008 12:13 AM

      I think it was Turok I on the n64 which had a flame thrower that was spewing a liquid fire napalm that would set the ground on fire. I really liked that gun. And the cerebral bore, of course.

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      May 29, 2008 4:38 AM

      the flamethrower in Call of Duty United Offensive deservers some props I feel

      http://youtube.com/watch?v=DBrqoisOOOU

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