New Computer

A few months ago my aging computer from eMachines, which is no longer called that these days anyway, finally moved on to another life when a power surge fried the entire machine, even though there was no lightning and we have a circuit breaker.

A week ago I decided it was time for a new computer. I needed a high performance computer for my daily use, from programming to modeling and slight gaming. My father promised me a computer of my choice when my results came out so I decided to see Stallion Computers, a computer store in Swefieh.

I only knew about the store from a few newspaper ads and from Hani Obaid - whom I have no idea were he went - but the store is great and the offer I took was rather good. I modified its specifications a bit from the default they were offering and I haggled the price down a bit.

Anyway the computer is here now, I must say the service I got from the store was very good, the staff are very friendly and understand what they are doing. The computer I got has the following specifications:

> Core 2 Quad 2.66 Ghz
> 3GB DDR2 Ram
> XFX Nvidia 250 GTS 1GB
> 400 Watt Power supply
> 320 GB Hard Drive
> 4 Speakers with Subwoofer
> 19 Inch Samsung Monitor

The transition to my first custom built computer is a very unique and satisfying one. I am usually the multitasking, having rather heavy programs open such as Photoshop, After effects and Dev c++, along with Firefox and other similar programs.

In addition to being able to do all of this, I can now play games that demand alot of power rather easily and at maximum settings. For example, my current build can play Crysis at 1440x900 with all on Very High with elegance. Most other computers fail to do this.

The following are a few pictures from my current setup. Those of you who saw my previous post about my workspace will notice its much more elegant, so to say. Anyway, more posts about this subject will come soon, for now some photos.

Xbox Live

Playing on the internet with other real people is something that has revolutionised the industry of gaming. These days, multi player functionality is a must when reviewing a game, and it counts just as much as the single player part of it.

Xbox Live delivers a rather unique experience of multiplayer gaming to the Xbox gamer, and is rather different from other networks. As Xbox 360 users have their own profiles, these are used as the gamers users and are carried from game to game without any configuration.

Friends can be added to parties and clans, and from here the player can move with his party from one game to another, all under the comminucation of the headset. Voice messages can also be sent to players even when they are offline.

When out of games, the Xbox Marketplace offers a wide selection of games, videos and expansions to choose from. Game demos are always available for free and other items are bought by Microsoft Points, although I haven't tried buying anything.

All in all, Xbox Live is one essential addition to the Xbox 360 that makes it superior to the other consoles. Although I may not agree with having to pay for it, I do look forward to renewing my subscription.

Picking Video Games

After almost three months of searching around the streets of Jordan for any solution for modding my Xbox 360, I have finally been defeated and have not found any shop at all. In the end, I had to go ahead and order original games for my Xbox from Amazon. I ended up spending my entire years’ savings on three games and a controller, for £150.

Before I go on and tell you about the games I chose to play for god knows how long, I’d like to give you some advice on how to choose a game. It’s a rather simple procedure that ensures you get the best game for your money and don’t end up getting disappointed you spent your well earned money on a pile of rubbish.

The main point you must always take into consideration, and is the biggest impact on whether the game is good or not, is seeing critics’ views. Looking up the game on a popular review website, like IGN or Gamespot, is the first part of choosing a game. As a general rule of thumb, even before reading the review, look at the games score. Generally, any game over 9 is excellent, and don’t take this easily.

For example, 8.9 is not excellent, and reviewers really do take into consideration everything to determine if a game really does make the point of excellence. Games over nine are the ones to go for first, but there’s nothing wrong in going for something over 8. Below eight, however, is a no-no.

There are things you mustn’t look for. One of the first is well awaited for sequels, or in other words a new release to a popular series. Just because the company did it right before it doesn’t mean that it’ll do it better again. In fact, sometimes it comes out worse, like Need For Speed Undercover. Another thing not to look for is over-hyped reviews, such as the ones from magazines, since they tend to give a perfect full score to anything they find seems good, which isn’t always the case.
Putting all of that into mind, picking a game is simple.

Even if you’re stuck on two similar games with just about the same score, try watching a video review. This shows you game play and also tells you what’s good about the game and what’s bad. It’s a two in one deal, and you’re sure to get out of it picking the best one.

Considering this all, I went ahead and picked three sequels to games that reviewers considered excellent, or above nine in the score. The first was Gears of War 2, a sequel to an already excellent game, with better stunning graphics the second time.

Next was Fallout 3, an RPG that wasn’t much heard of until the third made its way through and marvelled all critics. This is a game that combines graphics, with a good storyline and interesting styles of game play. Lastly was the latest sequel in the Call of Duty series, World at War. According to reviewers, even though this went back into the World War once again, it managed to keep its name and stay a brilliant shooter.

Enjoy.

Thy Xbox 360

It is here. After eight months of waiting, and waiting - and praying and begging, the Xbox 360 that I blogged a few months ago about getting is finally here.

Quite a few months ago I ordered it from Amazon so my dad would pick it up while he was in London. The console it self comes in three versions, arcade, premium and elite. I went for the premium.

The 360 itself is not just an ordinary gaming console, it is a high tech computer by itself. Capable of twice the graphical ability of the Playstation 3, the Xbox 360 can generate images that will make you drool twenty litres a second.

In fact, when I was playing a racing game at 1080i on my TV, my grandmother asked me if the trees and the landscape were really computer generated. She could not believe it.

The 360 is now cheaper, in the US, than the Nintendo Wii, priced at $199. Considering that you get a console that is the best in the whole three next generation consoles, that is a bargain for your money.

But enough bragging. I will go, inshallah tomorrow, to a shop in Sweifieh called Boost, to 3adel the console. I will recieve it, according to my friend who did so as well, on Sunday. By then I will be able to play true next gen games.

I'm talking Call of Duty or Gears of War. :)

Xbox 360 Partying

Holding a controller, pressing a few buttons and watch the screen change is much more fun than it seems.

Especially when you're playing on an Xbox 360.

The shear joy of pure high definition graphics, mixed with surround system sound and mind boggling tactics - that's what makes the 360 a work of art.

Of course, since I don't have a 360 yet, I went off to my friend to pay off some of the addiction.

To start off with, is the game Rainbow Six Vegas 2.

Not only does this game take SWAT teams to the highest level, but it also combines team tactics with leader commandment to get through the game.

Not only will you have to pick the right assault and sniper weapons to do the job right, but you'll have to work correctly on the field, be it taking cover to assigning teammates targets and even choosing the right door to charge in to, to complete the level.

Another less action packed, but adventure like game, is Lost: Via Domus.

Although I did not see much of this game, but I sure did like it from my first play. You take on the role of Elliot, a man with amnesia from the airplane crash, trying to regain his memories, and in turn, discover the secret of the island.

Along with his compass, and the message to the way home, Via Domus, you must take along riddles, puzzles, and maps to complete the levels of this game, based on the television series. A great game for the adventure fanatics.

So, now that I've shared my piece of gaming, care to share yours?

Parent Sells His Teenagers Guitar

If you're a son that's desperate for a game for your Wii, then you'd better not be doing anything stupid before you get it.

That includes smoking pot on your garden patio with your friends. Isaac was caught smoking, which then led to his surprise Christmas present to be sold on Ebay. A few days later, it was dugg and everyone knew about it. In the auction, the father writes an account of what happened.

So I spent who knows how many hours of my life trying to get “Guitar Hero 3” for the Nintendo Wii for my 15 year old son who has been begging for it since he was born (well not really but he’s wanted it for awhile). So after waiting in lines and going into every game store in the city over the last 2 weeks (practically being laughed at when I asked for guitar hero 3) I finally got lucky and got one at EB Games (they just got a shipment of them 25 minutes before I walked in!).

So I was so relieved in that I had finally got the Holy Grail of Xmas presents pretty much just in the nick of time. I couldn’t wait to spread the jubilance to my son.

Then, yesterday, I came home from work early and what to I find? My innocent little boy smoking pot in the backyard with 2 of his delinquent friends.

Now I know santa applies the “naughty or nice” paradigm to determine who gets what on Christmas. My son (Isaac) hasn’t exactly been Mother Teresa this year (he got suspended for fighting in the spring, among other things) but I thought I could still justify getting him this present. Maybe it would make him stay home more and “rock out” on this fake guitar thing. He pretty much spends all his free time at his friend’s house playing it anyways (while high on marijuana, I would imagine).

Anyways, I am now finding it hard to justify rewarding him with this gift after he so greatly disappointed me. I know smoking a joint isn’t the end of the world, but if you can convince me that he deserves the gift, then I will end the auction. You will have to be very convincing. I am an elementary school teacher and I know that rewarding bad behavior is just asking for more of the same…

After I caught him getting high on my patio I did the typical yelling, screaming, kicking out the friends, etc… but I had not decided on a suitable way to punish him. As of the time of me writing this, he does not know I got him Guitar Hero 3. I will show him the auction once it is posted and we can watch it finish together. Sort of a “Father-Son bonding experience”. While I doubt this will keep him from ever smoking pot again, I think it will make him think twice before doing illegal (well I think pot is still illegal in Canada) drugs on my property.

I am still considering getting him a game for his Nintendo. Maybe something like Barbie as the Island Princess or Dancing With the Stars. These games are in stock everywhere I go, and I know he will just love them.

Merry Xmas Isaac. I hope you’ve learned your lesson. –Father.

[Sources: From Digg, to Gaming Today, to Ebay]

Making Use Of Those CD Covers

Click on image to enlarge [1586 x 2048]

Now that I used a case to store all my Playstation CDs, the covers in the sandwich bags they come in have to be thrown away. Instead, I collected them, did a bit of snipping and cello taping, and this was the result. Some of the games were a bit old and their covers had been thrown away, so I had to download and print them off a great CD cover site on the Internet. I intend to carry on the list until this side of the cupboard is finished, and if I get even more... well, I'll see what will happen when that time comes. By the way, I got all these games in Eid, as me and my brother Omar spent all our money in the CD shop. We never save up, which is a stupid habit we have. :D

What do you think?

Playing Runescape

RuneScape is the latest craze, and it deserves to be. In this online MMORPG, you have your own medival character in the virtual world of RuneScape. In it you meet other people, while training your skills or completing quests. Read more about Runescape on Wikipedia.

Right now, I'm training my hunting skill by catching green lizards deep in the swamps of Morytania, south-east of the city of Canifis. Ah, bliss.