Topic: What are you playing? (games)

[Jeffy]

run prime95 overnight, if it doesn't fail you're good to go.

that's quite good from 2.67 to 4GHz - did you increase the Vcore at all? what about memory, what's that running at?

Just about everything was tweaked except the memory.  I have it set at 1066 but I have it overclocked to 1600.  It's DDR3-1600 and it's stock voltage is 1.65v so it's fine.

The settings were recommended by EVGA (MB MFG.) on their forum.

[chrisfranklin]

Jeffy are you playing Dirt 2? That's the one I saw that was selling well over at Steam.  Looks interesting to me.

[Jeffy]

Jeffy are you playing Dirt 2? That's the one I saw that was selling well over at Steam.  Looks interesting to me.

I have Dirt but I don't have Dirt 2.  I'd like to maybe get Dirt 2 though.  I really like the Pike's Peak Hill Climb course.

The only thing I don't like about Dirt is for the US we got Travis Pastrami instead of Colin McRae.  In the UK it's still called Colin McRae Dirt.

From the demo's I've played of Dirt 2 it looks pretty good except it's really flashy.  What I mean is that it's all about Ken Block and feels very X-Games-esque.  All about sponsers and name dropping.  The racing is still there though.

[sharpxmen]

I have Dirt but I don't have Dirt 2.  I'd like to maybe get Dirt 2 though.  I really like the Pike's Peak Hill Climb course.

The only thing I don't like about Dirt is for the US we got Travis Pastrami instead of Colin McRae.  In the UK it's still called Colin McRae Dirt.

From the demo's I've played of Dirt 2 it looks pretty good except it's really flashy.  What I mean is that it's all about Ken Block and feels very X-Games-esque.  All about sponsers and name dropping.  The racing is still there though.

I downloaded Dirt 2 demo (Colin McRae) off Steam yesterday and i'll give it a shot.

On another note, anyone tried the triple head setup with ATI's eyefinity yet? just heard about it and wondering how it's working, i'm using a software triple head (softTH - it's free download) but it's tricky with lots of games, works well in rFactor but a h/w solution would def make it lot more convenient. Not sure if ieyefinity supports different resolution monitors (softTH does).

[chrisfranklin]

I have Dirt but I don't have Dirt 2.  I'd like to maybe get Dirt 2 though.  I really like the Pike's Peak Hill Climb course.

The only thing I don't like about Dirt is for the US we got Travis Pastrami instead of Colin McRae.  In the UK it's still called Colin McRae Dirt.

From the demo's I've played of Dirt 2 it looks pretty good except it's really flashy.  What I mean is that it's all about Ken Block and feels very X-Games-esque.  All about sponsers and name dropping.  The racing is still there though.

Poor Travis Pastrana  .  Codemaster is probably making a ton on the ads.  I'm going to try out a demo.  

[sharpxmen]

well, dirt 2 demo it's a fail - doesn't start and there's no messages or errors just exits silently (i don't even get the splash screen) - maybe i'll try to download the standalone

I tried Race-on demo, it sucks imo

[chrisfranklin]

I was reading reviews on Dirt 2   http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/dirt2.   A few users are suggesting other PC players get a XBox type controller.   

[Jeffy]

I downloaded Dirt 2 demo (Colin McRae) off Steam yesterday and i'll give it a shot.

On another note, anyone tried the triple head setup with ATI's eyefinity yet? just heard about it and wondering how it's working, i'm using a software triple head (softTH - it's free download) but it's tricky with lots of games, works well in rFactor but a h/w solution would def make it lot more convenient. Not sure if ieyefinity supports different resolution monitors (softTH does).

I'm using a Nvidia GTX 280 SSC but I'm a bit irritated. Nvidia held the fastest cards then then got complaisant and while they were sleeping ATI brought out the big guns, the HD 5970 which is still faster and cheaper then Nvidia's 480 series.  Nvidia's 295 Co-op is slower then the 5970 and  was never sold in high enough numbers and is unobtainable now.  Not sure if I want to run multiple cards.  My board supports SLI but I'm not sure if I want to wait for Nvidia to wake up.

I don't really like the whole multi-monitor split screen thing as it forces you to have a minimum of 3 monitors unless you like looking at a big bar in the middle of your viewing area.  Kind of expensive if you're using big monitors.  Although I could see a triple 19" 16:10 or maybe even 21".  Then again for the price you could buy a single 27" or 30" and save money.  I believe the monitors need to be the same for it to work.

[Jeffy]

I was reading reviews on Dirt 2   http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/dirt2.   A few users are suggesting other PC players get a XBox type controller.   

Honestly, I wouldn't play it without one.  XBox 360 wired controllers are cheap and work great.  I use one for most games that aren't FPS's.

[sharpxmen]

I'm using a Nvidia GTX 280 SSC but I'm a bit irritated. Nvidia held the fastest cards then then got complaisant and while they were sleeping ATI brought out the big guns, the HD 5970 which is still faster and cheaper then Nvidia's 480 series.  Nvidia's 295 Co-op is slower then the 5970 and  was never sold in high enough numbers and is unobtainable now.  Not sure if I want to run multiple cards.  My board supports SLI but I'm not sure if I want to wait for Nvidia to wake up.

I don't really like the whole multi-monitor split screen thing as it forces you to have a minimum of 3 monitors unless you like looking at a big bar in the middle of your viewing area.  Kind of expensive if you're using big monitors.  Although I could see a triple 19" 16:10 or maybe even 21".  Then again for the price you could buy a single 27" or 30" and save money.  I believe the monitors need to be the same for it to work.

i use a 25.5'' acer (1920x1200) as my center monitor and 2 x 19'' 1280x1024 for the sides. I have the center setup as 1920x1050 (with 2 black bars on top and bottom) in game and it lines up perfectly with the 1024 vertical resolution on the side ones - it really makes a whole lot of difference in racing games, i don't like playing with only the center anymore but for Crysis for example it takes a big hit on frames per second so i can't really use it at full detail so for that i rather just use just the center one. Lots of games don't even support it so that's also a bummer. The thing that got me excited about eyefinity is that it basically creates a virtual monitor out of the 3 so it's transparent for the game, i was hoping you can have different res monitors and play with the alignment and depth/perspective for the sides, they will probably get to that in time as well. The monitors don't cost that much though, the 4:3 ones you can get really cheap second hand and since they're only for peripheral vision they don't have to be spot on as far as colors, the ones i use have differences compared to the center one but I don't even notice during gameplay. I'll post some pics of the setup one of these days

[chrisfranklin]

I've got an older 17" Samsung at 1280x1024 on the left and a 30" Dell 3008 2560x1600 in the center.   Then I've got the PC also providing signal to a 1080p Panasonic projector that's on the other side of the room.  I'd love to have 3 x 30" monitors (why not all 3D ready, too?), then a couple of new state of the art graphics cards. 

But for any kind of work I'm doing at my place, I've got decent screen real-estate already.   3 screens side-by-side together, for me, would be just for gaming. 

So, I might see how the gaming field evolves over the next few years before I jump in with new gear.  I mean, I'm even getting by ok with my 9800gtx+ cards in SLI, so lately I haven't even been in a hurry to upgrade those. 

But 3 monitor gaming and decent 3D home entertainment gear looks interesting, the games/3D movies are going to be out there, so all that could start to become more commonly used over the next 5-10 years.  So, I'm certainly not turning up my nose (I also wouldn't be surprised if the monitors themselves, in the next decade, start selling as long, curved, one-piece units that give you a 90 degree field of view in 3D) 
   

[sharpxmen]

I'd love to have 3 x 30" monitors (why not all 3D ready, too?), then a couple of new state of the art graphics cards.     

that's the problem, you can have 2 graphic cards and 3 monitors but the game would still render on one monitor or 2 if you set them up as extended desktop (as 1 large monitor), the 3rd one would not be supported (some games do but it's also software and that slows it down)

to play on all 3 you need the Matrox triple head (but the resolution was limited last time i checked) or a dx library that would render it for you on 3 monitors by creating a virtual large display composed of all 3.

One guy at work just bought an ATI 5870 and mentioned the capability of playing triple head and that got me all curious about the hardware builtin solution

never played a game in 3d, i'd love to find a store with a demo setup to check it out

[Mozman68]

For some reason, I started playing Battlefield 2 again...and I can't stop....I think I'll finally need to pick up the Bad Company today.
 

[chrisfranklin]

Honestly, I wouldn't play it without one.  XBox 360 wired controllers are cheap and work great.  I use one for most games that aren't FPS's.

I'll have to get one of those.  Not going to have chance to get one locally, so I'll just order it.

[Jeffy]

I play on a small 19" 16:10.  I'll upgrade to a 27" someday but it's not a priority.  I'm sitting only a few feet from the screen so I don't need a really big monitor right now.  I have run extended on two monitors as well as extended to a TV.  Works well when I want to watch someone on the TV instead of the computer.  It's connected to the DTS/THX home theater.

There is a 5870 that is setup for 6 monitors.  Pretty crazy.