Cantousent

Yeah, that's with a new fan in the front. It's right in front of the HDD. In fact, I removed the toolbox from it's place in the case to get max air flow. The bios idle temps dropped for the motherboard and CPU. I didn't get HDD readings until after I installed the fan. If it weren't for the damned FEAR wonkiness, which I'm beginning to suspect is the copy protection, I wouldn't have a single complaint about the system, temp or performance wise.

That's true, but my experience is that IE can drive up the temperature a degree or two. At any rate, I still have that wonkiness with FEAR. I don't everytime, but if I play it and quit, I can expect it somewhere along the line. City of Heroes doesn't have a problem. FEAR has all sorts of weird issues, though. For example, sometimes I get an error message saying that the game either cannot find or authenticate the orginal CD. Whatever the hell that means. I've been playing it again anyhow. I'm playing with my only reloads on dying. I'm actually doing better than I thought. I'm halfway through Interval 05 and I've only had one really tough area. Other than a few reloads there, I've basically been going through pretty easily. I think I'll install HL2 and see how it works. FEAR still isn't scary for me, but the battles are entertaining and I'm enjoying the game more this time around than the first run.

I don't know what exactly the patch does, but I'm enjoying the game a lot more now. Maybe you're right, Bok, and I just needed better hardware to truly appreciate the game.

Good Lord, now that I fixed the Paralel port problem, I'm running City of Heroes, FEAR, and this browser at the same time. Everything is running at 1600x1200 and my CPU and MB are 40 and 43 respectively. Incredible. Awesome. ...And no more wonkines not that the PPP is fixed.

For some reason, my computer sometimes acts all wonkie after I exit FEAR. It acted the same way when I minimized City of Heroes. Just one more thing to make me worried. I don't know why it's doing that, but I'll go look at the event viewer after I post this. Anyhow, FEAR: EDIT: In trying to get my sound to work, I disabled a lot of the motherboard's onboard gizmos, ports and such. I went back and enabled them, since the sound works fine, and I am able to switch back and forth without problem. The big deal was the parallel port, of all things. At least the event viewer came in handy for something. EDIT AGAIN: Now that I've fixed the Parallel port, I've got no problems. I mean, this is awesome. Also, I can take screenshots paste them. I was running City of Heroes, FEAR, This browser, and paint at the same time without a single glitch. Man, am I relieved.

Oh, that's right. I'll go grab it now and use it.

Oh, I agree with that, my 1337 friend. Like I said, this is an issue right now because of that stupid Feargus' comment. I guess we can call it an "alleged" Feargus comment, but it seems pretty well established that he said something to these folks.

I've been playing fear, reloading only when I start the game or after I die. I'm in the "Watchers" area. I've only died twice, and one of those deaths was due to a grenade. I'm only on hard level, figuring the hardest level will have to wait until I'm done again. Actually, I'm not going out of my way for bragging rights, so I might just stop at hard. God, it looks beautiful. I haven't figured out how to take screenshots, otherwise I'd post one. I'll look into it.

At the same time, we have to understand that there will be a reasonable amount of time for the majority of players to spend on the main quest. Sure, some folks will rush through it quickly and fall under the "normal" amount of time. As much as I hate saying this, some folks will literally lie about the amount of time it took them. However, if the majority of geeklings here take between 30-40 hours, the folks complaining about game length will have a damned muted voice. If they seem unfairly harsh, they simply won't get any traction. However, if the game is short for the majority, then it will also be apparent. The point is, things like supported resolution, classes, and races are all specific items that have definite answers. ...But Obsidian still has to answer the questions that aren't quite so set in stone. For example, will the game be "immersive?" What the hell is immersive, anyhow? Nonetheless, they'll have to answer these questions. Hell, game length is an easier one to answer than most, although it's not necessarily easy to answer at this point. However, I don't think game length will be a major issue after the game is released. The way I take these comments is that the majority of gamers will probably get their 30+ hours of enjoyment and the folks with an axe to grind will largely be ignored. Frankly, if it weren't for Feargus' ill-considered comments to the German mag, I don't think game length would be an issue right now. Undoubtedly, the relatively minor issue it will be after release will owe something to this ridiculous blurb. Finally, the HoW incident is why I think we can accept Chapman's comments. Why? Because Feargus doesn't want to release another free expansion because the design team dropped the ball on game length. I'm a minority around here in that I enjoyed HoW, but I know Black Isle received a lot of flak for game length. My gut instinct is that Obsidian is better off catering to the long campaign crowd than the short campaign crowd. I believe they know that, and that's why they're going out of their way to assure folks that the game will have a reasonable length of 30-40 hours. Game length is an issue. It will be addressed before release. Some assessment will probably be posted on the package. This issue has arisen early, but staying silent won't help at this point. If the game is going to sport single player campaign of 30-40 hours for an average haul, whatever the hell average is, then Obsidz needs to get the word to the street. If it's not 30-40 hours, then they sure as hell better be careful. I've no doubt the reason they're so cautious about making the 30-40 hour claim is that, even though they believe the length will be longer, they're scared that a bunch of speed demons are going to finish it lickity-split. That's just my opinion. I could be wrong, but only time will tell.

Many thanks. Okay, the CPU runs at an alarmingly cool 37 degrees. That's inline with the bios readings at idle. It idles just a degree hotter, which is normal in my experience. It heated up to 40 running FEAR at 1600x1200 at virtually maximum settings. (I lowered a couple settings to ensure I got a min. frame rate of 37fps.) I started City of Heroes at 1600x1200 resolution with everything maxed and the same thing. The highest temperature the CPU has posted, ever, was 41C idling. The Motherboard is pretty solid at 43C. That weird because the CPU usually runs hotter but I don't know with the huge assed video card I have in there and whatever the hell they stick on motherboards these days. Nevertheless, I'm not complaining about a max of 43C. Once again, that's not with these system hogs running. That's idling off the Bios. Go figure. Now, here's where I need just a bit more info from my fellow geeklings. For the first time I've been able to see the alleged temperature of my HDD. It shows a whopping 52C. It's maxed at 54. Speedfan has given me the first look at my HDD temperature. 54C seems waaaay excessive, however all the tests on the HDD show its fitness at 90%, which is very good, and its permormance at 100% which damned good. How worried do you think I should be over those temperature settings?

Okay, there has to be some computer geek in these parts who knows something about this. Come on, people, dish out the dirt.

ridiculous. Once the genie is out of the bag concerning game length, Obsidian is going to take flak no matter what. They are going to be forced to address the question of game length before they release the game. Chapman giving his thoughts on the matter is perfectly legitimate.

Well, if he were using an ISA card, I don't think he'd be on this message board. Will hardware that old run later versions of explorer? As for my card, I'm quite happy with it.

Hey, he was willing to defend himself, which is good. Now, if Chapman will stick around and brave a few questions about the title, then he will rule.

Well, during my life I'd like to go to England, but that trip is already planned. Also, I'd like to have a child, but I think that ship has sailed, so it's just going to fall on someone else.

:Eldar's icon:

You know, that was truly a most awesome review, Mothman. A lot of folks, including me, have gone to less conventional reviews, but I think yours combines the best aspects of a conventional review and is the finest example of a real TOMBS report.

I agree with you Mus?. We shouldn't attack Ginth. The problem is that he proposed a specific question in his original post and then he followed it up with another question in this thread. Both of those questions revolve around CRPGs and both of them make assumptions about folks who play them. That's not a sore spot with me. Ginth's worried about getting "emo?" My dad served in three wars, he's old as hell, and yet he gets "emo" from time to time. So, it's not like I look down on Ginth for looking for deeper answers. I admire you for sticking up for him, but the initial premise has pretty much set the whole debate. Now, I don't think this is really about CRPGs. Not really. I think this is about joy. It's about the lack of joy in an activity that once provided it. It's about whether anything is worth our time. It's about nostalgia in looking back on one of your favorite passtimes and finding it barren. I don't think this is about CRPGs at all really. I think, and I'm quite emo and dramatic all the time, it's about despair. That's something that faces most folks from time to time. Most people can't talk about it on a message board for fear of ridicule and the dread charge of "dramatic." Luckily, I'm inured to such accusations, so I will address this issue directly. When I was a child, I enjoyed toys of a childish nature. I found joy in them and prized them. When I grew older, I took different toys of a different nature. I found joy in these new toys and prized them. Perhaps CRPGs are, to Ginth, like childhood toys. He used to find solace, happiness, and value in them. Now he does not, and he thinks of the time he has wasted in the toys. Worse yet, the toys have changed. They're not the toys of his youth but something distasteful to him. There are other toys in the world. ...And there is something to fulfil Ginth just as he has need of fulfillment. Searching and seeking are part of the human condition. What fits perfectly now might not fit perfectly later and so it falls upon Ginth to search. That's my take on this topic, because I've never thought it was really about CRPGs. I've always thought it was about Ginth taking a mental trip to one of the dark corners of his mind that whispers dreadful things to him. It's all pointless. Everything is a waste. Why bother? I don't know what the vehicle is that drove him there, but it's a bad neighborhood. He needs to find a new vehicle, lock the doors, and drive to a nice, safe, well-lit area again.

I don't doubt that such a long range extimate is accurate, however. The fact is, some folks will go through quickly and others will take their time. It's been about two weeks or so since the original debacle with the German mag. I'm willing to bet that a lot of folks take more than 40 hours on the first run. If anything, I'm much more optimistic now about the length. Our questions are answered as best as anyone can answer them and even Feargus had something to say about length, which was inevitably going to happen as the project moved towards completion. We should be happy with this news. The German mag citation was pretty shaky on its face and the assessment from multiple sources, all of whom are more reliable, is that the campaign will be longer. Some folks are cynical, but it's ridiculous to believe that Obsidian would outright lie on this issue. There is no way to insulate themselves from the backlash if the campaign comes out considerably under their assessment. Saying "it was just an estimate" won't help. For that reason, and since I firmly believe they understand this at Obsidian, I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt. I'm going so far as to say that it makes more sense to believe them. ....And, if I'm wrong, I'll eat crow. Should that be the case, I'll be angry as hell since I will not only be denied the campaign I thought I'd get, but I'll also have to admit I was fooled. Then I'll be part of the maddening throng out for blood. However, I'm calling it now and I think the average campaign, and we'll have to agree how to assess that at the time, will be 30 hours or more.

My favorite Simon and Garfunkel song is Cathy's Song: I hear the drizzle of the rain Like a memory it falls Soft and warm continuing Tapping on my roof and walls And from the shelter of my mind Through the window of my eyes I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets To England where my heart lies My mind's distracted and diffused My thoughts are many miles away They lie with you when you're alseep And kiss you when you start your day And a song I was writing is left undone I don't know why I spend my time Writing songs I can't believe With words that tear and strain to rhyme And so you see I have come to doubt All that I once held as true I stand alone without beliefs The only truth I know is you And as I watch the drops of rain Weave their weary paths and die I know that I am like the rain There but for the grace of you go I

Too late for this one, Child, so I'll just give you best wishes early for your next one.

Here comes your man -- Pixies I can tell, already this is going to be one of my longterm faves.

You never know, on any given day, what heroics the coward will perform. You never know, on any given day, what cowardices the hero will perform. Doing something cowardly is a shameful thing, and it is good that it is shameful. Letting past cowardice define you as a coward is twice shameful. Anyhow, a little deep for me before I've had my first copy, so let me just say that caution is not cowardice. Also, I'd like to celebrate my 20 year anniversay by having a 30's gangster themed party.

write a novel. I want to finish a work of fiction. How do you want to waste your time on the rock? No, no. I already realize most of you will say "have sex for the first time." Fine, but I'm hoping for more meaningful answers.

The graphics on Fear with the new card are phenomenal. I mean, truly awesome. ...And it's faster than hell. I can't say that the aspects I didn't like the first time are gone, but I'm now determined to finish it again. If I make it through a second time, then I'm going to get the xpack.