It’s a game.

Posted by XPD on in Games, Opinion 0 Comment

I’m over comp games in Overwatch (or any m/player game really) where snide comments from your own teammates are “notice how bronze players always take DPS characters” or “why did you pick that character, you’re gonna lose the game for us” ……… so, I’m not as good a player as you (maybe I have a life and get laid each week unlike you).

It’s a game.

So my response to you is to throw the game.

It’s a game.

I don’t give a shit if I get banned/reported.

It’s a game.

I play the game for fun, not to be told I’m useless or shit, had enough of that at school thanks and became an adult with morals and a good attitude to things in life, I don’t put down other players because I’m better than them.

Boost your team mates moral and give them constructive criticism. Be a man.

Just remember.

It’s a game.

TV: Discovery vs The Orville

Posted by NME on in Opinion, TV / Movies 0 Comment

Both of these shows have now are in their second seasons and there is a rivalry with some of the fans of both these shows.

I have watched both of the 1st seasons and are now watching the respective 2nd seasons, I can say you can watch both shows with no issues as they are quite different.

The Orville initially looked like a comedy Sci- Fi show from the earliest trailers but watching it you realise it is trying to replicate Star Trek: The Next Generation with look and story telling. The show has slowly gotten better over the course of its run so far, finding its feet after an uneven 1st season.

Star Trek: Discovery which claims to be prequel show set 10 years before the The Original Series, looks pretty but was very uneven in the first season with several story lines and characters breaking continuity with Star Trek lore. The 2nd season has so far been dramatically better with the introduction of Captain Pike a character loosely from the original series, it appear the show runners are attempting a course correct to fix up some of the issues from the 1st season.

My advise is to give both of these show a try for a few episodes before making judgement.

PC Fighter Aces Suit-Up! ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN Launches Today on STEAM

Posted by XPD on in Console, Games, PC 0 Comment

PC based pilots, your day has come! ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN is now officially cleared for take-off on STEAM®. Having garnered an 81 Metacritic score for both the PlayStation®4 and Xbox One versions, ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN is set to deliver the explosive dogfighting action, deep storyline, and beautifully rendered aircraft the franchise is known for, to PC players to experience and enjoy.

ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN is available now in the Americas for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PCs via STEAM.

Now, buckle up for take-off, we’ll see you in the skies!


ORIGIN PC Now Shipping Gaming Laptops Powered By NVIDIA GeForce RTX Graphics

Posted by XPD on in Geek, PC 0 Comment

Meet The New EVO16-S, All-New EVO17-S, and EON17-X RTX-Powered Gaming Laptops

Miami, FL – January 29th, 2019, 9:00 A.M. EST – ORIGIN PC has announced that gaming and workstation laptops powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards are now available to order. Designed for gamers or professionals that need portable high-end graphics and processing, these new laptops can run games or applications using RTX graphics. With the introduction of the EVO16-S gaming laptop, enjoy a 16.1” narrow bezel 1080p 144Hz display in a 15” chassis. The EVO17-S laptop has been updated with a reduced chassis size and a 17.3” narrow bezel 1080p 144Hz display. Both the EVO16-S and EVO17-S support up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q design which includes support for RTX-exclusive technology such as real-time ray tracing and DLSS. For a portable desktop-like experience, customize up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 desktop-class graphics card and an Intel Core i9-9900K desktop processor on the EON17-X laptop. All the laptops are backed by 24/7 US-based lifetime support from our award-winning support team. Take on the world with an RTX-powered custom ORIGIN PC laptop powering your favorite games or applications anywhere.

The New EVO16-S High-Performance Thin and Light Laptop Features:

  • Up to an 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-8750H Processor
  • 16.1” FHD (1920*1080) 144Hz HD Narrow Bezel Display
  • Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design
  • Up to 2 x 2TB m.2 PCIe SSD and 1 x 2.5” 7mm SSD/SSHD/HDD
  • Up to 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 2666MHz Memory
  • Up to 6 hours of battery life
  • Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 9560
  • Sound BlasterX® Pro-Gaming 360°
  • 1x USB Type-C 3.1, 2x USB Type-A 3.1, and a 6-in-1 Card Reader
  • 1x DisplayPort 1.3 over USB Type-C 3.1, 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.3, 1x HDMI Output
  • Free Lifetime 24/7 Phone Support Based in the U.S.

The All-New EVO17-S High-Performance Thin and Light Laptop Features:

  • Up to an 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-8750H Processor
  • 17.3” FHD (1920*1080) 144Hz HD Narrow Bezel Display
  • Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 with Max-Q Design
  • Up to 2 x 2TB m.2 PCIe SSD and 1 x 2.5” 7mm SSD/SSHD/HDD
  • Up to 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 2666MHz Memory
  • Up to 6 hours of battery life
  • Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 9560
  • Sound BlasterX® Pro-Gaming 360°
  • 1x USB Type-C 3.1, 2x USB Type-A 3.1, and a 6-in-1 Card Reader
  • 1x DisplayPort 1/3 over USB Type-C 3.1, 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.3, 1x HDMI Output
  • Free Lifetime 24/7 Phone Support Based in the U.S.

The EON17-X High-Performance Laptop Features:

  • Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Desktop-Class GPU
  • Up to a 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-9900K Desktop Processor
  • 17.3” 4K (3840 x 2160) G-SYNC Display
  • Free Lifetime 24/7 Phone Support Based in the U.S.

For more information, please visit: https://www.originpc.com/

About ORIGIN PC:
ORIGIN PC builds custom, high-performance desktops, laptops, workstations, and servers for hardware enthusiasts, digital/graphics artists, professionals, government agencies and gamers. ORIGIN PCs are hand built, tested, and serviced by knowledgeable gaming enthusiasts, industry veterans, and award winning system integrators. Every ORIGIN PC comes with free lifetime 24/7 support based in the United States. The ORIGIN PC staff is comprised of award-winning enthusiasts, experienced in the gaming and PC markets who want to share their passion with others. ORIGIN PC is located in Miami, FL and ships worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.ORIGINPC.com or call 1-877-ORIGIN-Ø. (674-4460)

Follow ORIGIN:
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Windscape – Homage to “The Legend of Zelda” coming to consoles and PC on 27th March

Posted by XPD on in Console, Games, PC 0 Comment

Open-World Adventure Game’s Full Release for Nintendo SwitchTM, Xbox One and PC

As a huge fan of “The Legend of Zelda”, “Secret of Mana” and “Golden Axe Warrior”, the German game developer Dennis Witte has always wanted to create his own game which contained elements of all of them. In 2016 his dream started taking shape with the help of Headup, when his “Herzensprojekt” Windscape was released into Early Access on Steam.

The result was a first person exploration adventure with elements of modern crafting and sandbox games, where you explore a beautifully handcrafted fantasy world, fight monsters, interact with NPCs, solve quests and puzzles.

Now, almost three years later, Dennis’ hard work and passion as well as the extremely helpful feedback from the community (Thank you!) has led us here: Windscape is leaving Early Access on 27th March and will also be released on Nintendo Switch™ and Xbox One.

Nintendo Switch™ players can enjoy a 20% discount on pre-purchase starting 8th March, while Xbox One users can buy the game for 20% off from 13th Marchin the Microsoft Store. For PC players, the game is already available as Early Access version, also with 20% off until release.

Watch the new trailer for a quick glance at the charming world of Windscape!


About Windscape

Windscape is a first-person exploration adventure set in a lovely world made up of floating islands in the sky. The game is highly reminiscent of the The Legend of Zelda games as well as Secret of Mana and Golden Axe Warrior of which the developer is a huge fan of. As such Windscape combines the spirit and flow of these genre classics with elements of modern exploration, crafting and survival games. The result is a unique game with a fresh blend of genres.

Meet peaceful NPCs each island’s overworld and vicious monsters in the dungeons and lairs you uncover along your journey. While the islands work in a non-linear manner, the dungeons are more puzzle and combat driven – each with its own style and atmosphere. However, brute force won’t get you far in larger boss fights. Tactics and figuring out your enemies’ combat patterns are key to defeating larger foes such as ghosts, ogres and dragons. Your effort will be rewarded of course – there are many valuable items to loot!.

Features:

  • A handcrafted universe
  • A beautiful world to explore and discover
  • An immersive yet classical story around a young girl
  • A profound yet simple to use crafting system
  • Murky dungeons and challenging boss fights

About Headup

Headup is a hybrid games publishing and development company providing players worldwide with the best content in the independent gaming sector. Established in 2009, it is active on all major platforms such as consoles, mobile devices and PC, and was awarded as “Best Publisher” at the German Developers Awards in 2012, 2013 and 2017. With over 70 million customers served on mobile and further several million players on the PC and consoles, Headup is always looking to raise awareness and commercial success for developers thinking outside the box. More information can be found at  www.headupgames.com

About Dennis Witte

Hi, my name is Dennis and I am the creator of Windscape, a first-person exploration adventure. Instead of just letting you read a boring game description, please allow me to share my vision of the game I am creating. Hopefully you will like what I am working on.

Ever since my childhood I was a huge fan of the Zelda series of games, Golden Axe Warrior, Secret of Mana and games in which let you explore a vivid world without time pressures and a too restrictive storyline. Over the past year and a half I’ve been working on my vision of a modern exploration adventure, combining it with my fondness for modern crafting and sandbox games.

$5.7 billion games investment in 2018 doubles previous record

Posted by XPD on in Console, Games, Geek, PC 0 Comment

Digi-Capital’s Games Report Q1 2019 tracked games companies raising $5.7 billion in 2018, which was over twice the previous record investment from 2017. Tim Sweeney’s Epic Games’ $1.25 billion was not only the largest round raised last year, it was the largest non-IPO games investment of all time. The only larger single amount raised by a games company was when Netmarble Games held its IPO in 2017. Even that record might not survive given Fortnite’s extraordinary performance.

Source: Digi-Capital Games Report Q1 2019 (note: free charts do not include numbers and data from subscriber version. All data sourced directly from companies and reliable secondary sources)

As a sign of both financial muscle and the need to expand beyond core markets, Tencent was either a major shareholder in or investor in four of the top five deals last year. As we’ve discussed before, this is becoming a familiar pattern. Tencent was behind investments in Douyu ($630 million raised), Shanda Games ($474 million) and Huya ($462 million raised). France’s Voodoo raised $200 million from Goldman Sachs to round out the top five.

11 other companies also raised $100 million plus rounds last year, with more in the single millions to tens of millions range. By far the largest categories for investors were mobile and games tech/other (particularly streaming), each of which took around one third of investment dollars last year. MMO/MOBA games, eSports, console/PC games and AR/VR games companies also raised significant amounts.

The games acquisitions market was also on fire in 2018, with over $22 billion games M&A making it the second highest year on record. Games M&A dollars are always dominated by mega-deals, which last year included Naspers selling 2% of Tencent for over $10 billion dollars for a 60,000% return, and Tencent and others acquiring Vivendi’s $2 billion plus stake in Ubisoft.

Zhejiang Century Huatong acquired Shenyue Network (the online games affiliate of Shanda Games) for $4.4 billion, PAI Partners picked up Asmodee Digital for $1.4 billion, and Aristocrat closed its Big Fish Games deal for nearly $1 billion. There were another eight acquisitions in the $100 million plus range, and more in the single millions to tens of millions range.

Unsurprisingly, mobile dominated acquisition activity last year as it did the year before. MMO/MOBA and console/PC made up most of the rest of the acquisitions market. The games market as a whole is incredibly consolidated, with the top 10 public (i.e. stock market listed) games companies taking over three quarters of public games company revenue and around four fifths of public game company valuations worldwide (note: this is not all market revenue/valuation, as privately held companies are also significant). The big keep getting bigger.

Over the last decade, games IPOs have gone through three year repeating cycles where one huge year is followed by two quiet ones. The last high came in the record year for games IPOs in 2017, with games IPOs in 2018 raising around 90% less than that high point (as Digi-Capital anticipated at the start of last year). While it’s too early to tell, if the 3 year cycle repeats in the same way 2019 could also see muted games IPO activity.

In such a highly consolidated, hit driven market, the level of games deal activity last year was extraordinary. Again it is too early to tell whether this year will continue in a similar vein, or if the cyclical nature of deal-making might see the market pull back. One thing’s for sure, it’s not going to be dull.

(Full details and all transactions in Digi-Capital’s new 258 page Games Report Q1 2019)

(Tim Merel is Managing Director of Silicon Valley AR/VR adviser Digi-Capital)

New Overwatch Character: Ashe

Posted by NME on in Games 0 Comment

A new character has been announced for Overwatch, currently available to play in the PTR (for PC players)

Have played a little bit imagine McCree but with range and can throw dynamite. Very fun so far for those who can actually play DPS.

https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/heroes/ashe

 

 

Four Hours : Red Dead Redemption II

Posted by XPD on in Console, Four Hours, Games, Opinion 0 Comment

I don’t really like reviewing games, especially since I have not finished it yet so cant give a real “review” of it…. so lets do what I think of the game so far.

When Red Dead Redemption (the original) was first announced way back when, it caught my interest, but when was only going to be released for PS3 era consoles, I was a bit gutted……  but it became the reason I bought a PS3. (Got a great deal on the PS3 with games inc RDR)

I was hooked on the game – GTA 3 etc were good but this was amazing, the freedom, the graphics, the sound, the game play, it was just a top notch game.

It was/is so good, I even bought it on Xbox360 for my Xbox One (backwards compatibility FTW) and was still playing it until a few weeks ago when I pre-ordered RDR2…..

Anyway, onto RDR2

Graphics – being a “nex-gen” console, of course I was expecting better graphics than the first game, but wow, the detail and draw distance is fantastic. You can just lose yourself in the environment and forget about the rest of the game. Everything is well detailed and animations spot on.

Sound – again, amazing, just stop and listen to the world around you. Some of the speech of NPC’s can be a bit repetitive after a while but cant have everything.

Gameplay – Great as usual with Rockstars games.Does take a little while to get used to the controller changes from RDR but everything is accessible fairly quickly. I’ve only done a couple of the missions so far, but each have flowed well and been straight forward to complete. The intro missions are a bit linear but its more of a training system – does take a while to get through though.

Now, warning – it does take approx 90mins to install the game on a standard Xbox – so dont get home after buying it and think “yay, cant wait” – you will wait. But its well worth it.

Multiplayer will be available soon but I wont be trying that as I dont subscribe to Xbox Live Gold.

If you enjoyed RDR, or GTA5, just grab this, you wont be disappointed – except you cant put an exhaust on your horse 😉 But its testicles do shrink when its cold…………