The Game Tips And More Blog: valve

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Saturday, June 20, 2015

And More: Deals and Sales - The 2015 Summer Sales Are Almost Over! [Notice]

Just an quick post as a reminder - or to let more people know, if they didn't already - there are a lot of great 'Summer Sales' going on right now at various game distribution/retailer websites [think of them as 'Winter Wonder Sales' if you are in the Southern Hemisphere!].

Here are just a few samples of deals that are going on (there are a lot more at the individual company websites):

Most of these Sales are going to end Sunday and Monday - so get out there and see if you can find anything you've been waiting for 'to go on sale' - and See You In The Games!

Monday, December 16, 2013

Quick Tip: Team Fortress 2 - What To Do With Those Naughty and Nice Winter Crates (Winter 2013)

By now, most of you have seen these Random Drops, Crates that are either "Nice" or "Naughty" - but, "How do you open them..", you may have asked? Well, this post is just a quick note to answer this question I have already started seeing on game forums and Question/Answer websites. Answer: You Can't Open Them (Yet)...

Soon hopefully, keys should be available for purchase at the Mann Company Store (Steam/Valve/TF2), most likely for $2.49 USD, if keys and dropped crates combinations of the past are anything to go by [I assume they are dropping them now, to allow people to collect some before the keys go on sale - to sell more keys]. So, if you get these [I have already started getting them when playing, hence the screencaps], just wait a little bit longer, until the keys themselves go on sale. Then, if you want to open them, just purchase keys and unlock them! Soon™... (Remember, you will need one key for each crate)

See You In The Games!

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VRAM† USAGE SEEN IN GAMES (1080p)

[This alphabetical list was started to help others know the Highest VRAM usage I measured in games [in my experiences, with a 3GB VRAM GPU at this time, playing at 1080p**]; to know what to expect or to plan for when GPU shopping (updated as I collect more data, last added Pac-Man CE2 and Paladins and Star Wars: Battlefront II after playing the Trial on 2017-11-17]
Battlefield: Hardline = up to 2 GB
Battlefield 1 = up to 2.8 GB (Ultra Settings, GPU Memory Restriction Off)
Cities: Skylines = up to 2.5 GB
Diablo III = up to 1 GB (Highest/Slowest Settings)
Devilian = up to 1.8 GB
Fallout 4 = up to 2.4GB (Ultra Preset, Original Textures); up to 3+ GB (High-Res Textures, Maximum Possible Settings, Note that System RAM usage also increases (up to 10GB seen))
Grand Theft Auto V (GTAV) = up to 2.7 GB (Very High Settings, Limit On)
Guild Wars 2 = up to 800 MB
Gwent = up to 2 GB (High Graphics Quality Setting)
Hearthstone (High Quality) = up to 700 MB
Heroes Of The Storm (Extreme Preset) = up to 2.5 GB, (Ultra Preset) = up to 2.9 GB+
Hitman: Absolution = up to 1.8 GB (Ultra Settings with FXAA)
Hitman: Blood Money = up to 700 MB
Just Cause 2 = up to 600 MB (Very High Settings, 4x4x AA)
Just Cause 3 = up to 2.8 GB (Highest Settings, FXAA)
League of Legends (Very High Preset) = up to 1GB
Left4Dead 2 = up to 800 MB
Marvel Heroes = up to 1.5 GB (Highest Settings)
Minecraft = up to 1 GB
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 (2016) = up to 900 MB
Paladins = up to 1.2 GB (Maximum Settings)
PowerDirector by CyberLink (Application) = up to 600 MB (720p Render), up to 1.5 GB (1080p Render)
No Man's Sky = up to 2.8 GB (Maximum Settings)
Overwatch = up to 1.9 GB (Epic Settings, 150% Resolution)
Planetside 2 = up to 1.2 GB (Ultra Settings)
Rollercoaster Tycoon World = up to 2.5 GB (Highest Settings)
Star Wars: Battlefront II = up to 2.8 GB (Ultra Settings)
Team Fortress 2 = formerly up to 900 MB, TF2 appears to go up to 1.5GB now, at Highest Possible Settings
Tomb Raider (2013) = up to 1.5 GB (Ultimate Settings with FXAA)
Trove = up to 1.2 GB (Highest Settings)
Vegas Movie Studio (Sony, MAGIX, Application) = up to 1.5 GB (720p Render)
World Of Warcraft (Ultra Settings) = up to 2GB
[†**Note that these values are not System RAM ("regular RAM") Usage, they are Video RAM usage (GPU-based, "on the card") and in some games the upper limit is Configurable (eg. Minecraft, et al)]

PC Peripherals I Have Liked, Am Using

Monitor: Samsung (I have liked Viewsonic, LG, Benq, others in the past)
Speakers: Using None (I have liked Creative Labs, Koss, Sony, Logitech, others in the past)
Keyboard: Logitech - I think K120, some inexpensive board, it has soft, quiet keys though, I like that (I have liked Microsoft, Logitech, Gigabyte, others in the past)
Mouse: Logitech G600 - for da'buttonz! heh. G500 is good too, and more comfortable (I have liked Logitech, Gigabyte, Red Dragon, others in past)
Headphones: Kingston Cloud series - alpha I think, great bass/treble and around-the-ear fit (I have liked Creative Labs, Sony, Kingston, others in the past)
**Note - I have not, and will not, be compensated by any of the companies above for mentioning them here in this list; I am merely an enthusiastic user of Gaming/PC products and will use the other brands again in the future

Who Are You In Games?

For those wondering, when I do Game Recording, take Screenshots, or just play and collect Data, I always change my in-game name once in a while, or use one that is 'me' - but noone really knows is 'The Blog'.

The reason why is, I've noticed that when I record with a name that is too obvious, such as "Game Tips And More Blog" or some version of that, people 'act differently'... This is a normal human 'on camera' trait, of course; but I wish to try capture 'the true essence' of the gameplay experience when I record gameplay or take screens - the experience that others would see, if they were gaming [if online, then capturing it how not a lot of people would know them] - so, although it may be nice to say 'hello' or be 'greeted' once in a while... unfortunately for those wondering when or where I'll be recording at a certain time, or what my name will be in a specific game; it will not be obvious... Sorry, eh - I think this makes for more 'interesting' footage though, too - it's 'real'! It's 'raw'! [Hmm.. I wonder if this is how Journalists or Documentarists (Documentarians?) think - I am definitely not putting myself in 'their League' - but it is curious to me now..].

Moved This Button To Here

I used to have this higher up on the Blog, but I don't think it properly reflected my reason for starting this site - I didn't start this site only to make a few dollars, I only added it because I learned that it was perhaps possible to make a few dollars for pizza or other little treats. Before I started this Blog, I was a Security Officer in the past, an IT Support Personnel, and eventually an IT Instructor, helping others prepare for their IT Certifications, being a Gamer all along the way! I have always wanted to help others, and I always seemed to choose occupations that would do so - and I will continue to do so, despite becoming ill. I enjoy helping out - and the main thing here is the information within and that it might help someone, not this. Thus, this button is now down here instead of at the top... If you found my information useful and can Donate towards ordering a pizza someday, great. If you cannot, I still hope that you find my information useful, or that my findings have helped you in some way. I really do. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you find something that helped you, no matter what. Take care. ~Troy from The Game Tips And More Blog