Evening Reading
by Nick Breckon, Jun 25, 2009 6:00pm PDTGoing to check out the Trine demo tonight, and the Cities XL beta. Want to check out the Cities beta, too? We'll be giving away 500 keys on a first-come, first-serve basis. Look for that to go live in the next hour.
News:
- Serious Sam remake headed to PC, Xbox 360
- ArmA 2 demo released
- Battlefield Heroes quietly launches
- id's John Carmack talks future plans
- War Hero confirmed as future Gearbox project
FileShack: Unity of Command, Skyjacker
Daily Filter: Planetside 2, Deadlight
Weekend PC digital deals: strategy-o-rama
38 Studios, Harry Potter Kinect - Shacknews Daily: May 25, 2012
Minecraft for Xbox 360 dev working on 'Adventure' update
I'm re-building an Athlon socket 754 (Asus K8V Deluxe) system for my son. I had used the system with XP extensively for 2+ years without any issues. I removed my drive and installed a new WD Caviar Black and installed Vista Home Premium. Now the sound is wak. I've got a Creative Audigy 2 Platinum Pro in there, which was fantastic in XP, although now it sounds like crap. Almost no response from the front speakers no matter what I do. Can't get the front channel or a 5.1 setup to work properly.
Tried the on-board AC-97 audio with similar results, although that audio chip isn't the best to begin with and driver support sucks.
What are you builders out there running for sound in your Vista systems? I'm considering grabbing a Xonar from Newegg or running to BB to grab a Creative X-fi...
...thoughts?
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Post your well-wishes and/or ytmnd's here.
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Nice to see the lower prices confirmed, at least on the Microsoft store. It says those are discounts. I'm not sure if it's a pre-order discount, a Microsoft store discount, or a non-discount that applies for everyone.
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7/category/102
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TE Fightstick Observations Day 2:
1. When it gels, the fightstick makes me feel unstoppable. When it doesn't, I feel like this is my first day playing streetfighter ever. That feeling you get when you start to get a feel for it is great, I feel like I have the potential to be so much better. With a normal 360 controller, I was really feeling like I had hit my limit with what I could pull off.
2. Day 2 has been a lot better than day 1, I seem to be picking it up quickly. I wouldn't say I am as good on it as I am a normal controller, that will come in time, but I am actually getting better in different ways than before, which is an unexpected bonus. Still though, while yesterday I was fighting at MAYBE 50% capacity, today felt like 80-85% there.
3. FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4 MENZ:
The game is really good. I wish that they had put Tyson and Ali in the training demo in the actual demo, because I think that would have left a much better impression than the ultra fast, light hitting junior welterweights Hatton and Pacman. Don't judge the game by the demo, which I thought was good anyways, but it was understandable if it rubbed you the wrong way. This looks like it will be much better than FNR3 in the long run.
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http://www.shackpics.com/files/573154286_KkybeO_x5rsi68aj3ugolc9shxh.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/573154585_xyALyO_qvywb9wuaq3crk9t9xtk.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/573170413_khx2YX3_nv9eoeumy664zqkww904.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/573172167_M7JjvX3_4amqxqn2i06ceeqmsj8s.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/573169758_SA9UFO1_g4ticbwt256r3knk3ycn.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/573179578_eqQ3EX3_tdozw47549dxfv5bzzwr.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/574101599_WAtFYX3_onrm2w35fn4rhlcsxj3q.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/574101682_HRsN5X3_tqhjc2ikvxpvnnlyn6fo.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/574101981_vnUetX3_q1giawjcezeav44uxg89.jpg
http://www.shackpics.com/files/574102362_eZiokX3_6k8ufsmlsqhd9il85556.jpg
As for Mewbacca she has blood in her stool :(
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"I would say I am a remarkably unsympathetic person. I am a forward looking optimist. I never reminisce about the good old days because the good old days are right now."
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http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/exclusive-trials-hd-gameplay?size=hd
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Anyone know when it'll preload or be released today?
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http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-7/category/102?WT.mc_id=winonline_win7promo
and saw this:
If you have Windows XP or Windows 2000, you can purchase Windows 7 Upgrade versions. But you must back up your files, clean install, and reinstall your applications.
Will the Windows 7 Upgrade version just use the honor system? If you're doing a clean install and boot off the DVD, how is it going to know you're upgrading?
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http://8bitmayhem.untergrund.net/2006/07/episode-8-special-birthday-episode.html
(direct link: ftp://ftp.untergrund.net/users/scout/podcast/8bitmayhem-episode8.mp3 )
Dredg - Same Ol' Road
http://www.monstunes.com/?p=262
A bunch of samples to check out and links to kickass bulgarian chants!
These guys are freaking awesome. I discovered them through the shack ages ago thanks to some instrumental rock out track from Leitmotif and I've been rocking out to them regularly ever since. They're an art/prog rock outfit who use a lot of ethnic instrumentation and have a penchant for bulgarian chants. Simultaneously beautiful, emotional, sophisticated and raw, there is no band like dredg. I think I discovered them thanks to tomservo? I know there are quite a few dredg fans on the shack so they should speak up and check out my post (which has some stuff from the new album) and encourage others to check it out too!
\m/
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Cliff's Notes summary: you know how iPhone "there's an app for that" ads always seem to show an OS which is impossibly fluid? well, imagine if it was actually that slick. that's the new model.
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http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?id=20232516#itemanchor_20232516
So I took out the 'sniper rifle' for the first time with the AICS yesterday.
In the past I've always used a front rest and a rear bag. This was my first time using a bipod up front and man it is awesome! So much more steady than a front rest.
I could not be happier with the size, feel, and weight of the AICS. It is the best rifle stock I've ever used. Not only that, but I folded it up and it fit in a really short soft case I used for my 16" AR.
Here is 3 shot group at 100yrds (yeah yeah only three shots blah blah). Still need to work on the zero a bit but it was fucking hot even at the indoor range yesterday. The target is tore out like that because I keep each group and a log book. Although its the best group I've shot with the rifle yet at ~.5 MOA, I'm sure it can do better. I just need to get some more practice in with it.
http://www.shackpics.com/files/group4_8k3n3oycefj5kdfg54fk.jpg
Goddamnit.
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Cheaper Than Dirt has Magpul PMAG's with the windows for $16 a pop.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MAG084-36.html
I own 10 of these (4 to use, 6 to keep) and they are fantastic, very reliable.
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http://www.shackpics.com/files/iPhoneUpload_r8kv91srfku2yqqg2p2s.jpg
Another 10 straight days of rain.
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Straight through on I-5 or take 405 and go around?
I'm guessing traffic is going to be shit either way.
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I am going to post this screenshot, and I am sure you guys can appreciate the awesome that I am seeing on my screen right now.
http://www.elrepositorio.com/shack/clang3.png
Cum, pumping.
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http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/dangerroom/images/2009/02/17/080519f0782r046.jpg
Reminds me of
http://www.talkingproud.us/ImagesHistory/EarthquakeMcGoon/McComasEdwardCockpit.jpg
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http://www.theage.com.au/national/800000-payout-after-bunk-bed-fall-20090626-czbh.html
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http://www.zallow.com/Gallery/pagani_zonda/Pagani%20Zonda%20Factory.htm
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http://files.getdropbox.com/u/1410224/shacknews.zip.torrent
And now.. the rest.. of the story...
So as you guys know that evil empire took over the shack a few months ago and that sparked all kinds of paranoia and debate as to what would happen to the latestchatty, and what would happen if it ever got shut down.
So, I figured hell why not just write a little app to suck in the comments and save them in SqueegyTBS's hot XML format in case anyone ever dropped a server or hell if this place ever just took a big ole poop. The application took about 2 hours to write, I popped it on my web server and let it run. I'd check it from time to time from time, but like a Terminator, "it never stops."
It took four months running only in the evening hours, parsing and parsing and parsing.
So... here's 2 gigs of ShackNews history all in handy zip format. Server drop proof your history Shackers!
P.S. Not sure if anyone else is still seeding but my connection is capped at 100k so download it overnight or something..
P.S.S. No idea what you would want to do with it.. but it TOOK 4 MONTHS OMG.
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I love it when the people supposed to correct my stuff add spelling and grammatical errors... I'm pretty sure "unemployment" isn't spelled "unemployement", asshole.
this is what you use right?
http://ps3mediaserver.blogspot.com/
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I recently bought the DVD and spent the past 2 days watching it, and I have to say it is 100x better the second time. In fact I'm chomping at the bit to watch it again, and I think I'm going to get even more out of it the next time.
First time...I give it a 6/10. Second time, I give it 10/10. Just, wow...completely astounding movie that must've totally flew over my head the first viewing.
http://o.aolcdn.com/feedgallery/music/i/m/michael_jackson/16-michael-jackson-081407.jpg
http://o.aolcdn.com/feedgallery/music/i/m/michael_jackson/06-michael-jackson-081407.jpg
http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/20244.jpg
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I want to like ARMA2, and playing the demo I actually do but there's just some things that are totally ridiculous about it. Mainly, the bugs and very little to no context on the interface. The latter is salvageable because this is a simulator, and well, you can play enough to figure out what HARDCORE elements you're missing to play the game correctly (much less find something to #@$@#$ shoot).
But the former is ridiculous. Bugs bugs bugs. The net code (in my experience) is ridiculously poor and erratic. Graphics glitches left and right, crashes - I went to buy a sniper rifle at the barracks and BOOM goes the windows....shit like that. It's too bad really, those things that happen in the demo will cost a lot of game sales, becasue otherwise the game is pretty deep and looks nice.
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i'm pretty sure this is the best music track ever made in the history of video gaming. The unreal soundtrack is an under-rated gem and is often overlooked. Sure you hear people say stuff like command and conquer or metal gear solid having the best sound track for a video game but they obviously haven't compared it to some of the work that went into Unreal's soundtrack.
The musicians and level designers did some interesting things with the soundtrack to make the game play experience.. well as 'unreal' as possible, (i would say 50% of unreal's atmosphere IS the music). For instance, the player walks in certain areas and only one section of a music track plays and loops until the player enters another section and the music will begin to transition smoothly to another part of the song. That Sunspire song is separated into three parts: a) player warps into some canyon b) walks toward a giant spire c) starts to ascend the spire. Pretty damn epic. The soundtrack transition from section to section always felt continuous and not abrupt like in many of the dynamic music tracks you hear in video games today.
Another classic example :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glnpnifV4Fk&feature=channel_page
after you get off the vortex riker you come across some brutes at one of the mining shafts, the music transition is so awesome.
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