Entries Tagged 'Gaming' ↓

Gaming on Vista 10 to 15 Percent Slower than XP

Microsoft is reportedly telling it’s gaming industry associates that games will run 10-15% slower on their new operating system due to the new GUI implemented.

Vista’s new 3D desktop will constantly be draining the PC of video memory that games could make use of, so in actual fact many of your favourite games will probably run faster on Windows XP. Of course after Vista arrives new PCs and hardware will be built especially for Vista which will increase performance anyway.

In the end, that should be clear for everyone. Windows Vista will be heavily bloated and if you don’t plan on disabling all that shiny stuff you will suffer a significant performance loss. I will upgrade to Vista as soon as it’s out, however, I will buy new hardware, too, in fact a complete new custom PC. If my games still don’t run smooth, the shiny stuff gotta go.

F.E.A.R. Combat – free Multiplayer for everyone!

Now this are some great news. Tired of all your multiplayer games and didn’t buy F.E.A.R. yet? No problem, Sierra is coming up with a free F.E.A.R. Multiplayer component on Thursday, August 17th.

The F.E.A.R. Combat download will offer the entire F.E.A.R. multiplayer experience which includes:

  • 19 multiplayer maps
  • 10 game modes
  • 12 different weapons
  • The ability to download custom user content (maps and such)
  • Punkbuster support

F.E.A.R. Combat users will be able to play against other Combat users and retail F.E.A.R. users as well.

That’s a nice move from Sierra, I only tested F.E.A.R. in Single Player shortly but it’s absolutly worth a try in Multiplayer. Looking forward to see you online ;).

Download Link (on August 17th): http://www.joinfear.com

Shadowbane bites the dust, the end of Wolfpack

Wolfpack Studios – the developers of Shadowbane – is closing.

This according to sources at the development house who were recently informed that their jobs were being terminated. The last day for Wolfpack staff is May 15th.

Parent company UBISoft is said to instead be redirecting their company’s focus to next-gen platforms.

Those news were confirmed by Ashen Temper, the head of the game development. The game just hit its three-year anniversary and was recently offered free to all users.

In total, approximately 25 people at the Austin, TX studio have been left without work.

Indeed breaking news. So after Asheron’s Call 2, Shadowbane is going down. World of Warcraft is still leading the business. EverQuest 2 became more interesting due to its PvP Implementation, but still, no serious PvP mmorpg out so far.

Good Luck to all former Wolfpack Employees..

WoW Grinding Guide – Alliance and Horde


IMPORTANT:

Here’s a MUCH MORE comprehensive and detailed Grinding Guide, please follow this link: WoW Grinding Guide. There you will find everything you need to know about Grinding in World of Warcraft. Thanks for all the comments here! Cheers – Andy

 

Horde Grinding Spots:

  • 0-15 – Questing fastest possible exp.
  • 15-20 – The Barrens – Harpies
  • 15-20 – The Barrens – Bristleback(s)
  • 20-25 – The Barrens – Bael Dun Exavs
  • 20-25 – Hillsbrad – Hillsbrad Farmers (etc)
  • 22-26 – Thousand Needles – Galak Scouts (etc)
  • 26-30 – Hillsbrad – Mud Gnolls
  • 25-30 – Thousand Needles – Grimtotems
  • 30-38 – Shimmering Flats – All monsters.
  • 38-40 – Dustswallow Swamp – Very North East Islands, Murlock Warriors/Oracles.

Horde And Alliance Grinding Spots:

  • 40-46 – Ferales – Woodpaws (stay away from the ones that disease for slow casting speeds)
  • 46-48 – Ferales – Frayfeather Skystormers
  • 48-50 – Ferales – Harpies
  • 48-51 – Southwest of Gadgetzan – Thistleshrubs
  • 50-54 – Western Plaguelands – First ‘field’ to the left, assorted monsters.
  • 54-60 – Western Plaguelands – Scarlet Lumberjacks

Alliance Grinding Spots:

    Level 1-12:
    – Newbie Zone :: You may have to leave at level 11.

    Level 12-20:
    – Westfall [Sentinel Hill, Westfall Lighthouse]
    – Loch Modan [Thelsamar, Farstrider’s Lodge, Stonewrought Dam]
    – Darkshore [Auberdine]
    – Elite Area: Mo’grosh mound (Loch Modan)
    – Instance: Deadmines

    Level 20-22:
    – Redridge Mountains [Lakeshire, Tower of Azora in Elwynn]

    Level 22-30:
    – Redridge Mountains [Lakeshire, Tower of Azora in Elwynn]
    – Duskwood [Darkshire, Sven’s Camp, Abercrombie]
    – Wetlands [Menethil Harbor, Greenwarden, N. Loch Modan (The Algaz Gauntlet)]
    – Ashenvale [Astranaar ?]
    – Stonetalon Mountains [?]
    – Elite Area: Dun Modr (Wetlands)
    – Instance: The Stockades
    – Instance: Shadowfang Keep
    – Instance: Blackfathom Deeps
    – Happy Loot: Naraxis’ Fang (Duskwood)
    – Happy Loot: Tiny Crimson Whelpling (Wetlands)
    – Grind Area [26]: Dragonmaw Encampment (Wetlands)
    – Grind Area [26]: Whelgar’s Excavation Site (Wetlands)
    – Grind Area [28]: Rotting Orchard (Duskwood)
    – Grind Area [28]: Raven Hill Cemetary (Duskwood)
    – Grind Area [29]: Vul’Gol Ogre Mound (Duskwood)

    Level 31-37:
    – Stranglethorn Vale [Rebel Camp, Nesingwary’s Expedition, Booty Bay]
    – Hillsbrad Foothills [Southshore]
    – Arathi Highlands [Refuge Pointe]
    – Desolace [32]
    – Thousand Needles [31]
    – Instance: Gnomeregan
    – Happy Loot: Howling Blade (Skhowl, Alterac Mountains)
    – Happy Loot: Toxic Revenger (Gnomeregan)
    – Happy Loot: Tiny Emerald Whelpling (Swamp of Sorrows)
    – Grind Area [31]: Kurzen Encampment (Stranglethorn Vale)
    – Grind Area [33]: Stranglethorn Raptors (Stranglethorn Vale)
    – Grind Area [33]: Growless Cave (Alterac Mountains)
    – Grind Area [34]: Gallow’s Corner (Crushridge Ogres – Altarac Mountains)
    – Grind Area [36]: Venture Co. Base Camp (Lake Nazferiti – Stranglethorn Vale)

    Level 37-43:
    – Stranglethorn Vale
    – Arathi Mountains [Refuge Pointe, Faldir’s Cove]
    – Badlands [Various camps around the zone]
    – Desolace [37]
    – Elite Area: Stromgarde
    – Elite Area: Mosh’ogg Mound
    – Instance: Scarlet Monastery
    – Instance: Uldaman
    – Instance: Razorfen Downs
    – Happy Loot: Tiny Black Whelpling (Badlands)
    – Grind Area [37]: Lashtail Raptors (Stranglethorn Vale)
    – Grind Area [37]: Water Elementals (Stranglethorn Vale)
    – Grind Area [39]: The spider cave north of Brackenwall (Swamp of Sorrows)
    – Grind Area [39]: Rock Elementals (Badlands)
    – Grind Area [39]: Elder Crag Coyotes (Badlands)
    – Grind Area [41]: Scalding Whelps (Badlands)
    – Grind Area [41]: Agmond’s End (Badlands)
    – Grind Area [41]: Ziata’jai Ruins (Venture Co. Stuff, Stranglethorn Vale)
    – Grind Area [43]: Naga Explorers (Stranglethorn Vale)

    Level 43-46:
    – Feralas [Feathermoon Stronghold]
    – Tanaris [Gadgetzan, Steamwheedle Port]
    – Instance: Zul’Farrak
    – Grind Area [43]: Wastewander Bandits (Tanaris)
    – Grind Area [44]: Isle of Dread (Feralas – Inside Cave; South of Feathermoon Stronghold)
    – Grind Area [45]: Feral Scar Vale (Feralas)
    – Happy Loot: 14slot bag! Cortello’s Riddle quest, starts in one of the ships in Stranglethorn Vale for the end of the Bloodsail Buccaneers line of quests.

    Level 46-50:
    – Tanaris [Gadgetzan, Steamwheedle Port]
    – The Hinterlands [Aerie Peak]
    – Instance: Zul’Farrak
    – Instance: Maraudon [49]
    – Instance: Temple of Atal’Hakkar [50]
    – Grind Area [47]: Undead in Western Ashzara (Azshara)
    – Grind Area [47]: Dunemaul Compound (Tanaris)
    – Grind Area [47]: Elementals/Golems around The Cauldron + N of it (Searing Gorge) – Elemental Leatherworking Supplies

    Level 50-55:
    – Searing Gorge [Kalaran Windblade]
    – Blasted Lands
    – Un’Goro Crater [Marshal’s Refuge]
    – Felwood [Emerald Sanctuary]
    – Burning Steppes [Morgan’s Vigil]
    – Instance: Temple of Atal’Hakkar
    – Grind Area [50]: Deadwood Village (Felwood)
    – Grind Area [51]: Ruins of Eldarath (Azshara)
    – Grind Area [52]: Dreadmaul Rock (Firegut Ogres – Burning Steppes)
    – Grind Area [52]: Legash Encampment, Thalassian Base Camp, Ursolan (Azshara)
    – Grind Area [52]: Jaedenar (Felwood)
    – Grind Area [52]: Sorrow Hill (Western Plaguelands)
    – Grind Area [53]: Ironwood Trees in northern Felwood
    – Grind Area [54]: Temple of Arkkoran (Azshara)
    – Grind Area [55]: Jadefire Run, Felpaw Village (Felwood)

    Level 55-60:
    – Winterspring [Everlook, Starfall Village]
    – Western Plaguelands [Chillwind Point]
    – Eastern Plaguelands
    – Instance: Blackrock Depths
    – Instance: Blackrock Spire [60]
    – Instance: Stratholme [60]
    – Instance: Scholomance [60]
    – Grind Area [55]: Felstone Field, Dalson’s Tears, The Writhing Haunt, Gahrron’s Withering (Western Plaguelands)
    – Grind Area [56]: Northridge Lumber Camp (Western Plaguelands)
    – Grind Area [56]: Corin’s Crossing (Eastern Plaguelands)
    – Grind Area [56]: The Pillar of Ash (Burning Steppes)
    – Grind Area [56]: Winterfall Village (Winterspring)
    – Grind Area [57]: Blackrock Stronghold (Burning Steppes) [NOTE]
    – Grind Area [57]: Ice Thistle Hills (Wintespring) – Rugged Leathers


Dealing with the boringness of grinding:

There’s no way to get rid of it. There’s ways to deal with it, fortunately. The basic ways are to simply play music while grinding, or position your TV to a location where you don’t have to turn much to watch it, or chatting in game. Grinding doesn’t require you to watch your screen 100% of the time, even on a PVP server, so watching TV isn’t too hard. A method I personally like is talking to friends, RL or on team speak, both are good choices to help you forget about what you’re doing. One thing I urge everyone NOT to think about is how long it’s taking to level, it’ll make you extremely bored/frustrated.

Why do people grind if it’s so boring?

A simple, yet complicated question. The simple answer is that we’re power gamers/PVPers. We want to get as strong as possible as fast as possible. The part where it gets complicated is where casual gamers and such are reverting to grinding, too. With the current state of WoW, there’s very little reason to do quests. One of the only reasons is that you get more involved with the story/history of WoW. Another is that it is more entertaining than grinding. While I’m not going to try arguing with either of those, I will tell you the following:

There’s very few rewards to doing quests, one of them being able to buy mounts from other races in your faction. This, funny enough, isn’t very possible. The other being you get discounts. I’ll let you know now that you can easily obtain an honorable status by questing from 1 to 14-15, which is what I did. Grinding rewards better than questing, more materials, more gold, more of a chance to receive rare drops (blues that bind on equip), and most importantly, faster/better exp. Also, you can grind to 60 and then proceed to do instances, which means you end up with the same gear as everyone else, but faster.

There are different types of power leveling.

Grinding – Single target grinding, which is what this guide is based on. Some quests are done, but only the ones that can be done while grinding. This is -the- most boring form of power leveling.

AOEing – Killing multiple monsters at the same time with AOE spells. Sounds better than it is. Some quests are done, but only the ones that can be done while grinding. More entertaining than normal grinding.

Power AOEing – AOE grinding with outside support. This outside support is usually a support class healing you, which enables you to AOE a larger number of monsters and not have to worry about your health or survivability. Survivability is why solo AOE grinding is flawed. Little quests are done. Probably the best form of leveling. Fastest and most entertaining (you have someone to talk to, joke around, etc). The only downsides are finding someone to preform this task for you. Note: Outside support means you’re not partied, IE; you’re getting all of the experience.

Well, which is that fastest?! Power AOEing -> Grinding -> AOEing

How long did it take you to max, using these methods?

7 days to 10 days.

Planning to buy a PSP? Wait some more time..

Due to the fact that Sony shifted the release date of the PS3 to November 2006 they planned a price drop for the PSP. Since March 22th you can buy you can buy the PSP in Europe for 199,- instead of 249,-. There will also be several new tools like a GPS Receiver and new Internet features. Luckily I didn’t buy a PSP yet.. this time it was even worth to wait that little time 😉

..what happened to online gaming? (Part 1: mmorpgs)

I really loved to play online-games, or especially mmorpgs. I started with Ultima Online back in 1997. From Atlantic, to Catskills and finally Drachenfels. It has been a great time, lots of PvP but unfortunately also lots of Patches which at last destroyed the PvP we liked and for what we played that game. In fact I’m talking about PKing, PvPing is what had been left after they patched the PK System to death.

After UO my fellows and me moved on to EverQuest, our first contact with a mmorpg based on Levels. It had been a pain in the ass, leveling your char for a PvP Experience which had not been worth the time. Best thing was training people by pulling many aggressive monsters behind you and walk above another Player, yea that was quite funny ;). However, I guess I never made it above lvl 30, just too much timewaste for nothing. So some of us started up with Asheron’s Call, also Level based but great PvP on Darktide. Although, we were a bit late for Asheron’s Call, we joined about 6 months after the game was launched and everyone was kinda high level already. It was all about macroing and if you didn’t have any help it was pretty difficult to level up. Nevertheless we did level ~70 there, but everyone was lvl 126+ at that time already. Wouldn’t be a problem at all but we disliked the leveling stuff pretty much. After that we moved on to Asheron’s Call 2. Just another level based game which was discontinued back in December 2005. The game wasn’t half finished, no NPCs included etc. Big waste of money and time. By the way, I left out our comebacks in UO, Everquest, etc. but they didn’t last that long as you can imagine that nothing had become better than before.

I don’t even have to talk about all the other games like Shadowbane, Anarchy Online, Neocron and so on.. we tested them all and they all sucked. Well, at the moment we’re playing World of Warcraft. Guess what, just another level based mmorpg but at least the most smooth one. We started with the US Version and switched to the European Servers at release. On the EU Servers we switched from Ravencrest to Destromath after about five months of playtime, yea just another timewaste happened here. Later on we moved our Chars on Theredras. I’m lvl 44 there at the moment but PvP is also a joke in WoW. No loot, no XP gain, no whatsoever, in fact the victim doesn’t take any harm at all. I’m just too demotivated to grind my char to lvl 60. “For what?” I ask myself, for that kind of carebear pvp? Oh well..

With WoW a new word evolved, it’s called “to grind”. Grind XP, grind Honor Points, grind Items. Yea, it’s all about grinding. Spend thousands of hours in killing NPCs and Monsters to gain levels or items. They even turned PvP into grinding. Kill other players to get better items, yea, that’s itemize! If PvP would be a good thing in WoW I’d have been lvl 60 months ago, but that way, it’s just annoying.

So what’s left on the mmorpg sky? Yea right, nothing at the current time. No mmorpg with good PvP or PKing exists. There’s a mmorpg called Darkfall which is being developed at the moment but it’s pretty unsure if it will be released sometime. It could be vaporware but it’s our last hope. Check it out here. It has PKing, PvP and no levels. That’s what an mmorpg should look like! No fancy coloured worlds with carebear pvp and rpg quests all the way..