There are plenty of reasons to dislike Venetica — it doesn’t look good, the framerate is choppy, character interactions are unintentionally humorous, the map is a total mess, the artificial intelligence is inconsistent at best, and the combat system is repetitive. Yet despite all these less-than-stellar qualities, I found myself having a good time messing around in the Southern coast of Italy as a girl named Scarlett. She’s supposedly native to the region, but she speaks with a British accent. This is one of those games that falls under the «so bad it’s sort of good» category.
12/31/2010
— Filed under: Games
Tags: Review, Venetica
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TRON: Evolution Battle Grids is an entirely different game than it’s bigger brother on the Xbox 360 and PS3 (which is just called TRON: Evolution), and in many ways is more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a TRON experience that is closer to the original film and arcade game, this is it.
TRON: Evolution Battle Grids is an entirely different game than it’s bigger brother on the Xbox 360 and PS3 (which is just called TRON: Evolution), and in many ways is more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a TRON experience that is closer to the original film and arcade game, this is it.
Keep It Basic
TRON: Evolution for the PS3 and Xbox 360 is primarily a story-based game, meant to bridge the gap between the first movie and the upcoming reboot TRON: Legacy. Evolution was a bit heavy at times, and unfortunately, our experience with the gameplay left us cold (read my TRON: Evolution review). However, Battle Grids is much lighter in tone, has a cartoonish style that doesn’t try to mimic the film, and is basically a more enjoyable collection of mini-games. The only agenda here is to train you to become the best game warrior possible, and try to net a Championship in the process.
Battle Grids looks like a Saturday morning cartoon as well, so you don’t get the sense of dire emergency that you do from Evolution. This is clearly meant to be a fun game that tosses you lightly into Tron’s backyard and has you discovering exactly what the game grid is all about. You’ll encounter other characters from the film here, but always in a very light and fun way. You’re not in a battle to save the world here; you’re just here to have fun.
Customize Your Program
In Battle Grids, you’re able to customize your character from the beginning: choosing the look and color of each of your pieces of armor, changing your hairstyle, deciding if you want a helmet or not, and so on. You can even decide if you’re going to be male or female, all of which is a big leg up on TRON: Evolution which doesn’t let you change the look of your player.
Additionally, each game has a piece: light cycle, disc, scoop, etc., that you can upgrade by collecting memory bits. You’ll find those scattered around the game grid and you wander around in Story Mode, or you can net them by doing battle in the game grid. They’re well worth finding, because upgrading your items is key in this game if you want to survive. For instance, when you’re playing disc-based games, do everything you can to save up and purchase TRON’s disc. It’s worth it.
Stay On The Grid
The mini-games in Battle Grids are all based on variants of gamed from the first movie. You’ll be racing light cycles, doing battle with discs, driving light tanks, and even playing hyperball, the Jai Alai-esque game where you try and derezz your opponents’ platform. Each game has several variants: in discs there’s «Grid Capture,” where you have to capture a certain number of squares to win or be holding the most when time expires. Light tanks mode has capture the flag where your tank grabs the flag, and so on.
All of the game’s modes take place in the game grid. In Story Mode you play through as your character, learning how the games work, meeting Quorra, and eventually Tron himself as you struggle to become the first Iso (a program independently born out of the Sea of Simulation) to become the Game Grid Champion. Tron has retired from competition, and oversees a portion of your training. Championship Mode puts you right in the running for the title, either with computer foes or friends in the same room.
Grid Games mode allows you to choose exactly what game you want to play, and up to four players can offline multiplayer through all of the different game types. This is the best mode to jump into if you don’t care much about the story (which is extremely light), or you just want to get right onto a light cycle and drive.
Play On, Program
So, you’re probably wondering how the game plays by now. Unfortunately, that’s where things break down. While the controls are fairly simply throughout Battle Grids, with each one of the game modes allowing you to use a Wiimote alone, usually held sideways, or you can attach a Nunchuck and give yourself better control over your player than the d-pad offers.
A good example of this is in hyperball, where the Wiimote alone requires you to move around with the d-pad, while trying to track the ball and hit a button to catch it. There’s a target on the ground indicating where the ball should impact, but the d-pad will frustrate you continually and you try and clunkily steer your program towards it. Instead, plug in the nunchuck to make it a bit easier.
Another thing about the gameplay in Battle Grids: it’s hard. I was playing through the game on Rookie mode, and when you’re playing Grid Capture, the computer foes can be spectacularly brutal. They will always pursue power-ups, use them effectively, and derezz you many times over. Especially when it is you vs. three other programs. For a game with such a cartoony look and feel, I didn’t think I would have to play through some of these multiple times. If you’re picking this up for a young gamer, consider dialing the difficulty way down.
One thing I will give major kudos to this title for: driving a light cycle. In TRON: Evolution you can only freestyle drive your cycle. You make analog turns, and can’t do those awesome 90-degree snap-turns from the first film. Thankfully, when you’re driving a lightbike in Battle Grids, simply hit left or right on the d-pad, and you’ll perform these whiplash-inducing turns beautifully. And they are even accompanied by the swishBAM sound effect that you’d expect.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
The Wii has no shortage of titles offering up multiple mini-games, and that’s where Battle Grids falls short. The games it does contain are fun, but they quickly grow repetitious, and you’ll find yourself wishing there was more to offer. The light Story Mode is a nice diversion, but again it quickly repeats itself too as you’re basically just learning how to play each of the game modes while getting small tidbits of a story unrelated to the movies.
What it really boils down to is five different types of mini-games (light cycles, light runners, light tanks, discs, and hyperball) with variants of each. Where are things like the Solar Sailer or some sort of Recognizer flight game? To be fair, there is an awesome Recognizer powerup in disc games that lets you unleash a direct hit from a from one of those two-pronged flying wonders, but you sadly never get to fly one in this game.
Is It Tron?
As expected, Bruce Boxleitner does a bang-up job providing Tron’s voiceover, but it will only serve to make you wish this game was about Tron himself. Not a new up and coming program. N-Space did a good job of condensing the world of Tron into a cartoon, which works well for the most part. It’s just that when you’re having the crap hammered out of you by a character who looks like a reject from Kim Possible, it can be a bit bewildering. Not to mention, humiliating.
Of all the mini-games, hyperball and light cycles feel the most true to the film, although the frenetic pace with multiple cyclers on the grid at once will make you wish it was as simple as Kevin Flynn and Tron had made it look back in 1982.
Rez or Derezz?
If you’re a hardcore Tron fan, you’re going to want to pass on Battle Grids; however, as a collection of mini-games based on that world, it manages to muster enough fun and excitement for a middle of the road gaming experience. You won’t be going back to this title over and over, but the time you do spend in it is fun, particularly while playing with friends or family. Cutting off Uncle Mike with your light cycle will give you plenty to boast about at the dinner table.
12/30/2010
— Filed under: Games
Tags: BioShock 2, Review
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Setting up your own camera security system has really never been easier! You could easily spend thousands on a security camera system for your home or office, and it wouldn’t offer all of the easy-to-use features that the Logitech Alert 750i Master System does. Motion-triggered recording, automatic email alerts, audio recording, easy expandability, PC-free recording, and camera viewing over the web, mobile phone, iPad, and Google TV are just a few of the awesome features of Logitech Alert. The best part is, there’s no special wiring required, everything works through your powerline / plug outlets!
What’s in the Box
* Logitech Alert indoor camera
* HomePlug Indoor Camera Power Supply
* HomePlug Network Adapter
* 10-ft (3-meter) Ethernet cable
* 20-ft (6-meter) Ethernet cable
* Software CD
* Window, desktop, and wall mounts with installation hardware
* 2 GB microSD card (expandable up to 32 GB)
* Quick Start Guide and Manual
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Features and Performance
1. Easy Installation:
Logitech has gotten the installation down to a three-step process: 1) Install the software, it’s Windows-only, 2) Plug the HomePlug network adapter into the wall and run the ethernet cable to the router, and finally 3) plug the HomePlug camera power supply into the wall, mount the camera, and run an ethernet cable between both devices.
How easy was it really? Pretty much that easy. Even the tech-challenged users should get the system up and running in under an hour. Unboxing the 750i can be a little intimidating with all the pieces, but the quick start guide makes the process quick and stress-free. Logitech gives you more than a few ways to mount your camera; there’s a desktop stand, wall mount, and suction cup. I suction-cupped the camera to a mirror that faces the front door. It’s not a permanent location; but it’s a great spot to watch for intruders while keeping an eye on the pup. The HomePlug needs to be plugged directly into a wall outlet, not a surge protector or power strip. As long as the HomePlugs are in outlets that are part of the same electricity circuit, the set up should go without a hitch. The camera has an LED which will indicate the status of the camera by using different colors, this is very helpful in troubleshooting.
2. HD Quality Video with a Wide-Angle Lens
The Logitech Alert camera has a Wide-Angle Lens that gives you a field of view of 130°. The camera captures video at a resolution of 960 x 720 @ 15fps. I would describe the video as high quality rather than high definition. Video looks amazing with slow movement. People and objects that scurry across the camera will blur. The Logitech Alert software allows you to set a field of vision inside of the wide angle shot. Within the wide angle shot, you can pan and tilt, though the camera does not move. You can choose to set the field of vision to the full wide angle shot.
3. Motion-triggered Alerts Sent to your Email
When the Logitech Alert Camera detects any motion it will immediately start recording the video. Using the Alert software, you can also have an alert emailed to you with a still image from the camera. If you do not want the motion detection to apply to the full field of vision, you can designate up to 16 zones. This was helpful in my scenario where cars driving by the house would trigger motion, so I drew zones everywhere but the front door windows. You can set the motion sensitivity and also how long continuous motion must be present to trigger recording.
4. Remote Browser or Mobile Viewing
You can check in on your camera feed(s) from any computer connected to the internet using a web browser with flash. You can even download the Logitech Alert app for iPhone/iPod Touch, Android, or Blackberry and watch the live feed directly from your smart phone. The quality is surprisingly good and the delay is only about 5 seconds or less. You cannot replay recordings, pan/tilt/zoom, or tweak settings like you can on the Logitech Alert Software; well, at least you can’t without paying. The Web and Mobile commander is an additional $79.99. There is a 7 day trial. Once this add-on enabled, you’ll get virtually all the features and controls that you do with the software.
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Remote Viewing on the iPhone
5. PC-Free Recording with Built-In Flash
Many people may fail to recognize this while considering this system, but it’s one of the 750i’s greatest features. Once the software is installed, and the camera is set up, you don’t need a computer for Logitech Alert to function. Even if you decide to move the camera to the other side of the house, the system will update accordingly sans computer. The camera will record all motion on the built-in microSD flash card; Logitech estimates the 2gb card will take about a week to fill up. When the PC is turned on, or reconnected to the network, the video recordings will be backed up on the PC too. You can set the amount of computer storage you want the Logitech Alert to use.
6. Easy Expandability
The 750i Master System comes with just the one indoor camera. At any point in time, you can add up to five more indoor or outdoor cameras to the system. You can access all of the cameras from your phone or the web. Each camera has its own settings to configure, like whether you want to enable the microphone, status LED, motion LED, or motion zones.
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Setting up your own camera security system has really never been easier! You could easily spend thousands on a security camera system for your home or office, and it wouldn’t offer all of the easy-to-use features that the Logitech Alert 750i Master System does. Motion-triggered recording, automatic email alerts, audio recording, easy expandability, PC-free recording, and camera viewing over the web, mobile phone, iPad, and Google TV are just a few of the awesome features of Logitech Alert. The best part is, there’s no special wiring required, everything works through your powerline / plug outlets!
What’s in the Box
* Logitech Alert indoor camera
* HomePlug Indoor Camera Power Supply
* HomePlug Network Adapter
* 10-ft (3-meter) Ethernet cable
* 20-ft (6-meter) Ethernet cable
* Software CD
* Window, desktop, and wall mounts with installation hardware
* 2 GB microSD card (expandable up to 32 GB)
* Quick Start Guide and Manual
Features and Performance
1. Easy Installation:
Logitech has gotten the installation down to a three-step process: 1) Install the software, it’s Windows-only, 2) Plug the HomePlug network adapter into the wall and run the ethernet cable to the router, and finally 3) plug the HomePlug camera power supply into the wall, mount the camera, and run an ethernet cable between both devices.
How easy was it really? Pretty much that easy. Even the tech-challenged users should get the system up and running in under an hour. Unboxing the 750i can be a little intimidating with all the pieces, but the quick start guide makes the process quick and stress-free. Logitech gives you more than a few ways to mount your camera; there’s a desktop stand, wall mount, and suction cup. I suction-cupped the camera to a mirror that faces the front door. It’s not a permanent location; but it’s a great spot to watch for intruders while keeping an eye on the pup. The HomePlug needs to be plugged directly into a wall outlet, not a surge protector or power strip. As long as the HomePlugs are in outlets that are part of the same electricity circuit, the set up should go without a hitch. The camera has an LED which will indicate the status of the camera by using different colors, this is very helpful in troubleshooting.
2. HD Quality Video with a Wide-Angle Lens
The Logitech Alert camera has a Wide-Angle Lens that gives you a field of view of 130°. The camera captures video at a resolution of 960 x 720 @ 15fps. I would describe the video as high quality rather than high definition. Video looks amazing with slow movement. People and objects that scurry across the camera will blur. The Logitech Alert software allows you to set a field of vision inside of the wide angle shot. Within the wide angle shot, you can pan and tilt, though the camera does not move. You can choose to set the field of vision to the full wide angle shot.
3. Motion-triggered Alerts Sent to your Email
When the Logitech Alert Camera detects any motion it will immediately start recording the video. Using the Alert software, you can also have an alert emailed to you with a still image from the camera. If you do not want the motion detection to apply to the full field of vision, you can designate up to 16 zones. This was helpful in my scenario where cars driving by the house would trigger motion, so I drew zones everywhere but the front door windows. You can set the motion sensitivity and also how long continuous motion must be present to trigger recording.
4. Remote Browser or Mobile Viewing
You can check in on your camera feed(s) from any computer connected to the internet using a web browser with flash. You can even download the Logitech Alert app for iPhone/iPod Touch, Android, or Blackberry and watch the live feed directly from your smart phone. The quality is surprisingly good and the delay is only about 5 seconds or less. You cannot replay recordings, pan/tilt/zoom, or tweak settings like you can on the Logitech Alert Software; well, at least you can’t without paying. The Web and Mobile commander is an additional $79.99. There is a 7 day trial. Once this add-on enabled, you’ll get virtually all the features and controls that you do with the software.
5. PC-Free Recording with Built-In Flash
Many people may fail to recognize this while considering this system, but it’s one of the 750i’s greatest features. Once the software is installed, and the camera is set up, you don’t need a computer for Logitech Alert to function. Even if you decide to move the camera to the other side of the house, the system will update accordingly sans computer. The camera will record all motion on the built-in microSD flash card; Logitech estimates the 2gb card will take about a week to fill up. When the PC is turned on, or reconnected to the network, the video recordings will be backed up on the PC too. You can set the amount of computer storage you want the Logitech Alert to use.
6. Easy Expandability
The 750i Master System comes with just the one indoor camera. At any point in time, you can add up to five more indoor or outdoor cameras to the system. You can access all of the cameras from your phone or the web. Each camera has its own settings to configure, like whether you want to enable the microphone, status LED, motion LED, or motion zones.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
If you have never used security software before, you will feel like the software is straight out of the movies. It’s a great user interface, and would look even cooler with a few more cameras to monitor. The software is extremely easy to use and it takes all the hard work out of setting up a security camera system. There’s a timeline that makes navigating your old recordings oh so simple. The indoor camera records captures high quality video that looks great day and night. The only caveat is that people moving quickly past the camera will come out blurry, and you would not be able to make out the faces. The camera is sized and shaped like a slightly larger computer mouse that has a large lens growing out of the bottom. It is not a hidden camera, though you could get creative if necessary. It records audio too, which is a nice feature to have on a security system. Read up on your state’s laws to make sure you’re in the clear with video and/or audio recording.
Taking the computer out of the security system equation is brilliant. The Logitech Alert system is self-sufficient in that all it needs to run properly is a router with internet. There’s no complicated set up involving IP addresses or port forwarding, you don’t need to setup the system again if you move the camera-the product takes care of all of that for you. Ethernet through power outlets is another brilliant move by Logitech. Logitech does not make any wireless cameras that work on batteries, so you would have to plug the camera into a power outlet anyway. Being able to check in on the dog (and front door) in a matter of seconds using my iPhone has been a true delight. It is surprising how clear the video comes out over 3G.
The Logitech Alert 750i Indoor Master Security System costs $299,99, additional indoor cameras cost $229,99, and outdoor cameras (with night vision) cost $279.99. These prices may sound high, but not when you compare them to other comparable security systems. The real kicker is that Logitech charges $80 for the Web and Mobile Commander add-on that enables features, controls, and video playback over the web. This should have been thrown in. All in all, the Indoor Master Security System could be a great addition to any household; it’s a small price to pay for the safety of your home and possessions. If you are looking for a more intensive system to safeguard your place of business, like a jewelery store, you should probably look into a more professional system.
The Good: Super Easy Setup, Automated Email Alerts with Image, Configurable Motion Detection Zones, No PC Required (after setup), Remote viewing from internet browser or smartphone, works over power lines
The Bad: Windows Only, Web and Mobile Commander costs extra, blurry images with quick movement
12/28/2010
— Filed under: Audio/Video,Hardware
Tags: camera secutity, logitec
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Following the anti-glasses backlash from involuntarily bespectacled 3D TV viewers everywhere, glasses-free TVs are riding the angst and taking CES 2011 by storm. While most companies at the show use the same parallax barrier technology, which spits out a number of fixed 3D «zones» around the TV, Toshiba has taken a different tack with its latest 3D laptop, which actually uses a webcam intelligently target the 3D effect on the fly. We lent our eyes to see how this seemingly novel concept works in the real world.
12/26/2010
— Filed under: Hardware
Tags: 3D, laptop, Toshiba
Tron is back to enchant his fans all over again. It has hardly been ten days since the movie hit the theatres and its popularity can be seen taking shape in all walks of life. There are apparels, gloves, computer peripherals and many more goods inspired by the movie. Many more will soon be following.
12/23/2010
— Filed under: Gadgets
Tags: TRON, Watch
