Retrospective
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AnandTech goes behind the scenes of ATI's RV870 / Evergreen GPU development
Anyone familiar with the constantly shifting release dates and delays that characterize GPU refresh cycles will have been impressed by ATI's execution of the Evergreen series release. Starting out at the top with its uber-performance parts, the company kept to an aggressive schedule over the winter and can now boast a fully fleshed out family of DirectX 11 graphics processors built under a 40nm process. The fact that NVIDIA has yet to give us even one DX11 product is testament to the enormity of this feat. But as dedicated geeks we want more than just the achievements, we want to know the ins and outs of ATI's resurgence and the decisions that led to its present position of being the market leader in features and mindshare, if not sales. To sate that curiosity, we have our good friend Anand Shimpi with a frankly unmissable retrospective on the development of the RV870 GPU that was to become the Evergreen chips we know today. He delves into the internal planning changes that took place after the delay of the R5xx series, the balancing of marketing and engineering ambitions, and even a bit of info on features that didn't quite make it into the HD 5xxx range. Hit the source link for all that precious knowledge.
Pentium 4 takes on modern CPUs in a benchmarking showdown, suffers ignominious defeat
If there's one thing that bugs us about desktop component reviews, it's that they tend to compare the latest hardware against the stuff immediately preceding it. Everyone wants to know what the improvements between generations are, but for many it's also equally useful to know how 2010's freshness compares to their own computers, which might have been bought or built a few years back. For those precious prospective upgraders, Tech Report have put together an extremely thorough benchmarking session which compares the venerable Pentium 4 670 and its silly 3.8GHz clock speed to a pair of new budget parts: the Core i3-530 from Intel and quad-core Athlon II X4 635 from AMD. Naturally, they've also included other contemporary parts like the high-end Core i7s and Phenoms, as well as a Core 2 Quad Q6600 from a couple of years ago to bridge the gap between the ancient 90nm Prescott and the 32nm young pretenders. It's all quite fascinating in the geekiest (and therefore best) of ways, so why not hit that source link and get reading.
The Daily Grind: 2009's defining moment
The look back has already started here and there, and we've got only two days left -- assuming you count today. And we've seen a lot of things happen over the last year, which everyone on-staff has their own opinion about. To some, it was the year of free-to-play. To others, it was the year of dying games. But there's no way to encapsulate everything about 2009 into just one statement, with the industry still changing and evolving. Sometimes even seemingly small changes are what we remember (fondly or otherwise) when viewed in hindsight. Out of all of the things that happened this year, what struck you as the most defining moment? Was it something major, such as the end of Tabula Rasa or The Matrix Online? Or was it something minor that other players might not even notice? Did it make the whole year better, worse, or was it simply a turning point? What seems like it's going to stick in your memory when you think back on the year as a whole? And as a connected topic, what seems like a big deal at the moment that you're pretty certain isn't as important as people say?
More about MUDs for the MMO curious
When it comes to the evolution of the MMO, you can't really deny the earliest roots of MMOs -- the MUD or Multi-User Dungeon. But as there are many who just started in with MMOs with more recent titles like World of Warcraft, the initial roots from whence the games we love rose remain shrouded in mystery for many people. Thankfully, recently Edge Online decided to not only take a very close look at the earliest creation of MUDs, but they also got a chance to sit down with Richard Bartle. Their illuminating article, simply titled "The making of: MUD" talks not only of what started the system we know, but also how the thinking behind it progressed into the MMOs we know now. Additionally, sprinkled throughout the second half of the article are some really interesting quotes from Bartle. One such example is Bartle's explanation of his current levels of involvement and why he'd rather "...focus on the health of the forest than on individual trees" in terms of the massively multi-player game market. If you're a veteran or a newcomer, the article is well worth a read if only to give a perspective on our favorite genre that you may not have had before.[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
Stumbling Towards Greatness: A Batman Retrospective
The intro to Batman: The Animated Series ... reimagined with game footage digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Stumbling_Towards_Greatness_A_Batman_Retrospective'; Batman has had a long and (mostly) horrendous career as a video game crime fighter. While his big screen adventures have evolved into masterpieces, most of Batman's video game outings have made players want to poke out their eyes with a Batarang. To celebrate the arrival of Batman's latest and (we assure you) greatest adventure – Batman: Arkham Asylum – Joystiq looks back at the rest of the Caped Crusader's games. Don the cape and cowl and bring a flashlight. We're going to have to crawl through a lot of darkness to get to the light at the end of this licensing tunnel. Continue to the Batman Retrospective #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; }
Take a wander down memory lane with the History of Warcraft
Just in time for the inevitable announcement of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, IGN have decided to turn in the opposite direction and take a peek at this history of this momumental franchise. They've posted an epic five-page retrospective feature on the entire Warcraft franchise as part of the run up to BlizzCon.It looks at everything from the original game, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, to the failed Thrall-centric loregasm that was Warcraft Adventures right on through to Warcraft II and III. Of course, they also look in detail at World of Warcraft and its two expansions, The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King. If you only discovered the Warcraft franchise with WoW, as I did, it's a fascinating glimpse into one of gaming's biggest franchises. World of Warcraft is not just a game or a single mythology, it's the culmination of a decade of gaming history. So if you've got an hour to kill before the fun and games today, you might want to check this out.
A violent look at Resident Evil's survival horror past
Using a laser sight we point you in the direction of GameTrailers' educational retrospective series that pulls back the eyelids of the Resident Evil franchise. Part one of the (alleged) six part zombie-retrospective, "Horror Stories", takes a stroll through Resident Evil's history, how it pioneered the survival horror genre and how laughably bad the voice acting was.Putting aside all discussion regarding the direction Resident Evil 5 has taken with its control mechanics, the video will evoke deep rooted nostalgic feelings and renew your phobia of human-sized arachnids. It did for us. Once comfortable -- and with an ample supply of herbs by your side -- find the 17+ minute video after the break.
Behind the Curtain: Take a look back
Brace yourself for the obligatory 'New Year' post. I'd resolve to lose weight, tone up and be kinder to my fellow man, but I'd be lying. Not because I'm weak and won't follow through on them, but because I don't need to. I'm practically perfect in every way. Except not really. I'm lying. I also hate Mary Poppins with a cold, implacable hatred. But that's neither here nor there. It's been a year of ups and downs in the MMO world. We've seen World of Warcraft go from strength to strength with an expansion pack which knocked the socks off of Burning Crusade. Say what you will about Blizzard, but it's always good to see a company that's willing and able to learn not only from its past mistakes, but its past successes. We've seen the long-awaitied launch of Warhammer Online, but we've also seen some downers, with Tabula Rasa going down the tubes, and Fury falling over. Although, not as many people were upset about Fury, given that it was terrible from start to finish.
Video: Resident Evil 'Survivor' Retrospective
On March 13, 2009, Resident Evil 5 runs into stores with modern zombie swiftness. Being that the latest installment is the first time the franchise has ever hit the Xbox platform, X-heads are more than a little excited. Need a primer for some of the Resident Evil story? GameTrailers has released the Survivor Retrospective, a spoiler-rich look back at the adventures of fan-favorite characters Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield.
World of Warcraft's birth and development chronicled by video retrospective
GameTrailers put together a three-part series of Warcraft retrospective videos in the days leading up to the launch of World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King expansion, and WoW was the focus of the third and final episode. In over 20 minutes, the video looks at the early MMOs and influences that led to the creation of WoW, the project's beginnings in discussions between Blizzard guys while they were playing EverQuest, and of course, the game itself.In addition to listing the distinct features that made WoW successful, the restrospective provides an overview of its post-launch history, up through The Burning Crusade's launch. Everything from Onyxia raids to the ever-changing PvP Honor system is covered. If you're a hardcore WoW addict, little of it will be new information, but if you're just getting started or a casual user, you'll probably learn a thing or two. See the vid embedded after the break.[Via WoW Insider]
Are Wizard101's child protection measures too much?
As probably one of the most vocal supporters of KingsIsle Entertainment's Wizard101, Tipa over at West Karana certainly has shown us the beauty of this new free-to-play children's MMO. Her blog posts have covered several months of experiences progressing through the game, and have probably had a hand in getting many others into it as well.In a recent post, Tipa takes a retrospective look back at the game and what she thinks was done right or wrong in its development so far. One particularly interesting part is her analysis of the security measures taken to prevent children from talking to random strangers in the game. "W101 is a great game," she writes. "It's a fun game, it's an innovative game, but it's a game that has bought into the hysteria that every adult is a real or potential child abuser, completely disregarding that children are in considerably more danger from people they know in real life than from anyone they might meet playing a video game." It's certainly an interesting point on an innovation that has been showcased as a main family-friendly feature. Check out Tipa's complete blog for more of her thoughts on Wizard101.
WoW Moviewatch: Warcraft Retrospective, pt III
There could be few other videos as meaningful today as GameTrailers' Warcraft Retrospective, Part III. We're only twelve hours away before we can attend Wrath opening parties, get our grubby hands on a copy, and rush home to install it. It's not like I have a stopwatch on my desk, with the "tick tick tick" counting down until I can make a purchase.This isn't machinima. And if you're a regular reader of WoW Insider, there's not a lot of information here that's going to blow your socks off. (Except, maybe, the reminder that the Honor system has had some painful, painful changes.) But that's not the point of the retrospective -- the point is to take a moment and look back at the history of Warcraft.Viewed through that light, I enjoyed the retrospective. I had the good fortune to be playing even in the original beta, and right up to now, to be able to enjoy the release of Wrath tonight. There's a few things I might have liked to see mentioned that didn't make the cut, like good ol' Captain Placeholder. But they only had so much time, and I enjoyed the nostalgia for its own sake. Additionally, it'd make a great "introduction" to any luddites who haven't already heard of WoW, so the video's got a little utility in that regard also.If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
The Colosseum: Retrospective and Analysis, pt. I
The Colosseum takes us inside the world of the Gladiator (Brutal, Vengeful, Merciless, and otherwise), to interview some of the top Arena fighters in the battlegroups. Our goal is to bring a better understanding of the strategy, makeup, and work that goes into dueling it out for fame, fortune, and Netherdrakes.Season 4 ended some time ago, and Wrath is only a few weeks away. While we don't have official word about when Season 5 will start, it probably won't be until Blizzard's finished balancing the classes. Right now, the Arena is a sort of blasted land, filled with teams taking advantage of the relatively unrated play to experiment with new compositions, new talents, and new strategies.We're going to take advantage of the break ourselves, by looking at the collective of interviews we've gathered in our three months of the Colosseum. There are definitely common themes across what each Arena fighter had to say, and it'd be helpful to take some time and understand what those common themes are, and what they say about the Arena.
Warcraft Retrospective: Part II
Gametrailers' Warcraft Retrospective continues with episode two focusing on the events and gameplay mechanics of Warcraft III. The piece covers WC III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, The Frozen Throne, but also delves into the Defense of the Ancients mod and its infamous Euro pop music video. The next installment in the series will delve into the 11 million player strong phenomenon that is World of Warcraft. We're expecting that episode to be 90+ minutes -- not really, but it could be.
Video: Prepare for Fallout 3
Console gamers may not realize that Fallout 3 isn't the first jump into the post-apocalyptic universe -- you know, if the 3 in the title wasn't a glaring indicator. Looking to catch up before Fallout 3 lands on the Xbox 360 tomorrow? GameTrailers has developed a 15-minute retrospective on the famed series that will showcase how Bethesda has decided to evolve the series into an Oblivion style game -- much to the chagrin of some of the original fans. Excited for Fallout 3? Tell us in the comments below but if you've been lucky enough to play it early, do not spoil anything ... a swift banhammer will be in your future if you do!
Get caught up with the 15-minute Fallout Retrospective
Do you find yourself with a good quarter-hour to kill this Sunday evening? Do you have a relatively fast internet connection? Are you curious about the mythos of the Fallout universe -- curiosity spawned from excitement over Bethesda's upcoming entry into the franchise, Fallout 3? Do you have absolutely no plans to go back and play the earlier installments in said franchise, and therefore have no hangups over having the plots of said games spoiled for you? If the answer to all of the above questions is an exuberant "yes", you really have no reason not to check out Gametrailers' Fallout Retrospective, which we've posted after the break. Unless, of course, you were lying earlier -- in which case, this conversation is over.
Warcraft Retrospective: Part I up now, Fallout Retrospective this Saturday
GameTrailers' excellent retrospective series is back this week with two new installments for different game franchises. The first new series its premiering is the Warcraft Retrospective, which has its debut episode (in the four-part series) covering the original two installments in the Warcraft RTS series. It's hard to recall Warcraft ever being a humble RTS series considering the behemoth World of Warcraft has become.GT will also premiere a one-part Fallout retrospective this Saturday, Oct. 25. The episode will cover the evolution of the series from its days at Interplay to the current, Bethesda-helmed Fallout 3. The first episode in the Warcraft Retrospective can be found after the break.
Star Wars Retrospective: Episode VII visits the Empire's shadows, the old republic
GameTrailers starts with the galaxy far, far away's near past, and then goes deep into the history books in its latest Star Wars Retrospective episode. This time around the excellent series starts by taking a look at Shadows of the Empire, an action game which fills in a piece of the story between the movies Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The rest of the episode delves deep into the past and covers the Knights of the Old Republic RPG games, which take place millennia before Luke and Leia were even a dirty thought in Darth Vader's mind. And if anybody complains that we should have put a spoiler alert there, we hope the cave you've been living in for the last 25 years has central heat and air. Check out the 24-minute retrospective episode after the break.[Thanks Andy]
You can take it with you: Nintendo handheld retrospective
Tomorrow is the big day -- Nintendo's E3 2008 media briefing. Will there be a new DS? A new handheld altogether? A new array of DS Lite colors instead? Nearly anything is possible, and while we wait, bouncing up and down on our toes and struggling to remember to breathe through the excitement, it's a good time to look back at the history of Nintendo's handhelds. From the extensive Game & Watch collection to a few portables you may have forgotten, Nintendo has a rich and storied handheld history, and it's one we celebrate every day -- just not like this. Step forward into the past
Star Wars Retrospective: Episode VI siths through the FPS titles
GameTrailers continues its Star Wars Retrospective by covering the first person shooter games in the galaxy far, far away's oeuvre. This means that there's going to be a lot of Kyle Katarn in this episode, one of the best-known characters outside of the movie sextilogy -- especially to gamers. So get comfortable for this 20-minute episode, or don't, nobody's forcing you to sit down and watch it. *waves hand* Sit down and watch it. This is the retrospective you're looking for.
