Fallout 4: High Resolution Texture Pack (Free DLC) Is Now Available [Notification]

For those that haven't heard yet, as mentioned last week at their site here, Bethesda has released a High Resolution Texture Pack, that is now available for free, downloadable via Steam.

The graphic 'upgrade' includes 'native 1440p' textures [which means the textures themselves are 2560x1440 pixels in size - but remember, textures usually aren't displayed at Full Size, they are squished into say, the sides of a gun, or a sign or other things in the world - even if they cover a large wall in the game, they will usually not display 'at full native size' - and even if they do, they can be repeated ("tiled") to fill in the space of objects needed, in the game world - basically, 1440p textures should make the game look great]. It also includes Enhanced Draw Distancing and God-Ray tweaks [those glow-y, streaks of light, showing up especially when a source of light is behind something, such as the sun behind trees or buildings].

Now, up until this release, I personally was playing with SweetFX a lot in FO4, having fun increasing Sharpness and Shading, dealing with the Aliasing, taking Screenshots and 'Realistic Photos' and 'Close-Ups' (with Depth-Of-Field, etc) of some of the Characters in the game. These can be found here, at a slowly-growing Flickr page I started for The Blog. A couple examples of these, taken with 'SweetFX in ReShade' are just below - I look forward to what the entire game could possibly look like with the new High Resolution textures!

Fallout 4 - Mrs. Nordhagen, Settler I - SweetFX in ReShade
(GTAMblog7Photo SweetFX Preset, made available Soon™)
Click to see Full Size

Fallout 4 - Mrs. Nordhagen, Settler I - SweetFX in ReShade
(GTAMblog7Photo SweetFX Preset, made available Soon™)
Click to see Full Size

ReShade by Crosire (reshade.me)
SweetFX by CeeJay.dk (ceejay.dk)
Game Material by Bethesda Game Studios (bgs.bethsoft.com)
Captured by Troy from The Game Tips And More Blog

Since I don't actually have room for it on any of the drives I have Games on at the moment [which seems to always happen when something cool comes out, of course], I will be moving some things around and uninstalling other games I am not playing at the moment, to make room for this big fella...

It is an optional/separate "DLC" download, weighing in at a hefty 58GB installation through Steam. Once I get it going, I will be working on a QualityTest for it, comparing the graphic look between the two versions and what they really look like in-game - as well as the Performance Hit the Texture Pack creates - look for that coming post Soon™ if you are waiting to see what they look like or if it is 'worth the download'; but if you can't wait and want to get started seeing it yourself, go get it via Steam for free now, here.

This free download, by the way, is - in Bethesda's own words, "...a love letter to our amazing PC fans that have supported us – not just with Fallout 4, but across multiple decades and games...". 

Right back at ya', Beth! 

"Thank You" ~ Sincerely, The Game Tips And More Blog

Header and Footer Images captured by Bethesda, from their example screenshots of the High Resolution Texture Pack

And More: Deals and Sales - Free from EA, Battlefield Hardline's Betrayal Expansion/DLC, Until July 12th [Notification]

Just a quick Notification, for those interested in Battlefield Hardline, that an Expansion for it is currently being offered Totally Free from EA via their "On The House" promotion:

Screenshot of the Information Panel in the Origin Client for the Battlefield DLC/Expansion, Betrayal
(Click to see Full Size)

Free right now, EA is offering the Expansion for Battlefield: Hardline called Betrayal, which features 4 new maps (Thin Ice, Chinatown, Cemetery and Alcatraz), 2 New Vehicles, New Weapons (Personalize up to 5 Weapons with the Gun Bench and Test Weapons in the Gun Range!), New Assignments, New Camos, New Paints, and more [Inquisition Swooooord!lol]. While it does require the Base Game Battlefield: Hardline, even if you don’t own Hardline itself, you can Add it to your Origin Games Library and then Download it when you get Hardline in the future. If you are a Subscriber to Origin Access, you already have this available, for 'free' (it is part of the Vault Games available to you).

The Expansion/DLC itself was originally released in March of 2016 and although it may not help with there only being a handful of servers in North America on PC with a high number of players on them (there are a lot more if you are part of the EU), it is still worth going and grabbing [in my opinion, especially if people end up coming back or playing more in the future. I have already seen an influx of new players, thanks in part to EA's recent Up-to-75% Off Sale and DLC Giveaways].

I have also been working on a "One Sentence Review" of all the Weapons in Battlefield: Hardline that I want to post here at The Blog in the future; but for now, if you are interested at all in Hardline, grab this while you can - and See You In the Game!



[Personal Note: I am not affiliated with, nor receive any benefits of any kind from EA/Origin (check the Links, there are no 'Affiliate Tags' or anything on them); I am merely an enthusiastic gamer who tries to pass on information to other gamers, when I can. Enjoy, dear reader.]

And More: Deal and Sales - Battlefield 4 Expansion, Second Assault is Free from EA - Two Days Left [Notification]

Just a quick mention, for those who didn't catch it yet or for those who play [or never stopped playing!] Battlefield 4: Second Assault, the Expansion pack that adds Four Maps, Five Weapons, Ten Assignments and more, is currently being given away Free from EA/Origin until the 28th - that's only two days left to go get it!

Battlefield 4: Second Assault Expansion Pack Information Panel
in the "On The House" Section [ Free Games > On The House] in EA's Origin Game Client (Click to see Full Size)

Note that you need to already own Battlefield 4, as this is an Expansion Pack, but you can still get it now - even if you don't own BF4 - and play it later. Go and Download it now! GOGOGO

Battlefield 4: Second Assault Expansion Promotional Wallpaper by EA, Unedited
(Click to see Full Size)

See You In The Game!

And More: Deals and Sales - Free from EA: Battlefield Hardline's Getaway Expansion and Nox [Notification]

Personally, I am fighting a rough cold/flu 'thingy' [to use the medical term]; but I wanted to make sure and post a quick Notification for those interested in these two games, to mention here that they both are currently being offered Totally Free from EA via their "On The House" promotion:

The first mention is an expansion for Battlefield: Hardline called Getaway, which features 4 New Maps, 4 New Vehicles, 9 New Weapons (3 of them exclusive to owners of this Expansion), a New Gadget, a New Melee Weapon, a New Game Mode ("Capture The Bag") and more - although I am sure I saw and used guns like the MP5SD (silenced) just playing vanilla [no expansions] up to this point.

[Me just messing around with some Lens Flare and other minor effects on a Battlefield: Hardline Getaway promo logo image YAH FX]

The Expansion/DLC itself was originally released in January of 2016 and although it may not help with there only being 3-5 servers in North America on PC with a high number of players on them (there are a lot more if you are part of the EU), it is still worth going and grabbing [in my opinion, especially if people end up coming back or playing more in the future].

The second mention is Nox, the Action RPG [think 'like Diablo'] by Westwood Studios (developers of the Dune, Eye of the Beholder and Command and Conquer game series'). Originally released in January of 2000, its' gameplay was very Diablo-esque but with a little humour mixed in as well. It had an isometric view [angled-top-down] and fast gameplay, dungeon crawling with quests and goldz to collect, looking a lot like another successful game series, Fallout (the early Fallout games).
It also had a multiplayer aspect, including an Online Ladder Ranking System just like Diablo2, but I have not personally played this portion recently, to see if it is still functioning or supported.

[Edit: Apparently EA dropped multiplayer and online ranking support for Nox, but such functions may still be available through platform applications like GameRanger. Perhaps I will test these in the future].

[Not too exciting, but an example Screenshot of early stage Nox gameplay, one where I foundz me a Tunic to wearz]
(Click to see Full Size)

I have also slowly been working on a few Quick Tips and some Game Recorder TestRuns that I have been collecting together for a Game Recorder Comparison that I want to post here at The Blog in the future; but for now, if you are interested at all in these two great offers, grab them while you can - and See You In the Games!