Top 5 issues that kill PCs

NOTE AND OPINION: Before anything, this article is something I've wanted to do for years.  Besides working, nerding out, and going to UBalt, I typically keep up to date in all things tech.  I love technology.  I love computers.  I like shiny things.  I've been dealing with the lovely Windows operating system for well over a decade now, and as you already know, it isn't perfect.  Recently, a lot of people have gone Mac.  While that's great, going Mac is typically something a person does when they are sick of PCs.  Why are they sick of PCs?  Well, some have valid reasons such using a Mac for media purposes, such as for music or video editing.  Hey, that's great, I'm proud of these guys.  If I spent well over 1k on a computer, I damn well better be using it for something cool.  But as for the majority of the people that became prey to viruses and other PC related issues, I have little sympathy for you.  If you still are using a PC, then this list is for you! If not then go back your Mac (or Linux if you're cool) and enjoy your day.
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For several years, I've been clearing out issues on computers for my friends and family.  Being computer illiterate in 2012 is a very dangerous thing and is like driving a car without a license.  You would be amazed on how many of the simplest issues that I've seen most people do throughout the years that made them vulnerable to viruses and several other computer related issues.  So after doing this, I thought to myself: Why not make a top 5 list of the things that kill PCs the most?  So I did, and here we are! ;)

Keep in mind; this is not aimed towards any person.  Don't be ashamed if you done any of the things I've listed below.  I give suggestions on what to do and what to use on if you have been guilty on any of these issues.  Think of this as more of a guide for preventing and fixing this issues, rather than a top 5 list that is making fun of computer illiterate people (because it isn't).

5. Don't be stupid.

Before handing over your computer to a tech savy person, the easiest way to solve a problem is tell them what you were doing to get the virus.  For most males the cause of most issues is either porn or pirated media.  For women, it's usually an online advertisement or installing software such as screen savers or secret squirrel software that lets them know who is viewing their Facebook profile (it doesn't exist).

I recommend/suggest:

1. Stream it, don't download it.  This goes for any music or video you stream from "shady" sites.  If you absolutely have to keep on using these sites, streaming media is less likely to harm your computer.  Also if these sites ever ask you to download a codec or anything at all, don't do it.

2. Get a job or a Netflix/Gamefly subscription.  If you like to pirate music, you might as well suck it up and either start using something like Spotify or if you like to keep your music, use iTunes.  If you still are using P2P software, please uninstall it now.

You can download all of the software I mentioned below:
Netflix: http://www.netflix.com
Gamefly: http://www.gamefly.com
Spotifty: http://www.spotify.com/
iTunes: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

(Yes, people will pirate and be virus free, but this guide is not promoting piracy)

3. If it's too good to be true, use common sense and ignore it (this includes phlishing scams claiming that an alien has abducted your account(s)).

4. Don't let software get outdated

Every day, hackers are finding loopholes within Windows, Internet Explorer, Flash, Java, etc.  Not updating your computer with Windows updates or disabling updates is the equivalent of saying "come at me bro" to a horde of zombies.  You just don't do it.

I recommend:
1. Turning on automatic updates within Windows Update.  If you turned this off for whatever reason, turn it back on ASAP.  It nags you for a reason.  Not sure how to do this?  Follow this guide: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525

2. Install Filehippo.com's Update Checker (http://filehippo.com/updatechecker/) - You won't regret it and it checks for updates on software when you start up Windows.

3. If Filehippo isn't your thing, most problems typically have a "Check for updates" option.  Make sure this is ALWAYS checked off in the preferences of the software and most programs will usually inform you after you start it up that an update is available.  Don't ignore them!  Install them ASAP!!

3. Do not buy/use Antivirus software if you don't plan on renewing the subscription (but still use one).

Did you ever wonder why most people typically get viruses after about 6 months (or a year) after they get a PC?  It's because they ignore Norton or whatever crap program a computer manufacturer installed on their PC and as soon as the trial runs out.  While some of these programs are great, most of them usually require a pricey renewal fee which will likely be ignored by the user.  This usually results in the software turning off or disabling updates.  You're saying come at me bro to the crazed infected people from Resident Evil 4 (if you never played it, use your imagination), along with the insane chainsaw guy from that game.  Again, YOU JUST DON'T DO IT.

I recommend:
Microsoft Security Essentials (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/security-essentials-all-versions) - It's free and it works.  No nagging either, so it's great.
AVG Anti Virus (http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage) - AVG likes to nag you a bit, but still works well to this day.
Avast! Anti Virus Software (http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download) - It oddly requires a yearly free subscription for no reason, and it will scare the crap out of you with its creepy robotic voice when it updates or if something is up.  I recommend turning the sound off, but other than that, it works.

My friend, Dave has recommended Comodo Security.  I haven't tried it, but I'm sure it works great.  It's also free.  You can get it here: http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/free-internet-security.php

2. Clean your computer hardware.

If you manage to do everything that I've listed above, you may be one of the many who like to let their computer collect dust.  Computers are typically put up against walls and usually collect dust at an alarming rate.  Learn how to open up your PC (it's like opening a car hood, it's too easy) and clean out your computer with a can of compressed air every 3-6 months.  This ensures your computer's fans will not get clogged up with dust and will not overheat or "die".  Some of you are probably afraid to do this, but man up, and do it already.  Your computer will thank you.

I suggest:
1 can of compressed air (easily obtainable at Wal Mart and other retail stores)

1. Scan for viruses weekly and defrag your computer.

This is far by the thing that almost nobody does until a problem hits.  Just as a protip, some tricky viruses have a habit of blocking antivirus programs from removing it.  You know why?  It's probably because you didn't follow #4.  You didn't update it.  And with that said, the version you are using will become completely useless once an actual virus rolls in.  The advantage of scanning a PC weekly for viruses is that you will likely catch smaller things such as trojans before they have the opportunity to start more trouble.  As for defragging, almost nobody does this due to taking a very long time to complete.  But let me ask you this: Do you have a job?  Do you sleep?  Do you go to school/college?  If you answered yes to any of these, then you can defrag your computer when you are doing any of these.  You have no excuse besides laziness.

I recommend:
If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials, you can use that for scanning for viruses.  I also suggest:

Malwarebytes Anti Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org/) - Is updated daily and it gets rid of some of the nastiest viruses I've ever seen (rouge anti-viruses are the worst).  It's free and it works!

My friend, Dave has also recommended another Comodo product, Comodo Anti Virus which is also free and has worked great for him.  You can get it here: http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/antivirus.php

Defraggler (http://www.piriform.com/defraggler) - This is a small step up from Microsoft's defragging software.  Sure, it takes a while to work, but it gets the job done.  If you don't like it, the Microsoft version works too; you can find it on computer by using the search bar (Windows Vista/7/8).  If you do not have the search bar on Windows XP, follow this guide: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848

CCleaner (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner) - While this really doesn't go under anti virus or defragging, it's a great tool to use to clean out unneeded temporary files that slowly accumulate as the years go by.  I'd suggest using this every other week.


PROTIPS:
1.  Have a software issue, or does something seem "off"?  Use System Restore!
Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084
Windows Vista/7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/system-restore

2. Use the same password for everything?  Don't!  Make your passwords at least 12 characters long and hard to guess.  Using one capital letter or a symbol within it also helps.  Using the same password for everything is one of the most dangerous things you can do on the internet.

3. Not using your computer?  Shut it down!  Unless you are leaving the computer on to do something (like downloading stuff), then turn it off.  Also, only use the hibernate or sleep options only if you coming back to the computer in that same day.  Do not use it constantly.

4. Not sure what you're doing?  Google it!  Seriously, it solves nearly everything you can think of!
http://www.google.com

E3 2012 and more

Hey, guys.  I know it's been a while since my last blog.  I seem to always forget I have one even though I have so much on my mind about the industry.  Since January, I finished up my Associate's degree (was technically done in December but needed a math class and 2 extra credits to graduate, so I did an internship) and now I'm starting on my Bachelor’s in the fall at the University of Baltimore.  With that said, I'm also still gaming.  I've been out of school since early May and I been catching up on my massive backlog of games, movies, and anime.  In February, I did get a Playstation Vita and I also have obtained many other 3DS/Vita games since then as well.

First off:

1. The Playstation Vita had a terrible launch and will likely end the year in misery. 

This honestly isn't much of a shocker.  The Vita is a powerful portable, but it had the same two problems that plagued the 3DS at launch as well: A lack of good games and a high price point.  At this time, I have five Vita games, and I just picked up Gravity Rush (great game) and Mortal Kombat (great port for the most part). 

Yeah, about that...

None of my friends I know own one yet and I personally think if the upcoming Call of Duty game for the system doesn't sell a ton, the Vita is sadly done for.  I can't think of any killer app for the Vita as of this point, and while Uncharted was great, it really doesn't keep you coming back after you've beaten it.

2. People are finally buying the 3DS because it now has good games and a lower price.

Just as I said above, the 3DS's second year has so far been great.

Looks like we're getting a bonus this year, woo hoo!

A lot of big games are hitting in the fall, and I feel 3DS sales will without a doubt blow the Vita out of the water this holiday season.  I also wish I wanted a year to buy one, but hey, I like new shiny things when they come out, but oh well.

And now for the main part of the article:

E3 2012 was terrible because the "Big 3" is holding out on their new consoles new year

Everyone should have known this before the show, but E3 was a total crapfest this year.  A lot of good games got some nice trailers (The Last of Us, Resident Evil 6, Halo 4, the God of War prequel sequel whatever game, etc.) but every conference was pretty boring.  Sony really had nothing new to offer, and Microsoft is basically ripping off the Wii U controller with its new Smartglass, go figure.

Nintendo even failed at trying to sell the Wii U to gamers.  It sure did better than last year (most people thought the Wii U was a new controller for the Wii since they never showed the system), so Nintendo finally acknowledged that "yes, we got a new console on the way!" but the games were for the most part were either on other consoles, or they weren't that great.  Everyone would agree that Nintendo is FINALLY getting on the ball for making this console for the "hardcore" gamer, but the problem is, we already have hardcore game consoles, therefore, I and many other gamers don't care about it.  

Come back tomorrow... we'll show you "more", we swear!

They had several conferences at E3 (compared to just one) and most of it was just fluff and apologizing to us that they had "no time".  Their main presentation was all Wii U and constantly told us to come back tomorrow for more stuff, and the 3DS was put on the backburner despite the system only being one year old.  Ouch.  The 3DS conference the next night was even worse and barely showed us anything that we didn't already know about.  It was just a massive waste of everyone's time for something that could have been done in 15 minutes at the main conference.  The kicker was that they held back announcements even after everything was over, and the Wii U still has no price or release date.  For that Nintendo, you made your E3 suck. 

Next year, I know E3 will be obviously be better.  But Nintendo is going to be in trouble selling the Wii U in general.  Since it's a year ahead of the upcoming Playstation and Xbox consoles, it best sell itself now before people are wowed but the "real" next generation of game consoles.  

Magfest X

Hey, guys.  Over the weekend, I attended my first Magfest in National Harbor, MD.  This is actually the 10th Magfest so it felt pretty cool to be there at probably the best Magfest yet.  

If you aren't aware what Magfest is, it's basically a music and video game festival.  It started up a few years back, and I remember first hearing about it on a Screwattack podcast way back in 2007.  I was psyched that the convention was close to me, but due to a lack of funds and it being at bad times (new years, conflicting with work/school, etc), I never had the opportunity to attend one. This years Magfest was actually at a new location and was almost guaranteed that it wouldn't sell out this time.

With that said, I did some planning, and managed to make it for 1 of the 4 days (Saturday), since Saturday almost always has all of the big events planned on it.  One of the first things I did was attend a panel for a site I heard of a few years back known as Retroware.tv.  These guys are somewhat similar to the current trend of websites that are a sort of portal to gaming related shows.  The guys were really laid back, but they also knew their stuff.  They showed off some videos (with a rather amusing Pro Wrestling inspired announcement to their new free app), and even a preview of their upcoming big show, The Video Game Years.  It looked really interesting and I'll check it out in the future.  

That said, I think the most interesting show that stuck out to me (between all of their shows) was the one called The Game Chasers.  Basically a group of two friends go around Texas searching for rare video games. I found this pretty interesting since I've done like this myself (see my Pawn shop review posts in 2009) and I was really wow'ed at all of the things they did to obtain retro games and systems.  The guys aren't just all about business though, the show also has some really amusing moments such as Jay (one of the Game Chasers) running around a town with a Tigger costume on.  Sure it's random, but the duo joking around with each other actually gives the show some very good comic relief, not to mention the small arguments they get into when they debate on who will buy a certain game.  

Later on, one of my favorite game related bands, The Minibosses did a live show at the convention.  I only got to listen to two of their songs due to The Angry Video Nerd's (James Rolfe's) Q&A being only a few minutes after their concert ended, so I left the concert early so I could wait in line.  While I was in the huge line, I saw Final Fantasy composer, Nobuo Uematsu, and his new band, the Earthbound Papas.  I managed to snap a quick picture of them before they went back into the back room.

James Rolfe's Q&A was pretty cool, he answered as many questions as he possibly could.  I thought of a random question for the heck of it.  I asked him how he made the replica cartridge for the Nintendo World Championships review (he tricked the audience in a review that he broke the game).  If you don't know, the gold cartridges of the game are referred to being one of the most rarest games of all time due to them being at the only Nintendo World Championship that was held over two decades ago.  He later had an autograph signing at the dealer's room.  I got him to sign my NES copies of Mega Man 2 and Friday the 13th.  

The last thing I did was seeing the main event: The Earthbound Papas concert.  This concert was insanely awesome, especially if you are a gamer.  Nobuo Uematsu and his band rocked their hearts out and played many memorable songs from the Final Fantasy games and various other games/shows that Uematsu and his band have worked on.  One minute, gamers were furiously headbanging and throwing each other around, and the next, they were holding up lighters and cell phones.  I was actually near the end of crowd so I couldn't see much of anything, but was still really awesome to have the chance to see them in concert.

All in all, Magfest X was a real awesome experience for me.  I'm glad that I got to go this year, and I'm looking forward to see what Magfest XI will deliver to gamers next year.  

Welcome to 2012 Part 3 - Upcoming Games

Welcome to my final part of my “Welcome to 2012” series… this final part is all about the upcoming games of 2012.  Please remember, I’m probably not going to cover every game that you maybe hyped for, but these are a few games that either caught my eye or I am really looking forward to this year.  I’ll range the games from the ones I know the least about to the ones I’m most excited for.  The following games will start with the name, platform(s), release date, the publisher, and then will follow with a paragraph that will contain my thoughts of the game.

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure (3DS, February, Sega)

Rhythm Thief probably won’t be a game I’ll get when it comes out, but from the trailer, it’s looking a lot like the DS games Ouendan and Elite Beat Agents.  Even though these types of games are often pretty addictive, the killer is that you can usually beat these types of games in a day or two.  If it does get good reviews, I’ll probably pick it up next month if I’m not broke (darn you, Vita)!

Luigi’s Mansion 2 (3DS, TBA 2012, Nintendo)

Luigi’s Mansion was a launch title 10 years ago on the Gamecube.  Since then, gamers have been begging Nintendo to make a sequel, and they have finally delivered.  If you’re not sure what Luigi’s Mansion was, I really can’t blame you as it was a pretty obscure game.  Just think of it as Ghostbusters, just solo.  At E3 it was revealed that the game will more or less be like the previous one, which was Luigi hunting down ghosts in a haunted mansion, but this time around, he’ll be going to more mansions instead of just one.  A release date has not been announced at this time, but the original was pretty fun, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of this game soon.

Syndicate (Multiplatform, February, EA)

Syndicate was originally a series of PC games made by an old EA studio known as Bullfrog.  I remember these guys mostly for Theme Park and Theme Hospital.  Both games which let you build your own park or hospital and were really fun.  I never played any of the original Syndicate games but apparently it was some sort of isometric shooter.   That aside, Bullfrog is gone and dead, but the series has been revived by EA.  According to the trailers, the game seems to be like the recent Deus Ex: Human Revolution but with co-op on the side.  I might rent this one first as it seems a bit steep to buy a $60 game without knowing too much about it, but at this time, I have some pretty high hopes for it.

Twisted Metal (PS3, February, Sony)

Twisted Metal is also a reboot for the original series of games on the Playstation. I was a big fan of the first two games on the original Playstation, but the last two weren’t that great.  I never played Twisted Metal Black on PS2, but I guess it’s good that Sony decided to make it free to whoever buys this game, so now I can play it.  The trailer of the game is pretty darn cool.  It’s obvious that Sweet Tooth is back, but the trailer just mainly showed him blowing crap up.  Some gamers seem pretty concerned that even though a lot of the vehicles are returning, a lot of the old characters from previous games are strangely absent.  Regardless, I’m looking forward to see what this game has to offer.

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational (Vita, February, Sony)

If you know me, I’m not exactly a fan of sports games, In fact, I kind of loathe them.  Mainly because most sports games are developed in a year and are usually roaster updates from the game before it.  I was never a sports guy, but I tend to get into sports games that aren’t related to any of the yearly franchises such as NBA Jam & NFL Blitz.  I also enjoyed original sports games (not based on real sports teams) such as Mario Golf and Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee. The reason why these games are good is that they usually don’t require you to all about the sport before playing it.  The game may actually deviate from the rules of the game, but it’s usually for the sake of making the game more enjoyable.  I enjoyed the PSP game from this series, so I’m pretty sure the Vita version will be just as good.  The trailer showed off some gimmicky features which I think isn’t necessary, but I’m sure the game will offer traditional controls as well.

Tekken 3D: Prime Edition (3DS, February, Namco Bandai)

I’m actually a pretty big fan of the whole Tekken series.  The problem with this franchise lately is that every game after Tekken 5 has been more or less the same game, and that every game after 5 has had less and less new features, not to mention, everything has to be tournament styled and have everything unlocked from the get-go (which I think seriously murders the replay value of any fighting game).  Tekken 3D has had one trailer and it basically just says “This is Tekken.  Nothing new to see here guys, just buy it, m’kay?” Complaints aside, Dead or Alive Dimensions was basically the same as its previous games, but was still a good game.  For whatever reason they are also including the hard to watch CG movie: Tekken: Blood Vengeance 3D.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Vita, February, Sony)

Uncharted is basically Indiana Jones meets Tomb Raider, but combines all of the cool aspects from each one into one game.  The series is already a trilogy on the PS3, and I played through a good bit of the first game, and the second game is still unopened on my shelf.  The Vita game is supposedly a prequel of sorts to the first game.   I really dig the exploration in these games, but not so much the gunfights as I feel they are somewhat clunky and feel more of like a distraction from the main game.  The Vita game promises to be more exploration… but I guess we’ll see.  Regardless, I have this pre ordered with my Vita.

Soul Calibur V (Multiplatform, TBA 2012, Namco Bandai)

Soul Calibur and I go way back to the original game on the Dreamcast.  The trailers aren’t showing off too much, but I’ll give it a go anyway.  Oh, and I’m thrilled to see that Namco finally got the hint that adding console exclusive characters was always a stupid idea.  The release date will probably be announced soon, likely at E3.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS, March, Nintendo)

After seeing his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, everyone assumed that the Kid Icarus series would eventually get revived, and wouldn’t you know, it did.  The new game doesn’t seem to be anything like the older games, but I feel that might be a good thing.  The game seems be both an on rails shooter and a 3^rd person shooter (mixing it between levels).  The game has already had multiple gameplay and story trailers to it and is building a whole bunch of hype.  As of now, it’s looking like a day 1 purchase for me, and thankfully, this is actually not a February release (so I can don’t have to wait to buy it).  

Animal Crossing (the subtitle for it has not been revealed yet) – (3DS, TBA 2012, Nintendo)

The Animal Crossing series for me has always been probably one of the most sickeningly addictive games I have ever played.  If those of you that are unfamiliar with this series, you are forcefully thrown into mortgage debt, and in order to get out of it, you are forced to do repetitive errands, grow/find fruit, catch stuff, etc.  Now you’re probably thinking: “Chris, that all sounds stupid”, well you may be right.  But after doing this for an hour, it’s insanely addictive, and it’s why I must have this game the moment it comes out.  Because I must play it in order to fulfill my addiction to collecting garbage.

Addiction aside, according to an interview with the developers, they sort of got the hint the Animal Crossing: City Folk was exactly like its previous game with the exception of the small market they randomly added in (but of course it was called a city for whatever reason).  The 3DS version will add in more customization, as well as make you the mayor of your own town.  This means you can either become a freeloading junkie or you can help out the town and build useful things for the townspeople… or townsanimals.  

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (Multiplatform, March, Capcom)

Resident Evil is a very well respected franchise for gamers.  This game is actually a non-canon game (meaning not related to the main game’s storyline) but is sort an alternate “what if” story that occurs during Resident Evil 2.  Basically Umbrella has a squad of guys who are out to kill any survivals in Raccoon City that may know about Umbrella’s involvement of the disaster that occurred there.  And what do ya know, we only have two survivals: RE2’s protagonists Leon Kennedy and Clare Redfield.  The game’s main objective is to kill Kennedy through any means necessary, but to get to him; they have to wipe out hordes of their own zombies.  According to the trailers, the game is co-op, like the Left 4 Dead series except its 3^rd person and that each character in the game has their own unique abilities.  The game is also offering a multiplayer mode where you can play as other popular Resident Evil characters such as Hunk and Jill Valentine. 

Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS, February, Capcom)

Now you maybe are wondering why this game made my #1.  Well, I honestly think it’s going be an awesome game.  This is probably the game that nearly every 3DS owner has been waiting for since it the teaser trailer was shown off back at E3.  The series is returning back to its roots, and is offering a new story (that’s supposedly canon, unlike Operation Raccoon City) that seems interesting.  The protagonists from the first Resident Evil are to be reunited, however, Chris Redfield is missing, and his last known location was on a ship full of zombies and various other monsters.  The recent trailer reveals more about the story, and we'll also exploring various other places such as a sunken city, all for the sake of finding a cure to a virus (sounds familiar, right?).  After seeing the graphics pulled off on the 3DS with The Mercenaries 3D, I’m looking forward to playing the crap out of Revelations went it hits next month.  To conclude, here’s the best trailer of the game, enjoy.

Welcome to 2012 Part 2 - Playstation Vita

After typing out the Wii U article, I should of technically made the Playstation Vita article first due to it coming out next month.. oh well.  Anyway, as I stated earlier, we have a second console coming out this year from Sony.  No, it's not the PS4, it's actually the successor to the Playstation Portable, otherwise known as the PSP.  It's hard to remember the PSP a lot in the states due to it being dominated by the Nintendo DS.  In Japan, the PSP's sales are usually very close to the Wii and DS's which may sound shocking, but this was probably the main reason why Sony decided to make a successor for the console. However, in America, a lot of people sort of forgot about the PSP.

 The final model of the PSP (PSP 3000)

The PSP had a lot of problems with it.  The UMD format was overall a complete and total failure.  Loading times were usually too long, the filesize on a UMD was smaller than a PS2 game, and it only had one analog stick.  Developers did however manage to make fantastic games on the console, but sadly, most of them were forgotten and still didn't sell so well.  Due to Nintendo's innovative push with the DS, Nintendo eventually pushed out the PSP , and after 2008, a lot of developers slowly dropped the console altogether (in the West mainly).

 

The launch model of the Playstation Vita

The Playstation Vita on the other hand shows that Sony got the hint that PSP sort of sucked.  As Sony infamously does, it always has to borrow a feature from it's competitors, and this time, it's with the touch screen.  However, Sony did use some of it's own innovation this time around to create a back touch pad on the console as well.  The Vita also has two analog sticks, which resolves the issue that I mentioned earlier from the original PSP console.

 A Playstation Vita Game Card and Memory Card

Speaking of fixing old issues, the Vita also uses a proprietary card format for not only it's games but also it's (mandatory) memory cards as well.  The good news is the games will now load way faster than games did on the PSP.  However, the memory cards are no longer the memory stick format that we used on the PSP, so this means we have to buy a memory card at launch.  Since the UMD format is gone and done with (and we don't want it back), this obviously means that it won't play PSP games via a UMD, but you will be able to play PSP games via your memory card through either your current Playstation Network collection of games, or by going through a UMD conversation program that requires a fee for you to get the digital version of your UMD PSP games.

 Actual screenshot from Uncharted: Golden Abyss

What made the Wii U article shorter is that 1. It's unreleased and 2. It has little to no known games at this time.  However, with the Vita, it's been out in Japan for roughly two weeks now, therefore, we know what to expect for next month's launch in the States.  One thing I forgot to mention about the Vita is what's inside.  The graphics are a huge leap up from the PSP's, some would even say that it's on par with the PS3's graphics as it's getting ports of some current console games as well.  I also forgot to mention the Vita will have two models in every region: A WiFi model and a 3G/WiFi model.  In the states, the 3G model is using AT&T's service.

All in all, the WiFi model of the Playstation Vita is competitively priced with 3DS's original launch price of $250, with the 3G/WiFi model being priced at $299.  The current launch lineup is looking pretty good, I myself, am looking forward to Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, and Super Stardust Delta.

Welcome to 2012 Part 1 - Wii U

With the exception of the apocalypse (lol) happening this year, we are expecting a lot of good games to come out!  This year however starts with our first "next gen" console from Nintendo known as the Wii U. 

The current Wii U Prototype.

Odd name aside, the Wii U is obviously Nintendo's home console successor to the Wii.  Even though the Wii sold the most consoles last gen, it's arguably the console that few gamers kept coming back to.  Last year alone, the only "big" game was Skyward Sword from Nintendo.  After Nintendo's showing of the console at E3, reactions were mixed, and most people including myself, were honestly worried of the console's future.

What we know so far:

• Will feature current gen graphics (on par or somewhat better than 360/PS3 graphics)
• Is an actual "HD" console with 1080p
• Nintendo claims it's more geared to "hardcore" gamers
• Will be backwards compatible with all Wii games, but will not upscale them (The PS3 upscaled PS2 games until they removed backwards compatibility in future models)
• Wii also use the same Wii Remote, as well as most accessories (Wii Fit scale, nunchuk, etc)
• Promised to have better third party support

At E3, a lot of guys not only groaned at weird name, but they also weren't big fans of Nintendo's new controller.

The Wii U Controller

Now, remember what I said earlier?  That you could use the Wii remote if you wanted to?  Well, you better not sell them off when you buy the Wii U, because only one Wii U controller can be used on each Wii U console.  The controller is meant to be a sort of enhancement to games.  One example was that the controller can give you a certain edge against other players in the game (since the others are using the Wii Remote).  The think the best way to think of is like the second screen on the Nintendo DS.  The top screen was usually the screen where all of the gameplay happened, but the bottom screen would usually be used for secondary tasks such as item inventories, maps, etc.  I feel the Wii U controller's screen will probably be used for the same things.

The coolest feature of the Wii U however actually lies within the controller.  Few of you may remember the remote play option that the PS3 had with the PSP.  A few games let you play PS3 games remotely on the PSP.  While I never actually tried this feature myself, the Wii U is going all out on this sort of thing.  Apparently, all games will playable on the Wii U's controller without the need for a TV.  While this may sound very strange for a home console, it's what Nintendo is doing anyway.  So if you are in a situation where you have to give up the TV to the kids or something, you can resume your game on the controller.  It's a crazy feature, but I can't wait to see it in action.

With the exception of a few games that were previously announced for other consoles, Nintendo has yet to reveal anymore details about the console (such as a release date, price, first party launch titles, etc), but it is scheduled to be out by at least the end of this year.  Let's just hope that I don't get over hyped for this console like I did with the 3DS and it's terrible launch. 

OnLive (Cloud Gaming) Review

Two years ago, a new cloud based game system was introduced at GDC 2009. What the system basically did was stream the game onto your computer. So, any low end computer could play a HD game on it without having to upgrade or buy a new PC. The way OnLive works is that several games are hosted on OnLive’s servers. When you buy them, you can instantly play any game on the service at any given time, as long as you have a PC that play video and that has a fast internet connection.

OnLive’s idea is very neat, and almost seems like its way ahead for its time. Over Easter weekend, OnLive was having a sale, and I hopped in and bought FEAR 2 for $5. This gave me unlimited access to the game. Now say if it wasn’t on sale, I could of bought either a 3 day or 5 day pass for the game if I only wanted to try it out. You can also try most of the games out for free for half an hour. Lastly, OnLive does offer a subscription based service for $10 a month, which enables you to have unlimited access with any game within its catalog.

OnLive can be played through a variety of ways. OnLive can be played on a PC, Mac, TV, and you can watch other people play through Android & iPhone devices as well. The TV accessory is sold directly through OnLive with a gamepad for $100. However, the OnLive service itself is free to play online, and you all have to do on a PC & Mac is download the free application. Thankfully, the adaptor is not required.

OnLive offers a TV Adapter & Gamepad combo for $100.

Even though, I already own a gaming PC, I tried OnLive out on both my main desktop PC and my laptop as well. Though 95% of my gameplay experience, I had zero to few problems while playing. The games are very responsive, and the video quality is good while running a high speed internet connection. On my laptop, I noticed some pixelation and OnLive was constantly saying it had network problems, but this only seemed to happen very rarely. Overall, the service is very smooth, and is perfect for anyone who has interest in the PC platform, and can’t afford to keep upgrading a PC or buying new PCs to play the latest games.

The video quality is certainly something to note. The quality is decent, but not amazing. The games look good, but not nearly as good as they should be. Even though a quality drop in video is rare, the service should at least offer higher resolutions so the games will look better. It feels like its YouTube quality, rather than me actually playing it on my PC or Xbox 360. The only games I tried out were FPS’s which usually require precise control, and all have fast paced gameplay. Though the games I played, I noticed no sort of “lag” and I never died due to a delayed control response or anything like that.

OnLive lets you watch other gamer's play games.

OnLive also lets you watch other players play a game. I noticed that anybody can watch you play a game, which I feel is a little creepy, but it didn’t bother me while I playing my game. OnLive also includes a friend system, and a voice chat system so that you can talk to your friends while they either watch you (or them) play a game or you can play a game together with them.

All in all, I feel that OnLive is a very neat idea. I don’t think many hardcore gamers will like it due to the video quality, but I feel more casual gamers will enjoy it due to being playable on lower end PCs. It’s said that OnLive may be built into some televisions in the future, and will more open up more gamers to the service. The catalog at this time is decent, with nearly two dozen publishers backing the service such as Ubisoft, Epic Games, THQ, Atari, and more. Despite the large support for the service, the game catalog is still rather small, but will likely grow as time goes on. I even saw that new games such as FEAR 3 will be playable on the service once it is released.

OVERALL RATING – 7.5/10

Pros – Can play any game within the catalog on any PC and Mac without having a super gaming PC. Quality is acceptable, and the gameplay is very responsive.

Cons – Video Quality may drop at any given time depending on your connection; video quality isn’t as good as it should be, game catalog doesn’t have many interesting or new games.