Pelfast’s Comet Crash has collided with the Playstation Store today for $9.99. The game combines tower defense gameplay with RTS elements allowing players to implement counter-attacks and other offensive elements. The game features 28 levels and a number of constructable units.
Former Ensemble Studios artist Dylan Cole has released some concept artwork from an unknown Halo project that, at one time, was being developed by the now-defunct studio. The above image is titled ‘Forerunner City’. Being that by time the Halo games happen the Forerunners are long since over as a race, could the game have taken place in their time? I guess we will never know, but speculation is cool.
Check out the galleries here:
Halo Concept 1
Halo Concept 2
Halo Concept 3
The dream of owning one of those sweet, personal home cockpits has always interested me, ever since I began playing around with flight simulation in the days of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 4 (yes, that’s really what it looked like kids).
Unfortunately, most of us have to grow up to do things like pay bills, support families, and other expensive tasks that drain away the fun money that we would use, say, to build the aforementioned home flight sim. In today’s modern gaming world, however, there are a number of peripherals and hardware pieces which can get you close however, and a huge step towards this goal comes in the form of the Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital Edition graphics expansion module. A simple black box with some ports on it, this module will allow you to get ‘surround gaming’ the likes of which you have only had dreams about.
It works some serious graphics magical mojo to take your computer graphics output and span it across up to three displays. The basic gist of the unit goes like so…
First, you use the included DVI-DL cable (which is a lot beefier than your standard DVI-I cable) to attach your TripleHead2GO to your PC’s graphics output. Then, you connect your three displays to the output ports on the TripleHead2Go. One nice thing about the Digital Edition of the TripleHead2Go is that it runs off of USB power. So you simply connect it to a powered USB 2.0 port and you are off. Booth up the old PC and revel in the stretched-display goodness. Well, almost…
After connecting all the hardware, be sure to install the included software which contains both the SGU (Surround Gaming Utility) and the Matrox PowerDesk utility. The PowerDesk utility is your main way of controlling how windows will appear on your spanned display, you can even set certain windows to pop up on specific monitors. Take Firefox, for example, if you start the program up in fullscreen mode it will span all three screens, but most websites dont utilize 3048×1024 (our spanned display resolution) so you are left with a lot of empty space. You can set Firefox, in PowerDesk, to only show up on one screen – this way you still have two more screens with which to be productive on.
The Surround Gaming Utility is, if you did not guess by the name, Matrox’s game-launcher. You see, not every game will support the high resolutions and some which do, will appear distorted. Your average shooter can sometimes become a wall-eyed nightmare if you are not careful with such wide resolutions. The SGU attempts to configure the games prior to launching in order to circumvent this effect. For instance, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X was awful when we started it the first time without running the SGU. The view was so close to the cockpit glass in any plane that you could not see any instrumentation. We ran the SGU on the game first and it setup the pliot’s aspect ratio allowing us to see a lot more of the cockpit, making for a much more immersive experience.
Now, not every game can be configured by the SGU, but Matrox is continually trying to add game’s to its library. This is honestly the major drawback of the TripleHead2Go: Some games just are not compatible with the unit. When the TripleHead2Go encounters a resolution it cannot handle, we experienced a strange, ‘scattered’ graphical effect and complete computer lockup. In order to remedy this we had to forcefully shutdown the PC and then unplug and reinsert the TripleHead2Go’s USB cable. This makes certain titles just unplayable if you have the system.
For the games the TripleHead2Go does support, the experience is incredible. The two games I wanted to try out most on the system were Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X and Valve’s Left 4 Dead. The thought of clouds whooshing by me on all three sides and checking corners for zombies simply with my peripheral vision was too enticing to pass up.
For FSX, the experience (after the previously-mentioned SGU config) was stunning. Seeing the horizon span out in front of my gave the simulator a whole new life and sense of realism. We included a popular head-tracking unit for even more seamless immersion.
What I found most interesting was that we experienced no detectable performance loss running in the wider resolution. Some games, such as Combat Mission Shock Force did see a noticeable performance loss, but not in this case. I am not sure if it is an issue of programming but FSX is one complicated piece of software and it ran fine.
Left 4 Dead was equally-incredible with only minor aspect issues on each of the peripheral screens. The biggest issue with the game was that the user interface elements got pushed to these peripheral screens making checking health a less-fulfilling experience. What was once right in your field of view now takes a more head-turning movement which can lead to a loss of perspective on what is coming at you. There are third-party mods which can fix this, brining the UI elements back to the center screen. Unfortunately, due to a technical issue we could not bring you images of Left 4 Dead in play on the three monitor setup. However, we found some images from Matrox’s Surround Gaming website which will illustrate the effect.
As I mentioned, you can see a bit of stretching on the side monitors but it does not hamper the effect at all. Usually, you are focused on the center screen so that your peripheral vision picks up whats happening on the side screens.
Matrox’s TripleHead2Go graphics expansion module is an incredible upgrade for game’s which support its wider resolutions. While there are definitely some bugs to be worked out with Matrox’s TripleHead2Go graphics expansion module, I can’t think of a better system to top-off your home cockpit. Now alls I need is a motion platform… Hmmm…
The TripleHead2Go Digital Edition retails for roughly $299 and is available through a multitude of online and brick & mortar retailers.
PC gamers, take note! The PC demo for Need for Speed Shift is available now at the game’s official website. In the demo, players will be able to drive the following vehicles in two circuit races:
• BMW M3 (E46)
• 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10
• 2006 Lotus Elise 111R
• 2008 Nissan GT-R
• 2006 Pagani Zonda F (unlockable)
The Xbox 360 and PS3 demos will be available early next month.
One2One Collectibles has announced a 1:2 scale bust of the protagonist in Bungie and Microsoft’s legendary game series, Halo – the Master Chief. The 12-inch tall and 12-inch wide bust is made from polystone and has a solid gold-plated visor and base. The bust will retail for $224.99 and is available in an extremely limited edition run.
Via GamesWire Via One2OneCollectibles
Check out a full image of the bust, After the Break!
Cooler Master USA has long been known for their PC performance cases and accessories. However, they recently launched a gamer-specific line of products known as ‘CM Storm’. This brand has been picking up some serious steam around the tournament circuits with their first two PC gaming chassis, the Sniper and Scout, and now they have released their first ever foray into the gaming mouse market with the Sentinel Advance.
The Sentinel Advance is actually fairly large for a gaming mouse, sporting a size similar to older models you would expect from companies like Logitech. However, for its overall size the Sentinel Advance is very sleek and the size is just perfect as it was meant for long periods of gameplay and you can easily rest your hand on it without problems. To further accentuate gamer comfort, the Sentinel Advance sports both thumb and pinky rest areas which really help avoid nasty cramps from heated tournament-play. Additionally, the mouse is all black, rubberized plastic save for the underside, OLED, and grates.
You did read that correctly, one of the more eye-catching features of the Sentinel Advance is its OLED screen which displays helpful information like X and Y sensitivity levels as well as a monochrome, 32×32 image which can be pretty much anything you like (in that size) however CM Storm recommends putting your clan logo in it. This can be accomplished via the software, but we will get to that later.
Aside from the two main mouse buttons, the mouse features a treaded middle-mouse button, a profile changing-button, two sensitivity adjustment buttons, and two thumb-buttons for extra functionality. For your twitch-based, high-reflex gaming this amount of buttons would be fine however for the MMO or RTS gamer, you may want to opt for a mouse with additional, programmable thumb and pinky buttons.
I am not usually a huge fan of flashy lighting systems on mice but I will make an exception in this case. The lighting effects of the Sentinel Advance are very impressive, with multiple modes of display (including my personal favorite – a ‘breathing’ pulse) and seven vibrant colors. There are two LED ports on the bottom-front of the mouse which shine light out like two laser beams when active and you can independently set the color of those and even have it only show when you click one of the mouse buttons.
A huge factor of awesomeness for CM Storm in choosing to include five 4.5g weights in the bottom of the mouse. They are, of course, removable to allow you to hit the weight you like but I found the mouse most comfortable at the full 22.5g addition. It is not light as far as gaming mice go but the added weight gives you a solid mousing platform to play off of. The biggest issue I see with the mouse is that they do not include any carrier for the discarded weights, which in my case could lead me to losing them.
The Sentinel Advance also is built with a braided cable as opposed to traditional plastic ones. The benefits of the braided chord is increased strength, flexibility, and a decrease in cable ‘stickage’ and bunching.
Installation and use of the mouse is simple: You can choose to go plug-and-play with the unit, in which case you can select between four different DPI settings. Or, you can install the CM Storm Sentinel Advance control software and get the ability to have multiple control layout profiles and, as previously-mentioned, upload your own clan logo into the mouse’s OLED screen.
As you can see, CM Storm has done a fine job of creating not only a useful control suite but a stylish one as well. The various controls are laid out as one would expect and are not hard to navigate to in the least.
Gaming with the Sentinel Advance is incredible. The Sentinel Advance’s twin-laser sensor has a max setting of 5,600 DPI and, while ungodly sensitive, remains smooth in its motions thanks to the size and weight of the unit. This may not make sense to you, weight and size do not regularly equal ‘smooth’ but along the bottom of the Sentinel Advance you will see four mouse feet, two of which along the sides with a very high-surface area in comparison to feet usually seen on gaming mice. These ultra-smooth feet allow the mouse’s weight and size to work for the gamer, instead of against.
You would never know that the Sentinel Advance was CM Storm’s first gaming mouse. The quality and precision of this mouse is incredible and CM Storm has a real contender here capable of going toe-to-toe with any other gaming mouse on the market. Expect to see this mouse readily-adopted by even the most hardcore gamer. The CM Storm Sentinel Advance is available now.
Looks like some Chinese workers at the factory where the night vision goggles for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 are being manufactured decided to snap some pics of the process including the NVG internals. Judging by the similarities between the layout of the EyeClops Night Vision system and this one, it is my guess that they are using the same internals. Not actually a bad thing, as our very own GS liked the EyeClops system very much in his review.
Checkout the full gallery at the via link below or some of the screenies After the Break!
Via MW2Blog.com
Jaaks Pacific recently released a second edition of their EyeClops Night Vision Binocular. With this new edition, they have redesigned the unit to take up less vertical space and upped the ‘sci-fi’ factor as well.
Technically, while it is marketed as a ‘binocular’, the unit does not actually magnify the view in front of you enough to be able to accurately call itself one. Furthermore, unlike most night vision goggles, the perspective is magnified just enough to not be useful while moving around. When being used from a stationary position, however, they will allow you to see mostly clearly up to about fifty feet away in total darkness.
The elongated binoculars feature the EyeClops-synonymous spherical infrared emitter for long-range viewing while it can also be switched over to use the lower-powered emitters on each side of the unit. In the center of the spherical ‘eye’ is the infrared receiver which collects the light and an internal processor displays the images on a very large, and surprisingly clear, internal LCD.
There are multiple control knobs and rotators on the body of the unit as well. For instance, you can change between a black & white viewing mode and the traditional green modes. You can also switch between the previously-mentioned high-power infrared emitter and the lower-powered ones. Also along the top-side of the unit is the power switch. Aside from switches, you will find two rotators, one which controls the focus of the binocular and the other to control the eye-width setting of the viewfinder.
The unit’s construction is a thick plastic which, while much ‘cheaper’ in quality than on a higher-end consumer night vision unit, was actually heartier than I expected and it felt like it could definitely withstand some abuse and keep working.
While the company gears this unit for children, I would not hesitate to bring this along with me to any camping trip our outing where they will undoubtedly come in handy so long as you have enough batteries as the unit takes 5 AAs internally.
At the time of this writing, it appears as though EyeClops has released an even newer version of their night vision gear, an actually NVG this time, which uses the same basic technology as this unit albeit with, we imagine, a more-accurate perspective for easier movement.
For $60 dollars, you just won’t find a better night vision unit out there – they simply don’t exist. Buy one of these and throw it into your ‘go pack’, you never know when it will come in handy!
HP’s 2709m is one of their latest LCD screens. With a real 27” diagonal display, it boasts a hefty amount of physical screen real estate, no matter what you are doing with it. I say that because HP has designed the 2709m to be an all-in-one display solution. Its native 1920×1080 resolution along with an HDMI input makes it also good for being used as your television set!
Physically, the display measures 26.43”w) x 18.45”(h) x 8.41”(d) with a mostly silver body save for the front bezel which is a glossy black. The panel itself is coated with a high-gloss, anti-glare coating which is not overpowering like some displays and really does cutback on glare. Usually these coatings only serve to make the display act as one giant mirror – Not so in this case.
The HP 2709m features multiple inputs and along its underside you will find a VGA port, DVI-D with HDCP port, and HDMI with HDCP port (although USB passthrough ports are strangely missing). Also included is a 3.5mm speaker input for the on-board 2W per channel stereo speakers. They were a bit weak when compared to our standard desktop speaker solution, but should work quite nicely in a smaller space such as a dorm room or small apartment. It is a very nice feature to include and those lacking in desktop or entertainment center real estate will be pleased.
One of the best features of the 2709m is its ambient light sensor which adjusts, on-the-fly, the overall brightness level of the display based on the ambient light in the room. This feature, simply, rocks! How many times have you turned down, or off, the lights in your office to save on power only to be blinded by your LCD screen? I have done this more times than I can count and now, with this feature, I just don’t worry about it anymore. For those of you who are brightness-sticklers, having to maintain absolute control over the setting, you can switch the ambient light sensor off so don’t panic.
Performance-wise, the 2709m is a fine monitor for your PC gaming needs. I prefer the 16:10 aspect ratio in larger gaming LCDs, usually with a native resolution of 1920×1200. However, the 1920×1080 resolution of this monitor did not prevent me from enjoying my games in any way, and the trade-off for having the larger screen as well as media-capabilities is worth it. The contrast ratio is good, with deep blacks and the dynamic contrast ratio further increases the effect, especially while watching HD movies. I noticed no ghosting effects, the 3ms response time handling both Crysis and Left 4 Dead without issue.
The 2709m currently retails for $399.99, making it generally less expensive than other 27” LCD monitors on the market at the time of this writing. This is a smart move on the part of HP as it greatly increases the ‘buy factor’ of the unit in comparison with other, more gamer or theaterphile-oriented LCDs.
As for hardcore-gamers out there, if you don’t want or need an HD display for your movies, you may want to
go with a native 16:10 monitor running at 1920×1200. The wider aspect ratio will help you in your gaming by allowing you to view more of the game world.
However, the HP 2709m would make the perfect gift for someone looking the find a 1080p movie-watching solution as well as a quality PC monitor without the living or office space for both. Parents, send your kid to their college dorm with one of these things, they will love you for it! Not only will they have all the screen space necessary to do homework but they will also be able to hook up their video game console and DVD or Blu-Ray player to it, essentially-becoming the ‘must hang’ dorm room in the hall for late-night movie-watching. You are essentially buying your college student lots of friends with this thing, GO YOU!
Official Product Page of the HP 2709m
Electronic Arts has announced the full track listing for its soundtrack to the upcoming Need for Speed Shift. Need for Speed Shift is due out in stores on all major platforms on
September 15th in North America and September 17th in Europe.
The Tracks
Buraka Som Sistema feat. Pongolove: Kalemba (Wegue-Wegue)
Chase And Status feat. Plan B: Pieces
Deadmau5: Ghosts N Stuff
Eagles Of Death Metal: Anything ‘Cept the Truth
Fort Knox 5 feat. Asheru: Insight (The Nextmen Remix)
Gallows: I Dread The Night
In Case Of Fire: This Time We Stand
Jamal: Pull Up
Kanye West: Paranoid (Part 2)
Kasabian: Underdog
The King Blues: The Streets Are Ours
Mala Rodriguez: Te Convierto
Mando Diao: Mean Street
MSTRKRFT feat. E-40: Click Click
Check out the rest of the soundtrack After the Break!
The Tracks (Cont.)
N.A.S.A. feat. Spank Rock, MIA, Santigold and Nick Zinner: Whachadoin?
The Prodigy: Run With The Wolves
The Qemists feat Mike Patton: Lost Weekend
Regular John: Transmitter
Rootbeer: Under Control
Shinichi Osawa: Electro 411 (Lies In Disguise Mix)
Spoon Harris & Obernik: Baditude
TOKIO: Dogonim
Twisted Wheel: Oh, What Have You Done?
Two Fingers feat. Sway: High Life
