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Origin's EVO15-S packs a lot of gaming power into a 4.3-pound laptop
With Intel's release of new Core-i7 and i9 chips for portable PCs, a lot of interesting new lightweight gaming laptops are hitting the market. Origin, for one, just launched the EVO15-S and business-oriented NT-15 laptops that fit pretty incredible specs into a small size. They both pack NVIDIA GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics, up to 32GB of RAM, and Intel's six-core i7-8750H processor into a 4.3 pound, one-inch thick package, which should please gamers and video editors alike.
'Battlefront II' will finally make in-game progression fair next week
Electronic Arts' long, awkward nightmare over Star Wars Battlefront II's multiplayer progression might finally be over. With next week's patch, dubbed the "Progression" update, EA promises that Star Cards (power-ups) or any other item that impact gameplay will only be earned through gameplay from here on out -- not via paid loot crates. Previously, EA had adjusted and removed some of the pay-to-win aspects, saying that eventually real-money transactions would return.
Some of the best Batman games are coming to EA's Origin Access on PC
Homegrown games on EA's Origin Access service are getting some company. Starting today, your subscription will also include, erm, access to titles from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment including a trio of the Batman: Arkham games. Unfortunately we can't trade Arkham: Origins for Arkham Knight (above), but that's just how things work out at the moment.
The original 'Dead Space' is free... on EA Origin
Beloved horror survival game Dead Space is now available completely free on PC. The 2008 sci-fi hit is the newest addition to EA's "On the House" offering, and as long as you grab it directly from Origin it's yours without charge, to play and keep forever. That said, it's not clear how long the promotion will run for, so you should probably download it sooner rather than later.
You won't have to pay to win in 'Battlefront II' after all
If nothing else, EA is listening to the fans for Star Wars: Battlefront II. After all, outcry was the reason the game will have a single-player campaign mode and an awful lot more depth. So, perhaps it isn't too surprising that the game company paid attention when people were up in arms over the game's loot box implementation.
Origin's NT-15 Quadro is a slim laptop with pro video-editing power
I'm obsessed with lightweight, discrete graphics laptops, especially models that excel at video editing and 3D. So when I first saw Origin's 4.3-pound NT-15 Quadro, equipped with an Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor and NVIDIA professional-level Quadro P4000 Max-Q graphics, I had to try it. And not just for the specs and charts, but to see what it's like in everyday use. The quick verdict? It's not perfect -- battery life and the touchpad aren't great, and it's pricey -- but as a video production machine that you can tote around, it won me over.
‘Need for Speed Payback’ adds higher stakes and familiar ideas
On paper, Need for Speed Payback sounds a lot like Grand Theft Auto V crossed with a modern Fast and the Furious movie. Tale of revenge? Check. Three distinct protagonists with differing skillsets? Check. Heist missions? You see where we're going with this. There aren't a ton of other details to go on, but Electronic Arts says that the arcade racer will once again be open world and will feature "jaw-dropping set pieces." Like a submarine surfacing in an ice floe?
Origin's first budget gaming laptop costs less than a grand
Origin's EON15-S laptop has always straddled the line between gaming performance and portability, and this year's model does that again, but for a bit less cash. For 2017, the PC maker has added NVIDIA's newish 4GB 1050 Ti graphics card, a model that gives it a (very) mild speed bump over last year's 980M-based EON15-S. That's squeezed into a 1-inch, 5-pound case, and costs $999 for the cheapest configuration.
Expect four new expansions for 'Battlefield 1' this year
If you're a Battlefield 1 fan, get ready to open your wallet and jump into even more WWI-inspired battles. Gaming heavyweights EA and DICE just revealed four new expansion packs for its popular first-person shooter. All four expansions are included in this brand-new annual Premium Pass, which is available for XBox One, PS4 and PC via EA's Origin service. Each expansion will be available for purchase separately with the first entry, "They Shall Not Pass," available to premium members on March 14 and March 28 for non-premium players.
Play 'Star Wars Battlefront' on PSVR December 6th
Electronic Arts teased out its Star Wars Battlefront VR experience way back in March, and now we know when it's actually exiting hyperspace. Come December 6th, you'll be able to strap on your PlayStation VR headset, jump into a virtual X-Wing cockpit and hopefully destroy the Death Star. Remember, this will be a free download for anyone who owns Battlefront. And because today marks the game's first birthday, EA has seen fit to drop a glut of details about the latest, and final, map pack, Rogue One: Scarif -- also out on December 6th. As the name suggests, it brings in a quartet of maps from the upcoming movie, two new heroes (Jyn Erso and Orson Krennic) and a new "multi-stage game mode with space and ground combat." Sounds just a bit like the Battle Station mode from the recent Death Star pack, if you ask me. Speaking of which, starting today and running through the 20th, you can play the previously released Bespin, Death Star and Outer Rim packs for free, and earn four times the experience you usually would. That is, if you can pull yourself away from the free Overwatch weekend taking place starting tomorrow, too. Decisions, decisions.
Gameroom is Facebook's antiquated answer to Steam
Back in August Facebook announced its PC gaming platform as a partnership with the Unity developer toolset. There are a few more details now, and from the sounds of it, Facebook Gameroom is basically Steam from 2009, but for Facebook games -- both web and those natively built for the ecosystem. The social network is starting small: games can't be any larger than 200MB, although it will "consider" hosting games up to 500MB on a case-by-case basis, according to the service. That automatically rules out something like, say, Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition's 58GB, but smaller fare like Desert Golf's 1MB size would have plenty of room to spare.
EA temporarily blocks Origin access in all of Myanmar
Some gamers are learning first-hand about the dangers of trusting your game library to a copy-protected service: you're at the mercy of that service and its interpretation of the law. Players living in Myanmar have discovered that EA started blocking access to Origin in the country sometime in September. Even if you started your account elsewhere, you aren't allowed to either visit the Origin store or use any of your purchased games. You can use a virtual private network to get around the restriction, but that could easily bog down your connection while playing online. Thankfully, the headache is only momentary.
ICYMI: This power tool might save you from yourself
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Shaper's Origin is designed to use augmented reality and an on-screen display to guide you through cutting wood pieces. And Australian National University researchers developed the most efficient solar receiver in the world. The chopstick piano video is here and the airship crashing in what looks like slo-mo; here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Augmented reality power tool helps anyone craft things
Crafting with CNC mills, routers and other power tools isn't all that easy, especially if you're new to it. You'll frequently want a template, and it's all too easy to mess up a cut if you haven't developed a steady hand. Shaper doesn't think it has to be daunting, though: it's launching Origin, an augmented reality power cutter. All you need to get started is a set of visual markers ("ShaperTape" in company lingo) that create a map -- the handheld will not only show you where to cut on its screen thanks to these markers, but automatically correct your cut or retract the bit if you're veering off-course. You could be a neophyte and still create something reasonably professional-looking.
Registration opens for the 'Mirror's Edge Catalyst' test run
February 23rd, the date when publisher Electronic Arts originally promised Mirror's Edge Catalyst is coming up. But rather than mope until it finally releases in May, there's a reason to turn that frown upside down: We have news to share of a multiplatform (!) closed beta in addition to a pretty good looking new trailer. Wait, a beta for a game that doesn't have traditional multiplayer? Yep. Apparently EA and developer DICE, fresh off Star Wars Battlefront, want to ensure that returning protagonist Faith's asynchronous multiplayer modes work as smoothly as possible. Best of all, the test isn't locked behind a pre-order or console purchase -- nor is it exclusive to one console.
Pirates are finding it harder to crack new PC games
Pirates at the infamous Chinese hacking forum 3DM are complaining that recent PC games are simply too darn hard to crack, according to Torrent Freak. The problem is apparently Denuvo, a copy protection scheme that prevents tampering of the underlying DRM. Two recent games that use the scheme, FIFA 16 and Just Cause 3, have still not been cracked, despite appearing in early December. Based on the current pace of encryption tech, "in two years time I'm afraid there will be no free games to play in the world," said one forlorn pirate.
Origin has an all-in-one gaming PC, too
One trend we didn't expect to see at CES this week was all-in-one gaming PCs. But here we are with another, this time from the folks at Origin PC. Dubbed the "Omni," the machine packs quite a bit of customization for its class. The company's calling it the "world's most powerful and customizable" device of its kind, saying that there's room for up to an Intel Core i7 5960X processor and a 12GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan X under its 34-inch Ultra-wide 3K display (3440 x 1440 resolution).
Adorable puzzler 'Unravel' pulls heartstrings in February
Come February 9th, you'll be able to play the most charming (and atypical) game to come out of Electronic Arts' E3 media briefing this year, Unravel. The adorable physics-based puzzle platformer hits EA's PC-based Origin service, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next year as a digital title for $19.99 domestically. The prepared statement from EA describes the game's story as "an adventure to reconnect the bonds of love" which, from the sounds of it, means I'm going to be a blubbering mess when the credits roll.
Which gaming laptops are worth buying?
For years, the wisdom has been that if you wanted a dedicated gaming machine, you bought a desktop. Gaming components were too unwieldy to fit in a notebook form factor, and if you tried to put together a machine with desktop-caliber components, it always ended up too big and heavy to be truly portable. However, recent gaming laptops have defied that history, packing lots of power into thinner and lighter chassis. They're still not as slim as Ultrabooks, and meanwhile there's still a gap in performance versus desktop machines. Even so, your days of lugging around a large desktop tower to LAN parties are over. We've taken a look at some of the more recent entries in the race to build a smaller gaming machine to find ones that can fit your needs -- and budget.
EA won't make money in the new Humble Origin Bundle
Humble Bundle regularly offers groups of games for the low price of "whatever you want to pay," with the option to send your money to the developers, Humble itself or to charity. Since launching in 2010, Humble has raised more than $50 million for charity -- and its latest bundle looks to add to that total. For the next two weeks, the Humble Origin Bundle 2 benefits only charity and Humble Bundle, since EA has opted out of making any money from this particular sale. The bundle supports Girls Who Code, which encourages young women to pursue computer science degrees, The V Foundation for Cancer Research and buildOn, a group that aims to improve conditions in the developing world by emphasizing women's education. Who knew supporting charity could be so fun?
