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TF2 mini-updates
Written by SN at 01:06:20 PM, 4th July 2008
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Valve phoned in some mini-updates today for Team Fortress 2. Restart your Steam client to apply. Details below:• Fixed a memory leak affecting both clients and servers
• Fixed a malicious packet exploit
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SiN Episodes: Emergence dirt cheap sale on Steam
Written by SN at 10:48:43 AM, 4th July 2008
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Until 7 July get SiN Episodes: Emergence for just US$4.99 via Steam. That's an incredible saving of 66%!
The SiN Episodes: Emergence package includes SiN Episodes: Emergence, SiN Multiplayer and SiN 1, chronicling the story of commander John Blade of the HardCorps security force, whw is locked in an epic battle against Elixis Sinclaire, twisted scientist and owner of SiNTWK, out to twist the world in her own unique vision.
Powered by Source technology, with gorgeous graphics and extraordinary physics-based gameplay, SiN also features a dynamic difficulty system that evolves as you battle jetpack soldiers and mutants throughout the futuristic Freeport City, inspired by New York, San Francisco and Tokyo.
Visit [www.storefront.steampowered.com] for more information.
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Ninja Gaiden II review releases a bloody river on GamingSA
Written by SN at 03:48:48 PM, 3rd July 2008
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Noble Japanese pseudo-rockstar, or at least the closest a game designer can get, Tomonobu Itagaki and his Team Ninja ninjas created the original Ninja Gaiden for Xbox, following it with the update Ninja Gaiden Black, before bringing the impossibly difficult third-person slasher to the next-generation with Ninja Gaiden Sigma on PlayStation 3. However, it is Ninja Gaiden II for Xbox 360 that is considered the genuine sequel and will likely be the last Ninja Gaiden for while, or ever, as Itagaki has now left his previous employers, Tecmo, suing them in the process. So question is, does Itagaki's acrobatic, wall-running, side-rolling, sword-fighting ninja, Ryu, have what it takes to truly challenge new and old players on this console generation? [Click here to read the full Ninja Gaiden II review on GamingSA].
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GamingSA Wants You To Fold@Home - Join The Team Today!
Written by SN at 01:11:25 PM, 3rd July 2008
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GamingSA has joined the fold. The Folding@Home fold. And we want you to join us - The GamingSA Folding Team.
Before you get to asking questions like "What is Folding?" and "Why should I Fold@Home?" head to [folding.stanford.edu/english/download] and download and install the appropriate Folding@Home client, then register as a member of team GamingSA - team number 24. Similarly, PlayStation 3s are setup to fold right out of the box. Click the Folding@Home icon in the Network column of the PS3 XMB to begin.
There are now special [Folding@Home threads in the GamingSA forums] where you can pledge and find help if you're having troubles.
Now, to answer those questions I imagine you're asking.
Folding@Home is the initiative of the [Pande Group] at [Stanford University's] [Chemistry Department]. This nonprofit institution is dedicated to researching the effects of Protein Folding in the hope of preventing and curing diseases related to misfolding proteins, such as Mad Cow and Alzheimer's disease, as well as cancer and other serious, lifethreatening illnesses.
Researching Protein Folding is a complex process and requires an extremely large amount of processing power. To help the institute research, they've created the Folding@Home software, which calculates folding processes using the CPU and, or, GPU of home computers. By Folding@Home you're helping create a super-powerful super-calculating super-computer with other users worldwide. Pretty awesome, huh?
A complete [FAQ may be found on the Standford Uni website here].
So, join the [GamingSA Folding@Home team] and help cure cancer, and stuff.
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Day of Defeat: Source Palermo update now available
Written by SN at 11:21:55 AM, 3rd July 2008
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Valve has just announced the official release of the Day of Defeat: Source Palermo Update and to celebrate this weekend is a Play-For-Free Day of Defeat: Source Weekend.
The Palermo Update includes the new Palermo map, a remix of the popular community-created map dod_salerno, originally created by Magnar "insta" Jennsen. The Update also makes full use of the Steamworks publishing kit, adding 51 achievements to DOD:S, playar avatar displays in the scoreboard and win panel, detailed player statistics integrated with [Steam Community's] features and, finally, the "nemesis/revenge" freeze cam and new particle effects as introduced in Team Fortress 2.
This weekend, 4-6 July, play Day of Defeat: Source free of charge, with pre-loading available now.
Visit [www.steampowered.com/dod/palermo] for more information.
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PlayStation 3 Firmware 2.4 now live, features in-game XMB, Trophies
Written by SN at 10:32:48 AM, 3rd July 2008
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Sony has just released Firmware 2.4 for PlayStation 3 console, which includes new in-game XMB functionality and the introduction of the Trophies reward system.
By tapping the PS button in the centre of the PS3 controller, the XMB may be accessed without quitting from a game you're playing. From the XMB, you're able to check friends list, read and send messages, play music from your PS3 harddrive - although it's up to game developers to include support for custom soundtracks - launch directly into another game, film or preview photos.
Trophies are similar in nature to Xbox Live! Achievements, recognising players' individual achievements across a wide variety of games with four levels of trophies, including Bronze, Silver and Gold trophies, with special Platinum trophies rewarded to players who have earned all of the other trophies in a particular game. The trophies also contribute to an online meta-game, featuring an exp-style status bar under players' online ID, which rises with each trophy earned, eventually levelling up the player, boosting them to the next level - this can be seen in the screenshot below. However, it has yet to be disclosed whether this level has any beneficial effect beside providing a quantifiable and , thus, comparable degree of virtual masturbation with other online gamers.
At present, Super Stardust HD is the only game to offer Trophy support, via a downloadable update, with the following first-party games confirmed to offer support later:· BUZZ! Quiz TV
· LittleBigPlanet
· MotorStorm Pacific Rift
· NBA 09 - PS3
· PAIN*
· PixelJunk Eden
· Resistance 2
· SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation
· Warhawk* * Requires updating.
The PlayStation Blog is hosting walkthrough videos of first, [the in-game XMB and it's functionality, and second, [the Trophies, how their rewarded and where they're displayed]. A [v2.4 FAQ is also available].
The most disappointing thing about the Trophies system is that they're not retroactive. This means that even if you're currently ranked at number 3000 online in Super Stardust HD with a score of over 1,000,000 - or something like that - then you must play through and meet the requirements for each trophy AGAIN in order to earn them.
Guess I'll see you online in Super Stardust HD, then. Look for "StolenName" on the front page of the online leaderboard *wink*.
 
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