The Battlefield: Hardline Open Beta - First Impressions and Screenshots

[Editor's Note: Work on this article began just after the Battlefield: Hardline Open Beta]

Whew - time to take a breather, wipe the sweat from my brow and crack my knuckles a bit, after some hard gaming with Battlefield: Hardline's Open Beta for the past few days - great stuff! I didn't get into the Closed Beta for this one and didn't hear about the Open Beta until just a little while ago; but I purposely didn't read any press about this game beforehand [to avoid 'spoiling any surprises', or getting my perception of it influenced too much] and I was still able to jump in and have some great fun with this latest installment in EA/Dice's Battlefield series, thanks to the Open Beta from EA. Here then, is my First Impressions of The Battlefield: Hardline Beta - with screenshots!

At first, I didn't really know what to expect - and because I didn't read much about it, I didn't really know what to do at first. But I knew it was a 'Battlefield Game' at least, so as I always try to do in games [and suggest to others new to any game], I followed other players around for a while to start, until I could get my bearings. Battlefield: Hardline does a good job of being helpful to new players though, by letting you know the two teams and what they represent (their emblems and names pop up right away on the screen when you start or enter a match, reminding you what team you are on) and the game does a good job of constantly leading you towards what you are supposed to do (your Objectives of the map/gamemode currently being played).

The Heistening

For example, in the "Heist" level/map type, if you have been put on the Criminals side, it says right at the top "Criminals, Heist" and you are told to "Crack The Vault" as your first step. Floating HUD indicators constantly show you what and where your Objectives are, which in this game type (Heist) are two Packages for your band of rogues to acquire, which is this case are two large duffel bags of money from said vault. Once you "Steal The Package", you are told to take it to an "Escape" Point, where a comrade-in-arms will then fly in with a heli and let down a hook to attach the money bag to ...Sounds like an action-packed scene in a movie, doesn't it -  well, it plays that way too!

If you were put on the Cops team, it would show that right at the beginning ("Cops, Heist" displaying a golden shield/badge), then you are told to "Defend The Vault" and then "Stop The Carrier" (if the Criminals get in and grab the money) and then "Recover The Bag", which in the case of the Coppers, means standing near it long enough ['gathering it up' heh] until a "Loot Returned" comes up on the screen. This 'Loot Returned' message means they are returning it to the bank - right away - which gives the Crooks another chance (as long as there is some of the Time Limit remaining). All of this [for the Cops, in this example] is accented wonderfully, by the realistic-sounding 'narration' of a Police Dispatcher (the Criminals also have the same, in the form of handheld transceiver chatter/updates).

If you've played the Payday game series, you've played this level - but I'm not saying that as a bad thing here. This map has all the hallmarks of a good movie: The Bank, The Vault, The Cops, The Robbers, The Cameras, The Dynamite, The Bag of Money and The Drop Off. Getting to the vault is easy, cracking it is automatic (a drill or breaching charge merely needs to be set); but where Payday spends a lot of time on getting into the vault ("the drill is jammed again"), Battlefield: Hardline rushes past that element [but it's there - and the Cops can dismantle it!] and gets the crooks more quickly to the cash, where the majority of the level is then played with you pitted against the other team, with the Crims trying to get the bags of money to drop off points - or in this case 'pull-up' points, as you are attaching them to helicopter ropes for your comrades to whisk them away - and the Cops are constantly trying to stop them, retrieving the bags to be 'returned'.

Criminal with the bag of money ("the package") in the Bank Vault, with one escape route (through the wall on the right) showing. [Tip: another escape route is created in the ceiling, and a third is simply through the vault front door itself]. Ultra graphic settings! Click to see Full Size

Glancing at the MiniMap once in a while will help you locate The Package (the bag of money, the objective of the Heist game mode); however, if you can't spare the time because you are in a tough firefight (but are close to the location of The Package carrier) look for the 'trail of money' it leaves behind (bills flying slowly out of it into the air - just like Team Fortress 2 and the Intelligence Briefcase in TF2's Capture The Flag mode)

The rest of the level/map continues in this way (with the bags being returned over and over and the criminals attempting to steal them away) until either the Time Runs Out, or the Tickets for the Criminals fully deplete (the Cops get Unlimited Tickets). This game mode then, seems to resemble a 'Rush' mode map - but one where the capture points are no longer MCOMs from earlier Battlefield games, they are the bags of money that the Crims must obtain and relocate. A nice 'cops and robbers' take on the standard Rush formula, it feels fresh; and with the tight [read: small] map size, similar to a Call Of Duty and Counter Strike style level, the action is fast, and furious.

Hotwiring

Did I say 'fast and furious'? Did you like those movies? Do you like fast cars? Do you like hanging out a car window and shooting at the enemy chasing you at high speeds? Do you like explosions? Do you like nachos? Well, you'll find eighty-three-point-three-percent-repeating of all of those things in Battlefield: Hardline's "Hotwire" game mode!

"Ridin' around, listenin' ta' sum tunes", in a Criminal Van (interior view) during Hotwire game mode in the Dust Bowl map.
Click to see Full Size

In the Hotwire game mode, the map was larger than it was in the Heist game mode - it felt more like the 'good ol' Battlefield' maps - it was somewhat larger and with more room to run and places to hide (there was an old Diner and Motel and there are houses literally everywhere, as this map is set in a small, isolated town). There is also plenty of room to fly overhead in helicopters, spotting the enemy and mowing them down with the mounted guns on the sides, or driving around in your muscle cars and dirt bikes, acting as a moving spawn point for your team.

Capturing and then Defending some of the moving control points in the Hotwire game mode (Dust Bowl map).
Click to see Full Size

Speaking of moving spawn points, that's what this game mode is all about... If I wanted to try explain the Hotwire game mode, I would start by saying; think of a typical Battlefield 'Conquest' mode, with flags. Now, picture those flags mounted on the tops of moving vehicles... Since this is a Conquest map/mode, when your allies have captured a flag, your team can spawn from it - and while you have ownership of the Control Point and have more in total than your enemy - your team is slowly depleting the other team's tickets, right? Well now, take away the flags and leave the idea that the cars themselves are the ControlPoints/SpawnPoints - and now you have the Hotwire game mode in Battlefield: Hardline.

Differing from the traditional Conquest game mode type (shown above), the Hotwire game mode in Battlefield: Hardline can be envisioned by imagining the flags to be captured being attached to the tops of cars, which you must 'Hotwire' and then speed around the map in, keeping them away from your enemies and slowly depleting their Tickets.
Click to see Full Size

A chance to use the words 'fresh' and 'approach' to the standard Conquest game type, the Hotwire mode isn't just driving around fast (although it may seem like that at times). The cars speeding around the level are only the Spawn Points (the Capture Points) - "only" in the sense that, if you aren't directly driving or riding in and defending a captured point, gaining score [points] that way, you are free to roam the rest of the map and find and take out the enemy in any way you can - just like in any of Battlefield's Conquest maps.

View from a Water Tower, playing the Professional class (the "Sniper/Recon" class) on the Criminal team, in the Dust Bowl map.
Click to see Full Size

For example, while some of your teammates speed around, avoiding explosions and gadget traps from within vehicles - on foot, the Enforcer classes can roam the area with their powerful shotguns, mowing down the enemy and locating the powerful 'hidden' items like the RPGs and M60s scattered throughout the map. Professional classes can hide in the multitude of houses and spot and snipe out of the many windows, killing from the shadows. Mechanics are a good ride-along partner, defending the roving Spawn Points from within, "foomp-ing" their grenade launchers at enemy-captured Points/vehicles speeding by (and also at other enemies on foot), pulling out their blow torch to Repair after taking some damage, all while hanging out the window of the moving vehicle. All of these things and more, are happening all at once in the tighter-than-previous-Battlefield-games-but-still-mostly-large-enough maps in the Hotwire game modes I have seen so far.

View from above the town of Joad (used for the Dust Bowl map). Click to see Full Size

Points or Experience, by the way, are collected in the form of Cash (money), as you are rewarded for the actions you take, both offensive (capturing points and killing the enemy, etc) and supportive (healing, reviving, repairing, etc) and it not only contributes to Class progression, Cash is the main method of 'unlocking' the gear, gadgets and weapons in the game, as you purchase them over time.

Deployment Screen, showing the Loadouts for the selected Class (in this case, the Operator class [the 'Medic' from earlier Battlefield games]). Cash is earned as the "experience points" used to unlock chosen weapons and upgrades over time (the Loadout above is showing the Criminal "Adrenaline Shot" [the 'Defibrillator' from earlier BF games]). Click to see Full Size

I personally enjoyed playing as the Enforcer class, laying down Breacher Charges (the 'C4' from previous Battlefield games, shown here) on the ground, then hiding in nearby bushes, waiting for the enemy to drive by... then: BOOM! Fiery explosions, sound, smoke and sparks, with the empty body of a charred car flying through the air or even over your head... it was a glorious sight to behold up close - look for a Breacher Charge Explosion Montage here in the future!

The Anticipation

Although it was only a teaspoon-taste of the variety of new game modes, maps, gear and gadgets coming out in the new Battlefield 'side-step' (it's not meant to be Battlefield 5) - the Beta served it's purpose: to get me enticed and excited for the release of Battlefield: Hardline. Sure, some of the old Battlefield problems are there ('rubber-banding' and/or getting killed after going around a corner sometimes, textures not loading properly (or loading blurry) once in a while, etc); but many of these types of problems can still be fixed by release - and if you don't mind looking past those little issues, there is a fantastic game to be had here and movie-like memories to be made...

I already saw in chat many times people excitedly describing something that happened to them: being chased through house after house by a cop and eventually 'losing him' in a tense runaway, a huge explosion as two cars collided (killing everyone within the area), sniping people off of a Zipline as they tried to escape and watching them bounce off the building and vehicles below as they fell... yes, all of these little moments and more experiences await, in the refreshing cops-and-robbers take on 'The Battlefield Formula', in Battlefield: Hardline.


Whether you have already Pre-Ordered, are picking it up on Day One, or are waiting to get it in the future on Sale - I'll definitely See You In The Game!

This GIF is presented in 'slomo'... (50% speed). Make your own Drum and Bass action movie soundtrack backing-track-style noises to it with your mouth, like I do, if you want.

Personal Short Version/Opinion:  

I want to make sure to express two things in this Personal Opinion section - one, the game still has some technical problems. I mention them a bit in the main article, but these are only the little issues I personally encountered (some rubber-banding, getting killed after going around a corner, and some textures not loading properly at times); there seems to be a large number of people who couldn't even get the game to run. From the Battlelog not working right, to the game itself not running properly (choppy, etc), there seems to be big issues with this game for many people. 

While this does not completely cancel out the greatness that is in this game for me, it does for many, and so I want to mention it here. A lot of people are disappointed and upset with EA/DICE and Visceral. To speak on their behalf [the developers] however, I understand the technical hurdles that must be overcome, to make a game/program run properly on thousands, even millions of systems.  

Also, many people have stated how they feel this game is less of a "Battlefield game" than it is a "Call of Duty" or "Counter Strike" game. I do agree that there is a feeling of trying to cater to and attract the COD and CS market, and I can see how the maps have been made somewhat smaller and there has been an attempt to emulate much of the COD/CS tempo of gameplay - but I understand why: they are just trying to make some money. As a business, I can't blame them. As developers (Visceral and EA/DICE), I understand many things are going to be 'simplified' and 'streamlined' for compatibility with Consoles and again; gameplay changes to attract the COD and CS crowd. I get that.  

It is just unfortunate that, for one thing, there seems to be no 'enhancements' for the PC crowd [thus far]. Rockstar attempts this, they try to 'tweak' a game and improve the code and features, to take advantage of the extra power and capabilities that the PC can perform, before releasing to PC owners. That would have been nice here, EA/DICE/Viscreral. But I understand, you have to code for the Lowest Common Denominator [no insult to consoles intended] as you try to make everything compatible on ...everything.  

It's difficult, trying to find a common ground of graphic level, map complexity, and so many other aspects, with so many manufacturers and hardware and architectures and Drivers, etc. it's a very hard job. I am just saddened by the amount of people having trouble with this game, is all. Even people that don't have 'old' systems can't run the game. Battlelog problems block many from experiencing the game from the start. People are crashing left and right.. I want to help so much, I will 'officially' state here, that if there is anyone out there that is having problems after the game is released next month (March 17th, 2015 is the Scheduled Release Date so far), feel free to return here and ask for advice/TechnicalSupport below. I would be happy to try help out (: 

The second thing I wanted to make sure and express in this Personal Opinion section was the sheer delight in many aspects of this game. Yes, it plays more like Call Of Duty and Counter Strike (as mentioned above), but if you played those games - and especially if you were such a fan of those games that you previously stayed away from what you thought were "the slower Battlefield games" of the past - then you might want to try Hardline.. If you liked All Points Bulletin and its 'reboot' as APB Reloaded (with their 'cops-and-robbers' themes), then you will also want to try Hardline.

While teams are usually played against each other as Countries [in previous Battlefield games], it was a nice change to take on the roles of smaller-in-scope-but-easier-to-identify-with "cops" or "robbers" and be pitted against not only the enemy, but also the [heightened importance of] specific objectives (as in the Heist game mode). While I am still looking forward to a less "arcade-y" style, larger maps and 'slower' [more realistic?] pace of a future BF5, I have to say I enjoyed the slightly more hectic gameplay - and Hardline definitely added something to the 'typical Battlefield game' here, with the overall choice to become either the "straight-laced cop, cleansing the city of thieving scum" or "the cop-killing anarchist, freeing the town from the oppressors", as it were. 

Whether you like the faster pace of Call Of Duty and Counter Strike, or you like APB Reloaded - and even if you are just a tried and true fan of the Battlefield series of games; I think you'll find something you'll like in Battlefield: Hardline - I hope they are allowing a Time Demo in the future for it, so that everyone can have a taste of this Battlefield dish. I'm actually excited about the release of this game now, and I hope it turns out to be a source of great moments in gaming for all of you. I also hope that none of you have technical problems with the game at all, so that you can enjoy it in full.  

The Screenshots

And Now - and somewhat as a reward for wading through a slightly lengthy Personal Version/Opinion Section - More Screenshots!

 

See You In The Game!

"Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From?", The Game Tips And More Blog's Game Screenshot Identification Contest, Starts Again Today! [2015-03 - Updated, End Of Contest]

It's somewhere within the first few days of a new month - and that means 

it's somewhere-around-approximately-something-kinda-like-the time for 

The Third Installment of The Game Tips And More Blog's New Contest: 

"Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From?"

(A Game Screenshot Identification Contest)

which starts again today - March 1st, 2015!

All you have to do to win, is contact me in any way you can (eg. Comment on this article below, Twitter profile tweet, email me at GameTipsAndMore@Gma il.com [removing the space]) within the next two weeks, with these three items within your message:

1. Your guess for the game the image is from, as well as just one location it is used (area/map/level name or building name, etc)
2. Any name/handle/alias you wish to be identified by (if different from your ID that you contacted me with) if you win
3. Information on how to contact you back (to receive Steam game gifts, etc) if you win

That's it!

**[Just a quick note to be careful not to include any information you do not wish to share 'publicly' when posting in the Comments area below or sending a Twitter profile Tweet as these messages are seen by 'everyone']

Correct answers submitted for 14 days after the Contest starting time (beginning at the time of this posting) will be chosen from randomly, where one Skillful Identifier will receive this month's contest prize - which is carried over from last month: a gifted game from the Steam online store!

Winners will also be announced in bold, large lettered-text, here on this article and will thereby be immortalized on The Intertubes in perpetuity, proving to all other comers that they were The Ultimate Game Screenshot Sleuth!


Are you ready? Here then, is the Screenshot for this month, below:

[As you can see, the image is a portion of a full screen capture; but don't worry - the image used for the contest will never be too obscure or small (for example, it will never be 'just the end of a wooden log' or anything like that)]

...

Since it has been 7 days without a winner, here is an additional Hint!

Take a look at this image below:

Hint: Here is a larger portion of this month's screenshot and how
things look in-game, unedited (other than 'cut out' from the surrounding environs)...
Click to see Full Size

...

It has been two weeks since the Contest began and there have been no correct submissions! Aww....

To end The Mystery, here is the answer for this month's edition of

'Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From' (2015-03):

The Answer for this month's contest could have been: "Counter Strike Global Offensive" or "CSGO" for the game, and a listed place/source could have been "the Safehouse level/map" (with possibly the addition of "interior, upstairs, bedroom" as terms, but that sort of thing is never required). Click to see Full Size

Come back next month friends, when you can have another chance to be a Digital Screenshot Sleuth in the fourth edition of 'Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From' - and a chance to win the Prize that will be carried over to next time: a gifted game from the Steam online store!

See You In The Games!

(The Game Tips And More Blog Contest Game #2015-03)

Battlefield 4: Double XP Boost Is Now ON [Notification]

Just a quick post to mention that I noticed Battlefield 4 currently has a Double XP Boost going on. Briefly, for those who aren't familiar with what that is (new players, etc); the 'Double XP Boost' means that whatever XP you gain in a round, it will be matched by that same amount, adding to your total XP gained, effectively doubling it!

Double XP Boost Example in the End Of Round Details (the boosted XP is the Folly-coloured second bar)
Click to see Full Size

 

I wasn't aware this had started at all, and so I wanted to make a quick post to notify anyone interested... It doesn't seem to be limited to only 'Wednesdays', as this Battlefield News posting suggests recent bonuses might be ( http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/this-season-on-battlefield-4/ ), because I have seen it 'on' now for the last couple of days straight... It may possibly be related to the Tournament going on ( http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/america-and-oceania-take-on-europe-in-the-2015-esl-tournaments/ ) garnering some interest in BF4 for the moment; but whatever the reason, it's a great excuse to 'finish ranking up' towards that weapon you were working on Unlocking, or just jumping-in to grab some extra eXPerience and relax to the sight of people sliding along the ground or flying through the air from your bullets, bouncing around like some ballet of bulletry.

Whatever your reason to play, jump back in to Battlefield 4 for a moment - and See You In The Game!


Update 1: Just after I created this post, I now see a notification in Battlelog that there is a "2XP Frenzy Event" going on (All Platforms). Although the text in Battlelog forwards you to a Premium page, it appears to be useable even for Non-Premium Players. Thanks, EA!

Origin - In Offline Mode, Online Login Is Currently Unavailable (It's Not Just You)

Update (11:11 UTC/Zulu): EA is investigating the issue(s) - way to go EA!
Update (11:34 UTC/Zulu): Everything Is Coming Up Roses here now (in Canada, eh). I hope it does soon for you too, my friends.

Just a quick post to let you know, if you are experiencing this around 10:00-11:00 hours UTC/Zulu Time on February 14th, 2015 - it's not just you. Origin (EA) seems to be having problems for everybody... I guess I won't be seeing you in the game right now /sadface

Diablo 3 Season 2 and Dream Of Mirror Online - Both Start Today! [Reminder]

Just a quick post as a reminder: Diablo 3 Season 2 and Dream Of Mirror Online both started today! 

Get in there and start levelling - no matter which game you are playing this weekend, have fun - and See You In The Games!

Battlefield: Hardline Open Beta - EA Aware Of Issues, Some Servers Working Already [Notice]

Just a quick post for those playing the Battlefield: Hardline Open Beta this weekend, finding that things were going fine until just a bit ago, and now seeming like they can't join any servers and seeing errors like the one below, noticing that the website (Battlelog) isn't working right, their Stats are gone (Rank Zero), etc...




This is just a little notice that EA is aware of the issue and is working on it. You should find that servers are already coming back up now and things are straightening out already (way to go, EA!). Open Beta has been Extended until sometime Monday night (Feb.9th). Woot!

See You In The Game!

Dream Of Mirror Online - Closed Beta Key Code Giveaway

You asked for it, you got it - thanks to Suba Games and Wicked Interactive - DOMO is back!

Here at The Game Tips And More Blog, we are giving away 1,000 Closed Beta Key Codes, to help celebrate the return of Dream Of Mirror Online.

For this special occasion, we are not just going to give you ONE key, we are going to give you FOUR key codes, so that you can share them with your closest friends - and bring them with you into the return of this anime-themed social MMORPG when its Closed Beta begins on February 13th.

Once the Beta begins, prepare to enjoy these Features of Dream Of Mirror Online:

Just some of the many features to be found in DoMO.
(Click to see Full Size)

To get a 4-Pack of Closed Beta Keys, just send me an email at GameTipsAndMore@Gma il.com (removing the space) and put "DOMO" somewhere in the Subject Line. Some example subject lines are:

• "I want to play DOMO!"
• "I LOVE DOMO"
• "Please give me my keys so that I can play with my friends in DOMO once again"

Then, I'll send you your 4-Pack of Key Codes, which you and your friends can use to Register, via the Header at the top of this article (click on the image at the top of this post, where it says 'Join Now!').

That's it!

The Official Dream Of Mirror Online 'Teaser' Trailer

from Suba Games (October 2014)

Get ready to relive the magic of DOMO - or experience it for the first time - and See You In The Game!

"Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From?", The Game Tips And More Blog's Game Screenshot Identification Contest, Starts Again Today! [2015-02 - Updated, End Of Contest]

It's somewhere within the first few days of a new month - and that means 

it's somewhere-around-approximately-something-kinda-like-the time for 

The Second Installment of The Game Tips And More Blog's New Contest: 

"Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From?"

(A Game Screenshot Identification Contest)

which starts again today - February 2nd, 2015!

All you have to do to win, is contact me in any way you can (Comment on this article below, Twitter profile tweet, email me at GameTipsAndMore@Gma il.com [removing the space]) within the next ten days, with these three items within your message:

1. Your guess for the game the image is from, as well as just one location it is used (area/map/level name or building name, etc)
2. Any name/handle/alias you wish to be identified by (if different from your ID that you contacted me with) if you win
3. Information on how to contact you back (to receive Steam game gifts, etc) if you win

That's it!

**[Just a quick note to be careful not to include any information you do not wish to share 'publicly' when posting in the Comments area below or sending a Twitter profile Tweet as these messages are seen by 'everyone']

Correct answers submitted for 10 days after the Contest starting time (beginning at the time of this posting) will be chosen from randomly, where one Skillful Identifier will receive this month's contest prize - which is carried over from last month: a gifted game from the Steam online store!

Winners will also be announced in bold, large lettered-text, here on this article and will thereby be immortalized on The Intertubes in perpetuity, proving to all other comers that they were The Ultimate Game Screenshot Sleuth!


Are you ready? Here then, is the Screenshot for this month, below:

[As you can see, the image is a portion of a full screen capture; but don't worry - the image used for the contests will never be too obscure or small (for example, it will never be 'the end of a wooden log' or anything like that)]

»»  Since it has been 7 days without a correct submission yet, here is a helpful Hint!

Take a look at this image below:

Larger portion of screenshot for this month's identification contest
(Click to see Full Size)

Hint: This is how the image looks in-game, unedited (other than 'cut out' from the surrounding environs)... 

NOTA BENE: THIS CONTEST HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL THE 22nd! 

The Theme Hospital Professor has chosen to Extend this month's contest, to allow for more time to identify the game and location of where the image above is from - get out there and see if you can find out where it is - and Good Luck!

It has been 20 days since the Contest began and there have been no correct submissions! Aww....

To end The Mystery, here is the answer for this month's edition of

'Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From' (2015-02):

The Answer for this month's contest would have been, "Archage" for the game, and a listed place of usage (the item being focused on) could have been "Walls of Memoria" (with possibly the addition of "view from Gweonid Lake", but that sort of thing is never required). Click to see Full Size

Come back next month friends, when you can have another chance to be a Digital Screenshot Sleuth in the third edition of 'Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From' - and a chance to win the Prize that will be carried over to next time: a gifted game from the Steam online store!

See You In The Games!


(The Game Tips And More Blog Contest Game #2015-02)

Over 2,000 DOS Games Playable For Free At The Internet Archive (First Impressions, some Screenshots and Controls)

Update: Audio has been improved for many games, kudos go out to the Curators at The Archive
Update: Added a few Helpful Controls for the emulation, at the bottom of the article

For those who don't know, there are now over 2,000 DOS-era games that are playable directly in your browser at The Internet Archive, here:

http://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos_games/v2

I have been testing out these MS-DOS games for the past while and want to share with you all what I have experienced so far...

Only a smattering of the huge library of games available to play at the archive

Looking at the huge list of games from my past, a tear almost came to my eye, thanks to Jason Scott, curator of the collection at The Internet Archive. He has uploaded close to 2400 games at the time of this post, to the collection at the first link above. Smiling at the possibility of him making a 2400-baud Modem 'inside joke' (even if he didn't mean to), I quickly found some childhood favourites to try.

The 'DOSbox' Loading Screen at the Archive for the browser-based interface to the games

The games appear to run in a DOSbox emulator, running within a Java-based Engine in your browser. Unfortunately, there seems to be some problems with how the games are running [at the time of this writing]. For me, trying over a dozen of these classic games, all of them had sound that was 'garbled', or 'glitchy', with 'echo-ey' clicks and pops, which weren't supposed to be present [weren't present in the originals].

Title Screen captured from one of the Classic DOS Games playable at the Archive (Wolfenstein 3D)
Click to see 'Full Size'

Although the games looked fine, I started troubleshooting what might be happening with the audio... At first, I tried different browsers. Originally playing them in Google's Chrome, I tried Mozilla's Firefox as well, and then Microsoft's Internet Explorer. In all three browsers, the problem with the audio remained, for me. So, I moved to other troubleshooting steps, changing my audio adapter from the built-in ('on-board') motherboard audio to a more dedicated device (I had a USB Sound Adapter from my Creative Labs Tactic 3D headphones, which I wasn't using at the time, so I plugged that in for a quick test). The problem with the 'static-y'/'glitchy' sound remained. Slash-sigh.

Gameplay screenshot captured from one of the Classic DOS Games playable at the Archive (Prince of Persia)
Click to see 'Full Size'

Just to test if it was some configuration problem perhaps (after updating Java and other drivers), I tried accessing the site from an older XP machine I have. The sound in games still had 'pops' and 'clicks' [at the archive site]... I lastly tried a couple of games on a friend's PC (which was running Windows 7 64-bit, as my system was) and still experienced the sound problem. All of these games from my childhood - and I can't get any of the sound working properly for them, no matter what I do? But I'm sooo close to gaming nirvana! I felt like I finally arrived at Wally World after travelling across-country all this time, only to get a recorded message of Harold Ramis, delivered from Marty Moose, telling me that the amusement park is closed for two weeks for cleaning and repairs... /ShakesFistAtTheSky

Title Screen captured from one of the Classic DOS Games playable at the Archive (Total Carnage)
Click to see 'Full Size'

But, all is not lost... Surely there are other people enjoying the games as they are - as I didn't find many people talking online about having sound issue(s) in a rudimentary search online. Just to make sure my machine wasn't completely becoming a sufferer of Dosphobia (an illness I just made up), I tried some DOSbox-run games that I purchased from Good Old Games [now GOG.com]. Thankfully, Theme Hospital ran flawlessly (when run locally)!

Welcome Screen captured from one of the Classic DOS Games playable at the Archive (Warlords 2)
Click to see 'Full Size'

So, my dear friends, a veritable treasure trove of games exists at The Archive now, and is awaiting to be experienced. Hopefully, you are one of those whom are having no problems at all - and if you are having audio issues as I am ...well just play without sound for now. How? In the upper-right corner of the page, you should see two small text buttons that say "Exit Beta" and "Feedback". Clicking "Exit Beta" will take you to the 'Version One' of the game collection's [Archive] interface. When clicking on a game to play, there should now be a "Mute" button below the area where the game runs. Although the game will run without audio, they still appear to run fine visually [I had no problems on my older dual-core XP machine, running the games themselves, even though the sound problem still existed].

The upper-right corner buttons to use if you are having issues with audio (as I was) or if you are experiencing the mouse not being aligned properly (the mouse being far away from what is shown on the screen). To fix that problem, see the below Tip

If you are having issues with your mouse not lining up properly (not being 'where it should be' on the screen), try disabling the newer Beta interface/page by clicking on the "Exit Beta" button in the upper right corner. You will get a page that should now have buttons below the area where the game runs. Clicking the "Fullscreen" button should allow the game to 'take over your mouse' and align it within the in-game cursor more properly.

Gameplay screenshot captured from one of the Classic DOS Games playable at the Archive (Dune 2, The Building of a Dynasty)
Click to see 'Full Size'

Since the collection is still in Beta, it is understandable that some problems are present and hopefully these glitches will be fixed in the future - for those that experience them, like me. For now, it is still a fantastic effort by Mr.Scott to make all of these Classic games available at The Internet Archive website. Check them out - and enjoy reliving (or experiencing for the first time) a 'Golden Age' in gaming.

Menu Screen captured from one of the Classic DOS Games playable at the Archive (Eye of the Beholder 2, The Legend of Darkmoon)
Click to see 'Full Size'

By the way, because the games are being presented in DOSbox (an MS-DOS environment emulator), this also means that DOSbox keys should work within the Stream interaction as well. I haven't tested all of them, but here are some that may be helpful [and I know these work for sure with the Streaming Archive as I have used them myself]:

CTRL+F10 - Release the mouse (if the game has 'captured' it) and also get the game to 'recapture' it
CTRL+F12 - Increase the cycles the game uses [of the server, since that's where it's running].
CTRL+F11 - Decrease the cycles the game uses.

Cycles are how many Instructions that DOSbox will try to emulate each Millisecond. When running DOSbox locally (on your own system), a window in the background will usually display the Cycles setting the game is on, but as this is an online ("remote", client/server) version, that window isn't seen. If a game is seeming sluggish/slow/laggy/etc however, you can still try increasing the Cycles; but be aware that if it goes too high, it can make the game skip/chug and seem laggy as well. It's sort of a balance you'll have to find [I try to increase it if a game is running a little slow, but if the sound starts to cut out or skip, then I pull it back down a bit, and this seems to give a good emulation speed - this is the same process I use when playing purchased DOSbox games locally, on my system].

For ALL the controls available for the DOSbox Emulator, see this page at the Wiki for DOSbox:

http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Special_Keys 

(Note: I have not tested all of these over the Streaming playable games from The Archive, some of them may not work the same way [when used through the streaming interface as opposed to using them when running DOSbox locally])

Enjoy and See You In The Games!

[Update: During the period of testing and writing this article, some changes have been made at The Internet Archive's MS-DOS Games Collection. It seems that some games are now automatically 'Muted' (the audio is turned off). They can be 'Unmuted' via a button, but this is encouraging evidence that the curator et al. are listening and responding to Feedback that has been submitted at the site. To quote a new piece of text that now appears at the collection's page: "Thank you for your feedback - we will continue to upgrade/bugfix the emulator going forward". Fantastic, in my opinion] 

[Update 2015-01-17: Going back and testing many of the games that I had first encountered in this article, the audio has been improved (less clicking, stuttering) in all of them so far -  kudos to the Curators at The Archive!]

"Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From?", The Game Tips And More Blog's Game Screenshot Identification Contest, Begins Today! [2015-01 - Updated, End of Contest]

[Update: Since it has been 7 days without a correct submission yet, a Hint has been added! (See '»»' ) ]

[Update: Sorry, No Winner this month! The Answer for this month's Screenshot is below

and the Prize will be carried over to next month's contest!]

The Very First Installment of The Game Tips And More Blog's New Contest, "Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From?" (A Game Screenshot Identification Contest), Begins Today - January 5th, 2015!


All you have to do to win, is contact me in any way you can (Comment on this article below, Twitter profile tweet, Email, etc) within the next ten days, with these three items within your message:

1. Your guess for the game the image is from, as well as just one location it is used (area/map/level name or building name, etc)
2. Any name/handle/alias you wish to be identified by (if different from your ID that you contacted me with) if you win
3. Information on how to contact you back (to receive Steam game gifts, etc) if you win

That's it!

**[Just a quick note to be careful not to include any information you do not wish to share 'publicly' when posting in the Comments area below, Twitter profile Tweet, etc. as these messages are seen by 'everyone']

Correct answers submitted for 10 days after the Contest starting time (beginning at the time of this posting) will be chosen from randomly, where one skillful identifier will receive this month's contest prize: a gifted game from the Steam online store!

Winners will also be announced in bold, large lettered-text, here on this article and will thereby be immortalized on The Intertubes in perpetuity, proving to all other comers that they were The Ultimate Game Screenshot Sleuth!


Are you ready? Here is the Screenshot for this month, below:

[As you can see, the image is a portion of a full screen capture; but don't worry - the image used for the contests will never be too obscure or small (for example, it will never be 'the end of a wooden log' or anything like that)]

»»  Since it has been 7 days without a correct submission yet, here is a helpful Hint!

Take a look at this image below:

Hint: This is how the image looks in-game, unedited (other than 'cut out' from the surrounding environs)... The image was initially 'corrected' to display the "person" in the picture at the correct perspective (how a person would be depicted straight-on, as in a painting [for example]). I felt that leaving it at this original angle [of how it exists in the game exactly] would possibly give the answer away too easily perhaps [for some].


[Note: Please do not feel deceived by the above, dear reader, as that was not my intention. I merely meant to display it "how it would look in real life"; much like correcting the angle of a clock on a wall or a painting, straightening it - I did not mean to seem overly deceptive - I want everyone to win! I simply thought that showing it 'at the exact angle it appears in the game' may have given the answer away too quickly, in this case/game. If you feel 'duped' in this one instance, please accept my sincere apologies.]



It has been 10 days since the Contest began and there have been no correct submissions! Aww....

To end The Mystery, here is the answer for this month's edition of
'Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From' (2015-01):

The Answer for this month's contest would have been, "Diablo 3" for the game,
and a listed place of usage could have been "Cathedral Level 3".
Click to see Full Size

Come back next month friends, when you can have another chance to be a Digital Screenshot Sleuth in the second edition of 'Can You Guess Where The Screenshot Below Is From' - and a chance to win the Prize that will be carried over to next time: a gifted game from the Steam online store!


See You Next Month - and See You In The Games!


(The Game Tips And More Blog Contest Game #2015-01)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as We Go Together into 2015

To all my dear readers in this holiday season,

I know that at this time of year, I usually like to share Deals And Sales going on and talk about (or make tutorials for) the Winter/Holiday Events going on in games right now, to help others out... But I must apologize - I have been 'down a notch' the past while and have not felt up to making some posts lately.

I am sorry my friends, but I should 'pick up' in the coming weeks and soon be able to get back to Tips, Tutorials, Screenshots And of course, More. I have seen your requests for Game Recording articles and Gameplay Video Editing Tips. I do like to listen to you all and I have already begun a few 'projects' in response to your requests - some posts that are In Progress about these topics over the previous months... but it seems I will not be able to complete them until 2015 ['next year', heh].

I would like to take a moment to say Thank You, to all of you, for all of your readership and kind words, for stopping by and letting me know that my Tips have helped you out somehow, for being interested in learning new things about games, game recording and video editing; and for filling my head with ideas that I can work on for others. I will return, don't worry. The illness I have, has periods of 'waxing' and 'waning' and sometimes I am more physically 'down' than I am 'up' - and this is one of those times, unfortunately.

However, rest assured that I will be catching up on some rest over the holidays, trying to recover and eventually getting back to video editing, making graphics and typing out Tips (And More) for you all to read, where hopefully there will be Tips or Tutorials that will have things 'new to you' in the upcoming year, that you may find helpful.

For now, I want to personally wish you the very best of this time of year, no matter what holiday you are celebrating, no matter how many games you may be playing (or wishing for)... Merry Christmas to you.

Sincerely,
Troy from The Game Tips And More Blog

See You In The Games Next Year, Friends!

And More, Quick Tip: HitFilm Effects 'Stop Working' or 'Not Working When Reopening Projects' in Sony Vegas 13

Just a Quick Tip, for those using Sony's Vegas line of products for editing. I was working in a recently-upgraded-to Movie Studio 13 Platinum, enjoying the new version and trying the FXHOME HitFilm Effects plug-ins that come with it. Then, the plug-in effects seemed to stop working today - they didn't show the effects in the Preview at all when I re-opened the Project. I could open the Settings Panel for the plug-ins and change them, but could not 'see' the HitFilm effects. I made a few recent changes to my System, one of them being upgrading my NVIDIA GPU drivers. So, I rolled them back, installing an older version (going back to 332.21 - a version I chose so that I could also use CUDA for Rendering, among other things) and boom - the Hitfilm effects were back ...to the future ...with a vengeance ok I'll stop. So, if anyone else runs into this problem with these HitFilm Effects and Vegas [it may help no matter what Edition you have installed], try rolling back the GPU drivers.

[N.B.: This issue was encountered and solved on my NVIDIA GPU,
it is unknown by myself, at this time, whether this issue exists with AMD/ATi GPUs]

Have fun editing your gameplay adventures - and See You In The Games!

Trove - Early Access Closed Beta Key Code Giveaway (With Unlimited Uses!)

For those who missed the recent Open Beta Test Weekend for Trove, here is an Unlimited Use Closed Beta Key Code for Early Access!

I am currently working on a 'First Impressions' article, as well as a 'First Tips And Helpful Hints' post, to put up here at the blog - but you don't have to wait for those to arrive - you can take this code right now and Apply it to your account at the Trion Worlds website (and share it with your closest friends) to start testing out the game that many people are already beginning to call "their current favourite"..and now you can find out why... So get the code, get in there, by yourself or with some friends - and See You In The Game!

Bandicam - Their 2.1.0 Release and Testing Compatibility of the MP4 Container Recordings with Nine Different Video Editing Programs [Link To Forum Post]

Just letting those who use Bandicam to record their gameplay know, I tested the newest version (2.1.0.708, released two days ago) and Bandicam's new ability to record into an MP4 container [natively], an addition that would hopefully increase compatibility with video editing programs. All I did was some quick tests by importing recordings created by Bandicam into different video editing applications; but I wanted to share the results with you all. Here are the programs I tested:

- Adobe Premiere Pro 6 (Trial)
- Avid Media Composer 8.1 (Trial)
- Sony's Vegas Movie Studio 11 Platinum
- CyberLink's PowerDirector 12
- Lightworks 12
- Nero Video 11
and some free video editing applications...

For the results of my testing the new MP4 container recording option with those video editors, visit my short post at the Official Bandicam Forum here:

http://www.bandisoft.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2956&p=10235

I hope you find it useful and See You In The Games!