Recent content by Havlock

You might have a system power or heat problem. If the power supply for the system isn't delivering what it needs to, then it may cause graphics glitchs. It'd also cause system instability and other glitches. The way to test for a inadiquate power supply is to install one of those system burn-in...

Yeah, the turrets can only be turned on or off, or have their targeting data cleared so they shoot any target that gets in range. And I second that statement about them being weak. They're really only good as a distraction, or against melee-only targets, when the targets can't reach the turret...

Have you tried to narrow down the possibilities as to what is causing the crash? Like, say, turning all the graphics settings down to the minimums and using the lowest resolution possible. Or disabling all background processes/programs, especially anti-malware scanners. Let us know what you've...

It looks very similar to the glitching that happened to my GeForce 7900GT before I had to send it back to the manufacturer for a warranty replacement. In my case it was a design defect because they didn't put a good enough heatsink on the card's memory, leading to data corruption due to...

Do you have any background processes/programs running that could be using up system resources? Especially real-time anti-virus or anti-malware scanners. Those'll really slow down the disk reads Fallout 3 needs, making it run jerky. Perhaps you could post your computer's hardware list? It may...

There is something that I'd like to point out that may make it easier to view the text in the video. If you go to the GameSpot page for the video instead of using the embedded one, press the "menu" button, and select the "options" tab, there's a checkbox for "enable smoothing." Uncheck that...

And as an added idiocy bonus, this little plan wouldn't have worked even if the thing was watertight. The thermal transfer from the air in the bag, through the bag and tape, and into the cold water would have to be worse than the system's regular air cooling method. That console would've been a...

If I may be so bold, I'm going to put forward a theory as to why the Fallout property is getting retcon'd to death: Bethsoft didn't initially plan on using the Fallout setting. Perhaps they were planning to do a post-apoc setting game after Oblivion, and had already figured out the core of what...

I would like to say that the gathering hypestorm around Fallout 3 might spur more people to play FO1/FO2. However, I'm not sure who's publishing Fallout 1 and 2, if at all. I doubt Bethsoft will, since it looks like they've gutted the setting for FO3 and won't want more people catching them on...

This story also brings forward the situation of "what if there are too many 'Tims' on the project." "Tims" being developers that are good at "manager management" and making shiny fluff, but don't pay enough attention to the core of the game. I'd envision what'd happen is that the game'll look so...

Saw this on worsethanfailure.com and thought that people here might find it worth reading. The Cool Cam: Placating managers with shiny fluff to save a game development project. Make sure to read the comments, there's some good stuff in there.

I picked up my APC SmartUPS 1000 up at a company surplus shop for $25. The batteries were still the same ones it came with in '99, but they were good enough to keep three systems plus network switch running at least long enough to auto-shutdown. Unfortunately, unless you pick an eBay auction...

It's a damn cryin' shame what happened to Interplay. From what I've read, it feels like it got caught up in the "irrational exuberance" storm of the dotcom era, then was stranded when the rising tide fell. Now cap'n Caen is selling off chunks of the good ship Interplay, tryin' to dig his way...

Whoops! Forgot about using a UPS; and I have one! :oops: However, if you just want the power conditioning, try picking up a used UPS. Even if the batteries can't keep your system up for long, or at all, it'll still keep the AC smoothed out nicely. Just make sure you get the interface cable...

Actually, save the cash you'd pay someone else and buy one of those anti-static wrist straps so you can safely do it yourself. As long as you have it clipped to the PCs case and on your arm you'll almost certainly not zap any sensitive components. It's an invaluable tool if you're poking around...