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I’ve got two big loves in video gaming: multiplayer shooters and spaceship creation. The former has a near constant indulgence with series like Battlefield, Call of Duty and Team Fortress, but the latter is one that I haven’t really enjoyed since 1998′s Star Trek: Starship Creator. Never before have I experienced such a compelling crossover of the two genres as Gimbal, an indie title produced by Colin Clark’s 8888888 Labs in Michigan. Gimbal is a game where you can build your own spaceships in a similar fashion to other spacefaring games like Gratuitous Space Battles, then fight them against other player’s creations in multiplayer arenas, with player counts (with added bots) ranging anywhere from 3v3 skirmishes, to mass 20 v 20 wars. With each kill and round win, your budget increases and you can design increasingly powerful and specialised craft. There are a wide array of weapons, aerodynamic components and other subsystems you can add to your ship, and you’ll quickly outgrow the half-dozen stock designs that are unlocked near the start. As well as building your own creations, starships that you destroy will be added to your hangar as ‘stolen designs’, allowing you to quickly learn some new tricks from the old dogs. The starship design component is surprisingly deep, with free placement of components and strict physics dictating your craft’s performance. You can add weapons to turrets and CPU systems to them, allowing them to be controlled with the mouse instead of the keyboard or to automatically track targets. While initially you’ll find your selection of parts limited and your budget restricting you to one or two guns, as the kills mount up you’ll quickly find yourself festooned with options, allowing the building of some truly bizarre looking creations. Some of the standard designs might be one ship with a couple of forward facing guns and a couple of engines. Later on though, with faster hulls and a few more trillion dollars to spend, you’ll be able to invest in a streamlined platform, mounted with eight high powered engines and six turret mounted heavy 120mm cannons. This means you’ll be zooming around, making it very difficult for others to hit you, while peppering your foes with ease thanks to the 360 degree rotation of your turrets. There’s also options for simple gun platforms. Add a couple of engines for rotation and one for creeping forward and then cover the rest of the ship with fast firing guns. While you might be vulnerable to anyone that’s sniping you at range with rail guns or missiles, you’ll decimate any fast fighters naive enough to get within range of you. However you’ll need to take propulsion design seriously. You can’t just stick a couple of engines on the back and hope for the best, every engine has a forward and back function which needs to be mapped to your preferred controls. There’s no left and right turning unless you add engines that can perform that function. Whether you mount them horizontally, or simply stick a vertical facing engine on the edges of your design is up to you. You also need to take into consideration things like drag, symmetrical mounting so that you don’t list to one side. There’s options for the inclusion of pop our air breaks for fast halts, fins to increase deceleration speeds and automatic engine control chips. If this sounds overwhelming, at first it is but you soon get the hang of it. Fortunately there’s a test area that lets you make sure you craft flies well – or at least can turn to face an enemy – before jumping into the action. Once you get there, you’ll want to fight a few games againts bots first, as the learning curve is quite steep compared to some games. However, it’s not too long before you get the hang of it and as long as you don’t end up on a server with high end players – look for one with a spending limit for your first few PvP bouts – you should quickly begin to rack up kills. One good way to generate income is to try and take out the enemy’s carrier – a refuelling and arming station covered with high end weaponry – as taking one of them out gets you as much as killing some of the top players in the game. Technically the game is impressive, with some beautiful low-orbit environments and lovingly designed 2D spaceship components. The interface is simplistic but works well, and the actual combat is fast and fluid although there’s a lot to learn. It’s just a shame that despite the great visuals, when zoomed in enough to appreciate them you will be easily outranged by your opponents, many of whom exclusively make use of the tactical view which lets you see far further afield. At that distance though, your ship is barely noticeable. It’s not one that I can see an easy way around, as if you decide you’re going to wing it and play with your screen close to your spacecraft, you’ll often not have enough time to dodge the static asteroids that make up the majority of mid-air terrain in Gimbal.]]> The games available this time around, include Dustforge, Rochard, Shatter, S.P.A. Z, Torchlight and if you pay over the average – which currently sits at a paltry $5.74 – you’ll get Vessel included. While most people might only be paying a couple of quid for what ammounts to tens of pounds worth of games, the number of purchases is already over 134,000, leading total payments to not be far from reaching $800,000 (£490,000). Windows users should as usual, be ashamed of their paltry contributions, with the average at the moment sitting just above $5 (£3). Mac users are a little better, with the average purchase for them going for $6.78, while Linux users show they’re either the most generous, or have the most cash in their pockets because they didn’t pay for their OS, with an average purchase price of $9.54. No sign of the HumbleBronyBundle or Notch contributions yet, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see them appear in the next few days. That’ll add another few thousand to the total. For those living under a rock for the past couple of years, the HumbleBundle offers several popular indie games for whatever price you’re willing to pay, with a minimum of $1 if you want a Steam key. The games work on Windows, Mac and Linux and have no DRM at all. A portion of the purchase price also goes to charity. For a rundown of the latest games, the new video from Wolfire is as entertaining as always:]]> The report states that Sony will be revealing two models of what will likely be the last in the line of PlayStation 3 consoles, with an entry-level 12GB SKU priced below £200 and a high-end 500GB SKU. The former would need to be priced well below £200 to be in with a chance of selling well however, considering you can currently get 320GB versions of the console for around the £200 mark – not many people will be keen to trade that extra storage for a slightly slimmer design. Sony certainly needs something to keep itself in the headlines at the moment, with Nintendo set to steal the show in the close of the year with its Wii U console. We’ve had a host of information on the new Nintendo machine in the past few days, including its internal hardware, launch titles and news of a new Monster Hunter in the spring – hell yea. Is this new PS3 something to get excited about? Or is Sony just ekeing out a bit more cash from its ageing brand? Today I look at the Tt eSports Shock One headset. Compared to the previous Tt eSports headphones I took a look at, these are much more gamer orientated. They also feature virtual surround sound which should make them great for watching movies too. Let’s find out! The headset arrives in a bright and vibrant box with its main features on the front. The rear has similar information in many different languages. Opening up the box we find a different pair of ear cups, bag, instructions, software CD and warranty booklet. With the headphones out of the box, this is what we see. They fold up pretty small which is handy. The exterior of the ear cup has mesh although sound does not come through, and we also have a Tt logo that is illuminated by LEDs once they’re plugged in. The microphone is not removable but it does fold away while it’s not in use. This is how it looks when it’s unfolded. The controller is made of nice feeling plastic and the buttons aren’t sticky and depress easily. On the side is two switches allowing you to lock the controls on the front and turn off the LEDs on the ear cups and on the controller. Here are the LEDs on: The headband can be expanded quite far which is useful for everyone, including me with my large head.]]> Designed to improve the control scheme of mobile games, the iControlpad and its sequel add real world buttons to a smartphone for use instead of standard touch controls, which while useful for some games, often get in the way of the action and are simply less functional than their more traditional counterparts. Like the first the iControlpad 2 incorporates twin analogue sticks and a Dpad, along with four face buttons, but this new version also includes a full QWERTY keyboard. It’s small and therefore those with big thumbs might find typing on the device a little clumsy, but for those of us with average or below average digits, it shouldn’t be too hard – certainly easier than most touch screen keyboards anyhow. The method of attaching to a phone or other device has also been improved. Instead of simply clipping onto the side, the iControlpad 2 hooks on to the bottom and can be rotated under the phone for storage, and swung out for usage in the style of the original. Here’s the video explaining the feature breakdown: with 26 days to go, over 425 backers have already dived in, pledging almost a third of the $150,000 goal. Head here to make your own contribution.]]> After a closure of a large number of the video game stores in 2011, Game was left with just over 340 outlets, with Gamestation making up 122 of them. Beginning operation in 1993, Gamestation grew swiftly, maintaining 63 stores by 2002. At that point it was sold to Blockbuster, which pushed the expansion of the chain, ultimately ending up 240 outlets by 2007 when the chain changed hands again, becoming part of Game. MCVUK have confirmed that anyone with Gamestation reward cards and points will be able to transfer them over to Game’s reward scheme, so nothing will be lost in the move. While it’ll be sad to see the long running chain disappear for good, at least none of the outlets will be closing, so the usually quite friendly staff will remain.]]> On the far-east island nation, the Wii U will be dropping on the 8th September, but will come in two differently priced flavours. The first, the basic option, will be the standard white Wii U and will be priced at 26,250 yen (£210), while the premium version will feature a black casing and cost around £50 more. The difference between the two is that the basic will come with only 8GB of internal flash memory, while the bigger and badder option will feature 32GB and a Nintendo Network Premium Subscription. A Nintendo Premium Description essentially works as a loyalty reward scheme that gets you Wii eShop points and a 10 per cent pay back from any downloads you make on the platform. According to Eurogamer there’s no way you can join this unless you buy the premium console. In the box you’ll get a GamePad, an power cable, a GamePad AC adaptor and a HDMI cable. Premium consoles also get a Wii U console stand, a gamepad charging dock and a gamepad stand. Price details for extra controllers are 13,440 yen (£107) for a new tablet gamepad – quite expensive, but there isn’t a game yet that supports more than one. A standard “pro” controller will cost £40 or so.]]> “You can use 4G as an alternative to fixed broadband in areas where there are not many fibre cables,” said Mr Swantee. “We’re going to roll-out in rural areas like Wales, Cornwall and Cumbria next year. This is the fastest roll-out in UK history.” Despite these claims however, some believe that Urban areas will feel the effects first, with London getting the initial roll out of 4G services – considering how many people live there, this makes total sense. Dominic Baliszewski, telecoms expert at Broadbandchoices. co. uk said that “London will be the first European city fully covered by 4G which is great news for Londoners, although customers in rural areas have been forgotten once again in the broadband speed race. 4G had been hailed as an answer to the problems of rural communities struggling with poor fixed line speeds, but subsequent 4G launches from other providers will also likely focus on the more commercially viable urban areas.” While 4G services have already been introduced in other countries, the UK has lagged behind because of arguments between the major mobile providers over how the auction should take place. Not it’s set to occur later this year, with other company’s 4G services to be introduced towards the end of 2013. The reason Everything Everywhere has the chance to offer 4G services sooner, is because it is re-purposing some of its current 2G network spectrum for 4G. It’s only capable of doing so because of the merger between Orange and T-Mobile gave it double the spectrum of other companies. Source: Telegraph]]> The Taiwanese Lian Li is well known for their high quality PC and NAS cases, they also have PSU’s and chassis-related accessories. Lian Li sent me the aluminum black PC-Z60 ATX case to review and that’s what we’ll be talking about today. The PC-Z60 comes in a reasonably sized box with the main specifications printed in full colour. The claims for USB3.0 and a tool-less design are very promising. It’s always a tour to get a case out of such a tight boxing, but in the end you can see why that’s so; the protective packaging is to ensure the case doesn’t get bumped and falls apart whilst being transported. Included is an amazingly interesting folder that gives a quick overlook of many Lian Li related products. Also included is a multilingual installation guide, which covers the basics on how to setup your system in this case. The included accessories aren’t that extensive, but suffice. You get plenty HDD brackets, screws, thumbscrews, an USB2.0   USB3.0 converter, a PC-speaker and keys to lock the HDDs in place. The big metal part is used to clamp the PSU, as you’ll see later on.]]> With the effects of the Thailand floods finally behind us and more manufacturers joining the SSD party, the SSD market has become quite competitive. We recently looked at two Plextor SSDs that provided an impressive amount of power, and now we’re looking at another top tier SSD, the Corsair Neutron GTX, that promises to be “one of the fastest SSDs on the market.” We’ll test the truth of that statement in this review – let’s get into it! The Corsair Neutron GTX comes in an attractive black and red box. The drive itself is shown on the front, with the typical red and black colour scheme of Corsair. The front of the drive has the vital stats, too: 240 GB of space, Random Read and Random Write of up to 90K IOPS. It’s also important to note that the Neutron GTX is a 7 mm model, meaning it’s suitable for use in ultrabooks. The back of the box has the standard multi-language blurb, as well as the sticker and a window showing the part number of the SSD inside. Taking the plastic out of the box, we see the components: The SSD itself, flanked by two screw bags with the 3.5 inch tray on the back. There’s also a small warranty notice ‘for Australian consumers’. The tray is the exact same design as Plextor’s, with a single-piece plate with screw holes offset from the centre. The screw bags are rolled up and taped, and proved slightly annoying to get into without a pair of scissors.]]>
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EK Chearrbhachas chun Comhroinn 10 faoin gcéad de Úsáidte Díolacháin Cluichí le Foilsitheoirí Tá miondíoltóir cluiche nua US gheall ag 10 faoin gcéad den ioncam a cluiche a úsáidtear díolacháin a thabhairt d'fhoilsitheoirí, i síneadh brainse olóige go atá deartha go calma na huiscí idir gamers agus iad siúd a fhoilsiú na cluichí féin. I beagán de scéal sicín agus uibheacha, éileamh gamers a cheannaíonn siad cluichí a úsáidtear mar go bhfuil praghsanna miondíola ró-ard, agus forbróirí agus foilsitheoirí a éileamh go bhfuil na praghsanna ard sin mar gheall ar an oiread sin cluichí a úsáidtear a cheannaigh. An dara ceann i bhfeidhm freisin Uafásach, DRM Uafásach cosúil Pasanna gcónaí Ar Líne agus, chun dul i ngleic leis an tionscal cluiche a úsáidtear le rath billiún dollar. EK Chearrbhachas é, áfach, stepping amach i tosaigh agus ag rá go leor de na sillyness, ag tairiscint ar réiteach uathúil agus galánta go má ghlac mo miondíoltóirí a lán eile d'fhéadfadh, féach ar an margadh cluiche a úsáidtear mairfidh, agus ní ligeann foilsitheoirí a bundle DRM sriantacha lena gcuid cluichí. D'fhéadfadh sé a dhéanamh fiú iad a tháirgeadh cluichí sin atá uathúil, ós rud é d'fhéadfadh siad acmhainn a chur le rioscaí cúpla níos mó dá mbeadh a fhios acu go mbeadh airgead a dhéanamh as an cluiche ar feadh na mblianta atá le teacht, seachas díreach os cionn an cúpla mí tar éis scaoileadh. "Tá Foilsitheoirí ag caitheamh méideanna taifead ar airgead tirim ar fhorbairt cluiche nua. Tá an méadú ar chostais dev stiúradh orthu i dtreonna nach bhfuil gá le jive gamers, cúis iad a ghlacadh rioscaí a d'fhéadfadh a bheith níos lú ar nua agus spreagúil IP nó Meicnic cluiche agus sticking a bhfuil airíonna thriail agus fíor go bhfuil níos mó de ráthaíochta, "a dúirt POF EKGaming Mike Kennedy. "Ba mhaith linn ár n-ioncam a roinnt cluiche a úsáidtear leo ionas gur féidir leo leanúint ar aghaidh ag infheistiú i taithí cearrbhachais nua gan a bheith buartha faoi na hiarmhairtí diúltacha a d'fhéadfaí a úsáid cluichí a bhfuil ar a n-oibríochtaí." EK Tá geallta freisin a thairiscint trádála níos airde i luach le haghaidh cluichí, gamers ag tairiscint suas le 30 faoin gcéad de luach bunaidh miondíola ar an teideal.