RAGE.
Posted by: Alexander Day on: October 17, 2011
RAGE. A new game from id, under a fair bit of flack from the gaming community on the PC. Well I’ve been playing for a short while (An hour and a half or so) and honestly, its not terrible. In fact, its pretty damn good. Basic plot is that an asteroid (Apophis Wiki Page) impacts the planet. You, chosen to survive awake 106 years later in a wasteland. factions fighting, scares resources. You get the idea. Now go explore and shoot stuff!
I’ve been playing it on the PC. I won’t lie, my machine is no slouch, but its by no means top of the line any more. And if we look at the choices you have in the graphics menu (It has been patched so that the user has more control) I’m running pretty lean on the settings front.
Saying that though, the game is pretty. Well…. I say pretty. The character design and the gun models are great. As are items you interact with. Problem is, the background megatextures lack a certain something. I’ll demonstrate it below with a couple of examples, but the increase in settings doesn’t seem to help.
Here we can see some amazing modelling and texturing on the NPC. However the ground and pipe textures lack the same detail, and are compressed. Its is particularly apparent in the second image below, on the floor where the character is standing.
There is the texture pop in issue that is apparent too. I’m playing with a Quad core, 4GB ram and an nVidia 260GTX running a beta driver, and after the RAGE patch it is less noticable, but still there. A shame, but far better than the launch state, where it was god awful (Yogscast Texture Pop-in Example).
Otherwise it is a fun game. In fact i’ll be heading back into the wasteland once i’ve written this to drive very fast and shoot some things. I suggest checking it out if you are intruged by it, much like I was. I watched some videos and decided it was worth my time. Overall an solid 8 given some of the misgivings it has had!
New (again) and hopefully improved!
Posted by: Alexander Day on: July 30, 2011
Hello!
So this is my latest attempt to get back into the world of blogging again. I’m a graduate from a MComp Games Computing degree from the University of Lincoln (MComp being an integrated masters programme, 4years in length) in case you didn’t know, and I hope to blog things that I find relevant to my interests (games, tech, that sort of thing) and work that I am/have been involved with, serving as some sort of semi permanent portfolio online.
Anyway, what’s new? I’ve finished my degree and graduate in September. Exciting stuff! Other than that I am back in the wilds of Suffolk, partially job hunting, partially working on projects, and the other bit is gaming and being a D.I.Y. Handyman! It’s quite an array of skills I tell you! (if you need my skills drop me a message ha)
Been playing around with my new gadget, an iPad 2 and so far have been pleasantly surprised. (infact I am using it to update my blog as we speak). Other than this, more TF2 playing as well as experimenting with the MMORPG Rift. Good fun. Oh and been playing Alice Madness Returns. Fun game with great visuals. But let’s not just make this a game review blog!
Any who, that’s enough for now readers.
Bye for now!
October. Halloween, Rain and Work.
Posted by: Alexander Day on: October 14, 2010
Another month is upon us. To be expected I suppose. Anyway, a new month, a new load of things to talk about! Well….I say a new load of things. I’m still a student. I still do studenty things. However, I have joined the gym and been twice already. Only took 3 years to get round to joining but hey. Apart from that, socially things are pretty much the same. My going out has slowed down, and has instead been replaced with hanging out with someone. But that is gossip for another time, and not to be shouted across the internet!
Work wise, My project is starting to come together. I’m thinking about doing something AI based, specifically fuzzy logic, so if you happen to be an expert in this area, please do help! I need to narrow down my area of research. Apart from that, its normal lectures really, one of which has been the psychology of science and things like that. Interesting, yes, but I don’t think I could be a psychology student!
The house is still standing, minus some damp and a broken tumble dryer (i’m currents surrounded by drying laundry) but we might be getting a new one today if there is one in stock. Yay!
Anywho, roll on next month!
I’ll leave you with this in these grey cold days:
Professional cat is professional 
I am here, honest!
Posted by: Alexander Day on: September 18, 2010
Hello people,
I confess, I don’t update this as much as I should be. I’ve had the whole summer off and didn’t really do much. (spot of gaming – played the new WoW Beta) Now i’m back at uni, freshers week starts on Monday and it shall be my 4th and final year. Ouch. Lots of work. Less drinky drinkies.
Other than that, not much is new. I bought my first thing on ebay (a dreamcast), I have a DE razor and want to get a Straight razor. If you have never used a DE but are scared, don’t be. I’ve only cut myself once! Anyway, back to watching Kick-ass. Ciao!
New Update
Posted by: Alexander Day on: July 27, 2010
Hello all,
So its time for another update I suppose, not that I have done much this summer. That said, I have passed the year, and got my watch. Just need to get back in shape (not that I will) and do some prep for the project (which I won’t do either…). I have all my games to keep me entertained, and my wait for SC2 to arrive!
by the by, how awesome is this Harley Quinn Cosplay at SDCC2010? I have to go to one of these *pencils in 2012*
Model: Rachel Lara Horton
Photographer: Rattmice (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rattmice/)
Surprise!
Posted by: Alexander Day on: July 3, 2010
Good morning/afternoon/evening (depending when you read this).
Just a small update really. I have my watch, not done much really. Started getting in to Star Trek: Enterprise and have a pile of games to play through (including Borderlands). Seriously, Steam sales rock! Only a few months left until university again. Suppose I should consider doing some work…maybe.
New! (And Slightly Improved)
Posted by: Alexander Day on: June 23, 2010
So yes, I am one year older. 21. Twenty One. Yep. All grown up! Didn’t do too much really, a few meals here and there with the family. I mean I did drink lots when it was my fake birthday! So what did I get you ask? Money and a watch (To be collected soon) I am tempted to buy an apple tv, although i’m not entirely sure whether I would use it all that much yet, hence then non purchase yet. Would have to either transcode lots of files or hack it and install Boxee or one of the many options. Anywho, I suppose I should sleep again at some point.
PS: Girls can really confuse me.
Aloha!
Posted by: Alexander Day on: June 11, 2010
Hello interwebs. Its been a while. I was going to blog last night but wordpress was down. Oh well!
Anyways, its now the summer, and university is finished for yet another year. Its been a eventful few months, with highs and lows. Have to say, alcohols is evil and I am really glad for those that are close to me pulling me through. Anywho. The summer. As always I have good intentions as to what I want to achieve. Want to know? Well you will anyway.
- Get back into shape. Easy said, but the university lifestyle has really taken its toll!
- Do work over the holiday, both on C++ and start on my dissertation (purely because my major piece this year was terrible, and the one next year is supposed to be a research project. I’m thinking Games AI by the way.)
- Turn 21! Well it is only on Wednesday so that is a pretty short-term goal really!
- Get back into contact with all the people back home – Now that most are finished with the university part of their life, makes sense I finally catch up!
So what have I done now that I’m back home so far? Play on Mass Effect 2 and Modern Warfare 2. How cool am I?! Oh and download my student copy of Windows 7 to put on my pc at some point. Got to back up my steam games which will take a while though! Oh and i’ve started watching Caprica. Still undecided at the minute but it deserves my attention seeing just how much I love BSG.
Anyways, off to shoot some people online. Laters!
Hey Hey
Posted by: Alexander Day on: April 2, 2010
Yeah its been a while, then again, had quite a lot happen over the past few months. Fun times. Anywho, i’m chilling out procrastinating and eating ben and jerrys. Awesome.
I will pick this up once i’ve gotten past all my work obviously!
Laters
Hi Guys!
Posted by: Alexander Day on: November 7, 2009
New Post time!
So all my work at uni is starting to add up now. Industrial Project, Group Project, and then all the fun units I chose. Add to that time spent sleeping (which is far too much now), squash and the occasional night out, my blogging time is starting to fizzle. Fear not though, I shall keep adding stuff when I have things I want to talk about.
Anyway, back to laundry, and all my proposals.
Ciao!
