Putting the Phenom Out to Pasture: Part 3

Having identified the optimal parts, and coming to the conclusion that either build I would consider would run upwards of $800, I looked at the games I would be planning to play for the next year, and hazarded a guess at the hardware needed to run each.

•  Total War: Rome 2
• Wasteland 2
• Project Eternity
• Shadowrun Returns
• Torment: Tides of Numenara
• Crusader Kings 2

Putting the Phenom Out to Pasture: Pt 2

After identifying my ideal desktop build, I identified that I could go with a mITX build from a boutique builder called the Revolution. One of the advantages of mITX is portability. I thought about laptops, and found this set of reviews on Anandtech identifying the best values in recent laptops.

Memorial Day

Taking a day to remember the fallen.

Putting the Phenom Out to Pasture: Pt 1

Intel's next "tick" Haswell is around the bend, and early previews suggest that it's not going to make a significant difference in gaming PCs early on -- the real gains appear to be in the mobile and low-end processors.  My Phenom II system is aging, and between a failed power supply, a long-in-the-tooth Radeon 6800, and limited expansion opportunities, I'm looking at greener pastures.

Apocalypse Survivors

Looking for ganger miniatures for cyberpunk, post-apocalypse, or modern urban games?  Wargames Factory just released an "Apocalypse Survivors" kit to match the zombies in their Dark Futures line.  They're 28mm, and have a range of models and weapons, from melee weapons to pistols, and to AK-47s, shotguns, and M-16s.  They're dirt cheap at $21.95 for 30 models, and they're a lot more customizeable than the zombies.  All in all, these fill a gap in most wargames ranges and provide those civilian models -- or Chaos Cultists -- that you might want to run.  Click here to check them out.

Blood Angels Birthday Cake

Holy moley.  I saw a link to a Blood Angels Birthday Cake, and I had to share it.

Click here for more details and pictures.

Cyberpunk/Industrial/40k/Necromunda Terrain

While looking at detailing my upcoming Shadowrun campaign, I again stumbled across Necromundicon, a site I found when I first started messing around with 40k.  With terrain tutorials covering a range of games, it's actually a great place to get inspiration for terrain for games of your choosing.

Sonic Augmentation

Eidos Montreal and OverClock Remix have sponsored a remix of the original Deus Ex soundtrack, for my favorite price -- free ninety nine.  Check it out.  You won't be sorry.

Shadowrun Returns Photo

I can't decide which photo will be my DocWagon ID photo.  Help me.

Reminder: Secret Weapons Tablescapes

Go give your money to Secret Weapons!  The kickstarter finishes up this weekend.

Here's a review:

The Chosen is a Roadie

Double Fine has teamed up with the Humble Bundle folks to offer the following in a new Humble Bundle, including Steam keys:

• Brutal Legend (if you pay more than the average, $8 as of this writing)
• Costume Quest
• Stacking
• Psychonauts
• Double Fine Adventure/Broken Age (if you pay more than $35)

Double Fine is throwing any proceeds they get at paying for Broken Age, which they have recently announced a delay in the production from (as they were initially releasing in April).  Whether you throw money at charity or at the production of Broken Age, it's a steal.

Shadowrun Bio: Sgt. Preacher

Sergeant John "Preacher" MacNamara is a veteran of the Federal Capitol Police Service. Where other officers view the FedPols as largely a means to an end -- a dead-end job that looks good on the resume of corporate security or the federal agencies, MacNamara has stayed with the force for more than a decade. Younger officers see MacNamara as a legacy from an older age, largely ignoring his well-intentioned but harsh advice. Where the new blood brings an energy and intelligence missing from MacNamara's resume, and MacNamara is rumored to have failed the promotion exam at least five times, he has kept up with the times largely by carving his own niche -- SWAT. MacNamara has replaced both of his arms with state of the line cyberware, and is proud of what he has requisitioned for the department using his own personal salary. He has commissioned an Enfield automatic shotgun with an underslung grenade launcher and various military-grade modifications, and prides himself as the spearhead of any breaching action. Keeping himself at the pinnacle of physical capability, Preacher volunteers for hazard pay at any given opportunity.

Dwarven Forge Final Total

$1.9 Million! Congrats, Dwarven Forge!

Reminder: Shadowrun Returns DocWagon Card Photo

For those of you who backed Shadowrun Returns, don't forget to check your junk e-mail for your Harebrained login. You need to upload your photo by May 10th.