(Part 2) Best products from r/gaming

Logitech G500: Probably one of the most top rated mice you can fine. Good grip, buttons and the speed/reaction of this mouse isn't too bad at all. You can find better but for the money it's a great deal. - Logitech G500

Razer Deathadder: Personally...I like this mouse over the G500 and I'm not the biggest of Razer fan either. This mouse absolutely rocks it for the price. It's more of a Mouse's Mouse, there isn't a ton going on, you have a very good scroll wheel and two functions right where your thumb rests. If you want buttons and all kinds of other stuff look elsewhere, this mouse rocks for what it is. - Razer Deathadder

SteelSeries Xai: It /may/ almost push out the Deathadder as top mouse at a very good mouse. StealSeries I feel delivers some of the best peripherals around, they feel amazing, act great and look equally as "plain" (not flashy) but still have eye candy. The Xai has a color changing LCD in the back to change the colors of the Insignia on the back...if that's your thing. - SteelSeries Xai

Out of all of those, it's hard for me not to recommend the Deathadder. I believe (I forgot to double check the stats) but the DPI is higher for the DA than any of the other mice I listed here and it feels great in your hand.

On to the next thing: Mouse Pad. I almost feel like I'm in the minority when I say that I need a good pad for my mice. Right now I am using a Cyborg RAT 7 with a Kabuto Razer Gaming Pad. It's a bit expensive, but I used this pad with my Deathadder that I had before my RAT 7 and it worked flawlessly with it. I tried it without it and you can see a noticeable difference. However for about the same price, you can get a SteelSeries QcK+ Pad which are quite nice as well (and if you are a person for brand synchronicity, you can get this one with the Xai).

However, no matter what myself or anyone else says: Pick the right mouse for you, we cannot judge what feel good to you. Mice are a hard buy, because recommendations only work if the person who loves it has the same hand structure as you...and normally it doesn't. Some of these things can be found at Best Buy and other brick stores, so if you get a chance go out and try out every mouse you can and find one that works for you before you decide on a specific one.

Sorry this will be a lot of information, but when you're buying something that sits on your ears for hours at a time, you want something that feels good.

Newegg has the Gamecom 780 on sale right now for 28 bucks. They usually float around 50-60 bucks so it's a really good deal. The only problem with them is they're not very drop friendly as they're plastic. The audio and mic quality are amazing for the price though.

If wireless is more his speed a Corsair H2100 is in your price range or a Logitech G930. I just recently bought a Corsair VOID on sale for 95 bucks and it was the best decision I've made in a long time, best wireless headset I've used. (but normal price is about 120)

Links:

Gamecom 780 priced 27.99

Corsair H2100 priced 99.99

Logitech G930 priced 84.36

Corsair VOID wireless priced 129.99

Pro's and Cons:

Gamecom 780

• Pro: One of the best gaming headsets in the $50 range.
  
• Pro: Easy to setup software, buttons on headset are easy to reach and use
  
• Con: Very prone to breaking, if they fall the wrong way, they're toast
  
• Con: Wired, I belive a 6 foot cable. Very limiting in distance (if you buy one of these buy a USB extension as well)
  
  Corsair H2100
  
  
• Pro: Very good entry wireless headset, clear mic audio and decent sound quality
  
• Pro: Wireless so no cables in the way
  
• Con: Battery life
  
• Con: Distance is short before cutout
  
  Logitech G930
  
  
• Pro: Easy to use and reliable
  
• Pro: Good range on headset (longer than H2100 and roughly same as VOID)
  
• Pro: Build quality is nice, audio quality is decent
  
• Con: Wireless receivers die before the headset does (will start with randomly dropping connection)
  
• Con: Mic gets white noise in it
  
• Con: Not very loud/Charge doesn't last long
  
  Corsair VOID RGB
  
  
• Pro: Strong build quality, clear mic, great battery life
  
• Pro: Good quality audio, can go very loud, bass drivers are decent
  
• Pro: Long range, Similar to G930
  
• Con: Software interferes with some other programs currently, Corsair is working on a fix (The headset does not require the software, it is just used to control simulated surround sound and lighting)
  
• Con: Feels loose on your head, the mesh fabric makes it slide against your hair
  
• Con: Users have reported turning on/off the headset can sometimes put the headset into a failed mode, and require being plugged into the computer to fix (i have not experienced this and could have been fixed in a firmware update already)

Digital Combat Simulator (DCS, for short)

Here's a link to their website. It's been around for a long time, but is experiencing something of a rebirth with all the new modules coming out lately, especially the utterly gorgeous Nevada Test and Training Range. I highly recommend checking it out if you think you have the fortitude for a fairly uncompromising, realistic sim.

If you're interested in getting your foot in the door, DCS itself is free and comes with two airplane out of the box: the SU-25, a slow but acceptably entertaining ground attack airplane at no charge, and the TF-51, an unarmed version of the classic P-51 Mustang, ideal for just flying around and getting your fundamentals down pat before moving to something more advanced. Other airplanes, or "modules", are for purchase, and 99% of them are utterly fantastic in terms of quality and detail. There's a long list of airplanes coming down the pipe, as well.

The "Flaming Cliffs" module includes several airplanes that shipped with the original game years ago, and while they don't quite measure up to the newer aircraft in terms of system interactivity, they have been updated significantly with respect to the flight model, external model, textures, and other features. Several of them are targets for "full feature" updates in the future. That said, modules can be mixed and matched without consequence, so it's perfectly fine to buy just one of the newer modules without Flaming Cliffs.

Playing with a joystick is almost mandatory, but they can be had at a very affordable entry level. Track IR is another recommended peripheral for headtracking, but it's not a "must buy" if you're just dipping your toes in the sim to see if you like it, and there are some roughly-equivalent free headtracking solutions out there as well.

If you have any questions, just ask.

Well first off, if you are planning to move to PC, buy that bundle I linked. It's going to end soon, and its probably never going to happen again. You'll seriously regret it if you want to buy any of those games in the future. And all the money goes to charity, so think of it as a charitable donation.

---

As I said, if you need to own a PC or Laptop, or were planning to buy one anyway, you build the PC instead, also instead of buying a PS4 or XB1.

So assuming that IS the case, I can't give you a price, you have to determine that for yourself. That concept is unique to PC, considering they only make one version of a console, aside from the insanely overpriced storage capacity upgrades. What you need to do, is determine your budget for the PC that you were going to buy, if you were going to remain a console gamer.

One rule, is that you should completely avoid buying a laptop, unless you absolutely NEED a laptop. Usually, unless you are a business professional that will use one for work, or if you will be traveling constantly, you don't NEED a laptop. Even if you are in college, a small tablet is usually suitable enough for during class use, as opposed to a full laptop, which means you can just leave your PC in your room.

So lets say you wanted to buy a $600 off the shelf PC. Even switching from a Laptop to a Desktop would basically double your performance and storage capacity. The smaller you make something while keeping the performance constant, the more it is going to cost. Then when you move from buying an off the shelf desktop, to a custom built PC, you'll easily see a HUGE bump in performance, for the same cost. So you have $600, and now you have to decide which console you were going to buy. One of the next gen systems at $400-500, or maybe you weren't ever going to buy one of those consoles, but a PS3/360 instead, at $250. If one of these were the case, that would leave you with a budget of $850, $1000, or $1100. And look, I understand that you may have not been able to buy both a new PC and a new console at the same time. This means that you'll just have to wait and save up. Yes, its a bummer, but it will definitely be worth it in the end. And depending on how long you have to wait, you'll actually get more and more for your money, because of how rapidly the performance per dollar ratio increases.

So once you have your number, you have to determine how you want to use the PC. You'll obviously want to use it for gaming, but are you planning to do a lot of 3D or video rendering/compression? You need to know this, because is it quite a key factor that someone will need to know to map out a build for you. If you are planning on using content professional applications, you'll need a large portion of your budget spent on the CPU. You can obviously still run the applications, but rendering will take longer with a lesser CPU, which could be a problem for someone that want's to run a YouTube channel for instance.

So after you get someone to map out a build for you, you will need some additional things:

1. Mouse - You can get a nice gaming mouse from as low as about $20, though they can go up to about $70. If you look around while you are planning your build up until the point when you actually build it, you'll probably be able to find one on sale. I got my G9x, which is a $60-70 mouse, for only $35 w/ free shipping. The same goes for the other stuff below, as you don't really need to buy them in the same order as your other components. The best place to find deals that I have found, is /r/BuildaPCSales They also have separate subreddits for the UK, Australia, and Canada. You can find those in the side bar.
   
2. Keyboard - You can go ahead and get a membrane keyboard, but you really should invest in a mechanical. It WILL make you a faster typist, and it makes typing feel great. They range from $70-150, but just like the mice, you can easily find them in sales, for far less. Yesterday I saw a Razer black widow with no numpad for $40. And right now I see a $120 Ducky, for only $80. And a the Black Widow with Numpad, for $70 instead of $100. The one I would suggest to you, is called a CM Storm, Quickfire Rapid. It has no backlight, and no Numpad, but it is a great keyboard, and I have seen it dozens of times on sale for $45-50. You'll need to decide which switch type you want, between Blue, Brown, Black, and Red. Just go on youtube or google and look up a comparison. I'll just say do not get blue if you need it to be quiet.
   
3. Monitor(s) - You may be able to exclude this one. You can live without one if you have personal access to or ownership of a 1080P TV with an HDMI or DVI input. And you may already have a monitor from your old PC. You'll want one that's 1920x1080(or 1200), but you can use an old one for the time being, as long as it's of decent resolution. And again, you can easily find deals on nice monitors at the subreddit I mentioned earlier. I see 4 on sale right now, just on the first 2 pages. Even my main monitor is on sale, $250 instead of the usual $280. I bought mine on sale at $260 when it was going for $300 earlier this year.
   
4. Controller - First off, if you are a PC gamer that plans on playing more than just FPS, MOBA, and RTS, then you need a controller. There are tons of platformers, racing games, and third person shooters that play better with a controller, though don't always assume that all 3rd person shooters are better with a controller, because that definitely isn't the case, especially with the newer square enix games. I would personally suggest a PS3 controller because of how you can set it up with the method I mention in THIS post. You can basically get it to the point where you turn the controller on, and it immediately works in all games that claim controller support, wireless over bluetooth. You can get a new PS3 controller for as low as $35-40, and a bluetooth adapter from $5-10. You can avoid the adapter if you choose to use it wired instead. But you may be dead set on using a 360 shaped controller. You'll need a official wired controller if you don't already have one, or the wireless adapter which goes for $20-30. And I'm assuming you already own a wireless 360 controller. Another thing you might consider, depending on when you build you PC, is the brand new controllers from the next gen consoles. I know for a FACT that they both worth with PCs, but they may or may not release drivers. Microsoft already said that they wouldn't have PC support at launch. So there probably won't be instant support, but there will be driver packages popping up similar to the one I linked above, within the first week after launch, from tons of coders. The problem is that the XB1 is still using their own wireless, so it will NEED a wired controller, or an official wireless adapter. The PS4 on the other hand, is still using bluetooth, so it will work with the same bluetooth dongle you need for the PS3 controller now. The new controllers will be $20 more expensive, but the PS4 pad in particular has an incredible amount of additional potential. It has a clickable touchpad, a speaker, and a multicolor LED light bar. I'm 99.99% sure that we will eventually see a driver application that allows for the control of all 3 of those features, along with the standard controller functions. If I were you, I would get a PS3 pad now if you build before late November, and replace the controller after the PS4 releases, and use the same bluetooth adapter.

FF tactics is a great one, though it's far inferior to the PSX version.

I can also whole-heartedly recommend Golden Sun, though it's not as deep of an RPG, it's extremely fun. Etrian Odyssey is as hardcore as they come, so it may or may not be your cup of tea. You actually explore and draw your own dungeon maps in it, and the class combinations are nuts.

If you aren't a big fan of JRPGs, you probably won't like The World Ends With You but you'd be doing yourself a great disservice if you skipped it.

There's also Chrono Trigger, which, if you never played it, deserves a chance to be seen. It is definitely an old school JRPG though.

FF3 and FF4 are both great if you like that kind of thing, but if you're not into JRPGs, again, you probably won't enjoy them.

I really loved the most recent Dragon Quest, even though it is decidedly old school and very much a JRPG in the traditional format. But it does a lot of things well, and the class system is deep and rewarding.

Bioware made a Sonic RPG, though I haven't played it so I can't recommend it.

The Castlevania games are all awesome, but they're RPGs like Diablo is an RPG.

With NVIDIA GeForce Experience, a free piece of software that works for any GTX 500-700 series graphics card will configure almost all games for you with the push of a button. You can build a PC for around $560 that is 26.1 liters, or if you're really concerned about size $600, which will be 14 liters which is still about twice the size of the XBox One, but it's still very mobile. You can access Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, sports livestreams, a PC access pretty much all of the media either console can, unless I'm missing something. Using a PC isn't as difficult as people say it is. As long as you don't accidentally download crappy toolbars that bog down your web browser it's pretty easy, and you can, like I said before use GeForce Experience to do all the work for you. There are just as many, if not more casual games on PC compared to console. you can play something that's somewhat casual like Titanfall, or you can play side-scrollers like Fez, and Starbound. You do need a keyboard and a pointing device, however you can get a standard keyboard, you could get something along the lines of this which is not smaller than most keyboards, but it's wireless, and has a built in trackpad. If you have tiny thumbs you could use this. You can even use a wireless 360 controller as a pointing device, and use a chat pad as the keyboard. With the advent of steam joining another player's game is just as easy as on a console. If I see one of my friends is playing Borderlands 2 I can launch it up, click on his name, click join game, and I'm in. No pre-configuration required, just a steam account.

> Is there a standard controller that will work? (Would a Playstation controller work?) I would prefer not using only a keyboard.

You'll want this. It comes with the officially licensed Microsoft wireless adapter, which works very well with Windows 7/8- no drivers needed. Also, then you can buy more Xbox wireless controllers and sync them to that adapter for multiplayer gaming, so you're saving USB ports. Here's a list of games that are mostly controller supported on Steam, and here are the full controller support games. Don't be scared off by "partial controller support-" that just means usually you have to still use the mouse or keyboard to get into the game, but once you're playing the controller is all you need.

> Are there many mainstream games for PC that have local split screen multiplayer? (to my understanding local means on the couch on one screen playing with friends) If so, how many can play?

I really have no idea about the mainstream space, but there are a bunch of great indie games that have multiplayer local coop- Spelunky, Sportsfriends, and Castle Crashers to name a few.

> The ideal setup I have in mind is a desktop connected to my HD TV. What would be a good computer... sitrep(?) that could accomplish this?

/r/buildapc and /r/buildapcforme are great resources for information on this kind of thing. Make sure to check out their sidebars for starter FAQs and stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325260426&sr=1-1

I've been using these for nearly 6 months they are pretty awesome for gaming. I also have some turtle beaches for my xbox but they just feel cheap the sound quality is nothing compared to my G930 Logitechs the wireless feature is really nice especially if you play WoW(you can stroll around your house whilst still talking on ventrilo/Skype which is handy for those quick sandwich breaks without anyone noticing).

http://www.amazon.com/Ear-Force-Wireless-Headphones-Xbox-360/dp/B004F4BBEG/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325260669&sr=1-4

My headphones that I use for my xbox/laptop. If you can afford the G930 Logitechs do get them they are super comfortable even after 8+ hours of gaming and the noise cancellation/surroud sound is amazing. Also about the microphone its really decent quality and there is a handy mute button on the side of the headset that you can easily press if you want to talk to someone without it going through your mic ;)

Edit: Not sure why but they are $139 on US amazon and £139 on the UK amazon( Im from UK and I just noticed the lower cost on US amazon zz)

I have a pair of Razer Carcharias

I had a few cheap sets over the years, and was frustrated by lack of quality of them being uncomfortable. I picked these up after reading many reviews, and on the recommendation of a guy I worked with (he later decided to upgrade to the Megalodon's, but returned them because he didn't feel the difference in quality was worth the increased price.)

These things are very comfortable, the quality of sound is good, and the microphone produces high quality voice. The one downside is that the sound tends to be a bit 'boomy' - there is some exaggerated bass.

I do use them for everyday listening as well as gaming, and they sound quite good. However, for a more 'accurate' listening experience I also have a pair of Grado SR60s which are more portable, but honestly the Razer set sounds just fine.

I'd also recommend looking into some of the Sennheiser sets - I've seen them get great marks, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

San Andreas was designed for the PS2, but it's the mods that make it for me. I'm playing through Vice City at the moment and I'm using this controller. Exactly the same design as the DualShock, I find it much more comfortable than other controllers like the 360 one. I find driving more comfortable with a controller, though I feel the on-foot controls are better with a keyboard. Can't do both though so I just stick with the controller. I grab the mouse whenever I need to do some precise aiming though so it's the best of both worlds :).

I've heard nothing but good reviews on the Zalman zm-mic1 even though it looks and costs nothing like quality. I've also heard several sound samples of it and it does backup the reviews. Then it's just up to finding a good pair of headphones. I'm currently in the market for headphones and a mic aswell but I have a bit of a bigger budget. A lot of people suggest the Audio Technica AD700's but I've seen mixed reviews especially when it comes to the headphones fitting properly. If you decide to go for a regular pc headset where the mic and headphones are attached I suggest you steer clear from the Razer Carcharias, it's what I currently have and the audio leaks into the microphone so people on the other end can hear what I'm listening to at low volume. A friend of mine recently go the Corsair HS1 and it sounds really good according to him, but he hasn't been able to use it's mic yet.(his soundcard is a bit fucky) I don't think you can get a really definite answer to what headphone/mic combo is the best because everyone has their own taste in sound. Just try to avoid any phones that have "gamer" plastered all over the box because they generally won't be good for anything OTHER than games.

As a side note, in the end of my hunt for a good pair I'll be going with the aforementioned Zalman zm-mic1 and a pair of AKG K240 MKII's...one major attracting point for these headphones for me is that the cable is modular so when I inevitably break it (I have bad luck with headphone cables) I can just swap to the 2nd that's in the box.

I've used these: Sennheiser PC350 for a number of years now and it's easily one of the best purchases I've made. I can wear these things all day and not even notice. They actually fit completely around my big monkey ears too, and are very comfortable. One review I read mentioned about them feeling like the loins of Jennifer Lopez, and while I don't know if its true, they are really comfortable.
As far as the ones you've listed, I've heard good things about those two Logitech headsets, and like most other people have said, I try to stay away from Razer.

Edit: Going to add that I've had these Sennheiser PC350's since October of 2008, and while working from home and extensive gaming (multiple hours a day easy - forever alone) they haven't failed on me yet. Comfortable as hell, and the wire connecting to the PC is actually a lot thicker than other wires. I've ran over it plenty of times on accident and haven't put a dent in it.

This is precisely with I think places like /v/ have much better conversations than /r/gaming in general. Whenever a movie-videogame thread appears nobody goes into this "better-than-thou" attitude. Everybody knows it's a joke, everyone does it for fun. Nobody is trying to appear all smart and intellectual because they are repeating what's already obvious.

It really is fun to see people speculate about which actors would play which characters, for example.

Also, Bioshock:Rapture is proof enough that quality adaptions are possible as long as you have talented people behind it.

might I recommend the excellent bioshock rapture by john shirley?! believe it or not, the audiobook is quite good as well; narrator seems to shift his accent to mold to each decade the chapters take place in. i truly enjoyed both mediums. great prequel story to jump into, as long as you've played some of the games.

About gaming accessories, it really depends on what your budget is.
You can get a decent mouse for $30-50, but the "good" ones are probably closer to $100.

I don't have any specific recommendations for mice since I'm using an MMO mouse when I play Starcraft2, but it works pretty well for it. I wouldn't especially recommend it for playing SC2 though since it's relatively bulky and has A LOT of buttons that are kind of useless for SC2 out of the box. The Razer Deathadder is probably a better solution specifically and not all that expensive, although if money weren't an object I wouldn't mind having a Steelseries Xai Laser Mouse either. ;p

Keyboards, I'm using Steelseries' G6v2 (amazon link here) and have been quite satisfied with it so far. I hear a lot of people say good things about Filco keyboards and recommend them over the one I end up buying, but I don't know what specific model people are thinking of. Doing a search for Filco leads me to believe you'll be paying closer to $150 for one of their keyboards though.

Ultimately, have you asked this gamer what they may want? ;p

I actually use an N64 on my PC for games like Persona 4 (emulated) and Street Fighter IV. USB-N64 adapters can be found for around $20. This Amazon listing appears to be the same converter I have, and you can find it listed on eBay by searching for "N64 USB" (sans quotes).

Warning: The vast, vast majority of N64-USB converters out there (mine included) tend to be rather hit and miss. I wouldn't call them "garbage," because when they do work, they work beautifully. The problem is, they only work with a small percentage of controllers. This isn't a problem with the adapter, but rather, it's due to the way that Nintendo manufactures the controllers. The converter that I use (linked above) only works with one of the five N64 controllers I have tried it with.

The exception to "n64-usb converters only work with a small fraction of controllers," I have been told, is the adaptoid. (You can find it by searching "adaptoid" on Google or eBay search or whatever.) This converter supposedly has 100% compatibility. However, it is out of production, very rare, and very expensive. When they pop up on eBay they usually go for $80+

In short, I would advise against trying to get a bunch of N64 adapters for you and your friends. If you're lucky, you might get one of your controllers to work with an adapter, but don't count on it.

If your friends have Xbox 360 controllers or PS3 controllers, those can be used. If you have a bluetooth adapter for your PC, Wii controllers can also be used. Xbox controllers can also be easily modded to work with PC. (The connection they use is actually USB, it just uses a proprietary plug.) If you have any of these controllers lying around already, I'd recommend using them just because you can, but I wouldn't recommend going out and buying them because they're more expensive than what you'd get from Logitech.

Word of advice about N64 controllers, if you find yourself using them (either with the actual console or because you got a working adapater): the joystick tends to become loose and worn out on the inside from age. If you ever see powder or a pasty build-up around the joystick's seat, that dust is plastic that is being ground up inside the controller. The best thing you can do for an old N64 controller is to replace the joystick. I bought new joysticks on eBay, $6 for a set of two, and installing them makes old controllers feel like new.

Sweet. Had been planning to get X3:TC today for the price that it had been throughout the summer sale ($10), but I was good and made sure to wait until the last day.

Best part?
I've got this out for delivery right now, so it should be an awesome afternoon.

Something like this: http://smile.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW?sa-no-redirect=1

I am more interested in using it for cleaning my computer, but if it is "safe" to use on some of my knick-knacks, I am all for it! Plus it will save me money long run.

Edit: I found an ESD safe one that is probably even better for my precious: http://www.poscleaning.com/BRAND-NEW-ED-500-ESD-DataVac-ESD-Safe-120VAC-Electric-Duster-ED-500-ESD.htm

The Playstation Gold headset is awesome. Very comfortable, great battery life, great sound and the mic is excellent.

Really if you do some research and buy half of your parts used you could save some good money. Thats what I did. I got my ram, case, motherboard and power supply used from ebay/craigslist and hard drive refurbished from the manufacturer. Saved some serious money.

Then I got a 360 controller and wireless all-in-one keyboard like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-920-003070/dp/B005DKZTMG

So when I'm tired of being on the computer I just watch tv or play other games there, and use that keyboard to type quicker.

And if you're a fellow pirate its easy to download whatever movies you want straight into it :)

Another cool thing to do is have a local shared folder between your computer/laptop and the media pc to toss movies and other media in there as well as other files.

As someone who has a Vive, that can't be further from the truth. Yes there are a lot of games that look short and simple, however that's just like games on just standard play. Elite: Dangerous goes from Gorgeous to Awe Inspiring in VR, IL-2 because ten times more hectic and nerve wracking in VR, Fallout 4 feels so much more immersive. You literally wont notice those small issues once you have the headset on and are walking around a bombed out Boston, taking potshots at some raiders.

VR right now, is pretty definitely worth the price of admission if your computer is already beefy enough to run it. I even recommend several games:

• Hot Dogs, Horseshoes, & Hand Grenades (H3VR): Simple, fun, and a surprisingly accurate gun simulator. Guns behave rather close to the real deal, sans shoulder pains and holy fuck recoil, and makes you think about how a weapon works and what you'd use them for in combat.
  
  
• Beat Saber: Super simple, easily learned and hard to master, rhythm game. Anyone with two functioning arms can play this game and be good at it. Anyone who is either masochistic enough or only has one arm can play single saber mode where it has the same track as normal, but they are all one color, meaning you need quick and agile wrist movement to hit your target. Download some mod tracks, take it to a party, pipe the music in and legit you get to liven the place up.
  
  
• IL-2 Sturmovik: This game never ceases to make me feel like a badass even though I piss myself in fear every time I play. Does have a start up cost, pretty much mandating the use of a HOTAS.
  
  
  Edit: Formatting

here is a good start for custom key maps except change throttle incitements to X10. This is what I started with and have made changes since, but it is a good start. If you get into the game my buddy has this flight stick and I used it and liked it. I plan on getting it for the game soon. It's a cheaper flight stick and seems to do the trick for this game. Try to appreciate the sound track too. I love turning the lights off and and putting my headphones on flying around in this game.

Congratulations on your 6 months clean! Consider getting PlayStation+ and grabbing the free games every month. If you subscribe before Tuesday when they update with July's games you can grab the June games. I've been having a pretty good time with NBA 2K16. You'll need PS+ if you want to play online anyway. One year is $50 but there are sales sometimes. (You may have gotten a free trial in the box.)

My game recommendation is Rocket League. Lots of fun and endless challenge. Personally, I'm horrible at it but after many hours of play, including lots of frustration, I still have fun (especially playing "Snow Day" where aerials are less important).

If you are really willing to make an investment, I will recommend the Sennheiser PC 350 http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO

Amazon has them listed at $149 down from $229.95

I've had mine for about 6 months now and they are a dream. They extremely comfortable. I forget I am wearing them. They also have excellent noise cancellation [CAUTION: I have missed phone calls while wearing these]. The audio and voice quality are also excellent.

Good luck on your search!

This

I got it on a holiday sale for cheap but it's fucking great. can use it for anything. good battery life. decent range. I HIGHLY recommend it. Also fits comfy.

Probably the best consumer wheel for PC

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-941-000045-G27-Racing-Wheel/dp/B001NT9TK4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1266699936&sr=8-1

These guys also make a solid product

http://www.fanatec.de/html/index.php?id=230&lang=

If you wanna go all out, this one is pretty high end

http://www.frex.com/gp/ffbwheel/index.html

If cost is not an issue, Try iracing

http://www.iracing.com/

For an example here is a video of a championship race in iRacing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W5F_GeyIMM&feature=player_embedded


If you really want to go all out, try for something like force dynamics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1iEtjs6S80

You can buy something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Built-In-Multi-Touch/dp/B005DKZTMG

Try to think of it like a remote for you TV.

Had to add this, it is pretty easy to do too, this 3 year old turned on the computer, started his favorite movie, and then started his favorite game: http://i.imgur.com/am0LYaZ.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Carcharias-Gaming-Headset-Black/dp/B001PTH0VW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344210837&sr=8-1&keywords=razer+headset

its more than 50, but its well worth it. had mine for about 3 years and the sound is still amazing

one of the most comfortable headsets too

It's pretty nice if you connect your PC to your TV, get one of these and a Xbox controller and you can lean back in your sofa and use your TV to play. Pretty nice for single player games like the Fallout series and emulators.

This is what I have for my PC It works great and I love it

ASUS VG248QE 24" Full HD 1920x1080 144Hz 1ms HDMI Gaming Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2HH7G0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_r8TQzb9PMFFRV

This is similar to my second minutes, works great with my ps4

ASUS 23-inch Full HD Wide-Screen Gaming Monitor [VX238H] 1080p, 1ms Rapid Response Time, Dual HDMI, Built in Speakers, Low Blue Light, Fliker Free, ASUS EyeCare https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANKMNXO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_s-TQzb799A81W

They always do their best to replace my broken items. Logitech is the only company I trust. Not to mention their products last a LONG time, high quality and durability.

All my peripherals are Logitech now. The only problem I ever had with their product was the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick. Fuck that joystick, FUCK IT! I had to replace FIVE of them in less than a year span. It was still awesome, but they broke every two months. While they worked it was the best joystick ever. Thankfully Logitech support understood it was crap and replaced them all free.

I just got the Logitech G930 which is now on sale for less than I paid for it

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY

Great 7.1 headset, fits comfortably and blocks some outside noise. Wireless is pretty awesome if you have never used it.

there is adaptors that you can buy, most people don't like them, and the truth is that it only takes a few days to start getting good with a controller.

I was never as good with a K/M when I used to play CS 1.6, and i played it for a long time.

But Check this adapter out it has some pretty good reviews and for the price of a controller it might be the thing just for you.

The DS version is the best one to get. Everything from the PS1 version with all the advantages of the SNES version in addition moving all of the menus to the second screen, a fresh translation, an automap, and run enabled by default. It's fucking excellent.

It's also extremely affordable.

I use the Logitech Extreme 3d Pro for flying in Arma 3:

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-963290-0403-Extreme-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U

I wouldn't say I put it through a really heavy gauntlet of use, but it is holding up well, has a ton of function buttons, and feels comfortable and effective. I'd recommend it for all of that plus the fairly low price.

Agreed. I had a Nyko Airflow for years, and I loved it (that fan really does a good job of keeping your hands dry), but when I eventually switched to a 360 controller (because everyone said it's better for driving games in Windows), I was like "why didn't I do this YEARS ago?"

yes that will work fine. When you go to map the controls, you will pretty much have to map it like a gamecube controller (c buttons to right stick and z to one of the bumpers)

You could go with a cheaper controller if you want to save money: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Dual-Action-Game-Pad/dp/B0000ALFCI/

May I recommend this beast of an air blower? It's 3/4ths as powerful as a horse. And like a horse it should only be used outside. My dad's favorite gift I've probably ever given him.

To this day the X-Wing series are some of my all time favorite games. You may be interested to know that the series is for sale at Good Old Games and works on modern PCs.

https://www.gog.com/game/star_wars_xwing_special_edition

Having purchased them when they came out, I have to say... the graphics are as bad as you think, but the gameplay is still as sweet as you remember.

Edit: And if you can't find your old joystick, they're still sold on Amazon... I have this one. Edit2: lol, out of stock. >< Here's some others.

It's my favorite game... ever. So anything I say will be incredibly biased.

Go over to /r/elitedangerous just keep in mind that its currently in Beta (Going full blown in 3 weeks), and the current build is kinda shitty so there are a lot of people who are pissed off.

About the Xbox controller, I havn't used it, but many people have said it works surprisingly well. Consensus is though that a HOTUS is by far the best option. Good cheap HOTUS here, might help your warthunder performance too.

I use this. For the price, it works great. You just plug it into a USB port, select it in Project 64's controller configuration, map out your buttons and you're good to go. The only issue I have with it is that the four main directional buttons (not the d-pad, but the four buttons on the left side) are a bit too sensitive. I'm sure there's some fix out there, but I've been too lazy to find it.

Good luck!

the ps4 gold headphones.
https://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Gold-Wireless-Stereo-Headset-4/dp/B00HVBPRUO?th=1
great coverage. very comfortable for long gaming sessions. can be connected to pc. fantastic headset.

I haven't really heard people mention it too often, but from a year of personal experience, I can say that this will get the job done. Great noise cancellation and it is extremely comfortable.

Razer Carcharias

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY

Thats what I use and I love it! comfortable and surround sound, also has some fun little voice changers.

Way too great of a game to miss. If you don't mind playing games with Super Nintendo graphics (I sure as hell don't) Chrono Trigger will hold up today without any problems, though this is also probably due to the stagnant JPRG archetype. But Chrono Trigger is sooo great. Just pick it up for the DS for like $15 on Amazon.

If you're talking about a PC headset, I REALLY like these

They are really comfortable, it fits around the ear instead of resting on the ear.. and they just use a really comfortable material all around.

>$100 over 7+ years?

Yes, Xbox One is initially $100 more than the PS4. The current generation of consoles came out 7 years prior to the upcoming generation, so it's fair to believe that these consoles will have a similar lifespan. Hence, $100 isn't really that important at the end of the day.

>just like XBONE requires XBox live to play online... and it's more expensive.

I'd wait and see on that. Official pricing hasn't been announced for either console.

>XBox Live is $60 a year for Gold. PSN+ is $39 a year and includes a lot more than Gold offers.

You're assuming quite a bit. They said less than $5 a month for PSN+ on PS4, that leaves a lot of wiggle room. It could $4.99 for all we know, making it the same price as XBL Gold. Also, I don't know where you got that $39 annual subscription fee figure from, as it's selling for $50 on Amazon. I'm sure you can get it for $39 annually, but there are deals available for XBL Gold too, so that really isn't fair to compare the MSRP with a promotion.

>They'll be left out in that PS4 is obviously going to win this console war

lol I had no idea you had the ability to see into the future.

>so they'll have less people to play with

Oh! Wait no that's wrong.

Amazon’s Xbox One preorders almost sell out after just four hours

Xbox One tops Most Wished For Video Games list

>and they'll be paying more for the console and for the online play.

Again, if you have even an incredibly shitty job, $100 isn't really a very sizable amount of money. If you include the cost of the PS Eye ($60), it's only $40 more. And again, that remains to be seen in regards to online fees, but again, the price difference is likely to be negligible (at least if you have any sort of disposable income whatsoever.)

There all ready are...

My amazing Googling skills have turned up this extremely illusive piece of hardware right in the top result!!

http://gizmodo.com/223963/xcm-xfps-xbox-360-keyboardmouse-adapter-in-action

I bet if i changed my search a little i could find one for the PS3 too... let's see..

OMG.. yes it does :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eagle-Eye-Mouse-Keyboard-Converter/dp/B0040UAYI4

I know for a fact there is a way to do this though iirc the article about it said you would probably get better results with a controller since the PS3 version is designed for use with a gamepad. I'll see if I can dig up that article, if I can I'll edit this and post the link.

Edit: Found a couple of threads about it on COD forums and most of them agree that the "best" way to do this is use one of these. Heres hoping that helps!

really really love my sennheiser pc350s. yes they are a bit pricey, but they provide everything i need, and sound great. same drivers as the hd555s (i believe, don't quote me on that one) http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301726025&sr=8-1

I too run my shrine on a bigass HDTV. I recently bought this wireless keyboard/trackpad and have been really enjoying kicking back in the recliner with it. As a bonus it's about half the size of a regular keyboard so it stores easier.

Xbox live is 47$ http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG not 60. Also, it, like plus, offers things like discounts and free games. Also, from my personal experience, I found the quality of Xbox live online multiplayer way better than psn online multiplayer.

Get an adapter like this.

I have a Mayflash Super Joy Box 13 that adapts GameCube to USB. All the buttons and levers work (even the analog shoulder buttons), and it only cost me $5 on eBay. I used to use that to play N64 ROMs... an old classmate burned me his ROM collection. N64 took 6 CDs.

You can try this but I prefer a controller, so I couldn't tell you if it's any good. The reviews are pretty solid though.

Just go to Amazon and buy one of the "cards" using your credit card. I think they just give you the key and don't ship you anything, so all you have to do is redeem the key on your PS3 and you are done. Takes a couple minutes. It may not be as convenient as just renewing through the PS3, but I think its the best alternative.

Link to Amazon page

I got these not too long ago for PS4. I LOVE them, mainly because of how easy they are to set up and use, but even for the price, the sound quality is real nice and they're comfortable. Mic is hidden, so it's not jutting out in front of your mouth, and it works on PC also (only for sound though, not chat unfortunately). I recommend, especially if you can find them on sale. I've seen them for as low as about $50.

Buy something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HZFCT2/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

There are cheaper receivers available but those are almost always cheap knock-off versions of the official receivers.

Microsoft stopped selling individual receivers and now force you to buy a receiver+controller bundle if you want to get an official receiver. Otherwise you can buy from a reseller like the one I linked who seem to buy the bundle, split it up, and sell the two pieces individually.

All of that annoying shit aside I'm really happy with my receiver. I had a bunch of friends over and I was able to connect four controllers at once which lets you do some fun stuff on various emulators.

Yes and no. I've been fighting with one for the past few days, and it seems like a kludge at best to get it working under 64-bit Windows.

The problem is that there is no "official" driver that you can use. You have to use a third-party program (in my case, Motion in Joy), which, in turn, has to install a special bluetooth driver. This driver allows you to pair that bluetooth dongle with your PS3 controller, but nothing else. This is especially problematic if you use a bluetooth mouse with your system, or if you want to play an emulator game with a set of wireless bluetooth headphones...

USB works OK, and there's always the possibility of using a secondary USB bluetooth dongle specifically for the PS3 controller, but it's such a hassle that I'd have to go with other commenters' recommendations and say that an Xbox 360 controller (or wireless receiver) is probably a better way to go for most people.

I just bougth this guy and so far I'm amazingly happy with it. The response time makes more of a difference to me than I expected coming from a TV. My PS4 can't use the 144hz refresh rate, but that mode makes the screen dimmer anyways for some reason, so it's fine for me.

I somehow missed those BenQ monitors in my research before buying mine. They would have definitely been frontrunners beforehand.

As to your questions the widescreen shouldn't look stretched on the 27" as the aspect ratio should still be the same. Viewing distance is a factor when choosing screen sizes really. If you're sitting close to the monitor the 24" might be more comfortable on the eyes.

You mean like this? (PS3/PC rather than XB360, I know.)

Not that I've used it, but it sure looks nice. ;)

Nice.

I lived in the original GT for months after release yet I haven't followed GT5 much and haven't gotten into any other racer since.

At 17, never having owned a car, racing with a gamepad was acceptable. At 30, having become something of a car guy I can't fathom playing a racer without a wheel.

The one I had my eye on has gone up $40 in a week (not entirely unexpected).

It turns the game into a $400 rather than $60 proposition.

Decisions, decisions.

http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Deathadder-Precision-Infrared-RZ01-00151400-R3/dp/B002Q4U5DK

This mouse changed my life.

Add a C4 Ngen Mousepad for a win win combo
http://www.cshyde.com/c4web/C4Ngen.htm

Bought this electric duster 4 years ago for $30. Still running strong and one of the best investments for my PC yet.

Well of course there isn't a 4k 144hz monitor. But for casual play like GTA V and Rocket League you can use a 4k monitor, and for competitive games such as CS you can use a 144hz monitor like this one.

It is funny you say that because for a long time now; Xbox Live Gold codes from Amazon have been ~$3-$4 cheaper than PS+ codes.

And on average, amazon also tends to discount Xbox Live Gold to $35-$40 at least once every month. Also there is account sharing with the X1, so no more paying for multiple Gold subscriptions for a single console...which is why they ended the Gold Family packs a few months ago.

I really like my Razer Carcharias. It is very comfortable and the mic works well. Amazon has it even cheaper.

Really depends on how many bells and whistles you want. The one I have set me back about 35 bucks when I bought it, but isn't supported on all that much. Even on the games I do play that support it, I find a mouse more precise. Still, as you can see on Amazon and elsewhere, they can range anywhere from around $12 USD to $200+.

I don't know if you'd be interested but you can get a USB adapter that lets you connect a Nintendo 64 controller to your PC. They're not the best thing in the world but they're really cheap and they work well (I have one). I would sell you my Nintendo 64 with Ocarina of Time but I just can't part with it!

Have fun!

Hmmm... it'd be a little tricky, because honestly, the way Sony has laid out their stuff is terrible. If you just go to the "Playstation Plus" tab, it'll just show you the prices, even if you already pay for it.

You'd have to go into the online store and try to download either "Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition" or "Secret Ponchos" (those are the December free games for PS4). If it asks you to pay money for those, he doesn't have it, but if they're free, he's already signed up. I'm afraid I don't have a PS4 myself, I'm just a huge gaming nerd, so I wouldn't be able to give you the step-by-step.

You're probably not gonna be able to get him all set up on the service if he doesn't have it, but you can buy a code for it in a retail store, or online, and he can set it up himself. Here's a link to Amazon for the year-long subscription:

http://www.amazon.com/1-Year-PlayStation-Plus-Membership-Digital/dp/B004RMK5QG

Edit: I just remembered - if he doesn't have PS+, he'll actually get some extra content in Destiny, too.

If you buy from microsoft thats true. I just renewed my yearly subscription by buying from amazon and I only paid 46$ with free shipping

Source: http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG

Pretty sure Microsoft announced at E3 that they'll be giving away 2 free 360 titles away each month (to start with, may be Xbox One game(s) when it's released)...

Also, PSN+ is ~$5 a month or ~$60 a year (not sure about exact prices, but that's what this article said), whereas you can get a 12 month Xbox Live subscription for $47.19 on Amazon.

I have PS4 gold headphones they are really easy to use and comfortable too.https://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Gold-Wireless-Stereo-Headset-4/dp/B00HVBPRUO

It was never $60. For the majority of the time, it had a retail price of $40 and easily found for $30 online. Less than a year ago the price went up to $50, easily found for $45, with a sale price of $40.

And regarding performance, my 360 plays BF3 just as good as my computer - that I recently spent $500 upgrading (except for my graphics card) - does

On a side note to anyone who really likes the Bioshock series, the book is really good.

Do you have a budget, and would you be playing too?

The Logitech Momo is a good wheel. I've had mine for eons, although it finally started to die on me (more specifically, the cable got mangled due to cats and I'm too lazy to fix it again) so I replaced it with a far-superior G27 (https://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-941-000045-G27-Racing-Wheel/dp/B001NT9TK4)

If you can swing it, the 900 degree rotation on the G27 is far more fun to use than the 180 degree-or-so rotation on the Momo, but the Momo is a solid wheel, and a good force feedback option for a kid, IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VANOFY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 This headset might fit dat cranium. Wireless, and it expands pretty big.

This. I've had good luck with these.

Best I can do is just tell you that it's $15 at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Chrono-Trigger-Nintendo-DS/dp/B001E27DLM

This is what I use, I have had it for 4 years and it's held up pretty well. Or you can buy a cheap one. I can't vouch for the quality.

The best budget joystick is only $26.

The game plays amazingly well with KB+M in the modes designed for it but the joystick opens up access to Simulator Battles which are probably what you're looking for. I've played a lot more on the tank side of the game (currently in closed beta) so I can't offer an expert opinion but I can definitively say that the way they model damage is very well done. Flight models vary from great simulation to completely broken though but that's an ongoing goal of development since the game isn't a full release yet.

There was a book written, a prequel to Bioshock 1, in which we see Andrew Ryan's descent into madness, a lot of the main characters, and how Rapture started out and became so messed up. Reading it really felt like playing the game, just the style they used. I recommend it.

BioShock: Rapture https://www.amazon.com/dp/0765367351/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_qduKwbP166GKZ

If you loved the setting of Rapture, you should check out the novel that recounts the rise and fall of the city.

Elite: Dangerous remains my favorite VR experiences. (It is plenty fun in non-VR as well.) Make sure to pick up a flight stick. This one is what I fly with, and it is only $30.

I have this, and I absolutely love it

I have a ASUS VG248QE. It costs $244 on Amazon.

It's an old monitor by now but it should still fullfill your needs. It has built-in speakers too.

You might need to install a color profile since the colors can look a bit washed out. Luckily you can find a simple guide on the internet.

EDIT: If you plan to ever use the built-in speakers I suggest a DisplayPort cable as my speakers would make static noise when using a DVI cable.

Is it the Asus VG248QE?

I have one for $150 it's okay, but You can get a used one from Amazon warehouse for $169.69 with a 30 day return period.

There's no guarantee with Craigslist if getting your money back.

ASUS VG248QE 24" Full HD 1920x1080 144Hz 1ms HDMI Gaming Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2HH7G0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mmJHzbDNENR47



Look at used & new options, just slighty below the add to cart option.


Like Drake's album, Thank Me Later.

Consider something like this instead. It seems expensive, but canned air can't even begin to compare - this thing will clean dust out of places you didn't know existed.

No problem at all. Glad I could help!

Just a heads up: The G35 is on sale on Amazon for $92 and the G930 is on sale for $100. For the couple dollar difference, I would suggest the G930, but the decision is totally yours. It DOES look like the G930 has a sturdier build, but the G35looks sleeker.

I would think its evenly priced all over.

The cheapest i can see is Amazon.

There are some cheap ones on eBay but you'll have to pick and choose to make sure its new, from a reliable seller, and not a fake.

yeah, emulation and a set of controllers will be way better than most things you can buy

I suggest the Airflow (they go on sale as they are ugly) for big hands and loooong cords link

The air doesn't do anything and is too loud, but a well made controller

Best headset you can buy for $145

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO

This is my best purchase as a PC gamer:

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B003VANOFY

Astro Mixamp + Sennheiser PC 350

Dolby Headphone is amazing!

N64 controller to USB FTW! :)

I bought a NYKO 80650 Airflow Ex Pc from amazon for $15 that has a built in fan (never used, stupid idea) and is good and solid. I use it for emulators.

edit : I noticed that a review on the Logitec page recommended the same controller as I did.

They're actually much cheaper now. They've come out with this bundle which comes with the wireless controller and usb receiver on Amazon for just slightly ($10) more then a wireless controller alone. I price-matched mine at best buy :P

It's not nearly as bad as it looks. Most of that dust is on parts that dissipate heat more than adequately without any airflow.

There are two real sources of noise to worry about on a PS3: The back fan may have just worn out, or the optical drive has an unbalanced disc in it. If the disc is fine, the drive is probably going out. There shouldn't be any other moving parts in those things.

Since you have it open though, may as well hit that thing with a swiffer for the clumps and then some compressed air (one of these if you're feeling like getting a new power tool) out on the porch for the rest.

In my experience, this nifty little tool is a great substitute for compressed air cans:

https://www.amazon.com/Metro-ED500-DataVac-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW

I bought one of these for the PS3. It works well, but I still prefer the controller on the PS3. Plus, you can't switch between this and a regular controller without pausing, disconnecting, reconnecting the other device like you can on PC.

Just FYI, you can find PS+ gift cards for LESS than $50 in stores (and sometimes online).

^_^ So you can pay LESS than $5 a month.

I got a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro. Playing TIE-fighter all over again is fantastic. Tons of memories and the gameplay is still rock solid.

I don't know why they don't make space sims anymore. :/

I guess it's not as cheap as a VC game, but I point you towards Chrono Trigger for DS my friend. Pretty much the definitive version of the game too. I bought it way back when, no regrets.

https://www.amazon.com/Chrono-Trigger-Nintendo-DS/dp/B001E27DLM

NO SPOILERS, PROMISE:

EVERYONE WHO READ THE BOOK:
Did you know there's a Bioshock: Infinite tie-in in the Rapture book? Page 153, first paragraph refers to "Comstock Mines"! Pretty stinking creative of the author if you ask me.

Edited to pretty-up the link.

If true then I suppose the place I saw that had misinformation. My bad.

edit: except that im not wrong. the xbox amazon prices you are talking about are on sale. sure things are cheaper on sale. but the actual price is certainly more than PS+.

Edit 2: finally found the prices on the actual websites.

Xbox Live

Playstation Plus

so yes, PS+ is cheaper.

There's a book called Bioshock: Rapture written by John Shirley which basically takes you through everything from the construction of Rapture up to the beginning of the first game. It's well written and he talked to the makers of Bioshock while writing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0765367351?pc_redir=1408254382&robot_redir=1

Amazon has them new for like $26 ish I believe.

Here you go

Edit: added link

Nope Xbox constantly does deals on gold on websites like amazon and whatnot, you just have to look.

Thanks!

Something I don't understand, the G27 is cheaper than the G25 set even though the g27 is the newer one... Sources: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-941-000045-G27-Racing-Wheel/dp/B001NT9TK4/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0 http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-963416-0403-G25-Racing-Wheel/dp/B000GP8448/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_1_0

couple friends and I have the Sony PS4 headset.. no complaints.
sounds pretty good considering there's no boom mic. you can just plug the dongle into a computer and it works there too. comes with a standard cable so you can use them with anything else too.

https://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Wireless-Stereo-Headset-sony-psp/dp/B00HVBPRUO

You mean something like this? or this?

This might be of interest: http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-64-N64-2in1-Controller-Adapter/dp/8565000168

For the money this is a little bit better deal if you need the controller, or just want an extra one.

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Xbox-Wireless-Controller-Windows/dp/B004QRKWKQ/ref=pd_sim_vg_7

I can buy a year of Live from Amazon.com for less than $50 right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371086864&sr=8-2&keywords=xbox+gold+membership

I would pay more for PS+.

http://www.amazon.com/Playstation-Plus-month-Subscription-Download/dp/B004RMK5QG/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1371087005&sr=1-1&keywords=ps+plus+12+month+card

The prices are roughly equivalent if you look around.

PS+ is still a better deal, IMO.

It costs more than I would ever seriously recommend for a single purpose peripheral, but if you really want the most realistic racing wheel, you want The Logitech G27.

Games like Indigo Prophecy and GTA3/Vice City/San Andreas don't support the X360 Controller properly. The standard for when they came out was the Logitech Dual Action: <http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Dual-Action-Game-Pad/dp/B0000ALFCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1279370805&sr=8-1>

GTA Vice City & San Andreas also have little companion apps for "Advanced Control" that allow you to properly remap the buttons (the game itself doesn't support any gamepad I've ever used properly).
San Andreas and Vice City

Please note, the San Andreas version app won't work with the Steam version (v3.0) since Rockstar was nice enough to lock down the exe and make it panic quit if any other executable tries to hook it.

If you get the Dual Action, you can also check out the X360CE, which allows you to fake having a legit 360 controller: <http://code.google.com/p/x360ce/>

And use something like this to hook up your N64 controller

Buy a Razer Deathadder. Thank me later.

Sounds like you need one of these then.

I like my Asus VG248QE

You can actually buy a 12 month card on Amazon for $46.90 with free shipping right now. I agree that there is no need to be upset. People complain way too much about a service that is relatively inexpensive compared to other entertainment sources. And for such a low cost the customer service is really not that bad. This kind of complaint is exactly why all the negative comments about Microsoft and the Xbox One are so ridiculous. People have complained so much saying "the focus should be on games," but it becomes obvious from posts like this that consumers will choose consoles based on other factors like customer service, etc.

They purposely don't want you to do it because it would unbalance the game. You can buy a converter like this though

I play TF2 with one of these

I wonder if he used the standard controller to play or a racing wheel.

I use two xbox 360 controllers to play Lego games with my son. Buy one 360 wireless controller, such as [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Xbox-Wireless-Controller-Windows/dp/B004QRKWKQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407593610&sr=8-1&keywords=xbox+360+wireless+controller), as it comes with the wireless dongle

I'm going to assume you're on a budget otherwise I would recommend something like this as a 144hz monitor will make a way bigger difference than whatever the hell "optimized for esports" is supposed to mean. But I would go for a 24 inch screen regardless as 1080p on anything bigger will look grainy.

at first when I saw what this was, I thought "surely it's not THAT powerful" But this image sold it for me

Could you use a flightsim throttle like this? All the buttons on the steering wheel are digital ON/OFF switches so that's not ideal when you want smooth throttle/braking input.



(or just a whole stick/throttle combo such as this if you've got the desk space to spare as it's much cheaper, somehow.)

>xbox controller

... D: After getting a G27 Wheel, I can't imagine playing with anything else again. It's like a completely different game.

I had one of these, but I used a mouse. You know, to make it closer to an even playing field.

Since I'm sick and fucking tired of hearing how "overpriced" this thing is.


The cheapest version is $550:

Core i3 4130t - $130

500GB HDD - $50

GTX 860M - Comparable Card (GTX 750) - $120

4GB DDR3 1600 - $50

Wifi Adapter - $40

Motherboard (ASRock H97M) - $80

Xbox 360 Adapter - $15

Xbox 360 Controller - $45

MicroATX HTPC Case (Still HUGE compared to the AW case) - $60

Windows 8.1 OEM - $80


Total : $670



Now please. Tell me again how you can build a computer this small, with similar or better specs, for half the cost.

Where on Earth are you buying Live where you pay over $150 per year?

With all the deals/specials they have on it you could easily get 6 year of it for under $250 by timing your purchases correctly. It makes your point look pretty weak when you have to exaggerate it by a factor of three.

I recently bought this controller, it is an Xbox 360 controller with the Wireless Receiver as well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QRKWKQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Don't bother getting the Xbox One controller unless you know that you won't want to play without wires.

Xbox Live is $5 a month if your purchase a year Source from their website, bottom of the page

PS+ is $4 if you purchase a year, or $6 if you pay 3 months at a time Source from their website

--------

Alternatively you can purchase either on Amazon:

Xbox Live 1 year: $47

PS+ 1 year: $49

I've gotten better mic and sound quality from a $20 Logitech headset. And I still didn't say the whole company was bad. They do sell more than just headsets. I'm just saying if your going to buy a headset then go with a company known for their headsets like Turtle Beach or one of those types.

Edit: And for the record, its not a sub $50 headset. It costs nearly $80.

You have to look out. 179 is the price for a no strings box. If you buy the 99 dollar boxes you have to pay for xbox live monthly, at the rate of 14 dollars a month for 2 years . That's 336 dollars. For comparison I buy the 1 year family pack and sell one to a friend so I get three accounts 1 for my wife and one that goes unused, for 99 dollars, so I end up getting a year of live for two of us for 69 dollars, which is less than half of that

you can get a year for one person on amazon for 46.40

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG

So it's a lot cheaper in the long run to just pay for the machine

I use this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009OY9U/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d0_g23_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=147EHKTPJJMZMD9CQHVP&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 It more than gets the job done and its really solid.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E27DLM/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_6aTLBbK1PSAD3

Definitely can find it cheaper than this, but link in case you needed it for reference.

This would probably be fine for Galaga.
Logitech Joystick

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009OY9U/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002G1YPP2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0DDMFEHW46DTN9ZP9YQM

This is the one I'm getting, from one of the sellers (listing price $19.25). It was recommended in the IL-2 thread on SomethingAwful, so I trust it.

Just so you guys know, this is a cover from the book Rapture. Not a bad read.

Adding another code to the pile.

>Your code is : ixa4zdexz

Also, link to Amazon reviews which confirm the replies seen here that the analog sticks are both poorly designed and poorly manufactured. This results in malfunction after a few weeks or months. There's plenty of games that don't need the analog sticks though, including most emulators.

Possibly. I have 3 cats... Sooooooooooooooooooo. Hair, hair everywhere. Oh god.

But since I got a new desk from Ikea, it's above ground level so I don't get NEAR as much dust in it that it used to have.

Also, I don't know what you use to dust, but one of these works like a damn wonder. It's expensive, yes, but holy hell in a hand basket does it pump out and and get EVERYTHING out. I use it on everything that has space that could hold dust. I got mine at CompUSA for 49.99$ (same price after Tax).

Just quickly glancing at amazon it is $47

Amazon

If you look around on google you can probably find it cheaper somewhere else.

XBOX Live 46.99 on amazon for 13 months.
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG

Amazon: $46.49

There are a variety of other stores that also sell them for about the same price.

Dongle + Controller = $45 @ Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QRKWKQ/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d1_g147_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1ZBV5KJ68281HR5TM99G&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

There are third party accessories that allow keyboard and mouse control over consoles. I don't know if they're banned at the competitive level, but I imagine that people use them.

Example http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Mouse-Keyboard-Converter-Playstation-3/dp/B0040UAYI4
or
http://www.extreme-mods.com/XCM-XFPS-40-Force-for-Playstation-3-PS3_p_241.html

yea, the book "bioshock: Rapture" briefly how there are "rapture dollars" instead os us currency

Forget compressed air, get something like this

I have the wireless PS4 Headset works well but takes up one usb slot for the receiver. The battery for the head set last about 2.5-3 times longer then the controller.

Avoid gaming (PC and Console) on a tv like it's the plague. Input lag is atrocious, regardless of brand and model. Literally, any monitor is more than sufficient since response time averages around 8-5 ms, whereas tv's go as high as 30 or even 40ms.

In terms of a high-quality monitor, I recommend the ASUS VG248QE

If money's tight, you might want to rethink your spending priorities. That said, you can buy 1 yr membership cards off Amazon for $50.

An upvote to you as well good sir. I see your point. I personally can't get over the fact that I am paying extra to get 100% of my game. I buy a full retail game for $60 and have to pay that extra fee to experience the whole game. Lets give an example of halo. If i buy an xbox an just halo at full price i can only play singleplayer. The least i can pay for online is $8.24. So now to play my game, i have been charged the full price + 8.24. This is about the equivalent of buying an Online pass for a game. If i want to play at a friends house, i have to take my hardrive, but i can't just go over there with the disc if he doesn't have live. This was the same problem with online passes. Lets say you have 3 games for your Xbox, You have to pay an additional $15.58 For each of those games a year for there online gamemodes ( based off a Year subscription) It turns out really the MORE games you own the more Xbox live seems worth it, but back when i with the Xbox original, my poor ass couldn't afford many games, There wasn't that much, And the price of Xbox live was taking away exactly 1 game per year from me. I imagine you can see why that seems unappealing and expensive to some people.

Edit: Better example, 6 games is a reasonable amount for a user, That still means $7.79 extra on every game you've purchased

a) Netflix and Hulu do not require a PS+ account. He literally said that.

b) A yearly subscription to PS+ is $50 per year. Source.

c) The Xbox One requires a cable box for you to watch TV. It does not replace your cable box. The cable box will plug into the Xbox and the Xbox will give you a customized guide. XBL Gold does not include your TV service. You still have to pay your cable bill through your cable provider.

d) The Xbox One uses DDR3 RAM, the PS4 uses GDDR5 RAM. GDDR5 RAM is a form of RAM specifically for computing graphics. DDR3 is RAM used by any given computer for doing normal tasks. That means the PS4 has an edge in the hardware category.

e) The PS4 has a cloud service as well. In fact, as of 2014, you can stream games to your console and play them from the cloud without having to download the game (which takes up HDD space), which means no waiting. Even if you do download the game, you can play it while it downloads.

So as you can see, you are wrong on literally every point you've made.

One thing you could do is buy this then challenge him to a match but other than that I don't know of any contest where that happened

http://www.amazon.com/BioShock-Rapture-John-Shirley/dp/0765367351/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377149222&sr=8-1&keywords=rapture+bioshock

"N64 controller to USB" on Google lead me to this.

I should really just google stuff first, eh?

http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-64-N64-2in1-Controller-Adapter/dp/8565000168

Or you could just, well

http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-64-N64-2in1-Controller-Adapter/dp/8565000168

First result on google.

Use this for maximum fun!

For anyone saying you won't hear a difference between the $20 pair and a $150 pair, I beg to differ!

20$: http://www.amazon.com/Ear-Force-Stereo-Headset-Xbox-360/dp/B002PXRXNW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1325116111&sr=8-10

$150: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1325116085&sr=8-3

> hotas

Would this be alright to get started? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thrustmaster-T-Flight-Hotas-Joystick-PC-PS3/dp/B001CXYMFS/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1457975407&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Thrustmaster+T-Flight+Hotas+X+Jo

There are ROMs of it everywhere, but it never made its way to the Nintendo e-Shop. There is a DS version readily available, and there's also an Android version available.

http://www.amazon.com/Chrono-Trigger-Nintendo-DS/dp/B001E27DLM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367542487&sr=8-1&keywords=chrono+trigger

Counter-example

Real gamers use this.

This is your new God

You may need this:

http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-ED500-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/

Forget Canned air. This thing is a beast.

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1370923854&sr=8-2&keywords=XBL+one+year+membership

And 5/month is the quoted price of the playstation network. With the exact same $50/year rate.

Not only is that article a year old, it says Gold gives you discounts...
And it's not even ten dollars cheaper
http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-LIVE-Month-Gold-Membership-360/dp/B0029LJIFG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371890213&sr=8-2&keywords=12+month+xbox+live+card

Stop lying

Why only 2 days? How about 12 months!