By Anonymous on Mar 19, 2017 10:30 pm In part two of our documentary on the making of Mass Effect Andromeda, we speak to the fans turned developers that are charting a new future for the series.
In July 2015, Intel announced a new memory technology called 3D XPoint, and asserted that it would be 1,000 times faster than traditional NAND flash at the architectural level. After roughly 20 months, the company has revealed its first 3D XPoint drive, the DC P4800X.
Intel is calling its 3D XPoint SSDs Optane drives. Taking into account hardware and software overhead, Intel asserts that the P4800X is roughly five to eight times faster than leading SSDs at low queue depths, which is where most SSDs do their work. Specifically, the company says that it will allow for 2GB/s random read and write speeds. In terms of pure throughput (speed), Intel says the drive is roughly three times as fast as the company's DC P3700 drive, which is a bold claim considering that the P3700, an NVMe drive, is capable of delivering 2,800MB/s sequential read and 2,000MB/s sequential write speeds.
The new Optane drive also uses the PCIe NVMe interface, and features a new Intel Optane controller. Coupled with the new 3D XPoint architecture, the P4800X is said to use secretive materials that allow it to run much faster than NAND SSDs.
Intel says that its Optane drives will automatically accelerate existing applications and claims that the P4800X will consume roughly 12-14 watts under a heavy load, which is slightly more power-efficient than competing high-end NAND solutions.
There are several caveats to the SSD, however. It's not a drive that's designed for long sequential read and write sessions, which is useful when you're transferring large files. Intel asserts that traditional high-end 3D NAND drives are better at those tasks, and says they will exist alongside Optane SSDs as a result. Another big caveat is that the drive is designed for data centers, though consumers with 200-series motherboards and Kaby Lake CPUs will be able to use it. The last caveat is that the drive is very expensive. The 375GB SSD will cost $1520.
While the P4800X is geared for enterprise solutions, you can expect to see Intel bring its Optane drive technology to consumers in the near future.
By Anonymous on Mar 19, 2017 08:30 pm It's a good week for all-new adventures and great compilations. Start something new with Mass Effect, or dig into visual novels you might have missed with Zero Escape.
The winners for the 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards have been announced.
Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4: A Thief's End took home the coveted Game of the Year award, earning it because voters decided the game "exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres."
There are 23 categories in all for the SXSW Gaming Awards. The Mobile Game of the Year award went to Pokemon Go, with Overwatch winning Esports game of the year, Excellence in Multiplayer, and Trending Game of the Year. The Fan Creation of the Year award was given to the Brutal Doom 64 mod.
You can see a list of all the categories, nominees, and winners below, with descriptions written by SXSW. The winners are in bold.
Video Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a distinct gaming experience across all platforms and genres.
Titanfall 2 - Electronic Arts / Respawn Entertainment
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Mobile Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and creates a unique gaming experience on any handheld device.
Clash Royale - Supercell
Pokemon Go - Niantic
Pokemon Sun and Moon - The Pokémon Company / Game Freak
Reigns - Devolver Digital / Nerial
Severed - DrinkBox Studios
Tabletop Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that exemplifies overall excellence and ingenuity of any tabletop game in any genre.
Arkham Horror: The Card Game - Fantasy Flight Games
Captain Sonar - Asmodee North America
Inis - Asmodee North America
Mechs vs Minions - Riot Games
The Others - CMON Inc.
Esports Game of the Year
Awarded to the online game with the best competitive scene, growth, and entertainment value.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare - Activision / Infinity Ward
Gears of War 4 - Microsoft Studios / The Coalition
Killer Instinct: Season 3 - Microsoft Studios / Iron Galaxy Studios
Overwatch - Blizzard Entertainment
Street Fighter V - Capcom
Trending Game of the Year
Awarded to the game that consistently entertained and kept us watching on social platforms with its humor, stories, and more.
Dead by Daylight - Starbreeze Studios / Behaviour Digital Inc.
Job Simulator - Owlchemy Labs
Overwatch - Blizzard Entertainment
Superhot - Superhot Team
Who's Your Daddy - Evil Tortilla Games
Fan Creation of the Year
Awarded to the most compelling fan-made piece of work across all games and platforms. This includes, but isn't limited to, artwork, writing, videography, special effects, and more.
Brutal Doom 64 - Sergeant_Mark_IV
Enderal - The Shards of Order - SureAI Team
Fallout 1.5: Resurrection - Resurrection Team
Fallout: Revelation - MechanicalCakeTV
Jack - A Stanley Parable Short Film - Vesio Productions
Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation
Awarded to the game that best challenges the "norm" of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character, or gameplay.
1979 Revolution: Black Friday - INK Stories
Fragments of Him - Sassybot
Orwell - Surprise Attack / Osmotic Studios
Quadrilateral Cowboy - Blendo Games
That Dragon, Cancer - Numinous Games
Excellence in Narrative
Awarded to the game with the best storyline and dialogue.
Firewatch - Panic Inc. / Campo Santo
The Last Guardian - Sony Interactive Entertainment / SIE Japan Studio
Oxenfree - Night School Studio
That Dragon, Cancer - Numinous Games
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog
Excellence in Design
Awarded to the game with the best overall design concept and best execution.
In part two of our documentary on the making of Mass Effect Andromeda, we speak to the fans turned developers that are charting a new future for the series.
It's a good week for all-new adventures and great compilations. Start something new with Mass Effect, or dig into visual novels you might have missed with Zero Escape.
Mary encounters Resident Evil 4's creepiest enemies yet, while Mike pitches screenplays about surfer/doctors.
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