BioShock

Another good game coming out this friday for the PC (previously released for the 360) is BioShock: A first-person-shooter set in a 60s art-deco underwater complex, with crazy monsters (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

This game has the potential to be the new Half-Life, but it could end up being another gimmicky FPS.


The demo is really cinematic, and the graphics are immense (it's built upon the Unreal 3 engine [Resistance for PS3 etc.]). I couldn't even tell which bits were videos and which bits were real-time rendered (especially coming up out of the water just after the plane crash) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) .





From the site:

Here’s just a few things you can do a foe:

* Catch his Grenades in Mid Air and Toss Them Back at Him
* Freeze Him Solid and Shatter Him with Smack of your Wrench
* Lead him and his comrades to water and Zap them all with 1000 Volts
* Burn Him Up With Home-Made Molotov Cocktails
* Booby Trap Healing Machines and Watch Them Blow up IN his Face
* Brainwash Him to Become Your Personal BodyGuard
* Invent your own Ammo Types to Prey on his Vulnerabilities
* Turn his own Security System Against Him
* Light Him on Fire and Launch Heat Seeking Missiles At him
* Torment Him with Plagues of Insects
* Take Research Photos of Him to Learn his Weaknesses
* Send Him Flying into the Ceiling to Knock him Senseless

No encounter ever plays out the same way twice. No two gamers will ever play BioShock the same way.

Browse Safely

Slightly beyond common knowledge, companies such as Google create massive records of what sites you've visited, when you've visited them and how many times. This means they can draw a picture of what your interests are, and when you're at your computer.

Now, if you're anything at all like me, you'll agree this level of monitoring is wrong for a number of reasons (not to mention contravening human rights) and will want to get around it.

Proxying (connecting to sites behind another server) is a safer option, but nowhere near as safe or as easy as onion routing, and I'd just like to point out the best (in my opinion) onion routing software in the world:

Tor

It picks a random path through the internet, and encrypts data as it passes through nodes, making it the safest, non-commercial routing software ever.

This software isn't for accessing illegal sites, it's to stop people illegally spying on you.

Try it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

- Raddick

Two Worlds

I for one am really looking forward to this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) :

(IMG:http://87.106.55.6/zuxxez/2w/screens/1024/2212060454022W_Scr122_1024.jpg)
(IMG:http://87.106.55.6/zuxxez/2w/screens/1024/030306121041TwoWorlds03_1024.jpg)
(IMG:http://87.106.55.6/zuxxez/2w/screens/1024/160307121231Sneak03_1024.jpg)

* Offering a freedom of choice unseen in other Role Playing Games. The world literally comes to life as it immediately reacts to the player's actions and changes accordingly -offering new and exciting challenges.
* Strong, non-linear storyline. Players can shape their own story by choosing the path of conducting the main conflict and resolving meaningful side-quests.
* Spectacular and dynamically choreographed fights. The combat system combines intuitive steering, tactical challenges and movie-like visual experiences.
* Free and unlimited character development. Players can experiment with different careers and even reverse their former choices with the help of "career changers".
* Animals to be ridden on. Players can travel and fight on various animals from horses to tamed lizards and beasts.
* A choice of traps and snares are at the Player's disposal making the gameplay both rich and flexible.
* Huge variety of items to be found. Randomly generated pieces of equipment, thematic sets and combined items offer the space to experiment and satisfy the need to collect.
* Wide range of beautifully rendered terrains: from high mountains to seashores and deep caves with all of the locations featuring ultra sharp texturing and stunning design.
* Hyper-realistic tree physics and sophisticated weather system make the world come to life as has never been seen before.
* Advanced Artificial Intelligence that manages group behaviour of large virtual communities.
* Up to 8 players in the multiplayer mode.
* Symphonic music to make the experience more emotional and memorable.
* Extensive usage of Pixel Shader 2.0 and 3.0, HDR, multiple materials and unique shadow engine to ensure the best visuals possible.
* Support of Multi CPUs and Multicore CPUs, SLI and CrossFire Technology

Release date looks to be the 31^st of this month (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

- Raddick

Recommend a Phone?

Ok so I've been without a mobile for about 3 weeks (well, I'm using an old n-gage, which doesn't really deserve to be called a phone)

I ordered one from Korea, but it got lost in the post (£130 I'll never see again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) )

I don't know much about mobiles at all...I've had my Panasonic vs6 for ages before it broke (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Anyone recommend a decent phone?

- Raddick

EZIO 618

If none of you have seen this, or are in the market for a new phone, this is definitely worth a look (there are more available from other sellers with thousands of feedback)

This is a crazy phone direct from Korea which has an autofocus 5.0MP camera, 3" touchscreen with a stainless steel stylus, 2 x Li-Ion 700mAh (same as N95) batteries, a 1GB MicroSD card and it's thin! (especially compared with the N95 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ):

All for about £130 sim-free and open to any network!

Nokia N95: 113.1 x 55.2 x 22mm HxWxD(Thickness)
EZIO 618: 112.0 x 55.0 x 15mm HxWxD(Thickness)


(IMG:http://84.20.31.133/images/696/69693775290.jpg) (IMG:http://www.pacitec-supplies.com/photo/6618/p4.1.jpg) (IMG:http://www.pacitec-supplies.com/photo/6618/p7.2.jpg)

(Last image shamfully yanked from http://www.pacitec-supplies.com.)



The build quality and OS are probably a bit iffy, but for this price, who cares?

I'm going to be ordering one just to see what it's like, so I'll post a review up on here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Thoughts?

- Raddick