Elden Ring Beta: PS5/ Xbox Series X/S First Look - Quality vs Performance Modes Tested!

Probably gonna be GoTY tbh but we will see. As far as performance goes, neither PS5/Series X is able to keep a locked 60 unless you go backwards compatibility mode on ps5 with much worse visuals. There is also no 30fps lock for quality mode. But it is still early days so there's time to fix it. Overall the PS5 performs better than Series X and loads twice as fast. Game continues to look insane!

That memory bandwidth is lame, as the chip itself. But shouldn't we compare it with the GTX 2050? After all, the RX6600 was the card most close to the 2060.

By the way, did you guys read an article that WccfTech posted some days ago where it talked about the next gen flagship cards? The article itself doesn't bring anything new, but it describes the new nomenclature that AMD will use with RDNA3 and, well, it's confusing as f*ck (at least to me):

https://wccftech.com/amd-nvidia-next-gen-flagship-gpus-detailed-rdna-3-radeon-rx-7900-xt-with-15360-cores-ada-lovelace-geforce-rtx-4090-with-18432-cores/

We have heard that AMD will drop CU (Compute Units) in favor of WGP (Work Group Processors) on its next-gen RDNA 3 GPUs. Since Navi 31 is an MCM GPU, it will feature two key IPs, a GCD (Graphics Core Die) based on TSMC's 5nm process and an MCD (Multi-Cache Die) based on the TSMC 6nm process node.

The Navi 31 GPU configuration shown here features two GCD's (Graphics Core Die) and a single MCD (Multi-Cache Die). Each GCD has 3 Shader Engines (6 in total) and each Shader Engine has 2 Shader Arrays (2 per SE / 6 per GCD / 12 in total). Each Shader Array is composed of 5 WGPs (10 per SE / 30 per GCD / 60 in total) and each WGP features 8 SIMD32 units with 32 ALUs (40 SIMD32 per SA / 80 per SE / 240 per GCD / 480 in total). These SIMD32 units combine to make up 7,680 cores per GCD and 15,360 cores in total.

Nah, the 6600 sits between a 2060 and 3060 and priced to compete against a 3060.

And yea, it is a bit confusing when moving from CUs to WGPs.

So I was looking at some pre-builts to recommend to my friends as some of them want to upgrade. Dell XPS desktops have some pretty good deals even if they are effectively e-waste once you start thinking about replacing the components. But regardless, as Dell seems to be the only ones selling 3060 Ti XPS desktops for the same price as 3060 desktops everywhere else, it's hard to deny the value.

Anyway looking at the prices though, there was a wtf moment:



Dell is charging more for a 6600XT vs a 3060 Ti?



https://www.dell.com/en-ca/shop/desktops/xps-special-edition-desktop/spd/xps-8940-se-desktop/dxps8940ser_s110e?configurationid=a79876b6-d01d-46fb-9f16-462eb444db13

What in the fuck nugget is this nonsense? The rest of the components seems to have been priced appropriately so does someone at Dell actually believe that a 6600XT is faster than a 3060 Ti?? Are they insane or what?

Dell also made some questionable decision regarding Intel and AMD CPUs not so long ago. Maybe AMD doesn't give them the bulk discount they want an Dell retaliates.

Yea that's true. Dell, HP and the rest can be bullies if they don't get what they want.

The Monday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has five deals:

• The first Flash Deal is Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka with Love, 90% off during the next 46 hours: https://www.gog.com/game/irony_curtain_from_matryoshka_with_love
• The second Flash Deal is My Brother Rabbit, also 90% off during the next 46 hours: https://www.gog.com/game/my_brother_rabbit
• The new Weekly Sale is a Pre-Black Friday Sale with up to 90% discounts: https://www.gog.com/promo/20211122_weekly_sale
• Publisher Throwback Entertainment offers its games up to 60% off during the next 7 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20211122_throwback_sale
• And, from last week, Focus Home Interactive also puts its games on sale, up to 80% off during another 7 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/2021_focus_home_interactive_sale

Steam has a new daily deal: I Am Fish, 33% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1472560/I_Am_Fish/

The Humble Store has a Black Friday Sale that will last the next 12 days. And besides those titles, many other publishers (Bethesda, EA, WB, Capcom, etc.) are joining the fun as well. Check out what they have on sale!

Fanatical also jump on the Black Friday theme:

• There is a Black Friday Sale with more than 4000 items on sale.
• There are daily flash deals, with today's games being Mass Effect Legendary Edition ( 49% off), Days Gone (51% off) and Mordheim: City of the Damned (90% off).
• There are free games to be won for buying games during the sale. Learn more here: https://www.fanatical.com/en/blog/what-free-mystery-games-could-you-find-black-friday
• And there's also a contest to win $500 worth of games. To find out which games are and also take part in it, head over here: https://www.fanatical.com/en/blog/win-black-friday-pc-games-fanatical-ggdeals-giveaway

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

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MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

First GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition HD Texture Packs Released
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/first-gta-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-hd-texture-packs-released/
Modders QTmodz and Instanity666 have released the first HD Texture Packs for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.
QTmodz’s Texture Pack features new road/pavement textures for Grand Theft Auto San Andreas The Definitive Edition. On the other hand, Instanity666’s packs feature new road textures for both GTA 3 Definitive Edition and GTA Vice City Definitive Edition.
Instanity666 has also released another must-have mod for the whole trilogy. This mod attempts to fix the awful rain effects that are present in all three remasters.
>> Check the article for the links to those mods, all available from Nexus Mods.

Here is how you can play GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition in VR
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/here-is-how-you-can-play-gta-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-in-vr/
Although Rockstar is currently working on a VR version of GTA San Andreas, owners of the recently released The Definitive Edition Trilogy can enable a WIP VR mode. While this VR mode is buggy, it can at least give you an idea of how these three remasters will look in VR.
All you have to do in order to enable VR in GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is download this mod. Horologium Console mod basically adds Unreal Engine console into the game. Then, launch the game, open the UE console, and type “GTA.VR 1”. And that’s it.

You can now mod Skyrim and make it look similar to Borderlands
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/you-can-now-mod-skyrim-and-make-it-look-similar-to-borderlands/
Modder ‘Kanjs’ has released some amazing new mods for Skyrim Special Edition. As the title implies, these mods completely transform Skyrim, making it look similar to Borderlands’ graphic-novel style.
Kanjs has released the following Texture Packs that have this “Borderlands style”. Naturally, you’ll have to install all of them for the complete Borderlands experience.
>> There are 11 packs, all available from Nexus Mods.

This mod brings Dark Souls 2 armors to Dark Souls PTDE & Remastered
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/this-mod-brings-dark-souls-2-armors-to-dark-souls-ptde-remastered/
Modders Xenthos, Dropoff and Nordgaren have released a simple mod that adds Dark Souls 2 armors to Dark Souls. In our opinion, this is a mod that most Dark Souls 2 fans will appreciate. After all, they will be now able to use their favourite armors in the first game.
According to the modders, the DS2 armors can be found on the undead female merchant in the canal and Rickert of Vinheim.
Thankfully, this mod is available for both the Prepare To Die Edition and the Remastered. You can download the PTDE from here, and the Remastered version from here.

The mod restoring Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory's singleplayer is out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-mod-restoring-wolfenstein-enemy-territorys-singleplayer-is-out-now/
In 2003, the retail release of Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory was cancelled, and its multiplayer mode was given away for free. As id and Activision said at the time, "Despite a strong effort from talented developers, the single player portion of the game did not progress as anticipated." Enemy Territory ended up becoming a formative multiplayer shooter, and its influence on the genre is still felt today. But players have always wondered: what would that singleplayer campaign have been like?
Modder William Faure has one answer, with a mod that takes Enemy Territory's maps and connects them together to form a story-driven campaign. There's a trailer for it above, featuring a rad metal version of Für Elise and a whole lot of Nazi-shooting action. A co-op version of the mod will follow on November 30, and is currently in testing.
To play it you'll need to have Return to Castle Wolfenstein installed as well as one of its overhaul mods (iortcw, RealRTCW, RTCW4A, RTCW-Touch, vitaRTCW, or RTCWQuest). The Enemy Territory singleplayer mod is available on ModDB and the Steam Workshop.

GAMING NEWS

Icarus will support Ray Tracing Global Illumination & NVIDIA DLSS
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/icarus-will-support-ray-tracing-global-illumination-nvidia-dlss/
RocketWerkz has announced that its upcoming survival game, Icarus, will support both Ray Tracing and NVIDIA’s DLSS tech. RocketWerkz has partnered with NVIDIA and will be using Ray Tracing in order to enhance the game’s Global Illumination.

GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Update 1.02 fixes numerous issues, full patch notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/gta-the-trilogy-the-definitive-edition-update-1-02-fixes-numerous-issues-full-patch-notes/
Rockstar has released the first post-launch patch for GTA The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. According to the changelog, this update fixes numerous bugs, glitches and issues in all three GTA games.

DICE pitched Battlefront 3 to EA but was shot down, two story-driven single-player Star Wars games in development
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dice-pitched-battlefront-3-to-ea-but-was-shot-down-two-story-driven-single-player-star-wars-games-in-development/
According to industry insider Tom Henderson, DICE pitched Battlefront 3 to EA for its next title. However, the publisher has shot it down due to licensing costs. As such, DICE is now – most likely – working on a new Battlefield game. Thankfully, though, there are currently two story-driven single-player Star Wars games in development at EA.

Here are twelve minutes of gameplay from Babylon’s Fall Closed Beta
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-twelve-minutes-of-gameplay-from-babylons-fall-closed-beta/
Gamespot has shared a video, showing 12 minutes of gameplay footage from Babylon’s Fall’s latest Closed Beta. This video will give you an idea of how the game plays in this beta build. It will also give you a glimpse at its visuals/graphics.

Microsoft Flight Simulator Patch 1.21.13.0 adds beta support for DX12
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/microsoft-flight-simulator-patch-1-21-13-0-adds-beta-support-for-dx12/
Microsoft and Asobo have released a brand new update for Microsoft Flight Simulator that adds beta support for the DirectX 12 API. However, and contrary to what you may have seen on YouTube, this update does NOT add any Ray Tracing effects.

IO Interactive will add Ray Tracing & VR support to Hitman 3 in 2022
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/io-interactive-will-add-ray-tracing-vr-support-to-hitman-3-in-2022/
IO Interactive has announced its future plans for Hitman 3. According to the game’s 2022 roadmap, IO Interactive will add Ray Tracing and VR support to it.

Monday news, part two:

Call of Duty: Warzone's new Pacific map is delayed
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/call-of-duty-warzones-new-pacific-map-is-delayed/
Call of Duty: Warzone's new Pacific map has been delayed by a week. It was expected to go live on December 2, but Activision said today that it won't actually show up until December 9.

Girls Who Code drops Activision Blizzard partnership over 'failure' of company leadership
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/girls-who-code-drops-activision-blizzard-partnership-over-failure-of-company-leadership/
Girls Who Code, a non-profit organization that works to increase the number of women working in computer science fields, has ended its partnership with Activision Blizzard because of the ongoing allegations of "assault, harassment, and a toxic work environment" at the company.

Microsoft's head of gaming has hope for future of emulation
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/microsofts-head-of-gaming-has-hope-for-future-of-emulation/
It's been a big news week for Phil Spencer, Microsoft's head of gaming. Spencer has taken a hard stance on Activision's roiling controversy and also chimed in on the debate about NFTs in gaming. In a conversation with Axios, he expressed a desire to see industry-wide support for console emulation like Xbox's backwards compatibility program.
>> It remains to be seen if he also supports that console emulation on PC.

Battlefield 2042's next update will fix revives and nerf the monstrous hovercraft
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/battlefield-2042s-next-update-will-fix-revives-and-nerf-the-monstrous-hovercraft/
Electronic Arts says the pre-release Battlefield 2042 patch it released yesterday has "helped improve the smoothness of the experience," and promised that more changes are coming, including fixes for soldier revives and a nerf of the overpowered hovercraft.

Monster Rancher is back, and it's on Steam
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/monster-rancher-is-back-and-its-on-steam/
PlayStation-era cult classic Monster Rancher is on its way back, announced Koei Tecmo earlier this year, and it's now set for a release on Steam on December 8, 2021. The creature-collecting game has been ported to both PC and Nintendo Switch. The updated edition is a collection of the first two games in the series, and is called Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX.

In Hive Defender you're the devouring swarm for once
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/in-hive-defender-youre-the-devouring-swarm-for-once/
Upcoming indie strategy game Hive Defender has a promising premise: You and your friends control an alien hive from waves of humans in real-time defense, rather than try to burn it down. Each of the four swarms in the destructible, procedurally generated labyrinth is separately customizable, with each getting their own lineup of abilities. Aiming for release in 2022, Hive Defender is the project of a solo indie developer.

Factory Town automates its way out of Early Access
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/factory-town-automates-its-way-out-of-early-access/
After a pretty triumphant few years in Early Access, Factory Town has hit 1.0, bringing its unique brand of factory building to a satisfying conclusion. It's a cute little game that starts with villagers hauling resources by hand and ends with mass automation via conveyors, rails, pipes, and elaborate logistics filters.

Check out this fever dream of a hand-drawn game
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/check-out-this-fever-dream-of-a-hand-drawn-game/
Compiling some 8,000 pieces of hand-drawn artwork, artist Alle Jong's upcoming Sketchy Fables is a bold-looking experimental game that clearly wants to not only defy visual conventions, but the structure of a game. Described by Jong as a "comic-book that has broken up over a landscape," Sketchy Fables seems to draw from visual novels, art games, comic books, and cartoons to portray a world for you to explore and find the story of.

Here's a look at Riot's in-progress fighting game, Project L
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/heres-a-look-at-riots-in-progress-fighting-game-project-l/
Long one of the worst-kept secrets in the games industry, Riot's fighting game codenamed Project L has another in-progress look out. Set in the League of Legends world, Runeterra, the video reintroduces Project L to those who saw its past previews. This latest video has the same characters as last time: Jinx, Darius, and Ahri, but adds the time-rewinding Ekko.

Resident Evil 4 VR getting Mercenaries mode free next year
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/resident-evil-4-vr-getting-mercenaries-mode-free-next-year/
The alert folks at Biohazard Declassified spotted a trailer for Resident Evil 4 VR that was seemingly uploaded to the Oculus YouTube channel ahead of time and quickly set to private, but not before they ripped a copy and uploaded it themselves. As you can see above, it announces that the fan-favorite Mercenaries mode will be coming in 2022 as a "free update on Meta Quest 2". (Yep, the Oculus Quest is being renamed the Meta Quest as part of the Facebook company rebranding to Meta.)

Star Citizen has now raised over $400M
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/star-citizen-has-now-raised-over-dollar400m/
Less than 18 months after clearing the $300 million mark, Star Citizen has now raised over $400 million in crowdfunding. At the time of writing, 3,364,629 players have contributed a total of $402,657,305 according to its funding goals page.
>> Insane.

According to a report, Bobby Kotick says he'll consider leaving Activision
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/according-to-a-report-bobby-kotick-says-hell-consider-leaving-activision/
Five days after the Wall Street Journal reported that Bobby Kotick once told an assistant he was going to have her killed, the publication has now reported Activision's CEO told senior managers he'd consider leaving the company if he couldn't fix its culture of misconduct "with speed".
>> These were my first and second reactions after reading this.

Phasmophobia teases voodoo and summoning circles in its Christmas update
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/phasmophobia-teases-voodoo-and-summoning-circles-in-its-christmas-update/
Kinetic Games has teased a couple of the new items coming in Phasmophobia's Christmas update. Peeping the game's Trello board, there's an entry for the "Christmas [REDACTED] Update" that was originally created earlier this month (thanks, PCGamesN). It's since been updated to show two new cursed possessions coming with the update: a summoning circle and a new variant on the voodoo doll.

AMD confirms Radeon RX 6500M and RX 6300M feature Navi 24 GPU

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-confirms-radeon-rx-6500m-and-rx-6300m-feature-navi-24-gpu

AMD entry-level RDNA2 Radeon RX 6500XT to feature 1024 Stream Processors, RX 6400 with 768

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-entry-level-rdna2-radeon-rx-6500xt-to-feature-1024-stream-processors-rx-6400-with-768

A year after release Radeon RX 6000 and GeForce RTX 30 cards are twice as expensive as they should be

https://videocardz.com/newz/a-year-after-release-radeon-rx-6000-and-geforce-rtx-30-cards-are-twice-as-expensive-as-they-should-be

Amazon Scam PC: Everything is Wrong in the iBUYPOWER Element Mini

This one gave me a brain aneurysm. Fermi in 2021? Come on people...

Would be amazing though I doubt other companies will follow suit. When they can make bank reselling their games generation one after another on rereleases and 'remasters'. There's very little incentive for them to put effort into supporting legacy games *CoughNintendoCoughSony* Though tbf Sony has been getting better with emulation with PS5.

@ Star Citizen, I'm amazed that people are still pumping money onto this vaporware. >400M for a game nowhere near completion is insane lol.