Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Quakecon 2016 Wrap Up - Prey Reboot and Quake Champions Revealed

Quakecon is the iD Software PC gaming conventionlan party and this year they revealed details about what's happening in the Bethesda studios family including the upcoming Prey and Quake reboots.

Now That New Doom is Incredible iD Software Is Bringing Back Quake

Quake Champions is iD's upcoming big push back into the FPS multiplayer arena and they seem to be doing things right focusing on impressive features such as 120hz gameplay an unlocked framerate and a return to the quick classic Quake game play.

"20 years ago, Quake set new standards for multiplayer competition and pushed the boundaries for graphics and gameplay. The fast, skill-based arena-style competition that... Read All

Warning To Windows Laptop Gamers - Set Your Windows 10 Power Mode Properly!

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A couple days ago I wrote a few thoughts about my new ASUS ROG gaming laptop. It's a nice piece of hardware and if you are looking for a nicely priced portable gaming machine it's worth a look. That said for my most immediate computing past I've mostly used Mac OS and Linux and as such i'm not the biggest Windows power user and I recently learned something you might find useful.

Set Your Power & Sleep Mode To High Performance

One mistake I made when I first got my laptop was to mess around in the power and sleep mode control panel and set it to "power saver." It seemed like a reasonable selection as I figured Windows would switch into "high performance" mode when a... Read All

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/09/2016 at 12:22pm

Also, be sure to change the global setting in the Nvidia Control Panel. This can be done by right-clicking on your desktop, clicking Nvidia Control Panel, then Manage 3D Settings, then scroll down and make sure "Prefer maximum performance" is selected next to "Power Management mode." See the following link for a visual of what I'm talking about. http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3130/~/setting-power-management-mode-from-adaptive-to-maximum-performance

Travis Admin wrote on 08/09/2016 at 03:00pm

Yeah that nvidia setting Greg mentions is one that might never cause you any trouble until it does. I don't know if it's a driver quirk or the way games use the driver or what but it usually adapts properly, it just sometimes doesn't.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/09/2016 at 05:33pm

That's good to know, I think it's set that way but I'll check tonight to be sure.

Nicholas_Biondi wrote on 08/09/2016 at 07:37pm

Yay! I have bought nothing but ASUS ROG for the last 3 laptops. Can't beatthe price/speed,quality for my money!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/09/2016 at 07:40pm

Nicholas_Biondi: That's really good to hear.

Based on how it keeps getting slimmer and lighter and that i've had such a great time with it so far, when the time comes i'll be looking into getting another. I usually wait a long time to get new hardware but going ASUS again seems like a very solid idea.

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Want a New Challenge For Link To The Past? Try The Link To The Past Randomizer!

If you have played The Legend of Zelda Link to the Past inside and out and are looking for something new you might want to download the Link to the Past Item Randomizer. It's a Windows program that generates you an unique ROM that randomizes all the items in the game among all in game chests. The first chest you open might contain the Master Sword or the Hookshot but since it's random, you never really know till you open it. It's a cool speedrunning project to give the community something new to challenge themselves and also memorize the location of nearly all the in game chests and how to get to them.

"This is a simple program that moves around items in the Legend of... Read All

Take it with a grain of salt, but "sources" report Starcraft HD is coming soon!

iNews24, a news organization in Korea, has reported that Blizz is giving us a shiny coat of paint for the original Starcraft.

This isn't a tabloid or anything, it's a respected source, but they don't have any official confirmation from Blizzard on it yet.

Reportedly, it will keep the same gameplay, but have new graphics and better resolution. No more 800x600 max!

This move would make a ton of sense for Blizzard since the game is still popular, and I'm hoping for the same treatment for Diablo II and Warcraft III.

Source: http://kotaku.com/report-blizzard-releasing-starcraft-hd-1784863397

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/06/2016 at 12:32am

Lately it seems that a lot of video game rumors are true. This would be cool, I enjoyed Starcraft and the expansions. I have Diablo II, but haven't spent much time with it. I've never played Warcraft III. So, I might be interested in all three games, if they make them.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 08/06/2016 at 02:55am

"A lot of video games are true"

Let's make some new ones so they come true!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/06/2016 at 04:20am

Now there's an awesome idea! =)

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/06/2016 at 05:24am

We can start a rumor mill post! :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/07/2016 at 03:34am

Greg is actually pretty right in that lots of these video game rumors seem true. Also, nearly all the credible Blizzard rumors are also true. The rumors of the latest Hearthstone expansion were right on the money. That said...

I wonder if this will be a a newer recompile of the original game with modern networking OR basically the original game re-created in the StarCraft II engine? Both would be fine by me.

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Are We A Simulation?

As we're waiting for the launch to hurry up and get here, here's a fun video about how simulations are getting more and more complex and realistic.

No Man’s Sky is ... gigantic. Players traverse an entire, simulated universe exploring procedurally generated planets; there is practically no limit to what you can see. No Man Sky’s creator Sean Murray estimates that players will see maybe 1% of what the game is capable of generating. On top of that, much of the appearance and behavior of things in that universe–planets, plants, creatures, light itself–is emergent. The creators didn’t decide how stuff looks or behaves on a planet by planet basis. They made systems and... Read All

One Month With the ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH74 Gaming Laptop

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I'm not gonna lie, originally I wanted to buy a Mac laptop. I like the Apple hardware, build quality and software better than nearly all of the Windows alternatives. And even though I may love Apple's products I don't love the price because when you buy Apple you pay a premium for it. And with that price and quality premium you also lock in to your hardware specs. Apple used to allow upgrades to it's laptop harddrives and ram after your initial purchase but that is no longer the case. I want a system that's reasonably priced, is mobile and something I can upgrade when the time is right. Playing games well is also important to me so after a bit of searching I finally... Read All I'm not gonna lie, originally I wanted to buy a Mac laptop. I like the Apple hardware, build quality and software better than nearly all of the Windows alternatives. And even though I may love Apple's products I don't love the price because when you buy Apple you pay a premium for it. And with that price and quality premium you also lock in to your hardware specs. Apple used to allow upgrades to it's laptop harddrives and ram after your initial purchase but that is no longer the case. I want a system that's reasonably priced, is mobile and something I can upgrade when the time is right. Playing games well is also important to me so after a bit of searching I finally pulled the trigger and bought an ASUS ROG laptop.

Show Me The Specs

The ASUS ROG was in the right price and spec zone as it features an Intel Core i7-6700HQ 2.6GHz, 16GB RAM; 1TB 7200RPM + 128GB SSD harddrive & an NVidia GeForce GTX 960M -w 4GB VRAM. The OS runs on the SSD which means this thing boots up wickedly fast. The ROG features an HDMI port so plugging it in to my desktop monitor and TV is a breeze and after a bit of learning on my part I figured out how to rock a dual monitor/laptop screen setup in Windows 10. I went with the 15" laptop as 17" seemed way too large for a laptop and since the hardware of both sizes is nearly identical, I think the smaller size was a better choice. The ROG also features a nice illuminated keyboard that really helps with typing in the dark. In general the laptop hardware is solid in nearly every respect but I do have a couple gripes with it. The black finish is very neat looking but it's also a fingerprint magnet. It's not too bad but I do have to wipe it down from time to time because the smudges bother me. The other annoying part of using the ROG is that if you bend it slightly on occasion the DVD drive opens. Originally I thought i'd use the DVD drive more but apparently I don't use it at all so the only time the drive ever opens is on accident.

Beyond those minor issues the ASUS ROG is a very solid and powerful laptop. It's not too heavy has a good build quality to it and is very enjoyable to use.

Apparently, Windows 10 Is Pretty Good

I'll be honest, I am not a huge fan of Windows or Microsoft. This is mostly because I found the Microsoft of the 90's to be really bad in terms of it's anti-competitive behavior but recently the company has come around a bit. Windows 7 was a pretty good Operating System and after using Windows 10 for a month I can say that it's pretty easy and isn't too annoying to use. That said it phones home more than E.T. so if you don't want Redmond knowing when you go to the bathroom, I suggest you run SpyBot Anti-Beacon. The ROG also comes with a ton of crap-ware installed and that takes a bit to get removed but after all of that is gone and Windows isn't calling Bill Gates every 5 minutes, it's a solid experience. I can't honestly tell if Windows 10 performs better than 7 but I haven't noticed any slow downs in any games or actions on Windows 10.

This Thing Plays Games Well Too

If you want the biggest bang for your buck in PC-land you shouldn't go with a laptop. I went with a laptop because I wanted to play games and have a very portable system. I also wanted a machine I could hack Cheerful Ghost code using Linux and the ASUS ROG does that really well. It also plays games well, but again, if you want more power for your dollar go with a regular ol' PC. That said, I was able to max out StarCraft II with zero issues and the ROG can also play the new Doom game in 1080p without dropping below 30 FPS.

After using the ASUS ROG for a month I can say that i'm really happy with my purchase. It's a solid system for the price and it plays all the games I want to at a very acceptable speeds. It's comfortable to use on the couch and slides right in on my Desktop and works great with my monitor, keyboard and mouse. If you are looking for a nicely spec'd laptop that plays games well you might want to look into the ASUS ROG GL552VW-DH74.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/05/2016 at 08:06am

Sweet! How's the battery life? Does it get hot?

JaBo wrote on 08/05/2016 at 06:15pm

Huh, yeah, pretty similar to what I bought last year. ASUS G751JL 17-Inch Gaming Laptop
I love mine. Max graphics gaming on a laptop with a quiet fan that doesn't get too hot... I still love it. It's huge though... I had to buy a $100 gaming back pack for it lol. (I use it for school too ).

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 08/05/2016 at 06:34pm

Mmm, new hardware. Does it VR? :)

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/05/2016 at 11:41pm

> How's the battery life? Does it get hot?

The battery life is about 4-5 hours JUST with a browser open doing light surfing in battery saver mode. It's a couple hours if you are playing a game on battery.

It gets how when you have Steam or Battle.net open and/or are playing a game. It pushes hot air through a side fan, and it gets a bit warm on the bottom but nothing too bad.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/05/2016 at 11:42pm

> It's huge though...

I bet. That's why I got the 15" :D

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/09/2016 at 12:26pm

I just noticed in the picture you included in your post that the WASD keys seem to be highlighted. That reminded me of a keyboard change I'd like to see. On most keyboards you'll find that the J and F keys have little protrusions on them so that when you put your hands on your keyboard, you know where the "home keys" are without having to look. I think the WASD keys deserve the same treatment for gamers like us. :)

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Funkmastermp Speeds Through The Original Diablo at AGDQ 2016 in 20:35

I just watched a very impressive Diablo Summer Games Done Quick 2016 run by Funkmastermp where he blows through the game in 20 minutes. This is pretty impressive considering the very slow character run speed in the original Diablo and that Funmastermp never gets his character over level 3. Funkmastermp uses a frame timed item dupe to get a ton of gold to buy enough mana potions and items. At one point he needs to get a teleport scroll tome and has to talk to reload the game and talk to Adria over 50 times.

This is a really good run and if you are a fan of Diablo something you should watch.

The Internet Archive Plays With Power By Putting Each Issue of Nintendo Power Online

If you grew up pouring through each issue of Nintendo Power then the Internet Archive might be your new best friend. They recently put each issue online to view and download for your nostalgic retro gaming needs. Nintendo Power discontinued all publications in 2013 but in it's 90's prime, it was the best way to learn about Nintendo games. My favorite parts of the Magazine were the comics and tips and tricks section where you could learn cheat codes and other secrets to your favorite games. The popularization of the Internet made magazines like Nintendo Power largely obsolete in favor of wikis and game sites but that said, it's still awesome that each issue is... Read All

One Night in Karazhan And The World's Your Oyster - New Heartstone Adventure Coming August 11th

It seems the rumors of the new Hearthstone Adventure being in Karazhan were true as Blizzard announced the upcoming adventure "One Night in Karazhan" to the audience at ChinaJoy. One Night in Karazhan will feature 4 new wings you can unlock for 700 gold or buy the whole adventure for $20. As you can see from the trailer above, One Night in Karazhan has a very cool disco party vibe that looks like it pulls many influences from Disneys Beauty and the Beast as well as the John Travolta's disco classic Saturday Night Fever. After the darker tone of Whispers of the Old Gods us getting a more silly party styled adventure seems like a nice change.

As with all Hearthstone... Read All

Nova Covert Ops: Pack 2 Drop Ships In On August 2nd

I'm a huge StarCraft fan from way back. I tore through the original games and more recently, StarCraft II Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void. I'd thought that would be all of the single player content we'd get from StarCraft II until they announced the Nova Covert Ops missions. They launched the first 3 missions and I was happy to give them a good review. So it's nice to finally know that the next 3 missions are dropping on August 2nd. The game picks up where the last missions left off which continues your search for the terrorist organization, The Defenders of Man. I don't want to say more as that's already a light spoiler for the first three... Read All