Is there a way we can compile a list of Steam user names like we did for Xbox Live? It's so embarassing having only one Steam friend. Is there any interest in starting a database?

My Steam username, in the interest of synergy, is Decker 01. I know, not the most creative, sorry.

DVDTalk Group -

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/dvdtalk

I'm on there as Noodles

Alien Swarm is a lot of fun on Steam. And free

Heck yeah!

Heroes of Might and Magic VI announced

http://kotaku.com/5616648/might-and-...might-be-magic

Although it is apparently being renamed Might and Magic Heroes...

I loved Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and 3. 4 and 5 were not nearly as good, so hopefully 6 goes back to being more like 2 and 3.

Some screenshots spoilerized for size:

I saw this link posted over at AVS Forum. Can You Run It?
Great tool to know how well your PC can handle a game. It seems I can even run Crysis with ease.

Hoping this is good, love what they've done with the game from what we can tell so far.

GOG is dead.

When you try to go to GOG's website, now all you get is this:

That sucks.

Wow. I've felt for a while that the only digital distribution sites that would last are Steam and GFWL. Amazon too if they didn't do everything so half-assed. This is disappointing, but not a shock. Glad I never bought anything from them.

Not necessarily.

http://kotaku.com/5642141/what-happe...good-old-games

If that's a publicity stunt, it's an exceptionally lame one.

I don't think it's necessarily a publicity stunt, their post alludes twice to there just being changes, not permanent closure.

GOG admits site closure was a hoax (and f*ck you too!)

Good Old Games has officially revealed that its site "closure" was just a big hoax to promote the launch of a new website. Having taken its site down since Sunday and blocking customers from accessing any games they might have just purchased, GOG has effectively said "f*ck you" to its users just for attention.

For what it's worth, the new GOG will still feature DRM-free games and no download client. It had not been bought out, and seems to still be its own boss, so no actual structural changes have been had. More games and a better login process have all been promised.

I'd just started using GOG, but now I believe I'll need to think long and hard about continuing to do so. Sorry, but that's NOT how you promote a site relaunch. Pretending you're going under, blocking off your customers, and basically giving your current users the finger isn't the way you generate excitement for your site.

[Update: GOG has updated its site with an apology for the hoax and a countdown. In my easily manipulated heart, I have already forgiven them, but I am still going to be angry with them for a bit and send them to bed with no supper]

http://www.destructoid.com/gog-admit...--184626.phtml

-Good thing i never have in the past or plan to purchase anything from them in the future!

*shrug*, the games are all DRM free and come with installers, I just popped the compressed archives on a storage drive right after I downloaded em.

Meh, I still say calling it a "hoax" is a bit of hyperbole. Like I said, the initial message was vague and never really said it would be permanently closed.

No it didn't. But it was worded in such a way to make you think that they had shut down. Plus there's that whole not being able to access your games during that brief period.
You wouldn't call it a hoax? Let's check the definition of hoax, shall we?

Please tell me how the term "hoax" would be hyperbolic in this situation.

I thought it was worded in such a way that specifically alluded to it being changed, not completely shut down. I posted as much 3 days ago, and the Kotaku link even had a response saying so. I guess it was intentionally misleading and vague, but at the same time I don't think it was clear they were telling people they were closing up shop entirely.

Meanwhile, the videos on their site mention Baldur's Gate coming when it returns.

Yep. GOG is back, and they have the original Baldur's Gate game... and Planescape: Torment as well. Both are $10.

Now if only they would get BG2, then the trifecta of the best rpgs of all time would be complete.

Vaporware!!!

Some games on sale over at GoGamer - http://www.gogamer.com/48-Hour-Madne...0VVviewcat.htm

Civilization 3 $1
ParaWorld $1
Micro Machines v4 $1
CSI 3 Dimensions of Murder $1
Pearl Harbor: Attack Attack $1
Zoo Tycoon Complete $4
Starcraft w/ Brood War Expansion $5
Dirt 2 $8
GRID $8
Dawn of War $10
Mass Effect 2 $12
The Guild 2: Renaissance $15

I just got a new laptop last week that can apparently run Mass Effect 2 really well, think I'll bite.

Can i get an opinion if the following PC a good gaming pc. I want to buy starcraft 2, and probably dragon age and diablo 3? Plus load some old favorites like doom 3 etc.

HP pavilion elite with AMD Phenom II 945 quad core processor
ATI Radeon HD 5450 with 512mb
8gb ram, 1tb hard drive
$729.99 at office max.

Thanks for your help, i have a very old pc and want to get a new one to play some newer games. I wanted to know if this is worth the price.

Also can someone explain to me which processor is better:

AMD quad core phenom or
Intel I-3, I-5, I-7 models? It looks like an I-5 would be good for gaming.

THANKS!

Honestly, that computer sucks for gaming. The graphics card is very weak. The second number (a 4 in this case) is the primary indicator of how good it is. Anything below a 6 sucks for gaming because they lack a lot of the more advanced features.

Check out the link below for a good gaming computer that costs almost half as much as the one you are looking at.

$400 budget gaming computer

It has a Radeon 4850 which is a heck of a lot more powerful that the Radeon 5450. As for the AMD vs Intel issue, I greatly prefer AMD and have used them for the last 10 years. Intel is technically better, but they are a heck of a lot more expensive and the cost/performance ratio doesn't really justify it unless you are extremely hardcore. AMD is still quite good.

I prefer Intel for laptops (they tend to run cooler) but for desktops it's a wash as far as I'm concerned (both Intel and AMD are very solid).

But yeah, that graphics card is terrible for gaming and that does seem a little overpriced for what you get.

thank you for those tips, that makes me take note of the graphics card, something i dont know anything about. I'll try and research some now. THANKS

There are so many different graphics cards that it can seem daunting trying to learn what it all means, but it really isn't too bad.

Basically there are two main companies, Nvidia and ATI making the Geforce line and Radeon line respectively, and they both use a similar method. The first number of the card is the generation of the card and the second number is how powerful it is. The other numbers and letters (like GT, GTS, GTX) are not too important unless you are really hardcore.

So for the Radeon 5450 in that computer you saw, it belongs to the 5xxx generation and the 4 means it is rather weak. A last generation card like the 4850 is much more powerful than it despite it being a last generation card.

Basically is boils down to:

If the second number is less than 6, the card is not meant for gaming and only meant for basic stuff like internet surfing and office work.
If the second number is 6 or 7, it is good for gaming but it won't be able to max out most games at full graphics, resolution, and AA.
If the second number is an 8 or 9, this is the best of the best. These cards however are typically humongous in size and won't fit in some of the smaller computer towers so beware of that.

Here is a review and benchmark I found for the Radeon 5450.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.ph...=455&Itemid=72

It also shows some comparisons to other cards.

As you can see in the chart below, the 5450 can't handle Crysis getting right around 10 frames per second. The 4850 however can get 30 frames per second on Crysis.

Anyone here managed to get their PS3 pads working via Bluetooth on a PC? I have MotionInJoy installed and it works great with the controller plugged itno the USB port, but the second I try to go Bluetooth -- the software detects the controller but the little sync animation is gone and it doesn't register any actual button presses on the controller.