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Central US woes [updated]
According to Drysc, there's a Blizzard-external network problem in the central United States that is currently affecting several WoW realms. Symptoms include high latency, packet loss, disconnection, or inability to connect; side effects may include broken keyboards and bruised fists, or in severe cases, deciding to stop playing WoW for the evening.I'm not sure which realms are affected, but it's nice to know that this is being worked on anyway; the glowing tree promises that they are actively receiving updates from the (unnamed) parties involved. There is currently no ETA on a fix. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything else. In the mean time, let's start building a list: if your realm is acting up, let us know in the comments.Update: Drysc is saying the issue "appears to have been resolved," but they're still keeping an eye on it.
Solving recent connection issues
Many of us, both in and outside of the United States, have been having serious connection issues with the game recently. Not only can we not connect to the game, but we can't even get on the main World of Warcraft website. This can be particularly infuriating because we can't go and find help. When I got dropped in the middle of Kael'Thas (the real fight, not the weeksauce one in Magisters' Terrace), I wanted to take my computer out to a field and yell obscenities at it about PC load letter.WoW Insider feels your pain! After all, imagine having to write about WoW only to find out you can't get into WoW.I wanted to answer a lot of the comments about what people can do. First and foremost, we're not Blizzard. So we can't really say for sure what's going on. We can make educated guesses through. Continue reading after the break for what you can do and where you can go to solve this problem.
Study finds no link between car accidents and yapping whilst driving
If you're ready for a healthy dose of unconventional wisdom, you've come to the right place, as a couple of confident graduate student economists at UC-Berkeley are purporting that there is "no match in the evening cellphone use spike and crash data." Basically, the duo is suggesting that although we've been on the mobile horn a lot more these days, the number of fatal vehicular accidents over the past 18 years have not experienced the same leap. Weird logic, we know, so take it for whatever it is (or isn't) worth.[Via Wired]
40Gbps internet connection installed in Swede's home
While we've seen all sorts of blazing feats over fiber here lately, it's not often that such wide open bandwidth gets piped directly to a home, but a 75-year old Swede recently changed all that when she had a 40Gbps connection installed in her domicile. 'Course, this fine dame is the mum of Swedish internet legend Peter Löthberg, and she's hoping to somehow "persuade internet operators to invest in faster connections." The trick behind the setup is a "new modulation technique which allows data to be transferred directly between two routers up to 2,000-kilometers apart with no intermediary transponders," and just in case you're wondering, she can download a full high-definition DVD in a painstaking two seconds.[Via Slashdot, image courtesy of TheRedWoodMotel]
A puzzling connection
Setsuzoku no Puzzle, or Puzzle of Connections, is worth a playthrough just for its synthy score; besides, downloading the homebrew game and listening to the music tracks takes little to no effort. Actually clearing a level or even learning how to attack the puzzle, however, will require a considerable amount of work.Modeled after Match It, a 1989 arcade game, you'll have to knock out 140 tiles against a timer. Each multicolored square has a symbol -- moons, stars, and other Lucky Charms marshmallows -- that you can link with an identical piece to remove them both. Though your connecting line can stretch all the way across the playing field, the catch is that the link must turn no more than two corners to be valid. You'll suffer several frustrating losses before you get to the point where you've trained your eyes enough to spot similar tiles, but the satisfaction that comes after everything "clicks" and you complete a level is ample reward. If you get stuck, you'll be able to hit X to have the computer eliminate a match for you several times. Head past the post break for more screenshots of the homebrew puzzler.
Xbox Live: Hollywood's new "Let's do lunch"?
It used to be that a producer couldn't sit down at a hip Hollywood bistro without some aspiring waiter thrusting a screenplay in his hands. Nowadays, the unsolicited pitches may be coming through an Xbox Live headset instead.Variety has an interesting piece on the rise of Xbox Live matches as networking opportunities for the young Hollywood elite. The author is part of a regular group of Hollywood insiders that gathers every Thursday night for Gears of War and Fight Night matches. The players say that Xbox Live provide a casual, fun way to make a lasting connection with a colleague. "I can't tell you how many times I have come out of a meeting, and while we're validating parking, we swap gamertags" said studio executive Jeff Katz. "But only if it was a good meeting and I want to talk to the person again."Not only that, but the untamed wilds of Xbox Live can provide some good cultural research for screenwriters. Troy writer David Benioff says the profanity-filled chat channels during his online matches provide "an easy way to research the slang that today's 14-year-olds use when they curse." Thus proving that even the chocolate milk kid can serve an important social purpose.[Via DigitalMediaWire]
Ask PSP Fanboy: Volume 7
Every Saturday, PSP Fanboy will answer your burning questions. If you have a question for the team, send an e-mail to andrew @ pspfanboy.com with the subject "Ask PSP Fanboy."Q: Is downgrading to 1.5 and upgrading to the latest Sony update later harmful to the PSP?A: Downgrading hasn't proven to be too "dangerous" on the PSP. However, you always run a chance of bricking your system whenever you overwrite its precious flash memory. If you're currently running an official PSP firmware at the moment, you can simply update by using "Network Update" or by accessing Sony's official website. However, if you're using OE firmware, you should downgrade first. There are reports that upgrading to the latest firmware from an OE edition will brick your system.
DS Daily: WiFi woes
We've spent a little time talking about the state of the DS online, but only as it relates to interfacing with people you know. What about the rest? Every Tuesday during Game Night, it seems someone can't get a good signal or can't maintain a stable connection. So of course we wondered, just how is the DS WiFi working out for you? Are you lucky enough to have a pretty stable connection for your DS? Have you had trouble with any games?[Super t-shirt found here.]
Patch 2.0.5 Issues
Apparently patch 2.0.5 came out overnight last night or early this morning. A lot of users are getting an "Unable to validate game version" error (pictured above) along with a myriad of other connection problems. The official forums are also down, or so slow as to be effectively down. I'm going to guess that perhaps your game version is fine and this will sort itself out in the next few hours as the patch gets distributed. Thanks to everyone for submitting this as a topic suggestion, there's too many of you to credit directly.UPDATE 10:54 from the in-game Breaking News:"The 2.0.5 client-side patch has caused issues with our authentication system. These issues can cause players to be suddenly disconnected from the game, as well as prevent them from logging in to the game. We are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible and will provide you with updates as soon as they are available."UPDATE 11:30 The realms are accessible, or at least mine is. The forums are also back online and usable.
HANA adds Cablevision & 17 other new members, demos connectivity
We've been following the High Definition Audio Video Network Alliance for over a year now and at this year's CES the group is announcing it has added 18 new companies, most notably Cablevision joining as a board member. The promise of easily connected HD devices from companies like JVC, Mitsubishi and Samsung is enticing but the fact is that none of those companies announced plans for the technology in their new product lineups. CE Pro sat in on a reception last night and did see connectivity demonstrations on various devices, including a HANA-enabled Samsung HDTV. Progress takes time so for now check out a list of HANA's 17 other new members after the break and dream of a day when your HDTV, AV system, set-top box, DVR and PMPs can join hands as sisters and brothers throughout the house with no new wiring or extensive setup necessary.Read - Cablevision Joins High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance (HANA) BoardRead - HANA Scores with Multiple Vendors Showing Interoperability over 1394
Dashcode Developer Beta Released
Apple has released to developers (and all ADC members) a beta of the upcoming Dashcode widget development environment which will be included in Leopard. Dashcode will allow developers and lay-users to create custom widgets from a set of pre-defined templates such as Photocast, Countdown, and RSS. The Dashcode beta is available as a free download from the Developer Connection website, and will expire on July 15th.[via UneasySilence]
Finally: a wired solution
Nintendo including wireless capabilities seemed like a boon for many ... similar add-ons for other systems can cost upwards of a hundred dollars. Still, for those not quite on the send-information-zipping-on-airwaves bandwagon, the lack of an ethernet port on the system meant either buying a router or one of Nintendo's silly USB dongles. Even if wireless is available, many users prefer the stability of a wired network anyway, and those USB ports on the back of the Wii have as of yet been unused. Until...Through some sort of electronic melding procedure, an unofficial ethernet-to-USB adapter (KINAMAX USB 2.0 to RJ45 Fast Ethernet 10/100 Base-T Network Adapter, found for sale at NewEgg here for $20) seems to send all the necessary 1's and 0's to the Wii. Why this adapter works and others not, we have no idea. Still, it's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth; if you wanted a wired connection, you've got one. Check after the break for a video demonstration.
Big, ugly antenna increases Wii's wireless range
Problem: Your gaming room is on the opposite end of the house from your wireless router, making wireless connections for your Wii intermittent at best.Possible solutions: Use the ethernet connection dongle and run miles of ethernet cable throughout the house. Redo your entire house to move the system and router closer together. Crack open your Wii and add a big-ass wireless antenna. The folks at InformIt.com decided on option 3, and lay out step-by-step instructions for you to do the same. The procedure is not for the faint of heart, requiring you to physically remove the Wii's wireless card and drilling a hole in the case to fit the new antenna.Surprisingly, their test results didn't show a huge increase in wireless strength with the grafted antenna, but the authors theorize that a stronger antenna cable will produce better results. Sounds a little risky considering all the work required, but it definitely beats redesigning the house.
Secret "Simple Start" Wi-Fi connection? [Update 1]
File this one under "What the hell?" Some astute gamer has discovered a hidden feature inside the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection setup menu, and one that certainly leans itself toward DS-to-Wii connection theory. The video gives an extremely detailed explanation, so check it out....now. Go ahead.Done? All right. The system asks for the player to press a "Simple Start Wi-Fi Button", something that clearly doesn't exist on any existing Nintendo hardware. So, is this how the Wii and the DS will sync up? Before you run off wildly screaming the news throughout your house, we offer these two bits of counter-evidence. First, regading the Wii, we've seen essentially every button and switch on the damn thing, even inside the "mysterious" front flap; no "Simple Start" or even remotely related button has been seen or reported. Second, accessing this mode by hitting the absolute upper-left pixel on the touch screen is ridiculous; in certain cases the stylus can't even reach the pixel, and a toothpick or other thin, prodding device must be used.We've seen no reason why "DS Download Play" would fail to properly pick up and sync with a Nintendo Wii console, so we'll chalk this up as a feature that will fade, like the legendary city of Atlantis, into one of the unexplained mysteries of the past.[Update 1: The internet, it seems, will brook no mysteries. Save Atlantis. Click here for an extremely detailed explanation of this feature, and as speculated, it has nothing to do with Wii connectivity.][Thanks, Super-Jesse-Mario!]
ADC posts third-party game engine details for developers
The Apple Developer Connection has posted an article detailing various game engines and tools for Mac OS X game developers. In the spotlight is GarageGames' Torque Game Engine, OverTheEdge's Unity and Phelios' PTK engine. Perhaps there might be more to the possibilities of the Mac being a gaming system down the road?Check out Developing Games on Mac OS X Using Third-Party Game Engines to get started on that blockbuster game you've been kicking around.[via Macworld]
End Lag...Now!
Lag...the bane of every online gamer. It's even an unpleasant sounding word - "Laaaaaag" - sounds like you're trying to gag on a raw fish. Well, just like any enemy of the people, there are folks out there fighting the good fight against the lag monster, notably the team over at EndLagNow.org, a website dedicated to tracking down & eliminating the menace of the red latency bar.The latest step is the release of a program called LagMeter, that scans your PC's connection to determine where lag is coming from & what the causes might be. From the description: Finally, the causes of your Lag will not be a mystery because LagMeter will tell you if it is your gaming PC, the network, or the gaming server that is giving you grief. Once the causes of Lag are better understood, then gamers, game developers, and hardware manufacturers can work together to provide solutions to our #1 problem – LAG!!!!!!!Sounds like a plan to me. Haven't tried out the program myself yet, but it's definitely worth a look. You can check it out over at EndLagNow's website right here.
Login Servers Down...again?
I had thought maybe it was just me who has been getting the 'Unable to Connect' message for the last half-hour, but it looks like plenty of other folks have had the same problem this evening, so it seems the login servers are indeed down once again, at least on this side of the Atlantic, as of 9:30 PM CST.So, if you happen to be reading this while you're in the game, for god's sake...don't hit that logout button! And let us know, dear readers, what kind of luck you're having out there...
Connection Woes
In addition to authentication difficulties and emergency maintenance on several servers, there are also, apparently, ISP issues that are causing players to become disconnected. Maybe this is some sort of message suggesting that we should spend more quality time watching television. Hopefully some of you are having better luck tonight than I am!
