Star Wars: The Old Republic

Ides of March

Yeah, the title is sort of clichéd for this month, but who cares.   Anyway, we’re one month closer to closing out the first quarter of the year.  It seems like 2013 just started, close your eyes, and we are three months in already.  With a few games on my list already released, (Fire Emblem: Awakening, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance), it’s not even close to slowing down.  In fact, March has 3 games being released that  I am looking forward to.

Tomb Raider and Sim City 5 get’s released this coming Tuesday (March 5th), and Army of Two: Devil’s Cartel later on in the month.  With a current rotation of 5 games being played (SWTOR, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Resident Evil 6, Medal of Honor: Advance Warfighter) It will be tough to adopt 2 possibly 3 more games on my list.  I may have to hurry up and finish at least MOH:AW, and MGR:R so I can tack on TR and SC5.

We have a few things upcoming for you guys in the works, with the addition of NekkedSnake (aka Solid Cheese), our hits have grown exponentially, and we have to keep rolling with it.  To kick off, we will be launching our new “Top Lists” segment, starting with our Top 10 Ninja’s.  Yeah, there have been many similar lists that have been released in the past from other sites, but I assure you we will add our own spin to it.  We are also trying to get some video content out, but as you can see with the list of games up top, it will be hard to squeeze it in, seeing as I am not that experienced with video production as of yet.

But with all of that, it just makes it that much more exciting.  We hope our subscribers will enjoy it, and we hope that it will attract new ones as well. Please do not be shy on commenting, and letting us know if you like it or hate it.  It will only make us better in providing you with better content.

For now enjoy this video a classic Britney Spears video – Toxic

and, this odd cover from a Static Lullaby – The video is actually pretty good as well as the cover.

SWTOR’s Patching Problems
WHY!!!!!!

WHY!!!!!!

For such a big game with lots and lots of players, why does Bioware‘s SWTOR always have problems patching itself.  I am sitting here and watching the game’s launcher try to patch itself for the past 30 minutes, and it looks like it’s stuck.  AGAIN!  I just wanted a quick game tonight, and get some class missions done, but instead I am sitting here frustrated that the game is having problems patching.  It managed to fix 3 files that were broken, but only to break 13 more files in the process.

I had problems installing the game initially, downloading it, and installing.  It kept breaking files, and freezing on installing.  This prompted me to buy the disc, but, lo and behold, it also had problems installing it.  At first I thought it was my old PC, which was not exactly in tip top running condition, so I waited to build my new PC, but only to be greeted with the same problem.  After some extensive research, I had found out that the game does not like having anything over 4 GB of RAM when installing, so I took off my 16 GB of RAM (2 sticks of 8 GB), and plopped in 1 stick of 4 GB.  THEN it finally installed.

Joy, I can finally play this MMO, and get cracking.  My enjoyment of the game quickly erased my frustrations of the installation process, and all was forgiven, until the next patch came out about 2 weeks ago.  I thought, ‘hey, they may have fixed that patch problem’ so I tried to update it with my 16 GB of RAM installed.  Well I thought wrong.   I had to pop off my stick again, and install the lone 4 GB stick.

Fast forward to today, another patch was released, and, guess what, it breaks files again, repairs, it, freezes, breaks more files, repairs them, breaks some more in the process.  As I am writing this, I am watching the thing install (currently at 6% after if fixed 13 files, of which was broken after it fixed the initial 3 that it broke).  I really don’t feel like shutting down my system, popping off the panel, taking out my RAM to put in the 4 GB stick.  That just has the potential of breaking stuff, only because the game’s launcher keeps breaking itself.

Seriously, Bioware FIX THIS!  I don’t want the do the mem test, and run check disk BS answer that you pimp out in the forums.  It’s utter BS.  Right now it’s stuck at 6% with no signs of it moving.  WHY!?

I just wanted to play your game for which I had payed to play.  Now I am here, frustrated, dejected, and disappointed.  I guess I’ll just play Fire Emblem and call it a night.

Logitech G700 gaming mouse impressions
Logitech's G700 gaming mouse

Logitech’s G700 gaming mouse

 

I almost forgot how comfortable my old Logitech MX Revolution mouse was until I got the G700 yesterday.  The bigger form factor on this mouse just fits my oh-so massive hands very nicely.  After spending some time using it on Windows, pointing and clicking, felt comfortable.  The textured thumb and pinky rests give it a very distinct feel, and the clicks, felt…clicky.  Setting up the whole thing was quite easy, as is opening the package.  Yeah, I am mentioning the fact that it didn’t take special tools to open the box up.  There are just some products out there that are a bitch to open, mainly blister packs, and there are some that are just near complicated to do so, and it feels like the manufacturer does not want you to start using their product.

But anyway, after unboxing the mouse, and plugging in nano receiver and downloading the latest software, you can start customizing the mouse in about 10 or so minutes.  I am pleasantly surprised too that the batteries it came with were Sanyo‘s Eneloops.  I use a bunch of them on my flash guns, and by far the best set of rechargeable’s I’ve used.

The software has a myriad of options, from setting what DPI it goes to when you press the DPI button, assigning one of the 18 buttons the mouse has.  It also auto detects installed games on your computer and allows you to set specific buttons to do what ever it is you need it to do.

Anyway, I finally was able to sit and play SWTOR for a little bit over an hour, and the only thing I can think of was “how come I never got this a long time ago”.  It felt very comfortable, and my hand did not suffer any fatigue as it normally does with my previous mouse (a Logitech MX510.. My previous MX Revolution had some issues with it double clicking when it’s not suppose to.)  Hitting each of the macro buttons were seamless. P

In any case, stay tuned for a further review on this, the Logitech G700, and also my gaming-centric keyboard.

 

 

My latest addiction…

in gaming has been Star Wars: The Old Republic, or SWTOR for short.  Picked it up right after I built my PC, since it’s been changed to Free To Play.  We’ll I’ve played it for about a week, then ended up paying for a subscription.  It’s been about a month, I have since created 5 total characters, and I have been playing every chance I get.  This is my first MMO game experience, and I have to say, I have been missing out.  I know the defacto standard is World Of Warcraft, but I just never really was into that franchise.  I want to get into Guild Wars 2 also, but maybe after my addiction to SWTOR dies down a bit.

If anyone is on the Ebon Hawk Server look me up, my Jedi is Vamentha (pictured below), and my Bounty Hunter is Gerta’k

My SWTOR Jedi Knigh

My SWTOR Jedi Knight

 

My Bounty Hunter Gerta'k

My Bounty Hunter Gerta’k

 

Getting addicted to PC gaming…

So , since I have put a new PC recently, and it can pretty much run a lot of the newer stuff with out a hitch, I have been a bit on a gaming binge on the PC side. I have ignored this platform for quite sometime, mainly because the machine I was running previously couldn’t run much of anything recent.  I was recently introduced to Steam (yeah, a bit of a late comer there), and via the THQ‘s Humble Bundle, I was able to pick up a few games for a very low price, all for a good cause.  And also much recently, I was made aware, by a friend, that Star Wars: The Old Republic was now free to play.  Now I have been wanting to play SWTOR, but didn’t really see the need to pay to play as I don’t get much time to dedicate to games.  Well, since I put my new machine together, I have done nothing but play SWTOR (Jezzanorris if you want to hit me up).  Sometime ago, I picked up a cheap wireless keyboard and mouse combo from Logitech.  I think it cost me about $19.99 for the 2 at BJ’s, but the mouse was too small for my liking, so I ended up spending another $20.00 for another wireless mouse.  Thing was they didn’t work on the same receiver, since the mouse was on a newer wireless thing that Logitech was using, and the KB/Mouse combo was using an older system.  Anyway, to cut a long story short, I was never fond of the K/B much since it felt too small, but it served my purpose, up until I started playing SWTOR, and Metro 2033.  To alleviate this problem, I decided to pick up a Razer Nostromo, but as I was about to pull the trigger, I got to thinking, why not just pick up a gamer-centric keyboard, instead of another peripheral. This will kill 2 birds with one stone.  So, in the end I ended up purchasing a Logitech G510.

It’s a monster of a keyboard, and actually, this post is the first time I am really using it.  It types very nicely, and feels very comfortable.  It’s also backlit, and has an LCD, and what not.  Anyway, I’ll save the thoughts and comments on it when I do a PC-build post.  I will be trying it out on SWTOR after I publish this post.  I will let you know how I like it after.   What about you guys, you have anything PC gaming specific?

 

Logitech G510 Gaming Keyboard in all it's backlit glory

Logitech G510 Gaming Keyboard in all it’s backlit glory

Build update – HIS Radeon 7850 is in!

My HIS Radeon 7850 came in a day after I had ordered it from Newegg, and the reviews on the site were right.  I tried Metro2033 on 1920×1080 and on on max settings, as well as Star Wars: The Old Republic, again on all max settings, and it ran without a a hitch.  As of now, I am totally pleased with how this build has come together, and how it’s running.  I might upgrade my sound card soon, and maybe go water cooling, just because the fan on the Cooler Master heatsink/fan is noisy.  Will pick up another 2 TB of HDD storage (to replace an aging 750 GB and a 1 TB drive) as well as a BD burner optical drive to round off and complete the build as is.  But as of now, the core components are in, and running smoothly.  Time to install Photoshop and Lightroom to see how they do.

 

My new HIS Radeon HD 9850 next to my old XFX ONE Radeon HD 5xxx

My new HIS Radeon HD 9850 next to my old XFX ONE Radeon HD 5xxx

New rig -update-

Well, I finally sorted out my Windows 8 mess, and I am finally up and running, and slowly start re-installing programs and what not.  That should take another week or so.  So far, I am loving it.  The system is nice and quick, and as we speak, I am downloading and installing Metro2033 from my Steam, as well as Star Wars: The Old Republic to see what this system can do.  Sure it’s not exactly the latest games out there, but at least I’ll know what’s what, and see what I need to fix, tweak, or what not.  I do know my current video card, an AMD Radeon HD 5xxxx series card (XFX ONE +Edition) is quite old.  I still need to get a new case, and sort out my other HDD‘s.  I most probably will get a 2 TB HDD for storage and programs.

As far as Windows 8 goes, it’s nice and shiny, and so far I like the new things they have added (Metro UI).  I still need to dive deeper into it, and see what other goodies they have.  I will keep you guys updated for sure.

And I do have some ideas to implement in terms of this site.  This will be an exciting year for sure.

Update: Metro 2033 played pretty crappy, and it’s a clear indication I need a new video card.  It was very choppy at best, not slide show bad, but unplayable bad.  Company of Heroes played very well.  SWTOR, well, I still can’t install it.