Hello everyone and a tip of the hat to you all! It is I the Top Hat Man here for another blog update.
Just as an update I have changed the URL of my blog to TopHatCentral.blogspot.org. We are the central hub for top hat news and I am to keep providing it. Thank you all for your support. This is TopHatMan signing off.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
The Future of Mankind using Piktochart
Hello Everyone and a tip of the hat to you all! It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post.
While I know that most of my blogs are pretty wordy. Do not worry for I have made a piktochart. A piktochart is a website where you can create very advanced word like documents with a lot of customization that is very user friendly. To give a demonstration as well as to talk on a topic I find very important and very interested in. I have made a piktochart on the future of mankind colonization on distant planets outside of our solar system. One day we will be forced to leave Earth to either provide additional resources and food or because we simply cannot support such a large population of humans on one planet. Either way the future will require humanity to travel the stars. I hope the piktograph I provide at the conclusion of this blog post helps. This is TopHatMan signing off for this post.
I do not own any of the images supplied in the piktograph. I do not own the license or copyright for piktograph
in order to get a better zoomed in view of the piktograph.
Rightclick-->open in new tab--> left click on the piktograph with mouse to zoom in.
While I know that most of my blogs are pretty wordy. Do not worry for I have made a piktochart. A piktochart is a website where you can create very advanced word like documents with a lot of customization that is very user friendly. To give a demonstration as well as to talk on a topic I find very important and very interested in. I have made a piktochart on the future of mankind colonization on distant planets outside of our solar system. One day we will be forced to leave Earth to either provide additional resources and food or because we simply cannot support such a large population of humans on one planet. Either way the future will require humanity to travel the stars. I hope the piktograph I provide at the conclusion of this blog post helps. This is TopHatMan signing off for this post.I do not own any of the images supplied in the piktograph. I do not own the license or copyright for piktograph
in order to get a better zoomed in view of the piktograph.
Rightclick-->open in new tab--> left click on the piktograph with mouse to zoom in.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Preordering Culture And Day One Purchases in the Gaming Industry
Hello everyone and a tip of the hat to you all! It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post!
Preordering Culture in video games is prevalent. Almost every commercial states that you should preorder the game and get a small reward. Many people have flocked to this inherent anti consumer practice. Now you may be asking, but TopHatMan, how is preordering a video game inherently anti consumer. Allow me to explain. When the window of opportunity is available to preorder, the game is not released yet. Pretty much common knowledge ain't it? However very rarely do people actually look at what that signifies. You are purchasing a game before it releases to make sure you have a copy. In other words you are buying a game that has not even been made yet. It is in the process of being made where anything is up to grabs as to what can change during the development cycle. You are purchasing a game on faith that the game you want will release at launch. However preordering does not safeguard you from horrific game launches, games that were shipped out of the door before it was properly complete, or if you even like the game. A game can look good from its promotional material, but never does a game live up to that hype (i.e. Destiny). And what happens when you have a game you preordered release, and it is either broken, or does not live up to what you wanted. Well you have wasted 60$ and are now reliant upon returning the game for either a full refund or store credit. You still wasted 60$ during the time of your purchase up till the time you return it. Even then if you only get store credit you are forced to buy something else from the store, to utilize the money.
Now what happens when you preorder a game and you end up loving the game and it works wonderfully. You are one lucky person because very rarely does that happen. Does it make a difference if you preorder a game other than a day one purchase. No there is no difference, you still get the day one version. However there are many problems with day one purchases.
With the rise of always online, as well as multiplayer, very rarely does a game that offers a multiplayer component or is always online, actually work at launch. But TopHatMan, when has a game been broken on launch. Destiny, Halo the Master Chief Collection, World of Warcraft Warlords of Draenor, Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed Unity, Farcry 4, Lords of the Fallen, Sim City, Sims 4, ESO, etc etc etc etc. All of these games were major releases and all of them were broken or out right didn't work on launch, whether it be framerate issues, crashes, or an assortment of other technical issues, (watch any gameplay of Assassin's Creed Unity.)
What is the answer to this disease of day one purchases and Preordering culture. Wait a bit after the game is released. Watch reviews and gameplay of the game to make sure the game is right for you. After you are satisfied with what the game has and its price as well as technical conditions, purchase the game either at full price or even better at a sale. Play the game and enjoy a better version and experience than what you would have had if you bought the game on launch.
Click this link to check out Jim Sterling's website. An incredible reviewer and personality that will help you make smarter purchasing decisions as well as make you laugh.
Monday, January 5, 2015
The Framerate discussion
Hello everyone and a tip of the hat to you all! It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post!
As a new year is upon us, a major issue in gaming that is largely misconstrued needs to be addressed. Many gamers believe that 30 FPS is an acceptable frame rate and that frame rate should not be a major decision when purchasing a game. The fact of the matter is, framerate should be a major sticking point for every gamer when deciding on what to play. FarCry4 on the XBOX ONE is at 30FPS (frames per second), while the PC version can achieve 60 FPS but struggles to maintain in the central town. The 30 FPS console version is unacceptable because we know that the console can achieve 60 FPS as demonstrated through the Master Chief collection, Halo 5 Beta, Cod advanced Warfare, etc etc. All graphically intensive FPS games, which can still maintain 60 FPS at a high graphical fidelity. While FarCry is more graphically intensive and requires to render more than other games, a 720p 60FPS version should be available so the consumer can decide if they prefer higher framerate or a higher graphical fidelity. I will take the higher framerate.
FarCry 4 is just one game that doesn't manage to reach 60fps at least on consoles, Assassins Creed Unity is around 20 FPS (unacceptable) and other games on console struggle to reach 60fps or even reach it at all. The PC gamer however can push the game to 60FPS if the game is not locked with more advanced GPU and overclocking, Most PC games (unless locked to 30FPS) can be pushed to 60FPS through graphical configuration or a more powerful rig. However the problem with console (unless you mod the console which runs the risk of a ban) has very weak hardware in comparison to gaming pc's. My Laptop is more powerful than the new generation of consoles, that says something. Even if the consoles are not as strong as pc's and therefore struggle to reach 60FPS, a lower graphical fidelity but higher frame rate version of the game should be available in the options menu. Let the consumer decide for themselves.
Now to go in depth on frame rate, many people will say that 60FPS feels too smooth and that it is unnecessary. The fact of the matter is that FPS directly affects game play. When you push a button, there is lag from when you push the button and when the action occurs in the game, with a lower frame rate, you increase the input lag from your commands making the game less responsive and a slog to play. You feel as if you are moving in tar, struggling to do the most basic commands. With a higher frame rate, you decrease the input lag making a more responsive enjoyable game. Also the look of the game and feel of the game directly benefits from a higher frame rate. 60FPS should be bare minimum for a current generation of games and should be emphasized as we move into 2015.
Click this link to learn about PC gaming options.
As a new year is upon us, a major issue in gaming that is largely misconstrued needs to be addressed. Many gamers believe that 30 FPS is an acceptable frame rate and that frame rate should not be a major decision when purchasing a game. The fact of the matter is, framerate should be a major sticking point for every gamer when deciding on what to play. FarCry4 on the XBOX ONE is at 30FPS (frames per second), while the PC version can achieve 60 FPS but struggles to maintain in the central town. The 30 FPS console version is unacceptable because we know that the console can achieve 60 FPS as demonstrated through the Master Chief collection, Halo 5 Beta, Cod advanced Warfare, etc etc. All graphically intensive FPS games, which can still maintain 60 FPS at a high graphical fidelity. While FarCry is more graphically intensive and requires to render more than other games, a 720p 60FPS version should be available so the consumer can decide if they prefer higher framerate or a higher graphical fidelity. I will take the higher framerate.
FarCry 4 is just one game that doesn't manage to reach 60fps at least on consoles, Assassins Creed Unity is around 20 FPS (unacceptable) and other games on console struggle to reach 60fps or even reach it at all. The PC gamer however can push the game to 60FPS if the game is not locked with more advanced GPU and overclocking, Most PC games (unless locked to 30FPS) can be pushed to 60FPS through graphical configuration or a more powerful rig. However the problem with console (unless you mod the console which runs the risk of a ban) has very weak hardware in comparison to gaming pc's. My Laptop is more powerful than the new generation of consoles, that says something. Even if the consoles are not as strong as pc's and therefore struggle to reach 60FPS, a lower graphical fidelity but higher frame rate version of the game should be available in the options menu. Let the consumer decide for themselves.
Now to go in depth on frame rate, many people will say that 60FPS feels too smooth and that it is unnecessary. The fact of the matter is that FPS directly affects game play. When you push a button, there is lag from when you push the button and when the action occurs in the game, with a lower frame rate, you increase the input lag from your commands making the game less responsive and a slog to play. You feel as if you are moving in tar, struggling to do the most basic commands. With a higher frame rate, you decrease the input lag making a more responsive enjoyable game. Also the look of the game and feel of the game directly benefits from a higher frame rate. 60FPS should be bare minimum for a current generation of games and should be emphasized as we move into 2015.
Click this link to learn about PC gaming options.
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