- Part 4

funk

I have been involved in both computers and video games since a very young age, cutting my teeth (literally) on an Apple IIe and an Intellivision. I've been writing about both for fun, off and on throughout the years, which eventually led me here -- still playing games and casually writing about them off an on. Follow @dab784

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PSN freebies live

Console Gaming No Responses »

Jun 032011

Finally you can redeem your consolation prizes for being a victim of Sony’s security gaffes. You get 2 games out of a list of 5, our details on that are still here. Also, you get 30 days of Playstation Plus. What does that do for you? It allows you to enable automatic downloads of patches to games and firmware, gets you discounts on certain titles on the PS Store, access to some demos and trials not available to regular users, and even entitles you to some free games that you only keep as long as you’re a Plus member. The free 30 days has no strings attached, doesn’t auto-renew and won’t automagically bill you next month. Current Playstation Plus benefits are here.

Lastly, this weekend, PSN has some complimentary movie titles available for rent. They don’t list out what movies are available, but it is safe to expect stuff from Sony pictures. All they tell us is “A selection of “On Us” movie rentals are currently available to PlayStation Network customers this weekend only, where Video Service is available.” So if you’re in the mood for a movie this weekend, log in and see what’s on the house.

Use Ninite to install/update commonly used Windows apps

Technology News No Responses »

Jun 032011

I had discovered, then forgotten about and then recently re-discovered an awesome Windows utility called “Ninite.” Ninite is a great program that automatically downloads and installs (and updates!) some of the most common Windows programs you’ll use. The list of programs it will handle for you is impressive, and is constantly growing by requests. Web browsers like Chrome and Firefox are on there, CD burning utils, free antivirus options, image editors like the Gimp and Paint.net, developer tools and so much more. Check out the full list on the Ninite website. You choose the programs you want by checking them off, then it will download a custom installer that works on autopilot. Keep in mind the screenshot to the right is just a small subset of all the programs it supports.

So why is it so awesome? It’s not just a simple mass-installer. It makes a few smart decisions for you. First off, it automatically says no to toolbars and other crapware some programs try to bundle. Second, it chooses the appropriate version of a program for you based on if you are running a 64bit or 32bit OS where applicable. Lastly, it will update all the update existing programs to their newest version. So not only is it great for setting up a new PC, but it’s great for mass updating those programs, something that’s not easy to do manually. Save your custom installer file and re-run it when you want it to check for updates, or create a new installer to maybe add some more apps and it will automatically check any old ones for updates. Yes, it even updates those programs installed without Ninite. The only downside, as far as I can see is that it doesn’t let you choose a custom install location, it puts all the applications in their default locations. For most people that won’t be an issue, but something to note for those who like to install stuff in odd locations.

If all this sounds great to you, check it out at ninite.com. Windows is the main platform, although they have a beta Linux version but sadly, no Mac version. Also available is a “Pro” version for enterprise management.

CoD: Black Ops free weekend

PC Gaming 2 Responses »

Jun 022011

Putting away our CoD Subscription snark for a moment, you may want to know that through Steam, a free to play, no strings attached weekend for Black Ops is available. Simply go to this page here, install CoD Black Ops, and play your heart out until Sunday, 1PM PDT. The multiplayer in Black Ops is entertaining for at least a weekend, so it’s not a bad idea if you want to check out the latest CoD.

While we’re chatting about CoD again, you can also sign up for free beta access subscription of CoD Elite here. The good news for diehard CoD fans is the Elite subscription doesn’t take away anything you are used to getting for free (like multiplayer), it only adds new services, eventually for a price. What I find interesting is that they took this long to tap into extra services for CoD, right around the time I’m hearing from many friends and gaming sources that people are starting to get tired of the recycled CoD formula year after year. Had they unveiled Elite even one year ago, it probably would be a larger success than it could be now, as CoD seems to be approaching the downward side of its popularity arc.

PlayStation Store online

Console Gaming No Responses »

Jun 022011

The PlayStation Store finally came back online late last night / early this morning. Predictably, the service is getting hammered right now, so expect it to be slow and/or get random timeouts and obscure error messages as everyone scrambles to download stuff. If you’re looking for the free stuff, it’s not up there quite yet, although they expect to post it up real “soon.” For a reminder of the free games available to North American customers, check out our recap here with links to reviews and more info about each.

So now that the store is back up, what’s new to download? Basically a ton of stuff, as Sony tries to catch up on the backlog of items publishers haven’t been able to sell for the past month and a half. The list is way too long to detail here, so check out the full post on the PS blog.

A few suggestions would be:

Back to the Future episode 3 (now almost 2 episodes behind the PC/Mac version).
Redeem your L.A. Noire PS3 exclusive case and check out the Rockstar Pass for future DLC.
I will be definitely downloading the inFamous 2 demo, since I was a fan of the first one.
Any other code pack-ins from games you recently bought but haven’t been able to redeem.

I’d say skip the Red Faction Armageddon demo if you were a fan of Guerrilla. After trying the demo on the 360, it seems they took out everything that was fun about the last game and left us with a linear corridor shooter for Armageddon. Boo!

Expect a couple of store updates a week until Sony completely catches up on their backlog. While quick updates are necessary to get everything back on track, it has to hurt the developers who now have their new releases buried in a pile of other content coming out at the same time. Hopefully Sony will have appropriate compensation for those who make a living on the PS Store.

Brink free DLC info

Console Gaming, PC Gaming 1 Response »

May 312011

Coming sometime in June, Brink will be getting its first batch of DLC, which will be free on all platforms. The update, called “Agents of Change” will offer two new maps, new abilities, attachments and outfits. Also, online stat tracking is going online for the PS3 and 360, with the PC version “coming soon.” Lastly, you’ll probably be happy to know that they are raising the level cap to 24.

Here are the details:

New Maps

Founders’ Tower – The revolution finally reaches the island’s iconic spire and takes the battle for the Ark to dizzying heights.
Labs – Venture into the depths of the Ark’s original research and development laboratories, a submerged high-tech facility so far untouched by the civil war.

New Player Abilities

UAV – This stealthy and lethal device allows Operatives to automatically mark nearby enemies on their radar. For more explosive fun, they can even take direct control of the UAV and detonate it near unsuspecting foes.
Napalm Grenade – Soldiers can use this new grenade to cover an area in a sea of deadly flames.
Pyro Mine – Engineers can plant these mines and leave enemies in the epicenter of a massive napalm explosion.
Field Regen Unit – Medics can deploy these units to increase the health regeneration of any nearby teammates.
Tactical Scanner – This universal ability allows players to reveal the active buffs of their opponents, allowing them to pick off enemies more strategically.

New Weapon Attachments

Bayonets – Gain the edge in melee combat and cause extra damage with these deadly blades.
Weapon Shields – Take cover from enemy fire and prevent headshot bonus damage behind riot-style shields.

New Character Outfits

The Sad Punk – Add a touch of Steampunk to your Resistance character.
The Limey – Bring order to the Ark with this outfit inspired by traditional European police.

More at the Bethesda Blog

Call of Duty Subscriptions!

Console Gaming, PC Gaming No Responses »

May 312011

Ok, so my exclamation point in the title is totally sarcastic, I’m sorry. It’s been rumored coming for a long time, and now it’s been unveiled. The monthly subscription will give you access to extra content like map packs, as well as opening up social features, kind of like a CoD Facebook where you can post gameplay videos and track stats with your friends. The WSJ oddly got the exclusive for the story which tells me that this is more about Activision showing off to investors than gamers. WSJ is guessing that it’ll be somewhere around an $8 per month fee on top of the $60 price tag of each installment of CoD.

What worries me is the precedent this sets for other high profile games. It was right around the time Modern Warfare 2 came out that we started seeing the $60 MSRP for PC versions of games (up $10 from the traditional $50), so is this the start of a “PlayStation Plus” type model coming to big budget titles or just a one off money grab by Activision, wringing every last dollar out of over-eager fans? Either way, the CoD series has been way over done for me, so I’ll be sitting out the next installments of the franchise along with any additional subscriptions.

EA Games iOS Sale

Gaming Deals No Responses »

May 272011

EA has had great success with various sales on the Apple App Store, so it’s no surprise they’re doing another one over the Memorial Day holiday. Dead Space for the iPad is very well done and both the iPhone and iPad versions were recently updated with a new survival mode along other new content. Many of these games have free “lite” versions that you can try out before you buy. Also not EA related, but the ever popular Infinity Blade is still half off at $2.99 and features new multiplayer modes. That app is universal and is almost worth checking out for the graphics alone.

Here’s some of the highlights of EA’s latest sale:

iPad:

iPhone:

There’s definitely a bunch more I’m missing that might be slightly less appealing deals, so be sure to browse the EA section of the app store if you’ve been holding out for a sale on a specific title.

Sony starts sign ups for identity protection

Console Gaming No Responses »

May 262011

Sony took a break from being hacked on various fronts to announce that you can start to sign up for your year free identity protection/credit monitoring service. I can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t do this, so you might as well head over to this page here, and put in your PSN email address. After doing so, they claim you’ll receive an activation code and instructions within 72 hours. Do it. It’s a great opportunity to check out your credit even if you’re not worried about Sony’s lack of security. You’ll need to take action before the end of June, so don’t put it off.

Gamefly buys D2D, officially

PC Gaming 1 Response »

May 252011

To update our previous post, it’s now officially official. What does this mean for D2D customers today? Not much. Gamefly was looking to get into the PC gaming business and add to their portfolio. Those of you who have hopes of eventually seeing PC game rentals, stay tuned as that could be a real possibility. In a quote to their own Shacknews, Gamefly CEO Dave Hodess said “we know that consumers are interested in PC game rentals, so we will investigate this idea thoroughly.” I’m assuming that they will be looking at digital rentals, with DRM in place to limit the time and usage of PC games. Obviously, pricing is the wildcard, but priced right, it could be a worthwhile business. Would you be interested in renting PC games? Might not be bad to rent the latest CoD installment or any other 4-5 hour linear single player game that’s not worth owning for the rest of your life, which is the case with PC games today.

PSN partially down for maintenance, no PlayStation Store (Update2: yet more hacks)

Console Gaming No Responses »

May 242011

Sony alerted users on their blog that PSN will be partially down for maintenance for the bulk of the day. They claim the impact will be minimal and chances are you won’t notice it. They also took the time to mention that the PS Store won’t be coming back online today, but reiterate they are still on target for “the end of this month.” While I’m sure there are a lot of people who will boycott the store in light of Sony’s lack of focus on security, the store also is the gatekeeper for code pack-ins in new games and also for downloading content users have already bought.

Of course, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing since PSN was partially restored. A loophole was found (and subsequently fixed) that allowed unauthorized password resetting, a Thai Sony site was infected and taken over by a phishing scam, a SQL injection attack compromised a Greek Sony music site, exposing more customer data all while the CEO called the whole thing a “hiccup in the road to a network future.” We’re still trying to figure out what that means, but do appreciate his dismissive attitude towards his company’s continued failures which have left their customers exposed.

UPDATE: Another Sony music site, this one in Japan has fell victim to yet another SQL injection attack. Yes, Sony is on quite the roll these days. Also, I was remiss not to mention that PSN is still down in Japan, as they need to answer more questions and meet more guidelines before the Japanese government will allow them to go back online in their home country. Is it clear that Sony simply can’t be trusted with your data or do they just have a huge target on them right now? While it’s obvious they’re a popular target as of late, that doesn’t excuse them from constantly failing. SQL injection attacks aren’t anything new.

UPDATE #2: Yes, this keeps getting more ridiculous. Another site, this time the Sony Ericsson Canadian site has been compromised, just like the others, with more customer data stolen. You just can’t make this stuff up. Should Sony just uninstall the internet?

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