2015-09-14

The Stanley Parable is here! AMD splits Radeon, ARMA tells the truth, and Epic continues being awesome. Then Company of Heroes 2 faces our CHAIRQUISITION! All this, plus your hate mail.

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Links

Steam

http://www.pcgamer.com/bad-news-australia-xcom-2-is-127-to-pre-order-on-steam/

http://steamcommunity.com/games/334120/announcements/detail/780602018900061454

http://store.steampowered.com/app/334120

http://store.steampowered.com/app/221910

https://steamdb.info/app/9480/history/?changeid=1269413

http://dev.arma3.com/ports

http://store.steampowered.com/app/400500/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

http://store.steampowered.com/app/312280/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

http://store.steampowered.com/app/399900/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

News

http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/mesa-dev/2015-September/094286.html

http://wccftech.com/amd-forms-radeon-technologies-group/

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Motherboards/MSI-990FXA-Gaming-Review-SLI-CF-and-USB-31-AM3

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/09/raspberry-pi-now-has-a-60-7-inch-touchscreen-display/

https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/free-infinity-blade-collection-marketplace-release

http://bindingofisaac.com/post/128587755599/devils-night-afterbirth-update-23

http://opendungeons.github.io/

https://github.com/gloomyson/StarCraft

Review

http://store.steampowered.com/app/231430/

Hate Mail

http://slexy.org/view/s2xRlIVIBp

http://slexy.org/view/s21ET40YM1

Special Thanks to our donors:

Element Opie

Sandy

Steam News:

I blame Hitler
http://www.pcgamer.com/bad-news-australia-xcom-2-is-127-to-pre-order-on-steam/

Man, that is some weapons-grade because FK YOU! That’s why!

If it’s not locked I might be in a gifting mood (nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more) for our brothers and sisters in space Australia.

This is double BS since AUS .70 =’s 1 wet-stinky.

I complain because €1 = US$ 1.13 and games that cost $10, we have to buy them for 10€ (US $11.30).

That’s literally taking the piss.

With that said, I wouldn’t feel too bad if Yaspoon and Kloinka had to cancel their patreons for a month or so to afford their games

^

Armikrog pushed back
http://steamcommunity.com/games/334120/announcements/detail/780602018900061454

http://store.steampowered.com/app/334120

First time I hear about this game. Reminds me of Earthworm Jim… oh wait! it is from the Earthworm Jim creators!

This is how I know you don’t watch the show.

This is the second delay.

The point-and-click nostalgia cash grab was last year, buddy.

The Stanley Parable
http://store.steampowered.com/app/221910

First play I hit the spoiler area and the FKR reset.

That’s the joke

Second “finished” it.

Performance is a solid 290FERPS @ 1080 and 130 @ 2160

Love this game, love the narrator, very fun to play and lots to discover

It’s a half life 2 mod gone standalone so, yeah, it will run anywhere, and well

Wonder what took so long porting it given it’s a Source game.

At first it was because they hadn’t released the portal 2 SDK, which is what TSP was based off of

Then the developer freaked the fuck out because once the Portal 2SDK was released, people started asking him when the linux version was

So…that

This guy went from “soon as teh SDK is out” to “Linux users are big ole meanie heads”

Nobody in that thread was harassing him and, if I was a betting man; I would wager he never received harassing emails.

We mentioned it at the time, he probably just wanted to take some time off and with his promise of a Linux version looming over him, he probably came up with an excuse to take a vacation.

That said, it’s a good port. I “finished” it a couple of times and it never dipped below 299FerPS.

I broke reality.   It’s good stuff

^ What’s with the extra spaces?

It has a bug at 4K.   Main menu doesn’t show up

So, Ass-Pyre?
https://steamdb.info/app/9480/history/?changeid=1269413

Oh don’t you dare fucking tease me like that

Seems legit

I’ve been waiting with bated breath ever since they announced that SR4 would be coming to linux

The wikipedia page says the PC port was done by CD Projekt so maybe Virtual Programming?

Stop! The obsidian shard embedded in my chest can’t take much more

Well, it’s Deep Silver, so it could be that they got 4A games to port the games maybe.

MSAA issues aside, the Metro Redux games work great on Linux so bring it!

About that ARMA port
http://dev.arma3.com/ports

At least they’re upfront about it.   Doesn’t really excuse them though

Performance – based on our tests, you may experience up to 10% degraded performance in comparison to the Windows version.

Yup, the game is gimped.   But we have a linux version you guys!

“Non-native – the ports use specialized porting technology developed by our partners Virtual Programming.”\

You know what, Brad, that’s all you had to say.

Far as I’m concerned, me and you. We’re like the Fonz.

That said, I hope this VP experience doesn’t sour you on the Linux.

“…our partners…” I’m done with you, Bohemia!

That’s code for “they won’t give us our money back”

A benchmark on Youtube shows better performance on SteamOS compared to Windows, seems like VP really got their shit together, at least on Intel+NVidia. Don’t have any complaints about the Dirt Showdown port either.

I’d try it but I’m not putting $60 in a video game, especially not a realistic military shooter. (Waits for sale)

From Russia with love
http://store.steampowered.com/app/400500/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

Like how they kept the “Buy” screenshot.

Oh look, it’s that game again! I did a review of that game on a popular linux podcast!

I have the feeling that this is the original MadOut with new cars,new tracks and same old NOPE.

Pretty much. Four chairs.

It’s a full price, stand-alone expansion for a crappy android port.

All it does for me is remind me we’re not getting Carmageddon any time soon, or at all!

It requires the elusive 1MB DIMM.

Speaking of elusive requirements
http://store.steampowered.com/app/312280/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

Reminds me of that chess website being advertised on steam

Some of these reviews got a chuckle out of me

But in the end, it’s fucking Chess.

WHAR GO

GLibC OS strikes back! I’m guessing it was either a Flibit port or just someone who read the FNA docs.

Chess bores me. If anyone asks me to play chess I’ll ask if we can’t play speed chess instead.

5 seconds per turn, max!

To rock (A rhyme), that’s right (On time)
http://store.steampowered.com/app/399900/?snr=1_7_7_230_150_1

Available for free in the play store /w in-app purchases.

Expect an interface designed for touch and N64 graphics.

It’s at least PS2 Quality

More android shovelware on the steam store.   But hey, there are more games on SteamOS than on the PSstore4

I miss SSX tricky.   That was a fun game

It’s the 2nd snowboarding game since souride. Remember Souride? With the snowboard controller.

News:

New open sauce
http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/mesa-dev/2015-September/094286.html

Opengl 4.1 support was added to nvc0 and radeonsi

Whar r600!   Whar i965!

That would imply AMDs open sauce team gave a damn and that intel still cared about OpenGL when Vulkan is coming at the end of the year.

I don’t believe it’ll be out in November along with the Steam Machines, but I’m willing to believe we’ll see it available this year.

Gee Rick, I dunno, what with a couple steam machines having intel Iris GPUs.   They might wanna…you know…fix it?

That doesn’t mean there’ll be games out with it.

I’ve been using Mesa 11 on the netbook (running Mint) and on the calculator (Fedora 22) for a couple of months now.

Unfortunately, the work calculator has an intel graphics chip and the netbook has a C30 Bobcat APU (r600). So I get nothing from it barring slightly better performance in a couple of games.

r300/r600/radeonsi: Support for the AMDGPU kernel module

So that’s a thing

I was JUST getting use to saying AMD
http://wccftech.com/amd-forms-radeon-technologies-group/

Wonder if this will allow them to focus on the Linux driv….  pfffft!

I can’t even say that with a straight face-organ.

Speculation: Spinning off the GPU division?

Oh yes, spin off their profitable branch

All this really means is Raja Koduri will now lead the Radeon Technologies Group and report directly to vermissen Su.

Now, will we finally see a Radeon Roy Twitter account?

#yoink https://twitter.com/Radeon_Roy

I’ve had high hopes for AMD whenever there’s a change inside the company.

I’m done with that, now.

Until I see some meaningful improvements, I’m done with AMD.

I’m genuinely curious what this will mean for their APU division

AMD is probably right to double down on their GPUs though.  Their CPUs haven’t been cutting it for years

Speaking of which…

New AMD MOBO
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Motherboards/MSI-990FXA-Gaming-Review-SLI-CF-and-USB-31-AM3

Does not support 200W or above CPU?

Why would you buy a “gaming” MOBO that is unable to run the AMD YOLOSWAG CPUs?

With this motherboard you could use the FX 8370 at most.

Or, apparently MSI realized they had done goofed, if you have good enough cooling to keep the TDP of a 9370/9590 below 200W you should be able to run those processors.

At which point you’re spending almost the same money on a heatsink/radiator as you did on the motherboard.

Kinda defeats the whole purpose.

With the newsauce hitting market next year, I don’t think that this board is that worth it, especially this late in the lifecycle.

I can maybe see an exception if you need a PC right now.

Even then, AMD’s latest AM3+ offerings are not that great.

The Vishera processors like my 8370E, while they’re more efficient they still get shamed by a similarly priced i5-4690 (to say nothing of the 4690K).

Moral of the story kids:  Unless your box is currently on fire and are desperate need of a replacement AMD PC, ya might as well buy an intel mobo anyways

Because neat
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/09/raspberry-pi-now-has-a-60-7-inch-touchscreen-display/

Do we have any touch enabled ARM games?

Well, you can make them now with UE4

I might get one of those when I get a RPI2, I’ve only been waiting for 10 years after all.

And they’re sold out.

If it’s anything like the original RaspPi itself, you’ll have to wait another 6 months before you can get your hands on one.

I wish it was at least 720.

Yeah, 800×480 is 2007 EeePC netbook resolution. For a 7” touch screen, they could have probably gone 1024×600 at least and still keep that price.

Hell, for that price you can get a crappy 7” tablet with a 1280×800 display.

3 *pinky finger* MILLION!
https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/free-infinity-blade-collection-marketplace-release

GG Epic

Whar android version of Infinity Blade?

It’s nice that Epic is committing to providing high quality game development tools to everyone, but what did I say last week about the Unreal Ghetto?

OTOH I witnessed a devel do a happy dance because he was looking for a floor mesh.

Planned parenthood
http://bindingofisaac.com/post/128587755599/devils-night-afterbirth-update-23

A hundred hours of extra content for 10 bucks sounds fairly reasonable

A thousand new rooms, 8 new bosses, and a new game mode

I know EMPTY has a raging clue for this game but it’s just not my dice.

I like roguelikes, I play the shit out of some Dungeons of Dredmor, Hack Slash Loot, Bionic Dues and Doom The Roguelike almost on a daily basis.

I can’t seem to enjoy TBoI.

Maybe it’s all the Zelda influences?(me not enjoying Zelda all that much)

Oh my, there is Fire!
http://opendungeons.github.io/

I wanted to update the Lutris installer and looked at the download options… They link directly to the lutris page, that’s awesome!

After playing for a few minutes, the game segfaulted

Can we get some less stilted character animations? This isn’t the 90s anymore.

Breaking: Pedro hates open sauce games.

As I mentioned on the Binding of Isaac bit, no I clearly don’t.

Yes you do.  End of discussion

CSS rush!
https://github.com/gloomyson/StarCraft

We don’t need games running in our browsers, this is yet another half-assed tech demo of HTML5 canvas. If you want to play Starcraft, try the open source Startagus engine or play it with Wine.

I absolutely disagree.   We need games running in browsers because that removes platform as a barrier for access

Web as a gaming platform is a very real thing for a lot of people.   Don’t write it off just yet.

I think web gaming was leapfrogged by apps/mobile gaming.

It is a thing, just as mobile gaming is a thing, doesn’t mean any of them are any good.

CHAIRQUISITION:
– Nooope

- Not sure if want

- Check it out

- Shutupandtakemymonies

Game: Company of Heroes 2

Webzone: http://store.steampowered.com/app/231430/
Devel: Relic Entertainment / Feral Interactive

Engine: Essence Engine 3.0

Price: € 34.99 / US$ 39.99 / CDN$ 43.99

Wazzat: Powered by the Essence Engine 3.0, Company of Heroes 2 features some unique mechanics rewarding thoughtful players. From the TrueSight™ system that emulates the units’ line of sight to the cover-system thgat encourages clever unit placement, each game presents players with an uninterrupted stream of meaningful tactical choices that can turn the tide of war.

Mandatory US Disclosure: Feral gave us keys.

Makes with the working

V-

It “works”, poorly.

DISCLAIMER: AMD CPUs

J-

P-

If you want to play this game on an AMD processor, disable the Steam Overlay. Trust me!

The in-game benchmark is very revealing.

M-

No problem running it at all. I did buy the game from the Steam store when the Linux version was released so I didn’t have any of the issues people who got the game from Humble Bundle or press keys had.

DISCLAIMER: High end Intel CPU

6 fps difference with the windows version (3.0)

Total-

Shiny / Sounds

V-

This game is hella CPU limited.

High 1080 (detected)

http://i.imgur.com/zTFnhpKh.jpg

High 4K

http://i.imgur.com/YpLJtdbh.jpg

Everything set at NOPE @ 1080

http://i.imgur.com/Ps2916v.jpg

The old octo-core 8150 Black @ 4.0GHz is simply not up to the task.

This is htop while running the benchmark

http://i.imgur.com/XNBP6Si.jpg

Yes, multithreading is HARD but it’s only using half of the CPU.

I know, I know. This is clearly stressing out my 980.

http://i.imgur.com/LMR4At7.jpg

They were not joking when they said “Recommended Requirements 3.4 GHz Intel i5”

However, the same CPU can play Borderlands 2 @ 4K @ 60+ FERPS.

Why did I just waste all your time-organ /w this?

Because to play this game I had to put it on ATARI Jaguar settings.

Graphically, the game looks like a glass of re-warmed MEH.

At best it’s an overhead everything is brown pedro simulator.

0 A.D. provides more visual entertainment.

As for the sounds?

Well, watching my FERPS constantly dip below 20 gave me tinnitus so I was unable to hear them.

J-

It’s your standard RTS little man aesthetic

The details in the terrain make things a bit unclear as to what may provide optimal cover

Performance is a bit shite.   Steam overlay or no.  Could possibly chock that up to the 5 year old AMD CPU.   Feral has had some issues with them in the past

P-

The music got noped real fast!

I spent most of my tweens playing WW2 themed games. I’ve had it with that music.

From what I could see on the benchmark, the graphics looked very grey/brown.

The actual is slightly more colorful with the UI elements, but not a whole lot more

I tried to watch some multiplayer games, there was no one playing in Linux.

M-

The performance could be a little bit better but it’s enough to be fully playable. The graphics look alright, nothing mind-blowing but don’t expect that from a RTS.

Total-

Control

V-

Any game that puts camera control on the arrow keys loses a chair.

J-

The camera is pretty fucky

I’ve been informed by roommate that it has all the standard keyboard shortcuts most RTSes have

It’s a bit annoying to pan the camera at 4k though

P-

Yeah, it controls like you’d expect an RTS to control.

Could use better indicators for where your units are going when you have multiple squads selected.

M-

Can’t complain about anything, it controls like a classic RTS, there’s a ton of keyboard shortcuts that I won’t ever remember and the rest is quite straightforward.

Total-

FUN

V-

I like me some RTS so I was all \:D/ when this was announced.

CoH 2 seems far too demanding for what it is.

Hell, It’s unplayable.

Out of my 325 games this is the only one that consistently fails to achieve 30+ FERPS.

I’m not talking about 4K with YOLO SWAG and DORITO enabled.

Nay, I’m talking 1080 with everything turned down to LEGO.

On average i’m usually hovering around 24 and watching a slideshow is not exactly fun.

Now, I’m not blaming Feral since the Windows version runs like equal shite on AMD CPUs.

http://www.techspot.com/review/689-company-of-heroes-2-performance/page4.html

I guess at the end of the day what I’m trying to say is that I don’t know if the game is “fun” or not because it would have been refunded in the first thirty minutes.

J-

I’m not the best judge for  RTSes, considering I hate them

I played some Command and Conquer and Starcrack back in the day, but I never really got into it

It looks like a competently done RTS, performance issues aside

I tried out the first mission for the tutorial and a couple skirmish rounds

When all’s said and done though, I just did not enjoy myself playing the game

If you like RTSes, you may want to give this boy a shot.   40 bucks is a bit steep, so I’d wait for a sale

MInd you, there isn’t a dearth of RTS for linux

P-

I do not like RTS games.

Why do I only get video tutorials?

You don’t! Disable the Steam client BETA

There is literally 1 playable tutorial mission. And I saw it, see below

It’s been proven, time and time again and in different situations, that people learn better by doing.

They say there’s A (singular) playable tutorial mission and it assumes you’ve seen the videos.

Maybe I wouldn’t need a tutorial if I was a big Real Time Strategy fan.

But guess what, Brad?! I’m not!

And this game is doing nothing to change my mind.

On Steam, this game has 78% of its 19’000 reviews saying it’s good.

Turns out, either Feral or Sega done goofed when setting up the Steam depots because redeeming the key Feral left for me in the press area, bound my account to the Free Weekend depot.

I managed to play it, finished the first couple of missions and you know what. I didn’t hate it.

I’m not going to play any more of it, but it’s not terrible.

It did absolutely nothing to change my mind when it comes to RTS games.

M-

I’m horrible at RTS games, the first time I played, I lost on the 2nd mission, on easy. But this doesn’t make it a bad game, far from it.

It’s well executed and it’s what you’d expect from a RTS today.

I might want to give a few more hours of gameplay and why not finish the campaign, which isn’t that bad given my skills at RTS games and my very moderate appreciation of war themed games.

The lack of multiplatform multiplayer is not a huge loss since I have no need to get my ass kicked over and over.

Could do without all the “Buy now!” buttons thrown into my face.

Total-

Final -

Hate Mail:

MAC
http://slexy.org/view/s2xRlIVIBp

Honestly, MAC is a dwindling market.

You are stuck /w IRIS or AMD or that rubbish bin that nobody bought.

Considering that Linux is something people must go out of their way to install (unlike windows / OSX) and SteamOS is still in cocking about mode .9 ANYTHING is hella impressive.

One thing to consider about the mac segment is that there really isn’t such a thing as a “Mac Gamer”.   More, people who own macs who happen to want to play games, not people who buy macs specifically to play games.

PIN
http://slexy.org/view/s21ET40YM1

http://store.steampowered.com/app/349020

an·ti·a·li·as·ing

/ˌantēˈālēəsiNG,ˌantī-/

noun: anti-aliasing

Hey! Pinball game for Linux that wasn’t released in the 90s. Alright!

Hey, ya know what really doesn’t help a pinball game?   A bunch of particle effects that look just like your ball.

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