Mac owners of the world rejoice

For you have a new member!

That's right, I bought a macbook pro spontaneously the other day - it arrived this morning and it looks absolutely stunning. 

Now, I was a bit dubious at first. I have previously not been a huge fan of mac. I mean, you can get a much better spec machine for the same price, if not cheaper. There's something that appeals about them though, whether it's the backlit keyboard or the illuminated apple sign on the lid - it just works!

Photo: http://bit.ly/18Q7mNJ

The thing with a Windows machine is that Microsoft don't make the hardware, other companies do. It's for this reason that I don't believe the operating system/hardware make 100% use of each other. With mac it's different. Apple make the hardware, Apple make the software. The two go together like peas in a pod. 

Don't get me wrong, I still love Windows. I have 3 other laptops at home all running Windows and I love them. Both Windows and Mac have their advantages.

I'm still getting used to Mac. I'm so used to using Ctrl+C/V to copy & paste for example, and there's no DEL key on the Mac keyboard. I'm learning though - these multi-gestures are a pain to keep up with but equally fantastic.

Keep an eye out for more Mac related posts. Now I have more room to play with apps I should be able to start pumping out reviews again - they were some of my best loved posts and were responsible for bringing in over 90% of my views, so it would be nice to return the blog back to that state of high audiences. Sure, I don't get the largest traffic in the world but to me over 1,000 views is insane and I certainly don't plan to stop now.

Britain: are we full?

Photo: http://bit.ly/rtmOEw

Are we full? 

This is a question that always seems to pop up in our society. Immigration has always been a touchy, yet important, topic and is one that plays a massive part in which political party we decide to elect.

So, are we full?

I can't answer this question - in fact I don't think anyone can truly say that we are 'full'. It's not like we have a limited number of seats and every seat is taken. We're a country, not a west end theatre. There isn't a guard counting how many people are coming in, or a digital board counting free spaces and shutting borders when we're full. 

Why?

The problem is that those kind of procedures are near impossible to enforce. I'm not saying they are impossible. With the right funding and time a system for tracking the amount of people in the country, as well as 'free spaces' could certainly be created. However, the amount of time and money a system like this would actually take is immense. It just isn't viable - unless of course there was a way to profit from it.

Perhaps limiting the amount of people coming into the country would aid current citizens with getting jobs, housing, etc and build up the economy? To be quite honest, this does sound viable but then there's no evidence or reports that prove the economy would benefit (or if it would, by how much)

Maybe there is a different approach to sorting out our immigration problems. I don't have the first clue on how to solve the growing problem we have, but I do know that something must be done. What's the point in letting people in who have absolutely no intention of obeying our laws and mixing with society. By all means, people can follow whatever religion and/or belief they wish but it mustn't interfere with British morals or laws. If it does, they aren't welcome and should be refused immigration clearance.

There's a lot more to this argument than I can possibly discuss. Ultimately though, most arguments are a variation on one important point - the immigration epidemic needs to be sorted.

Long time, no see

Hello, it has been a while.

I've been away for quite some time now - apologies. I have had a lot happen in real life that has prevented me from having even the slightest bit of free time to blog.

For starters, my newborn came into the world on 5th April at 01:15. That moment was magical and one that will stay with me for as long as I live. His little fingers, toes, eyes, ears and nose. He's truly perfect and I'm still living in a dream world at the moment. I cannot believe he's finally here.

I've also watched various stories unfold, most of which I will try and cover over the next few days. I have a lot of opinions on what has gone on recently so definitely stay tuned for that.

Apart from that, I hope everyone is well. I will definitely start to pump more posts out on a regular basis from now. My last post was at the beginning of March which seems an age away now.

Thanks.

App review: Super stickman golf

Noodlecake Studios Inc presents: Super Stickman Golf. 

Super Stickman Golf is a platform game where, surprisingly, you play golf. I am not a fan of sport in any shape or form, nor do I usually like talking about it but this is a little different. You see, I like playing games with stickmen in. Stickmen produce a nice and simple, basic approach to gaming. None of this high tech gadgetry. I mean sure, it's nice to experience all the latest graphics and game engines but only in moderation. I like my games simple and straightforward.

SSG immediately struck out at me because of its appealing app icon. Not many developers think about this aspect I don't believe. In my opinion, the look of the app icon is one of the most important factors - if the icon doesn't look nice then it isn't touching my iPhone or iPad's HD.

The game has many different features, including a multiplayer function. I can't review or comment on this because I haven't played a multiplayer game however it is a nice addition.

You can start the game off on the "Classic Courses" and then, as your skill improves and you becomes more comfortably with the game, you can move on to the other various courses available within the game.

The game is fully Game Center enabled, which means you can rack up a nice high score and compare it with other players across the world.

The graphics are detailed but still manage to retain the game's overall theme of simplicity. I absolutely love the blend of cartoon-style text and layouts, mixed with the modern, industrial style buttons used to control the game.

The game also provides you with different power ups, that you can earn by playing through the various courses on offer. These power ups are well balanced which means, whilst they do help if used correctly, they can't be used as a means to skip your way through courses with relative ease.

Super Stickman Golf is a must have for everyone who enjoys a little golf themselves, especially playing it. Some people don't like stickmen but I think it's a perfect little game that deserves a place on your iPhone. With it only being a tiny 48.9MB, it's hardly going to exhaust your HD space.

You can download Super Stickman Golf, as you would expect, from the App Store. Right now there is nothing at all to pay. Yes, the app is completely FREE. I know, bonkers right?! You might want to hurry though, I think it's only free for the rest of the day. Info HERE.

App review: Pokemon TV

The latest app I have come across whilst surfing through the app store was this, Pokemon TV. It's an app that allows you to watch episodes from each series that was ever broadcast on television. 

The interface is easy to understand and navigate, with each series getting it's own little header. Episodes can be selected by scrolling across the screen underneath each header until the desired episode has been found.

One slight problem with the episodes at the moment, not all of them are included. In fact, a large portion of some series' are missing. I'm not sure if this is intentional or whether there are certain copyright laws protecting the absent episodes.

Perhaps this is something the developer is looking at fixing. I for one sure hope so, because full series' of my favourite childhood anime would be amazing. Granted, I have far too much television to catch up on as it is, but I think Pokemon would make an exception.

This app provides great nostalgia for all of you old school Pokemon lovers.

Me personally? I used to love Pokemon as a child so this deserves a place on my iPhone. Whether I actually get round to watching an episode is a different story.

You can pick up Pokemon TV from the app store. It's completely free and only just over 6MB in size which is tiny in comparison to other video apps. More information about Pokemon TV can be found HERE.

App review: Clear Vision 2

SPOILERS!

Clear Vision 2 is, as you would expect, a sequel to Clear Vision. The original Clear Vision received very impressive reviews, obtaining a solid 4 and a half stars in the app store. As you can therefore imagine, the hype and expectation surrounding the new release was high.

The game carries on from where the original left off. Your character's wife has been kidnapped and you are still on the hunt for both her, and the people responsible. After all, this is a shoot 'em up so you want your payback.

You live in an apartment that provides you many options. To carry on the storyline, you need to open your emails and take on hits for cash.

Once accepted, you are given the option to choose your rifle and then the mission begins. Be prepared though, as the storyline progresses you will need more powerful rifles in order to complete the missions handed to you.

Once you are in need of a new rifle, visit one of the two stores in the game.

The gun is aimed by sliding your finger across the screen. I feel this is much more accurate and user friendly than having to tilt your device.

When you are ready to take your shot, you simply press the fire button. Be aware though, that if you miss your shot the mission is failed. The shot will scare off your victim and you'll have to retry.

As the storyline continues, you begin to learn more about what happened to your wife in various cut scenes.  Whilst there is no voice acting, the dialogue is clear cut and provides an insight into the story. The scenes don't move too quickly either so you are given plenty of time to read all of the chat.

Perhaps if the developer decides to make another instalment to the Clear Vision series, voice acting is worth considering as it brings a whole new experience to your game.

There are many side activities in which you can partake in Clear Vision 2. As in the first of the series, you can bet in underground boxing. However, the latest additions are stock shares and running a nightclub.

These activities provide a nice little break away from the main storyline. This helps considerably if you are failing a particular mission and need some time to relax, or maybe you need some extra money to purchase the required rifle for your next mission. They provide a fun and enticing way to do this.

Of course, the game does have to come to an end. No matter how much I would like to have enjoyed endless missions it just isn't possible. If I was going to be completely honest, I would have to say the game is rather a lot shorter than I was hoping for.

However, at only 69p it is a steal. I really recommend this app if you enjoy games with a fast paced storyline and enough to keep you entertained the whole way through. Once started I did not put my phone down until I had completed the entire game. It's highly addictive and one not to be missed.

You can find more information about Clear Vision 2 on the app information page, found HERE. Before playing though, I would recommend playing the original Clear Vision. You can find this HERE on the app store.

App review: Impossible Pixel

Impossible Pixel is a strategic platform game by 99 Up Games. The goal is simple - reach the end of each level, all whilst avoiding death. Your death can be brought about by many different elements, primarily spikes and razor blades.

The game has recently been upgraded to introduce iPad support so you can play it on that bigger screen. Honestly, it works just fine on the smaller iPhone screen.

Unfortunately, I am going to start off on a negative. The initial loading screen, before the menu is shown, takes far too long for my liking. The game itself isn't a large file, in fact it's rather tiny compared to some out there, yet it takes a good few minutes for the game to load all of it's core components before initialising the menu screen.

Game play is really quite fluid, although does have some hiccups. The game can sometimes fail to register your finger pressing on the jump button, meaning certain death.

Also, each level is ranked at the end dependent on your performance - the maximum amount of stars for each level is 3. Each level I have played has resulted in low stars regardless of how well I perform. I really am unsure as to what is exactly expected in order to take home those 3 golden shiners.

The app store description states that an update is being worked on, so perhaps the minor issues I have covered will be resolved. If so, the game will be a perfect little time killer and great alternative to the 3D powerhouse games of modern times. As mentioned in an earlier app review I love retro themes and basic designs. I just feel that more time spent on the game mechanics, rather than insisting on perfect graphics, is a sure fire way to rank highly among the gaming community.

Impossible Pixel is definitely worth a try. Thanks to AppGratis you can get hold of a copy right now, completely free of charge. Great game play that doesn't pinch your pennies, how can you ask for any more.

App review: Save The Cubes

Save The Cubes is a new puzzle game that sees you in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. Your goal is to entice the infected, using brains as bait, to their demise. This could be falling to their deaths, flying off the screen or landing on spikes - either will count as a kill and allow you to progress.

So far, there are 4 different areas each with 12 levels to take on. The difficulty increases as you progress, like most puzzle and strategy games. The initial levels are there to teach you the ropes and ease you in - Save The Cubes does a decent job of doing this. 

The game play is, for the most part, responsive but can at times be a little slow, bordering buggy. For example, on more than one occasion I have had to restart a level because the infected will simply not follow the smell of brains. This can be quite frustrating in the later rounds when there is a lot more thinking involved, and thus further work. Having to restart a level under these circumstances is not ideal.

The graphics are very simple, using basic back drops and cubes instead of advanced character models. I personally like this, it keeps the overall file size smaller and gives it a nice retro feel.

There seems to be a lot of criticism in the undead area of the market. A lot of apps follow the same ideologies - a group of survivors, or maybe just the one, completing missions and killing mass amounts of zombies in the process. I like the different approach of Save The Cubes. It's a simple game with low quality graphics, but it's a puzzle game that really makes you put some thought into your game play.

I thoroughly enjoyed playing this one. It got my brain into gear and kept me occupied during a slow period in the day.

Put simply it's a game that you really should give some consideration, especially if you are into the puzzle and/or zombie genre.



Save The Cubes is available right now, completely free of charge. It is compatible with both the iPhone and iPad. Find more information HERE.

App review: iMajiCam Pro

iMajiCam Pro is, as you might have guessed, a camera app. It allows you to import a photo from your album to be edited, or you can take a brand new photo right from the app. One of the coolest features of iMajiCam Pro is the "Live Mode". This allows you to add all the effects before you take a photo, thus giving you a preview of how it is going to look.

Not enough effects for you? well, get yourself over to the iMaji-Mart. Here you can purchase additional packs of effects for 69p each. There is also the option to purchase all 3 in bulk for £1.49, saving you 58p in the process.

There is also a handy little 'restore' button. In the event that you need to restore you iPhone and you lose the app, hitting this button will deliver all effects packs that you previously purchased, negating the need to pay once more.

To the right, you can see one of the photos I have recently taken with iMajiCam Pro. I am no photographer, or a professional, so it's not the greatest look but I was just experimenting with different effects to see what they looked like in print. I will include a couple more photos showcasing different effects.

Unfortunately, iMajiCam Pro does have a couple of downsides. 

For starters, although the "Live Mode" is a fantastic idea, things can get a tad fiddly. It is sometimes better to take a photo and then edit it later on, you can always delete a photo if you are not satisfied with it once taken.

Another flaw is the frequent crashing of the app. When attempting to save the above photo of my cat to my photo album it froze and did not respond. The app then crashed and saved a dozen copies of the photo to my album, rather than just the one I was hoping for. I am sure that with updates the crashing issues can be resolved.

iMajiCam Pro also comes with social integration. You can, should you wish to, share your creations with the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I like the fact that they have integrated Instagram into the sharing options, something that your standard iPhone photo album doesn't provide.

iMajiCam Pro can be downloaded from the App Store for FREE. I don't know how long they are keeping it free though, so if you want to give it a try now is the best time to get hold of a copy. Link HERE.

App review: Twang the fox

Twang the fox, as bizarre as it may look, is rather quite addicting. It is a physics based game that sees you catapulting determined Twang towards the portal at the end of each level, all whilst collecting the little trinkets along the way. Join Twang in the race to save his family from the rival ringmaster, before it's too late....

There is a maximum 3 star ranking for each level which is scored based on your performance on that particular level. If you collect all the trinkets you receive 3 stars, for example.

As expected, each level gets harder as you progress (nobody said it would be easy). You must navigate past mines, avoid the pinball bouncers, not get stuck on the islands, all whilst ensuring you do not fall into the rising water below.

What I like most about the app is you have complete freedom over Twang's movements. You can decide which direction he bounces in, how fast he bounces (length of the band) and whether you will collect all the trinkets or just go for the fastest game completion you possibly can.

According to the app store description, there are over 60 different levels to go through which makes this packed full of enjoyable game play. Also, with 6 different scenes, you are sure to not get bored - a change of scenery always helps.

The richness, and amount, of levels shows that the developer, PikPok, has really taken time and effort to bring together a masterpiece in time killing and they do it to perfection.

If there is one bug bear I have with the app, it's the fact that you can only play in portrait mode. Whilst I believe it is easier to play in this orientation due to the upward motion of the levels, I still feel it would have been nice to give the user a choice.

You can download Twang the fox from iTunes today. If I were you though, I would pick up a copy whilst it is still free because there is no telling just when PikPok will start introducing a charge for it. Link to the app HERE.

Restaurant service

Photo: kennethgmorgan.com

At some point in your life, I am sure that you have paid a visit to a restaurant. In fact, I am sure you have visited a restaurant many times. I can also quite confidently assume that 99% of these visits are pleasant ones.

I fit right into this category. Tonight, unfortunately, I experienced service that falls into the other 1% of visits - extremely poor.

We had a table booked for 9PM and turned up promptly. We stood by the typical "please wait to be seated" sign and waited. Waited. Waited, and waited some more - the place wasn't even that busy. 10 minutes of the waiter walking past us multiple times and he finally opened his mouth. "Are you here for the 9PM Valentine's dinner slot?.. we'll just prepare your table, please take a seat". It took the best part of 20 minutes to prepare this table and all it consisted of was a cheap cloth and paper napkins.

Fast forward to ordering, which took a further 15 minutes to produce the waiter. We ordered our food and proceeded to wait again. We requested a jug of water and never received it (we were actually handed a fresh jug from another dining couple because they could see we had clearly been forgotten).

The food was sub-par. I ordered the chicken stuffed with brie and wrapped in parma ham, whilst Sam opted for the carvery. Our meat was tough, vegetables were soggy and I couldn't even taste the brie!

When it came to dessert, we decided to choose our own from the counter which was in the other section of the restaurant. Upon entering this section we saw around 7 other waiting staff hoovering and setting the tables for breakfast, leaving our waiter on his own in the Valentine's room with about 6 other full tables.

We ended up returning to our room at 11PM - a whole 2 hours after our original booking. We don't take that long to eat. If we had been served promptly then we'd have been up and out by 9:45. This meant the rest of our night was unnecessarily cut short. 

Sam is now tucked up nicely in bed and I'm rambling. Just another day at the office.

Republic see red

Photo: itsoneiota.com

The latest high street company to get themselves into hot water is clothing brand Republic. Words from the press state that Republic has officially appointed administrators - putting approximately 2,500 jobs on the line.

The administrators are obviously hoping to sell off the brand and they are confident that this will happen, "...Republic is well recognised, particularly in the North", "it has a powerful website...very attractive and profitable stores". This sounds like a sales pitch to me - surely if the stores were very attractive and profitable Republic wouldn't be in this predicament, or maybe that's just my skewed view.

This recent announcement does kind of make sense. The amount of sales and promotions Republic have been running over the last 12 months has been immense. Every time I stepped in one of their stores they had a store-wide sale operating.

Unfortunately, our well known high street brands are being knocked down like dominoes. We've had stores such as Woolworths, Peacocks, HMV, Jessops and, most recently, Blockbuster go out of business. This recession has killed off all of our top names and I am afraid to say that this trend is set to continue.

Of course, the recession isn't the only reason these companies are disappearing from our streets... 

Photo: kpib.co.uk

The other major reason is e-commerce or online shopping. The recent explosion of online retail has been extraordinary. It saves people the need to drive into the town centre to shop - saving money on fuel, parking and overheads factored into the cost. Online shopping allows people to relax in the comfort of their own home, browse items even in the early hours of the morning, and it is usually much cheaper than walk in stores.

The online market has much more flexibility that walk in stores just cannot compete with. If I were a part of these stores, I would seriously consider attempting to make some kind of online presence as soon as possible. The only problem with this is that the online market is already well established. There are lots of trusted online marketplaces, such as eBay, Amazon and Play that might make it difficult for newcomers.

Stores are going to need to make a very important decision, develop a solid business plan that must include a highly attractive website that offers great deals and tip top service, or they may very well be the next domino in line.

Valentines Day

I have a mixed opinion regarding valentines day. On the one side, I think it's a great time of year to spend some quality time with your other half. On the flip side, I don't see why valentines day is needed to show your other half that you love them. Surely you should be showing them this on a daily basis.

Photo: cms.ccps.us

There also seems to be this aura of money grabbing for valentines. Restaurant and hotel prices go up, flowers become more expensive, people are deliberately cashing in on people who are loved up. Now, whilst I appreciate that they're businesses who are in the game for profits but surely there's something not quite right when they raise their prices so much just because they know people will be "forced" into buying.

Photo: zoelifemagazine.com

This leads me nicely onto my next statement. Money does not equal love. I don't see why we should have to buy something for someone to prove we love them. If your other half expects something to be bought for them on valentines then you are with the wrong person, plain and simple. Of course, a card is a different story. I think everyone should at least pick up a card. They're an inexpensive little token of affection for the day.

At the end of the day, valentines day, just like Easter, is there for the big wigs to count their profits. It is something we just have to deal with but is something we can avoid. Why not, next year, agree to not purchase anything. Why not just spend some quality time with your other half, whenever you are both free, to really show the meaning of valentines day - expressing your love for the person you hold dear.

Java development

I am currently studying towards a BSc in Software Development and Networking. Part of this course requires me to undergo the learning of Java. Now, this is what I have wanted to do for such a long time. My first experiences with computer programming came when I studied computing at A level. VB.NET was the language for that course.

Needless to say I loved every aspect of it so I cannot wait to jump right into developing with Java. I am a complete novice with the language so I have some resources to help me along the way, one of which is the "Beginning Programming with Java for Dummies" book. I got this for my Kindle and it makes for a really interesting read.

Photo: amazon.co.uk

I've started downloading the programs I will need to start, namely Eclipse. I've heard of many others, but I've heard Eclipse be name dropped before and it appears to be very good so I will be using it.

Now, I haven't programmed in about 12 months so it is going to be strange getting back into it but I'm sure I'll pick it all up again in no time - just got to bare with it. Whilst learning Java I might delve a little back into VB.NET which is the language I am affluent in. I used to love just creating a small program and then every week just adding a little to it here and there. It became my little project so I very much hope the same happens with Java.

Please feel free to leave a comment if you have learnt, or are learning Java - perhaps we could study as a group and throw ideas around.

Road tax - where does it all go.

Photo: www.parkers.co.uk

I always ponder this question. The answer is plain and simple - no one actually knows. Well, except maybe the thieves who take it in the first place.

My route to work covers many main roads, or 'A' roads as they are more commonly classified. The amount of potholes I come across on these roads is ridiculous. 

Photo: www.rossandersonuk.blogspot.com

The potholes on UK roads are just too much to handle. I mean, the average person is going to forking over at least £135 for 12 months of road tax. This is a hell of a lot of money, on top of the price of your MOT and insurance. For the money they take they certainly don't reflect this on the condition of the roads.

I know that weather takes its toll on roads but surely, as we are getting extreme weather every year now, it makes sense to invest in improving the roads. Look at roads on the continent - they can survive much harsher weathers than ours can! The money it would save not just us, but the whole country, is probably unthinkable.

The sad truth is that the money is probably spent topping up MP wages, or covering expenses scandals, paying for their luxuries whilst the rest of the country fork out road tax to them each and every year.

Of course, the alternative is to purchase a car with low enough emissions to qualify for free road tax. Unfortunately, not everyone's situation warrants such a car. They tend to have much less capacity so are no good for those with families. That said, low emission technology, especially hybrid vehicle, are becoming more popular and I can foresee them improving on their current model to allow larger vehicles to reduce their emissions.

The Government will always introduce a new tax when they see fit. The more popular hybrid technology becomes, and so less people have to pay road tax, they'll find some other area of motoring to con the population out of more of their hard earned pennies.

How to: Deal with ISP technical support

Photo: www.gaia-tech.com

1. Don't talk like you know everything. You're obviously ringing a technical desk for support. If you knew it all, you wouldn't be phoning so don't go there – it makes you sound like an egotistic moron.
2. Don't lie. At the end of the day, technical support are there to help you fix something. If they suggest a resolution, don't lie and say you've already done it just because you don't think it will work. Remember point 1, you rang for support. This is exactly what you're getting. By lying you'll only delay a fix.
3. Explain your problem. In order to get the best possible support, you're going to need to explain the problem you're having quite well. Remember, the agent you are speaking to isn't in the house with you so they rely on your explanations to understand the issue.
4. Be nice. At the end of the day, you have called up for help. Would you honestly want to help someone who is shouting down the phone non stop, refusing to co-operate and demanding someone senior? No. You wouldn't. Don't treat the agent like crap and maybe they'll be more inclined to offer their best.
5. Use manners. Thank the agent for their help, it's nice and you might very well cheer them up and brighten their spirits after a previously difficult call (ie a customer who doesn't follow these steps).

Talking to technical support isn't brain surgery. All you need is a little common sense, some manners and a willingness to co-operate. Without these qualities you're not going to get very far. You will get your problem fixed, but it will sure as hell take a lot longer than you hoped for.

A key thing to remember is that you are speaking to another human being. A lot of people like to use the fact that they are talking over a telephone as a way to be downright rude. You wouldn't do it to someone in person, so why do it over the phone?

Also, you're not the only person who wants to speak to technical support. Don't be moaning about a queue the minute an agent picks up your call. This is how a queue works – you wait your god damn turn!

Following these simple steps will ensure you get the very best experience when phoning for support. 

I keep being left for dead!

Photo: www.techradar.com

So I have been playing some Left 4 Dead 2 recently. I've got to say it's a really enjoyable game and really cannot believe I sold my first copy. Owing to the fact I have been away from the game for such a long time, I am incredibly rusty - as a result I've brought in some of the guys from work to help show me the ropes once more. Up to now it's been semi successful.

Just from looking at the main menu, it's clear that Left 4 Dead 2 is a fruitful game. There are many different modes to try out, including one that I used to play a lot of on my first copy - survival. 

At the moment, we've been playing versus and versus only. This is the mode where you take it in turns to play as the survivors and the infected. Each round trying to get more points than the other team.

Survivors

Photo: www.kotaku.com

As the survivors, you must make your way through each round in an attempt to reach the safe room at the other end. As you play through the round, there will be certain pickups that will aid your adventure. The things to note are items such as ammo, first aid kits, new weapons, pain pills and molotov cocktails to help disperse tanks quickly. 

Infected

Photo: www.left4dead.wikia.com

As the infected, it's your job to stop the survivors from getting too far. Each special infected have their own unique abilities that can help stop the survivors in their tracks.

Charger: The charger is a lot stronger than the other infected so has more health. The charger's ability is to, as expected, charge into the survivors. It will grab one of the survivors and pummel them until either they die or the other survivors kill off the charger.

Spitter: Quite low health. Special ability is to spit toxic liquid which can completely destroy a survivalist team if used correctly. I find a spitters best use to be spitting on either an already downed player, or a player that is already being restricted by a charger or smoker. This both deals extra damage and prevents the other survivors from helping.

Smoker: A smoker's special ability is to shoot it's tongue at a survivor, grabbing and pulling them towards it so it can claw at them. These are best used from heights, so you can pull the survivor upwards. This leaves them dangling and much harder to save.

Jockey: A jockey will jump onto it's victims head and ride them just like a real life jockey would a horse. The best way to use these is to steer the survivor away from the group, into the horde/regular infected. This isolates them and allows for an easy kill.

Hunter: The hunter leaps onto a survivor and starts to claw at them repeatedly. These are best used if a survivor breaks away from the group or as a surprise attack when survivors come around corners, through doorways etc. It may also be useful to attack with the hunter to stop a survivor helping a team mate in trouble.

Boomer: My least favourite of the infected. They throw up all over the survivors, covering them in boomer bile. This not only blinds the survivors, but also attracts the horde to the covered victim. However, they're incredibly slow and make for quick, easy kills before they even have chance to attack.

Tank: By far the strongest of the infected. Whilst the tank will find it incredibly difficult to catch up to a fully healthy survivor, it can use the environment to it's advantage. If you get the chance to control a tank, don't hang about. Charge straight in and do some damage. Tanks also have a lot of health and the only real, effective strategy of quickly dispersing one, is to use molotov cocktails.

Witch: The witch is a powerful infected that is best undisturbed. Lights off and quiet sneaking past her will avoid conflict. I wouldn't count on the AI shooting a distanced zombie and startling her though... The witch is an unplayable infected - unfortunately.

Back to the game...

I have found I am much better as a survivor than the infected. I don't seem to make full use of the infected at the right moments, so always end up spending more time on the loading screen waiting to spawn, than I do racking up kills and stopping the survivors in their tracks.

I think I definitely need to learn the maps again. I might play through the campaign, either solo or get the guys to go through this with me to take a break from versus. This should help me get to grips with everything a lot quicker and make for some better versus gameplay.

The game is still retailing quite high if you buy it brand new. However, you can pick it up quite cheap second hand. eBay, Blockbuster and Amazon are likely places to find a bargain - Blockbuster moreso due to it's recent announcement of calling in the administrators.

Tomb Raider: first multiplayer map revealed!

Yes, another post about Tomb Raider: 2013. What can I say, I'm extremely excited about it's upcoming release.

So I have been doing some browsing and have come across a really informative and interesting website for all things Tomb Raider. On this site, I located a news article detailing the announcement of the game's first multi-player map. Now, this is the first time a multi-player aspect has come to the Tomb Raider franchise but, let's face it, it's what everyone looks for when they buy a game these days - "can I play with my friends", well yes you can!

Right from the title, you can see that the first map is going to be a shanty town style. Now, whether or not they actual map will be called Shanty Town I do not know, but it's a brilliant source. It also states that certain retailers are now offering you the map if you pre-order the game. Whilst this may entice some people, I don't like the idea of being forced to pre-order something in order to get a perk before anyone else - I am quite happy playing through the single player campaign before jumping into multi-player. After all, the Tomb Raider games are renowned for their single player action.

I've included some concept art below. All three are taken from the source website, but I cannot find them anywhere on the official tombraider.com site, so I cannot guarantee their authenticity.

Click on the icons for a larger preview image. All Photos: www.tombnews.com

I really don't know what to expect from Tomb Raider multi-player. I can't see how it's going to work, unless they're going to make it the bog standard FPS model. If they do this, it'll just be a Call of Duty masked as something else. I hope they incorporate other features into the multi-player. Perhaps a unique co-op campaign?

I will add more Tomb Raider news to the blog when something juicy is released. If you want all the latest news, regardless of category, you can visit the website that I got my information from today - www.tombnews.com

Fuel prices are "fair and doing well"

So the latest trollop to come from our country is the OFT (Office of Fair Trading) making the statement, "the fuel market is working well" - they will not investigate fuel prices any further, despite them once again going on the rise.

Petrol prices are "fair" according to the OFT. Photo: www.tntmagazine.com

The OFT have stated that the retail price of fuel is one of the cheapest in Europe, once you minus the VAT and tax on there. What a pointless statement to make - it is something we already know. The main issue I, and many others, have is that prices always sky rocket when the wholesale price of crude oil goes up, but it fails to reduce in cost when crude oil prices drop. Now, even with tax in the loop this shouldn't be happening. If anything, the tax is less when the crude oil prices are lower so why aren't these savings being passed down to the consumer.

Another issue I have is the many different variations in price, depending on where you are. Competition is fine, it helps the consumer by providing the cheapest possible price but I'm not talking about these variations. Take me for example, I live in Stockport where the average price of fuel is around 132.7p per litre(source: www.petrolprices.com). Sam, on the other hand, lives in Oldham where the average is 132.2p per litre. Now I know this isn't a massive difference but the further up into the Saddleworth moors you go, the higher the price becomes. I think I remember driving past a service station up there that was selling unleaded at 153.4p per litre! 

To me, this does actually warrant some form of investigation. I can understand the small, family run service stations charging a bit more but surely there should be some consistency to major brand pricing. Why does a Shell near me charge 132.9p, yet a Shell 10 miles away charges 139.9p? I just don't see how this is fair.

Below I have included a diagram from www.petrolprices.co.uk, showing the breakdown of a lire of unleaded at 132.9p and a litre of diesel retailing at 137.9p:

 

















It is quite clear that the government is taking the largest chunk of the price we pay (don't forget they take the duty AND the VAT). This leaves 5p of every litre for the retailer. Whilst compared to the government share it looks pretty dire, it still doesn't excuse why the retailer puts the prices up in certain areas - maybe to increase the profits to compensate the lower priced areas?

At the end of the day, it's the consumer that is the victim in all of this. Maybe it's time the government rethought their strategy on fuel duty - it isn't helping put them on motorists' Christmas card lists...