Author - Ripper71

Snakebyte Zoopa Q 165 Riot Drone Review

2016/12/17

I got my first drone quite a while back before they were really on the commercial market and I could not have been more excited. I had impatiently waited its arrival and as soon as it arrived I tore it from the box and powered it up. That is when I discovered that, unless you had something built into a drone to keep it self-balancing, I would spend months just trying to get it to hover a couple feet off the ground without just flipping upside down. After that, I would see dozens of drones, all out of my price range and because apparently even keeping a desktop exec toy one from flip flopping was pricey.

We are now entering the days where drones get whole sections of trade shows and they go from the sizes smaller than a beer coaster to ones that can accommodate take passengers. So for the first time since all those years ago I am trying out a new drone in the form of the Snakebyte zoopa Q 165 Riot.

First Flight:

The zoopa Q 165 Riot is about the size of a mouse pad and uses 2.4Ghz technology to facilitate communications between itself and the remote control. The controller is larger and designed to remind you of an old school RC controller but it only uses a small part of the space, most is for comfort. It has two sticks – one for up and down and the other for directional input. There is a speed button so you can use it at a lower speed indoors and not break anything too much or if you are outdoors in a clear area you can open it wide up and maybe even race a friend who has it. Then there is the coveted 360 Flip Button.

Out of a lot of drones it really is this particular button that makes all the difference. If you have a quality drone it should do everything in it’s power to keep you from flipping it over because that is an instant dirt nap for the machine. But they have built into this one so that all you have to do is be going forward, hit the button and it will do the magic flip that will impress your friends, start conversations with strange women without having a dog or baby (and the poo that comes with them) and be an overall talking matter. Just don’t hit the said people with the drone, then the conversation will be less fun…

In the manual, it says to give the drone a starting room of about 3×3 feet for fun flying. Personally I found a much wider area such a park with minimal trees and dogs around to be a better choice when getting started and learning the controls. Blades can get damaged or broken upon impacts (which is why it comes with four spare ones that are easily changed out), but softer landing zones will decrease the chance of this happening. The first thing we want to do is fire them up and try to fly them over the family pet, not only cruel it can damage both. Outdoors for starts, indoors when mastered.

Don’t get bummed if it takes you a while to learn to fly it, whenever you see someone flying it on TV or convention, know that they have had tons of practice. They didn’t just unbox it and start doing aerial acrobatics. The zoopa Q 165 Riot has a nice battery life, especially for a starter model, and my suggestion would be to bring a backup battery that has a USB port then you can use the USB charger kit that comes with the system and juice it back up in the field. The zoopa Q 165 Riot can stay aloft for around 8 minutes. The remote control runs off 6 batteries so it should last you for quite sometime. Acme.com and Snakebyte seem to have thought of most things you would need to get airborne and make repairs to stay airborne. The blades even have protective plastic rings to try to maintain their longevity.

One of my crash landings did result in a repair that required a piece that was not duplicated in the box so I contacted their service people and I have a fresh part so fast it was almost as though it had never broken. Getting a company to stand behind a product can sometimes be a battle but they did so terrifically.

Last Landing:

The Snakebyte zoopa Q 165 Riot is a terrific entry level drone with some features you might hope to see on pricier models. The battery life is good, the flight system has a fairly straightforward learning curve, and you get a big boost in fun thanks to the 360 Flip feature. If you aren’t an expert flier, this is a great drone to go with. If you are an expert, I have heard that removing the chassis can… never mind I have said too much!

zoopa Q 165 Riot Drone Review Score:

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eeee22″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eeee22″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eeee22″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eeee22″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star-o” color=”#eeee22″ type=”fa”] (4 out of 5 Stars)

Batman – The Telltale Series Season 1 Review

2016/12/16

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I think I have played every Telltale Games adventure title there is, and with good reason. They way their serialized episodic gameplay is dependent on your decisions is truly exciting in how it changes the story of the game. So let’s say you are talking to an enemy in the first episode of the game and decide not to answer his question. That big bad might attack you and you decide you want to show him who is boss and maim his arse. Then he turns out to just be an overprotective good guy who saves your life over and over through the series… with that arm missing you decided to remove in episode one. Oops, that was your bad, because Telltale games put you in the character like few other games ever could. Most recently, that character was Batman, the cowl just about everybody wishes they could don.

There have been a few commercials lately about Batman games getting the VR treatment which has fans who were on the fence jumping down and forking out cash. Because the old saying goes…

but thanks to Telltale you can be Batman while not having to dine on ramen for months (BTW, you start to sweat that stuff out, trust me I know).

Cowl On:

Most of the Batman games are about driving around in the Batmobile and using and improving those wonderful toys and gadgets. Many of the games over the years (and some of the comics even) deal with the decisions and actions of Batman without addressing Bruce Wayne more than how he covers up his bruises and cuts and dealing with Selena Kyle when she crashes one of his functions. Being the most famous billionaire playboy in Gotham would have the paparazzi working overtime to get pictures of him, especially if he is reclusive, and keeping up this Bruce identity and life would be just as challenging if not more so than The Bat, people hang of the every gesture and decision of Bruce whereas most only see the aftermath of Batman.

Telltale games really understood that and made it so you weren’t just playing with toys over Gotham but also dealing with how you handle a mob boss crashing Harvey Dent’s fundraiser and reaching out to shake your hand infront of the Gotham elite. Do you make an enemy of one of the underground’s biggest bosses right when Bruce is coming out of the shadows to support Dent or do you try to play nice with Bruce in hopes that as the Bat you can get matters fixed? Don’t worry that was just one minor scenario in the first episode which is loaded with decisions like this.

Just because Bruce gets more attention don’t think there isn’t action in the game for Batman to handle and get them from classic enemies with great backstories and original interactions. You will feel the weight of juggling the two identities like you never have in a Batman game before and maybe, just maybe, you might want to be Batman a little less than always. If the weight begins to feel too heavy though there is actually a multiplayer mode where other players vote on the choice to make!

You don’t just make the decisions of Batman and Bruce how you make the decisions will impact the gameplay. As I mentioned before if you decide to make rougher fighting choices you might have both the bad guys and the public fear you. How you handle Bruce’s decisions both publically and behind closed doors will decide what of the many betrayals of Batman that have been used over the years. In this game it is all about Telltale’s traditional animation style which looks like it was lifted right from a graphic novel and set in motion. I have loved this style since the first time I saw it in Fables: The Wolf Among Us which then got me to go and play The Walking Dead Season One and Game Of Thrones, so by now I am used to the animation and play style that has carried through. The major key to know is that when it comes to fighting or even dialog choices, everything is timed so that a delay can mean no decision or silence – think fast!

Last Pow!:

Batman: Telltale Series is by far one of my favorite Batman games to play and is in my top 2 when it comes to Telltale games. The writing, the depth of development that is left to the player and the beautiful stylized animation all helps me know I will be playing it again. Maybe even on the multiplayer mode from the beginning so that I can see what team Batman would play as. The only complaint about Batman: Telltale Series is that it had to end, so hopefully they will come out with a season two soon!

Batman: The Telltale Games Series Review Score:

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#848484″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#848484″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#848484″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#848484″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#848484″ type=”fa”] (5 out of 5 Stars)

Great American Comic Convention Las Vegas After-Action Report

2016/12/11

Ripper71

Comics News, Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos

One of the greatest parts of my job is going to conventions. I love them – I physically train for them (they can be an endurance challenge), I do homework on them, and then I go and take in the sights and sounds in a manner that fellow Firefly “Browncoats” would simply call “shiny”. Some of them are massive and literally impossible to take everything in during an entire week, others are so intimate that legends of their industry become friends. That has been the Great American Comic Convention in Las Vegas the last two years.

When I was a kid I didn’t usually read super hero comics like most kids, I was into House Of Mystery, Chamber Of Secrets, Swamp Thing, mostly the spooky comics with some Scooby Doo and some much loved Sgt. Rock (my friends collected G.I. Joe and I preferred the more realistic Sears Sgt. Rock action figures). I also read The Nam a lot, my dad bought those for me and they were deeply important because they helped me understand what he went through in country.

In college I would sometimes eat ramen and drink cheap beer to pick up the latest Punisher, Swamp Thing, Hellraiser and my all time favorite John Constantine Hellblazer. When I got into the geekdom reviewing business after college I still had a love for all these things and with the exception of the Holy Grail of cons, San Diego, I started going to cons for everything from electronics to broadcasting equipment to my lifetime loved comics.

If you had told me as a kid I would talk to the first artist to do Swamp Thing comics Bernie Wrightson last year at Great American Comic Convention I wouldn’t believe you. If you told me that the event would be so intimate that over the last two years at GACC I would actually become friends with one of the cover artists for Punisher, Hellraiser and Hellblazer Tim Bradstreet I would have probably suggested to stop drinking cheap vodka, if you had told me that Mike Golden who penned the first issues of The Nam would remember me, joke around all weekend and then mention me in his panel I might have cried for how deep those comics strike home with me. If you told me Allen Bellman would call me over to his table around a group already there because he want to talk to ME about the 75th anniversary of Captain America (I wasn’t wearing anything media, he just looked at me and decided I was who he wanted to talk to) and shake my hand over and over I would be stunned to silence.

25 years ago when I was the entertainment reporter for a college newspaper I told the entertainment reporter for the Los Angeles Times that the Rugrats weren’t the “in” thing on college campuses right now it had become Ren and Stimpy, an animated dog and cat that started at a fringe cartoon festival and had become a viewing party sensation coast to coast. This last weekend I got to go up to the artist Bob Camp and hand him two printed out copies of that article, one for him and one he signed for me.

Great American Comic Convention is one of my favorites because it is intimate enough to actually have a full conversation with Neil Adams, hang out with Mat Nastos, check out the guns on John Romita Jr. while meeting such groups as Very Awesome Girls and Critical Care Comics that help the community. There is also the artist alley of the up and comers, just waiting for that big break which we have seen happen at shows. If you haven’t made it to this convention in the past make room for it in the future to meet the guys behind the inked pages.

Great American Las Vegas Comic-Con Photo Gallery

Abattoir Movie Review

2016/11/27

Ripper71

Film Review, Halloween, Movie News, News, Reviews

I love horror movies – especially those horror movies that make you not only jump, but also think. So, when you give me one that does both it is like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup for my brain. Abattoir, based on the graphic novel of the same name, starts with a quote from one of the father’s of transcendental thinking, Henry David Thoreau, and has actors like Lin Shaye, Dayton Callie, and Joe Anderson. Putting all this together, I got the feeling that Abattoir was going be an odd and suspenseful ride.

I sat down in my empty house, all the lights out and just a few feet from the screen with potty breaks taken care of in advance. And I watched. Then I shook my head and watched again. Two days later and some housemates come in and I am there in the dark watching the same movie. You might want to take this as a point to great acting, great story, great directing and you would be right on these but most of all it would be for understanding.

“Our houses are such unwieldy property that we are often imprisoned rather than housed by them,” Henry David Thoreau quote at the top of the film. I totally nod in agreement to its relevance and tone for starting the flick and this theme carries on through the whole film. I will keep this review spoiler free giving you little more than you could gleam from a movie description that would accompany it’s rental and scenes that would be seen in a preview. I’m just going to give you a slight taste here so you might tell if it is to your liking and if you want to make a meal of it for a couple of days that will be up to your palate.

After the brutal and very creepy murder of sister, brother-in-law and nephew, Jules goes back to reminisce at the house only to find it had been sold, escrow and renovations done all in a week after their deaths. The renovations consisted of tearing out the entire room they were murdered in. If you don’t know housing you couldn’t really get any of that done in a week even paying cash which the buyer did.

So Jules makes the journey to find out who did it as well as discover some family secrets along the way. This is where I stop with the details and tell that the directer and cast tried to keep very true to the source material even when it made performances seem a tad hammy and when shots seem to lack movement inside the camera shot because they are an example of a graphic novel comic frame. There is an amazing beauty to the lighting and effects that are at the same time somewhat simple but then help tell the tale in a believable fashion.

The film is a heavy one but extremely well told. I can’t state enough how movie is not light, you really need your thinking cap on. There are plenty of twists but the more you are thinking the more they feel like progressions of the story instead.

One of the last lines is “It is said that one can never go home again but I wonder do we ever truly leave.” I wonder if Abattoir ever leaves you once you have watched it.

Ninja Loop And Petite Loop Product Review

2016/11/25

Ripper71

Misc Review, News, Reviews

Anybody who knows me in real life or reads me regularly knows that I am disabled with a combination of degenerative bone disease and nerve damage. Last night I went to a very fancy dinner for a relative and I had a hand spasm that causes food to go flying off the table. Because these spasms occur frequently, I carry a combination wallet/phone case and I’m always using devices or cases that I can strap to my hand to keep it from flying away. For the last year, I have been using an As Seen On TV product called The Love Handle which is a 3M adhesive plastic bar attached to a case with a stretchy fabric on it to slide over my fingers. It works extremely well but has resorted in me using very utilitarian cases because any design would be covered by the bar. So tonight I am trying out Ninja Loop and Petite Loop to see if they offer me another solution that might give me some case choices while maintaining the phone safety,

Getting A Grip:

Each of these has a style to meet a slightly different functionality while at the same time getting the job done. First I will start with a Ninja Loop since it seems the closest to my current Love Handle. Instead of anchoring on the outside like the Love Handle the Ninja Loop has a self-adhesive that attaches to the inside of the case, passes through one of the holes at the bottom of the case, up the back of the case with room for about two fingers to hold between the ribbon and the case, then through the lens cutout and attaching again inside the top of the case using the self-adhesive. Where you send the Ninja Loop through the bottom decides how you will hold it so this is important to take into consideration and it will also decide how much of the outer part of the case is shown. If you bought the case for the design on it rather than function then the Ninja Loop might not be for you (don’t rule out the Petite Loop) or you will want to pick one in a color that goes well with the pattern. If you have a bulky protective case where you have to use and adapter plug to get to the headset and charging jacks or if it is a all weather proof case then this might not be the one for you but for others it’s simple but effective features have some definite pluses.

For testing I used a plain black case for my iPhone 6Plus by Ballistic. The case is specifically made with acidental dropping in mind, maybe even stopping a mugger’s knife so I felt secure with giving the Ninja Loop a good a proper testing. First off when you start trusting your phone to a ribbon it is a bit disconcerting. Even knowing the obvious physics behind it I had to train my hand to let the ribbon slide between my fingers and hold by it while using my thumb to hit button all over the place. The next test was to shake my hand around a lot to simulate someone running but also to simulate a spastic motion of my hand. Even with some heavy spastic moves it still held up. The hardest part has to be training your mind to accept the Ninja Loop as sturdy enough to not send your phone flying away into traffic or falling overboard while taking a picture of a sunset at sea. Once you attach it it will stay there until you decided to remove it, which might be done to mix up the colors fashion wise or maybe you got a stain on it out for sushi and you don’t want it to look ugly or start to smell like fish. Cost effectiveness is definitely an important aspect of it.

The Petite Loop was up next and though it’s design of use is different I could see this one becoming their best seller. It is a loop of ribbon that self-adhesives to the back of your phone and comes out the charging port of your case. Since every phone has a charging port and the ribbon isn’t very large then Petite Loop is unobstructive but completely usable. You can any design or style to your case and it will show all of it while at the same time adding a great sense of security. You just slide it over your wrist then when you swing the phone forward to use it then let it just swing back onto your wrist when you are done with it. That makes it great for on the go in heavily traffic ed areas where a phone might get jostled from your hand or when you are doing something athletic it can just swing from you wrist until you are ready to use it. If you are concerned about it maintaining it’s hold then there is a fun video I will post at the end where they use a fish scale and show 33 pounds of pull on the wristband and it still maintaining attached to your phone. Once again the Petite Loop is also so affordable that if you get anything on it you can just replace it or if you change cases and the style conflicts pick up another, you can afford it.

Letting Go:

The Ninja Loop and Petite Loop were originally a Kickstarter project, but they are off and running and for good reason. The “Loop” family of products are extremely user friendly, come in a variety of styles to fit whatever the user needs. They could even be used in tandem or with other products and will make me feel much more secure with my disability and handling of my technology.

Ninja Loop And Petite Review Score

[mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”][mks_icon icon=”fa-star” color=”#eded00″ type=”fa”] (5 out of 5)

Razer Naga Hex V2 Gaming Mouse Review

2016/11/22

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Reviews, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

There are two gamers in our household: one casual and, the other, more hardcore. Despite this difference, both of us agree that, when it comes to gaming mice, it has to be comfortable for really long periods of use. We recently got the chance to review the Razer Naga Hex V2 Gaming Mouse, a legend for game compatibility without creating a porcupine bristle of buttons. Will it be ergonomic and user friendly to please both sides of my household? Let’s give it a whirl and find out!

Hands On:
First, we should discuss the way the mouse looks. Obviously, selecting as mouse based solely on looks is a bad thing. That being said, the Razer Naga Hex V2 is damn sexy with its out of the box lighting sequence being a slow drift through the colors of the rainbow that lights the wheel, the hex buttons and Razer logo. The lighting is vibrant and makes the gunmetal and black bode that much classier in look. Of course, a much more important and definitely contested point in our house would be the location of the hex buttons themselves.

The mouse is designed so that your thumb rests right in the middle of a circle of buttons labeled 1-7 so that a slight shift of your finger could hit any of them easily, with buttons 1 and 2 being straight along the desktop plane. The thumb rest has a rubber tiny hex pattern on it that helps with grip as does the entire area you may want to rest your pink for leverage. The wheel also has high knobs so that your finger won’t lose its grip and can make fine adjustments. The left/right buttons and the palm rest area all have an unpolished feel to them so you can tell the difference in pattern from the grips but you might be able to get some minor grip there if you need to.

The strength of button placement is solid on all with the only question being the thumb rest. I found it very easy to adjust to a slightly further back grasp and button pattern but then I have used the old school Razer Naga that had 12 buttons there so if you could get used to that you could get used to the placement on anything, especially one that placed rubber gripping in the middle of the thumb zone. Folks who are used to ergonomic mice will find this a close fit but one they will have to get used to, especially if they were front heavy users. However, you “claw” gaming mouse users out there might have some trouble navigating the thumb buttons efficiently.

One thing I found odd was the numbering for the Hex buttons on the side. The buttons go 1,2,3 clockwise then go across the wheel to go 4,5,6,7. There may be some reason for this that I missed but it would seem to make more sense to me that if you have a button rotation it should go the same direction. This is an easy fix by either memorizing this order or ignoring the button numbers all together and just program them the way you want.

One last thing… If you have an older version of the software you may have trouble with updating but help is there to be found. My other Razer gear was getting elderly so it had a lot of updates to do and not all were friendly. Once you get there though the program is a simple gem to operate.

Hands Off:
While my wife didn’t fall in love with the mouse like I did, all that means is she won’t take it from me! The Razer Naga Hex V2 Gaming Mouse is a great addition to your arsenal with strong ergodynamics and buttons designed for hours of gameplay, and it looks damn sexy doing it. Claw gaming mouse users, beware, as it might not be your first choice for a mouse.

Razer Naga Hex V2 Gaming Mouse Review Score:

Through The Woods Review

2016/11/01

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I had seen a trailer for Through The Woods a while ago but, with the exception of the name, I had kind of forgotten about it. That can be nice to go into a review completely cold when it turns out to be a game that is as atmospherically driven as this one is. This indie title immediately showed its team dedication in the details of every fallen tree and the amazingly immersive sound that made me at one point take my headset off to check if the sound of thunder was real. The only question… is the story as deep as the woods?

First Steps:

After a brief Chapter 0 which may have originally been part of the demo that they wanted to keep which mostly showed off the environment and a little of the relationship between a mother and her son, the game starts with you playing the mom as she wakes from a nap, goes out to look for her kid and sees him being taken across the lake in a viking long boat. The game is set initially in a cabin in the woods of Norway but seeing a row boat with viking carvings row into the mist while you jump in the water and start swimming across after it is kinda unsettling which was a welcome start. After losing the boat in the fog you make it to the other bank where there appears to be a viking fishing village that though long out of use seems relatively undisturbed except by you as you stomp around it picking up ancient manuscripts and calling for your boy. From there the story starts to weave and you start to go Through The Woods.

There are lots of woods and other things in them that I won’t give away here but I will say for the best experience play it in the dark with a headset on, preferably by yourself. There is so much detail everywhere and though most of it gets repetitive the game’s team really kept at it. I wonder how many bowls they had to put in ruins, how many fallen trees or piles of rocks? The voice acting is a little stilted (probably not the actors’ native languages) but otherwise the sound is astounding, I noted some spots in certain chapters in case I wanted to listen the sound of wind through the trees or the crackle of a serious thunder storm that had to be captured not replicated. When playing the game I even stopped a couple times just to take in the graphics or listen to the woods.

After a while of things beginning to look very much the same, which you are supposed to feel since you are getting lost going through the woods, you might get a little lulled and even stop reading the clues. I personally kept on top of them despite it and though I did get a bit punished by the game for getting lulled I started to deduce a possible ending. When the actual ending arrives it neither proves or disproves my thoughts so I would definitely have to say the ending is open to interpretation. It all depends on what you believe is really going on in Through The Woods, you can take it at surface value or consider… well make your own conclusions when you get there just stay on top of the clues.

Out Of The Woods:

Through The Woods is a beautiful immersive experience with a story line steeped in Norse Mythology that explores the dynamics of a mother and son. It can at times seem to drag but after each lull there is a reward, you just have to make your way through the woods.

Through The Woods Review Score:

SteelSeries Rival 500 Optical Gaming Mouse Review

2016/11/01

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

I love testing gaming gear and, in some way, for one of the strangest reasons: No one else in my house likes gaming gear. If I give them a headset designed for hours of comfort, maximum sound quality, and perfect voice capturing – they use speakers. If I hand them a keyboard with 5 memory keys, special ergonomic shape, and ghosting prevention they use it like it was a simple $10 keyboard from Budget Depot. So, I always consider it a challenge to see if I can get the others to like and use a product I bring home. I kept this in mind when putting the SteelSeries Rival 500 MOBA/MMO Optical Gaming Mouse through the paces.

Hands On:

When it comes to SteelSeries, we are talking about one of the most well-known and respected names in gaming gear to ever hit the market. People sometimes complain that with certain companies you are paying for a name or a logo but SteelSeries has yet to be one of those kinds of peripheral-makers. There products have been used by professional gamers and eSport teams for years and have a history of durability to go with reliable performance. A SteelSeries headset for the Xbox was one of the first headsets I reviewed over five years ago for GamingShogun.com and I still have that headset hooked up to one of my Xbox 360 consoles. So I’m not spouting corporate babble, here, just personal experience.

Most gaming mice start to have problems with buttons getting in the way of everyday use to the point where a lot of people will have two mice hooked up to their rig or an easy switch out port to go between program heavy gaming to not accidentally clicking on a button with normal typing. This can especially become a problem when you get over ten programmable buttons, they just wind up getting in the way or messing up ergonomics by bristling off the mouse. So first things first you can use this mouse without hitting a bunch of unnecessary function button if you are thumb heavy or palm heavy, the pad of your thumb has a nice ergonomic rest right in the middle of the buttons with sliding it up, down or back to hit buttons and the palm rest area is clear right up to the left/right buttons. If you are thumb and pinky heavy on the mouse (some of us are) the pinky is completely clear so a thumb/palm/pinky lock on the mouse allows you to access all the buttons without losing your grip, all this with 15 programmables. This mouse is designed specifically to avoid missclicks in any use and it works.

The most exceptional way it is designed to avoid miss-clicks is both inspired and simple, they created an on/off switch on the bottom of the mouse to turn off the buttons under the thumb to create a normal ergonomic thumb rest. Being able to slide a switch to turn off buttons and turn them on? It’s so straight forward that I would love to see on future models one more switch that can turn off all extra buttons to make it a normal mouse for everyday use! This mouse immediately shot to the top of the gaming mice in my house with that so that in case a family member got on my rig for some reason (how dare they!) they feel more comfortable with the mouse right away.

So having solidly pointed out how gamers and non-gamers in the house will be able to work with the SteelSeries Rival 500 and not hit buttons the next point is what if you want to. Most surround your thumb with a few located on the sides of the left and right button. The general idea is that your thumb will be most free during action yet at the same time you don’t want a pad full off little buttons that are hard to tell one from the other. So the buttons are all different shapes and sizes with most being around the thumb and some being able to be shut off if not needed.

Internally, the SteelSeries Rival 500 has a butt-kicking PixArt PMW3360 Optical Sensor with a 1:1 tracking accuracy. If you don’t know what that babble means then just stick to the fact it is “butt-kicking” and you should be fine.

As for software and hardware interactions the mouse includes the SteelSeries Engine 3 that provides everything from tactical alerts and button assignments to changing the color of your illuminations. The GameSense software makes it so that you can get custom lighting, vibration and duration effects from such things as stuns and health damage it does zero recoil on your tracking.

Last Click, In My Hand:

After years of reviewing gaming mice the SteelSeries Rival 500 is the first one that after trying it out, Mrs. Ripper requested to be her new gaming rig mouse. In my household, that is a stamp of approval which I have been trying to achieve for years. Knowing the quality of SteelSeries I know it will be a mouse in our house for years to come too. Do yourself a favor and pick up the SteelSeries Rival 500 for all your computing and gaming needs.

SteelSeries Rival 500 Optical Gaming Mouse Review Score:

SteelSeries Arctis 3 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset

2016/10/31

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

SteelSeries makes gaming gear with longevity and versatility, from mice to keyboards to headsets. So I was more than happy to give their latest entry level headset, the Arctis 3 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset, a run through its paces. Does it meet up to the expectations of entry level gaming headsets?

Heads On:

First off we announced the Arctis line of headsets a while back and there was a comparison chart to give readers a general idea of the differences between them and some of the standout features that all three possess.

All three have ski goggle suspension bands which, at first hearing, might be confusing but that just means that the Velcro adjustable bands like the ones that are used on many ski goggle models are the same type that are used on here with many designs to choose from and interchange as a result as well as maybe even using the same design as your favorite set you use when hitting the slopes.

This adjustable design instead of a static stretch one allows a consistent fit no matter how much you use it and the ability to clean it if it begins to get a bit dirty which built-in bands tend to lose elasticity over time and apply the pressure of the stretching to your head as well as just being wipe cleanable.

Adding to the comfort and the sound isolation is the AirWeave Ear Cushions which are so comfortable they feel like memory foam for your ears. I recently did an extremely long, almost all night gaming session and had the headsets on the entire time and they never got uncomfortable to the point I had to remind myself they were on so that I didn’t talk too loud to myself and or head to the bathroom with them on (they have a long cord with the included extension but not that long). On ear audio controls of both volume and mic on/off made it so that if I did need to listen for a sound I could turn it down or with the cups I can turn both sideways if I need to which is great to listen to someone or to set the headser flat down on a desk. When I didn’t feel like wearing them this came in particularly handy to make them double as speakers so that I could still hear stereo sound on the desk.

Like the other Arctis headsets when wearing the Arctis 3 you get 7.1 surround sound you just get it with SteelSeries version instead of DTS which is no doubt a cost saving tool while still maintaining the sound directional ability that you would want in most FPS games in particular. At the end of the day they are also nice just to close your eyes and listen to some music or atmospheric relaxations sounds and SteelSeries 7.1 Surround Sound is solid enough that it would probably be hard to tell it from DTS.

One of probably the weakest points on entry level headsets is the microphone quality. This is a problem in general with most except the highest end headset systems usually so one of the most notable parts of the Arctis series has to be the SteelSeries ClearCast microphones. Located on a retractable, very flexible boom the microphone is encased in a very sturdy housing and is designed with a noise cancellation system built-in that also works in tandem with audio software. The clarity is surprising, with only a little bleed from the room ambient noise. They are definitely up to the task of team chat or Twitch broadcasting and depending on your perfectionist level they would probably due for YouTube videos. If you are going for a walk with them plugged into your phone SteelSeries ClearCast system is handy, since all you have to do is pull out the practically hidden boom and take your call.

In my case I have nerve issues and other medical issues that prevent me from being able to hold a phone up to my ear for long periods of time. This way I can set this headset up to my cellphone and be able to carry on 2 hour catch up sessions with my mother who has hearing issues and has a hard time sometimes understanding me if there is too much background noise. It really is easy to change between setups, since it has two types of plugins on the headset it is literally a matter of changing cables.

When it comes to the headset there is really only one question and that is whether or not to spend another $20 and go from entry level to mid-range, which when you consider the small amount of money difference does come into play. I haven’t tested the Arctis 5 (hopefully I will get the opportunity soon, you never know) but on the list above it seems to give you a lot more for that little amount, DTS Headphone:X 7.1 Surround Sound (probably not that noticable), Illuminated Wired with Prism RGB Illumination so that you can change the glow color of the headset which has a nice illumination ring, LED indicator on the mic, and probably one of the biggest things the USB ChatMix control that allows you to increase your chat levels if you have a soft speaker without blowing your eardrums out by the game on the fly. It comes down to if you think you would use those features, if you don’t find yourself wishing to adjust chat much or like light up headsets then you might as well save your money and go with the Arctis 3 which has much more than the usual entry level mics would ever aspire to add on.

Last Listen:

The SteelSeries Arctis 3 is one of the most impressive entry level headsets to ever hit the market giving many mid to high end features at a more affordable price. This headset will work for you universally around the house and on the go, the only question being whether you want the next model up with a few more bells and whistles for just a few more dollars.
[easyreview title=”Arctis 3 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Laser Disco Defenders Review

2016/10/30

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

I’ve mentioned a time or two or twenty that I am an old school gamer with a collection of my original consoles and games. Probably one of my favorites of all time would be the original Sega Genesis system’s game Toe Jam And Earl and it’s sequel Toe Jam And Earl: Panic On Funkatron. These little known games, if you mention them to people who played them when they were new, immediately bring back memories of “humans” that included moms with shopping carts trying to run you down, chickens with artillery and one of my personal and hardest to deal with ones, The Boogeyman. You were playing as the titled characters in a terrific fun animated world with a great addictive soundtrack. Today’s review has a lot of that old heart and feel but with a bit of nail biting action in Laser Disco Defenders!

Getting In The Groove:

The animation style, particularly of the ship, and the music soundtrack sound like a tribute to the old TJ&E but with definitely it’s own style and flash. The main characters are a musical band of space travelers who protect galaxies from bad, monotone music. That sounds like a simple premise but the game action is really hard and somewhat in the vein of Asteroids.

Your main weapon is a laser gun and the interesting part of it is how your laser bolts respond in what is supposed to be closed in sections of space. When you think of space we often think of light years, the distance light will travel through space if not blocked. Well imagine what would happen if your laser bolts could burn through some things but the light reflected off of others. The result would be laser bolts that would burn through certain targets and as long as their energy wasn’t diminished would continue to burn through everything until stopped. In Laser Disco Defenders the laser bolts NEVER stop unless you leave a level so every bolt you fire will bounce off the levels walls and hit anything in it’s path, which includes you. So as you are firing at flying enemies and sharp crystals on the wall you have to use your jet thrusters to avoid running into them while at the same time carefully firing bolts knowing they will ricochet off of surfaces and can continue to destroy enemies but might also come back to haunt you. Some of your enemies fire laser bolts too so that suddenly the screen is full of bolts to dodge as well as enemies. It is pretty nailbiting except the fact that you need both hands to stay alive.

Each member of the band can be outfitted with different gear but the main difference between them is a health to speed ratio. The bigger the crew member the more health but the slower they are. On lower levels speed doesn’t play in as much but when you hit higher ones and you are dodging lots of bolts you might want to trade a couple hearts for higher speed. The fastest crew member only has one heart so can only take one hit. That is where the gear you get comes into play. Some gear allows you to be hit more, other gear makes you faster. The key is picking the right gear for your play style.

Then comes the main reason I took this review. I was watching a trailer for the game and Mrs. Ripper heard the soundtrack and said she really, really liked it. She said it reminded her of Toe Jam And Earl so I picked up the review and had the music playing loud while I played and playing in the background while doing other stuff. This game keeps your eyes and hands busy while providing a treat to the ears.

Last Dance:

I just titled these final comments “Last Dance” but that was just saying I am wrapping up the article, I am by no means done playing the game. Laser Disco Defenders is an easy game to jump into for some quick fun while at the same time hearing some funky tracks. It has tons of charm while at the same time being a very challenging play, but not so bad that you get frustrated. It seems Disco never died it was just waiting for this game to play some more.

[easyreview title=”Laser Disco Defenders Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]