By Jacob Terkelsen @ Tom’s Hardware
With the plethora of connectivity options enabled by X370, ASRock has taken the bull by the horns and given us a board that will become the centerpiece to any PC builder’s work of art. Reminiscent of our MSI 990FXA Gaming review back in 2016, the Taichi is a beauty. The matte black PCB, black and white color scheme, and steampunk-esque gear motif are jaw dropping. Everywhere I look on this motherboard I see polish, finesse, and thoughtful design.
Source: TechPowerUp!
AMD today released the 17.3.2 Beta version of its Radeon Software Crimson ReLive. This release features official support for the upcoming Mass Effect: Andromeda space opera, and a 12% performance boost in the game for RX 480 graphics cards compared to results obtained under the previous driver release.
This driver release also sees some fixed issues with texture corruption on some surfaces of The Division under DX12. In addition, this driver release features a fix for what could only have been a rare issue with texture flickering while task-switching on For Honor, considering it only affected 4x Multi-GPU system configurations. This release also features long lists of Known Issues.
You can download the Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Drivers version 17.3.2 here.
Source: GURU3D
Basically, overclock and tweak a bit to gain on performance. The AMD Blog hints like this, get the newest available motherboard BIOS, clean OS installs help, buy memory that works at a top speed and latency (supported by your motherboard) and change the Windows 10 power plan.
AMD also shares a performance plot indicating a the changes and how they can influence 1080p game performance. As we have been stating in our articles, large gains come from software and memory tweaks. But surely overclocking helps:
The AMD Ryzen™ processor is a completely new and different platform from what gamers may be accustomed to, and established practices for configuring a system may prove incorrect or unreliable. We’ve assembled the following configuration steps to ensure users are extracting the best possible performance and reliability from their new PC.
Source: TechPowerUp!
It would seem Microsoft is ever looking for more creative ways of pushing its Windows 10 operating system towards the masses. Some Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users have apparently encountered one of these: a lock on system updates. The error message, which reads “Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows”, points towards a hardware lock-in in exchange for added security and updates.
A Microsoft Support page sheds some light on this issue: that Windows 10 is the only Microsoft operating system to support particular hardware configurations. Namely, systems based on Intel’s “seventh (7th)-generation processors or a later generation” (Kaby Lake); “AMD seventh (7th)-generation (“Bristol Ridge”) processor or a later generation”; and “Qualcomm “8996″ processor or a later generation”. This move on Windows 7 might make some sense; however, Windows 8.1 is still in its lease of life (and Microsoft support) until at least 2018.
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.
Source: UbiBlog
The sniping-est operator in the Siege stable is about to get an upgrade in the upcoming Mid-Season Reinforcements update, which deploys Wednesday, March 15. As the story goes, Timur “Glaz” Glazkov lost a sniper competition to an Operator named Galanos, from Greece. After the event, Glaz chatted with Galanos about her attachment technology, and as a result he now packs an upgraded scope that offers a new layer of thermal visual feedback when aiming down sights. This feedback will appear even if the defender is obscured by smoke, but will only work if Glaz has line-of-sight to the target (it doesn’t work through walls).
A few Operators are getting buffs to their special abilities to help make them more useful in the field. Doc will now be able to overheal to 140 HP instead of 120 HP, in hopes that this buff will make more of a difference in a firefight. And Buck will get an extra magazine for his Skeleton Key underbarrel shotgun. Walls, windows, and floors beware.
There are a number of weapon balancing changes en route as well, chief among them a size reduction for the reticles on the red dot, reflex, and holo sights. This is to allow for better precision after the realignment of sights implemented with Operation Velvet Shell. Other specific changes include:
A developer on Rainbow Six: Siege once compared applying fixes to the game to trying to replace a car tire while the vehicle was in motion. To that end, the team will also launch a technical test server in the weeks following the Reinforcements to focus on refining technical systems and adding new features. The first such system will be a streamlined matchmaking process, and more information on the timing and progress of these projects will be available in the coming weeks.
For more information about Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, please visit the games official website.
Here we are, nearly a month after launch. We hope you’ve been enjoying your time in Italia so far, however we’ve still got a LOT of content in the works for Sniper Elite 4! Today we’re thrilled to announce the release date for the game’s first major singleplayer and multiplayer content update and share with you our longer-term schedule for free and paid content!
Remember new Survival missions, multiplayer maps and modes will be FREE for all players.
All paid content will be included in the Season Pass (including Digital Deluxe Editions) or available to buy separately.
Where possible, we aim to release content at the same time on PS4, Xbox One and PC, though there may be some scheduling differences because of the way digital stores work.
Allied Forces Rifles Out Now!
Take the fight to the fascists with these iconic Allied weapons – M1 Garand, M1 Carbine and Ross Mark 3, for use in all modes.
The Allied Forces Rifles pack is available to purchase on all platforms. Get it now at the Rebellion Gamestore or on Steam!
Beware the Snipes of March
Towards the end of March we’ll be releasing not one but TWO big add-ons for the game!
The first is Deathstorm Part 1: Inception, the opening chapter and mission in our BRAND NEW three-part mini-campaign with a completely new storyline for 1-2 players. Look out for more info soon and a first-look trailer!
The second is the Night Fighter Expansion Pack, a value-stuffed content drop featuring three new weapons, night-time camouflage rifle skins for eight weapons, and two new characters.
BUT we also have tons of FREE content arriving around the same time! This month’s freebies include a brand new multiplayer mode called Elimination, in which two teams try to whittle down their opponent’s numbers. If you’re killed you’re forced to sit on the sidelines – but not permanently! If your team kills an opponent player, they get to tag back in one of their sidelined teammates. All may seem lost in Elimination, but all it takes is one kill to turn the tide!
Fan Made Movie
We’ve seen some great fan-made Sniper Elite videos in our time, but this latest effort from Hoodoo Operator is something special.
Shot entirely using in-game footage, this is one video you shouldn’t miss!
Visit the Sniper Elite 4 News Page for more info on future content releases and screenshots!
There’s a pot o’ loot waiting for you under the rainbow beginning this week in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Gosh and begorrah, soldiers! Starting today in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered you’ll notice that a lot of green will be popping up in loadouts everywhere. Plus, you won’t need to chase any rainbows in search of treasure because in honor of St. Patrick’s Day we’ve free Supply Drops, a new, free map, two new camos to earn, and loads more heading your way!
FREE SUPPLY DROPS
So that pot of gold we mentioned? It’s actually emerald green, rectangular, and looks like a Supply Drop. That’s right, we’ve got themed Supply Drops throughout Operation: Shamrock & Awe, and we’re making one available for free each week when you log in starting today through 12:01am PST on April 3.
Note: Only one free Supply Drop per week, and they don’t stack up, so make sure you check in and download by Sunday at 11:59pm PST every week between now and the end of Operation: Shamrock & Awe or you’ll miss out.
DOWNPOUR TURNS INTO DAYBREAK
Besides being known for its long sightlines, mounted machine guns, and sneaky peripheral routes, Downpour is a map also known for its fierce weather. But a bit of luck has landed on your side as the clouds have parted and shed sunlight on this map. Daybreak is a free map, available only during Operation: Shamrock & Awe, that turns Downpour upside down and replaces it with a lush, green countryside filled with St. Paddy’s décor and a rainbow, naturally.
FREE SEASONAL CAMOS
Daybreak also comes with a nice bonus that you won’t have to catch a leprechaun to unlock. Complete the in-game challenges on the map and you can earn two exclusive St. Paddy’s-themed camos for your weapons: the Shamrockin’ “Folium” and the rainbowtized “Prism.” There are different challenges to unlock the camos for each of the weapon classes, but those challenges disappear when Operation: Shamrock & Awe is over.
GET GRAVES
As part of Operation: Shamrock & Awe, three new themed collections will provide you with St. Patrick’s Day theme reticles, camos, calling cards, and emblems. Each set will also include a bounty for completing the set: assemble the “Luck” collection to earn a new character, “Leprechaun” rewards you with a Shillelagh melee weapon, and “Pot o’ Gold” gives you a unique calling card worth fightin’ for.
But that’s not all. If you craft or unlock all three themed collections, you’ll also unlock Darren “Graves” Cosgrave as a playable character for the first time ever! That’s right, you can put the master of the Depot right into your loadout. However, he’s available for a limited time as part of Operation: Shamrock & Awe which expires after April 2, so get busy!
So jump into Modern Warfare Remastered and test your luck! Operation: Shamrock & Awe runs now through 12:01am PST on April 3. Sláinte!
For more intel about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, be sure to visit the official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered webpage.
The bond between brothers can be complicated, yet unmistakable. From the creators of the Sniper Ghost Warrior and Lords of the Fallen series, CI Games is proud to share a sneak peek into the deep relationship Jon and Robert North have in the Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 “Brothers” Trailer.
Having been raised on a ranch at the foot of the Colorado Rockies, Jon and his younger brother, Robert, were always best friends and also their own greatest rivals. Their family always considered military service the highest form of patriotism, so it was no surprise that both of them enlisted as soon as they were able to.
But while Jon has been shaped into a resolutely “follow the book” type of Marine, Robert quickly rose through the ranks of the US Navy–despite using sometimes using unorthodox methods–and became more rebellious and skeptical of authority along the way. Robert deeply loves his older brother, but also believes that an old-school way of thinking in warfare will inevitably leave Jon behind.
The question that remains is who captured Jon’s brother, Robert, and did he want to be captured?
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 tells the story of brotherhood, faith and betrayal in the most complete sniper experience ever. Take the role of an American sniper named Jonathan North, who is dropped into enemy territory in northern Georgia, nearby Russian borders. Explore large open-world maps with dynamic weather and a day and night cycle that actually impacts play and decisions. Customize weapon equipment, accessories, vehicles and a drone, and utilize the three pillars of gameplay to your liking: Sniper, Ghost and Warrior.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 launches on the PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One and Windows PC on April 25, 2017. To learn more about Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3, visit the games official website.
Afghanistan ’11 features a long campaign: players can experience the whole length of the war through 18 unique scenarios. Each scenario puts you in very different situations, and you’ll have to employ different strategies to beat the scenario and advance in the campaign.
But there’s more outside of the campaign: Afghanistan ’11 offers a very detailed Skirmish mode.
You can play on randomly generated maps and set several parameters, completely customizing your game to your liking. You can set geographical parameters, starting conditions, victory conditions, as well as disable or enable additional modules such as Political events and Elections.
You can even disable any kind of turn limit, making your game unlimited and you’ll be able to play as long as you want!
