The PC Centric Extravaganza 09.16.08
Posted by Chris Evans on 09.16.2008
Hidden Call of Duty levels, Golden Goo and more from Thornhill F.C. in this week's PC Centric Extravaganza.
The PC Centric Extravaganza 16th September 2008
Apologies in advance for a short column this week, as I mentioned last week I was away for a few days last week so lost track of news for a few days. Enjoy what I do have for you though.
Expanded Call of Duty 4 Training Level
Now that is how the training of Call of Duty 4 should've been, while not much more than what we actually received in the game, that just seems twice as good. I loved the training zone of the game and I would've loved to have seen more of the area, if it had been done like this it would've been much better. That is what a Japanese modder named Qrysalis was able to find hidden away in the game files. Located on the blog of Robert Bowling from Infiinity Ward.
Red Alert 3 Copy Protection
The copy protection DRM information for Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 has been made public on the Red Alert 3 forums by Executive Producer Chris Corry. It is...interesting, there are some things which I like the sound of, yet some things which I am still disappointed are being put upon us. The rundown of the DRM policies for Red Alert 3 now and a bit of analysis to follow.
- We will authenticate your game online when you install and launch it the first time.
- We will never re-authenticate an installation online after the first launch. In other words, no reaching out to a central server post-install to see if you're "allowed" to play.
- You will be able to install and play on up to five computers. If you uninstall the game while connected to the Internet, the entitlement will be preserved and that install can be transferred to a different computer.
- This system means you don't have to play with the disc in your computer. Personally, I think this is a huge improvement over our previous copy protection requirements, which have always required a disk to play.
- Life happens. I know it's unlikely, but for those unlucky few who install the game and have their machines nuked (virus, OS reinstall, major hardware upgrade, etc.) five times without being able to do a clean uninstall first, EA Customer Service will be on hand to supply any additional authorizations that are warranted. This will be done on a case-by-case basis by contacting customer support.
-You can, of course, play offline without impediment or penalty.
First off this is a much better system than what is currently being used with Spore. With a maximum of five simultaneous installations of the game you get two more than with Spore, and as ever if you uninstall the game while being connected to the internet then you will redeem an install. I must say that I hope that anyone who needs to get in touch with customer support for new keys doesn't get shafted too much, I have no experience with EA but many support teams just don't care.
The online activation is to be expected in this day and age, there may be a minority of people who will be affected by this, but hopefully not too many. It is also good to note that only one activation is required, none of this reactivation malarky that we nearly had with Mass Effect and Spore.
The one shining light to come out of all of this is the simple fact that after installing the game we will no longer require the disk to be in the drive to play the game. This is a great move, and while it may only be a small step to cutting back on the shit we often have to put up with in regards to DRM, it is a good sign.
EA RTS Community Manager Apoc's comment regarding how the game is tied to EA account as follows:
You can only go online with one serial key at a time. So if you have the game installed on multiple machines, only one can go online on multiplayer at a time if that's what you mean.
UPDATE – Just found out that you don't need the Spore disc in the drive to play, and that there are rumours that Spore activations are now up to five.
I previewed this game way back in February and so I am now eagerly awaiting the final version of the game to play the shit out of. C'mon!
Enhanced Witchers
I was intrigued about The Witcher Enhanced Edition when I first heard about it some months ago, it struck me as being a very worthwhile effort, an effort to re-work a game to bring it back to the level it should've been at release. There are going to be some great changes to this game which will also be coming to Steam. Check out the video below for the enhancements.
Thornhill F.C. – The Season Starts
After a frankly crap pre-season the team arrive at Hayes and Yeading for the first game of the Blue Square South league of losers. As I expected we start off with a bang, the banging of the drum from the supporters who should already be calling for my head. We lost 3-0 and there were very few positives to take out of the match. Well that we didn't lose by more is one, oh and nobody got injured. Surely a bonus eh?
After a seven nil loss to Dorchester I get asked by some journos about why we are leaking so many goals. I was looking for a 'Feck off and leave us alone!' option but sadly it was lacking, I made up some cock and bull about how they are making a mountain out of a mole hill. Somehow that got translated to me blaming bad luck for our recent form. Odd that one....
Come half-time in my third game of the season, home against Eastleigh I start to realise my issues with the Football Manager games. When my players are all performing at the very least 'average' (rating of 6) none of them are getting ready to collapse on the floor then I have little idea of what I cna do to try to improve the fortunes of my team. We ended up losing 3-0 to Eastleigh (attendance of 468!) and I wonder if there was anything I could've done at half-time to change things up and give the boys a chance at victory.
It is an issue that troubles me in Football Manager Live as well, I just don't understand how some teams can be so good even when they make little to no tactical changes during the match. It is something that will alway puzzle me, one day I hope to find out a way to be successful even with a team of random good for nothings.
Half-time against Braintree sees us three goals down so I take matters into my own hands and shake up the formation into what you see below. It did us no good and we ended up losing by four goals to nil. Incidentally we had a goal by Evo disallowed as someone was offside. That fucker should be shot for being offside!
After I get back to my office following that disaster I learn that fans are calling for my head, or at least a change in tactics, they are getting fed up with the 4-4-2 I have been using in recent games.
Following their scathing cricism I decide to shake things up a bit, with five defenders, one defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder and three strikers I am hoping this will shake things up enough to get us our first win of the season. Failing that I am looking for a goal.
My first opponents with the new formation are Maidenhead who are sporting a 3-5-2 thingy. We lost 2-0 and Evo missed a penalty. He is my star kid though so he will escape punishment. If that was anyone else they would be out the back getting their arses handed to them on a plate by the AssMan.
In other penalty shenanigans I am informed by defender Ricky Clark that we should've been awarded a penalty for a blatant foul on a player of mine. When asked by the media what I think of this I react angrily, I blame the referee for the loss and our crap season so far. The F.A gave me a warning. Feck.
I look at the league table, five games in and I am rooted to the bottom with 0 points and a goal difference of -19. Horrible to see.
Tally Ho!
That is all for this week, should be back to normal service with lots of content next week. See you then.
