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Latest PC Pickup

Another day another eBay pickup. I just can’t get enough of Retro Nostalgia and for a good reason. Games back then while not as advanced as now had more personal depth and felt alive as developers did their best. Nowadays, it seems every game is just a clone of some other game. Exceptions, of course, must be made but I’m more drawn toward the past than the present. Some may say I’m living in the past but so be it. Anyway, I just managed to score the bellow as I was browsing for my next fix.

tony_hawks_american_wastland

Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland for the PC! I love Tony Hawk’s games but the series went downhill after American Wasteland. Yes, Project 8 and Proving Ground which I liked were ok but other games are garbage. It’s a shame since I was looking forward to THPS 5 and even bought the remastered version of the first on both the Xbox 360 and PC as well as X on the original Xbox.

I’m not sure if the game will run native on Windows 10 but there is no such a thing as impossible on the PC. Plus I will be Able to run the game on max and even spice it up with graphical Mods if I can find any. The only thing I’m worried about is setting up the game to work with the Xbox 360 wired controller which I tend to use to play most of my PC games including FPS. Crazy I know.

My next target (after completing some of the games I have) is to hunt down the Tomb Raider series. I know that I can get the trilogy cheap on GOG.com but I like having the big box versions even if they take allot space. There is a special feel to the physical media hence why I love to collect and play the actual disk games.

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If you been following me for some time you wold know that I tend to order a lot of games which resulted in a huge backlog. To combat this, I’m on a strict diet of completing my older titles one by one and so far I managed to clear a few games like sonic Generation and Rayman Origins which I 100%. Whats the use of buying stuff if you never gonna use them?

Have great one folks.

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Why I buy used games and you should too

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I have been gaming since the age of five or even younger if I can recall. I been through the generations and seen first hand how the gaming industry was changing. Over the years, I have bought many used games and the number keeps getting bigger and bigger. Here are my reasons to keep buying used games:

  • They are cheap

Used games prices are not what they used to be, still they are cheaper than buying new ones by around 40-60% and that’s not an easy difference. Yes, I have a job and save money meaning I can afford to pay full price but why should I considering the crap developers are pushing new days which brings us to point 2.

Jokes aside, games can be costly in many countries across the globe including where I live. Used games market makes sure that everyone has the chance to enjoy this wonderful hobby. And NO, used games are Not killing the industry. Lazy development and microtransactions are!

  • Lazy development

Gone are the days where developers worked hard to make the best possible game they can. New days, remasters and incomplete full of bugs games are released with features locked behind microtransactions and DLCs. Milking the consumer for less and less content is becoming a habit for most developers.

Saving money and working smarter eliminating the unneeded features like real life celebrities doing the in-game voices is one. Working with better, more optimised engines is also a good alternative. Making a game for the sake of getting rich gets you nowhere, just ask the big shots.

  • Not worth getting new

The harshest reason of them all. simply, new games are not worth getting new. Most of them at least. Call old timer all you like but games used to be better in every aspect. The original Playstation and Saturn pushed the limit and the Dreamcast continued. New days, it’s a quick cash grab and broken mess.

The story in most games is piss poor and the gameplay is shorter than a newborn guinea pig. Let’s face it, just like music the gaming industry became all about money. Yes, good games are still being made but Call of Duty proved that releasing the same game every year is much more profitable than putting in hard work that may not pay off aka Shenmue.

. . .

Good games are still around, not in the quantity they used to be in though. One can only hope.

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Simpsons skins are coming to Minecraft

simpsons_minecraftCredit: http://mashable.com/

I think we are starting to see how Microsoft will start benefiting from the huge Minecraft purchase and the first downloadable skins are here. For only $1.99 you will receive The Simpsons skin pack on Xbox One with Xbox 360 around feb. The rest of the platforms will surly follow although I am surprised this isn’t on the PC yet.

While this is in no way a big thing, I honestly like it as it gives some colors to an already great game. Lets just hope they wont overdo it.

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Microsoft is working on a new VR Headset for Xbox One

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VRFocus confirmed that Microsoft is working on a new Virtual Reality Headset for the Xbox One. Not surprising since this is a direct response to Sony’s  Project Morpheus and Oculus Rift.

What I don’t understand is; Why are Sony and Microsoft spending time and money on gimmicks? There will be a time for virtual reality and the matrix but it is not this day. Concentrate on fixing your consoles and optimize them. Fix the whole 1080p drama and help develop bugs free games. Time and energy is spent on failed so called future tech that no one will probibly care about, just like the Wii controller, just PS cam, just like Xbox kinect and so on.

I remember when the 3D craze was just getting started and they were selling us that the home 3D screen are the future only that no one cared and android smart TVs were flying off shelf instead.

When will the big boys realize that we just want proper games? This whole next gen future gadgets thing is getting out of hand. Gone are the days when I can simply insert the CD and start the game. Now we have to download 15GB+ day one patches and hope that games will be fixed later.

I am yet to find a reason to buy a next gen console as I can get everything on the PC for way cheaper and better. I find my self interested more in retro than the modern era consoles and crap like this only makes me want to stay in the past.

Nintendo on the other hand is trying to stay true to gaming but the horrible Wii U 3rd party support and the overpriced controller is killing them. Gaming companies should go back into making games fun to play and enjoyable instead on concentrating on crap no one is asking for.

Noe excuse me while I go look for food while browsing eBay for some real old school games. Out.

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Games take too much space

spacehdIt is the year 2014, video games has grown to the point that a single game install can take up to 50 GB+ let alone day one patch of 20 GB. This is becoming an issue to a growing number of gamers as hard disk space is something to be considered very seriously. Fast internet to download monthly patches is a luxury many don’t have including myself.

Now I know that games are getting bigger and more space is used by all the HD stuff and what not but I’m sure that sure that developers, if worked hard could come up with a way to optimize and compress the content without noticeably effecting the quality. We are doing this to video files since I don’t know when using Handbrake or other software so whats the problem with games? Compress the videos and music but give me a smaller  install requirement any day. Allow the option of selecting the install type and video/music quality to save disk space.

The other thing is the day one 1GB patch thing; take your time developing and optimizing. I understand that bugs are found after release but not this much. Assassin’s Creed Unity had over 300 bugs that are being fixed with patches, don’t tell Uobisoft did not know about that.

The simple fact is developers are rushing the games out half finished with hopes of fixing them along the line and that is something I hate! I can wait an extra month or two so please take your time and optimize. Gone are the days where developers had to figure of the PlayStation one and Sega Saturn to take a full advantage and release an optimized version and there were no patches back then. Now its all about money and quick yearly releases with little to no effort put in.

I really hope that future games become less space demanding and fully playable day one. Is that so much to ask?

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Ubisoft and Assassin’s Creed Unity issue

ubBy now, the news should be out to everyone that the newly Assassin’s Creed Unity runs very poorly and unoptimized. Surprisingly, a simple fix was discovered; disconnect the internet from your console/PC. After killing the internet the FPS should double and the game becomes playable.

How did Ubisoft not test this is beyond me. Instead of placing a review restriction and try to hide the problem, admit it or better yet, take the extra time to fix it before releasing a half finished game with full price tag. And no, this is the not the first game from Ubisoft that came out half made. Trials Evolution Gold had this problem and still to this day is not fixed or patched. Resident Evil 4 port that they did was a horrible game that made Capcom redo it all over again for the PC.

Let alone the horrible Uplay that they impose as an attempt to capture steam sales. I get it, Ubisoft needs money just as any business but releasing broken games and place restrictions is not the way to go. Games and people and general likes to buy good stuff, meaning good games with great story and gameplay and not poorly optimized, half made release.

Gamers allover the world are raging and they have every right to be. I for one, will NOT be buying this until Ubisoft starts taking gamers, the customers that put money inside their pockets more seriously and trust me, I’m not the only one. It is one thing to forgive a mistake made by a trusted company, accepting broken products and getting used to it is another.

Sometimes you just say enough is enough and that’s exactly what many are saying. Ubisoft, I love Rayman and bought it across many platforms. It was nicely done and optimized so I bought it. We are not hatters, we buy good products so make your games right. Take extra months and even years but make the game right that’s all what we are asking.

 

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Grand Theft Auto V PC version is getting 4K + First Person 

GTAVOn January 27, 2015 Grand Theft Auto V will finally be released on the PC with sweet improvements proving once again that PC version of any game will most likely be the superior version.

While many of you already saw GTA First Person mod before, this time it will be totally different as Rockstar will be remodeling the vehicles  and some other things to fit with the new FPM. Did I mention that the gloriouse graphics and beautiful city will be in 4K?

Now lets not get carried away with the above features just yet, in addition to the above along with other enhancements namely the draw distance there is one important feature unmarketed, can you guess it? Mods!

For the ones that don’t know, GTA’s online mode was started as a mod and even argued that it is better than the actual online made by Rockstar games. Lets not forget the downloadable cars and skins for the players. A community like not other, just look at GTA Vice City which is enjoyed to this day with custom content free by the loyal moders.

Even though the game is kinda old and over played on the last gen consoles, I for one am happy that I will be picking this up and enjoying it the way it meant to be played. My only concern is optimization. I just hope that Rockstar will deliver a better job than GTA4 which was poorly optimized with problems despite coming out late. Other than that I feel great that this game got the announced features and most importantly coming to PC where it all started.

This is a smart move on Rockstar’s part; Remaster a great last gen game while working on the proper next one. I understand that some will argue that it is too soon to remaster GTA5 and instead we should have got a truly next gen version. You are correct and I agree on remastering last gen games but this one gets a free pass. Not only was this one of the greatest GTA games, some of us -like me- did not get the chance to play it so why not pick the enhanced version on the next gen consoles and PC? Im impressed that they added official 4k support as 4k is yet to be mainstream but for the dedicated hardcore PC gamers this is a great feature.

Looking forward to playing this for the first time in its ultimate version soon.

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Xbox One bundle is now $349

xbox_one_saleFor those of you still waiting to jump on the next Gen -Technically this Gen- now is your chance. Microsoft now lowered the Xbox One’s price to $349 with free game(s) and that is an amazing offer.

You can even get two full games should you go with the assassins creed bundle. True both of them are also available on Xbox 360 but with such a low price and free games it is getting harder not to take advantage. and with the saving you just made, you can go ahead and get more games like the Evil Within or even preorder Mortal Kombat 9 or Batman Arkham Knight.

This price is as low as it can get so don’t expect anything lower in the short term. Now of course if your not interested in the next Gen yet you can care less but sooner or later you will need to reconsidre to continue playing new games. More and more developers are starting to develop games for next gen only with Dying Light being a fine example. You can also get some of the pre gen games like Rayman Legends with better resolution and shorter load time not to mention The Evil Within.

Another thing I would like to point out that apart from the assassins creed bundle you will be getting the latest AAA tittles such as Sunset Overdrive and the next COD so your scoring big games for free and if for any reason you don’t like them you can trade them for something else among your friends. Not a bad deal at all.

Xbox One had a slow start but make no mistake; a stable online services aka Xbox Live + Next Gen console is never a bad thing and as more and more developers starts jumping aboard the console will soon be over populated with AAA games.

Just a reminder: Offer ends January 3rd 2015.

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PlayStation 4 firmware 2.0 brings game share

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PlayStation Firmware update 2.0 is out and comes with an important yet kinda useless feature at the same time. Important and useless at the same time? Yes, continue reading.

Along with a few normal update features comes one important and unexpected to honest; Game Share. Basically, you share your game over the internet with a friend who is not necessary an owner of the same game. Meaning streaming the option for someone to play on your console while your away or watching. Now in theory this is a revolutionary idea which bring us to the days when friends gathered together. Problem is, you will need a really fast and stable internet and that is a problem for many.

Now while allot of you may have a good net, streaming requires allot of power and internet speed if I can call it that. Any slight disturbance or disconnection will effect your gameplay. The way I see it; this feature while important will be useless to many and eventually ignored. Sadly, we are just aren’t there yet. Maybe in 5 – 10 years but not now.

Cloud and streaming is becoming bigger each year and some may say will be the default way of gaming and application running in the near future and that’s something I don’t like. Yeah its cool that I can play a game I don’t own on someone else PS4 and run Photoshop in the could but physical media has a special place in my heart. Maybe I’m old fashioned but that’s the way I and many feel.

Let me know what you guys think.

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Upgrading old PC for The Evil Within challenge

The Evil WithinWhat is The Evil Within Challenge you say? Its a challenge created to test how far can I push my 7 year old PC. True, I upgraded the graphics card sometime back but that was the only thing I did. I will be getting the game on Xbox One in the near future but a PC version is a must so why not have any fun while doing it? I have ordered the final upgrades for this rig as I will be building a new one soon. Bellow is what I got:

$_57Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.40 GHz CPU, an upgrade over my Core 2 Due. Now I realize I could have gone with Core 2 Extreme but reading incompatibility stories as well as not a huge boost made me go with this. While many of you will lough, I manged to play Batman Arkham Origins with everything on high on a decent resolution. I will not be gaming on 4K or even 1080p so that’s no big deal. It did say it needs a 4 core CPU ;D

 

$_57 (1)4 GB of DDR2 is a must. An upgrade over my 2 GB of current Ram. Nothing unusual here seeing as 4 GB is becoming the standard new days.

$_12

EVGA – GeForce GTX 750 Superclocked GPU. I have heard great things about this card despite being a budget card, an upgrade over my 250 GTX. The card supports direct X 11.1 and that should be more than enough for the time being. Keep in mind I will not be doing 4k so this should do its job fine. As a bonus, it will not be needing a additional power as its energy efficient. Lets see how far this baby can go.

Now while the above may seem like a joke, I assure you I am very serious in finding out how far I can push things, hence this test. I am not trying to pretend that I will be running the latest games just fine or sell that I can achieve the impossible. I like proving my point and test things out and with the news that The Evil Within’s specs were exaggerated, I took it upon myself to see how things really are. I will be doing a video play through on my YouTube channel as soon as the parts arrive so stay tuned.