Gratuitous Tanks from the Western Front

Gratuitous Tank Battles has a DLC pack out - The Western Front. This expansion focuses on WWII and includes seventeen authentic WWII units, from tanks to armored cars to tank destroyers. The game also allows you to make these units a bit less authentic by enhancing them with laser weapons and other futuristic goodies.

For those curious about the actual historical units, here are some links to the Wikipedia articles for the units that are included in the expansion.

Included Authentic WWII Units:

• American Units:
• M18 Hellcat
• M8 Greyhound Armored Car
• M3 Stuart Light Tank
• M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer
• T18 Boarhound MG Heavy Armored Car
• M4A1 Sherman Tank
• T34 Calliope Sherman Tank
• Pershing Heavy Tank
• Wolverine Heavy Tank Destroyer
• German Units:
• Tiger Tank
• Tiger Tank II ("King Tiger" or "Bengal Tiger")
• Panther Tank
• Panzer II
• Panzer III
• Panzer IV
• Puma Heavy Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle
• Ostwind

Testing Einstein's Brain... Sorta...

So, one of the things I've got in-house for review is the 8GB Einstein Mimobot USB Memory Stick. In the process of testing it, I thought I'd try using it as a ReadyBoost device for Windows 7. A little research showed me that the minimum speed for a device to be used as a ReadyBoost device is 2.5 MB/s read for 4 KB random reads and 1.75 MB/s write speeds for 512 KB random writes. (Thanks, Wikipedia.)

Also, Wikipedia listed the commands to run to test a flash drive to see what its speed was to determine fitness to being pressed into service as a ReadyBoost drive.

I tested ol' Einstein, and I'm pleased as punch to say he passed with flying colors...

8GB Einstein Mimobot Read / Write Speeds, as tested:

Read: 4.64 MB/s
Write: 2.57 MB/s

Learning disability, indeed...

Black Ops II Review Event

Ashley and I attended the Black Ops II Review Event last month. We couldn't speak about any of it until the embargo lifted, so all we could do is anxiously await the Black Ops II launch date. Now it has been released, so I am free to discuss it a bit.

Thanks to the review event, we were prepared to publish our review of the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops II on launch day. As the required disclaimer states,"this review reflects the opinions of two Game Vortex reviewers (Psibabe and Geck0) who attended the Call of Duty: Black Ops II Review Event in Carlsbad, California. Travel, accomodations and food for this event were arranged and funded by Activision. Additionally, Call of Duty: Black Ops II licensed products were provided at the event. We have reviewed (or are in process of reviewing) these items and their reviews may be read on this website."

Review events such as these allow Activision to maintain better security over the product (to prevent piracy) and allow reviewers to interact with each other, which helped to reveal the multiple paths in the Campaign mode. Our review is based on our game-testing experience at the event, but we strive to remain as objective as possible.

I assure you that, along with the many COD fans out there, we anxiously awaited the launch date to get our own copy in-house and, when it arrived, shot zombies, yelling and cursing, into the wee hours of the night - in Split-Screen mode, no less.

Hello, Little Rock! Wanna Win A Prize?

We just ran an outdoor ad campaign on some billboards in Little Rock, Arkansas with the Lamar Postr digital billboard program. It was an "A-Z" campaign, where we pointed out a few of the many reasons to love Game Vortex, from Anime to Zombie Flicks. We skipped over a couple of letters, but got most of them along the way.

For our readers in the Little Rock and surrounding area (okay, heck... anywhere in Arkansas is fine with us) - we're running a contest. Simply enter with your email address and we'll select entries at random, then - as long as you can tell us what at least one of our billboards said - and can provide a shipping address in Arkansas, you could win a copy of The Splatters on XBLA for the Xbox 360. SpikySnail Games was generous enough to provide these prizes for our contest.

To enter, simply go to LoveGameVortex.com and fill out the form. Hurry though - we're only running the contest through 8/12!

A is for Anime and Action / Adventure

Today is the start of Game Vortex's A-Z ad campaign in Little Rock, Arkansas. Today, we're highlighting things that start with "A", in three different ads across the city:

"Like Anime? Love GameVortex.com"
"Like Action? Love GameVortex.com"
"Like Adventure? Love GameVortex.com"

Using Lamar Advertising's new Postr digital boards, we are posting these messages on four different digital billboards in Central Little Rock.

If you live in the area, you might want to pay close attention to what we do with the boards... or, perhaps, what we don't do. There will be a pop quiz at the end, with a chance to win prizes.

What prizes? Dunno - we're still putting something together. More to come...

T500 RS Setups... In Detail

T500 RS Gaming Setups

The T500 RS racing system (wheel and pedals) is obviously aimed at racing enthusiasts and not the mainstream and casual gamers who may occasionally play a racing game.

Casual Gamer Setups?

Even so, given that a non-enthusiast (or budding enthusiast?) may pick up the T500 RS before investing in other hardware, such as a virtual racing chassis to mount it on, I tested the T500 RS with a few different possible configurations that could be available to the average mainstream PS3 / PC gamer.

Lap-Mounted

First, the idea of lap-mounted play is right out. At over 32 pounds, the steering wheel is not the kind of thing you want to hold in your lap for any length of time. Besides, the steering wheel would rest in your lap and when the force-feedback or initialization centering starts up, it could roll on out of your lap. This would not be comfortable... and, no, I didn't try this configuration at all; it's simply not a good idea.

Gaming Ottoman

I did attempt using the T500 RS on a LevelUp gaming ottoman, by clamping it down onto the top of the ottoman, and playing with the steering wheel on top of the ottoman and the pedal cluster in front of it. There were two primary issues with this setup: the weight of the steering wheel made it really easy to topple forward, requiring me to have to push it back about three or four inches to make it more stable, and the fact that I had to lean forward in a strange and uncomfortable posture to accommodate this setup. The posture problem was caused by the fact that the pedals need to be under (and possibly further back than) the steering wheel, which requires that there be open area under the steering wheel, for your legs to be able to stretch out to reach the pedals.

Another Bright IKEA

Next, I tried the T500 RS on a small wooden stackable chair, with the chair facing me as I sat on the couch. The pedal cluster fit under the chair, the steering wheel clamped down onto the seat of the chair fairly snugly and I was able to see the television over the chair without it blocking my vision. This setup worked well, in general, but, again, the weight of the wheel placed on the edge of the chair made it want to tip forward, much like the ottoman setup. I was able to get a little more legroom and make the setup more sturdy by turning the chair sideways, which might be a good option for anyone who picks up a T500 RS without something to set it up on. I actually played a good bit while set up on the chair; this setup was quite workable.

Let me take this opportunity to make something clear; with the heft of the T500 RS, it should not, under any circumstance, be used with a folding chair or television tray. That would be reckless and it would be just a matter of time before the unit came crashing down on someone's legs or feet. This would likely injure both person and device. Only use a sturdy stacking chair, at that.

PC Gaming Setup

For the PC-compatible side of things, I tested the T500 RS on my computer desk by taking my keyboard off of my keyboard tray and mounting the RS in its place. It clamped down nicely and held tight, and the pedal cluster fit nicely right in front of my desk, after slightly moving my PC out of the way. I tested it out with the Ignite! demo and it worked quite nicely. To use the T500 RS on the PC, I had go to the Thrustmaster website and download the Windows driver, first, but it installed without incident and the Properties Section in the device interface (in Control Panel: Device Management) includes the ability to tweak the steering wheel's lock-to-lock range and feedback motor strength, among other things. Changing the steering wheel's turning range can be a necessary step in making the T500 RS usable with various games on the PC; for Ignite!, I found a lock-to-lock range of around 300 degrees made it most playable. Overall, using the T500 RS on my standard computer desk worked nicely, but I should offer one warning: Carefully evaluate your desk for things that might shake loose as you play - especially if your desk, like mine, has a hutch and you have various items stacked precariously on its shelves. I was drifting around a hair-pin curve and bouncing off a wall when a stack of blank CDs lept down upon me unexpectedly from above. It was enough to get my attention, but could have been a lot worse.

Enthusiast Setup

The VR-1 Virtual Racing Chassis

My most "blinged-out" setup that I tested the T500 RS with (and the setup most likely to be similar to the average purchaser of the T500 RS) was setting it up on a Bob Earl Racing VRC-1 virtual racing chassis. Personally, I found the T500 RS steering wheel unit mounted securely on the wheel podium and stayed put just fine, likely due, in part, to the rubber pad on the top of the podium that gave the clamp something to "bite" into, but I did notice that on the Bob Earl Racing website, they suggest bolting the steering wheel to the podium, but that instructions are forthcoming. They also mention that the pedals should be bolted in place and, although I haven't done so yet, I agree that it would probably be a good idea. The VRC-1 has an angled mount for the pedals which, for run-of-the-mill pedals, puts them in a more realistic orientation. However, since the pedals on the T500 RS are already at a more realistic angle, this built-in angle makes mounting the pedals more complex than simply using velcro. Well, the weight of the pedal cluster doesn't make it easier, either. I found that I could use the pedals in the floor-mounted orientation without much extra work; it would be best to mount them in a more stable, permanent fashion, but for the purposes of testing, the pedals stayed put, as the very edge of the cluster just sort of lips around the VRC-1's pedal cluster support, keeping it from shifting laterally, while the heavy-duty Velcro kept it from scooting around. Using the pedal cluster in back-mounted orientation, on the other hand, would require mounting to the VRC-1 and, perhaps, some additional fitting. When I attempted this orientation, I found that the pedal cluster would slip up and over the end of the VRC-1's pedal support, due to the gap between the diamond plate footrest and the pedals, themselves in this orientation. Again, instructions on use with the VRC-1 is forthcoming on the Bob Earl Racing website.

Over-the-Top Custom Setup

Yes, you can take the T500 RS even further, if you wish. Here, for example, is a video showing a custom racing simulation cockpit which utilizes a T500 RS and the optional TH8 RS shifter (sold separately).

Dubstep my games, please!

I just got done with my review of Ridge Racer Unbounded, and one of the things I pointed out in the Graphics and Sound section was that the game included several Dubstep tracks, including some Skrillex. I mentioned in a recent blog post on my persona blog that I had recently discovered - and love - Dubstep. In fact, I've been playing some of my PC games with the music turned down and some Dubstep streaming on Youtube in the background.

That's difficult to do for console games, so I was quite pleased with the fact that Dubstep was already in the game.

It's definitely not for all games, but there's just something about the Electronica-edge and the Sub-base drops that make it perfect for racing games, war games, mech games... basically any games where you're playing around with heavy machinery. Or is it just me?

The New PlayStation: Official PlayStation Magazine UK Builds a PS4?!

The New PlayStation: Official PlayStation Magazine UK Builds a PS4?!
...Looking into what can be concluded from their experiment...

On StupidGamer.com's"The incestuous relationship between games journalists and PR"

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The following is a reply to an article on StupidGamer.com:
 The incestuous relationship between games journalists and PR

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I agree with everything Jeff Rivera said... to a point. What people have to realize (and remember) is that most game PR and game developers love games. They are gamers who found a way to earn a living while keeping involved in videogames. Members of the gaming media also love games and, often, have future aspirations of getting into game development or PR in the future. Some aren't just casual friends and acquaintances; some play games together online. The simple fact is that PR people are going to be more forthcoming and friendly with those who are friendly back, show interest in the product and, yes, are impressed by a given game. Something to bear in mind when it comes to previews, however, is there may still be changes made later, so a preview may point out the good points and gloss over the weak spots - especially if there is talk that those areas are still being worked on.

I have been flown in to press events where a nice spread of food was made available to everyone and seen a few members of the press sneak off with PR people to get some "real food" as Jeff Rivera recounts. However, I have also overheard a local journalist condemning other members of the media for flying in, accepting accommodations and eating the provided food, accusing those members of the media as being, "on the take," and "obviously biased." We'll presume for the point of argument that the local guy brought his own food, paid for his own gas and didn't accept anything from the company. For the sake of argument.

Do large mega-corporate gaming media outlets get scoops? Sure. Is this unfair? Of course not. If you went to work for the mega-corporate gaming media outlet, you too could get some inside information. If you start your own mega-corporate gaming media outlet, you could do so on your own terms. If you can put your opinions and analysis in front of bazillions of people, you'll find that people will shower you with money, gifts, perks, scoops... and be oh-so-concerned about your personal opinion. Why would those companies give an exclusive to a small site with a limited readership when they could give it to a mega-corporation who, for enough money, will say whatever they want? The only reason is that with enough elbow-rubbing, yea-saying, schmoozing and bribery, the resulting message is worthless. The first time some poorly-made game gets glowing reviews, it sells a lot of copies and the game developers, publishers and PR people are pleased with their sales, if not their product. As this happens more and more, however, the gamers will start to distrust the mega-corporate gaming media outlet. Soon, it doesn't matter what they say, because no one believes any of it, anyway. Then the mega-corporate gaming media outlet finds that their ad revenue begins to fall off, as fewer people think it's worth it to buy the magazines for the screen shots and look for other websites with information on the game. The problem is, companies want to control what gets said about their games, so behind every news story is a carefully crafted press release - the same press release is typically behind every story that comes out at the same time, regardless of the media outlet.

It would behoove PR companies to find ways to select some unique "mini-scoops" to divide up between the various media outlets they deal with. This could be details on character classes, character or vehicle models, game modes or even just unique screen shots. If every site had its own unique information, rather than the same press release, games would get more coverage and gamers would actually find useful information from reading articles from the game on multiple websites. In this way, the various media outlets could all get their little something "extra." Would it take effort? Sure, but the results could be coverage that's more valuable to the game companies, the media outlets and the readers. And the mega-corporations shouldn't get too bent out of shape; they still have their big scoops to tell everybody about.

What IS an Orbis... perhaps The New PlayStation?

I've been burning the midnight oil trying to find out exactly what an Orbis is. Wanna see what I've peeped, pondered and postulated so far? (This is where you say, "Yes!")

Good! Okay, then... off with you to our site set up for that very purpose... The New PlayStation.com

(That has a certain ring to it, does it not?)