I'm actually thinking of getting the collector's edition. Check out this link for a PDF file of high-res artwork from the game. The file is 75mb so be patient as it loads; you can then save it to your local hard drive to peruse or print at your leisure.
I've also read that Toys 'R Us has broken the street date and is already selling the game. I came across this coupon for 20% off any one item from their store; and it can be used for games as well. Just be aware that you can only click on the link to print the coupon once; after that it installs a cookie on your PC preventing you from printing it again. Just select "Delete temporary interent files" from your browser's menu and you can try again (or move the printer dialog box out of the way and copy the screen to the clipboard and then paste it into a program and print from there).
Downloaded and played the NASCAR demo, as usual Tony" review was correct. For the demo at least, the controls were difficult to manage, way too sensitive, one slight move and you are in the wall. Also as Tony said, you have cars banging into you for no reason, I was driving staiht and cars would be banging me from behind and the side. So I am now downloading Forza, hopefully that will be better.
Have tried downloading Bio Shock three times and have failed three time. I keep getting the error, unable to download at this time. I assume the server is overloaded.
For what it's worth Barry, I've read that the retail version of Nascar 08 allows you to tune the car's steering sensitivity and that is supposed to help somewhat with the control. However, the suspect driver AI has been universally panned and appears to be just as bad in the final game as in the demo. Online support is also very shoddy with lots of people and reviewers reporting lots of dropped games. Also, the game itself looks like utter crap in my opinion. Compared to other racers like PGR3 and Forza2 the tracks and cars just look too coarse for a next gen game. EA really cheaped out on this one and I for one won't be picking it up at any price.
With regard to the Forza 2 demo; be aware that you only get one track (Mugello) which is fun to drive but isn't the most attractive. Still, you'll get plenty of cars in different classes to try out. Remember that Forza is a sim so you really have to judge the corners carefully and use the brakes to navigate the courses. You can even turn on a preferred racing line for the entire track or just the turns to help you out. It's become one of my favorite games once I got into it.
Finally, by all means keep trying to get the Bioshock demo. The game's atmosphere and art style is very unique and original - it's about as close as a video game has come to art in my opinion - and deserves a look at the very least.
Ok... I preordered the Halo 3 Legendary Edition. I know it costs way too much. But I had to do it, damnit! I couldn't miss out on all that stuff!
Congratulations Night; you are now officially a Halo fanboy. I hope you enjoy it; but tell me, what was it that made you go with the legendary edition?
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
The remastered 1 and 2 cinematics and the awesome helmet had a lot to do with it. Also, this is the last Halo game, so why not go all out?
The remastered 1 and 2 cinematics and the awesome helmet had a lot to do with it. Also, this is the last Halo game, so why not go all out?
The game will hopefully resolve the Covenant storyline but I seriously doubt this will be the last Halo game. Halo Wars is on its way - yes, it's an RTS but it still takes place in the Halo universe - and as long as the franchise makes money, Microsoft will continue to make games. I have a feeling we'll be seeing the Master Chief for a long time to come.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
I'm not sure about that. This may be the last Halo game surrounding the Chief. He may make cameos in future Halo epics but this is supposedly his last story.
Was finally able to download BioShock, I saw the intro which I thought had an interesting visual look. My youngest son played it for awhile and said it was creepy. Hope to check it out soon.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Is anyone else going to try to get into the Call of Duty 4 beta? I'm going to be working, but I'm gonna try to get my mother to do it for me. I'm so psyched for this game... my only gripe is that I'm not sure the Sig Sauer P228 (the SAS pistol of choice) will be in the game, which would be lame, because the SAS features greatly in the game.
I'll most likely be skipping it as I'm not particularly interested in multiplayer these days; I've had enough deathmatch and CTF to last me a while. I will be curious to see what they do with the single player campaign and what kinds of missions the game will have.
BTW #1, I picked up Bioshock yesterday and finally got to put in a couple of hours. I've only explored a few areas but I'm enjoying it quite a bit. The hacking minigame is used all over the place; in addition to hacking sentrys you can also hack vending machines and safes to get at special items. The game requires that you explore every nook and cranny to find special items. I also had my first run-in with a Big Daddy and that was pretty intense.
BTW #2, Paramount and Dreamworks recently announced that they will be supporting the HD-DVD standard exclusively (ie: no Paramount or Dreamworks BluRays) as such I'm seriously thinking about getting the HD-DVD add-on. I might take the plunge this weekend.
The Dreamcast; now there's a great console. It was probably the first console to have a very solid online component to it; even if it was over 56k.
I still have mine also, as well as a dozen or so games for it. I played Sonic Adventure to death when it first came out; and I don't even want to think how many hours I put into Phantasy Star Online. There were a lot of fantastic games for that console: Virtua Tennis, Shenmue, Quake III: Arena, Spiderman, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. And that's just off the top of my head.
Sadly, when the PS2 was released it all but killed Sega's momentum and the company turned its back on it shortly thereafter.
Still, I located my old Dreamcast yesterday and I've been having a great time on Sonic Adventure and Rayman 2
IEU2D - Just set aside a couple bucks (Euros whatever) a day and before you know it you have enough. I have literally done that a few times and it works.
Went to Gamestop today and reserved my copy of Halo 3 Limited Edition. Returned a couple of games and received a $20.00 credit which I used for the hold payment.
Have been playing the Forza demo, having trouble keeping the car on the road. If I slow down I get run off the road. Also, been trying to finish Halo 2. The deeper I get into the game the more I like it. Both Halo games are the best shooter games I have ever played. Disclaimer - I haven't played a ton of shooters so my opinion may not be that valid.
Have been playing the Forza demo, having trouble keeping the car on the road. If I slow down I get run off the road.
Barry, here's a couple of things to may want to try (if you haven't already):
If you're getting rammed from behind then you're probably braking too soon. Turn on the option that shows the preferred line thru the corners; then let off the gas when the arrows are yellow or break when they are red. It's really important to hit the turns at just the right angle and speed and to feather the gas as you reach the apex of the turn to maximize your speed coming out.
Also, I initially raced with the slower Class C cars to get a feel for the game and gradually worked my way up to the faster models. The full game also lets you adjust the difficulty in career mode.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Hey guys,
Just ordered Bioshock and Dead Rising for the 360, and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory for the Xbox. Can't wait for them to arrive!
Congrats Night, hope you enjoy them; I'm on the lookout for the Xbox version of Double Agent myself.
BTW, I noticed that Lost Planet has dropped to $40; I'm tempted to get it but there are a ton of games out already and so many more on the way that I'm afraid it will just get lost in the shuffle.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
What kinds of game modes does it have? I assume there's more to it that the standard deathmatch and CTD variants?
BTW, I picked up the Xbox 360 HD-DVD add-on from Amazon yesterday; they had a deal that was too good to pass up. The HD-DVD add-on (which includes King Kong), three free HD-DVD's from Amazon (I got Batman Begins, V for Vendetta and Forbidden Planet) and five free HD-DVD's thru a mail in offer all for $179.99. No taxes and free shipping too. Given what the movies would cost, the player itself ends up essentially being free.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
What kinds of game modes does it have? I assume there's more to it that the standard deathmatch and CTD variants?
It is only a Beta, so I only think it has free for all, team deathmatch, and CTF at the moment but retail will have more. Again, only played it once so I'm not sure. I'm dying to play it again but I can't right now.
And congrats on the HD DVD player! How long is the offer going?
And congrats on the HD DVD player! How long is the offer going?
Thanks Night; as to the offer, things are a bit strange as it seems to disappear and reappear on Amazon's site; there even seems to be a matching offer for PS3 up now that also winks in and out. When the offer first went online, the 3 free hi-def DVD's could be picked from the entire catalog of HD-DVD and BluRay titles on Amazon; by the time I got to the checkout, the selection was more limited but there were still plenty of good titles. I got the confirmation email from Amazon; so I think I'm good.
Here's a link to the High Def Digest page with the article on the offers, which in turn links to the actual Amazon pages.
Well, hello all. Im back. School started so i needed to focus there...or so i thought...I have NO work at all so i am enjoying life a bit here. I have been playind World of Warcraft for a while (its actually alot of fun once you have a high level), but alas, it is now time for me to get back into my cozy, laid back casual (did i mention WoW was addicting) gaming corner and relax and enjoy other life and such. And thus, I need some bloody new games. So I am taking any and all reccomendations (us PC and 360 people seem to be sharing ALOT of games) for a game to buy. Here are some im thinking of.
Bioshock
Medieval 2: Total War+Expansion
Guild Wars+Expansion (though im a bit tired of fantasy)
Any other games that you reccomend (even if you dont know if they're for the PC) are accepted...so thanks and see you around.
Welcome back 0064; glad to hear school is going well. Of the games you mention, I have Bioshock (for the 360, naturally). It's a very good game, assuming you like first person shooters. The environment the game takes place in (a run-down underwater art deco city) is pretty novel and your weapons and plasmids (basically dna enhancements like lightning, fire, telekenesis that you can shoot from your hands) are lots of fun. It is strictly a single player game though, no multiplayer options whatsoever.
This might seem like an odd post, but does anyone suffer from having their eyes dry out while they play their video games. At times when I am playing I feel like my eyes are dryed open. Or maybe it is just my old eyes.
This might seem like an odd post, but does anyone suffer from having their eyes dry out while they play their video games. At times when I am playing I feel like my eyes are dryed open. Or maybe it is just my old eyes.
Happens to me all the time; I think it's because you focus so hard on the game that after a while you forget to blink. If I overdo it, my eyes start to burn really badly and I have to flush them out with cold water.
The trick for old geezers like us is to not overdo it, take frequent breaks, and experiment with the lighting in the room (I find a darker room contributes to the problem even more).
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Got all the games I ordered a few days ago. Gundam:Dynasty Warriors is a blast. I'm loving it. Is it simple? Yes. Is it repetitive? Yes. Is it awesomely fun? YES!
Started Dead Rising, too. Seems like it could be a fun game but the lack of save points means having to replay large sections. That is ANNOYING. Even so, I'm gonna try to have a lot of fun with it.
Haven't started Bioshock or Splinter Cell Chaos Theory yet, but I will soon.
I finished Bioshock today; overall it was a good game but I was a tad underwhelmed by the experience; I guess my expectations were too high after playing thru the amazing demo. I was expecting the underwater environment to play into the game a bit more but instead it rarely impacted on the gameplay. Also the game often reverted back to plain first person shooter action (fetch Item X and get from Point A to Point with the only real twist to the gameplay being the moral issue surrounding the little sisters (you'll know what that means when you play the game). The final boss encounter was pretty well done but the end of game cinematic lasts about 60 seconds and ended up being quite ... sentimental (again, you'll understand what I'm talking about after playing the game). I'll definitely have to play thru this again at some point to revisit some of the environments and there's a rumor that there will be some additional content released as well but now that I've finished it I feel oddly unfulfilled.
I'd grade this one a solid B. Very good but hardly the best FPS I've ever played.
I dont know if you know this Tony, but there are 3 endings based on your treatment of the little sister. 1 if your a jerk to them, one if your nice, and one for inbetween...I prefer the evil one myself.
As for the game, I too was underwhelmed, but I also had the chance to play The Darkness which I was majorly impressed by. The graphics AND the gameplay are first rate and if I had a console, id pick that game up in a heartbeat.
I dont know if you know this Tony, but there are 3 endings based on your treatment of the little sister. 1 if your a jerk to them, one if your nice, and one for inbetween...I prefer the evil one myself.
As for the game, I too was underwhelmed, but I also had the chance to play The Darkness which I was majorly impressed by. The graphics AND the gameplay are first rate and if I had a console, id pick that game up in a heartbeat.
I'd read there are alternate endings based on what you do with the sisters. While it may only be a game I couldn't bring myself to kill any of them so I don't know what the bad and so-so ending are.
I tried the demo to The Darkness and thought it was pretty good; there are just too many FPS shooters right now though and with Halo 3 and Area 51 right around the corner, The Darkness would only get lost in the shuffle. I'll probably pick it up when it drops to $20-$30. I'm working my way thru FEAR; I picked up the game a while ago (it was heavily discounted at Best Buy), got thru about a third of it, and then got sidetracked by Bioshock. The gunplay in FEAR is very good but the environments are really bland and boring; I hope I can maintain enough interest to get to the end. After that, I need to finish Resistance: Fall of Man for the PS3; that's another game which, while good, just can't seem to hold my attention for any length of time.
My Xbox 360 HD-DVD player arrived today along with my four free movies. After hooking everything up and tweaking the display I settled down to put it thru its paces.
King Kong was really the best looking movie of the bunch. The movie was digitally shot and translated really well to the high-def format. It didn't look particularly realistic but everything had a high sheen and there wasn't a hint of grain or artifacting.
Batman Begins and Forbidden Planet only looked moderately better than their standard def counterparts when played thru an upscaling player. You could definitely see more detail, especially in the background, the colors were a bit more vibrant, and the sound seemed to have more oomph; but the improvement was marginal at best. For movies shot on film, the extra resolution these players offer really does little to enhance the experience much; only a videophile with a really big hi-def set will see any difference.
The more I check out these hi-def formats, the more convinced I am that only all digital productions like Kong, 300, and the Pixar movies really benefit from the added resolution, even if the finished product doesn't always look all that realistic.
BTW, I also finished F.E.A.R. today; a pretty good game but in the end, nothing particularly memorable. I liked the stylish slo-mo action but it really felt out of place mixed in with the horror movie plot. In fact, the plot and ending were right out of one of those Japanese horror movies like Ringu (which really isn't my thing as it turns out). I'll probably trade it in for store credit and use that to pre-order the Halo 3 Limited Edition.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Hey guys,
just want to chime in about a few things.
Dynasty Warriors Gundam continues to be a blast for me. The repetition is oddly compelling.
Dead Rising will take a backseat. The lack of save points is unfair, and I don't want to have to replay half an hour worth of gaming. The story seems like it will be great, but I don't have the patience.
Haven't started Bioshock yet.
And due to a mixup with Gamestop, I received SC Double Agent for the Xbox instead of Chaos Theory. I complained, and they sent Chaos Theory too, so now I have both!
Comments
http://downloads.2kgames.com/bioshock/artbookhigh.zip
I've also read that Toys 'R Us has broken the street date and is already selling the game. I came across this coupon for 20% off any one item from their store; and it can be used for games as well. Just be aware that you can only click on the link to print the coupon once; after that it installs a cookie on your PC preventing you from printing it again. Just select "Delete temporary interent files" from your browser's menu and you can try again (or move the printer dialog box out of the way and copy the screen to the clipboard and then paste it into a program and print from there).
http://www9.toysrus.com/our/tru/prom/081207email/919392.cfm
Have tried downloading Bio Shock three times and have failed three time. I keep getting the error, unable to download at this time. I assume the server is overloaded.
With regard to the Forza 2 demo; be aware that you only get one track (Mugello) which is fun to drive but isn't the most attractive. Still, you'll get plenty of cars in different classes to try out. Remember that Forza is a sim so you really have to judge the corners carefully and use the brakes to navigate the courses. You can even turn on a preferred racing line for the entire track or just the turns to help you out. It's become one of my favorite games once I got into it.
Finally, by all means keep trying to get the Bioshock demo. The game's atmosphere and art style is very unique and original - it's about as close as a video game has come to art in my opinion - and deserves a look at the very least.
Congratulations Night; you are now officially a Halo fanboy. I hope you enjoy it; but tell me, what was it that made you go with the legendary edition?
The game will hopefully resolve the Covenant storyline but I seriously doubt this will be the last Halo game. Halo Wars is on its way - yes, it's an RTS but it still takes place in the Halo universe - and as long as the franchise makes money, Microsoft will continue to make games. I have a feeling we'll be seeing the Master Chief for a long time to come.
BTW #1, I picked up Bioshock yesterday and finally got to put in a couple of hours. I've only explored a few areas but I'm enjoying it quite a bit. The hacking minigame is used all over the place; in addition to hacking sentrys you can also hack vending machines and safes to get at special items. The game requires that you explore every nook and cranny to find special items. I also had my first run-in with a Big Daddy and that was pretty intense.
BTW #2, Paramount and Dreamworks recently announced that they will be supporting the HD-DVD standard exclusively (ie: no Paramount or Dreamworks BluRays) as such I'm seriously thinking about getting the HD-DVD add-on. I might take the plunge this weekend.
Still, I located my old Dreamcast yesterday and I've been having a great time on Sonic Adventure and Rayman 2
I still have mine also, as well as a dozen or so games for it. I played Sonic Adventure to death when it first came out; and I don't even want to think how many hours I put into Phantasy Star Online. There were a lot of fantastic games for that console: Virtua Tennis, Shenmue, Quake III: Arena, Spiderman, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. And that's just off the top of my head.
Sadly, when the PS2 was released it all but killed Sega's momentum and the company turned its back on it shortly thereafter.
IEU2D - Just set aside a couple bucks (Euros whatever) a day and before you know it you have enough. I have literally done that a few times and it works.
Went to Gamestop today and reserved my copy of Halo 3 Limited Edition. Returned a couple of games and received a $20.00 credit which I used for the hold payment.
Have been playing the Forza demo, having trouble keeping the car on the road. If I slow down I get run off the road. Also, been trying to finish Halo 2. The deeper I get into the game the more I like it. Both Halo games are the best shooter games I have ever played. Disclaimer - I haven't played a ton of shooters so my opinion may not be that valid.
Barry, here's a couple of things to may want to try (if you haven't already):
If you're getting rammed from behind then you're probably braking too soon. Turn on the option that shows the preferred line thru the corners; then let off the gas when the arrows are yellow or break when they are red. It's really important to hit the turns at just the right angle and speed and to feather the gas as you reach the apex of the turn to maximize your speed coming out.
Also, I initially raced with the slower Class C cars to get a feel for the game and gradually worked my way up to the faster models. The full game also lets you adjust the difficulty in career mode.
Just ordered Bioshock and Dead Rising for the 360, and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory for the Xbox. Can't wait for them to arrive!
BTW, I noticed that Lost Planet has dropped to $40; I'm tempted to get it but there are a ton of games out already and so many more on the way that I'm afraid it will just get lost in the shuffle.
Edit: Played one game. It is AWESOME.
What kinds of game modes does it have? I assume there's more to it that the standard deathmatch and CTD variants?
BTW, I picked up the Xbox 360 HD-DVD add-on from Amazon yesterday; they had a deal that was too good to pass up. The HD-DVD add-on (which includes King Kong), three free HD-DVD's from Amazon (I got Batman Begins, V for Vendetta and Forbidden Planet) and five free HD-DVD's thru a mail in offer all for $179.99. No taxes and free shipping too. Given what the movies would cost, the player itself ends up essentially being free.
It is only a Beta, so I only think it has free for all, team deathmatch, and CTF at the moment but retail will have more. Again, only played it once so I'm not sure. I'm dying to play it again but I can't right now.
And congrats on the HD DVD player! How long is the offer going?
Thanks Night; as to the offer, things are a bit strange as it seems to disappear and reappear on Amazon's site; there even seems to be a matching offer for PS3 up now that also winks in and out. When the offer first went online, the 3 free hi-def DVD's could be picked from the entire catalog of HD-DVD and BluRay titles on Amazon; by the time I got to the checkout, the selection was more limited but there were still plenty of good titles. I got the confirmation email from Amazon; so I think I'm good.
Here's a link to the High Def Digest page with the article on the offers, which in turn links to the actual Amazon pages.
http://www.highdefdigest.com/
Bioshock
Medieval 2: Total War+Expansion
Guild Wars+Expansion (though im a bit tired of fantasy)
Any other games that you reccomend (even if you dont know if they're for the PC) are accepted...so thanks and see you around.
Happens to me all the time; I think it's because you focus so hard on the game that after a while you forget to blink. If I overdo it, my eyes start to burn really badly and I have to flush them out with cold water.
The trick for old geezers like us is to not overdo it, take frequent breaks, and experiment with the lighting in the room (I find a darker room contributes to the problem even more).
Started Dead Rising, too. Seems like it could be a fun game but the lack of save points means having to replay large sections. That is ANNOYING. Even so, I'm gonna try to have a lot of fun with it.
Haven't started Bioshock or Splinter Cell Chaos Theory yet, but I will soon.
I'd grade this one a solid B. Very good but hardly the best FPS I've ever played.
As for the game, I too was underwhelmed, but I also had the chance to play The Darkness which I was majorly impressed by. The graphics AND the gameplay are first rate and if I had a console, id pick that game up in a heartbeat.
I'd read there are alternate endings based on what you do with the sisters. While it may only be a game I couldn't bring myself to kill any of them so I don't know what the bad and so-so ending are.
I tried the demo to The Darkness and thought it was pretty good; there are just too many FPS shooters right now though and with Halo 3 and Area 51 right around the corner, The Darkness would only get lost in the shuffle. I'll probably pick it up when it drops to $20-$30. I'm working my way thru FEAR; I picked up the game a while ago (it was heavily discounted at Best Buy), got thru about a third of it, and then got sidetracked by Bioshock. The gunplay in FEAR is very good but the environments are really bland and boring; I hope I can maintain enough interest to get to the end. After that, I need to finish Resistance: Fall of Man for the PS3; that's another game which, while good, just can't seem to hold my attention for any length of time.
King Kong was really the best looking movie of the bunch. The movie was digitally shot and translated really well to the high-def format. It didn't look particularly realistic but everything had a high sheen and there wasn't a hint of grain or artifacting.
Batman Begins and Forbidden Planet only looked moderately better than their standard def counterparts when played thru an upscaling player. You could definitely see more detail, especially in the background, the colors were a bit more vibrant, and the sound seemed to have more oomph; but the improvement was marginal at best. For movies shot on film, the extra resolution these players offer really does little to enhance the experience much; only a videophile with a really big hi-def set will see any difference.
The more I check out these hi-def formats, the more convinced I am that only all digital productions like Kong, 300, and the Pixar movies really benefit from the added resolution, even if the finished product doesn't always look all that realistic.
BTW, I also finished F.E.A.R. today; a pretty good game but in the end, nothing particularly memorable. I liked the stylish slo-mo action but it really felt out of place mixed in with the horror movie plot. In fact, the plot and ending were right out of one of those Japanese horror movies like Ringu (which really isn't my thing as it turns out). I'll probably trade it in for store credit and use that to pre-order the Halo 3 Limited Edition.
just want to chime in about a few things.
Dynasty Warriors Gundam continues to be a blast for me. The repetition is oddly compelling.
Dead Rising will take a backseat. The lack of save points is unfair, and I don't want to have to replay half an hour worth of gaming. The story seems like it will be great, but I don't have the patience.
Haven't started Bioshock yet.
And due to a mixup with Gamestop, I received SC Double Agent for the Xbox instead of Chaos Theory. I complained, and they sent Chaos Theory too, so now I have both!