The Official "What Are You Playing Now?" Thread

[strigori]

The CPU brand really does not matter. A good tier chip from either brand will do a good job. Assuming you go at least quad core, they will not be the bottleneck in a system. Also assuming you don't leave other programs open while you game, like web browsers or run you own music. I have used both Intel and AMD chips over the years, and currently run an i7 intel chip.

 

Just avoid AMD/Raedon cards. The Catalyst drivers suck compared to nVidia, and have issues with far, far more games. nVidia cards are a much better bet.

[strigori]

Been playing Warframe this last week.

[AR Husker Fan]

Yep, Windows 8 is a big no-no. Found that out the hard way.

 

Still playing SC2 and also Pikmin. Thinking about starting up another playthough of Ocarina of Time, but that might wait until winter when outdoor activities are more limited.

 

Haven't tried any games on Win 8 yet, but I just installed it when I added a SSD to my system. What are the problems with Win 8 and games? Thanks.

[strigori]

Yep, Windows 8 is a big no-no. Found that out the hard way.

 

Still playing SC2 and also Pikmin. Thinking about starting up another playthough of Ocarina of Time, but that might wait until winter when outdoor activities are more limited.

 

Haven't tried any games on Win 8 yet, but I just installed it when I added a SSD to my system. What are the problems with Win 8 and games? Thanks.

Many flat out will not load. Black screens, and crashes to desktop. Especially games that are a few years old. Newer games are less of an issue, but if you are running though a older games, they will take some work.

[VectorVictor]

A buddy of mine says you can build a decent one for $500, but I've found that the best quality for the cheapest price (and this include buying Windows 7, stay the hell away from Windows 8) is going to be about $700 before a monitor purchase.

 

But seriously, no matter what, don't buy Windows 8. It's very dysfunctional with video games.

Yeah, under about $700 you are going to be in need of an upgrade in the near future, or just have to live with lower graphics and resolutions (which really look bad if you are dropping under the monitor/TVs native res) A good CPU and GPU will run half of the $500.

Haven't been part of this conversation but, AMD over Intel (processor). Gaming, AMD cheap no graphic support, Intel, expensive with graphic support. That's where your money is, graphic support and memory. You can build a unit for under $1000 that will last as a gaming CPU for 5 years with AMD. $700, 2 to 3 years and anything less is a waste of time. If you decide to build cheap, research the parts and make sure they will meet today's ultimate numbers so you can upgrade for at least the smallest amount of cash. AMD and a good graphics card. I built an AMD 6 core for my son and it crushes all frame rates, and I built this in 2011.

 

Too add on this, avoid the FX and APU processors, and stick with the Phenom II x4 or x6 core processors. APUs are more for HTPC and small form-factor builds, and the FX processors are being replaced later this year (hopefully), as they don't stack up well to the Intel processors. Hell, the Phenoms do better than the FX processors...

[AR Husker Fan]

Yep, Windows 8 is a big no-no. Found that out the hard way.

 

Still playing SC2 and also Pikmin. Thinking about starting up another playthough of Ocarina of Time, but that might wait until winter when outdoor activities are more limited.

 

Haven't tried any games on Win 8 yet, but I just installed it when I added a SSD to my system. What are the problems with Win 8 and games? Thanks.

Many flat out will not load. Black screens, and crashes to desktop. Especially games that are a few years old. Newer games are less of an issue, but if you are running though a older games, they will take some work.

 

Thanks.

[EbylHusker]

A good tier chip from either brand will do a good job. Assuming you go at least quad core, they will not be the bottleneck in a system.

 

Erm, to clear up what might create confusion, most games do not get much use out of a quad core cpu even today. Some do, make no mistake, but very few games are truly multithreaded, which is what you need to really utilize a quad core processor. What most games do is shunt minor processes off to alternate cores, but they remain single threaded for the most part.

 

A quad core does give you more leeway to have other things going on at the same time, since your OS is truly multithreaded (as are many professional programs). So while I do recommend people get a quad core these days, it's mainly due to OS utility and added benefit from that considering the relatively low prices. It has little to do with gaming (over a fast dual core) unless you are playing a game you specifically know is multithreaded. Which again, are still rare.

 

Edit - And I will say that more games are starting to use multiple threads as game engine coding catches up to professional software coding. There are certainly some that are pretty much unplayable on a dual core, especially some new ones, since they're coded to shift more of the workload to the cpu while expecting 4 physical cores. So going forward, sure, quad core at least is the way to go, considering everything. But many games will still play just as well on a dual core as a quad, and will not cause any kind of bottleneck at all. It's important people understand that.

[strigori]

A good tier chip from either brand will do a good job. Assuming you go at least quad core, they will not be the bottleneck in a system.

 

Erm, to clear up what might create confusion, most games do not get much use out of a quad core cpu even today. Some do, make no mistake, but very few games are truly multithreaded, which is what you need to really utilize a quad core processor. What most games do is shunt minor processes off to alternate cores, but they remain single threaded for the most part.

 

A quad core does give you more leeway to have other things going on at the same time, since your OS is truly multithreaded (as are many professional programs). So while I do recommend people get a quad core these days, it's mainly due to OS utility and added benefit from that considering the relatively low prices. It has little to do with gaming (over a fast dual core) unless you are playing a game you specifically know is multithreaded. Which again, are still rare.

 

Edit - And I will say that more games are starting to use multiple threads as game engine coding catches up to professional software coding. There are certainly some that are pretty much unplayable on a dual core, especially some new ones, since they're coded to shift more of the workload to the cpu while expecting 4 physical cores. So going forward, sure, quad core at least is the way to go, considering everything. But many games will still play just as well on a dual core as a quad, and will not cause any kind of bottleneck at all. It's important people understand that.

Yeah, I'm giving long term solutions. If you are going to drop several hundred on a game rig, skimping on a quad core to save $50 is just dumb. Look through game reqs on Steam, and there are a lot that recommend quad core or better. And while older games are not multi threaded, new ones are. Building new, quad is easily the way to go. The bottleneck you will end up with is if you try running programs, like a web browser or music player, at the same time as the game.

[sd'sker]

[Danny Bateman]

Well, pulled the trigger. Put in an order for my first gaming rig last night. Cost me a pretty penny at $1100 but I think it will be worth it in the long run. I plan on using it as my long term computer anyway and the screen on my laptop has been giving me troubles lately. I fear it may be ready to give out.

 

Much thanks to Strigori and everybody else that gave PC advice on here. I did my best to trick this out, can't wait for it to arrive. Here are the specs:

Item Description Unit Price × Qty Total <p class="odpi">

Back-To-School 2013 (NO MONITOR)

• *BASE_PRICE: [+560]
  
• BLUETOOTH: None
  
• CAS: Enermax Coenus Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ Front USB 3.0 & Side-Panel Window [+18]
  
• CASUPGRADE: 12in Cold Cathode Neon Light [+10] (Red Color [+0])
  
• CD: LG 12X Internal Blu-ray Drive & DVDRW, 3D Playback Combo Drive [+32] (RED COLOR [+9])
  
• CD2: None
  
• COOLANT: Standard Coolant
  
• CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.00 GHz Eight-Core AM3+ CPU 8MB L2 Cache & Turbo Core Technology [+100]
  
• CS_FAN: Maximum 120MM Case Cooling Fans for your selected case [+9]
  
• ENGRAVING: None
  
• FA_HDD: None
  
• FAN: AMD Certified CPU Fan & Heatsink [-20]
  
• FLASHMEDIA: None
  
• FREEBIE_CS: None
  
• FREEBIE_VC: Free Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist Game Coupon [+0]
  
• FREEBIE_VC2: None
  
• GLASSES: None
  
• HDD: 64GB ADATA SP600 SATA III 6.0Gb/s SSD [+16] (Single Drive)
  
• HDD2: 2TB (2TBx1) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+102] (Single Drive)
  
• IEEE_CARD: None
  
• IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
  
• KEYBOARD1: (Keyboard & Mouse Combo) Cooler Master Storm Devastator Gaming Keyboard & Mouse Combo [+0]
  
• MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory [+37] (ADATA XPG V2)
  
• MONITOR: None
  
• MONITOR2: None
  
• MONITOR3: None
  
• MOTHERBOARD: * [CrossFireX] GIGABYTE GA-970A-DS3P AMD 970 Socket AM3+ ATX Mainboard w/ On/Off Charge, Ultra Durable 4 Classic, 7.1 Audio, GbLAN, 2 Gen2 PCIe X16, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI
  
• NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
  
• OS: Microsoft® Windows 8 (64-bit Edition)
  
• OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking
  
• POWERSUPPLY: 750 Watts - Thermaltake SMART Series SP-750PCBUS 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply [+38]
  
• RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
  
• SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
  
• SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
  
• SPEAKERS: 600Watts PMPO Subwoofer Stereo Speakers [+15]
  
• TABLET: None
  
• TEMP: None
  
• TVRC: None
  
• USB: None
  
• USBFLASH: None
  
• USBHD: None
  
• USBX: None
  
• VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card [+136] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
  
• VIDEO2: None
  
• VIDEO3: None
  
• WNC: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo w/ Dual Antenna PCI-E Adapter [+25]
  

[strigori]

Very solid build. Should let you run pretty much everything on Ultra or high at 1080. The only other thing you might want to look into is a Xbob 360 gamepad, if you dont have one already. Some games just play better with a gamepad, especially ported action games. (Dark Souls, I'm looking in your direction)

[Danny Bateman]

I'm currently using a 360 controller with a wireless receiver plugged into USB with Xpadder to map buttons. Everything works flawlessly, except...

 

When playing a few older games... GTA III and VC mainly... aiming from first person perspective is useless. The reticle bounces all over the places and does not respond at all to up or down (can't remember about left or right... they might be fine). And sometimes while driving cars will veer one way or another randomly. I drive with the left analog stick. It's as if I need to adjust the sensitivity of the left stick.

 

Interestingly, looking around in 1st person with right analog stick works perfectly.

 

Any ideas?

[strigori]

That's a problem with the port, from what I've read. One of your best bets for info on a user patch/fix would be the Steam community forums for the game.

[strigori]

I have been playing the hell out of Warframe the last couple of weeks. Fun 3rd person co-op action/shooter. I mean, you play as Space Ninjas...

[simplekin]

Well, pulled the trigger. Put in an order for my first gaming rig last night. Cost me a pretty penny at $1100 but I think it will be worth it in the long run. I plan on using it as my long term computer anyway and the screen on my laptop has been giving me troubles lately. I fear it may be ready to give out.

 

Much thanks to Strigori and everybody else that gave PC advice on here. I did my best to trick this out, can't wait for it to arrive. Here are the specs:

Item Description Unit Price × Qty Total <p class="odpi">

Back-To-School 2013 (NO MONITOR)

• *BASE_PRICE: [+560]
  
• BLUETOOTH: None
  
• CAS: Enermax Coenus Mid-Tower Gaming Case w/ Front USB 3.0 & Side-Panel Window [+18]
  
• CASUPGRADE: 12in Cold Cathode Neon Light [+10] (Red Color [+0])
  
• CD: LG 12X Internal Blu-ray Drive & DVDRW, 3D Playback Combo Drive [+32] (RED COLOR [+9])
  
• CD2: None
  
• COOLANT: Standard Coolant
  
• CPU: AMD FX-8350 4.00 GHz Eight-Core AM3+ CPU 8MB L2 Cache & Turbo Core Technology [+100]
  
• CS_FAN: Maximum 120MM Case Cooling Fans for your selected case [+9]
  
• ENGRAVING: None
  
• FA_HDD: None
  
• FAN: AMD Certified CPU Fan & Heatsink [-20]
  
• FLASHMEDIA: None
  
• FREEBIE_CS: None
  
• FREEBIE_VC: Free Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist Game Coupon [+0]
  
• FREEBIE_VC2: None
  
• GLASSES: None
  
• HDD: 64GB ADATA SP600 SATA III 6.0Gb/s SSD [+16] (Single Drive)
  
• HDD2: 2TB (2TBx1) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD [+102] (Single Drive)
  
• IEEE_CARD: None
  
• IUSB: Built-in USB 2.0 Ports
  
• KEYBOARD1: (Keyboard & Mouse Combo) Cooler Master Storm Devastator Gaming Keyboard & Mouse Combo [+0]
  
• MEMORY: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory [+37] (ADATA XPG V2)
  
• MONITOR: None
  
• MONITOR2: None
  
• MONITOR3: None
  
• MOTHERBOARD: * [CrossFireX] GIGABYTE GA-970A-DS3P AMD 970 Socket AM3+ ATX Mainboard w/ On/Off Charge, Ultra Durable 4 Classic, 7.1 Audio, GbLAN, 2 Gen2 PCIe X16, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI
  
• NETWORK: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
  
• OS: Microsoft® Windows 8 (64-bit Edition)
  
• OVERCLOCK: No Overclocking
  
• POWERSUPPLY: 750 Watts - Thermaltake SMART Series SP-750PCBUS 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply [+38]
  
• RUSH: NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS
  
• SERVICE: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
  
• SOUND: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
  
• SPEAKERS: 600Watts PMPO Subwoofer Stereo Speakers [+15]
  
• TABLET: None
  
• TEMP: None
  
• TVRC: None
  
• USB: None
  
• USBFLASH: None
  
• USBHD: None
  
• USBX: None
  
• VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB 16X PCIe 3.0 Video Card [+136] (Major Brand Powered by NVIDIA)
  
• VIDEO2: None
  
• VIDEO3: None
  
• WNC: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo w/ Dual Antenna PCI-E Adapter [+25]
  

 

Looks solid mang! Grats on your new machine! (I posted my build here( http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/50524-post-your-tv-moviegaming-setup/ ) Haven't had it long, but it rocks everything I throw at it.

 

I've been playing the spoils of my Steam summer sale haul with a 360 gamepad. (Fallout: New Vegas, Torchlight 2, Left for Dead 2, the Witcher 2, and GTA IV. Almost done with FO:NV, saving GTA for last.) I like to lean back and not be hunched over like I used to in WoW.

 

Just waiting on the new consoles.