New Tomb Raider trailer released

Andrew Edney
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1
New Tomb Raider trailer released

SQUARE ENIX and Crystal Dynamics have released a new trailer for their forthcoming game Tomb Raider.

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Tomb Raider explores the intense and gritty origin story of Lara Croft and her ascent from a frightened young woman to a hardened survivor.

Shipwrecked on an island off the coast of Japan, Lara Croft began armed with nothing more than her wits and will to live. Forced to forage for food and defend herself from hostile natives, Lara is forever changed when her friends are captured and she realizes she is the only one who can save them. Pushed to the limits of human fortitude, Lara knows that if she doesn’t survive, none of them will.

And here is the trailer:

I am a huge fan of the new Tomb Raider game, and recently I got to play the first three hours of Tomb Raider – my preview post will be up soon.

LaCie to NAS Backup: Part Two: 5Big Office+ Configuration, Overall Assessment

Jim McCarthy
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1
LaCie to NAS Backup: Part Two: 5Big Office+ Configuration, Overall Assessment

In my last article, I showed you how to set up the ISCSI target on a QNAP NAS to support backing up a 5Big Office+ NAS from LaCie.  Now, I show you the LaCie side of the configuration.  Read on for details.

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I showed you the installation requirements for the QNAP NAS in my last article. In this one, I show you the setup on the Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials LaCie 5big Office + and execute a backup.

Hardware Used

I have a QNAP TS-419 P II NAS unit connected via ethernet to my home network.  The QNAP is running TurboNAS 3.7 and is using 8TB of drives in a RAID5 configuration.  I also have a LaCie 5big Office + NASs unit, running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, and this unit has a 10TB RAID5 implemented.

Configuration on the LaCie 5big Office +: iSCSI Target

Connect to the 5big Office + via Remote Desktop Connection and click on the Start button. Choose Administrative Tools and iSCSI Initiator.

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Click Yes to enable iSCSI Initiator to load on startup.

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The iSCSI Initiator box pops up where you configure the connection. Enter the IP address for the iSCSI target, here the QNAP NAS. Click on Quick Connect. It populates the usable targets. In this example, we’re going to use the LUN with 19002 in the name. Highlight it and click Connect.

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Make sure that the connection is listed in Favorites here to enable automatic connections when the LaCie restarts. Click OK.

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LaCie to NAS Backup: Part One: QNAP Configuration

Jim McCarthy
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2
LaCie to NAS Backup: Part One: QNAP Configuration

In this article, I show you how to set up a QNAP NAS unit to handle the ISCI target function for backing up a LaCie 5Big Office+.  Read on for details.

5big_Office _two-views

In this article, I show you how to set up a QNAP NAS unit to handle the ISCI target function for backing up a LaCie 5Big Office+.  We’ll set up the QNAP NAS to be he ISCSI target and then show you how to configure the LaCie in the next article.

The LaCie 5big Office + runs Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, so many Server 2008 R2 technologies are available. In this case, we’ll leverage the ISCSI Initiator technology to establish a link to a QNAP NAS running TurboNAS 3.7 and configure the LaCie to back up to the QNAP.

This process is very similar to the one that I followed when I brought you my two-part ISCSI series a few weeks back, but instead of connecting a virtualized Server 2012 Essentials box, we’ll connect the LaCi 5big Office +. As a refresher, here are my prior two articles:

ISCSI Setup Series Part One: QNAP TurboNAS 3.7 Configuration

ISCSI Setup Series Part Two: Server 2012 Essentials Configuration

Most of the QNAP configuration will be unchanged, but I’ll step through the process for you. Please note that since this is in a test lab environment, I will skip the authentication steps throughout. This of course is not a best practice for you to emulate in a production environment. Ready? Let’s go!

Hardware Used

I have a QNAP TS-419 P II NAS unit connected via ethernet to my home network.  The QNAP is running TurboNAS 3.7 and is using 8TB of drives in a RAID5 configuration.  I also have a LaCie 5big Office + NAS unit, running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, and this unit has a 10TB RAID5 implemented.

Configuration of the QNAP

We need to do some work to configure the QNAP to act as an ISCSI target.  The steps are activating ISCSI, creating the target, and setting up the server application to use the target.  First, log into the administrative panel of the QNAP.

Click on Disk Management and then ISCSI. Select Enable iSCSI Target Service. Click Apply.

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Click OK as we’ll take care of that setting in a later step.

Click Target Management, OK to start the wizard. Select iSCSI Target with a mapped LUN. Click Next.

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The ISCSI Quick Configuration Wizard launches.  Click Next.

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Give it a name and an alias. Click Next.

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New South Park The Stick of Truth trailer released

Andrew Edney
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0
New South Park The Stick of Truth trailer released

THQ have released a new trailer for their forthcoming game South Park The Stick of Truth. Sweeeeet!

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A new kid rises in the second South Park: The Stick of Truth trailer. See for yourself the reason why humans and elves are locked in a never-ending war: the hallowed Stick of Truth. This is the epic quest to become… cool.

Here is the trailer:

For more information on South Park: The Stick of Truth, visit www.stickoftruth.com.

App Update: 12 Days of Christmas for 2012

Andrew Edney
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15
App Update: 12 Days of Christmas for 2012

Apple has updated it’s annual 12 Days of Christmas app ready for 2012’s freebies.

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You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps and books for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get our special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go. Don’t have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch? Don’t worry. Come back 26 December to download gifts from your computer.

What’s New in Version 2.1

Updated for 2012. Get your first gift on December 26.

You need to download the app and then each day for 12 days there will be something free.

Metro: Last Light – The Survivor Series – The Commander

Andrew Edney
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0
Metro: Last Light – The Survivor Series – The Commander

Just surviving in the world of Metro is an enormous struggle. The next in the Survivor Series has been released – this one is called The Commander.

Metro-Last-Light-Logo

Here it is:

Metro Last Light from THQ looks really interesting and we will be able to tell you more in a few weeks.

What do you think of it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Dark Souls II information and pictures released

Andrew Edney
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1
Dark Souls II information and pictures released

NAMCO BANDAI have announced that the critically acclaimed Dark Souls saga marches forward with Dark Souls II, currently in development at FromSoftware in Tokyo, Japan, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Dark Souls II will continue a legacy of presenting its passionate fans with the kind of unrelenting challenges that have become a hallmark of the series, while presenting devilish new obstacles for players to overcome.

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Built upon the foundation established by Souls series creator and Dark Souls II Supervisor, Hidetaka Miyazaki, with development helmed by FromSoftware Director Tomohiro Shibuya, Dark Souls II will feature a new hero, a new storyline, and an unfamiliar world for players to survive in, while delivering the uncompromising challenge and ultimate sense of empowerment that players hunger for. Epic battles with gruesome enemies and blood-thirsty bosses await adventurers as they traverse and conquer a devastated world filled with death and despair. Players will also discover a revamped server based multiplayer experience that will put a distinct Dark Souls II twist on the concept of playing and sharing with others. For those with enough tenacity and sheer force of will, great rewards await.

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“There are few games that are as rewarding for players as the Dark Souls series, and Dark Souls II will give every player that steps up to take the challenge a feeling of empowerment that they will never forget,” said Olivier Comte, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Distribution at NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe. “The game doesn’t accept compromise, and neither do the brilliant people at FromSoftware who will test their own tenacity as well as that of gamers in delivering us another gaming landmark.”

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“This new chapter in the Dark Souls saga presents opportunities for us to drive innovation in gameplay design, develop an entirely new story, and expand the scope of the world in which the player interacts with the game. We have taken these necessary steps with Dark Souls II in order to evolve the overall experience of the Dark Souls series,” says Tomohiro Shibuya, FromSoftware Director on Dark Souls II. “The entire development team is striving to make Dark Souls II an experience that is fresh while not forsaking its roots in presenting players with challenging gameplay. Our goal is to surprise and delight our fans with new experiences and plot twists while enticing new players to join our dark journey.”

More details surrounding Dark Souls II will become available in the months leading to its release. Begin your Dark Souls II journey at www.DarkSoulsII.com or join the Dark Souls II conversation on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/DARKSOULS.

Here are some more pictures:

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Are you interested in Dark Souls II? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

343 Release Halo 4 Update

Chris Hare
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0
343 Release Halo 4 Update

Here is the Change log for the new patch for Halo 4.

Here’s the full list of fixes taken from the TU Change Log news update on Waypoint,

  • Implemented general stability improvements
  • Fixed glitch where quickly reloading after firing the Boltshot resulted in an instant reload
  • Fixed glitch where sprinting prior to activating the Hardlight Shield allowed players to move faster
  • Fixed glitch where players could throw a grenade and then immediately sprint afterwards to perform a high velocity grenade
  • Fixed glitch where Mantis could fire more rockets without reloading if the machine gun was fired partway through unleashing the charged missile barrage
  • Fixed issue where DLC was unavailable for other profiles on the same console
  • Fixed issue where DLC disappeared after console reboot
  • Fixed issue where players could not unlock Campaign completion achievements when using a rally point other than Alpha for any mission to finish the Campaign
  • Fixed issue where players were not given credit for completion of a Spartan Ops Episode Difficulty Challenge when completing it through Matchmaking
  • Fixed issue where players with 99 or more Xbox LIVE friends could not get File recommendations
  • Fixed issue where loadout configurations were lost if the game was booted and then powered off before passing the “Press START” screen
  • Fixed issue where attempting to upload large films to the File Share under poor network conditions caused the upload to fail
  • Improved time to load variants with separate profiles
  • Fixed issue where moving a profile from one controller port to another after relaunching the game reset loadout settings
  • Improved consistency of random ordnance navigation marker display
  • Fixed performance issues when launching Halo Waypoint from Halo 4

HP Updates Micro Server Line

Jim McCarthy
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0
HP Updates Micro Server Line

HP has released an updated Micro Server.  Read on for details!

HP Microserver

HP has released a new Micro Server.  The processor is an AMD Turion™ II Model Neo N54L, can take up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, sports 7 USB 2.0 ports and can handle RAID 0 and 1.  Here are the specs for the US model:

Processor:

  • AMD Turion™ II Neo N54L (2.2GHz) AMD RS785E/SB820M chipset

Memory:

  • Two (2) DIMM slots 2GB (1x2GB) Standard or 4GB (1x4GB)/8GB Maximum, using PC3-10600E DDR3 Unbuffered (UDIMM) ECC memory, operating at max. 800MHz

Storage Controller:

  • Embedded AMD SATA controller with RAID 0, 1 Embedded AMD eSATA controller for connecting external storage devices via the eSATA connector in the rear of the server

Internal Drive Support:

  • 4 Internal HDD Support
  • Maximum internal SATA storage capacity of up to 8.0TB (4 x 2TB 3.5″ SATA drives)

Network Controller:

  • Embedded NC107i PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Server Adapter

Expansion Slots:

  • Slot 1: PCI-Express Gen 2 x16 connector with x16 link
  • Slot 2: PCI-Express Gen 2 x1 connector with x1 Link
  • Slot 2-2: PCI-Express x4 slot for optional management card

USB 2.0 Ports:

  • Seven (7) USB 2.0 ports: 4 front , 2 rear, 1 internal (for tape)

Power Supply:

  • 150 Watts Non-Hot Plug, Non Redundant Power Supply

Management:

  • Optional MicroServer Remote Access Card

Operating System:

  • Supports Windows and Red Hat Linux

Form Factor:

  • Ultra Micro tower

This new Micro Server is available in the US for $389 including a 250GB hard drive.

Micro Server Specs: US Model Buy From HP!

‘Black Ops 2’ gameplay patch hitting PS3, Xbox 360 this weekend (Updated)

Chris Hare
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7
‘Black Ops 2’ gameplay patch hitting PS3, Xbox 360 this weekend (Updated)

Black Ops 2 will receive a massive patch for the PS3 and Xbox 360 this weekend, Treyarch has announced.
The PS3 update is available to download now, while the Xbox 360 patch will release in the next few days. (Updated Xbox 360 Patch is now out)

 

The release of the patch coincides with the relaunch of Theatre mode, which will be reinstated when “enough people have the update”.
The update improves Twitter support, adds security system enhancements and tweaks the effectiveness of countless weapons.
The patch arrives on the same week that Black Ops 2 was revealed to have generated $1 Billion in just 15 days, beating the record set by Modern Warfare 3.

The update notes in full:
New Features & Feature Improvements

  • Added support for posting Live Stream URLs to Twitter.
  • Added support for the Kinect camera to Live Streaming.
  • Improved audio/rumble responsiveness when hitting enemies with gunfire.
  • Improved overall communication of Double XP when enabled.
  • AAR better communicates how much XP was earned in each match.
  • Added the ability to “View League Teams” from any player’s Playercard.
  • Added the ability to “View Playercard” from League solo leaderboards.
  • Added a number of security system enhancements.
  • Added Hardcore Kill Confirmed playlist to the Hardcore category
  • Issues Addressed
  • Fixed a rare hang (“Awaiting Textures”) upon loading into maps when joining a session in progress after fresh boot.
  • Game now resets the Care Package for a non-owner if the owner re-rolls the package using the Engineer perk.
  • Players with Black Hat PDA can no longer hack a Care Package faster than the owner can capture it.
  • Addressed an exploit where modified console hackers could maliciously spread infected films to other users.
  • Added a fail-safe to prevent spawn trapping in CTF.
  • Increased sight checks on turrets to improve spawning algorithms.
  • Fixed a number of new UI error messages reported by users.
  • Addressed a number of issues that would cause friendly/enemy colour indicators on equipment and scorestreaks to display as the wrong team.
  • Improved overall Theater and Live Streaming stability.
  • Improved film rendering stability and made progression bar more accurate while rendering a film.
  • Addressed issues which prevented some master challenges from being completed.
  • Precision challenge “Wet Work” will now unlock with 10 kills.
  • The wins challenge will now account for all FFA modes when ending a match with a tie (if you are in the top 3).
  • Players that help with the “Synchronized Attack” challenge now get credit for it.
  • Players will not be able to manually take control of their AGR if they die at the exact moment that their AGR deploys.
  • Emblem Editor no longer closes the current emblem when discarding changes.
  • Players using Ghost will no longer be invisible at all times in Custom Games with the mini-map option set to “constant.”
  • Players using Ghost and a Suppressor attachment will no longer appear on the enemy’s minimap while shooting and moving while a UAV is up.
  • The median for the K/D graph in the AAR is set to 1.0 instead of 0.0.
  • Players can no longer get on top of the shrubs in Nuketown 2025.
  • Thermal vision overlay no longer appears using the VTOL glitch.
  • Kills from the explosion on the explosive crossbow bolt now count towards challenges.
  • Counter UAV no longer remains for the rest of the game after a host migration.
  • Clan tag is no longer locked immediately after prestige.
  • Offline profiles can no longer be exploited to join online games when an online profile is also signed in.
  • Multi-team games no longer count as a tie if an entire team quits.
  • Fixed an area in Express where K9 Unit dogs could get stuck.
  • EMP grenades no longer affect the CODcaster HUD.
  • Party Privacy count no longer affects how many bots will spawn in Combat Training.
  • Shadows seen through sniper scopes now render more correctly.
  • Players can no longer stand on invisible collision in Carrier.
  • “Drop Shot” medal is no longer awarded after standing back up.
  • Players can now copy a custom class to the extra prestige slot.
  • Scorestreaks
  • UAV: cost increased from 350 to 425.
  • Lightning Strike: added 750ms delay
  • Equipment/Grenades
  • Bouncing Betty: increased the grace period between trigger and activation by 200ms.
  • Sensor Grenade: increased the range (now 1000 units), frequency (now 800ms between pings), and amount of time (now 6s) that players appear after explosion.
  • Concussion Grenade: decreased movement penalty and turn speed penalty when hit.
  • SMGs
  • All: increased hip fire recoil.
  • All: increased max hip fire spread from 4.75 to 5.
  • All: reduced bullet penetration.
  • MSMC: increased recoil slightly.
  • PDW-57: increased recoil slightly
  • Assault Rifles
  • All: reduced idle sway for more reliable long-range aiming.
  • XM8: reduced lethal range of 3-hit kills from 250 to 50 inches.
  • XM8 + Select Fire: increased recoil.
  • FAL OSW + Select Fire: increased recoil.
  • SWAT-556 + Select Fire: increased recoil.
  • MTAR: Made auto aim values consistent with all other assault rifles.
  • Sniper Rifles
  • All: increased hip fire spread.
  • All + Laser Sight: increased hip fire spread.
  • XPR-50: increased recoil slightly.
  • Shotguns
  • R870: reduced one-hit kill range by 45 inches.
  • Pistols
  • B23R: reduced headshot multiplier from 1.4 to 1.
  • KAP-40: reduced headshot multiplier from 1.4 to 1
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