BREAKING

Monday, October 15, 2012

Blizzard Says Single-Player Games are Endangered Species



Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Let’s sit down and waste a few minutes of your time, I’ll make it short, brief or “thong”), do you believe that single-player games are going extinct?
Are they a dying breed? Endangered species?




In a recent interview with Games Industry, Blizzard’s Chief Creative Officer Rob Pardo agreed that the traditional, big-budget single-player game is an endangered species. He said that between piracy and the ability for consumers to rent games, it’s now extremely difficult for publishers to dump millions of dollars into a single player game and not see the financial return they need to make the investment realistic.

“One of the bigger trends is there’s a lot of smaller games able to be created, so you are seeing a lot more innovation that isn’t possible in the AAA space because of the money and the risk involved,” he said. “You’ll see a lot of these really innovative indie games, mobile games, social games, that people can try out and test new and innovative ideas.”

Some of those ideas, he said, will eventually turn into AAA games. They’ll also become an “experimental hotbed of gaming design.”

He goes on to defend the subscription-based game model, saying that it still works when games aren’t over-valued. That means publishers and developers need to design a game to keep the player engaged on a daily basis. Some have slapped on a subscription model because they thought they could get away with it, and failed. Players looked at what they received for $10 to $15 per month and didn’t see any value.
Pardo actually moves on to defend the free-to-play model as well, calling it a strong, friendly business that lets potential customers try a product with no risk, and then lets them pay for what they want (such as gear, locked continents, extra characters, etc).

“I think that is a really strong model,” he said. “Free-to-play is almost like a genre of business models, there are so many different ways you can apply it. I think for free-to-play to work really well it has to be deeply integrated with the game design itself. What is it that people are going to buy, and how much are you going to pay for this versus the other thing? One of the biggest issues with free-to-play models these days is the feeling that a lot of games give me: That for me to progress in this game, or to really have a deep game experience, you have to pay. That’s where free-to-play gets a bad rap. But that’s more the game design than the model.”

Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Listen up as I tell you that I’m no expert – but it seems I sound like a wannabe to some, maybe they should think about why my intended audience are the noobies – because that’s exactly what I am). I don’t pretend to know-it-all and if my suggestions or recommendations have flaws that’s because I’m no guru.

So as a sort of disclaimer, you can’t have my only word for it. There are more established and renowned experts who actually do this job for a living. I’m here for the free ride because this is just a hobby and my way to share what I believe in, regardless if its biased,  lacking substantial basis, or erroneous.

Source: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-10-02-game-industry-legends-rob-pardo

Polycase’s New Enclosure Keeps the Raspberry Pi Microcomputer Safe



Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Hang around a bit, may ikukuwento ako so listen up and sit), to all the lovers of the Raspberry Pi, here’s another case from Polycase.

Polycase announces the release of their new ABS plastic case for the Raspberry Pi microcomputer. The Pi Series case is an affordable ABS plastic enclosure for the credit-card sized computer with pricing as low as $9.29 per unit with no minimum order requirement. Molded in black flame-retardant ABS plastic with a flame rating of UL94-5VA, this curvaceous enclosure brings an attractive new look to the market.



The compact enclosure measures 3.0 x 4.0 x 1.4 inches. Designed to fit the Raspberry Pi Model B, the Pi Series holds the PCB captive with access and labeling for each individual component of the board. Included with the enclosure are 5 flush mounted light pipes that project light from the board’s LEDs out of the end panel on the case. The textured finish on the cases is resistant to fingerprints and scratching.

To aid in the development of projects and applications, Polycase provides 2D drawings and a 3D model of the Raspberry Pi plastic enclosure for instant download directly from their website at www.polycase.com/pi-series. Polycase also offers CNC machining and custom printing on all enclosures.

For more information about Polycase’s value-added services, visit this page <click here for link> .

Tech Power Up <click here for link>

Borderlands 2 – Enabling PhysX Without an nVIDIA GPU

 
Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Stay for a while you’ve got to hear about this, nakakauwa kasing malamang pwede rin pala – promise!), did you know that you can have PhysX work even if your card is not of nVidia GPU?
I’ve read this article, and it got me hooked already because I’m currently playing Borderlands 2, using a different GPU. Read on and I’m sure it will also interest you.

 
We were able to enable PhysX on all graphics cards by editing the WillowEngine.ini and setting the PhysX level to 2. As far as we could tell the Radeon HD 7970 and GeForce GTX 680 look the same with PhysX set to high but admittedly we have not played a great deal of the game and ave only use a few guns. However the cloth effects and rock debris effects from shooting stuff with the Gearbox Rifle look the same.
 Furthermore all PhysX effects are offloaded to the CPU when using an AMD graphics card so depending on your processor the performance will vary quite a lot. As we were using the Core i7-3960X the hit wasn’t nearly as significant as you will experience with a lesser processor.

With PhysX set to high, the GTX 680 became 19% slower at 1920×1200, averaging just 60fps instead of 74fps. Surprisingly, the HD 7970 did slightly better dropping 15% from 72fps to 61fps, and as far as we could tell, the PhysX effects looked identical on both brand of cards.

When using cards such as the GTX 560, we were still able to achieve playable performance with PhysX set to high despite a 17% dip in frame rate. The HD 6870 took a similar hit dropping 18% from 51fps to just 42fps, but this is probably a worthwhile tradeoff for many gamers.
Source: Tech Spot <click here for link>

Diablo 3 Account Hack Attempt



Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Read it again and again, and again once more, bago ka bumigay sa panloloko ng mga account hackers), if you just received an email like the one below, I’m pretty sure it needs to go straight to your spam folder.



  
Dear customer,

Because you are involved in the trading of gold and equipment.
legitimately means playing with an unaltered game client.

Doing otherwise violates our policies for Battle.net and Diablo III,
and it goes against the spirit of fair play that all of our games are based on.
We strongly recommend that you avoid using any hacks,
cheats, bots, or exploits.

Suspensions and bans of players that have used or start using cheats and hacks will
You can confirm that you are the original owner of the account to this secure website with:

http://us.battlle.com.htm.zlex.info/battle_net_account.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fus.battle.net%2Faccount%2Fmanagement%2Findex.xml&app=bam
Login to your account, In accordance following template to verify your account.

* Account name
* Account password
* First and Surname
* Secret Question and Answer
Show * Please enter the correct information
If you ignore this mail your account can a

NBA 2K13 Preview



Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Stop dribbling your balls, Oh man you are so tall – Can’t play some decent basketball? But I have some good news. NBA 2K13 will be released this October 5 in the Philippines!

For those who are vertically-challenged and just wish to play ball in their living rooms or bedrooms.

Nice improvement from NBA 2k12 in terms of presentation, gameplay and visuals.






“P300 ang down payment sa Datablitz (megamall). Sabi ang makakabili lang ng copy yung nag pre-order at sabi din na wala pang 2K yung price kaso di pa alam kung magkano talaga.. For those na nag aabang pa sa Oct5, last chance na bukas na mag pre-order para makakuha agad ng copy sa Friday”

P 1,995 petot sa x-play!



Missing Features for the PC versionGames Modes
- MyTEAM
- Preorder All Star Weekend (dunk contest, 3pt contest)Game Features
- MyCloset for MyPLAYER
- VC Currency System (the game uses the console’s “offline” skill point system for MyCAREER)
- Unlockable Blacktop Stars (on consoles they can be purchased with VC; not in PC version)Online
- Playing Against Specific Opponents (including friends)
- 3-on-3 Blacktop with MyPLAYERs
 Graphics
- Self-Shadowing on Players
- Advanced Stadium Lighting (colored lights in crowd)
<click here for link>


The All-Star pack is not available for PC.
<click here for link>





A Hefty Discussion on DirectX



Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Hep hep hep, huwag makulet, sa akin ay makinig) you may want to read on this article first so you’ll understand what is being discussed.

Full article at Bit-Tech <click here for link>


Whether this actually happens remains to be seen, but Huddy certainly seems convinced that the idea of having no API at all is going to put pressure on Microsoft in the future. By getting low-level access to the hardware, games developers could potentially make many more draw calls, and push PCs way ahead of consoles in terms of graphics, which is where they should be, given the hardware we’ve got. However, this could also come at a cost in terms of stability and compatibility.

Either way, it looks as though DirectX’s future as the primary gateway to PC graphics hardware is no longer 100 per cent assured, especially when it comes to cutting edge graphics.

Wala yan. Malabo pa yan. Nabanggit din nila sa article, may pros and cons nga talaga. Pero maganda nga sana kung may “option” din kasi na pwede direct call to the hardware itself. Some big dev teams can make their own fast “in house” api. Yun nga lang, kailangan dapat macater all kinds of gpu architecture else mas magiging prevalent yung “nvidia loving / amd loving title”.
Can they tell if the graphics is two times or 3 times better? how? Sa performance kasi may numbers eh, sa looks I dont know of any.
Consoles also have a major bonus over PCs here, which is their fixed architecture. If you program direct-to-metal on the PlayStation 3′s GPU, then you know your code will work on every PS3. The same can’t be said on the PC, where we have numerous different GPU architectures from different manufacturers that work in different ways.
Sakit sa ulo sa QA side of things to test your app on different PC hardware configuration without a governing API. Heck, ngayon pa nga lang na may standard API, may mga render bugs / crashes pa din mga laro.
Im pretty sure kaya di din nilagyan ng MS yung option na yun is for security purposes. Having the option for devs to have low level access to hardware anytime is a bad idea security wise.
Removing the governing API is a step back imo. Kaya nagkakaroon ng mga “industry standards” para mastream-line yung process. Imo, they should just continue on improving DX..
I’m pretty sure kaya di din nilagyan ng Microsoft yung option na yun is for security purposes. Having the option for devs to have low level access to hardware anytime is a bad idea security wise.
You Think it is that bad to access low level graphics routine? Let me ask you, which runs faster, a game encoded in assembly language versus the same identical game encoded in Visual C++ using the same exact libraries…….
MS wants everyone to go dumb, that is why……. before directx, each one had his own way to solving a particular problem….. but because of the ‘ease of use’ of directx, everybody’s brains went south, ingenuity included for the sake of ‘ease of use’ and standardization of codes.
Yeah, riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Removing the governing API is a step back imo. Kaya nagkakaroon ng mga “industry standards” para mastream-line yung process. Imo, they should just continue on improving DX..
wrong……. it was MS who made directX to compete with OpenGL……. MS knows they are slower than GL, heck, Voodoo and Voodoo II ran rings around the fastest DirectX exclusive video cards Nvidia had to offer at the time…..
I was there when there was no directX and there were games that ran magnificently using 256KB of video ram using the entire power of the video card, and developers were making things like Vector graphics and Voxel Space to take advantage of the technology at the time.
Using directx did allow the graphics to be separated from the processor, but it did not result in graphics technology going by leaps and bounds……like it used to be before directX.
With DirectX, you are forced to follow a murcielago when you are driving a Veyron Grand Sport and you are not allowed to overtake it…………….. and you are accelerating at a preset pace as dictated by someone outside of the car.
That is the inherent problem of directX….. it is too damn slow and MS already knew this even before they released windows 3.1 when it is compared with OpenGL.
So what did MS do? graphics quality instead of raw processing power. But the problem is its still slow and takes too big a space to display it properly…….. You see the same problem with no apparent solution with today’s games (motion blur….. water splash……. etc……)
I mean, windows 3.1 is 20 years old and it still boots faster using a compaq 386 with 4MB RAM and 40MB hard drive than windows 7 with 16GB RAM and a raptor.
The problem? way too many ‘libraries’ to take care of thousands of routines that display the ‘good looking’ graphics we see……. at what cost? Speed and code efficiency. This is the pitfall of directx games…… it is just way too big, loading too many libraries, and in the end taking up too much space when someone could have done the same thing 4 times smaller, if directX was not born.
I was there when we did not have directX to play games…….. And we had the most enjoyable DOS games that we ever played…… all games after this was pure nonsense…..
Back then people used their brains to solve a graphical problem inherent to limited RAM and processor …..And these games were initially offered as DOS games….. no Directx there.
Remember the original C&C? It still plays way better than most RTS games being put out today…. that is why Red Alert is still being played by many people……. And C&C used Voxel Space to display their games until Generals came…. and as a result, all C&C games after this were utter crap.
The solution? remove directX as the so-called ‘standard’ in graphics…. if DirectX is the standard, then that standard is way too low, too big and too slow compared to what video cards can accomplish without directX.
All in all, its about time somebody ought to bright down the real hindrance to the ultimate graphical perfomance of today’s video cards….. DIRECTX.
Remember, it if is software, it is always slower…….. get it done as close to hardware at you can possibly take it, and I can assure you, graphics will be faster, games smaller but more responsive and at the same time originality of code will rise again, like the way they used to be.
Isa pang problema nilabas ni MS ang windows 95 na directx lang ang support…… ayun….. naiwan na si OpenGL and GLide.
Hindi Win 95 or DirectX ang nag pabagsak ng Glide.. it was 3dfx going bankrupt kaya natigil support sa glide. Also, hindi directx lang ang support ng win95. Supported pa din ng win95 ang Glide. Heck, even Win98 can run Glide titles natively. As for OpenGL.. well buhay pa din naman development for that API sa win platform. Rage was done in OpenGL. Heaven Benchmark can render in OGL. Developers can opt to use OpenGL anytime they want.
Removing the governing API is a step back imo. Kaya nagkakaroon ng mga “industry standards” para mastream-line yung process. Imo, they should just continue on improving DX..
wrong……. it was MS who made directX to compete with OpenGL……. MS knows they are slower than GL, heck, Voodoo and Voodoo II ran rings around the fastest DirectX exclusive video cards Nvidia had to offer at the time….
Its a step back in terms development if you remove the governing framework (be it OpenGL, Direct3d etc). Babalik yung era where one hardware manufacturer would reign supreme in terms of its rendering horsepower. They’d work closely with game developers (to make life “easier” for developers), release its own in house closed technology API that would most probably gimp any gpu that doesn’t have that kind of architecture, then jack up their card’s price.
MS stepped up and released its own unified framework wherein developers and hardware manufacturers would adhere to. Kind of like a neutral ground to all software and hardware developers.. but just like what the article said, Direct3d is pretty much limited as of now..
The thing here is as long as gumagamit tayo ng ms windows for gaming, sad to say, directx is here to stay. Hence my statement “they should just continue on improving DX..”. There are lots of ways to improve D3d.. one way is to make it open. Fact is there are plenty of untapped talent around the world. M$ chose to close it off from them for you know what purpo$e.
Remember the original C&C? It still plays way better than most RTS games being put out today…. that is why Red Alert is still being played by many people……. And C&C used Voxel Space to display their games until Generals came…. and as a result, all C&C games after this were utter crap.
Current C&C’s graphic engine had nothing to with it being crap XD.

XCOM: Enemy Unkown


Tekkie Tekie Muna (Drop whatever it is you’re doing, magbasa muna ng aking gustong sabihin), there’s this new game, or sort of a revival, remake, or watever of an old but popular game back then.

“Incoming na yung X-Com remake (XCOM: Enemy Unknown, from the old euro title from microprose) ngayong Oct 11. The best version is on Steam, with a free civ 5 when you pre-purchase.





To those old enough to remember the golden age of PC gaming (read: DOS gaming), you can easily suck into hundreds of hours in the award-winning original. It seems that firaxis heavily tweaked the system while retaining the core gameplay. I hope that they fixed the hex-edit trick to get the uber-armor.” says ShinjoYukatsu



“With regards to the tweaks, I’ll try to appreciate the new XCOM game for what it is pero mamimiss ko lang yung inventory ng soldiers at time units sa original X-COM at yung eerie sound and music at yung medyo nakakatakot sumugod at nakakagulat na alien turns lalo na pag night missions na iniiwasan ko dati. Di na rin ata pwedeng mag intercept ng ufo pag in transit na yung transport aircraft at marami pang iba. In short, marami silang tinweak. Oh well, lalabas siya rin sa consoles so it follows na dapat console gamer friendly din yung bagong XCOM.” says MrBungle

All About SSDs


Tekkie Tekkie Muna (Slow down at bumaba muna sa kabayong mabilis), did you now that SSDs are now slowly replacing HDDs, probably because there's a significant loading time speed performance improvement.

If you're still on HDDs then its either your current PC speed is still tolerable for you, or you didn't know there was an SSD, .....or you just don't care mainly because you're just using your PC as a word processor.




But if ever you would like to replace your Jurassic hard drives, here are some reviews and recommendations.

Hello guys! Kingston SSDNow V+200 120GB review here!
http://leobiendurana.wordpress.com/2012/10/03/kingston-ssdnow-v200-128gb-review/


OCZ Vertex 4 128GB Mini Review here
http://forums.eteknix.com/general-hardware/ocz-vertex-4-128gb-please-pardon-sucky-camera-7450/#post34225

Intel SSD 520 Review
http://www.storagereview.com/intel_ssd_520_enterprise_review

I think upgrading to SSD would be a lot of help in terms of minimizing the micro-stuttering issues in D3 based from this video:



Vertex 4 is hands down the most worth it SSD to buy today that is available locally.

Retail Intel brand SSD has international warranty like their processors. If you bought an Intel SSD in the US you can claim manufacturer’s warranty here in the Philippines via Intel Customer Support.

Read from some sites that due to NAND flash shortage, OCZ used enterprise grade NAND to continue fulfilling Vertex 4 demands.

480GB Sandisk Extreme for $320
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B006EKIQYM/thssre-20

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Donate Your Used Tarpaulins


Please help us in our advocacy to help our poor communities in the sectors of livelihood and education - the two most needed in our society to help it rise up from poverty.

The movement aims to deliver a two stage project:

1. Livelihood
To convert old and used tarpaulins into useful items like reusable bags to minimize plastic usage, tents for emergency relief housing to serve as temporary shelters after recent disasters like floods and earthquakes, school bags for school children especially those in the remote provinces, etc.

We will be employing housewives, the unemployed and out of school children to form a cooperative to transform the tarpaulin waste into usable crafts.

2. Donation
We will be visiting the depressed communities both within the metro and in the provinces to donate the outputs of our hardworking countrymen thru the help of NGOs, movements, advocates, and in cooperation with the LGUs.


Communicate with us:

wazzuppilipinas@gmail.com

Include your name, organization, address, contact numbers and details of donations
We also accept other types of donations, including cash or kind.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

The First Laguna Blogging Summit


Wazzup Pilipinas!

It isn’t a big surprise that tourists and “balikbayans” often pick Laguna, a province of the Philippines found in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, as one of their prime destinations included in their travel itinerary.

That’s most probably because Laguna has earned a very good reputation for having the best hot and cold spring resorts – for a soothing rest and recreation, legendary and iconic scenic spots like the Pagsanjan Falls, Laguna Lake, and Mt. Makiling  - a feast for all our senses, a Disney-like theme park with magical and “enchanting” rides, and notable as the birthplace of Jose Rizal, our country’s national hero, – to satisfy our thirst for some Philippine history, plus a lot of other historic spots and postcard-perfect attractions for a very satisfying and memorable vacation.


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