Monday, September 24, 2012
Enjoying Borderlands 2
I'm sure a lot of gamers right now are enjoying playing Borderlands 2. It's definitely better than the first one, and still fun to play and explore its fascinating world!
http://www.borderlands2.com/loveletter/?x
I have just tested Borderlands 2 on my overclocked Llano APU
A8-3870K (CPU @ 3.2 GHz / HD 6550D @ 847 MHz)
NB @ 900 MHz
8GB DDR3 1866 CL9
Windows 7 64-bit
Catalyst 12.8
Here are the settings I used:
Resolution: 1280 x 720
V-sync: off
Texture detail: High
Game detail: High
Foliage distance: Near
Draw distance: Medium
FXAA: On
Depth of field: On
Anisotropic filtering: 4x
Ambient Occlusion: Off
I think I have played for 3 hours, the frame rate ranges from 35 to 40 fps. CPU usage across all 4 CPU cores were above 90% as reported by Open Hardware Monitor v0.5.1 beta
http://openhardwaremonitor.org/
For those using an HD 6670 or 9800 GT or faster GPU, you need not worry.
Borderlands 2 GPU & CPU Performance Test
http://www.techspot.com/review/577-borderlands-2-performance/
"For those gaming at 1680x1050 or similar resolutions, we found that very modest GPUs like the Radeon HD 6770 (aka the 5770) were able to deliver decent results, but again, Nvidia's performance advantage allowed budget GeForce cards such as the GTX 460 to produce 58fps, besting the HD 6850 and HD 7770.
At 1920x1200, the GTX 660 Ti could be considered overkill as the GTX 660 was only 1% slower while being 30% cheaper. That said, the GTX 660 Ti helps fill that gap by shipping with a free copy of Borderlands 2, so you'll have to determine what works out to be the best overall value in your situation.
Radeon cards seem to handle PhysX slightly better than their GeForce counterparts. When running Borderlands 2 at 1920x1200, the HD 7970 only took a 15% performance hit after enabling PhysX (dropping from 72fps to 61fps), whereas the GTX 680 fell 19% from 74fps to 60fps.
We were a bit worried about AMD's GPUs going into this because Borderlands 2 is a "TWIMTBP" title, but it seems we should've placed our concerns on the company's CPUs. Dual-core chips like the Phenom II X2 couldn't provide playable results, the Phenom II X4 and X6 were on par with Intel's old Core i7-920, while the FX series was roughly 20fps behind newer Core i7 parts. Additionally, Borderlands 2 responded far better when overclocking the i7-3770K than the FX-8150.
It seems your CPU choice may be more crucial to Borderlands 2's performance than your GPU choice and you'll definitely want to play with a quad-core chip."
CPU's tested
Intel Core i7 3000 series
Intel Core i7 2000 series
Intel Core i7 920
AMD FX series
AMD Phenom II series
AMD Athlon II series
AMD A6-3500
GPU's tested
AMD Radeon HD 7970 (3072MB)
Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 (3072MB)
AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2048MB)
AMD Radeon HD 7850 (2048MB)
HIS Radeon HD 7770 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 7750 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6970 (2048MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6950 (2048MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6870 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6850 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6790 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6770 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6750 (1024MB)
HIS Radeon HD 6670 (1024MB)
AMD Radeon HD 5870 (2048MB)
AMD Radeon HD 5830 (1024MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 680 (2048MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 (2048MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 Ti (2048MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 660 (2048MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 580 (1536MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 570 (1280MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 560 Ti (1024MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 560 (1024MB)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 (1536MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 460 (1024MB)
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 550 Ti (1024MB)
source: Techspot
Borderlands 2 : Dark Souls Easter Egg
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=98463511
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=98463434
The exploration was rewarding , several funny moments, even the Double Rainbow meme
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=98292932
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=98292932
Original Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI
Borderlands 2 version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAi3avrLrvY
Borderlands 2’s Killer PC Version Gives Us A Taste Of The Future
*credits to kyrencross and benchmarks_of_truth, TPC
Friday, September 21, 2012
Corsair Obsidian Series 550D “Quiet” PC Casing Reviews
TechPowerUp
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Corsair/Obsidian_550D/6.html
Overclockers Club
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/corsair_550d/6.htm
HardOCP
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/08/08/corsair_obsidian_series_550d_midtower_case_review/7
Guru 3D
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/corsair_obsidian_550d_review,9.html
Crucial m4 mSATA 256GB SSD Review
Despite having only four NAND flash memory chips on a tiny 1.8″ PCB, the mSATA m4 managed to keep pace with larger 2.5″ drives, including Crucial’s original m4 and most of the 2.5″ SandForce SF-2281 SSDs. In fact, in both of our real-world application tests, the mSATA unit delivered the highest or second-highest score, succumbing only to the OCZ Vertex 4. Likewise, the drive fared decently enough in our file copy tests.
Pros: Tiny form factor, big on performance. Crucial’s track record on SSD products is excellent. Can be installed directly on mSATA motherboards. Miniature tech that works this well is simply amazing.
Cons: If you don’t require the small footprint, there are other equally attractive SSD options on the market.
Tech Spot <click here for link>
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Borderlands 2 Reviews
IGN gave it 9
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/14/borderlands-2-review
Gamespot gave it 8.5
http://asia.gamespot.com/borderlands-2/reviews/borderlands-2-review-6396650/
Based from the reviews, it's worth it!
Based from the reviews, it's worth it!
But IGN and Gamespot are quite shunned by the community because of their reviews. (COD reviews)
I suggest checking out PC Gamer, RockPaperShotgun, forums (TPC) and even friends (that have your same taste in gaming) for reviews.
Of course, this is subjective so to each his own.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The Social Good Summit in Manila
Innovation. Social Media. Social Good.
These three ideas converge on September 22, 2012 in Metro Manila during the Social Good Summit.
Organized by Rappler and TweetupManila, the Social Good Summit is part of a greater global movement initiated by Mashable to coincide with UN Week.
The event aims to bring together the country’s brightest minds and creative thinkers to come up with innovative new ways in which digital technologies like social media can be used to solve the world’s challenges and make this world a better place - and then translate these ideas to action.
The day-long summit is split up into two events.
THE DIALOGUE
An “invite-only” morning session with 50 leaders and shakers who will come together to answer the question, "How can new media and technology create solutions in my community?" We've invited the following speakers to share experiences and lessons learned from using social media in their respective industries, and to propose solutions to address current challenges:
Ces Drilon (ABS-CBN), Howie Severino (GMA7), JV Rufino (Inquirer.net), Carlo Ople (TV5), Michael Josh Villanueva (Rappler), Ros Juan (TweetupMNL), Jane Uymatiao (BlogWatch), Nina Terol-Zialcita (Pipol Power Institute), Yves Gonzales (MMDA), Manny Fernando (IMMAP), Chit Juan (Philippine Coffee Board) and Mahar Lagmay (Project Noah).
The closed-door event will be streamed live on the front page of Rappler.com. Videos from the event will also be posted on Rappler after the event. If you would like to attend the morning event, send an email to desk@rappler.com with “iPHLgood” in the subject line and tell us how you have used social media for social good.
The morning session takes place at the Greenbelt 3 MyCinema in Makati from 10am to 1pm.
THE SUMMIT
A open to all afternoon conference takes place at the 3rd Floor of the Stephen Fuller Hall of the Asian Institute of Management in Makati from 3:00-5:30pm. Registration and pre-event activities start as early as 1pm.
Speakers include:
Ramon Jimenez Jr. (Tourism Secretary)
Mon Jimenez is secretary of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and is the driving force behind “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” - the country’s official tourism campaign that was inspired by social media and spread through social media. Prior to joining the DOT, he was an advertising executive and was founder & CEO of JimenezBasic, one of the largest advertising agencies in the country. Mon believes that social networking was born in EDSA and that Filipinos bumped into crowd sourcing before the rest of the world.
Maria A Ressa (Rappler CEO)
Maria A. Ressa is Executive Editor and CEO of social news network Rappler. Maria has been a journalist in Asia for more than 25 years. Before setting-up Rappler, she was Senior Vice President of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs from 2005-2010 and CNN’s bureau chief in Manila and then Jakarta from 1987-2005. She became CNN’s lead investigative reporter focusing on terrorism in Southeast Asia and is the author of several books on terrorism including the upcoming book From Bin Laden to Facebook. Despite documenting some of the worst disasters and uprisings in Southeast Asia, she believes in the goodness of human nature and in the transformative powers of media and technology.
Ricky Carandang (Communications Secretary)
Ricky Carandang is Secretary of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. Prior to joining public service he was lead news anchor at the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). An Ateneo graduate, Ricky’s first job was as a stock broker. He was named The Rotary Club of Manila’s Broadcaster of the Year in 2010 and served as Newsbreak Magazine’s President and Business Editor from 2000 to 2004.
Bianca Gonzalez (TV Host)
A familiar face on Philippine TV, Bianca Gonzalez is host of several entertainment and current affairs programs on ABS-CBN Channel 2. Bianca is one of a handful of Pinoy Twitter users with over a million followers -- using her celebrity status and social media influence to support her advocacies. A staunch advocate of youth empowerment, Bianca is a World Economic Forum Young Global Shaper and Unicef Philippines Champion for Children. She is a two-time winner of the Globe Tatt Awards, first for “ThoughtMover” in 2011 and “The One” in 2012. Aside from her work on TV, Bianca is also editor-at-large for Meg Magazine and lifestyle columnist for the Philippine Star.
Chris Lao (The Informer)
Chris Lao, a victim of cyber bullying, was inadvertently thrust into the spotlight in 2011 when a video of him being interviewed on a TV news program went viral on the Internet. His quote, “I was not informed” made in reference to flood waters that stalled his car, became an Internet meme.
Since then, he’s had a baby, passed the bar exams and has starred in a bank commercial, reenacting scenes from that infamous viral video. Chris is a living example of the good and bad that can come out of social media -- he’s used the Internet to turn the tables on his misfortune and is now the poster boy of one of his advocacies, the passing of the Freedom of Information Bill.
Attendance to the event is free. But make sure to register for the event below. Only 550 tickets will be issued.
Sony Unveils a Brand New Model of the PS3
Sony has announced today at its pre-TGS press conference that it will be releasing a new model of the PlayStation 3.
The new model is 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the current PS3 (itself a redesign from the original version), and will come in two flavours: 250GB and 500GB. It'll also be available in two colours, white and black.
The black console will be out in Japan on October 4, while the white model will be out on November 22.
In the US, the 250GB model will be out on September 25, and will include Uncharted 3 and a $30 "digital content" voucher for DUST 514 (a free-to-play game). It'll cost $270.
There'll also be a 500GB bundle including Assassin's Creed III that'll go on sale in the US on October 30. No price on that one yet.
Interestingly, in PAL territories, there won't be a 250GB model. Instead, alongside the 500GB version will be a PS3 including just 12GB of flash memory.
Culture and Communication Seminar With Boy Abunda
The IAS Student Council proudly presents the “CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION SEMINAR” with the theme “Creating, Shaping, Learning and Transmitting Culture through Communication” on September 21, 2012 (Friday), from 1:00-4:30 pm at the FEU Auditorium.
Guest Speaker: Mr. BOY ABUNDA
For more information, you may contact Trish Marcelo, IAS SC Secretary- 09156615616
IAS Student Council : DELIVERING HIGH!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I Am Alive Game Reviews
I AM Alive not-so-good reviews by 1Up, Gamespot, IGN and G4TV:
1Up
http://www.1up.com/reviews/i-am-alive-review-xbox360
Gamespot
http://asia.gamespot.com/i-am-alive/reviews/i-am-alive-review-6370331/
IGN
http://www.ign.com/games/i-am-alive/xbox-360-852011
G4TV
http://www.g4tv.com/games/xbox-360/41734/i-am-alive/review/
Gangnam Style by GTA IV's Niko Bellic
Video created by Auxeum.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Auxeum
PSY - Gangnam Style (강남스타일)
▶ NOW available on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gangnam-style-gangnamseutail/id560398387
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Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
