Gaming On PC: From Console to Console Command Part 3

Blowing Off Steam

                After my (hopefully) last encounter with technical issues of the soft or hardware kind I reverted back to my initial theory that PC Gaming is equal parts gaming and being a computer technician. I also denounced all the voices claiming Steam's superiority over X-Box Live and that their prices are unmatched unless you've never even bothered doing a price comparison with Amazon. I finally recalled on the initial reason I wanted to become a PC Gamer, in order of importance 1)Console Emulation 2) Real Time Strategy and 3) Technically Superior Experiences.

                One of the big draws for becoming a PC Gamer is based completely on having access to my console gaming yesteryears. My goal of playing games in their most visually powerful format is far outweighed by the dream of having an arcade of my historical gaming pastime. Maintaining older hardware is quite difficult even for the seemingly immortal Nintendo consoles. While discussions on piracy make this a touchy subject I simply feel like “If I own/owned it, I'll download it.” The problem comes with games I never purchased and having a non-existent or inconvenient method to obtain them. A real life example would be I want to play Shadow Complex, but would like to play its great grandfather Super Metroid first. The problem is I'd have to buy a Nintendo console and pay more then if I purchased a physical copy at a flea market so Nintendo makes it hard to justify not pirating their games. Sounds self entitled, but I'd never have to pirate a Sonic the Hedgehog game because I can get nearly every 2D Sonic game for $20 on any console in a single well made package. Nintendo, some would say rightfully so, has an extreme value to all their legacy titles that I'm sure some people will buy, but most aren't willing to. You'd think with the years of handheld emulator hardware being sold they'd at least give the option to download their full library to a 3DS at a fair price.

                So I install the emulator and fire up Killer Instinct. I run into a hardware issue that I've misunderstood for years. I've never been able to get a 360 to communicate with any PC of all variations. As I later discovered, from Arthur Gies over twitter, you need a 360 controller with a built in USB port and not the detachable one. The other option is to have it communicate wirelessly through the PC dongle which I had and got to work, but for some reason wasn't able to make any of the emulators communicate with the controller. This time around I got it to work, but it worked better with the older 360 controller and not the newer one that has the adjustable D-Pad. I've been considering getting a hardwired controller since I hate using batteries, but the fact that a version with an adjustable d-pad isn't made makes it a less justifiable option. Maybe when Windows 8 with the supposed high level of XBL integration will invigorate Microsoft into re-supporting the 360 controller for PCs. So after busting out a few ultra combos off of memory I played some TMNT Turtles In Time for old times sake reminiscing the false echoes that old beat em ups don't work in modern day.

                I then put down the controller and picked up the keyboard and mouse to play the hotly anticipated 2007 RTS Supreme Commander. Unlike most gamers I like games that challenge me as much physically as it does mentally hence why my genres of choice are action/fighters (Ninja Gaiden Black, Soul Calibur, WWF No Mercy), FPS (Modern Warfare 2, Perfect Dark, Turok 2), and arcade racers (Midnight Club 3, Burnout 3, Trials). I find most modern games to be too hand holding and full of mechanics for the solitary purpose of making you feel like you're winning at everything forever. I like frustration, difficulty, and a game that respects me enough to assume I will learn the mechanics and how to properly play instead of flashing button icons, regenerating health, and quick saving every 15 seconds. I thought that was what the casual games were made for, but they're just time wasters and most $60 titles don't feel much different. While casual and phone gaming is all the rave I really only could find interest in the, claimed to be overcrowded, genre of tower defense. The only reason I even love tower defense is because it so closely mimics a stripped down RTS.

                Growing up with terrible PC hardware limiting my gaming options, the extremely low barrier to entry RTS games were my savior. I barely could run Age of Empires, but with the settings low enough I got an experience I would lose my life in. As my hardware got slightly better I would go back and play really old strategy games and that became my casual gaming. Sometimes hours of Unreal Championship or Capcom vs SNK 2 would leave your nerves fried from the constant tension you experience meanwhile playing an RTS is a way to have a very hardcore experience without the extreme reflexes. Thanks to the slow pace its very much a casual game because you have no choice, but to gather resources, wait, and plan.

                The best part is I'm pretty bad at them! I don't mean bad compared to the Korean kid with the Nike sponsorship wearing a diamond encrusted Zerg medallion, but I'm probably on the lower rung of even a casual RTS player since I only play the AI. Much like fighting games getting good at beating the AI is in no way a realistic set of skills you can take in player versus player battles as I learned when many years later I faced a human opponent. I use no tactics or, ironically, strategy as I simply amass a huge amount of resources and brute force it with the largest army the game will let me unleash. Some may wonder if I have a new PC why play such an old game and not something like Starcraft 2 and to them I'd respond Starcraft 1 seemed overwhelming to me so I doubt the second iteration I'd fare any better. When RTS games introduced flight I was dumbfounded by Empire Earth 2 and Rise of Nation's aerial rules of engagement.

                Luckily my instincts on Supreme Commander being the futuristic successor to Age of Empires was proven right with text boxes describing every aspect of gameplay. I've even got flight combat down since it requires no flight pattern micromanagement instead replaced by a simple fuel gauge determining the length they can battle in air. The 1000 unit cap was a dream come true since I later in life found a brand new level of joy playing Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings with my 600 unit strong Spanish army ravaging my enemies thanks to a mod that altered the population cap. I then installed Unreal Tournament 2004 for the sole purpose of reminiscing of the never ending LAN parties with my friends Benitron and Burger. I played some bombing run and became depressed knowing that UT3 was missing that game mode and instead deciding some modern gaming seemed like the next logical activity.

                I clicked on the recent demo tab on Steam and saw the Grand Theft Auto inspired/ripoff True Crime Hong Kong canceled to become Sleeping Dogs game from Square Enix. I had no real interest due to its featured two terrible game qualities of having the Batman: Arkham Asylum hand-to-hand style combat and being a GTA clone that isn't GTA. However my curiosity over the superiority of current PC game ports compared to console was enough to try it out. Sleeping Dogs was specifically called out for their excellent PC port so I tried out the demo and surprisingly hated it more then I assumed I would. Ignoring the boring combat, bad third person shooting, and general lack of inventive gameplay reveals a decent looking game. Then I fired up the X-Box 360 and played the same demo. Wow! I hadn't felt this way about a game's visual difference since the 360's launch line up compared to the original X-Box's similar titles.

                Though neither impressed me into purchasing, it did make me have to deal with something that before was an obvious conclusion. What system do I buy GTA V for? There are plenty of external non-game reasons to make the choice difficult. Microsoft has more then likely paid for content be it exclusive or timing based, the friendlier as well as consistent experience of XBL for online features, and the fact the PC version may release a month or more after their console counterparts. However it boils down to one game experience being superior and it goes beyond visuals.

                With my dual SSDs the loading and streaming of the game world would benefit most a title like GTA V. How often have you had game progress ruined by a car or world structure magically spawning in front of you as you speed down a street? Having visual fidelity on par to the cutscenes is nice, but when there are gameplay benefits it becomes a problem much harder to ignore. Games like Bioshock Infinite have no multiplayer so why not get the slightly better and sometimes cheaper PC version? Though I'm mostly a 360 player I'm not blind to the higher quality imagery produced by the PC and even the PS3. Despite graphical quality being last on my checklist of why I enjoy games, it can't be ignored once the game experience is improved even slightly by hardware.

                The reason I play Modern Warfare 2 with a wired connection, a wired controller, and a plasma TV with all the settings for the fastest refresh is to gain any and every possible advantage available. A consequence of becoming a PC gamer is that I now must decide where I prefer to game based on what would provide the optimal experience. I just assumed my PC would be the emulation and RTS machine that sometimes played games too weird or too small to arrive on console. What'll happen when I buy a game for 360 and end up hating the multiplayer and wished I got it for PC? Or getting a PC game that down the line receives multiplayer as DLC, which all my friends are playing to death on console? All these questions are important to me, but may be completely changed or nullified if Microsoft pulls the trigger in 2013 and announces their next console. Then the unpredictable Valve could, Apple style, announce and release Half-Life 3 for their steam box console/PC hybrid at E3 and make gaming a confusing, complicated, and expensive hobby.

Gaming On PC: From Console to Console Command Part 2

Troubleshooting Myself in the Head

 

                 Researching and purchasing a PC I, for some reason, assumed would have been the greatest challenge in my goal of becoming a more complete gamer. However much like the good reason to buy one console over another it is all about the software and that proved to be the Bane of my existence. And no that wasn't a typo because whenever I felt I had a handle on the situation I could feel the large paw of a software or hardware issue ask “Do you feel in charge?”

                I dreaded most the task of installing an OS and its the first thing I had to do after removing the packaging foam that protected the Super PC's internal organs. The process of installing the OS was so shockingly smooth that I knew I must have done something wrong. Though that assumption was wrong it was later proven that unforeseen stupidity would be my antagonist. The next steps would be updating the OS, downloading Firefox, VLC player, Adobe Flash, and Steam. So of course my very first issue is I can't get online.

                I never use wireless with the exception of my netbook to connect online because I want the fastest internet speed possible at all times. I also have an unhealthy relationship with being unable to connect to the internet with previous PCs I owned, but usually from ones given to me by friends and not by Dell. I had a recent hellacious experience trying to get online with a pretty decent PC a friend gave me to replace my current clunker. Unfortunately after tons of tinkering by various people and hours on the phone with my internet service provider that Rubik's cube was never solved hence why I purchased a very low cost generic PC from CyberPower PC as well.

                So it was surprising to find the same issue on a brand new PC when I had assumed it was a hardware issue, an assumption made often and just as often verified incorrect. While the very nice person from my ISP was going through bizarre troubleshooting methods after exhausting the obvious, a special super tech determined I needed to install the latest drivers for my motherboard. Hearing this made my stomach sink. Not in disgust, but stupidity in my oblivious approach to all those discs sent to me in my Super PC package and the mammoth lack of curiosity as to what they were used for. To be fair to me whenever I've purchased a PC the manufacturer always did the process of installing the latest drivers for me, which when installing a new OS must be done manually.

                Once on the interwebs I downloaded all the previously stated software without much hassle and ran into an issue of a front end USB port not functioning. I had a total of 3 USB ports on the front of my machine that included 2 built into the case and one from the 12-in-1media reader. The malfunctioning USB port was on the left and before contacting CyberPower I went ahead and installed every disc I had and went to each manufacturers website to make sure the drivers were the very latest after learning my lesson from before. Unfortunately it didn't solve the issue.

                I was still hoping it may be something with the software since the idea that it could be hardware would be very upsetting after giving so much money to a company I initially knew so little about. Calling customer service was a bit nerve racking since after the initial purchase I had called to confirm my order and ask any miscellaneous questions by a seemingly impatient or annoyed call rep. So when I called I was needlessly in a combative stance since the person helping me was overwhelmingly friendly and had no issue with talking to me like a dummy after making it clear of my fear of simply opening the Super PC casing. After doing a few tests the issue was resolved in that the USB port will never work due to the USB slot on the motherboard being taken up by the 12-in-1 media reader. Although I felt it should state that before purchase to save myself the time of the phone call it wasn't that big of a deal since I had roughly 9-12 USB ports in the back. The call rep also quickly resolved an issue of my secondary solid state drive not appearing at all. I'm a forgive and forget kind of guy so my initial negative phone experience was replaced and looking back a bit understandable since I called the very next business day (office was closed on July 4th) after their massive sale so I could imagine I wasn't their only caller.

                I finally installed steam and due to lack of funds began downloading demos although to my surprise there were games I knew had a demo, but required me to go to 3^rd party sites to retrieve them. Its strange that the service I've heard so much about being easily superior to X-Box Live has Crysis for purchase, but not a demo available. And of course Crysis is the first thing I download because it is the ultimate test to see how badass your PC is. Unfortunately after that download and for several other games including Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Magic the Gathering 2013, Orcs Must Die, Bulletstorm, Bioshock, Magicka, and Titan Quest I once again ran into issues. I'd try to run games and for some reason they'd crash with the exception of Half-Life 2.

                So after tinkering around with settings I then remembered I didn't install the latest drivers for my graphics card, which certainly didn't come with a disc so I'm not completely at fault this time. After launching Crysis and Bioshock I then ran into an issue with Titan Quest that would simply crash after barely attempting to load. I'm not much of a loot based game player, but the only reason I was interested is because the game was the only of its kind (before Torchlight existed) to rival Diablo 2's gameplay according to some reviewers and most importantly it was on sale for dirt cheap. So I googled “Titan Quest Demo” and strangely enough the 4^th or 5^th result was “Titan Quest Demo bug” in the steam forum. So I read the mildly complex (for my skill level) instructions on how to fix it and upon booting I ask out loud to myself “Wait, if they had this game on sale and they knew it had a bug in the demo, then why didn't they fix it?” This was my first taste of being a real PC Gamer and unfortunately the sale ended by the time I resolved the issue.

                After playing the demo for roughly 10 minutes I got bored or disheartened after dealing with the bug and turned on Crysis. I climbed through the settings and set everything to super-mega-ultra-real even if I didn't understand the benefit of what knobs I cranked to 11. I start the demo and to my horror there is massive screen tearing on the opening cutscene. I was bummed out that I may have purchased weak hardware since just 3 years earlier I read an article about a $500 gaming PC that ran Crysis on its highest settings. As it turns out once I had control over my character all of the problems vanished thankfully and ran and looked as amazing as I had heard about for years. Though admittedly I never even finished the demo and moved on to the next game.

                I then turned on Magicka, another game that had a crazy discount for the deal of the day, and once again it would crash before it even ran. I heard about the interesting mechanics so I was eager to play it, but annoyed at the prospect of doing more trouble shooting. So I asked my buddy Breakfast about it, who has been a PC gamer for quite some time, and the conversation went down as is:

                        Me:“Hey, my Magicka demo crashes before I can even play.

                        Do you know what's up with it?”

                        Breakfast: “Yeah, that's just Magicka.”

The implication in that statement being that the game is notorious for being a broken buggy mess, which then leaves me quite Psyduck as to why a steam sale would once again be given to broken software. So I didn't even bother attempting to fix it and quit my lackluster PC adventuring for the day. Only for the next day to be an even bigger headache.

                Just when I think I'm out of the woods as far as hardware my mouse is broken. The GIGABYTE GM-M6800 Dual Lens Optical Gaming Mouse has a name so full of technical gibberish and needless adjectives you can't help, but get the wonderful sensation you've purchased a gun from Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg. The mouse, upon start up, would dart to the bottom left of the screen and remain there no matter what my input was. I tried downloading the drivers and troubleshooting to no progression. Once again I contacted CyberPower PC and was told I should contact the manufacturer to solve any hardware issue which is tantamount to “Hey buddy, your problem not mine.” So I visited Gigabyte's very asiatic website with awkward menu system and support methods as instructed. Once the proper forms were filled I felt like I just wasted a bunch of time on something that wouldn't actually be resolved. For some reason the next day I revisited CyberPower PC, but this time went for my support through email since I was only 1 out 3 in my phonographic encounters and 100% through my single email inquiry. Success! They just said “Sure we'll send you one. Wait 3 days.” at no extra cost to me and strangely never requested me to send back the broken mouse. Their customer service was bumped back to 50/50 again despite having to do some social engineering.

                A day after the arrival of my Mouse I ran into another different hardware issue I proudly nicknamed “Just d0 It”. As I used the massive calculating power of my beastly futuristic Super PC to bombard and overcharge the word processor software to outline the article you are currently reading, I look up from my keyboard (don't you dare judge me) to see a bunch of errors in my writing. It's hopefully not obvious that seeing a tsunami of red waves isn't all too foreign of an experience for me, but when attempting to correct them I find myself staring at red squiggly lines once more. Here's a good example: “I'm fining it har to o work toay.” The letter “d” has malfunctioned and I've gone from understanding the complexity of being a PC gamer to just pissed off. I made a sincere effort to not eat or drink near my Super PC to assure myself that no hardware failure should come from my doing. The button wasn't sticky or dirty since it was still quite brand new and it didn't make any strange sound or even feel like it could be something physically wrong with the hardware. When trying to quick save the article and inputting the date I then discover that the number “0” is also malfunctioning cementing even further my theory its a software issue. After literally pressing every key on the keyboard, “d0” is the only two buttons malfunctioning. So I went back to the troubleshooting drawing board as I have trouble not shooting my Super PC with a shotgun.

                              

                Our culprit this time around was the Razer Cyclosa Gaming Keyboard whose name only a mother could love if that mother's only purpose in life was to name Mortal Kombat fatalities. I begrudgingly go about finding the proper drivers or “rivers” to quickly resolve the issue. To my surprise Razer doesn't have it listed in their driver support section or even as a product on their website. After a bit of google sherlocking I found the page on Razer's website, containing nothing but dead links so I had to resort to hoping a third party may have the drivers. This pissed me off because it means two things 1) I was sold a discontinued piece of hardware and 2) The hardware is so lousy that Razer disavowed it ever existed. Finally I find the drivers, install them, reboot, all is well, next day, same problem. I was steamed and yes pun intended in every conceivable way due to how mirrored of an experience I've had with hardware and software. So I go through both channels of CyberPower PC and, as my gut instinct guessed, this time around they were gonna make me work for it. They wanted me to ship the keyboard back, which of course would cost me money they wouldn't reimburse so they could ship me the same crappy keyboard. I can't do it anymore. I have other keyboards laying around that work fine. I'm not going to ship the Rendered Cybroken. I surrendered.

Check later for the continuation of this series of articles dealing with the trials and tribulations of going from console to PC gaming.

Gaming On PC: From Console to Console Command Part 1

Codename "Super PC"         PC gaming, no matter what advocates might say, is for the most part an issue of income if you are of a certain age. A combination of much more powerful off the shelf PCs, consoles being the base level hardware requirements, and an uprising in browser based and free to play games that require much less of the hardware has remedied much of that. My PC purchasing life cycle consisted of: buy the cheapest PC available (Dell Outlet), wait roughly 5 years, then repeat. We all have symbols of prosperity and an obscenely large TV became my barometer of how I measured success in life. Buying a 54 inch Panasonic Viera Plasma for $1,600 taught me that denying yourself life's pleasures due to an over concerned mentality with money was unhealthy. A few years later and my 2^nd irresponsibly lavish purchase was to expand my gaming horizon. After years of seeing PC gaming as a thing for those with large bank accounts I suddenly found myself going from console to console command.

        Roughly $1,800 purchased two custom PCs (one gaming, one for standard use) from CyberPower PC. Before delving into how I chose the manufacturer and the amount I'd spend here are the sexy raw stats:

 

Case: Raidmax Viper Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ 1x USB 3.0 Port & Side Window Panel (Red)

CPU: Intel(R) Core™ i7-3770K 3.50 GHz 8MB Intel Smart Cache LGA1155

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-D3H Intel Z77 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ IRST, Lucid Virtu MVP, Ultra Durable4 Classic, 7.1 HD Audio, GbLAN, 3x Gen3 PCIe x16, 3x PCIe x1 & 1 PCI
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card

Memory: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory (Corsair XMS with Heat Spreader)

Power Supply: 1,000 Watts - Standard Power Supply - SLI/CrossFireX Ready
Overclock: Extreme OC (Extreme Overclock 20% or more)

Hard Drive 1: 120 GB OCZ Agility 3 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 525MB/s Read & 500MB/s Write
Hard Drive 2: 120 GB OCZ Agility 3 SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD - 525MB/s Read & 500MB/s Write

FAN: Corsair Hydro Series H60 High Performance Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan

Coolant: Standard Coolant

Case Fan: Default case fans

Disc Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (Black)

Media Reader: INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (Black)
Wireless Card: GIGABYTE GC-WB300D Exclusive Bluetooth 4.0/WiFi PCIe Expansion Card
Keyboard: Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard
Mouse: GIGABYTE GM-M6800 Dual Lens Optical Gaming Mouse
Mouse Pad: Razer Sphex Gaming Grade Desktop Skins Mouse Pad

Service Warranty: Standard 3-year limited warranty plus life-time technical support

Extra: Sound Absorbing Foam on Side, Top And Bottom panels

        You might be familiar with the term “WOW runs on everything” and it was a calculated decision by Blizzard to make as low of a barrier to entry to run a $50 piece of software with a $15 monthly budget. When building my PC my goal was “I want to run everything*” with the asterisk of “...for years without ever opening my PC case”. The concept of rummaging around the inside of an expensive piece of hardware conjures terrifying images akin to the Facehugger autopsy in Alien. So my build strategy was for longevity with duel graphics cards and later adding a 3^rd as the depth limit to my hardware endeavor.

        My first step was finding who will build my, code name, Super PC. While there are plenty of tutorials on building a $500 PC that runs Crysis on its highest settings, each one comes with the caveat of building it yourself. This wasn't an option so I went with what I knew best and headed to Alienware. Growing up with the slowest PC available had me spend hours on Alienware's website designing ludicrous hardware monstrosities with the price tag of a small new car. I'd brag to friends at how I designed a PC with a price tag of just over $10,000 and tooling around with their website was encouraged with options to save your build. It was both a nightmare and fantasy of options that you could lose hours in if you aren't careful.

        Today's Alienware is a victim of big business. When I heard Dell bought Alienware I feared the worst and was proven correct. Now the site has more in common with Dell's site design, which means much fewer options and higher prices. In the past I'd read PC Gamer articles reviewing Alienware PCs and they were befuddled as to how they can get the price as low even when comparison shopping to build it yourself. It was sad to begin with an assumption that one day I'd be staring at a glowing red alien symbol on my desktop to not even being a consideration to purchase.

        During my search Cheapy D (David Abrams) of www.cheapassgamer.com (@CheapyD) mentioned on his radio show that he wanted advice on building or buying a gaming PC. Many had suggested iBuyPower though I believe he eventually had a friend build it for him. I checked out iBuyPower and it was closer to the original Alienware experience from my past, but it didn't hit the mark. The site had a decent amount of options, but to experiment with your design it required you to do multiple builds from multiple categories instead of one larger easy to use form. The site's look was off putting as well since I've heard of the company for quite sometime and yet it looked like it was designed by amateurs and despite everything on screen I always felt lacking in information. One of the good and bad of Alienware's old site design was that you could build your PC incorrectly and text messages would notify you that the combination of products were incompatible.

        Alex Albrecht (@alexalbrecht) I once remembered had a Falcon Northwest either PC or Laptop so I gave them a shot. The site was quite clean, but somehow was more costly then Alienware. While I read they had excellent build quality I couldn't justify such high costs. After going through some old PC Gamer magazines to find company names and checking out other popular builders I proceeded to forfeit and simply google “best PC building companies” (as of this writing I couldn't seem to find this mystery website again). The site did a price and quality comparison that lead me to this unheard of, to me at least, company named CyberPower PC.

       CyberPower PC seemed to grab the idea of Alienware's old site and bring it back to life with amazing pricing and as many options while being even more informative. The site www.cyberpowerpc.com is quite clean and easy to understand. They separate the customization by PC application (gaming, business, etc), CPU manufacturer, and chip set. After those 3 simple choices you can dig deep into the customization options that are listed in the appropriate fashion. Familiar red text warns you of incompatibility, a graph/meter on the left side in real time informs of the estimated frames per second achieved based on popular titles, and visual thumbnails help you get a better grasp on what your purchasing with the option to click on the thumbnail for more high tech detail. It all ends with the the classic familiar option to have them email you a copy of the beast that you've built.

       I did some digging before delving deeper to find out the reputation of the company and for the most part found very little, but all of it was positive. I asked Arthur Gies (@aegies) and Dan Stapleton (@danstapleton) for their opinions and they seemed to have heard good things. After doing some price matching I noticed every component was only about $10 over the standard price, which I attribute that added cost as the labor value to put it all together. Despite the small amount of information I went with my gut that if their site design was similar to what I previously loved then they may feel the same way about building PCs. Then months of fun began.

       It took months because for a long time I did research and built machines that were just over my self imposed price limit. The power supply graphic gauge letting me know when I needed more power for my current build, a real time price calculator with each component option telling you the positive or negative balance, and of course the daily special sales they'd have made going to the site a must and at some point actually a fun game of sorts. The case options have much variety and being visually cool even on the cheap end allowed me to give importance to the normally boring box stashed somewhere on my floor. After a while I came up with a CPU I kind of wanted and the best I would do as far as dual SLI graphics cards to get closer to finalizing my purchase.

       I once again bothered Arthur and Dan over twitter on what they thought of my build and I immediately wished I had spoken to them earlier. Arthur notified me that the dual graphics card option on paper is more powerful, but it is hardly supported and a single powerful card would gain me better results. Dan backed up his statement and followed up by reassuring me that even if I had to open the beast its fairly plug and play. Dan also calmed my nerves by letting me know CyberPower PC had a great reputation and a good Better Business Bureau score, something I wished I had thought to check. Now my design options had grown while allowing more pricing flexibility and luckily around the same time the newest graphics cards were released, which in turn causes the older model parts to eventually reduce in price.

       After waiting for the right sale to get the best bang for my buck I purchased the PC of my dreams on the 4^th of July and got much more then I ever expected. The case I originally wanted was no longer sold, but a much cooler looking case came down in price so I got that instead. Dan didn't agree with the dual SSDs, but he was unaware of the stack of unused external HDDs in my home that I much prefer so that I could move around data to my multiple PCs easily. The sale was so great I ended up getting a few bonuses like sound absorbing foam and 20% overclocking for all my hardware since I came far under my expected cost. I got it without an OS since thanks to my IT department buddies at my ex-employer giving me a bunch of extra copies of Windows 7 Ultimate.

       After 2-3 weeks 2 giant boxes arrived with my replacement standard PC and my now officially titled Super PC with custom engraved phrase. It was christmas in the summer time for me and as I open the box to the shockingly large machine I was happier then when I got my insanely large TV. The feeling subsided after I was washed over with the boring and somewhat challenging task of installing a new OS and the careful process of only adding software I absolutely required for gaming and nothing else that may effect performance. It was quickly followed by a feeling of illness at the realization I didn't leave a penny for myself to actually purchase gaming software!

Check later for the continuation of this series of articles dealing with the trials and tribulations of going from console to PC gaming.

Fighting With/Against Friends

This week is nothing, but MW3 multiplayer starting with an argument that is now useless from the time we had it till now. I added it just for fun, but we get back on track with the 3rd and 4th parts of our multiplayer review.

Digital World Documentary:

Modern Warfare 3

DWD MW3 Ep002 MP Argument

DWD MW3 Ep002 MP Part 3

DWD MW3 Ep002 MP Part 4

Dark Nights and Modern Multiplayer

Batman: Arkham Asylum Review

These are dark nights indeed. We review Batman: Arkham Asylum and spoilers, we fucking hated it!

MPFree Ep010 Batman Review Download Link

Digital World Documentary:

Modern Warfare 3

We review and breakdown multiplayer and its modes. Many arguments later... and you'll realize why its broke it up in many parts.

DWD MW3 Ep002 MP Part 1 Download Link

DWD MW3 Ep002 MP Part 1 Download Link

More Rage, MW3, and Random!

We feature sequels for two of our reviews and a totally random unidentified... ummm... thing. Leave comments, suggestions, etc.

Rage Review Part 2

So we hated rage and will explain what they should have done instead. Arm chair designers at their best or worst if you disgaree.

MPFree Ep008 Rage Part 2 Download Link

Episode Topic Preview

Digital World Documentary:

Modern Warfare 3

We wrap up the blow by blow on this games story mode. Our reaction to the very end may in fact surprise you.

DWD MW3 Ep001 Part 2 Download Link

Episode Topic Preview

Know the Hosts: Sawed Off Shotgun (Random)

This episode is... we talk... okay this has so many topics covered and full of random thoughts that I can't believe I'm publishing it. It guest stars the often referenced Sistoy who is better known as Laffy Taffy and we end up talk about music, movies, culture, drugs, and food. I put it under the Know the Hosts cuz while no worthwhile information can be gleamed by this episode it does reveal a ton about those of us on the site.

Know the Hosts Ep003 Sawed Off Shotgun Download Link

Episode Topic Preview