Author - Jerry Paxton

Digital Storm Unleashes Hailstorm II

2013/03/19

FREMONT, Calif. – (March 19, 2013) – Enthusiasts looking to quench their thirst for a benchmark crushing components and bone chilling liquid cooling need look no further than the Digital Storm Hailstorm II. With space for up to four radiators (ranging from 140mm to 480mm sizes) and a quadruple GPU and dual CPU configuration, enthusiasts can achieve the ultimate level of performance and customization with the Hailstorm II.

The Hailstorm II pairs an advanced liquid cooling system with a blustery current of cold air driven by three front intake fans and a large rear exhaust fan. With the ability to include up to 15 fans total, the Hailstorm II encompasses one of the most powerful airflow designs available, providing prolonged stability and ensuring every component operates at peak performance with zero heat related bottlenecks.

“When we (Digital Storm) set out to redesign Hailstorm we knew it would be a challenging to improve on a system capable of handling nearly any high-end configuration an enthusiast could dream up” said Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm’s Director of Product Development. “This meant the search was on for the biggest and baddest chassis available. When we saw the Corsair 900D at CES we knew we had the enclosure we needed to make the original Hailstorm look like a small mid-tower system and not the bad ass high performance system it really was.”

The sleek brushed aluminum front panel peels back to reveal a vast interior with room for ten expansion slots, up to nine hard drives or SSD with three hot-swap mounts, four 5.25” optical drive bays, and both 2x USB 3.0 ports and 4x USB 2.0 ports for maximum expandability. The most impressive feature of the massive system is its ability to install two power supplies, giving enthusiasts an unlimited level of power to handle the most intense hardware configurations.

Prior to shipping to the customer, each Digital Storm system undergoes a rigorous 72-Hour Stress-Test. Digital Storm technicians stress-test and benchmark the system via industry standard testing software coupled with a proprietary testing process that detects components which can be prone to future failure.

New Resident Evil Revelations Info and Screenshots

2013/03/19

Jerry Paxton

News, Nintendo Wii U News, PlayStation 3 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News

Capcom has released a plethora of new screenshots from its upcoming Resident Evil Revelations. The first set of screenshots deals with today’s news that Rachel will be joining Hunk in the game’s “Raid Mode”. The second set of screenies is for the game’s Wii U version.

Raid Mode / Rachel Screens

Wii U Screenshots

Razer Launches Megasoma 2 Gaming Surface

2013/03/19

Jerry Paxton

News, Peripherals News

CARLSBAD, Calif. – March 19^th, 2013 – Razer, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, software and systems, today announced the availability of the Razer Megasoma 2, a hybrid gaming mouse mat combining the stability and performance of a hard mat with the flexibility and comfort of a soft surface.

The Razer Megasoma 2 is able to deliver the benefits of both hard and soft surfaces as a result of its silicon-based construction. Just like a hard mat, the silicon is taut and stable for consistent mousing performance and precise motion control. At the same time, the Razer Megasoma 2 is flexible like a soft mat, giving users a cushioned feel underneath their hands by virtue of its cloth-top layer.

The Razer Megasoma 2 offers many improvements over its predecessor, including an ergonomically thinner profile, in addition to an anti-static treated surface and anti-fraying edges for increased durability.

“This is the mat for gamers who need a no-fuss, all-in-one solution built to go the gaming distance,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director. “We’ve improved on our ground-breaking original design, absorbing customer feedback as we always do, and I’m confident what we’ve launched is the best all-in-one mouse mat in the world.”

First announced as part of Razer’s new 2013/14 lineup of mouse mats in October 2012, the Razer Megasoma 2 is now available to gamers worldwide at www.razerzone.com.

For more information about the Razer Megasoma 2, please visit www.razerzone.com/megasoma2. For more information on Razer’s industry-leading mouse mat technology, please visitwww.razerzone.com/scienceofsurfaces.

BenQ Launches XL2720T Professional Gaming Monitor

2013/03/19

Jerry Paxton

News, Tech News

IRVINE, Calif. — March 19, 2013 — BenQ America Corp., an internationally renowned provider of digital lifestyle innovations, today announced the expansion of its flagship XL Series with the launch of its XL2720T gaming monitor for professional and competitive first-person shooter (FPS) play. Packed with advanced features, the monitor comes equipped with a larger 27-inch display, 120Hz refresh rate, and blazing-fast 1-ms response time to optimize gaming performances. Engineered in conjunction with legendary pro gamers, the XL2720T integrates BenQ’s custom settings such as a Black eQualizer, Display Mode, and Smart Scaling to give gamers a competitive edge over their opponents.

“As the official gaming monitor sponsor for Major League Gaming, BenQ is devoted to bringing professional-grade performance and innovation to serious competitors,” said Bob Wudeck, Director of Retail and e-Commerce at BenQ America Corp. “The new XL2720T builds on our award-winning XL Series by adding a stunning 27-inch screen and faster response time to give FPS gaming even greater levels of immersion and intensity. By combining advanced features, game-specific presets, and dual HDMI connectivity, the XL2720T is set to become the most complete gaming monitor on the market.”

The BenQ XL Series is designed to handle the most demanding gaming conditions and is used in top-tier tournament play for FPS games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and BattleField, as well as popular console fighting games such as Mortal Kombat™. Using an ultra-low 0.002-frame input lag, the XL2720T synchronizes action without latency from mouse motion to give the player complete control over the gaming experience. The monitor’s 120Hz refresh rate and ultra-fast 1-ms response time further bolster player performance to the highest possible level.

With dual HDMI^® ports, the XL2720T is engineered to provide full HD connectivity with peripherals and console devices including PS3™, XBOX^®, Blu-ray™ players, PCs, and more. The monitor features a full HD 27-inch widescreen (16:9) display, 12 million:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and LED backlighting to create genuine colors without increasing power consumption. The XL2720T is also certified for NVIDIA^® 3D Vision™ 2 and supports full HD 3D gaming. For even more vivid viewing, the XL2720T is equipped with NVIDIA 3D LightBoost™ technology, which allows for up to twice the amount of original screen brightness.

To give players a competitive edge, the XL2720T features BenQ’s Black eQualizer, which enables total gaming visibility by allowing gamers to adjust brightness without over-exposing white levels — revealing critical combat details with improved visibility in darkened areas. To accommodate individual viewing preferences, the Display Mode allows gamers to switch between nine monitor screen sizes, including 17-inch (4:3), 19-inch (4:3), 19-inch widescreen (16:10), 21.5-inch widescreen (16:9), 22-inch widescreen (16:10), 23-inch widescreen (16:9), 23.6-inch widescreen (16:9), 24-inch widescreen (16:9), and 27-inch widescreen (16:9), while Smart Scaling enables players to adjust the screen on-the-fly to virtually any custom size without impacting controller sensitivity.

In addition, the XL2720T offers preset FPS modes with multiple configurations to optimize the monitor’s display. For instance, using the FPS1 Mode, users can apply settings specifically defined for Counter-Strike 1.6, while an FPS2 Mode will optimize the display for Counter-Strike Source. Both modes automatically adjust brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color tint to give gamers an advantage when spotting and tracking their opponents. Using the Game Mode Loader, players can also store the same gaming presets used by pro gamers in titles such as Battlefield 3, Call of Duty^®3, Diablo III, and Dota 2. Gamers can also install and save presets onto the monitor’s S Switch for rapid access; thus allowing them to switch swiftly between customized display settings for gaming as well as entertainment. The stylish controller offers a scroll button that facilitates fast navigation and adjustment of the OSD setting.

With its ultra-flexible height adjustment stand, the XL2720T offers the ultimate in convenience and versatility by allowing operation with just one finger to effortlessly adjust the monitor’s height to suit a gamer’s particular sight level. The monitor can also be positioned either vertically or horizontally and comes equipped with a quick-release VESA mount design. A sleek headphone hook on the back of the display helps to keep accessories organized, while a convenient carrying handle makes it a breeze to take the monitor on the road for a LAN party.

The XL2720T is available for pre-order today and retails for $549 in the U.S. and Canada. For information on the full line of BenQ gaming monitors and to download preset gaming modes, visitGaming.BenQ.com.

Production Begins on Borderlands Animated Short Film

2013/03/19

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News

New York, NY – March 19, 2013 – 2K, Gearbox Software and the Academy of Art University today announced Borderlands® Cooperative, an exciting partnership that will provide students of the university with once-in-a-lifetime career development opportunities. With the guidance of their professors, and resources from 2K and Gearbox, students across all disciplines will come together to create an original animated short film set in the popular Borderlands universe. The animated short will be available by the end of 2013. Borderlands 2, the most recent installment of the franchise developed by Gearbox, and published by 2K, has sold-in nearly six million copies and won over 55 editorial awards since its release in September of 2012.

“Academy of Art’s mission is to prepare students for the jobs of the 21st century and this project with industry leaders at 2K and Gearbox is exactly the kind of real-world experience we strive to provide,” said Chris Armstrong, Director of School of Animation & VFX at Academy of Art University. “These students are aspiring game designers, programmers, writers and animators who will now graduate with hands-on experience and a product of work they can share with prospective employers, making them well-positioned to compete for and win the jobs of today’s global economy.”

In addition to valuable experience and networking opportunities, students involved in Borderlands Cooperative have a chance to jump-start their careers with an internship at 2K. During the spring semester, teams of students will create original short stories that take place inside the Borderlands universe. Any student, regardless of their discipline, can form a team and submit an original storyboard for consideration. A panel of Academy of Art University, 2K and Gearbox judges will select one story to become part of the Borderlands mythos, and the team behind that story will have the opportunity to interview for the internship.

Animation students will work together throughout the summer and fall to produce an animated short film based on the story selected by the judges. The real-world scenario will challenge students to work together, to overcome obstacles, and to produce finished products on deadlines, just like professionals in their chosen fields.

“We are so proud and excited at 2K to have the opportunity to give back to our local San Francisco community and help enable students to achieve their dreams of breaking into the entertainment industry,” said Sarah Anderson, SVP of Marketing at 2K. “The Borderlands universe is vast and there are many stories left to tell, we can’t wait to see what imaginative scenario is realized in the finished animated short film later this year.”

“We are thrilled that our Borderlands universe has inspired so much creativity,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “We are happy to offer the Academy of Art University access to our digital assets so that its student’s creativity can be harnessed into positive career development efforts and, if we’re lucky, the creation of some great content that every Borderlands fan can enjoy.”

Borderlands 2 is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and is available now on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. For the latest Borderlands 2 news and information, please visit the official Borderlands 2 web site and check out Borderlands 2 on Facebook.

2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

GUNS and ROBOTS Introduces Tactical Devices

2013/03/19

Jerry Paxton

News, Windows PC News

SOFIA, BULGARIA – March 19, 2013 – Masthead Studios, a leading independent game developer, today revealed concept art of tactical devices that will be released in GUNS and ROBOTS this Spring.

“The mini map is the first device that we will introduce to our players”, said Atanas Atanasov, CEO of Masthead Studios. The mini map is small tactical data that helps players build their strategy towards approaching enemies. This device will change the game play and provide players with more new strategies to employ during the game. “It was our first choice after considering what our community wants”, he added. The device will also grant players some additional protection in the game and time to evade the opponent’s attacks. The mini map will show the player team positions on the map and help for the team tactical efficiency.

The next device that will assist players in the game and will give some additional defensive powers is the shield. This device will help players that want to survive bad injuries while waiting for back-up from the team. With the shield players will have the time to react while searching for place to take cover.

The team behind GUNS and ROBOTS have planned for the Spring update land mines. The land mines will activate, under or on the ground to disable enemies as they pass over the devices. They can be used both as defensive or offensive game strategies. They will give advantage to the whole team during battles. They vary as some of them will slow the opponent or drain energy.

The turrets are the devices that will refresh the game play in many ways. They will give efficient tactical combinations against heavy robots. Turrets will come in many shapes and will be placed on flat spaces on the map.

Join the Open Beta of GUNS and ROBOTS at www.play-gar.com

GameStick to Reveal Developer Kit on ARM Booth at GDC 2013

2013/03/19

Jerry Paxton

GDC, News, Tech News

GDC – San Francisco; March 19th, 2013; PlayJam, the company behind the eagerly-anticipated GameStick, today announced that they will be in attendance at the 27th annual Game Developers Conference at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco next week from 25th – 29th March.

The GameStick team will, for the first time, be revealing a prototype build of its upcoming console in partnership with ARM, the world´s leading semi-conductor designer, via a designated gaming pod on their stand. The developer kit is due to ship following the show to backers of its highly successful Kickstarter campaign, which concluded earlier this year.

The demonstration will provide attendees with a first look at the GameStick User Interface, controller and some 30 titles due to form part of the initial line-up. The gaming pod will be co-hosted by Marmalade -a powerful cross-platform toolkit for application development -with whom GameStick have partnered to bring content to the platform.

The pod will be in action on the ARM stand, (# 1124 – South Hall), and will be manned by a GameStickteam. Developers who wish to bring content to GameStick can also get more information there.

In addition to the ARM stand, attendees will also be able to see GameStick in action on the Goo Technologies stand, (#1432 – South Hall) at the show, where they will be demonstrating WebGL powered HTML5 content running on the console.

Jasper Smith, Playjam´s CEO, will also be taking part in a panel session on Thursday 28th at 1pm;The Future of Mobile Gaming, (presented by ARM). The session will take place in Room 3016 in the West Hall. The session will look at the changing games market in relation to the growth of mobile devices, what that means for game developers and how technology is shaping that.

Games developers attending GDC are invited to meet the GameStick team and sign up to the Developer Programduring the conference. Over 500 developers have already signed up to bring their games to GameStick Network.

Team Fortress 2 Gets Oculus Rift Support this Week

2013/03/18

Jerry Paxton

News, Tech News, Windows PC News

March 18, 2013 — Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Counter-Strike, Half-Life, and Left 4 Dead), today announced the addition of an experimental Virtual Reality mode to Team Fortress 2. The new mode will be released in the coming days as part of an update to the popular Free to Play game.

Anyone with an Oculus Rift Developer Kit will be able to use their device to play all of Team Fortress 2 on the PC. All game modes and classes are supported with the new Virtual Reality mode.

“When we first played an early version of Virtual Reality mode in Team Fortress we were blown away by the immersion we experienced.”, said Joe Ludwig at Valve. “VR is just getting started, but it is going to have a big impact on gaming. This update will let us share that experience with more of the Team Fortress community.”

“Valve’s done an incredible job bringing Team Fortress 2 to virtual reality! TF2 is the most-played game in my Steam library, so you can imagine how excited I am to play it in the Rift with all of our backers,” said Palmer Luckey, Founder of Oculus VR, Inc.

In addition to gaining access to the new Virtual Reality mode, owners of the Oculus Rift will also be granted a unique Oculus Rift in-game hat. Steam codes to redeem for this item will be sent out by Oculus.

Team Fortress 2 is Valve’s Free to Play team-based online game. The game has had more than 350 updates since its release with The Orange Box in 2007.

John Riccitiello Leaving Electronic Arts

2013/03/18

Jerry Paxton

Industry News, News

The Associate Press is reporting that Electronic Arts CEO, John Riccitiello, is stepping down on March 30th. The report claims the CEO, who has led EA since 2007, broke the news to the company in an official letter to its employees.

“My decision to leave EA is really all about my accountability for the shortcomings in our financial results this year,” Riccitiello wrote in a message to EA employees. “It currently looks like we will come in at the low end of, or slightly below, the financial guidance we issued to the Street, and we have fallen short of the internal operating plan we set one year ago. And for that, I am 100 percent accountable.”

Also according to the report, upon news of Riccitiello’s leaving, the company stock rose 67 cents a share.

Polk Audio Ultra Focus 8000 Headphones Review

2013/03/18

Jerry Paxton

News, Reviews, seal of excellence, Tech News, Tech Review

Polk Audio’s new, flagship headphones are the UltraFocus 8000. Featuring active noise-canceling, elegant styling and a $349.95 dollar price point, I went into this review expecting my ears to feel like angel babies wrapped in pillow of clouds. Was I disappointed? Not one bit.

Out of the box, the Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 active noise-canceling headphones come in their very own black, attractive carrying case. Polk Audio has gone to great lengths to add elegance and class to this pair of headphones, and the added care the case provides is welcome. Getting everything unpacked, I was blown away by the headphones large, massive shape. This is one big pair of headphones! The headphones feature a black, graphite-like pattern in the headband which reads “polk audio” when light reflects off of it a certain way. The headband features a very comfortable pad which, even after several hours of wear, did not rub my skull the wrong way. These are some really comfortable headphones to wear.

The first thing I did once I got the UltraFocus 8000 all hooked up (thankfully, Polk Audio includes two AAA batteries in the box) was start up iTunes and play some music. Laying back in my office chair, with some soft jazz playing, I nearly drifted off to sleep. Pulled back into focus by a co-worker walking by, I put some pep in my step by switching over to Operation Ground and Pound from Dragonforce. I love those guys. Anyhow, I played several genres of music on these headphones and had a terrific listening experience. As far as the UltraFocus 8000’s active noise-cancellation technology, it’s easy as flicking a switch on the side of the headphones. It is surprising just how well the active noise-cancellation works, and whatever technical sorcery is involved has paid off in spades. Turning the function on allowed me to keep out a ton of ambient noise so I could really focus on the music I was hearing.

Even though the Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 headphones are not designed primarily for video gaming, at this price point I feel like I would be remiss not to review them in that function as well. Thankfully, they performed exceptionally. Testing the headphones out on my PC gaming rig was very simple, as I plugged them into the Audio Control Module of my Sound Blaster ZxR sound card. I played several nights worth of gaming using these headphones, and was consistently impressed with their ability to generate clear sound. With a sound card featuring such a high signal to noise ratio, I was pleased to finally have the chance to match it with a pair of headphones featuring a similar sensitivity level.

Overall, the Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 headphones feature great noise-cancellation technology as well as the ability to reproduce clear and crisp audio – even when the volume is cranked up to dangerously-high levels. You can purchase the Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 headphones over at the company’s official website. Additionally, we have loved this product so much that we are awarding it our “Seal of Excellence”. Congrats, Polk Audio!

[easyreview title=”Polk Audio Ultra Focus 8000 Headphones Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″] Our Rating Scores Explained

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Manufacturer’s Specifications

MSRP: $349.95
Available Finish: Black
Headphone Type: Active Noise Canceling
Style: Over Ear
Transducer Type/Size: Dynamic Balance, 40mm diameter
Input Connections: Gold-plated 3.5mm
Maximum Sensitivity: 110dB
Minimum Impedance: 100 ohms
Total Frequency Response: 8Hz-28kHz
Apple Remote and Push-to-Hear Controls: On-Ear
Dimensions: 7″ W x 7.6″ H x 3.5″ D (at the widest point of the earpieces)
Product Weight (without batteries): 8.9 ounces
Warranty: 1 Year, Parts and Labor