Thursday, October 30, 2008

Xtreme-G 178.26 Video Card Benchmark Test

Video Card Benchmark Test



The people at Tweakforce have once again made another version of their Nvidia-based tweaked drivers. Xtreme-G 178.26 brings nothing new (my video card benchmark tests showed numbers that are at par with 178.15) but as always with new versions of Xtreme-G Nvidia video drivers, this one does produce better image quality than its predecessors.

Please take note that this is an Nvidia Quadro driver.

The video card benchmark test results of the Xtreme-G 178.26 Nvidia-based tweaked driver HERE.

Taking a shotgun blast at this range is not pretty.

Don't you just love having a 12-gauge VK-12 Combat Shotgun and super-fast reflexes? With SloMo, you can take out the second guy with another round as his squad mate is still crumpling to the ground.


>>>Click here to read more...

I Finished F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate at Extreme Difficulty Without Using SloMo

Perseus Mandate



SPOILER SCREENSHOTS!!














I don't know if anyone has let the implications of one of my videos sink in (SPOILER VID HERE), but yep, I beat Perseus Mandate at Extreme Difficulty without using the game's SloMo (bullet time) feature.

Turrets? Check. Lots of weapons and health lying around? Check. Orange-tinged level? Check. I don't know about you, but this whole level is a spitting image of THIS.


>>>Click here to read more...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Nvidia GeForce 178.24 WHQL Video Card Benchmark Test...

Video Card Benchmark Test



I shoved Nvidia's GeForce 178.24 into my gauntlet of video card benchmark tests and it just shrugged off the trials like a golem wading through an army of gnomes.

Unprecedented IQ and good numbers --- Nvidia nails it again with this one.

See the results HERE.


>>>Click here to read more...

F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate - Last Firefight

Perseus Mandate



Extreme Difficulty. No SloMo (I accidentally pushed the button somewhere at the last part though. :P). SPOILER!!!


No Armacham Replica soldiers were left alive in the making of this video.


>>>Click here to read more...

Saturday, October 25, 2008

F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate - Boss Battle (Nightcrawler Commander)

Perseus Mandate



Here's a video of me taking on the Nightcrawler Commander at Extreme Difficulty without using SloMo (It's dark at first but the Commander soon turns on the lights.) :



GameCam does eat up system resources so the frames are terrible. I had fun spraying lead though. >)_)


>>>Click here to read more...

Friday, October 24, 2008

GameSpy's Fallout 3: The Art of Writing

GameSpy has released an article about the how the story of Fallout 3 was woven by the game's designers.

Writing. Yummy.

This should prove to be an interesting read. For now... work. :P


>>>Click here to read more...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Gigabyte EP45T-DS3R and ECS GF9300TA Review Articles

I've been curious these past days about what cost-effective motherboards are out there so I decided to surf for P45 motherboards again. I hit paydirt:

HotHardware.com's review of the Gigabyte EP45T-DS3R


This is the cheapest P45 motherboard that I've found so far that offers DDR3 support. HotHardware even gave it a "Recommended" award. It also features Crossfire support (which is a major bummer to me, since I prefer Nvidia cards).


I've also found an Nvidia-based motherboard, the ECS GF9300TA.


Guru3d.com's review of the ECS GF9300TA


While it doesn't support DDR3 since "the motherboard has only DDR2 sockets" according to


HardwareSecrets.com's review of the ECS GF9300T-A
,


it does have a built-in video solution in the form of the GF9300 mGPU. While this may not seem to be something to write home about, you can enhance your PC's gaming performance by using an add-on video card while using the integrated one as a PhysX processor. Now that's awesome!



>>>Click here to read more...

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Update: K-Lite Codec Pack Full

K-Lite Codec Pack Full



Free-codecs has version 4.2.5 of the K-Lite Codec Pack full. Details HERE. I'll install this new version tomorrow and see if it fares better than its predecessor.

I wonder how Men of Valor will sound now. All those "F$$$$ you G.I.!!"s will sound more convincing lol!


>>>Click here to read more...

Monday, October 20, 2008

Veruca Salt's Loneliness is Worse

This LINK contains Veruca Salt and Placebo playlists.


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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Nvidia GeForce 178.15 Video Card Benchmark Test

Video Card Benchmark Test



I've done some video card benchmark tests using the leaked Nvidia GeForce 178.15 video driver a few days ago. The results HERE.

When you're playing any of the F.E.A.R. games at Extreme Difficulty without using SloMo, you'd want to squeeze every armor point you can get. That means not picking up armor vests when you still have 74 points left. This "item trap" is annoying; to get to the Alienware laptop, I had to jump on the chair.


>>>Click here to read more...

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Food for Thought

When a friend reaches out and gives you a torch with which to light the darkness but refuses to accompany you on your journey because of rules and commitments, should you feel sad? No. Let the torch give you strength; always go forward and from time to time, look at the light and remember. Remember and be glad that someone cared immensely to give you it.

I have faith in you.

Godspeed.



I now walk in the light with my partner but I have not thrown away the torches people gave me. To these people, my thanks.

MaPaJovieMs.FloresHanzelJonasRubyJuvelynCarlotaMajallaMelodyMichaelMKRichard...
...FermandyStevenPatrickShantaBrentLolaNeneArwatMaeTatayObetDonnaAndreaAuntiEden
....UncleMaggiNanayPepeMrsPanalScottJBGiovanniEJTontonLolaEldaKuyaPeterAnnabelle....

...and legions more. Thank you.


>>>Click here to read more...

Nvidia 178.15 Leaked Driver (Guru3d)

Video Card Benchmark Test

(A word of warning about this driver: right after I installed it, my PC did nothing. I found it strange as there should have been a prompt that should have asked me if I wanted to restart my PC. None appeared. I had to restart the PC the old-fashioned way. Also it's a LEAKED BETA. Install at your own risk.)

I installed the Nvidia 178.15 leaked driver (for Windows XP 32-bit) I got from Guru3d and while it's nothing spectacular, I do notice a bumped-up image quality that is more pronounced whenever I do a video card benchmark test with Lightsmark. I'll post the video card benchmark tests tomorrow.

Over the course of two months, my PC's performance has improved gradually what with the slew of video card drivers that Nvidia has been churning out. I can now play F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate with minimal stutter at higher graphics settings.

It's still 640 res but what the hell, the game's still a looker:


>>>Click here to read more...

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Nvidia GeForce 178.15 (Beta) and Nvidia GeForce 178.24 WHQL

Video Card Benchmark Test



Nvidia GeForce 178.15 (Beta) and Nvidia GeForce 178.24 WHQL have been released. Exciting times lol!

But I'm stuck with work.

And I'm going to go reef snorkelling again this Sunday.

Oh well, one can't have everything.

I'll probably do some video card benchmark tests this Sunday night.


>>>Click here to read more...

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Vanilla Sky Quotes

Taken from IMDB: (Vanilla Sky spoilers!!)



Brian: We almost died, man... And do you know what I saw?
David: What?
Brian: Your whole life flashing in front of me...
David: And how was it?
Brian: Almost worth dying for...



David: See, I've got this little problem. I've got a stalker.
Sofía: It doesn't sound life threatening.
David: But I need a cover. I need for you to pretend we're having a scintillating conversation, and you are wildly entertained.
[Both laugh]
David: I know it's tough.
Sofía: I'll improvise.



Brian: But wait. You're rich and women love you, and I'm from Ohio and I'm drunk. Can I tell you the truth?
David: Everybody does.
Brian: I dig her. And I've never said this to you before about any girl, but she could be - could be, could be, could be - the girl of my f___g dreams.
David: You're not from Ohio.
Brian: I know. But if she f__s up our friendship, she can go to hell. I won't allow it. We are bros.



Edmund: You were missed, David. It was Sofia who never fully recovered. It was she who some how knew you best... and like you, she never forgot that one night where true love seemed possible.


[last lines to Sofia]
David: Look at us. I'm frozen and you're dead, and I love you.
Sofía: It's a problem.
David: I lost you when I got in that car. I'm sorry.
David: Do you remember what you told me once? That every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.
Sofía: I'll find you again.
David: I'll see you in another life... when we are both cats.


Vanilla Sky. One of the best movies ever.


>>>Click here to read more...

"Volcano" by Damien Rice

This year --- crazy.

I got touched by this song given how it nearly describes this sphere of surreality I've been thrust in. I'm holding up fine though, thank you. I've always been this way; dabbling, dabbling. This might be the death of me yet, this incessant need to touch others' lives.

XU? A selfish need to justify things in life? Too much Pay It Forward-like films? I don't know. I just hope I won't wake up to vanilla skies.

Hell, for all I know, this is all a lucid dream.


...but that's all I need...


>>>Click here to read more...

Saturday, October 11, 2008

F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate - Close Encounter with an REV6 Power Armor

Here's a video showing me duking it out with a Replica REV6 Power Armor. I like this firefight; I didn't know the mech could go through the door!



"Take that you test tube m****rf******s!" - Douglas Holiday


>>>Click here to read more...

Friday, October 10, 2008

Matrix Sunglasses

Matrix Sunglasses



Best shoot-up scene, hands down. The Propellerheads rock!


Why the ramble? Go HERE.


>>>Click here to read more...

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Xtreme-G 178.13 Video Card Benchmark Test

Video Card Benchmark Test



I did some video card benchmark tests with the Xtreme-G 178.13 video driver, which is based on Nvidia's 178.13 WHQL.

Graphics are even more awesome with this tweaked drivers and gameplay and video card benchmark tests go smooth with this one. If it weren't for the Digital Vibrance bug inherent with the stock Nvidia 178.13 WHQL, I'd give this one an Imba Award. :D

Who says nobody plays classic games anymore? This game has better AI than most run-of-the-mill games of 2005.


>>>Click here to read more...

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Realtek AC'97 Audio Update -- 4.06 Released

Realtek AC'97 v4.06 has been released for quite some time now.


>>>Click here to read more...

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Download Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne 1.22 Patch

Download Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne 1.22 Patch



Those guys at Blizzard never cease to amaze me. Five years after Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne got released, they're still releasing patches for the said game. If that's not support, I don't know what is.

Download Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne 1.22 patch from Gamespot. The patch weighs in at 57.3Mb and given that an incremental 1.21b-1.22a was released last July, this new one might be a stand-alone version of the previous patch release. The page of the downloadable Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne 1.22 patch contains a ReadMe that shows a list that's nearly identical to the previous patch so it all checks out.

This is giving me the itch to install the thing again.


>>>Click here to read more...

Google Problems

Now this is nice.

I moved twice within the city recently and hell, I never got my Google PIN. Blast, it's gonna be 2-3 weeks with no Adsense --- if the blasted PIN is going to ever arrive. Gaar.


>>>Click here to read more...

Kilawinguwak's Band

I got this link from Martin Cruz, a bassist friend of mine. The songs are good; they remind me of Wolfgang. Thanks for sharing Mart!


>>>Click here to read more...

For my Wife



--- five minutes twenty seconds into the vid ---



it's moments like this that I realize time and again how lucky I am to have someone like you to share my life with:



Even the great RWilliams...

Thanks to Fr. Poulin who believed we could pull through the inferno we passed through all those years ago and to Lia, my boss, who continually sees what my wife and I have. And of course to the love of my life, the reason I go to --- and wake up from --- sleep smiling.

Now all I need is a house by a beach with coral reefs and life would be perfect. :D


>>>Click here to read more...

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Xtreme-G 178.13 Released

Video card benchmark test



That was fast.

Tweakforce just released their Xtreme-G 178.13, a tweaked video driver based on Nvidia's 178.13 WHQL. Instructions on how to circumvent the Digital Vibrance bug is provided on their site. (I haven't tried it though; proceed at your own risk.) Time for another round of video card benchmark tests tomorrow.

SmartBroken. Owned by WiFi. Oh yeah, baby.


>>>Click here to read more...

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Nvidia GeForce 178.13 WHQL - Bugged?

Video Card Benchmark Test



I installed and did some video card benchmark tests with the Nvidia GeForce 178.13 WHQL drivers and while it performs fine in video card benchmark test results and doesn't detract from what the previous version offers, it doesn't bring anything new to the table either. Gameplay with F.E.A.R., like the Nvidia GeForce 177.92, is smooth but the framerates in my video card benchmark tests took some slight hits.

While the video card benchmark test results are fine though unremarkable, what bothers me is that with this version, Digital Vibrance can now only be set in 33% increments. This is a big thing as I usually set my Digital Vibrance to 4-9% --- any more than that and even the slightest bits of light brown in images become vibrant orange spots on my monitor.

The Image Sharpening slider has also been disabled.

This is the second time in three years that Nvidia has released a bugged WHQL GeForce driver. The video card benchmark test results are ok but these bugs really hurt this new Nvidia GeForce version badly.

UPDATE: I take back what I said about this driver being "unremarkable." I ran some games and hell, its IQ --- for a stock Nvidia driver --- is off the charts. With IQ like this, who cares about Digital Vibrance and Image Sharpening? It's a keeper! Now to see what magic Tweakforce can do on it!


>>>Click here to read more...