Author - Jerry Paxton

Spartan 300 Blackout Series SRX Model 306 Airsoft Rifle Review

2016/02/14

Action Sports, Airsoft News, Airsoft Reviews, Articles, Geek News, News, Reviews

VFC’s new generation of AEGs come with a lot of cool features – both internally and externally. Many of these features and more can be found on the new Spartan SRX Blackout series model 306 airsoft rifle by Palco Sports, Spartan, with manufacturing by VFC. Externally, the entire SRX 300 Blackout series is beautiful – each with its own design aesthetic and intended usage. The SRX Blackout Series Model 206 is intended for assault, with a black, full metal body, 9.5 inch rail system, and VFC’s new QRS stock. For you trademark junkies out there, you will find both Spartan and VFC trades alongside the rifle’s receiver. Included in the package are two front end rail covers to protect your hands from getting unnecessarily cut as well as one midcap magazine. Please note that some retailers are selling this airsoft gun with an additional midcap magazine AND foregrip. Your mileage may vary on that.

Internally, the SRX Blackout series 306 comes with VFC’s new generation 8mm version 2 gearbox. Of course, being a VFC gearbox, you get their auto-shimming steel gears (whether you love them or not) as well as their new hop-up chamber. While some people are not huge fans of the self-shimming gears, they are working great in this new line of VFC manufactured AEGs and I nave no complaints about them. The SRX 306 also features a polycarbonate piston an aluminum, ported piston head. Overall, this AEG has a lot of performance right out of the box, with our testing yielding around 385 feet per second and a fire rate of 16BBs per second with a 9.6V battery.

On the field, I played several weekends worth of games at SC Village in Norco, CA and had an absolute blast. The SRX Blackout 306 has a snappy trigger response and aggressive look which definitely turned heads. I actually had several other players ask me what kind of gun it was and where they could get one for themselves. I also wanted to give big props to Palco Sports and Spartan for using the VFC QRS stock on this rifle. It is one of the best airsoft rifle stocks I have ever used and couldn’t believe how easy it was to open up and insert a battery into. I would not hesitate to use this in a milsim game or even a game on a local field, however it definitely shoots too hot for indoor CQB gameplay.

Overall, we had a great time checking out the Spartan SRX Blackout Series 306 from Palco Sports, Spartan, and VFC. It has a lot solid build quality, both inside and out, and would make a great airsoft rifle for any outdoor milsim or skirmish games. The rifle retails for $339.99 and is available now.

[easyreview title=”Spartan Blackout Series SRX 306 Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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Planet Eclipse GX Kitbag Review

2016/02/13

Jerry Paxton

Action Sports, Airsoft News, Airsoft Reviews, Articles, News, Reviews

Planet Eclipse was nice enough to send over one of their highly talked about GX Kitbags for us to take a look at and review. One of the biggest issues I face as an airsofter, and I hear this same thing from some paintballer friends of mine, is how to transport all of your gear to and from game events. Both of us – airsofter and paintballer alike, tend to accumulate a lot of stuff… And, for some reason, we feel the need to take it with us to every game. That being said, we are always looking for large kit bags to store everything. Thankfully, the GX Kitbag from Planet Eclipse fits the bill and will be a boon to your gear-carrying needs.

The Planet Eclipse GX Kitbag is made from a rugged polyester material and features a strong, rigid external shell that allows it to keep its shape when bumped around. Also, one of the smartest features of the GX Kitbag is that it has two robust wheels on it and a retractable pull handle. This allows you to navigate the Planet Eclipse GX Kitbag around like a large piece of luggage. In fact, thanks to its wide wheels, it is so stable when being pulled about that I would trust my actual business clothes in it for long trips. The internal storage space is no joke with an approximate volume of 100 liters – that’s over 26 gallons of liquid! Disclaimer: GamingShogun.com does not recommend that you attempt to travel with the GX Kitbag filled up with 26 gallons of liquid, that would just be strange.

Official Features

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Tough, light EVA protective lids
Fast access end zip pocket with luggage ID
Convenient external side zip pockets
Retractable pull handle
Vented & water resistant lined compartments
Internal clear document holder & zip pockets
Soft touch handles for comfort and grip
High visibility locking zip pullers are easy to locate and operate
Robust rails & wheel set

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Specifications
Dimensions 340mm (13.4”) x 820mm (32.3”) x 360mm (14.2”)
Capacity 100L approx
Weight 5.7/12.6lb – 6.3KG/13.9lb – With Insert
Materials
100% Polyester
Care Instructions
Hand wash only.

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The GX Kitbag features one large chamber and one smaller one, but through the use of the internal flap system, can be joined into one large super-chamber. How you organize your gear is a personal thing, but the GX Kitbag is more than up to the challenge of whatever you prefer. More to that point, Planet Eclipse includes several Inside, the bag is lined with a tarp-like material so that any paint that gets on it can be easily cleaned up.

Photo Gallery

Overall, the Planet Eclipse GX Kitbag is an incredible option to transport your airsoft or paintball gear – whether its in your trunk or checked into the belly of an airliner. The GX Kitbag is rugged and has a huge internal volume. The GX Kitbag retails for just shy of $200 Dollars and is available now at several online retailers, including the Planet Eclipse Online Store.

[easyreview title=”Planet Eclipse GX Kitbag Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

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Sound BlasterX G5 Portable Sound Card Review

2016/02/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

Creative Labs has been making a lot of waves with its Sound BlasterX line of portable sound cards and headphone amplifier units. We take a look at the latest in this new family of audio devices, the G5, and give it great marks for it slick design, portability, and performance. The Sound BlasterX G5 features dark, gray and black exterior with an eye-catching, backlit Sound Blaster X logo emblazoned across its “top” side. The front end of the G5 has a large volume knob and illuminated volume indicator that is pretty rad – especially when playing in a dark dorm or office. The whole G5 unit measures about 4.5 inches in length and 3 inches in width, making it a very portable audio solution for your laptop, PC, or even gaming console.

The Sound BlasterX G5 features both optical in and out ports (by way of sold separately mini TOSlink cables) as well as the standard 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks for you to interface with. Also along the front side of the G5 is a mini-USB port as well as a full size USB port. This allows you to use the G5 as a pass through from your PC to your gaming keyboard or mouse – the USB port is capable of putting out 100mA of power, so you won’t come up short by using it.

The software package to control the Sound BlasterX G5’s audio options is fairly robust and features a very user friendly GUI that enables quick navigation to its various options. Among these options are a huge array of sound profiles based on what game you are playing. These are very handy and I definitely noticed a positive difference using the FPS (“Call of Duty Series”) option for playing, well, first-person shooters and the “Driving Simulation” profile for my time spent in DCS A-10C Warthog. These are great ways to get quality sound if you are not the kind of person who likes to tweak their entire sound profile. Also part of the Creative Labs control suite for the Sound BlasterX G5 is what they call the BlasterX Acoustic Engine Pro. This is software technology that packages a ton of Creative Labs audio features into one suite. What it amounts to is simply a more enjoyable gaming experience and, in some cases, better gaming performance on the part of the player.

Being able to hear footsteps and bullets whizz past while listening through the G5 allowed me to have a better sense of situational awareness on the digital battlefield, resulting in a better “kills to death” ratio. Furthermore, the suite also has a preset for music, which is a nice setting for general music enjoyment. Additionally, the built-in headphone amplifier allows headsets of up to 600Ω impedance to be used, making the G5 a very handy tool for studio-level recording and monitoring. The one big issue with the Sound BlasterX G5 is its lack of an internal battery, which would have helped its portability quite a bit. It would also save the battery life of your laptop somewhat while gaming, which can be a big power draw.

Overall, the Creative Labs Sound BlasterX G5 portable sound card features a ton of useful audio capabilities to help you game on the go with your laptop or game console. At a very reasonable $149.99, it won’t break your bank account and is a great value given what it can do. The Sound BlasterX G5 is available now.

[easyreview title=”Sound BlasterX G5 Portable Sound Card Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

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Battlefleet Gothic: Armada – Chaos Fleet Trailer

2016/02/13

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

February 12, 2016 – The Chaos Warfleet, led by Abaddon and his admiral ship the Planet Killer, emerges from the Eye of Terror! After revealing the Imperium ships and gameplay in a previous video, Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, the new space RTS set in the Warhammer 40k universe from Games Workshop, now showcases the Chaos fleet and its ships in a new gameplay video!

Over the millennia, many ships and their crew have betrayed the Imperium to join the Traitor Legions. As such, a big part of the Chaos Warfleet is composed of ancient ship designs that have long since been decommissioned from service in the Imperial Navy.

But make no mistake, this does not make them less fearsome. While not as heavily armoured, Chaos ships are faster than their Imperium counterparts, and out-range them with extensive use of weaponry such as Lances and attack crafts. These traits work well in synergy with the Stasis Bomb: teleported from your ship, the bomb traps enemy ships and their ordnance, while allowing your own lances to rain destruction on them. Astute Chaos admirals will be able to inflict considerable damage to the enemy fleet before they may even return fire.

Chaos ships, and their crew, may also receive the favours of the four Gods of Chaos. Khorne, Slaanesh, Tzeentch and Nurgle will reward your prowess in battle with Chaos Marks, each giving different bonuses and abilities to your ship, while warping their hull, dramatically affecting their appearance.

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada warps in on PC beginning of 2016.

SWTOR Knights of the Fallen Empire Anarchy in Paradise Launch Trailer

2016/02/12

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

February 11, 2016 – BioWare and Lucasfilm today released a new chapter in the episodic story, Star Wars^TM: The Old Republic^TM – Knights of the Fallen Empire. Anarchy in Paradise is the first in a series of seven new chapters and introduces the infamous mercenary known as Firebrand, who’s on a mission to destroy the Eternal Empire.

With the addition of Firebrand to the Alliance, it is up to the Outlander to decide just how far he or she is willing to go to defeat the Eternal Emperor.

Star Wars: The Old Republic – Knights of the Fallen Empire launched last fall, continuing an epic adventure that also serves as a starting point for new players at Level 60. The player-driven storyline puts fans at the center of their own Star Wars™ saga making choices that impact their story alongside unexpected twists and turns. New players can jump right into the evolving story, create a new Level 60 character and start building their Alliance in the expansion which has been praised for its deep BioWare storytelling set in the rich Star Warsuniverse.

Knights of the Fallen Empire, including Anarchy of Paradise, is free to Subscribers. Plus, Subscribers as of February 1, 2016 will be rewarded with the HK-55 Jetpack in-game item as part of the new Subscriber Rewards Program listed here.

More details on today’s Anarchy in Paradise release can be found here.

Dungeons II Launch Date Announced and Teaser Trailer

2016/02/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

Ridgewood, NJ – February 11, 2016 – First there was the underworld with dungeons and those pesky heroes, then evil extended its bony fingers to ‘Evilfy’ the green and pleasant overworld (all those poor unicorns…). Now, a new dawn of terror approaches as the Dungeon Lord unleashes its minions to do battle on console. This spring, gamers will be able to experience the unique mix of classic dungeon simulation and real-time strategy gameplay as Kalypso Media’s Dungeons 2 makes its North American console debut exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on April 26.

The Dungeons 2 PlayStation®4 Edition will boast an impressive collection of additional on-disc content including the “Pixieville,” “Morningwood,” “A Chance of Dragons,” “A Song of Sand and Fire,” and “A Clash of Pumpkins” add-on packs, adding more skirmishes, missions, and enemies for the Ultimate Evil to eviscerate.

Get the full scoop on the PS4™ system edition from our Lead Producer over on the PlayStation Blog, and tune in later today to our Twitch channel to get a first look at Dungeons 2 PlayStation®4 Edition. The stream will start today at 8:00 AM Pacific / 11:00 AM Eastern on Kalypso’s Twitch channel.

Check out the new screenshots and teaser trailer below to get a flavor of what the Dungeon Lord is cooking up for the Dungeons 2 PlayStation®4 Edition. Don’t forget to tune in today on our Twitch channel for a first-ever look at the PS4™ system version hosted by our team!

QuakeCon 2016 Online Pre-Registration Starts March 14

2016/02/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

February 11, 2016 – We’re pleased to announce the online pre-registration details for QuakeCon 2016, which will take place in Dallas, TX on Thursday, August 4^th – Sunday, August 7^th. We will be offering a number of premium BYOC packages for purchase through the show’s online pre-registration site, registration.quakecon.org.

This year we’ve streamlined online pre-registration for BYOC packages, which will open in a series of three stages followed by pre-registration for general attendees. Full descriptions for each of the BYOC limited packages, and the dates they will become available are below.

New for 2016, attendees that pre-register will be able to build their own swag packages full of exclusive QuakeCon merchandise during the online registration process. We will also have a limited quantity of these items available for purchase on the show floor.

Additionally, we’ve just announced that fans will once again have the chance to design and vote on this year’s Official QuakeCon 2016 T-shirt. You can find all of the contest details on quakecon.org.

Please note: Exhibitor registration is set to open on February 22^nd. Press registration will open on March 14^th.

PREMIUM BYOC PACKAGES | DESCRIPTIONS & AVAILABILITY

Monday, March 14^th at 7pm CT/8pm ET

Round 1 | BYOC Select-a-Seat with UAC Command Center Seating

Includes Fast Passes for the Duration of the Event

$400 (Limit of 32 packages available)

Select and reserve a VIP seat at the Network Operations Center (NOC) in the BYOC
Express lane fast-pass registration for the BYOC
Express lane fast-pass to every panel, presentation, and public event at QuakeCon
Limited reserved access seating for all panels, presentations, and events
Direct access to plug your PC into the NOC’s core
Official QuakeCon 2016 UAC Lanyard

Thursday, March 17^th at 7pm CT/8pm ET

Round 2 | BYOC Select-a-Seat with QuakeCon done Quick

Includes Fast Passes for the Duration of the Event

$140 (Limit of 300 packages available)

Select and Reserve a guaranteed seat of your choice in the BYOC area
Express lane fast-pass registration for the BYOC
Express lane fast-pass to every panel, presentation, and public event at QuakeCon
Limited reserved access seating for all panels, presentations, and events
Official QuakeCon 2016 QdQ Lanyard

Wednesday, March 23^rd at 7pm CT/8pm ET

Round 3 | BYOC Select-a-Seat

Includes Guaranteed Reserved Seating

$40 (Limit of 2,100 packages available)

Select and Reserve a guaranteed seat of your choice in the BYOC area
Official QuakeCon 2016 Lanyard

Thursday, March 24^th at 7pm CT/8pm ET

Round 4 | General Attendee Pre-Registration

While general attendance remains free, attendees wishing to participate in the QuakeCon 2016 BYOC must pre-purchase one of the ‘BYOC Select-a-Seat’ packages through our online registration site to guarantee a spot in the BYOC. As ‘BYOC Select-a-Seat’ packages are limited and all seats will be accounted for prior to the show, we won’t have seats available on-site or on a first-come-first serve basis. Once the packages sell out, we’ll be giving people the opportunity to win a limited number of BYOC seats via social media giveaways, contests, and via our event partners leading up to the show. Be sure to keep an eye on our QuakeCon Twitter account and QuakeCon Facebook page for all the details on how to win!

The Solus Project: Developer Video #3 – The Story

2016/02/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

February 11, 2016 – The Solus Project takes place in a rich sci-fi universe during the 22^nd century. Our solar system was ripped apart by a rogue star and humanity survives on a fleet of spaceships called the Prolus colony. With little fuel left and starvation on the horizon, Prolus command organizes a final desperate mission to find a new home for humanity.

The operation is called The Solus Project. Five small scouting ships are sent to five solar systems that are suspected of having habitable planets. Your craft has travelled for more than a decade and just as you arrive, disaster strikes. Of the entire crew, only you survive. As the only one left, mankind’s survival depends on you.

Is the planet habitable? Is it safe? You quickly discover more than you expected – a legacy of an alien race. Their ancient structures and machinery. Why do these aliens look almost like humans? And most importantly… why did they die?

The Solus Project is a narrative-driven survival experience. It tells a rich, linear story, something rarely seen in survival games, while maintaining an open sandbox gameplay and survival mechanics.

The Solus Project releases on Steam Early access on February 18^th and on Xbox Game Preview on February 26^th.

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/313630/

Official website: http://thesolusproject.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesolusproject
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSolusProject

Grip Digital website: http://www.grip-digital.com/
Grip Digital Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Grip-Digital…
Grip Digital Twitter: https://twitter.com/grip_digital

Knott’s Glows Pink For Miles for Breast Cancer Awareness

2016/02/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

February 11, 2016 – This Valentine’s Day week through March 18, Supreme Scream, visible for miles – towering over 312 feet in the air, will be transformed into a monumental beacon of hope as it is lit pink in honor of the third annual Knott’s for the Cure partnership with Susan G. Komen Orange County. The brilliantly lit Supreme Scream will join the famous Calico Mine Ride, which rises more than seven stories high and currently glows pink in support of the partnership. In addition to the images below, we have b roll that includes a captivating time lapse of the Calico Mine Ride.

The Knott’s Berry Farm for the Cure program, running now – March 18, will help raise money for breast cancer awareness, screening, treatment, and support in Orange County and fund groundbreaking research. Proceeds from the $40 pink online tickets and exclusive merchandise will benefit Komen Orange County.

Photo Gallery

Ash vs Evil Dead Season 2 New Cast Members Revealed

2016/02/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, Movie News, News

Beverly Hills, Calif., February 10, 2016 – STARZ has announced today that Lee Majors (Do You Believe) will play the role of Brock Williams, Ash’s father, and Ted Raimi (“Xena: Warrior Princess,” Spider-Man) will play the role of Ash’s childhood best friend, Chet Kaminski, in the STARZ Original series “Ash vs Evil Dead.” The series was previously renewed for a second season and will return in 2016.

Majors started his television career in “The Big Valley,” going on to “The Men from Shiloh,” to “Owen Marshall Counselor at Law,” to “The Six Million Dollar Man,” to “The Fall Guy,” to “Tour of Duty,” to “Raven” and countless television appearances on many series, specials, award shows and movies. He began his film career with Will Penny and Charlton Heston. Majors recently completed filming two movies Almosting It and Do You Believe. Majors will start filming on two feature films this summer, plus he has a lineup of several other feature films and television shows to be filmed in 2015/2016.

Cult horror movie favorite, Ted Raimi has appeared in all three original Evil Dead movies. His additional feature film credits include Midnight Meat Train, Shocker, Born Yesterday, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Grudge, Oz the Great and Powerful as well as the Spider-Man series of films. Television credits include “Supernatural,” “Twin Peaks,” “CSI: NY,” “Xena: Warrior Princess,” as well as “SeaQuest DSV” among many others.

The second season of the STARZ Original series “Ash vs Evil Dead” will be 10 half-hour episodes. The cast is led by Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) in the role of Ash Williams; Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) as Ruby, who now possesses the powerful Necronomicon; Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, Ash’s loyal sidekick dealing with the trauma he suffered in the cabin; and Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, who, grief-stricken after the death of her parents, plots revenge against The Evil Dead.

Sam Raimi serves as executive producer with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus,” Xena: Warrior Princess”), Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) and Ivan Raimi (Drag Me To Hell, Spider-Man 3) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) who serves as executive producer/showrunner. Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) and Moira Grant (“Spartacus”) serve as producers.