For
the gamer on your Christmas list...
Sun Review Nov. 27, 1999
I admit that my idea of winding down after a long day of slaving away at my computer does not include playing computer games.
But there are those for whom the word Quake doesn't conjure any notion of California.
They are gaming "fanatics" and chances are you have a few of them on your Christmas list. So to make shopping a little easier, I've compiled a list of the latest gaming hardware and software with the help of my friend Aaren Jensen at PCM Systems.
As with any software, games are getting bigger and better every year and your computer needs to be properly equipped.
Here is a list of the minimum requirements for your computer so you can enjoy these games the way they were meant to be played.
RAM
The quickest
and probably least expensive way to increase your computer's performance is
to install more RAM. The more RAM you have, the easier it is to run multiple
programs at once. Depending on your system and periodic fluctuations in RAM
prices, an additional 32MB RAM will cost you anywhere from $75 to $200.
Video Cards
Nearly every
video card is more than adequate for 2D displays: word processing, Web surfing,
and so on. Most video cards are even fine for many games, but if you want to
play high end 3D games like Quake III, and Unreal, you'll need a top-notch video
card. A 16MB video card is recommended, but if you're serious about gaming or
graphics, splurge on a 32MB video card. Aaren recommends the following product
lines: ATI Rage from ATI (www.atitech.com),
Voodoo from 3dfx (www.3dfx.com), and the Riva
TNT (www.nvidia.com). Expect to pay $150-$200
for a 16MB video card, and $225-$300 for a 32MB card. In most cases, these cards
work best with fast Celeron, Pentium II, and Pentium III processors.
Sound Cards
To hear every
creeping step or air-to-ground missile on your tail, get yourself a sound card
(and speakers too!). Popular sound cards include the MX200 and MX300 from Diamond
Multimedia (www.diamondmm.com), and
the Sound Blaster from Creative Labs (www.creativelabs.com).
Game Controllers
Game controllers
such as mice, joysticks and wheels are essential for most games. Microsoft Explorer
Mouse with Intelli Eye technology has no moving parts and instead uses an optical
sensor. It works on virtually any surface and features 2 additional customizable
buttons and a scrolling wheel, which lets you scroll through documents without
the need for scrollbars, menus or toolbars - also very handy for the Web!
The newest digital joysticks provide greater accuracy, quicker response, and of course more buttons. Force feedback technology lets you experience the full impact of flight simulation, combat, action and driving games. Check out the WingMan Force joystick from Logitech (www.logitech.com) with wrist-rattling force feedback effects that let you feel all the bumps and thumps in your games. You can feel the wheels squeal with Microsoft's SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel, which provides tactile feedback in racing and flying games. Just hope that you don't hit too many potholes. Regular (non-feedback) and less expensive versions of these game controllers are also available. Prices range from $40 for a low-end joystick to $200 and up for force feedback game controllers.
Games
Anxious gamers
are awaiting the release of Quake III and Unreal Tournament, both of which are
slated for release by Christmas.
Microsoft's Asheron's Call is an epic online role-playing game that lets you play in a continuous 3D fantasy world with thousands of other players joining you online. You purchase the game, receive one month of online playing time for free, and then pay a monthly fee to continue playing. The world of Dereth is a 24x24 mile island, nearly half the size of Rhode Island, with mountain glaciers, desert wastelands, swamps and subterranean dungeons, where you encounter allies and enemies, fight monsters and cast spells.
LucasArts brings you Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, a new real-time 3D action-adventure. Fraught with all the action and intrigue worthy of a classic Indiana Jones film, the game locks players in a race around the globe to thwart the Soviets' frantic search for clues to the mysterious Infernal Machine.
The supernatural and historical collide in the nineteenth century world of Nocturne (www.nocturne.nu) , where the superstition of ghouls and ghosts still haunt people, and werewolves, vampires, ghouls, and ghosts abound.
Electronic Arts brings you the latest version of Need for Speed (www.needforspeed.com) - High Stakes, the race in which the stakes are indeed high: you lose the race, you lose the car. Start with a basic racing car, win some races and earn money repair and upgrade your ride. But watch out for the cops!
Looking for more fun, less violence? Check out Nerf ArenaBlast (www.nerf.com), a first-person shooter for all ages that has no gore and blood, set in an entirely new 3D universe with bright, colorful levels and three cool ways to play: PointBlast, BallBlast and SpeedBlast. Lego (www.lego.com) features titles such as Lego RockRaiders, a high adventure game where you can go deep underground and explore three different worlds - the ice, lava and rock world. Lego Racers is a 3D racing game that lets you build your own car and race to win.
And for online games, visit www.bezerk.com to play games such as You Don't Know Jack and Get The Picture, a Pictionary-type game, over the Internet.
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