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Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

It’s been a while since my last post mainly due to laziness but with a little bit of computer trouble aiding my lack of updates.  My laptop doesn’t like Windows XP & my Vista disc is scratched beyond all repair so the Ubuntu 10.4 disc I made for a nerdy/rainy day made the cut.  Starcraft II released shortly before the great hard drive failure so I played it on Windows for a while & fed my addiction for the game.  I wasn’t about to give up on playing so I set forth on getting Starcraft II to work on my new operation system & here is a little tutorial on how I got it to play:

Cedega is dead for the most part & Crossover Games costs money so I gave Wine & PlayOnLinux/Wine a try.  I’ll provide the way to install the game simply using Wine a try first:

How to Run Starcraft II With Wine 1.2

1. Download & Install Wine 1.2 (In my case I use Ubuntu w/ installation via Synaptic Package Manager)
2. Open a command line / terminal window & type the commands listed below
3. cd ~/Downloads
4. wget http://winezeug.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/winetricks
5. chmod +x winetricks
6. ./winetricks droid fontfix fontsmooth-rgb gdiplus gecko
7. ./winetricks vcrun2008 vcrun2005 allfonts d3dx9 win7
8. winecfg

The winecfg command will open the Wine configuration.  You will notice tabs along the top with one titled Libraries.  The Libraries tab will list a war load of libraries.  What we went to do is add mmdevapi to the overrides then edit/disable it.  After mmdevapi is added & disabled click on the audio tab and choose Alsa.

With any luck at this point you should be able to play Starcraft II on Linux.

How to Run Starcraft 2 With PlayOnLinux

PlayOnLinux is the easiest option since it will automate the process of installing SC2 via Wine (for the most part).  Use these steps to get the game up and running:

1. Download PlayOnLinux for your specific Linux distribution (If you use Ubuntu download the newest version via the official website to get the newest version)
2. Click on install & select Starcraft II from the Games menu
3. Go through the step by step process (note if you install from the DVD it will take a long time for PlayOnLinux to copy the files from the disc, don’t be alarmed)
4. When the game is installed select it & click on “configure this application” from the menu.  You’ll want to choose “configure wine” and add then disable mmdevapi in the libraries tab like we did with the Wine howto.
5. Play SC2 – Wings of Liberty (hopefully)

Potential solutions for FPS issues:

Starcraft II will likely run slower on Linux than Windows for various reason but you might be able to compensate using these methods:

• Disable Compiz (Using Ubuntu/Wine – System > Preferences > Appearance > Visual Effects > None)
• Upgrade your Nvidia drivers, https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/x-updates
• Try lowering your in game graphical settings to compensate

If you have any issues or suggestions please add a comment

Popularity: 24% [?]

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Download Portal for FREE!

Portal is in fact free! Unbelievable right? Nope.  I’ll keep this brief.  PC users AND Mac fanboys can download Portal at no cost until May 24th.  Where can I send it over the series of tubes to my computer? Take a look at this webpage to download Portal for free.

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Vampire Hunter D!

Popular Manga Comic Heads to the PSP

Digital comics may not enjoy the popularity of their print counterparts but the format is gaining ground. Since its birth in 1985 with the release of Shatter, the medium has been relatively slow to develop. The growth in design software and the Internet have fueled both the format and the increase in the fan base over the last few years.

In a recent news report it was revealed that IDW Publishing and Digital Manga have partnered to give the popular character Vampire Hunter D screen time on Sony’s PSP. This move is meant to be a launch for follow up digital manga releases. IDW’s Jeff Webber was quoted as saying, “We’re very excited to release the very first digital manga on the PSP and to kick off our partnership with Digital Manga.”

No doubt fans of the comic series and PSP owners are excited as well. Vampire Hunter D was first introduced in 1983 and the title was first translated to English in 2005. It has also enjoyed incarnations in two animated films and an animated series. Sony has also tackled the character before in an eponymous PlayStation game which is still one of the few such games to center on vampires. This game was released in December, 1999.

The title combines elements of Westerns and standard horror mythos and is set in a post-nuclear future. A vampire clan called the Nobility comes to power after this cataclysmic event and set about recreating the world to their liking. Enter Vampire Hunter D, who, not surprisingly is half human, half vampire. He is only one of a number of vampire hunters and half-breeds. Feared and disliked by both humans and vampires alike, he uses his physical prowess as well as his knowledge of magic for the hunt.

Sony launched its PSP digital comic’s service in 2009. With an Internet connection, users can browse the online PlayStation store and choose titles from different publishers. For those who haven’t found it yet, check the ‘extras’ section in your PSP menu.

Since its introduction the Vampire Hunter D title has built a steady following not only in Japan but also in the U.S. Now PSP fans can get caught up on the 20 novels published by author Hideyuki Kikuchi. Sony couldn’t have picked a better title to lead its manga charge. The first chapter has already hit #1 in the U.S. According to the publishers a new chapter will be rolled out every week for the next six weeks.

Fans can join in the hunt for only $1.99 at the PlayStation store.  So who stands to benefit the most from the move, Sony, the publishers, PSP and digital comic fans? Probably all of the above.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Earlier in this week, a bug in EA’s billing system for Warhammer Online decided to siphon a large amount of money from many of their subscribers, some accounts being hit for up to $2000 in additional fees straight from their bank account. Upon discovering their empty bank accounts with large overdraft fees, a swarm of players have went to the to their forums to vent their rage and fury.

Some people were left truly hurt besides money, with credit scores and loss of insurance added to the mix as well as apparently no real effort by Mythic to resolve the problem in a timely manner is angering the population of Warhammer Online.

One quote on the forums of Warhammer Online was a man who’s daughter’s birthday was ruined by this event..

also what do i tell my daughter since it is her bday? I had x amount of dollars aside for her party but due to your billing my account after i paid my monthly bills and had 500 paid for taxes yesterday there is nothing left in

pickles account.

what do i tell her?”

This event is truly tragic to all those affected, and I personally offer my sincere condolences. However I feel sorry to say that this may break an interesting MMORPG as well as Mythic might not be able to earn it’s customers trust back.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Sexy.

I’m not sure how many of you have already heard about this madness, but I’m about to share with you something that makes me slightly ill. What you see before you is a gaming set up for ONE person, who with the help of several programs runs 36 World of Warcraft accounts simultaneously. The owner of this menagerie of obsession went out and purchased each account a copy of Wrath of the Lich King upon release date. Why do all of this? What could possess anyone to spend over $5500 a year in subscription fees and $1500 per expansion?

One man raid guild

Apparently, said owner of the accounts doesn’t want to depend on other people for raids. Finding other people unreliable for such wonderful events such as raiding Stormwind for a few hours to teach those “NoobAlliance” what true skill actually is. So he sends all 36 of his “minions” to drop the bomb upon the Alliance. I’m going to end this article with a quote from the owner of all this obsessed madness due to becoming ill. Enjoy.

A lot have asked me, why create so many? The main reason is to invade Stormwind and Ironforge when they reach top level. I’m sure the Alliance will put up a big fight when that happens. We’ll see how it goes. If they don’t make level 70 before Wrath of the LichKing, then it will be at level 80. That is my main goal. That will probably happen after I’ve got some PvP gear from the battlegrounds. I’m also planning to do some 25 and 10 man raid instances but that is secondary to my PvP goal. Of course I’ll be doing arenas too to build up PvP gear but I’m not expecting to do that great there because I’m way behind in gear right now. I need to get to level 70 first, then level 80 and by then I will probably have all green gear while most others have been doing the battlegrounds and arenas.

It costs me exactly $5711 in subscription costs per year with 36 accounts on the 6 month pay schedule. Not bad considering I’m looking at it like it’s a hobby and there are more expensive hobbies out there than World of Warcraft.

32 of my shaman are level 61. One shaman that I had before I started the 32 is at level 70 along with 8 other level 70 classes that I had. My mage, priest and druid are in the center of the circle of shaman in the pictures but they are kind of hard to see. I’ve also got some mages and priests that I’m currently working on that are level 23. Once they are at level 31.9, I will stop working on them, get 16 of them to level 60 with the recruit-a-friend bonus levels and work on the shaman again.

When Wrath of the Lich King is released, I plan to be at the store when it opens and will purchase 36 copies of it. With tax, it should be about $1500 for all of them. Then the shaman are on their way to level 80 along with the priest, druid and mage.

By the way, I have 9 level 80 shaman created on the Murmur PvPrealm in the Wrath of the Lich King beta. I mainly tried it out to see how well my computers would work as they are. With the exception of one my desktop computers, I should be fine with the hardware that I have.

I use 3 addons in the game. CT_MapMod is used to give me locations for quests, etc. ClassIcons is another addon that I use to show the class of the target. It helps for PvP encounters. Then the last addon I use is SSPVP2 which is excellent for displaying timers and other things while in the battlegrounds.

For my keys to send to all instances of WoW on my 11 computers, I use Octopus 1.3.2. Maximizer in Octopus allows me to start up allWoW instances at the same time or any individual instance such as if a WoW instance has crashed. It also allows me to shutdown all of the computers at the same time.

Popularity: 7% [?]

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S4 League

S4 League ( The name stands for Stylish, eSper, Shooting, and Sports) is quite unique among the many Free 2 Play MMO’s out there. While many are simply World of Warcraft clones with a few innovations and twists, S4 finds it’s very own niche in the market and delivers an ultimately interesting product. However there are several issues that plague this game from truly shining.

S4 League is a 3rd person MMO shooter with RPG elements splashed in. The graphics look like someone took the Quake III engine and used cel-shading to produce a very fluid anime-ish feel to the game. The effects themselves are quite impressive when engaging in melee combat that’s actually done right , a rarity in any shooter. To even further the very anime atmosphere is the movement and controls that let you do some rather outrageous maneuvers, such as wall jumping off a building and slicing at people in a very Ninja Gaiden inspired move…minus the blood. The soundtrack is rather catchy, though limited in the amount of songs. Add in a pair of pistols, a rifle, minigun, plasma “sniper” rifle, grenade launcher, a few melee weapons, and various movement abilities such as wings, a “hook shot” and you have a decent game, right?

Then we get to the negative aspects of the game. For one customization is severely limited. You can purchase clothing later on with the money you make during matches, however even then there isn’t much there. Also since the game’s servers are in Europe you can expect to lag quite a bit. If even one character lags in the game it effectively ruins it for everyone as they become godlike in power. There are only a small handful of maps and two game modes (Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag), so expect to only play in small doses before getting tired of the lack of variety.

Despite all it’s flaws though, S4 League is quite fun to play. The game is completely free to play, though you can purchase other items using real cash, even items that give you an edge over other players. So if you’re looking for a very fast paced shooter with some very entertaining melee mechanics, an upbeat soundtrack, or just enjoy anything anime related give it a try!

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Camo PSP...woo

A couple of weeks ago we commented on the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Camo PSP pack. However, Sony’s love for money doesn’t end there! Also, launching on June 8th with the MGS: Peace Walker PSP pack is the limited edition “Big Boss” pack.  The pack comes with the Camouflage PSP 3000 system, MGS: Peace Walker game, a voucher for DLC content for the title,  4gb memory stick & a carrying case.  Unfortunately, the pack is exclusive to Gametop.

On a related note, in a former life I worked at a chain game retailer toiling away for minimum wage but one thing I was able to catch a glimpse at was the invoice for console & handheld systems.  The retailers only make roughly 25 cents USD on these so packs are a way to squeeze out an extra $10 or so.  Maybe this is Sony throwing retailers a bone? Yaknow?

According to the official Playstation 3 / Sony Blog:

“METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER is amongst the first of several premiere PSP titles from both first and third-party publishers coming in 2010. Don’t forget — make sure you mark your calendars for June 8, when the stand alone METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER game on UMD, METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER PSP Entertainment Pack and “Big Boss” Pack will each be available.”

If you’re optimistic I suppose that means we will see a warload of sequels to other beloved game franchises this year.

What are your thoughts?

Popularity: 3% [?]

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FREE YOU SAY?!

If you’ve been interested in buying COD: Modern Warfare 2 now is the opportunity of a lifetime to give it a try.  Steam has the game available for $50.99 instead of $59.99 (15% off) this weekend and/or the ability to  play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for free! Don’t wait though the deal ends on Monday at 10 AM PDT.

COD:MW2 is one of the most popular FPS titles of the year & the sequel to the best selling first person shooter of all time.  Of course the combat is set in modern times with you, the player, starting out as a Ranger in Afghanistan then onto other roles such as a CIA operative. This is only for the campaign though with the multiplayer being less story & more raw combat.

Anyway, if you liked the first modern warfare game or just want to try out this title for free, here is your chance!

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Blizzard has recently announced that they will be giving small previews of the upcoming class changes in it’s latest expansion Cataclysm. The preview will give a glimpse at the various spells from 81-85, the new passive mastery bonuses, talent changes, and some additional spells for lower level characters. On the official World of Warcraft forums, Bashiok said..

Beginning Wednesday, April 7 we will begin releasing class previews containing an overview of some of the changes currently being planned for each of the 10 World of Warcraft classes. The type of information you can expect from these posts are a list of the new spells from 80-85, the new passive mastery bonuses for all talent trees, a brief outline of some of the talent changes we’re currently planning, and in some cases new low level spells for select classes.
These changes will by no means be comprehensive, and are subject to change between now and the launch of the expansion. It’s also important to understand that some classes are currently further along in the development process than others, and as a result the amount of information will vary from class to class. Please do not let this frustrate you should your class be amongst those which are on the “lighter” side of things, as all classes will receive the same level of design attention before the expansion is released. Additionally we’ll be providing more information for all classes, especially as we move into the beta phase.

Below is the schedule for each class:

Shaman – April 7
Priest – April 7
Warlock – April 7

Warrior – April 8
Death Knight – April 8
Rogue – April 8

Hunter – April 9
Druid – April 9
Mage – April 9

Paladin – April 16*

These posts are being coordinated internationally so they’ll be posted at different times throughout the day and night on the given dates to give players around the world the ability to see posts made at a convenient time. This thread will be updated with links directly to each class preview as they’re posted.

*The paladin is still deep in development. Instead of giving a preview that would be potentially less comprehensive than the other classes we made the decision to post it when it’s ready, in order to properly honor the paladin class and those that play them. The wait isn’t too long however as we’re expecting to be able to post it on April 16th.

Popularity: 3% [?]

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Datel Wildfire

Microsoft isn’t about to play dead and allow anyone to take over their turf, so to speak. The latest internet news sources are reporting that the computer giant is suing UK-based company, Datel Design and Development Limited. Microsoft claims that Datel, a well-known maker of video game accessories has copied their XBox 360 controllers without permission.

According to the suit which was filed in the Western District of Washington, Seattle, on Thursday, April 1, 2010, Microsoft claims that their patents for the controllers were infringed upon. Microsoft states that the Datel controllers made for the XBox, namely, the TurboFire and Wildfire were almost replicas of their own controllers. The controllers are sold for $30 and $50 respectively.

Various news networks are reporting that as many as six patents are involved. These are: D521,015, D522,011, D547,763, D581,422, D563,480, and D565,668. Microsoft is reportedly seeking civil damages, royalties and profits resulting from the sale of the the TurboFire and Wildfire controllers. They are also asking that an injunction be placed on any further sale of the video game controllers.

There have yet been no formal comments from Datel Design and Development Limited or its US unit regarding the patent infringement lawsuit to date.

Popularity: 1% [?]