4-14-09 Python…

Dang python… Recently I have been modding oblivion, and today I decided I would try my hand at making my own meshes and testures. I mean, how hard could it be? I just have to run an installer to add the scripts needed for Blender and Gimp, maybe move a file or two between directories, and then I would be able to export Nif.’s, I mean how hard could it be? Unfortunately it couldn’t possibly have been that easy. It all started when I wanted to add the  scripts to blender that allowed me to export models as Nif.’s. So I downloaded the installer, easy right? Well the thing told me I didn’t have  blender. So I reinstall Blender, and it still seems unaware of it’s existance. So I said ‘no problem, I’ll just get the scripts in a Zip. file and extract them to the Blender scripts directory’ and so I pulled up the readme that went over installation, and it told me to use the Bat. installer the scripts came with. Unfortunately, I had to run it from a command prompt. So there I was for 30 minutes, fiddling around with the prompt trying to get the directories to change, when I realized It would be easier if I just extracted the files. So I did, and huza! I had the option to export as an Nif…Unfortunately, that’s all I had, the OPTION in the file menu, I couldn’t actually do it. Apparently I also needed a python plugin called ‘PyFFI-1.2.3′ so off i went to google. I downloaded YET ANOTHER installer and ran it, and guess what? It was convinced python wasn’t installed(which it was, it came with blender). So i reinstall python, to no avail. Once again I download the Zip. and hey, before I knew it, i was staring at yet another command prompt! It said to use the Python2.5 source to run the installer that came with PyFFI-1.2.3. I hadn’t a clue what exactly the ’source’ of python was, but I assumed it was the Python labeled ‘command line’. There were three python files I had to deal with, so i didn’t know which one was the one I needed to use, and no matter what I typed in, python kept on telling my that I had incorrect syntax. I tried everything, and everytime it gave me the smug response ‘incorrect syntax’. I Gave up on that, and in an attempt to exhaust all possibilities, I opened blender and took a look at the command line while it was running. And hey! I could just extract PyFFI-1.2.3 to my scripts folder! So I did, and it worked! I could import Nif.’s! I was so excited, I decided I’d get some practice with the program, and to my amazement, it was extremely easy to use! I was able to model a gear object in less than 16 minutes, somthing I didn’t expect to be able to construct until I had much more experience. Suddenly all the crazy ideas I had seemed closer than I ever imagined! I wanted to see my gear in action within oblivion, so I exported it as an Nif., and adjusted the export settings, overjoyed at my succsess, and then I pressed enter and…whaddyaknow! An error message…Telling me That I can’t make rectangular prisms and export it as an Nif…This was probably due to a mis-extracted file or somthing, but there were thousands of scripts that came with PyFFI1.2.3, and pinpointing ONE would be nearly impossible… Yea, It can never just be that easy can it? Well, I’ll have to keep trying, and speakign of mods, I got a few simple morrowind mods (and some oblivion mods) that I might post up here, so keep on the lookout.

4-4-09 Tech-post with W1n5ton

Hey pplz, every week we will have w1n5ton come on and talk with us on the most recent news in computers, consoles, and just about anything else that falls under technology, so here you are: the first tech-post with W1n5ton.

As of today there are really only two options if you want to play video games. you can either do it on consoles, or expensive high powered gaming pc’s. In both cases the game data is stored localy. Ether on a harddrive or a disk. And to play the game the cpu and gpu are pushed to the max trying to render as many polygons and they can pump out without melting.

Onlive is a company with an idea. Instead of running the games locally, onlive will have the games saved on their servers and the servers will do all of the work, And all your computer or console will have to do is display the hd video streaming from the onlive server and send you mouse and keybord commands. The advantage of this idea is that you could play graphically intensive games like crysis on any computer or console good enough to play basic hd video. No more would ultra hd gaming be reserved for those with cutting edge monster computer setups. And their would be no download time, it would be a click and play for any game.   As awesome as the idea of ultra hd gaming for everyone sounds, it does have a few draw backs and limitations. For example if you cant even watch a netflix stream without it stopping a few times to buffer how do you think you will fair having to stream a full hd movie without any buffering what so ever? More so if you happen to lose internet connection or you share it with some one that hogs bandwith . The problem may be that internet networks may simply lack the bandwidth needed to make an idea like this possable.

But in the end i do not think that i would trade in my gaming rig for for a netbook and an onlive subscription , i just enjoy lagless local play far too much.

w1n5t0n

4/2/09 the ‘once god’ rig

Back when 5 megabytes of disk space was considered ‘large’, toshiba made a computer that would draw nerds for miles around. the Toshiba satellite was one of the greatest displays of portable power to be mae at the time. My brother got it a couple months back, and I didn’t think much of it until he got another, more modern Staelite for free (the owner gave it away, they broke the hard drive) and gave the old one to me. after my own attempts proved futile to do anything wit hit, he took matters into his hands and succeeded where I failed. He made it the most epic retro-gaming rig that U have ever seen. He managed to get his grimy, pirate hands on the original Fallout, Homeworld, a Nes and Snes emuulator, and we are working on getting daggerfall. This is a testament to the overlooked fact that no computer truly ’sucks’ unless the owner makes it suck. So, you can expect some new content from Fallout, Homeworld, and hopefully Daggerfall soon. I am also planning to do a review on Mirror’s Edge, and start a video series that reviews thos free online games you can download, starting with one of my personal favorites: Tremulous. Also, spring break has got me playing Bioshock day in and out, and I’m almost done with it, so a review for that can be expected. It’s not much right now, but Games4win will soon start to be full of win. bear with me!- BK

Games4win

Games4win is my blog to celebrate the epic win of my absolute favorite passtime: videogames. I willpost at least once a week to give you guys news, personal thoughts, and tips and tricks for games of all kinds. thanks for visiting, and have fun!- BK