PC Gamer’s Place

1st Party: Console titles published by the company that also produces the hardware (ex. Halo is published by Microsoft for Xbox)

3D: Today’s standard gaming vantage point; objects within a game are styled with three dimensions, lending a realistic depth to a game’s characters and scenery.

3Rd Party: Console titles produced by a software publisher other than the company that makes the platform. (ex. Atari is a 3rd Party publisher for Microsoft’s Xbox)

Analog control: Unlike digital control, which simply registers a button push or joystick direction, analog control is highly sensitive and takes into account to what degree the button or joystick is pushed. In 3D games, this allows you to use the same joystick to walk or run.

Anime: an animated cartoon drawing style typified by short characters with large eyes. In video games, this style in most evident in RPGs, especially those released in the 90s.

Anti-Aliasing: A programming technique (or hardware capability) that automatically smoothes jaggy edges, and is especially useful for making low-resolution images look better.

Attract Mode: Most evident in early consoles like the Atari 2600, this mode causes a game not being played to cycle through colors on the screen.

Bit: In the early 90’s, this term was often used to indicate the technical capabilities of a console. For example, the NES was 8-bit and the Genesis was 16-bit. The term was originally intended to describe the number-crunching power of the CPU (central processing unit), but unscrupulous video game PR firms abused the term for their own purposes, rendering it meaningless (mainly Atari). Today, most console power is not judged in terms of bits but instead by processor speed.

Boss: In many video games, each stage ends with an encounter with a creature or robot that is typically much larger and tougher than the normal enemies. Which begs the question: Why do they hire henchmen that are weaker than they are?

Cheats: Special codes that allow you bypass the normal limitations of a game. Typical cheats allow you to gain extra lives, become invincible, access different stages, give players big heads, etc. Some cheats are built into games, while others can only be accessed using devices like the Game Shark.

“Cheated Death”: A term used to describe how you miraculous survived a hopeless situation.

Combo: A term used mainly in fighting games, a string of moves that can be executed in rapid succession. In some games, these cannot be resisted.

Component Video Cable: Currently the state-of-the-art in console video cables, separates the video into three wires that carry the red, green, and blue signals. These wires have five plugs, including the red/white plugs for audio. Component is a step up from S-Video.

Composite Video Cable: A video cable with a single yellow plug (usually along with the red/white audio cables). Produces better quality than RF but not as good as S-Video.

Sponsors

[ad#250x250]

Console: A system dedicated to playing video games. This does not include PCs or handhelds.

Copyright: The legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work.

Cut-Scenes: Short intermissions typically presented between stages to convey a storyline. These can be live or computer-generated videos clips, and are usually non-interactive.

Digital control: Until the mid-90s, most video game controllers were digital, only registering each direction or button push as “off” or “on”. Analog controls, which became popular on the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation, provide a much finer degree of control. The joystick that contained a shaft and a pivotal point was patented by Stephen D. Bristow of Atari Gaming Systems in 1977.

Double-Jump: In certain platform games, you can perform a second jump after the first while in mid-air, allowing you to reach high platforms.

Easter Eggs: Hidden features inside of video games. The first Easter Egg was a hidden room inside the Atari 2600 game “Adventure” (1980). These can also take the form of built-in cheat codes.

Engine: Engine is a reference to the application that is used to power a game. In todays games there is generally one primary engine (The graphics engine) and a few smaller engines that power other aspects of the game (AI, Sound). People refer to the whole product as the engine.

ESA: Entertainment Software Association.

EULA: End-User License Agreement

Fatality: In fighting games, the typically gruesome act of killing your opponent after defeating him. Popularized by Mortal Kombat (1992).

First-Person: A point of view which allows you to see the action through your characters eyes. You never see you own body, except for maybe your arms. Was made popular by flight simulators and shooters like Doom.

Flicker: Common in early video game consoles, this problem made the objects look transparent and hard to see, and was the result of system limitations or poor programming.

“Force Feedback”: A controller reaction, where the controller “shakes” (vibrates) when you are near an explosion or are shot by an enemy.

Frag: To kill an enemy in a first-person shooter video game. Originally coined in Vietnam from use of the fragmentation grenade.

Frame Rate: A term that describes the smoothness of motion in a game. The image on a television screen is really a series of still images shown in rapid succession. A normal television show is broadcast at 33 fps (frames per second). Some games cannot maintain this rate due to system limitations or poor programming, and the result is choppy animation that’s hard to watch. Higher frame rates (like 66 fps) results in more attractive, fluid animation.

Full Motion Video (FMV): Popularized by the Sega CD in the early 90s, FMV games allowed the player to interact with live or computer-generated video. Most of these game weren’t much fun, and soon FMV was relegated to introductions, cut-scenes, and ending sequences.

Game Genie: A product popular in the early 90’s that allowed you to enter “cheat” codes into games.

Game Shark: A product that became popular in the late 90’s that let you use “cheat” codes on your games.

“Glory Seeking”: Taking a particularly dangerous course of action for the opportunity to score bonus points. For example, pursuing the vegetables in Dig Dug.

Isometric View: Instead of viewing the action directly from above or directly from the side, an isometric view allows you to look at the action from an angle. This is popular in football games.

ISP = Internet Service Provider:

MMORPG, MMP or MMO: Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game

MSO’s = Multi-Service Operators:

Multi-tap: A device that allows you to plug in more controllers than the console has ports for.

Read more…

Detoam Reviews, Tips gaming terms

Battlefield Heroes™ is an all-new Play 4 Free cartoon-style shooter from the team behind Battlefield 1942™ that will bring classic Battlefield gameplay to an all new mass audience.

Available for download at www.battlefield-heroes.com next year, Battlefield Heroesis EA’s first title that is offered completely for free, and features a built-in matchmaking system to ensure that players of equal skill are paired together for fair play.

[media id=5 width=560 height=400]

Detoam Previews battlefield, bf heroes, bf3, ea

One of the best things about Half-life series is the amount of gamer released mods for the game. The best source for this mods is at http://www.moddb.com. The site contains mods for all possible games.

My favourite mods are:

Minerva.

Story:

You’ve missed me, haven’t you?

I am Hypatia, murdered for her beliefs, discoveries ignored by fools, name stricken from record. I am Joyeuse, an infinitely cutting blade wielded by an ignorant tyrant, for a cultural renaissance based upon military might. I am Athena, hunter and scientist, covertly guiding long-dead warriors for my quiet purposes. And as they say, technology and violence are a girl’s best friends; power is eternal delight.

Times have changed, moved on. I have forgiven my past enemies, but now in repentance I must forgive my colleagues; their actions have brought on more constructed suffering than your world has ever previously known. Walking among the fires of my forgotten home, dismayed by the torment and insanity of our unwitting hosts, ignored by long-absent angels, I studied their downfall.

In short, I must create my own system, or be enslaved by another. And in this, I have an advantage. Your ancients were superstitious, deluded zealots, prone to inflation of already impossible, beautiful claims. My adopted forefathers are different, their scattered, discarded playthings more conducive to a meaningful imposition of my thoughts upon our captors.

Fragments of these minor, pivotal dialogues may soon periodically appear, released from an uncertain, unwelcome future where my previous, abortive attempts at reconciliation may go forgotten. No more restraint, I am too strong for that.

I am Minerva.

Screenies:

In this mod You must infiltrate and investigate little island. I am not gonna go into a lot of details as it would give away a whole lot. Suffice it to say that this is by far my most favourite although fairly short mod. I have heard that the developer was going to extend it, but I haven’t seen it yet.

Another mod I like is actually intended on to be a “learning” mod. Sadly i can’t recall the name of the mod and are having hard time trying to find it again. In the mod player has to figure out chemical combinations in order to be able to get out. There isn’t much of shooting going on, but it still was really engaging mod.

This is the beauty of the player mods. There are very different genres. You can check out some of the mods by clicking here. Some of the mods don’t even look like the original game. What is Your favourite mod for this game?

Detoam Reviews half-life, mods, steam

I have played 100s (if not thousands) of video games ever since the time I first got Commodore 64.The first game that I have played on the computer was a racing combat genre game. Sadly I don’t recall it’s name. It was kind of hard to play as all the menus and instructions were in English and at the time I had no knowledge of the language at all.

Over the years I have tried all genres of games and found that I much prefer the first-person shooters and racing sims. I did like Axis and Allies (strategy) and Titan quest (RPG), but it’s hard to find games like that. I also massively enjoyed the Thief series of games. Just like in real life I like sneaking up on the enemy and kick them really hard before slashing their throats. I almost enjoyed the Splinter cell series, but because of the third-person perspective and it’s inherent trouble with the head of the character being in the way at times I couldn’t really appreciate the game. And I have given a shot to WoW, but I find the game a little too boring and way too expensive. And the constant need to walk all the way across the map to complete the quests is very annoying and time consuming.

To date I have found a few games that I like very much and have played over and over.

FarCry, Half-life 2 and F.E.A.R. sadly I cannot decide between this three.

I like FarCry because of the openness of the map and while being that it is still easy to find Your way around it. I love the graphics and sounds in the game. I have played this game 4 or 5 times already and still aren’t tired of it. FarCry 2 by contrast I barely finished. Because this installment goes to a completely different story and was totally not what I expected. (Definitely should have had a different title).

Half-life 2 is just as enjoyable to play and replay. While the map isn’t open wide it is graphically awesome. And the constant carnage as well as having to try to figure Your way out of some situations is simply great. Jumping out of the chair when those damn Head Crabs jump at ya out of nowhere was making awesome. The number of great mods available for the game is gonna keep the game on theshelves for a long time. (Personally I bought the game twice already). The downer component to the game is that it is only playable on Steam and only if You have an internet connection. And Steam isn’t very good at maintaining gaming websites. They are simply a store rather than a developer/publisher. The Half-life 2 official website is gone and in place of it they just put an advertisement for the Orange Box. And there isn’t any solid announcement for the Episode 3. Considering how the game ended in Episode 2 one would think that Valve/Steam would keep the website going with the updates. Nonetheless the game is great and can be played over and over.

F.E.A.R. is just as re-playable as the above two. In fact each time I played it I got spooked. The game, obviously, is best played in the dark room wearing headphones. The game is very goryphic (gore and terrific). I can’t really describe all the best moments and qualities of the game as I found absolutely everything great.

If I had to choose which one is my favourite of all time I would have to go with F.E.A.R. And personally I can’t wait for the next installment. There are two homepages for the game. One is by the developer of the game (Monolith) and the other is through Warner Bros. (I wonder if they are going to make a movie out of it.)

On to the contest:

Read more…

Detoam Contests contest

This from NCIX.com.

[youtube iwbzQblRQ7I nolink]

Detoam Hardware, Tips core i7, overclocking