Dammit not you as well... Now we should all go to a geek-convention and fess up... Seriously, it's really cool to find all you guys some years later. I honestly felt so lucky back in the day. We really had the _best_ readership anyone could ask for and that made it extremely fun to entertain, write and figure out new technology with you guys.

 

You know what's sad? I would hear that almost every year and have some way to argue back that it wasn't the case but to be honest you are spot on. For too many years game developers have had moving targets in terms of technology, APIs and budgets on the PC side of the fence. Some were indeed lazy in terms of programing and the bottom-line was also a moving target. On the console, the hardware is the same for _everyone_ and there is no need to be backwards compatible on older hardware etc... so it seems like the developers make the most of the hardware. Factor in that the console hardware such as the Xbox360 and/or PS3 is actually fairly close to today's PCs and I've finally given in myself. My PC gaming days aren't 100% over but I just find it so much easier to play on these new consoles. I'm still a first person shooter fanatic so gaming with a controller as opposed to a keyboard and mouse isn't my favorite thing but I've learned to adapt where possible. I'm also a bit jaded with all of the continuing new technology but then subsequently always having to wait for the games to actually take any advantage. The "build it and they will come" thing is too long in the tooth. Many of my gaming buddies from the old days that are still gaming went the other route like World of Crackcraft....

If you're still thinking of a gaming machine I really wouldn't bother with an Apple. The hardware is much better these days but you're still too limited on that platform.

 

Haha.. no kidding eh? Actually my prior site VoodooExtreme actually helped put Falcon NW and Alienware on the map. They were our first (and then only?) sponsors/advertisers. One thing I will say is that the DX2 66 set up was something that I remember keeping for ages and ages. It had a really good run. Doom-Doom II (and a bit of Jedi Knight)

PS I was spending ALL of my university money on PCs and games instead of books, rent, food (ok I saved a lot for drinks).

 

Woah .. a blast from the past! I remember those days, I had two Voodoo2 (oldschool SLI) and it cost me an arm and a leg..

I think its natural for computer geeks to be into porshces .. instead of processors we are peltier-cooling turbos .. and instead of a bios, we are modding the ECU for more power.

 

QFT. All the DX10 stuff I'm seeing is DX9 with a few lighting and shadow effects grafted on. The good news is that the "real" DX10 games will be coming before too long.

Also agreed on NVIDIA, all those smart 3Dfx (and SGI) guys work there now anyway. When the ATI acquisition was announced last July, the interweb was filled with "death of NVIDIA" articles. Then there were those that analyzed it differently and bought NVDA at 18 bucks.

 

Problem with the console games is they are terrible for simming. Look at GRAW and the other tactical shooters. They are always dumbed down with the consoles. Also, you can't do a flight sim like Falcon Allied Force or other serious sims with consoles. It's just there is no money in PC games anymore, alot of people don't want to spend a year just to learn to fly a F16CG before you go off on a mission that lasts 2 hrs only to get shot down by a SA2 over the target area...

Dave

 

Hey mishref... I knew Scott Sellers, Gary Tarolli etc... from 3Dfx really well back in the day. I was with those guys at the Voodoo2 launch etc.. Those cards had a _great_ and unprecedented run at the top. I also dabbled with those double-decker Obsidian boards etc...

I think you are right it does seem natural that we were overclocking PCs and now Porsches!

PS Peltier coolers. Hah.. I love it!

 

I'll keep waiting for the DX10 games... till then I'm being lazy and will keep on playing Forza 2 etc...

All the original guys are basically at Nvidia these days. AMD and ATI together is basically like "two wrongs don't make a right". They had both already had their day in the sun...

 

Dave no denying that.. I agree. Any FPS or complex flight sim needs to be played on a PC I agree.

 

Wow....

Sharky Extreme.. the place to compare current cpu prices, etc..

Voodoo Extreme.. I think there has been a blip in the matrix. What a great logo that was.

Thats awesome Alex, I did not put 2 + 2 together at all, and im still in the thick of it working at EA now on Need for Speed

Seems like you sold at a good time, alot of the sites I was involved in got hit real hard during the ad crash that came in 2001.

Blues News and the Shack are still hittin it!

I used to run the Counter Strike site Cs skins, CS maps, it eventually evolved into Zeroping, but then the ad crash came and killed us.



I think everyone is right though, evolving frome overclocking to overboosting is a natural progression!!

 

Hah.. that was us and before that when I was at VE, Harry Mcblink... I remember Walter did that logo and Anders did the html. You are right a lot of my friends didn't make it as such. A real shame. I dd get luck and sold mine just at the right time. Very luck indeed.

Good for you being at EA and working on one of my favorite gaming series. Please tell me you are working on another Need for Speed Porsche Unleased!

PS Blue was a really good friend. I need to check on him (Stephen). He kept me "sane" that's for sure

 

Ha ha old memories - I used to read all the time too. SharkyExtreme and Thresh's Firing Squad .

 

Damn I forgot about my 'ol buddy Dennis... quite the Quake player Good times!