![shaftwhores only by [EXE]dann](/files/avatars/2007/51852-shaftwhore.gif "shaftwhores only by [EXE]dann"){kind=small}
After the slight comedown to normality (from the ESWC in Paris) almost 2 weeks ago now, things look to get a bit more exciting in the coming month.
Shoutcast wise, its a very busy month, with Quakecon in Dallas first up (flying out on the 9th), possibly a eurocup lan in holland and of course my favourite relaxing weekend of the year, chilling with mates at the Newbury i-series lan over the bank holiday weekend at the end of the month. Three big lans in one month cant get much busier than that!
Firstly to Quakecon though and my thoughts are firmly on doing a good job with the guys from iTG covering the nVidia competition. This includes some games that I wouldnt usually cast for, so I have had to spend the last couple of weeks learning, playing and reading up about them. Namely, Doom3 and to a lesser degree Quake 3. What it has shown me is that I missed out on many years of Quake 3 action, simply because of my prejudice in the past towards iD games (Loved Quake 1, hated Quake2). With that now firmly put to bed, Im really enjoying playing Q3. Doom3 however is a different matter. Graphically its a bit of a stonker obviously, but the gameplay seems, hmm how to put it, flawed in some indiscribable way. I cant really put my finger on it, but 12 hours of multiplayer has given me ample time to learn the weapons and most of the maps in any case, so hopefully job nearly done.
Obviously I am also looking forward to seeing Quake4 in action and perhaps even getting to play it a little. For sure, other than the competition, this should be the highlight of the week in the USA.
My other thoughts for August turn to my home life and having left a recent long term finance job, I am now contemplating a new business venture with the payoff I received. Business plans, logos, website, telephone lines... it all seems like a plethora of subjects I haven't really given any thought to for over 8 years and although the thought of working for myself again really appeals to me, there is no denying its a tough world out there nowadays.
As if that wasnt enough to be getting on with, I also intend to complete my once-yearly-pc-upgrade (that is now 2 years over due!). Currently im playing with a reasonable setup, P4 3.0, 1 gig ram and radeon 9800pro. Not too shabby I guess, but its now 2 years old and times have moved on. Its starting to show its age in some of the new games, certainly in the ones that I want to look pretty anyway.
With the payoff from my old job, it also means I can go all out and order the parts to build a mega machine that may well last me a few years (although im sure I say this every time I upgrade and still end up upgrading 12 months later...). Ive ordered an Asus An8sli board together with the latest AMD FX57 and two Geforce 7800gtx cards to run in SLi mode. Couple these items with a matched pair of 1gig sticks from corsair (2gb ram) and add in a new aluminium case from coolermaster and hey presto I should be playing doom3 in 1600x1200 with all the bells and whistles turned on high. Thats if I get time to actually build the bloody thing this month!
Im grateful really though, that not only do people enjoy my casts, but I love doing them and then add in the ability to attend ESWC, Quakecon, Eurocup, WCG etc, its just incredible. Its not really a full time job in the real sense and although everyone at iTG cast's proffesionally at all times, we are not paid proffesionals just yet (save one I guess ;)). Those days surely are not far away though, because as the e-sports world grows and gets bigger and has more proffesionally paid players and clans, it also needs the coverage to be proffesional too. Ergo - it must need proffesional broadcasters.
I look forward to the day that the e-sports world grows into the monster size it has the potential to and to that end, becomming a full time broadcaster all year round, instead of having to take out huge amounts of time from a job I have to do to earn money. For now though, Im happy just to be able to bring some of the atmosphere and excitement that only these kind of tournaments can bring. Roll on Dallas, here I come.
Lets see what iD's security is like when I film Q4 on my camera muhahaaha, I can run pretty quick, but I dont know if that would get me far in America. Heres hoping anyway, so stay tuned to ESR for the first Q4 video or read ESR for a report on how a maniacal englishman tried to steal a Q4 demo CD in Dallas! either way you win ;)
Shoutcast wise, its a very busy month, with Quakecon in Dallas first up (flying out on the 9th), possibly a eurocup lan in holland and of course my favourite relaxing weekend of the year, chilling with mates at the Newbury i-series lan over the bank holiday weekend at the end of the month. Three big lans in one month cant get much busier than that!
Firstly to Quakecon though and my thoughts are firmly on doing a good job with the guys from iTG covering the nVidia competition. This includes some games that I wouldnt usually cast for, so I have had to spend the last couple of weeks learning, playing and reading up about them. Namely, Doom3 and to a lesser degree Quake 3. What it has shown me is that I missed out on many years of Quake 3 action, simply because of my prejudice in the past towards iD games (Loved Quake 1, hated Quake2). With that now firmly put to bed, Im really enjoying playing Q3. Doom3 however is a different matter. Graphically its a bit of a stonker obviously, but the gameplay seems, hmm how to put it, flawed in some indiscribable way. I cant really put my finger on it, but 12 hours of multiplayer has given me ample time to learn the weapons and most of the maps in any case, so hopefully job nearly done.
Obviously I am also looking forward to seeing Quake4 in action and perhaps even getting to play it a little. For sure, other than the competition, this should be the highlight of the week in the USA.
My other thoughts for August turn to my home life and having left a recent long term finance job, I am now contemplating a new business venture with the payoff I received. Business plans, logos, website, telephone lines... it all seems like a plethora of subjects I haven't really given any thought to for over 8 years and although the thought of working for myself again really appeals to me, there is no denying its a tough world out there nowadays.
As if that wasnt enough to be getting on with, I also intend to complete my once-yearly-pc-upgrade (that is now 2 years over due!). Currently im playing with a reasonable setup, P4 3.0, 1 gig ram and radeon 9800pro. Not too shabby I guess, but its now 2 years old and times have moved on. Its starting to show its age in some of the new games, certainly in the ones that I want to look pretty anyway.
With the payoff from my old job, it also means I can go all out and order the parts to build a mega machine that may well last me a few years (although im sure I say this every time I upgrade and still end up upgrading 12 months later...). Ive ordered an Asus An8sli board together with the latest AMD FX57 and two Geforce 7800gtx cards to run in SLi mode. Couple these items with a matched pair of 1gig sticks from corsair (2gb ram) and add in a new aluminium case from coolermaster and hey presto I should be playing doom3 in 1600x1200 with all the bells and whistles turned on high. Thats if I get time to actually build the bloody thing this month!
Im grateful really though, that not only do people enjoy my casts, but I love doing them and then add in the ability to attend ESWC, Quakecon, Eurocup, WCG etc, its just incredible. Its not really a full time job in the real sense and although everyone at iTG cast's proffesionally at all times, we are not paid proffesionals just yet (save one I guess ;)). Those days surely are not far away though, because as the e-sports world grows and gets bigger and has more proffesionally paid players and clans, it also needs the coverage to be proffesional too. Ergo - it must need proffesional broadcasters.
I look forward to the day that the e-sports world grows into the monster size it has the potential to and to that end, becomming a full time broadcaster all year round, instead of having to take out huge amounts of time from a job I have to do to earn money. For now though, Im happy just to be able to bring some of the atmosphere and excitement that only these kind of tournaments can bring. Roll on Dallas, here I come.
Lets see what iD's security is like when I film Q4 on my camera muhahaaha, I can run pretty quick, but I dont know if that would get me far in America. Heres hoping anyway, so stay tuned to ESR for the first Q4 video or read ESR for a report on how a maniacal englishman tried to steal a Q4 demo CD in Dallas! either way you win ;)
Edited by iTG`ReDeYe at 22:36 GMT, 22nd Jul 2005 - 5045 Hits
personally i would just buy a cheap 6800 Ultra, this time next year you'll get a much better card than the 7800 and it will be cheaper, better still there might be a game out to really push it and you won't feel inclined to upgrade again in 12 months time.
i'm holding you to the q4 videos!
*wtf you live up the road!*