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Raptr – Gaming Network

By Cheryl | Posted in Gaming | June 15, 2011 – 12:21 pm

Raptr LogoRaptr is a social networking site aimed at gamers; allowing them to share, interact and discover gaming content from around the web.

Launched in 2008, the site currently has over 8 million users, and is completely customised to the games you enjoy.

The site allows you to add the games that you play and displays related topics on a personalised news feed, only showing information on the games you have chosen.

The great thing about Raptr is that it tracks your gameplay time as well as your achievements. This is great for all those competitive gamers out there who love to boast about how good they are at Call of Duty.

Features

  • Personalized news feed
  • Community-curated content
  • Expanded topics to include all things related to gaming
  • Suggestion engine to help you discover new games
  • Automatic gameplay and achievements tracker on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3
  • Centralized buddy list and friend tracker
  • In-game chat and web browsing for PC games

The company have recently announced that they are also moving in to the world of dedicated gaming news. The idea is for users to find gaming related news items from around the web and post the link, along with tag, to the website. This would mean that anyone who was following the game that was tagged would see it appear in their news feed.

Sharing

Raptr allows users to share all their gaming accomplishment to sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Plurk and FriendFeed.

PlayStation Network Attack

By Cheryl | Posted in Gaming, News | May 3, 2011 – 4:06 pm

PS logoOn Saturday 16th April, Sony’s servers were illegally accessed, leaving 77 million customer accounts vulnerable. An old database of credit card data was accessed along with current personal user information including, login data, passwords, emails and home addresses, with the only data encrypted being the credit card data.

Once Sony became aware of the breach on the 20th, they shut down services immediately and informed developers that the site was down due to ‘emergency maintenance’. After users started to complain that they couldn’t access the service, a message was sent out explaining that they were looking in to the problem but didn’t have a timescale.

Although Sony had told users it was investigating the cause of the outage, it wasn’t until the 22nd that they were told the problem was caused by an external attack on the system.

On April 26th, Sony sent an email to its users asking them to check bills and remain vigilant as they continued to look in to the issue, but stated that there was no evidence that any information had been taken.

The company announced on the 30th that they would gradually begin to restore services to its users, but this statement was soon withdrawn as just two days later Sony shut down their servers for a second time, releasing the following:

“In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately”.

Today the company sent out a mass email to 24.6 million online users stating that their data was compromised on 16th April.

LG unveils first 3D Smartphone

By Cheryl | Posted in 3D, Android, Gadgets, Gaming, Twitter at 12 | February 15, 2011 – 12:57 pm

LG Optimus 3DIt was always a matter of who rather than when, as we awaited the announcement of the first 3D Smartphone.

It appears that LG has won the race to release the first 3D phone to the market, as it’s LG Optimus 3D was shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, held between the 14th and 17th February.

The phone will come with dual 5-megapixel cameras offering 3D recording, HDMI and DLNA for 3D content sharing, and a LCD screen capable of displaying 3D without the use of special eyewear.

It’s not just the 3D display that’s impressive; the device will contain a dual-core processor, 8GB of storage, and will run Android 2.2 Froyo with an upgrade to Gingerbread possible in the future.

The phone is expected to be released in the spring but it is not yet known what the true market appeal for 3D Smartphones is.

Nintendo were the first to bring out this new technology with their 3DS, and the company have recently announced they expect global sales to hit 4 million by the end of March. Although you can’t really compare the two products, mobile phones are just as likely to be used to play games as they are for making phone calls, making the appeal greater.

The company also announced the first 3D tablet, the LG G-Slate, at the event so expect a review on that in the near future!

Top Ten iPhone Apps

By Jemma | Posted in Apple, Gaming, Mobile, Twitter at 12 | January 28, 2011 – 1:10 pm

Back in 2007 when the famous iPhone first came out, millions of people queued up outside their local Apple store to get their hands on one. So you can imagine how many are sold worldwide four years later (lets just say a lot!).

Apps for the iPhone are just as popular and big business and one of the first ever apps to be released was Seadragon mobile, which is a free imaging browser.

There are thousands of iPhone Apps out there at the mo so we thought we would take it upon ourselves to list the top ten out there.

1. FAAD

Does exactly what it says on the tin, Free App A Day. When you open this it shows you the current free apps available in the Apple Apps Store.

2. Trainyard

A puzzle solving game at heart, Trainyard is a very entertaining App, Basically what you have to do is get each train to the correct Station. Simple but fun.

3. Rhythm Spirit

This is a great and fun app. It is a rhythm based fighting game similar to the game Draglade (Ninteno DS) from a few years back. What makes this App especially good is the fact that it is colourful 2D.

4. Wi Fi Fast connect

Fast connect is an application from wifi network provider The Cloud, which makes it easier for people with iPhones to get online using the company’s hot spots.

5. WordWeb

This is basically an English dictionary/thesaurus. Can come in great use when trying to define different words on the go.

6. Adobe Photoshop express

There are lots of photo editing Apps for the iPhone and the reason this one has made it into our Top Ten is because it’s free, plus it is really good!

7. Speak it! Text to speech

Speak it! Is an app were you type in text and is speaks back to you in the voice of your choice. You can choose between male, female, American, British, posh etc etc.

8. Goodreader

This app allows you to open and edit text files, it started as a pdf reader and is now an extremely useful app.

9. Kindle

The ultimate reading experience, this provides you with the books you
love to read whilst your out and about.

10. Locality

Even though there are plenty of location based apps for the iPhone this one is free so think is worth giving a go.

The Gadget Timeline…

By Jemma | Posted in Fact Friday, Gadgets, Gaming, Google, Mobile | December 17, 2010 – 12:59 pm

Gadgets have been around forever, even over ten years ago there were exciting new Toys to play with.

In our Fact Friday this week we are doing a Doc Brown and going back in time to see the gadgets that have moulded our society of today.

Playstation 1 – 1995

It was released September 29 1995 and was a massive hit, with games like Crash Bandicoot and street Fighter.

Digital Cameras – 1995

Everyone owns a digital camera of some sort and it all started back in 1995. It is said that

Eastman Kodak invented the first ever digital camera and the technology has just grown from there.

Windows 95

Design and planning started for this three years previous to the actual release date. It was said that Windows 95 was released with the single “Start Me Up” (Rolling Stones) on it and Microsoft paid them between $8-$14 million dollars for the privilege.

DVD 1996

DVD was a massive change from VHS and it took a while for people to adapt to the huge improvements, like being able to watch a film again without having to rewind it! Toshiba and JVC are the two known companies who made the first generation of DVD players and are as popular today as they were back then.

Flat screen 1998

Even though these are now the most popular, must have necessity in our living room they have been round quite a while. They were a lot more expensive back in 1998 thus not as popular as today.

Google 1998

The one and only Google.com, this is one of the (if not the most popular) site on the web. With about 320 million hits a day this has become the search engine of the century and I don’t think things are about to change any time soon.

Nokia 3210 1999

The infamous Nokia 3210 was extremely popular and was the beginning of a revolution when it came to mobile phones. It was one of the first mobiles to hide the big awkward antenna and have a choice of three games. Everyone loves a game of good old snake!

Apple iPod 2001

This was an amazing gadget which could hold up to 1,000 songs and was very small and compact in form. You could automatically download songs off iTunes onto this tiny 6.5 ounce design.

Sky+ 2001

Sky plus has been a revelation and when it first came out back in 2001 everyone was wowed at the fact that you can record programmes and watch them at any time you want. For us busy folk this was perfect!

Facebook 2004

Social Networking site of the past six years, Facebook is forever growing in users and popularity. Even with the competitor Twitter, Facebook is still going strong.

Apple iPhone 2007

2007 brought the unveiling of the iPhone, it was known as a widescreen iPod but turned out to be much more. It came with wifi, camera, visual voicemail, email and web browsing. It was extremely popular and sought after and still is today.

Apple iPad – 2010

This year came the sensation that is the  Apple iPad. Basically like a hand held computer, this gadget has sold over two million and the number is only increasing.

So there is a look back at technology over the past 15 years. I personally used to be a fan of the Playstation 1 – couldn’t beat a bit of Crash Bandicoot on a Saturday night!

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Biggest selling PC games of all time

By Cheryl | Posted in Entertainment, Gaming, Twitter at 12 | December 14, 2010 – 12:59 pm

We all have our favourite games, but what are the biggest-selling PC games of all time?

1. The Sims (16 million)

The 2000 release of The Sims would mark the start of the most popular PC game of all time.

The strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis, took over the gaming world winning multiple awards.

The game is a simulation of the daily activities of virtual people (sims) living in a suburban household. The ‘Sims’ go through life as us humans would – eating, drinking, working and partying – and under the control of the game-player, are able to interact with objects such as a coffee-maker or pool table. The aim of the game is to try organise the sims lives so they can reach their personal goals, whatever they may be.

2. The Sims 2 – 13 million

Expansion packs: The Sims 2: Pets (5.6m) / The Sims 2: Seasons (1m)

The follow-up to The Sims, The Sims 2, was eagerly awaited by many and it didn’t disappoint. The game came packed with more options and freedom for customisation of both the Sims and objects with better graphics and more in-depth game play.

3. World of Warcraft – 12 million subscribers

Expansion packs: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (3.5m) / World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (4m)

World of Warcraft was the fourth release in the series and was made available in November 2004. The multiplayer game takes place within the Warcraft world of Azeroth and was released four years after the events of the previous release Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. Since the release of World of Warcraft there have been two expansion packs released with another one on it’s way this month

A subscription fee must be paid by the player to take part in the game.

4. StarCraft – 11m

Starcraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy game developed by Blizzard who also developed the World of Warcraft series. The first game was released in March 1998 and by February 2009 had sold more than 11 million copies worldwide.

The game is set in the 26th century and revolves around three species fighting for dominance in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy.

5. Half-Life – (9.3m)

Expansion packs: Half-Life: Opposing Force (1.1m)

Half-Life was released in 1998, and is a first-person shooter game, placing the player as Gordon Freeman.

The game is based in the early 21st century and starts as Gordon Freeman is involved in an experiment analysing an unknown crystalline artifact which goes wrong and opens up a dimensional rift between the research facility and another world called Xen.

6. Half-Life 2 (6.5m)

The follow-up to Half-Life was released late 2004. The game, like the first, was greeted warmly by critics and won 39 Game of the Year awards.

Players once again take up the role of Gordon Freeman who has now found himself in a post-apocalyptic environment, the result of the earlier incident, with it left up to Gordon to save the day.

7. Guild Wars (6m)

(Numbers include Factions, Nightfall and Eye of the North extensions)

Guild Wars is set in the fantasy world of Tyria. Each player must create their own avatar, taking on the role of a hero who must save Tyria from rivals.

A subscription fee is needed to play, but Guild Wars differs from other games as the user can play a episode online without a limit, although there may be some areas or items that do need additional payment.

8. Myst (6m)

Myst was released in 2003 and was the best-selling PC game of all time until The Sims overtook it’s sales.

The game starts as a person known as Stranger is reading a book called Myst. As he places his hand on the last page he is transported to the island described in the book and the player is then left to explore. In the first-person journey the player must discover and follow clues to be transported by books through to different mini-worlds.

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The Sims 3

By Jemma | Posted in Gaming, Twitter at 12 | December 9, 2010 – 12:59 pm

Released in 2000, the strategic life-simulation computer game, The Sims, took over the gaming world. The game, developed by Maxis, won many awards including ‘Game of the Year Award’ and in the first two years of release, sold more than 6.3 million copies worldwide.

Follow up releases and expansion packs have helped make it the biggest selling PC game of all time.

Now currently on The Sims 3, my personal favourite, lets have a look at why this simple simulation game has become so popular.

The game

The game is a simulation of the daily activities of virtual people (sims) living in a suburban household. The ‘Sims’ go through life as us humans would – eating, drinking, working and partying – and under the control of the game-player, are able to interact with objects such as a coffee-maker or pool table.

Each newly created family begins the game with $20,000 which can be used to purchase a house, vacant lot or build or remodel a house.

The aim of the single player game is to try organise the sims’ lives so they can reach their personal goals, whatever they may be.

Customisable

The game is completely customisable, with the ability to create sims, from the clothes they wear to their eye colour. Design and build you own house – choosing your ideal home, from the furniture inside through to your dream garden.

If all this sounds a bit time consuming and you want rather just get down to game-play, there are many homes, lots, furniture and sims available to download from multiple sites which can be imported in to the game.

For all those people who would like to take it that step further, users are able to design their own skins for most objects including – pillows, curtains, seats, televisions, beds and even wallpaper.

Cheats

A lot of people would rather have a nice big house and car without having to work for years to afford them, and with ‘The Sims’ cheats you can have as much money as you want instantly (if only there was a cheat for real-life…!). Your sims are no longer forced to look for a house under §20,000, and even though the game should be played without a cheat, where’s the fun in not having a four-storey house with enough gadgets that you don’t even have enough time to play with them.

Compare

Through time, ‘The Sims’ has grown in to a more customisable user experience, with better graphics and more gaming options. So, what are some of the most notable differences between the versions…?


The Sims

  • Isometric perspective
  • Baby ages to child only
  • Can’t customise sim faces
  • Family structures not defined – Sims live on the same lot but have no relationship
  • Building structures limited to 2 floors – Can’t have basements, foundations and lofts
  • 3 life stages
  • Only adults gain skills
  • Head style determines head shape, hairstyle, hair colour, eye colour, facial hair etc
  • Body type dependant on the type of clothes worn by sim
  • No family tree



    • The Sims 2

  • Better graphics than The Sims – Including full 3D
  • All sims age and eventually die – This can be turned off using a cheat
  • Most accessories are determined by Sim’s outfit. Shoes come with pants and cannot be customised.
  • Family structures defined – marriage & breakups
  • Building structures limited to 5 floors or 4 with foundation – Can have basements
  • 6 life stages
  • Toddlers and older can gain skills
  • Thin, Fit, and Fat body types possible
  • Family tree



    • The Sims 3

  • Better graphics than The Sims 2 – Including full 3D
  • Sims completely customisable – From hair roots & highlight colour to makeup and tattoos
  • All accessories including jewellery and shoes can be customised
  • Building structures limited to 4 floors – Can have basements
  • 7 life stages
  • Children and older can gain skills
  • Independent sliders for muscle tone, body fat
  • Family tree



    • Platforms

    The Sims – Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube

    The Sims 2 - Windows, Mac OS X, Mobile

    The Sims 3 – is currently available on Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Windows Phone 7, webOS, Android, N-Gage

    The Sims 3 currently has 3 expansion packs including: World Adventures, Ambitions and Late Night, all allowing for extra exciting features and tasks. Maybe you should make these an extra addition to that Christmas list…!

    Facebook Gaming. The Facts.

    By Jemma | Posted in Fact Friday, Gaming, Social networking | October 22, 2010 – 11:42 am

    Social games are extremely popular these days and Facebook gaming is no exception. For all you gaming addicts out there, some of these figures may be of interest….

    • 50% of facebook log-ins are purely to play games.

    • 69% of Facebook Gamers are actually women.

    • 56 Million people play daily. 290 Million play monthly.

    • The average amount of time spent on Facebook per month is a 7 hours and 1 minute which is a   whopping 85 hours 2 minutes a year!

    • 20% of people have actually paid cash for in-game benefits.

    • 19% of people say they are addicted!

    The Top 5 Games of the moment are:

    1. Farmville
    2. Texas HoldEm Poker
    3. Frontierville
    4. Mafia Wars
    5. Café World


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    Nintendo to launch new 3DS handheld console in 2011 – should competitor Sony start to panic?

    By Nicola | Posted in 3D, Gadgets, Gaming, Twitter at 12 | October 7, 2010 – 11:59 am

    Nintendo 3DSFancy playing a 3D computer without wearing glasses that make you resemble Austin Powers?

    If you’re answer is no, I would encourage you to stop reading. However, if your answer is yes, you may like this little blog.

    Technology giant Nintendo has announced plans to launch a new 3DS handheld that will hit shelves in Japan in February next year, which will cost as little as £188. Great ey?

    Well not completely…

    Us Brits will have to wait until March and there has been no confirmation yet of how much we will be charged.

    Nintendo aka rubbish Father Christmas
    It’s been a tough few months for the global brand as they had hoped to get the product out by Christmas, but it just isn’t possible. The minute this news hit the press, shares of Nintendo dropped. However, they remain confident in the console as its unique selling point is that you don’t have to wear glasses to enjoy the 3D element.

    What else is on the market?
    Playstation’s new Move controller is rapidly becoming a winner and competitor Xbox is confident its Kinect add-on will provide gamers with an exciting alternative of playing video games. How? By using a motion capture system that translates people’s body movements into game play.

    But wait a minute… how does 3DS work without wearing (Austin Powers’ style) glasses?
    One image is sent to user’s left eye
    One image is sent to user’s right eye
    Top half is made up of 2 LCD screens
    They are layered on top of one another
    This creates 3D image without glasses

    Spokesman for the company Rob Saunders said: “The company has never worked so hard on a new product launch. We’ve got over 70 games currently in development for it. Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Mario, they’re all coming.

    “What you’re seeing, I think, is games developers really getting to grips with 3D for the first time. Giving gamers something they really haven’t seen before which, without the glasses, truly is a revolution.”

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    10 random facts about video gaming

    By Jemma | Posted in Entertainment, Gadgets, Gaming, Twitter at 12 | September 17, 2010 – 12:02 pm

    game consolesVideo games have been around for half a century and they have continued to advance through the years at a rapid rate. As technology advances, gaming is becoming increasingly more popular and users are willing to invest hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds in their games consoles.

    So here are some random facts about the gaming world

  • The first home video game was called the Magnavox Odyssey also known as “The Brown Box”.
  • The Sega Dreamcast was the first console to bring out online play over a phone line, it was called Sega Net.
  • The average gamer is approximately 33 years old and has been gaming for 12 years.
  • The PlayStation 2 was the first video game to have DVD technology.
  • Nintendo’s Gameboy was the most successful gaming device ever, with over 100 million sold worldwide.
  • Mario is named after landlord of early Nintendo of America warehouse, Mario Shigali.
  • Xbox’s original name was Directbox, it was created by DirectX Creators.
  • 2 out of 5 gamers are female.
  • 18 hours is the average time spent per week playing video games.
  • The first colour portable video game system was the Atari Lynx, introduced in 1989.
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