Recent Posts

8426

Living Room / Re: Is This Site Really Down?

« Last post by Deozaan on April 07, 2008, 02:10 PM »

Okay this is weird. The site that was down for over 30 hours is now back up and I can access it just fine, but Down For Everyone Or Just Me? is still showing it as down.

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Living Room / Re: Your happiness right now

« Last post by Deozaan on April 07, 2008, 10:07 AM »

Get me some Kool-Aid and my happiness scale will be 110%! And I'm not even making references to drugs or cyanide. I just like Kool-Aid.

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DC Gamer Club / Re: Saga - An MMO RTS

« Last post by Deozaan on April 06, 2008, 05:51 PM »

I just got an IM from p3lb0x who told me he is really enjoying the game and explained some of the questions I posted about previously. I asked him to post his response here and he said he will, after he wakes up.

But a quick summary of what he said: He says he agrees the tutorials suck (and that's all I've played) but the game gets a lot better after that. He said that tutorials only allow 50CP for units, so even though my experience level allowed me to command 55 CP, that was only for quests that allowed that much.

As I mentioned before, the verdict is still out for me. I'll try playing the game with p3lb0x and await his response in this thread as well. If you're still on the fence about whether to try this game or not, I still recommend signing up for an account to get the free booster packs in the meantime.

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Living Room / Re: Is This Site Really Down?

« Last post by Deozaan on April 06, 2008, 04:29 AM »

Is this what it says when it's down for everyone?



It took me about a minute and a half to get that page. Now it loads instantly when I retry.

EDIT: Apparently you're not supposed to include the http:// -- Now it shows something:

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DC Gamer Club / Re: DonationCoder map - Sauerbraten FPS fun

« Last post by Deozaan on April 06, 2008, 01:47 AM »

Here's a tip: If when you join the DC Map it looks like you're out in space, like this:



Then the textures are NOT showing up properly! Here's how to fix them so they look like the screenshots Wreckedcarzz posted in the original post. Just type:

[Select]

/exec data/default_map_settings.cfg

And voila! You've got the map looking the way it was intended!

Another fun thing is that instead of everything having 100% light there are lights placed throughout levels for cool lighting effects so if you type in:

[Select]

/calclight

It will calculate the lighting. I just have to warn you about a couple of things. First of all, this can take a long time depending on your computer. Another thing is that as of now, the lighting isn't completed on the DonationCoder map so if you do this half of the map will be very dark, so it's probably not worth it on this map at this time.

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DC Gamer Club / Re: Saga - An MMO RTS

« Last post by Deozaan on April 06, 2008, 01:36 AM »

Okay. I've played 3 tutorial levels and here's what I think so far.

I'm still pretty confused. When you start a level you are given the choice to deploy units, but it doesn't seem to indicate the limit. There's something called CP, which each unit takes up, and in my base it says deployable 55 CP. So I tried to deploy two units (units are actually more like squads of units. Groups of the same type), one with 27CP and one with 28CP (adds up to 55CP) but it would only let me deploy one unit. I don't know if it was because of CP or because you only get to choose one or what.

Anyway, I don't really know what I'm doing, and the tutorials aren't exactly crystal clear. Plus, you're presented with a lot of options that aren't even explained. When you start the game, you are shown your Nation, which is like a SimCity layout thing with limited, specific places you can build things. There's lots of options for building things or building your army and stuff like that but you only get a brief explanation of what something does when you click on a building or a setting. So I know I have the choice to build a farm and a house, but I'm not sure where it would be strategic to do so, since I am limited in the places I'm allowed to build. Should farms go outside my gates or inside the protection of the walls?

As I play, about every two minutes (just a rough estimate) the music begins to stutter and I learned that means that the game is going to lock up for a few seconds before resuming as normal.

Also, the game has crashed on me 3 times already, and I've only played 3 levels that each took me maybe 5-10 minutes each. Apparently there are a lot of crash issues with the game. And perhaps I should mention that this is a new game. It went RTM (so to speak) just a month ago, on March 4th, 2008. As anyone who has played an MMO at launch, it's always bumpy beginning. So yeah, lots of bugs, apparently, and plenty of crashes. Two of the times it crashed on me was after completing a mission. There's a cool little feedback survey you can take where they ask you about 5 questions such as how long the quest took, how easy/hard it was, if the reward was rewarding enough, and then also a textbox for comments/bug reports. It's kind of neat to see that built right into the game because it gives you the idea that they'll use it to improve the game. But anyway, 2 out of 3 times so far after submitting the survey, the game crashed on me. The other time it crashed was before I even started a battle. I just logged in, it was loading up my base, and then it crashed.

As my race, I picked the Dark Elves (because they are the Magic type, and I pretty much always go for Magic. Also, the buildings look really cool, IMO), and they have a kind of volcanic, dark, burnt out textures that make the game pretty dark and the landscape barren. When I played the first tutorial I felt like I couldn't see what was happening, but I didn't notice it so much in the second and third tutorials.

Some things that seem neat: Apparently you can play every quest with other players. Even the tutorials. I haven't actually tried this because I don't know yet if that involves killing each other or if it's cooperative and if death/destruction is permanent or what. Plus I wouldn't want to try it with someone I don't know at this point.

So right now I'm afraid I can't say too much positive about it. It definitely has a rough start, and the crashes are (obviously) pretty bad. However, it is an MMO and MMOs always start out with lots of bugs and kind of have to use the general (and usually paying!) gamers to find and report them.

Verdict: It's still out, and I'm not sure about the final judgment. It definitely has a lot of room to improve and may end up being a great game once the big bugs are squashed. I have only played the 3 tutorial levels, and so far as far as gameplay goes, I don't see myself playing this game very much unless other people I know join up and play with me. However, the actual playing with others online and conquering other people's Nations may be quite fun. I just haven't tried any of that yet.

8432

DC Gamer Club / Re: DonationCoder map - Sauerbraten FPS fun

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 11:56 PM »

I actually meant the Hamachi network name...

-Xenonym (April 05, 2008, 11:35 PM)

Just FYI: Hamachi is not necessary to play on the Sauerbraten server.

8433

DC Gamer Club / Re: Saga - An MMO RTS

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 05:10 PM »

Well at least sign up for an account on the website (tentatively) because if you sign up today using the referral, you get 10 booster packs (not sure what they do yet cause I haven't played) for free, which normally costs $30.

8434

DC Gamer Club / Re: DonationCoder map - Sauerbraten FPS fun

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 02:46 PM »

Mouser and I played for a few minutes on the default map. The DonationCoder map wasn't uploaded so I couldn't show it to him. He said it was fun and he'd try it out again later.

8435

DC Gamer Club / Saga - An MMO RTS

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 02:29 PM »

I just noticed that today's Game Giveaway of the Day is Saga.

Saga is an online, persistent Real-Time Strategy game (MMO RTS). It can be registered for $20 but doesn't have monthly fees. It's one of those games where you can optionally spend real money for booster packs or items in game.

SAGA is a persistent world RTS in an epic fantasy setting. Players collect troops, build armies, conquer new lands and build up kingdoms, complete with resource collection, city building and peasant management. SAGA’s features include massive armies, multiplayer questing, guild wars, espionage, and an auction house for trading troops and spells.

SAGA has no subscription fees. Players pay as little or as much as they decide, by purchasing ‘booster packs’ of random troops and spells, which are traded and customized to create the strategic army of choice for each player. Give Away Of The Day Subscribers start with 10 Free booster packs, which would normally be sold for $29.95. Your account will be credited with the bonus products only if you register on this page, http://www.playsaga.com/intro_gaotd/ while the promotion lasts.

These free accounts will have all game options available with the exception of trading and hardcore PvP battles (you can still PvP in scrimmage mode, a battle type that does not permanently damage your city).

-GiveawayoftheDay.com

I haven't played it yet, but it actually looks pretty cool.

Be sure to download it today and register it today at this website. Also, if you need convincing to just try it, be sure to watch the video.

8436

Living Room / Re: Flash Animation - Walk in the Woods

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 02:12 PM »

What the crap?

8437

General Software Discussion / Re: PC Games that DON'T Use an "Arcade"-Type Portal?

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 02:02 PM »

Wal-Mart or Target or any Brick & Mortar place with electronics. In the video games section are a bunch of really cheap casual games.

8438

DC Gamer Club / Re: DonationCoder map - Sauerbraten FPS fun

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 01:50 PM »

i tried joining and got in spectator mode and could never figure out how to start playing.

-mouser (April 05, 2008, 01:46 PM)

When was that?

8439

DC Gamer Club / Re: DonationCoder map - Sauerbraten FPS fun

« Last post by Deozaan on April 05, 2008, 01:22 PM »

My computer officially out of commission. So I've installed Sauerbraten on this one. :-)

Servers are named like this: mapname, playstyle: I.P., Servername.

So right now the Server for this thread is listed as "labyrinth, coopedit: 130.13.135.145, DonationCoder"

8440

Living Room / Re: 25 interesting things that you learn about computers only in the movies

« Last post by Deozaan on April 03, 2008, 10:49 AM »

Worst of all, i hate this thing that you can see in 95% of spy movies :
- Hey what's this ? There, this little dot in the background ? Zoom 8000% please...
- Ok, done.
- Hmm, looks like a face but it's blurry, sharpen the image...
- Done.
- Wow ! It's the killer !

I hate that. I hate that i hate that i hate that i hate that i hate that. In 24, they even zoom on a picture taken from Jack's cell phone to read a serial number on a object in a terrorist's pocket. I hate that.

-ak_ (April 03, 2008, 08:34 AM)

I totally agree! I don't watch much TV, but what I do what is usually crime shows (Law & Order, or CSI) and they are terrible about this! I saw one CSI episode where there was something ridiculous like a parking lot security camera photo of the murderer approaching a vehicle, but with his back to the camera so they couldn't identify him... until someone noticed his reflection in the vehicle's side-view mirror. Sure enough:

"What's that in the mirror?"
"I dunno. Let me zoom in on that."
"That's blurry! Can you clean that up?"
"Sure!" *presses one button*
"Aha! It's a name tag!"

That all started with Blade Runner, remember? Harrison Ford zoomed in on a picture of the "skin job" stripper and her snake prop until he could read the id number micro-stamped on one of the scales.

(how many dpi can you freaking fit in a jpeg to be able to do that? ack.)

-Edvard (April 03, 2008, 10:29 AM)

Yeah but that was the future. Maybe that is possible in the future.

Also, I really hate how CSI has started using a projection/holographic screen like what we first saw in Minority Report. Well, I guess the interface isn't the same since it uses a touch screen/table thingy instead of cool gloves in the air, but still!

Also, the police can search for anybody using any criteria on anything and they'll find a result in less than ten seconds. They might have to filter the results a couple times, but sure enough, the programs they use were written in such a way to accept any command to cull the list!

And another thing: Anyone see that episode of that really stupid TV show where a drug dealer hid secret information in his Xbox game? The criminal was middle-eastern, so naturally the game was Prince of Persia. Anyway, they had to get to "Level 10" of the game (which is stupid for all sorts of reasons, because for one, there aren't any levels in the game.) You got the idea that they tried for hours to do this, with a whole room full of people watching one guy playing it. Dying again and again and again. Then the guy who I think was the main guy of the show looked over and there was a young woman holding her hands in the air as if she was holding the Xbox controller, pressing air-buttons, playing the game.

You can't really air-play a game like Prince of Persia because if you "press left" or "jump" using your air-buttons but the person actually playing presses right or doesn't jump, then you're completely out of sync with what's happening on the screen.

But anyway, the guy who sees this young woman doing this kicks the guy off who's been dying for the past 3 hours and within a few minutes this young woman gets to level 10, at which point an Excel Spreadsheet opens up in the middle of the game with the secret information.

So this guy hacked his Xbox and a video game (on a disc!) to display an excel spreadsheet, and he makes a living selling drugs?

How many levels of stupid can you get in a 5 minute segment of TV? Er... Not counting Reality TV... or Soap Operas... Er... Okay well I guess it just comes naturally to TV.

8441

Living Room / Re: How to install a driver in XP Setup without a floppy drive ???

« Last post by Deozaan on April 03, 2008, 10:26 AM »

I had this same problem two years ago when I got my new computer and decided not to include the ancient floppy drive. My PC wouldn't recognize my SATA drives without a floppy.

It was suggested to me back then to use nlite but after several ISO burns that led to BSODs during installation or immediately upon booting Windows for the first time, I declared it a failure.

But I'd love to get it to work. Should I ever need to reinstall Windows XP on that machine, I'll be very, very unhappy.

8442

Living Room / Re: Gmail's "Custom Time" April Fools Feature!

« Last post by Deozaan on April 02, 2008, 12:02 PM »

And I just noticed this one for Google Calendar: Google Wake Up Kit

8443

General Software Discussion / Re: Sony BMG Sued For Using Pirated Software

« Last post by Deozaan on April 01, 2008, 07:25 PM »

Why is this something to laugh at? I guarantee every major corporation in existence can find at least one pirated app on one of its machines. There are very few which dont rely on it. Most just never get caught.

-Josh (April 01, 2008, 05:33 PM)

It's just hilariously ironic. As Deozaan pointed out, Sony has been at the forefront of "anti-piracy" efforts in the music industry. Now they've just been caught with their pants down. It's awesome!

I rather doubt any judge will have a lot of sympathy for Sony when it comes time for trial if they don't settle out of court.

-Renegade (April 01, 2008, 06:19 PM)

It's also hilariously ironic in the same way that gamers laugh about the New York Senator person who lost his job because of links with Prostitution Rings or whatever, since he was a major proponent of anti-game legislation because of all the bad things you could do in Grand Theft Auto... such as pick up prostitutes.

8444

General Software Discussion / Re: Sony BMG Sued For Using Pirated Software

« Last post by Deozaan on April 01, 2008, 05:39 PM »

Why is this something to laugh at? I guarantee every major corporation in existence can find at least one pirated app on one of its machines. There are very few which dont rely on it. Most just never get caught.

-Josh (April 01, 2008, 05:33 PM)

It's funny because it makes the consumer feel vindicated for all the Sony rootkit garbage that has gone on because of their anti-piracy measures. Most of those other major corporations you speak of probably aren't as invasive or restrictive to the consumer in how they try to deal with piracy, and that's only if piracy applies to their products.

Honda, for instance, don't have much you can easily pirate. It's fairly easy to track down someone who steals a car (or at least find the car) than it is to find people who steal software.

8445

Living Room / Re: More April fools stories

« Last post by Deozaan on April 01, 2008, 05:24 PM »

Don't forget to add <a href="http://www.youtube.com">youtube</a> to the list.... all featured video's have a lil something something behind it.

-jazper (April 01, 2008, 03:43 PM)

Spoiler

I hate it when people pull the race card, but I can't help but laugh at the fact that the black guy is scrubbing tables while the white people dance around and sing.

8446

General Software Discussion / Re: Sony BMG Sued For Using Pirated Software

« Last post by Deozaan on April 01, 2008, 05:12 PM »

April Fool's?

EDIT: Guess not. The original (French) article was published on March 21st.

8447

Living Room / Re: Kodak (Complaint)

« Last post by Deozaan on March 31, 2008, 12:34 PM »

So when I was trying to find names and addresses of people I decided to use Kodak's contact form to ask. I was a little misleading in my request, but it got some information. The response is funny as well. Both are below:

My Request

I would like to have the name and corresponding address to the
President/CEO of Kodak so that I may write him or her a letter
expressing my gratitude for services provided and comment on the quality
of the products.

I would love to write similar letters to all of the heads of the company
as possible as a token of thanks, so the more names and addresses you
can provide me, the better. Thank you very much.

The Response

Greetings,

We received your e-mail and are happy to hear of your complete
satisfaction.

You may write to our CEO, Mr. Antonio M. Perez, at:

Eastman Kodak Company
343 State Street
Rochester, NY  14650

Thank you for visiting the Kodak Web site.  If you should have future
questions on Kodak products or services, please be sure to revisit our
Web site as we are continually adding information to enhance our
service.

Sincerely,

Kodak Information and Technical Support

8448

Living Room / Re: RAPIDSHARE.COM sucks!

« Last post by Deozaan on March 31, 2008, 12:05 PM »

Of all the rapidshare links I have ever seen posted anywhere, I can't remember one that was for a legal stuff.

-tamasd (March 30, 2008, 05:30 PM)

I don't know about the majority of it, but just yesterday I was feeling the same way here about the captcha. I was trying to download some graphics for Dwarf Fortress and I had to try the captcha a couple times because those dogs and cats made it too hard to see the letters.

8449

General Software Discussion / Re: mp3 Audio OUTPUT volume normalizer? Any such thing?

« Last post by Deozaan on March 30, 2008, 12:55 AM »

...
I think overall it feels a bit quiet
...

-Deozaan (March 29, 2008, 08:02 PM)

Good ear (I think)!

I'm pretty sure ReplayGain normalizes to 97% volume... I can only offer guesses as to why...

-Hirudin (March 29, 2008, 10:50 PM)

According to the website, it normalizes to about 89db. And yeah, most of my music was in the 90-96db range.

8450

Living Room / Re: We need to do something about Skrommel.. but what?

« Last post by Deozaan on March 29, 2008, 08:23 PM »

1) Send him real snacks!

2) Make him a "candygram" using Alphabet Cereal shaped into some code.