Author - Ripper71

World of Warships Beta Preview

2015/03/21

News, Previews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Preview

If you haven’t played World of Tanks, I hope it is for one of two reasons: you have never heard of it or just hate war games. If it is because you haven’t heard of it, go to you PC or Xbox 360 or mobile device and download it. You’re welcome. As fast paced and fun free-to-play games go, it is hard to beat that one. I even have a hat and a couple key chains that I display proudly because I love that game. If you know about World of Tanks, you probably know about World of Warplanes, the second installment in the Wargaming.net trio of titles that puts you into the driver’s seat of various military aircraft. The next installment, based in naval warfare, has had fans wanting to test the waters for years and it has finally come along with World of Warships Beta Weekends.

Description & Features:

The highly anticipated World of Warships is the latest free, historical online combat game to be added to the Wargaming’s catalog. Command a massive naval fleet featuring history’s most iconic war vessels, level up important tech modules and prepare to dominate the oceans in World of Warships.
With four classes of ships, myriad upgrades, strategically designed environments the action never ends and every match is a unique experience. Endless hours of strategy, tactical gameplay and pulse pounding combat await all who take the helm in World of Warships!
Aircraft carriers — A multi-role ship that brings a RTS-style gameplay to the fight. Loaded with four styles of aircraft (Dive Bombers, Torpedo Bombers, Scouts and Fighters) and the ability to command multiple squadrons, carriers can shape the fight from the skies.
Destroyers — These versatile vessels are perfect for hunting enemy cruisers, spotting them for teammates to target or blowing them out of the water personally. Additionally, the anti-aircraft guns that line their deck offer another line of defense against high flying threats.
Cruisers — Lightly armored but swift, cruisers are the fastest, most maneuverable ship available. This class is a major threat on the open water, dealing damage from either massive cannons or deadly torpedoes.
Battleships — These are the designated “heavy hitters” of World of Warships. Massive cannons, thick armor and rows of anti-aircraft artillery make them a deadly “triple threat” in any battle.

Hands On:
I was like a kid doing the pee pee dance waiting for the game’s beta client to download and install. I first saw this game at E3 2011 and its expo presence consisted of a woman in a sailor costume showing a single image of a Warship as part of the Wargaming.net booth. I was already hooked on World of Tanks, having played it at the show and excited about World of Warplanes but World of Warships was what I was most looking forward to. I have played just about every naval warfare video game I could find and actually grew up as a fisherman on boats since I was 6 years old.

The moment the download was ready I rubbed my hands together and dove in. It took one game to realize that it had all the aspects that I loved from World of Tanks and my favorite parts of World of Warplanes combined into one game. Technically, it is still in beta testing, which means it could change a lot during the time it takes to hit final product, but as long as they maintain their course it should be smooth sailing.

Ok now that I have gotten most of my sea vessel puns out of the way it is time to break in down into what works and what might or might not need refining. The shooting system is a great deal like World of Tanks, where you can lock on an enemy at a great distance but zooming in and adjusting gun elevation and target lead give you the best precision kills and bonus damage ribbons for hitting strong points such as a ship’s Citadel or fuel or armament locations, causing fires. Distance, speed, and maneuverability all play into effect on this as well as your own ships position and speed.

World of Warplanes took all those important factors into consideration, but due to the need to maintain altitude, avoiding stalls, and watching for enemy ground attacks, a zoomed in killshot was a risky one. There are some of those risks associated with World of Warships such as running aground or ship ramming (a popular and frowned upon last ditch effort in WoWP) but mostly terrain is used for cover and concealment such as in World of Tanks. You can even set autopilot and not worry about the ship’s speed and maneuvering but I found out quick that like in World of Tanks, speed and maneuvering can win or lose a battle. Better learn to shoot AND move!

Each class of ship has a very distinct advantage in battle and definitely there is one to fit pretty much every gamer’s taste. The classes play out very similar to World of Tanks and, much like World of Tanks, the ships all seem to belong together on the waters. World of Warplanes seem to be missing a bit of this because plane evolution was mainly driven by leaps forward in aviation causing aircraft to become obsolete where, when it comes to tanks or ships, as long as they are in similar armor classes they haven’t changed that much over time. Plus you don’t see Spanish galleons against WWII iron ships in this game. Maybe they will bring wooden warships in eventually but I think Wargaming.net learned from World of Warplanes to stick to a degree of sameness for proper balance.

The ships have special abilities that might take a little getting used to, torpedoes and planes in particular. But they aren’t necessary to start off, the first ships are straight forward giving you a learning curve before you have to figure out how to fire a torpedo in the right direction… and the right time.

First Round:

World Of Warships looks like it will be a prized addition to the Wargaming.net lineup, especially when you consider how much fun it is AND it is free-to-play. Expect premium ships to come along but they have to pay their team somehow so I don’t blame them. Even with premium vehicles, a good time will be had by all!

Take On Mars Preview (PC)

2015/03/18

Ripper71

News, Previews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Preview

Space… it’s really big! As our national space program backs away from exploration and the possibility of colonizing other worlds, it has become the domain of the corporations and it is no doubt that a company or conglomerate that will eventually achieve these space-worthy goals in the distant future. First they have to retrace the steps that nations have already taken and possibly improve the footing and lower the risks. It is with this idea in mind that Bohemia Interactive’s Take On Mars takes the steps we have already taken to explore the red planet and goes to even further.

Description:
Explore the rocky terrain and sandy wastes of Mars in this brand new installment to the Take On series. Developed by the creators of the award-winning Arma™ series and DayZ™, Take On Mars places you right in the middle of mankind’s most exciting undertaking. Start out in the seat of a rover operator, pushing your vehicles to the max. Finish as the first human to have ever set foot on Mars. With a scientific arsenal at your disposal, you will pioneer the exploration of another planet, unlocking the secrets of Mars’ distant past.

Features:
– Space Program Campaign – Explore the Red Planet from the perspective of a science-driven space agency. Become a rover operator, allowing you to control various fully simulated mobile rovers and stationary landers, and make your way through numerous scientific missions.
– Realistic Terrain – Travel across a vast, unforgiving Martian terrain with locations based on actual satellite data from famous locations such as Victoria Crater and Deimos.
– Economy – Increase your budget by completing missions and individual tasks. Develop new technologies, vehicles and instruments to tackle the challenges you meet along the way.
– Dynamic Destruction System – Break off cameras, robotic arms, even individual struts and wheels, all affecting the way your vehicle handles.
– Content Creation – Create your own scenarios and share them on the Steam Workshop, or just play around with whatever you wish in this limitless, free-form mode. Dive into Take On Mars’ powerful Workbench editing suite to develop new terrains, addons and total modifications.
– Expedition One – Take on the role of a marsonaut and establish the foundation for a human colony on Mars. Build your own habitat, drive unpressurized and pressurized manned vehicles, and manage the resources needed to keep you alive.

Hands On:
The game is still in Early Access which is a very generic term that could be anywhere from alpha testing to finished product just waiting for the release date. In this case it seems to be in the late alpha stage, which means it can still change dramatically before it hits retail. Many features are still just being implemented such as multiplayer and others still aren’t in place in the game such as most of the tutorials. If you like alpha testing and exploring the game mechanics as much as a foreign planet then this is the perfect phase to jump in at. Since instructions are still very limited you have to figure out intuitively how to do most things and why certain things work and others don’t.

With that in mind this is a game for serious simulator fans at this point though once the tutorials are in place it may be more broad based user-friendly. You start from humble beginnings with probes that look like bell dinghies straight out of the beginning of Jaws and work your way up to planetary colonization for by yourself then with others online. I don’t want to give away too much, this much was apparent in the trailers for the game but you get pretty detailed oriented in designing rovers and other tools of the space trade. And like a trade there are budgets and bonuses for completion of important missions and eventually the company expects a return in the form of new real estate developments where there is more than one moon in the sky. It doesn’t take you as far as Total Recall but it does take you farther than the world’s governmental space agencies ever will and I wouldn’t be surprised if you could build Johnny Cab in a future installment (ok let’s face it it will be named Sony Cab or something).

If you follow the campaign mode it will take a while before you have boots on the red planet or even our moon for that matter. As Dr. Whitehall is fond of saying “Discovery requires experimentation”. That means probing and roving so be prepared. If you get too anxious to stomp around and run space buggies then there are scenarios available, at the time of print it even included the E3 demo builds which are pretty detailed and get you past a lot of the research work and right into the action. Action tends towards the simulation side of things, so don’t expect space shootouts or Nazis on the darkside of the moon (Ed. note: GREAT movie!). It is more like taking two hours to master the controls of a robotic arm so you can take a soil sample.

The multiplayer is already proving to be the star of the game, with scenarios that let you and some friends get together and have some red dust filled shenanigans. They require knowledge of the game and building systems but still give you some room to play around.

Conclusion:
Once again, this is a preview of an Early Access title and the game has a ways to go to get to a finished product. If you are a fan of serious sim games then Take On Mars is definitely one to keep on your radar.

Las Vegas Super Toy Convention (Gallery)

2015/03/06

Ripper71

Comics News, Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos

The Las Vegas Super Toy Convention was held in a little section of Circus Circus this year and like many things in Vegas they tend to play big even when in a small space. This was my first year attending but there was a lot of talent and vendors crammed into the convention area with over 6,000 attendees showing up, mostly on Saturday.

The convention has been around a few years but is still trying to get a bit organized. Enough comic vendors showed up that they changed the name to the Las Vegas Super Toy Comic Convention on some of their literature but not on other things. If you hear someone talking about either one they are both the same show.

The cosplayer tables didn’t get set up until Saturday so that also caused a bit of confusion but it was nice to see them circulating. Then the cosplay stage wasn’t setup on Saturday the ladies stepped up and got it running and done then setup their own panel room on Sunday. There was a definite feel like they didn’t expect the success of cosplayers arriving but with Las Vegas being such a hub for it and large communities nearby in SoCal and AZ I think it could really grow into a larger part of the event. Kudos to AZ Power Girl, Wind Of The Stars. Anti Ai Chan, Cosplay Butterfly, and Mzre Yuen for taking control of the cosplay events and making them run.

The guest stars were definitely the big draws to the event and not all that you might expect. There was an amazing line for the Ric Flair signing, The Nature Boy really drew them in with a long line being kept secure by the 501st Battalion (huge Star Wars primarily stormtrooper and imperial cosplay group). It is quite a sight to see tons of wrestling geeks being kept in line by half a dozen stormtroopers and an imperial guard. Most people expected Ric Flair to be loud but it was the suspendered and bowtie sporting All American Boy Bob Backlund who during photo ops headlocked his fans and shouted in a voice so loud that people jumped at the other end of the convention and the official photographer missed the shot half the time due to shock. For a guy who has been around the ring a few times he is still quite a sight.

There were a few celebs from the film world there too, Jennifer Rubin from movies such as Nightmare On Elm St. 3: The Dream Warriors (she was the punker dreamer, a fave in my house), Screamers and the sleeper film Bad Dreams is still stunning and stops you with a smile. Daeg Faerch who played young Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s Halloween movies has grown into a cool young man that you might not recognize until you make eye contact and see that wicked stare.

On the subject of Halloween, one of my favorite poster designs done for the first Halloween was made by Joe Simko, most notably known as one of the main artists on Garbage Pail Kids trading cards. He has also put out Stoopid Heroes and my personal favorite Cereal Killers. I commissioned him to create a custom Garbage Pail Kids comic cover with a Halloween theme based off Nasty Nick. It is now a prize to be hung in my Halloween room. Simko is also taking part in a Garbage Pail Kids documentary so keep an eye out for that.

When all the above is said and done it is after all a toy convention and that was not forgotten. Big wigs from Mattel and designers from Hot Wheels and WWE action figures were on hand to talk shop and show off the new lines. Bill Miekina showed off a Sting action figure with him holding his bat that is sure to sell out quick when they hit the market later this year. The Arizona Outlaws were there with a 50 foot race track to race Hot Wheels on and gave away thousands of dollars worth of Hot Wheels cars to kids and kids at heart who came up and wanted to get into the race. They added a ton of excitement and a lot of smiles to the event and I look forward to seeing them again.

The Las Vegas Super Toy Convention has it’s rough spots but it is still growing and adapting and I can’t wait to see what they bring us next year.

Las Vegas Super Toy Convention Gallery

Total War Attila Review (PC/Steam)

2015/02/26

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

There are few names when it comes to war that is as recognizable as Attila. Some may ask “Attila The Hun?” but that is the almost silly response since few people have ever heard of an Attila other than the conquering horseman. For the Total War series it was really just a matter of time before the players were brought face to face with the “Scourge of God”.

Hands On:
There are multiple levels of strategy, some are just getting your forces to the right place in a good way, the opposite extreme has you involved in every political, social and military aspect of the individual characters in the game’s life. The Total War series tends towards the middle where you have to develop technologies, build structures and decide religious influences while sending your army out to attack other countries or defend your borders. You choose what kind of troops you have then have the options on the battlefield of setting troop formations, attack grounds, melee versus range attacks and watch it all close up as troops from both sides fight and fall. If you prefer the political and building side of the game then you can auto-battle most of your fights and concentrate on pleasing the people while choosing their faith. If you are more military minded you can do the minimum political decisions, turn your country into a police state and just squish any rebellions that dare rise up.

The game takes place at the beginning of the Dark Ages, when the goths were fighting goths and not paying enough attention to the horseman sweeping across the land destroying or controlling all in their path. You fight axe to axe not knowing that an apocalyptic horde are about to run you down. The key to this installment of Total War starts with your general struggle to survive with enemy nations on all sides that causes forces to diminish at a time when they are about to be needed the most. When to fight becomes as big of a concern as where since you never know if while you are striking at a village to your west if the nation to your east will start taking your land. Some of your enemies soon become more interested in someone challenging their other borders that are still clouded in the fog of war…

Being able to control and watch the battle of individual unit types and watch from far above or ground level makes the Total War games some of the most engrossing strategy since you can actually see where your attack formations or maneuverings fail as the fighters drop to the field. Everything is heavily researched and authentically recreated so that not only are the weapons historically accurate the details of how the individuals are dressed are spot on. Attila like all the Total War games are great not just as a strategy play but as a history lesson. Attila’s rise was not just because he was a great leader with innovative attack styles but also the timing was right with nations already fighting each other and weakening themselves too greatly to survive a true threat like the Scourge Of God.

With this installment the ability to raze was added so you can burn parts of a city to the ground or turn it entirely to ash. This is fun and tempting but should be thought over, you may wish you had that resource when you are in the shadow of arrows with the sea to your back. At the same time you don’t want to stretch your military and political influence too thin and become a weakened land. It all comes back to strategy. It doesn’t hurt to save regularly either.

If you aren’t in the mood to work on your campaign you can also choose quick battles, historical battles or multiplayer battles. You can choose to play the campaign from the Franks, Huns, Romans and more to see who your style of strategy would best fit and you can play campaigns online as well if you want. This game gives you lots of options and tons of playtime. Great graphics and sound effects help pull you even deeper into play.

Last Call:
Total War: Attila has upped the versatility of the Total War strategy game series and is a must play for fans of the genre, it provides historical facts as well as engaging gameplay. I can’t wait until its Viking DLC comes out!

[easyreview title=”Total War: Attila Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

Rapoo KX Dual Mode Mechanical Keyboard Review (Tech)

2015/02/26

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

I blame gaming for my keyboard snobbery. I was fine at first as a casual gamer having a keyboard that lit up pretty and had a few programmable keys. Then I got my hands on my first mechanical keyboard and it was all changed. Pretty soon I found myself hooking them up to my laptop so that I could get the tactile response I had become accustomed to even when I was on the road. Then an unpleasant thing happened during that period of time… I became disabled. My new condition demanded I spend more time in bed which also meant more time on laptops and considering my laptops are gaming laptops the heat issues from them have always plagued me. So now the keyboards attached to the laptops weren’t just for enjoyment but for necessity, I have to put the laptop nearby and write on a separate keyboard. Full size keyboards tend to be difficult to type on in bed but smaller keyboards tend to lose the tactile response. Now Rapoo has the solution with the KX Dual Mode Mechanical Keyboard which not only provides one of the smallest mechanical keyboards on the market it can be used wireless and has backlit keys!

Hands On:
First off should be addressed is the key design. With full size light up keys it is easy to keep your place on the keyboard. The keys are also slightly elevated rows like in a movie theater so that the row above is slightly higher which helps keep your fingers from slipping. This can be handy also since you may not be resting the keyboard on a flat surface and the slope of the keys helps you hold it in place as well as avoid key slippage. The light-up keys are really nice too especially for evening for night typing or gaming. Most laptops don’t have this feature so it is particularly helpful. For thews that concern themselves with such things there is also no keylight bleed-through on the sides of the keys which can be a bother to some.

The mechanical keys have the response you have come to expect on that type of keyboard, a distinct click as well as a spring response under the key. You know you have hit the button and you have a pretty good idea when you may not have hit a key hard enough or may have accidentally hit two keys. This does bring up the point that with the compact configuration of the keyboard anti-ghosting would be a great addition especially for folks with huge bear paws like I have but as long as care is taken while typing this isn’t so much an issue and when it comes to gaming is a mute point.

While on the subject of the compactness of the keyboard I am amazed at how well this was done while maintaining a key buffer around the edges to protect the keys and give a surface to rest the edge of your hand on. This was partly accomplished by making the F row of keys as well as escape and delete touch buttons. Personally I have no problem with things, it actually helps separate the numerical keys from the F keys during gaming which is really important. Some might be bothered that such important keys such as ESC and DEL are on that row but personally it was no bother for me and once again helped located escape quickly.

My only complaint at all about the minimizing process is that the left shift key has been reduced to a normal size key and the up arrow is located where the inside part of the shift key would be. As a result I find myself accidentally paging up regularly when I am trying to capitalize something. Once again gaming wise this really isn’t a problem but typing wise it was something to keep in mind so much as to become a distraction. If the print button were moved up to the F row and the left windows button removed the arrow keys could be shifted over and the problem fixed. Up until this point in this review I was actually writing on the keyboard while laid up in bed but I hit the arrow button in a way that caused random sections of a sentence to be spread throughout the review for every time I went to capitalize a word or just “I”.

To be mechanical the thickness and weight of the keyboard had to be increased, making the chassis plastic instead of metal might have helped the weight issue but at the cost of durability. This keyboard feels tough and as though it could take a real knocking before showing any problems.

Last but not least is cutting the tether and going wireless. That is one of the key features of this keyboard and probably the reason many people will pick it up. It uses a USB dongle to accomplish this and surprisingly doesn’t seem to have any latency issue as compared to being plugged in. With the lights, touchpad section, vibration response and maintaining a strong connection the keyboard sucks up a bit of juice but for the average typing session or gaming run it will probably stay energized and worse comes to worse you plug it into charge and hardwire which can become quite a distance with a USB extender cable.

Last Call:
The Rapoo KX Dual Mode Mechanical Keyboard fits all the mechanical keyboard features you would want into a compact wireless design. The left shift button area could really use a redesign and if that happens it will be a hard keyboard to top.

[easyreview title=”Rapoo KX Dual Mode Mechanical Keyboard Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Rapoo E6100 Wireless Keyboard Review

2015/02/26

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, Reviews

I have occasionally mentioned that I am disabled and as a result have to spend a lot of time in bed so I have a real hard time getting up to play games and write reviews of them once I finish. So anytime I get the opportunity to test some gear that will help me continue gaming and reviewing from bed I jump at the opportunity. One of the most difficult things for me while laid up is typing. Game controls can be manageable especially if a controller is involved but when it comes to typing I am awkward at best. So a special thanks to Rapoo for not just sending me one keyboard to try out but two, one that will help in bed and one that will help when I am traveling, which tends to lay me up too. So I will start with the Rapoo E6100 Wireless Keyboard.

Hands On:
When it comes to wireless keyboards comfort, portability and latency are the key factors to consider and the order of importance is solely dependent on your usage. Writers won’t care about latency but portability and comfort are key. Gamers will care about comfort and to a small degree portability but latency will decide whether or not it sits on a shelf gathering dust or all the letters rub off from constant use.

From the point of view of comfort the E6100 is near perfect in design, extremely lightweight and low profile it can be used for just about any task, whether live blogging during a press conference or writing a story or review in the comfort of a bed or favorite chair. There are no heat issues causing lap burns or the need for space under the keyboard, the thickest section is only slightly larger than the AAA batteries it houses and creates a natural keyboard slant and the keys are the same size as a standard laptop so no worrying about big fingers losing their place too much. The spaces between the keys are a little narrow so that takes a little getting used to but this is to help with portability.

It’s hard to get much more portable and still be a real keyboard with full size keys. The keyboard section is thinner than my iPad 2 without a case and the battery section only tacks on about 1/2 inch. The batteries should last you a couple months so you don’t need to pack tons of batteries and you don’t need any cords. It is less than 11.5″ long which means you are getting a nice size but with absolutely no wasted space. This will slip into any backpack and even some purses. I have had it sitting next to my tablet, decided I wanted to type something on it real quick and instead of dealing with the popup screen I turn on the keyboard, type with one hand while holding it in the other then turned it off and put it back down. Once you pair it with a device through Bluetooth you simply fire it up, type and can shut it right back off and pairing only takes seconds. You cannot get a more compact keyboard without sacrificing key size so it is the most portable you could hope for.

This pretty much leaves latency which for a gamer is make or break and with wireless keyboards can be a pretty decent issue. My last wireless keyboard was designed into an iPad case so the keys were a little small for my giant bear paws and there was a bit of latency. I would use it when I had to because it still beat the screen keyboard on a tablet but I was sloppy as hell on it and couldn’t use it for gaming. So this was an exciting moment of truth to test latency on this one. I was stunned at the lack of lag, whether it was typing or playing a game using it the response seemed as fast as a standard keyboard. I imagine full on Star Craft players with massive keystrokes per second would probably have problems with it but I doubt many folks would be using a wireless keyboard for such purposes, when it comes to casual gaming it will do the job just fine.

Last Call:
The Rapoo E6100 is one of the most compact wireless keyboards on the market that still gives you great performance and a decent key size. For players or writers on the go this is definitely a keyboard you can toss in your bag and use on a moment’s notice or in my case have next to the bed and use when you are too disabled to get out. The lightweight no heat design makes it perfect for use anywhere and especially for the infirmed and weakened.

[easyreview title=”Rapoo E6100 Wireless Keyboard Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

Construction Simulator 2015 (PC/Steam)

2015/02/09

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Windows PC News, Windows PC Review

When I was just finishing high school, I got a job as a park ranger for a municipal water district. That was one of the best jobs I ever had, I got to work outdoors but I was also trusted with some very heavy machinery. I drove flatbeds, dump trucks, water trucks, and even construction style equipment such as a forklift and an excavator. So
I was more than happy to don a virtual hardhat and travel down memory lane in Construction Simulator 2015.

Description:
In Construction Simulator 2015, you take the controls of 15 realistic construction machines made by LIEBHERR, STILL and MAN with high-quality 3D graphics. Excavate the foundation of a house with realistic machines, pour concrete into the wall panels of a factory with an enormous concrete pump, or test the steadiness of your hands by placing gigantic roof trusses with a mobile crane. Thanks to the realistic controls, you can steer an excavator with two joysticks using SAE controls and feel as if you are working on a real construction site.

Features:
– Over 200 missions ensure hours of enjoyment
– 15 realistic construction machines made by LIEBHERR, MAN and STILL
– Realistic vehicle controls – e.g. SAE controls for excavators supported
– Realistic sound effects recorded from the original machines
– Multiplayer mode
– For beginners and pros: freely switch between arcade and pro controls
– Expansive, freely navigable world with diverse areas and districts
– Numerous dealers and suppliers that you can visit
– Detailed tutorial ensures a smooth start in the game
– Non-linear dynamic mission system provides endless gaming enjoyment
– For DIY fans: the modding of construction sites and vehicles is fully supported
– Experience system with numerous levels that allow you to unlock special missions
= Diverse gamepads, steering wheels, and joysticks are supported (Unfortunately, “Thrustmaster” joysticks and steering wheels are not supported by now)

Hands On:
One of the first things I want to point out is that this game has a multiplayer mode. For many games this would not be a particularly interesting notion but when it comes to sims, particularly building sims, this is very unusual. My first thoughts on this were “sure they have an online mode but it is useless without a community to support it.” This is where I was very pleasantly surprised, every time I have checked the servers there are several games going on at any given time. It is Euro-centric so it’s highest player numbers are in their active timezones but there are plenty of games to join and start building in. I recommend you don’t just try to jump in and start building online, play the offline for quite a while before you even try or you will literally be left in the dust.

When you start you start small, with a flatbed truck and an escalator, any other equipment you need at the beginning you rent. The tasks are pretty straight forward during the beginning which is set up as a tutorial before jumping into contracts and making your own money. This is good because as part of your dialogue you say “Yippee!” about the chance to get to drive a flatbed truck a few blocks (the dialogue doesn’t take itself too seriously) which would make any boss or even player a bit nervous about your character’s abilities and mental state.

Luckily the game can be very forgiving. If you happen to not do a very good job hitting the brakes turning into the construction site and accidentally hit your boss with the flatbed truck the truck stops like it hit a wall instead of mixing some blood into the dirt. If your truck gets into a head-on collision with a car the car is not damaged, you either just stop or I got the flatbed to do flips in the air a couple times. Standard view is third person with graphics and very reminiscent of the Grand Theft Auto series. This works well so that you get the hand of standard movements and vehicle controls quick.

The real challenge comes if you use the keyboard to work the heavy equipment. The escavator for example has controls that make sense for the machine and keyboard layout but have you wishing you had a third hand at times. I kept forgetting to move my hand to a certain section to properly aim the bucket to break the dirt and then scoop and move the arm into a good position for dumping. Luckily the game is forgiving because during the tutorial I dug one ugly trench. The game was more concerned with how much dirt I moved out of the trench location than if my corners would meet work site or military standards which was good because the learning process is slow and a bit painful how it is.

I really try not to make the following recommendation when playing PC games, to me it generally defeats the purpose of not playing on a console but this game really lends itself to a controller. On a controller you can do all the required adjustments on the heavy complicated equipment without moving your hands all around which is pretty necessary with the keyboard. The game is also compatible with other sticks and controllers besides a standard game pad and that would probably also add to authentic feel.

Though the default view is third person you can change it to first person when operating the equipment which I highly recommend, makes it much more immersive. You are going to have lots of hours of playtime with 200 missions, online play and future player/community mods so it’s a good idea to try out the different possible setups as you settle in.

Last Call:
If you are big into sim games Construction Simulator 2015 should definitely be on your playlist. If you find your average day has you locked in a cubicle dreaming about working outdoors behind the wheel of several tons of rolling machinery you need to look no further than this game to get an idea of what you are missing. It is also cool if you just like digging virtual holes and laying virtual pipe.

[easyreview title=”Construction Simulator 2015 Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]

PowerSkin Pop’n3 Battery Charger Review

2015/02/09

Ripper71

News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

A lot of people think of CES as lasting through Friday but the reality is many companies are packing up on Thursday and done and gone by Friday afternoon. This means if you have Friday appointments it never hurts to be early, on time might be late for someone trying to catch a flight out. So I try to hit my Friday appointments early which freed up my day to add one on the fly, and it was one I am very happy I made because it introduced me to the PowerSkin Pop’n3 Battery Charger.

Features:
– Extra Power: PoP’n 3 utilizes state-of-the-art, patented dual suction adhering technology to stick right onto the back of smartphones for an easy to hold, seamlessly integrated charging experience. 4000 mAh of power gives your smartphone up to a 150% charge, including the iPhone 6. Just stick it on, plug it in, and keep your life PoP’n.

– Easy On, Easy Off: Attach PoP’n 3 to most smooth surfaced phones and cases with its patented soft rubber suction cups and state-of-the-art circular nano adhesive anchor. This easy, one-hand, flexible approach to power means you can pop it on when you want, and pop it off when you’re done.

– Integrated Design: Built-in cable provides a powerful yet simple solution for your charging needs, easily plugging into any size phone case. Sleek, high-gloss durable finish, and plastic hardshell make this unique product the perfect phone companion.

– Verified Technologies: XPAL Inside™ technologies include: proprietary ultra-efficient battery cell formulation, hardware/software safety protection mechanisms, smart power management system, broad temperature operating range, and flame retardant material/construction.

– Good to Go: We all know the frustrations of charging batteries while on the go, juggling the phone in one hand and the battery in the other…. now there is a better way. This charger is a functional and practical solution for everyone looking to add more battery life to their phone, but not wanting to compromise its streamline look and feel.

Hands On:
This was the first time that PowerSkin showed up on my radar and I am kind of surprised considering how handy their product is pretty darn handy. Their original design involved two pieces which works well and I could see being useful on less suction cup friendly surfaces by having a solid bridge at the bottom between the case and the power pack helping hold it in place on the back of the phone. This is a nice way to go and very portable though maybe a bit less convenient on the go with the bridge in your pocket with the battery.

Their latest innovation with the Pop’N3 is a much more elegant solution with a lightning cable built into the bottom of the charger which plugs tightly into the phone. This makes it so that you don’t have to worry about two pieces (if you did) and still works to hold the charger in place. They have also added a single sticky surface in the center of the phone to keep it in place in case the suction cups weren’t completing the seal. I mention this mainly because some phone cases like a wallet one I recently tested by Speck don’t have the full surface area for the suction cups and started sliding around the back, the disc helped secure it perfectly. It is also a hard shell case, I found the slippage to not be an issue or rubberized cases at all.

The low form allows for you to continue using the phone in any manner you choose while still charging it. With a 4000 mAh of power you can expect around 18 hours of additional talk time or 150% charge which will definitely help get you through the day without taking up much real estate in your pocket or in your hand. You can even just attach it and plug it in as you head out the door and let it keep charging as you use your phone.

Last Call:
The PowerSkin Pop’N3 battery charger has definitely earned a place in my regular phone charging rotation. It gives a great charge with a very convenient built-in cable and attach-and-forget form. I’m glad I made the appointment and got PowerSkin on my radar for my battery charging needs. I especially have my eye on their upcoming product Inked (get it? Octopuses squirt ink) which incorporates custom printing on a battery case which I have a logo or two I can’t wait to test on it…

[easyreview title=”Product Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

MyCharge RazorMax Phone Pack Review

2015/02/09

Ripper71

Mobile News, News, Reviews, Tech News, Tech Review

MyCharge is one of the most secret and well known booths at CES 2015. They’re well known because they give out free beer and excellent phone battery chargers and secretive because their entire display is behind locked up doors. Last year I showed up on the last day, a last minute stop suggested by their marketing person and it was all taken down. Feeling a little like Indiana Jones showing up right after tomb raiders made off with the treasure, I got a press kit and made plans to see it the next year. One of their better known batteries you might have heard of has earned the nickname “the Swiss Army knife of phone chargers” since it has built-in lightning cable, mini USB cable and a USB plugin for other devices with about 27 hours of talk time added to your device. It even has it’s own wall plug built in so that it great for travel and parties. So I showed up a day early for my appointment this year.

First I had to stop for my beer and a power pack that included a power pack and charging cord in a handy little container shaped like an energy drink that people kept trying to figure out how to drink with their beer. Once they were onboard, the drink in my belly and the power pack having charged my phone (they come ready to charge in the package which if you are buying one in a bind is really handy), I made my way into the closed doors. It was surprisingly spacious and lacked a single booby trap so it was more comforting and not at all tomb-like. They took me through their different selections in their current line then gave me their latest baby, the MyCharge RazorMax.

Features:
– 27 hours of talk time
– Four-light LED battery indicator, shake to check battery level
– Smart-sense: ensures complete device compatibility
– Rapid-recharge: powerbank charges up to 65% faster than competitors
– Max-power: maximum power transfer from powerbank to device
– Hyper-charge: ultra-fast charging of your devices; 30% faster for iPhone 6
– Power-stay: maintains battery power for up to 1 year
– High-density battery: the smallest and lightest powerbank
– Safe-cell: provides the highest level of battery safety
– Pass Through Charging: will charge the powerbank and connected device simultaneously

Hands On:
I first started testing this battery not on a planned routine but rather out of necessity. I had left my phone off the charger overnight and had been listening to music all morning and suddenly got a really long honey-do list. I grabbed my phone, saw it was at 30% and went to my power pack supply. There in it’s wrapper with a “comes pre-charged” sticker was the new RazorMax. It is about the size of a business card holder or older iPod with about the same width. It is extremely small form for a power pack that boasts a 27 hour talk time charge, the only drawback being you need to bring your own cables. Small price to pay for a tiny pack to slip in your pocket on your way out the door.

I managed to make it to my first stop, some car servicing before I found myself in the waiting room texting and riding the internet with the battery plugged in waiting for the screen to go blank. Instead, despite multitasking the phone, the charge was going up quickly. It was no time before my phone was fully charged even with usage and all through the day, a very long one, I would run the battery down a bit then popped the charger on and kept going. When all was said and done I plugged the pack in and not my phone at the end of the day knowing that if I need to charge my phone I can use the same outlet since the power pack has pass through charging.

This battery packs a lot of juice into a little tiny device well worth the trouble of carrying a cord along with you. It will fit into even small pockets while not adding so much weight that it pulls your pants down. It comes with two USB ports so you can still power more than one device at a time. With the fast charging you also don’t have to slow down what you are doing on the devices to give charging a chance, you and someone else can just charge away while living your socially active, game-filled lives.

Last Call:
The MyCharge RazorMax Power Pack gives a great big charge in a little light aluminum brick you can slip in your pocket. It won’t slow you down or run out of juice while you are on the go and once charged it holds the charge so you can count on it on the fly. MyCharge has definitely earned a place of honor among my power pack collection and I can’t wait until next CES, going into the hidden recesses of the MyCharge booth and seeing what power they will bring next. I promise not to bring my whip and fedora.

[easyreview title=”MyCharge RazorMax Power Pack Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”5″ ]

Nyko PS4 Modular Charge Kit And Battery Pak Review

2015/02/09

Ripper71

News, Peripheral Review, Peripherals News, PlayStation 4 News, Reviews

There is nothing more frustrating than running out of power in your wireless controller in mid-match – except maybe all the cables that run from the system to charge things. Luckily, Nyko has come up with something to help with both these issues in the Nyko Battery Pak and the Nyko Modular Charge Kit for the PS4.

PS4 Modular Charge Kit Description:
Easily keep your PlayStation 4 controllers charged and your PlayStation 4 system looking like new. While this item comes with two micro usb cords for the PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 controllers, the Modular Charge Kit also includes a hidden cleaning brush in order to easily dust the console and it’s accessories. This kit allows you to keep your console both looking and performing in perfect condition.

Features:
– Cleans and Charges: Allows for easy charging and cleaning of the PS4 controllers and console
– 2 Micro USB cords: Allows for dual charging of two PlayStation4 DualShock4 controllers
– Hidden cleaning brush with detailing edge: allows for easy dusting of console surfaces

Nyko PS4 Power Pak Description:
Add double the battery power to the DualShock®4 with the Power Pak from Nyko Technologies. The Power Pak adds an additional 1000mAh Lithium-Ion battery, doubling the capacity. The design of the Power Pak keeps the ergonomics of the Dual Shock 4 intact, while matching the curves, décor and grip of the controller. All ports, buttons, and features of the controller are unimpeded by the extended battery, allowing for full control of all games. The Power Pak attaches to the Micro USB port on the top of the controller, allowing for easy installation. A USB pass-through port allows for easy recharging of both the Power Pak and the internal Dual Shock battery simultaneously using a standard Micro USB cable. The Power Pak is also fully compatible with Nyko’s Charge Base for PS4.

Features:
– Extended Playing Time: Play up to 2x longer with the Power Pak
– Ergonomic: Lightweight and unobtrusive design allow you to game as normal
– USB: Easily recharge both the Power Pak and controller with any Micro USB cable
– Design: Easily attaches to the Dual Shock 4

Hands On:
This year I got a chance to check out a couple of Nyko’s newest products at CES this year but it was even better getting hands on, especially when I was having a rough time with my back and laid up in bed. Battery life definitely started to come into play when I was laid up and barely able to move. Each night I would charge my controller and the battery, each day I would start playing again wearing the juice down. It did seem like I was getting double battery life and it was really, really handy. It only slightly increased the weight of the controller when attached and the slight increase in profile was welcome in my huge hands. Whenever I go back and forth between systems my fingers tended to slip off the bottom of the PS4 controller and now they have a place to rest.

The PS4 Modular Charge Kit attaches to the side of the PS4 and blends seamlessly into the side of the black versions. Even though it stands out on the white version like I have it does so in a nicely contrasting fashion. The controller battery is also black and makes a nice contrast on the white controller and makes the system match up with it even better.

Once attached it can be separated in half, the upper half a cleaning pad to wipes dust off the system and the lower half to store cables and such in including the two included retractable charging cables. The compartment isn’t large but it can fit a couple of cables and multiple batteries, both rechargable and otherwise. As someone who lives at the edge of the desert I am always looking for something to brush dust off of things with.

Last Call:
The Nyko Modular Charge Kit and Power Pak are a great addition to your PS4 system and not only look nice and clean up your cables but it can also extend your gameplay which is always welcome to marathon gamers.

[easyreview title=”Nyko Modular Charge Kit & Power Pack Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”3″ ]