Author: Donster

GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion Motherboard Review

By Ian Cutress @ AnandTech

When we ask the motherboard manufacturers about overclocking, most of them say that it is an integral part of their hardware line-up as well as a point to distinguish themselves from the competition. I have been a big fan of the cheaper overclocking oriented models in the mainstream markets, and in order to emulate the success that GIGABYTE has made in that area today they are releasing the X99-SOC Champion aimed at the Haswell-E overclocking crowd. We managed to get a sample in for a launch day review.

Read The Review Here

Hardware Motherboards | Donster | January 8, 2015 |

Just Announced Hardware for 8 January 2015

Check out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

Hardware | Donster | January 8, 2015 |

Assassin’s Creed: Unity Free DLC, Dead Kings, Launching Next Week

Join Arno On A Journey To The Underground Tombs Of Former French Kings

Today, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Dead Kings, the downloadable campaign that continues Arno’s story after the events of Assassin’s Creed: Unity, will be available for free to all purchasers of Assassin’s Creed: Unity for the Xbox One games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC on January 13, and on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system on January 14 2015.

After the events of Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Arno leaves Paris for Saint Denis, a mysterious city that holds the crypts of deceased French kings. Sent on a mission to the extensive underground of the Basilica, Arno will face a faction of new foes, the Raiders, populating its catacombs. Equipped with a lantern and a new powerful weapon, the Guillotine gun, Arno will have to navigate the dangerous passageways to uncover the darkest secrets of the city.

In addition to a fully-fledged main single-player campaign, Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Dead Kings also offers new open world activities and side missions, including new Murder Mysteries, enigmas and cooperative missions. Both single-player and cooperative modes enable players to unlock new weapons, gear and outfits that carry over between Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Dead Kings.

For more information and to view the Assassin’s Creed: Unity – Dead Kings trailer, please visit the official Assassin’s Creed website.

Action/Strategy Assassin's Creed: Unity | Donster | January 6, 2015 |

Just Announced Hardware for 6 January 2015

Hardware | Donster | January 6, 2015 |

Historical Article: Silent Otto Kretschmer

WWII’s highest scoring U-boat ace

By John Dudek @ The Wargamer

Otto Kretschmer was without a doubt the greatest and most gifted U-boat Captain ever to serve in the German Navy in WWII. He was known as “Silent Otto”, not only for his reluctance to make small talk, but also his reluctance towards making regular radio contact with the U-boat headquarters. In addition he was also a firm believer in the “silent running” of his U-boat if being searched for by Allied destroyers while submerged. Kretschmer was something of an anomaly during the age of the cold hearted Nazi “supermen,” in that he believed in the traditional values of sea warfare: those of chivalry, fair play and doing all possible to relieve the suffering of a vanquished foe. During his career in WWII, it was common for Kretschmer upon encountering a life boat filled with the men he’d tried to sink and kill only hours earlier, to surface his submarine alongside to give them food, water, blankets and a compass heading towards dry land. On one such occasion he encountered a single British sailor in a life raft who was suffering from the advanced stages of hypothermia exposure. He had the man brought aboard, taken below, bundled in hot blankets and given a hot mug of tea. As the man gradually came out of shock, he thought he’d been taken aboard a British submarine and marveled at his good fortune. Given how many of Kreschmer’s crew were fluent in English and that the German submariners wore no insignia while wearing basic overhauls in lieu of uniforms, it took quite a bit of convincing to get the sailor to believe he was actually aboard a German U-boat. The survivor was eventually placed upon another life boat they encountered, one filled with other Allied sailors and a single extremely haughty British officer. When Kretschmer called down to the life boat, asking if they had provisions aboard, the British officer offered up an unprintable and less than desirable response. Undeterred, Kretschmer ordered food and water to be placed aboard the life boat. After giving the survivors a compass heading for the nearby coast of Ireland, Kretschmer saluted the officer and bid him “Good luck!” The British officer, upon realizing the extremely generous nature of the gifts of food and water, returned the salute and wished the Germans “Good Luck!” in return as the U-boat sailed away.

Read on…

Military History | Donster | January 5, 2015 |

The Broadening Horizons of Total War

How The Creative Assembly is planning an all-out assault in 2015.

By Stace Harman @ Eurogamer

This year the Total War series turns 15, and as recompense for making so many of us feel so horribly old The Creative Assembly is celebrating with a birthday blowout of new Total War titles. The recent release of the Wrath of Sparta content pack for Total War: Rome 2 is followed on 17 February by the next major release in the franchise, Total War: Attila – but the ferocious Hun does not ride alone. Instead, he’s flanked by two less traditional Total War experiences aimed at bringing in new players via the hit-and-miss gift horse of free-to-play.

Read on…

Strategy and Wargaming Total War: Attila | Donster | January 5, 2015 |

Chain of Command Is Gearing Up For ‘Operation Early Access’ In 2015

BitBunch is relentlessly continuing the development of Chain of Command WWII RTS.

The company had a great year in 2014, marking the announcement of Chain of Command. We have built the core engine technology on top of which the game’s features are being developed and put together a great team of game development professionals. BitBunch has also launched Twitter and Facebook accounts for Chain of Command, so commanders from all around the world can get latest updates from the HQ.

In 2015 we will release more and more details on Chain of Command: what it will look like, what it will sound like and most importantly: what it will play like. You can expect to see more art work, models, and textures such as the one featured in this press release: the first rendered in-game model, featuring the German Panzer Mark III tank. Our tanks are still in the hangar, but we are getting them ready to roll out!

“We are working hard on software development and environment generation,” said BitBunch co-founder, George van Venrooij. “Chain of Command is an ambitious project, with historical accuracy and innovative gameplay being its main distinguishing features. We are really excited to work towards launching the first demo version in 2015.”

In Q2 2015, we plan to release an early access version of Chain of Command to a limited group of users. Set in May 1940, this version will put the player in command of a German Panzer division in its attempt to cross the Meuse River and break through the French lines during the infamous “Blitzkrieg” in the West. This version will not only provide our community with the first taste of battle in Chain of Command, but will also help BitBunch gather valuable feedback for our development process. More details will follow as soon as they are declassified.

We expect 2015 to be a very exciting year so we are looking forward to it. To stay up to date with all news, large and small, follow Chain of Command on Twitter @CoCHQ, and click here to ‘Like’ the Chain of Command/BitBunch page on Facebook.

As always, feel free to get in touch with us via www.bitbunch.eu.

Chain of Command Strategy and Wargaming | Donster | January 5, 2015 |

ROCCAT Ryos MK Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Capsule Review

By E. Fylladitakis @ AnandTech

Today we will be looking at the Ryos MK Pro, the best mechanical gaming keyboard ROCCAT currently offers. The major selling points of this keyboard are the per-key lighting, fully programmable layout, thumb keys, and the advanced software. Some of these features are not difficult to find nowadays, but per-key lighting and fully programmable layouts were rather rare when the Ryos MK Pro was released – nearly a year ago, that is. With a retail price of $156 (depending on switch type), it remains one of the most expensive gaming keyboards currently available, forcing it to face tremendous competition from other manufacturers. Can the Ryos MK Pro compete in today’s market? We will find out in this capsule review.

Read The Review Here

Gaming Keyboards Hardware | Donster | January 5, 2015 |

Just Announced Hardware for 5 January 2015

Hardware | Donster | January 5, 2015 |

Historical Article: Sentinel of the Far Pacific Wake Island – Part 2

The Battle and Siege, 8-23 December, 1941

By John Dudek @ The Wargamer

Amidst the bursting, flashing Japanese shell fire explosions of the pre-invasion naval bombardment impacting around Wake island that late December 1941 night, Second Lieutenant Robert M. Hanna, commander of the antiaircraft machine-guns of the beach defense, could hear the ever growing sound of many approaching ship and boat engines offshore. Two of Wake Island’s huge 8-million candle arc 60-inch search lights snapped on, their brilliant lights turning darkness into day while clearly showing two destroyers headed at high speed directly towards the island’s coral reef shore. In addition, other landing craft filled with men were heading towards nearby Wilkes Island. This confirmed all of Hanna’s worst fears and suspicions. He now knew what was about to occur and shouted to his men. “I need four volunteers! You, you, you and you! Come with me!” Corporal Ralph Holewinski and three civilians ran alongside their officer towards a nearby unmanned 3-inch anti-aircraft gun that had been recently emplaced there to cover the beach. Hanna intended to use it in a direct fire role upon the destroyers that were now noisily running themselves hard aground upon Wake’s coral reef. There were no sights on the cannon, so after prying open a box of ammunition, Hanna sighted in on the nearby ex-destroyer by looking down his gun’s bore as he aimed at the ship’s superstructure up forward. The closest ship was well less than 200 yards away, but clearly defined in the searchlight’s brutally brilliant glare. The gun spoke and his first round was high, but he corrected his aim and the second ripped into the ship’s bridge, badly wounding its captain and navigation officer. Hanna went on to score more direct hits on the grounded ship’s superstructure followed by dozens more along its entire length, turning it into a slaughterhouse.

Read on…

Military History | Donster | December 24, 2014 |