Despite the game now being unlocked I was still unable to install the game using the discs; which is rather strange. After checking several forums it seems many gamers were able to install and play the pre released game so long as they had the discs.

Still, that's all academic. As soon as I typed in the activation code into my steam client the game automatically started to install, well, a single player and multiplayer game. It's relatively slow going with a download speed of 1.1Mb per second, so it's probably going to be the morning before I manage to get a game.

In the mean time I'd better try and get into Dragonage: Origins. I've still got to get the extra content installed as despite buying the deluxe version, Steam only installs the basic game. you have to go to the developers site and give them your reg codes before they release the two expansions (Wardens Keep and The Stone Prisoner).

You're right Txnnok, there have been too many geat games released this year.

I was looking at dragon age from Rabbit's battlefield post on steam and that looks sweet to. How can they just keep pumping these great looking games out at the same time.
Nobody will be able to afford them all.

Thanks for the info wizard, but you know how fast the game world is. I already moved on to Divinity II: Ego Draconis. I dont know if you have heard of this, but this a single player rpg that has some sweet looking graphics to.
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Remember when Final Fantasy was more a singe unit and dint' drag a mob of people with you. To me FF was a blast back then, so graphics, and improved type FF style.
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What I do know is it does a similar type talk system, where you can ask certain question and get different responses, so on-etc...

We all know games. I'll give a link I'll let y'all guys do the break down's.
Divinity II: Ego Draconis

I could keep going cause there are so many sweet pics, take a look these are from their site. I have never gotten pics from the actual site that look good. They always look cartoonish.

trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svOu4OAsUhw

end game game-play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCCyQBwDEPI

Ah yes I remember you telling me about buying it. (only last week lol). I actually tried to buy it myself via that link you gave me. They took the payment but when I tried to download it, it said it wasn't available in my region. I've just got a refund back a couple of days ago.

I'll check out the demo first. :)

W.R.

p.s.

It looks like my wish is starting to bear fruition. I'd hoped that developers would start to rerelease older titles with updated graphics. I've just purchased the first Serious Sam installmant (Serious Sam the first encounter) because the graphics have been upgraded to present day standards. I still have all the original Serious Sams and have been waiting for the release of Serious Sam 3. looks like they are re doing the earlier ones first. You can get it via Steam for around £17 (probably around $22 to $25) Even though you can buy the first two encounters still for around £5, this updated title looks excellent and is well worth the money IMO. My son still plays the original online. There's still quite a large community playing the orignal games. Serious Sam 2 is available from Direct 2 Drive.

I now want to see the early Vampire the Masquerade games (i.e. Redemption) and Gangsters: Organized Crime re issued with HD graphics as well as games like Judge Dread: Dredd vs Death, MDK I & II, Mace Griffin: Bounty hunter as well as the early Tomb Raider and Tom clancy Series plus many more, lol. All those games were excellent and could be made to look amazing with present graphic technology. (and i reckon would sell really well)

Regarding Star Wars, the game does look beautiful, but the gameplay is very clunky. I was very ramped up to play that game and once I did, I didn't really like it. I'd suggest playing a demo before making that purchase. Controls were too clunky for me to fully enjoy the game. I did enjoy the first 10 minutes or so, but after that it was just more of the same. I've not been able to find a demo for the PC, but if you have a 360 or PS3, you can download them there. However, the console versions are better, as the PC didn't get quite as good of a porting. Just my opinion, but coincides with IGN.

Thanks for the info Txnnok and Violet. The daemon tools looks like a good idea. As for the reports about the game. I do agree that what Steam are doing is wrong, especially with such a game as this, considering it's predecessor has won more awards and made more money for its developers than any other game in history. However I have come to like Steam over the last several months, though it's not right that gamers are being forced to install Steam. I was forced to when I bought two games last January (09). Defence Grid: The Awakening and Galactic Bowling. I was really shocked after purchasing both games from Direct to Drive only to discover that I had to install Steam before I could play them. That was short lived when I dicovered the weekly deals that Steam were givig away. I daren't admit how many games I've purchased via Steam since then. Direct 2 Drive also have deals but they were not as good as Steams. It's become a bit of an obsession and buying Call of Duty as a disc rather than as a digital download was me trying to break away from the habit forming deals that Steam have had over the last several months.

I'd not seen that baggage reclaim video before and was shocked at how graphic it was.

The game comes on two DVD's so I was expecting it to be quite large, but 16Gb is massive. That's probably the graphics though. The Star Wars game looks awesome.

The answer to your question is yes :) and I agree Violet. :)

W.R.

Modern warfare 2 reqs.

System Requirements

o OS: Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista (Windows 95/98/ME/2000 are unsupported)
o Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3.0 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 3200+ processor or better supported
o Memory: 512MB RAM (1GB for Windows Vista)
o Graphics: 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT or better or ATI Radeon 1600XT or better
o DirectX®: Microsoft DirectX(R) 9.0c
o Hard Drive: 16GB of free hard drive space
o Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
o Internet: Broadband connection and service required for Multiplayer Connectivity
o Co-op/Multiplayer Hosting: To host Co-op or MP matches, a 2Ghz dual-core or better processor is recommended.

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Can you believe it requires 16 gbs of hard drive space?

Hey rabbit on the computer your using is it the one with high powered graphics card?

Looks like there there finally starting to make strong powered games. I was checking out the new Star Wars unleashed and wow it looks awesome too.
I dont want to fill up to images here, this is to get an idea but to lucasarts to see some sweet work. http://www.lucasarts.com/games/theforceunleashed/
This game is not the same anymore.

the controversy about this game & Steam has me following it a bit:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/181637/sales_boycott_over_modern_warfare_2_with_steam_trojan_horse.html?tk=nl_dnx_h_crawl

after reading the article & your experience, WR, i'm guessing you'll have to wait till it's released on Steam in the UK?...looks like that towards the end of the article where the update is...

try installing a trial copy of daemon tool pro from here, might as well go advanced since is a trial http://www.daemon-tools.cc/eng/products/dtproAdv They will ask for an email, give them an used one for an activation link if you want.

This actually a pretty good awesome program, you can just store your games on your hard drive by creating a seperate iso and storing it on your hard drive and you never have to put that game in your dvd player again. There are may of uses of this program, but this is just one of a gamers.

I had another idea, but it sounded to much like a hack to post here. Lete me do some research and I'll pm you. I've never actually done those things, but ive read about them. As for Daemon I'm on a trial version right now, considering buying it the full,lol.12 days left
but that kind of money is a lot to spend just not have to put a disc on each time.

I received my pre-ordered copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 this morning and hurriedly tried to install it on my main computer. Every time I tried to install it, the computer just froze. I though there must be something wrong with my hardware, so went to install it onto my secondary. Same thing happened. The computer locked up. To confirm that it wasn't a fluke I then tried to install it on my sons computer; guess what, the same thing yet again. I checked the disc for damage, perfect (or so it looks), read the manual - nothing at all about installation.

I'd decided to buy the hard copy instead of pre-ordering it on Steam because I like having hard copies plus in this case I have all the previous Call of duty games and like collections, so decided against buying it via steam, even though it's better in a way because the game is always automatically updated when new patches come out, plus you don't have to fiddle with discs (well at least until the noDVD patches are released, but they usually take several weeks to come on the net.

I was wondering whether it was to do with the fact that the game hasn't been released yet. anyway, the good news is that on the box it says you have to have Steam installed to play the game, so it looks like I’m going to get the best of both. I tried inputting the reg code in after selecting activate a Product on Steam and it came up with a message saying cannot activate because the game isn't available in my country; which it isn't yet, lol. There's 3 days to go before it's released on Steam. It's frustrating not being able to play the game when it's now on my shelf, but at least I think once it's released on Steam I'll be able to download it, so the problem with it not loading from the discs shouldn't be a problem once the registration code I have has been accepted.

If there is any community member who has pre-ordered the game can they confirm whether they have been able to load the game onto their computer or not? I'd really appreciate it as there is always the possibility that the first disc is faulty and I'd like to return it ASAP. I've never been unable to install a pre released game onto my computer before, so it is rather suspect; (though it shouldn't matter if I'm able to register it via steam which according to the DVD box details I should be able to.

Thanks in advance for any help.