News: Skyrim 1.4 Beta

For those who haven't seen them yet here are the patch notes for Skyrim 1.4 update;

NEW FEATURES

• Skyrim launcher support for Steam Workshop (PC)

BUG FIXES

• General optimizations for memory and performance
• Fixed occasional issue with armor and clothing not displaying properly when placed on mannequin's in player's house. (PS3)
• Improved compiler optimization settings (PC)
• Long term play optimizations for memory and performance (PS3)
• Memory optimizations related to scripting
• Fixed crashes related to pathing and AI
• Fixed crash in Haemar's Shame if player had already completed "A Daedra's Best Friend"
• Fixed rare crash with loading saved games
• Fixed issue with accented characters not displaying properly at the end of a line
• Master Criminal achievement/trophy unlocks properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian
• Fixed issue where dragon priest masks would not render correctly
• Fixed issue where quests would incorrectly progress after reloading a save
• Fixed issues with placing and removing books from bookshelves in the player's home
• Fixed issue where weapon racks and plaques would not work correctly in player's house if player immediately visits their house before purchasing any furnishing.
• Fixed issue where the player house in Windhelm would not clean up properly
• Fixed crash related to giant attacks and absorb spells
• Fixed issue with ash piles not cleaning up properly
• Fixed occasional issue where overwriting an existing save would fail
• Fixed memory crash with container menu
• Fixed infinite loop with bookshelves
• Fixed issue where traps in Shalidor's Maze would not work properly in French, German, Spanish and Italian versions
• Fixed issue where transforming back to human from werewolf would occasionally not fail
• Bows and daggers will display properly when placed on weapon racks

QUEST FIXES

• The Unusual Gem inside the Thalmor Embassy is now accessible after finishing "Diplomatic Immunity"
• In "Breaching Security", the quest token is no longer required to receive a fortune reading from Olava the Feeble
• Fixed issue where Galmar would not complete Joining the Stormcloaks properly if "Season Unending" was an active quest
• Fixed issue where starting "Season Unending" after finishing "Joining the Stormcloaks" would prevent "The Jagged Crown" from starting properly.
• Fixed issue progressing through "Message to Whiterun" while "Season Unending" was still open would block progression for both quests.
• In "Arniel's Endeavor", fixed issue where a quest journal would trigger multiple times
• In "Forbidden Legend", the amulet fragment can no longer disappear after player leaves a dungeon without taking it
• Fixed rare issue in "Forbidden Legend" where killing Mikrul Gauldurson while sneaking would make his corpose unaccessible
• In "The White Phial", the phial can no longer disappear if player leaves dungeon without taking it
• "The White Phial" will now start properly if player already has a briar heart in their inventory
• Player can no longer get stuck in Misty Grove after completing "A Night to Remember"
• Fixed issue where leaving Riften during "A Chance Arrangement" would prevent quest from progressing
• In "Darkness Returns", a door in Twilight Sepulcher will properly open if the player leaves the dungeon for an extended period of time before completing the quest
• In "Under New Management", if the player leaves the Oculory for an extended period of time after placing the focusing crystal and returns, the quest will proceed correctly
• "Onmund's Request" will now start properly if player has already found Enthir's staff before receiving this quest
• Fixed instance where Tonilia would stop buying stolen items and also would not give Guild Leader Armor
• "Repairing the Phial" will start properly if player already has unmelting snow or mammoth tusk in their inventory
• Finding Pantea's Flute before speaking with Pantea no longer prevents her quest from updating
• In "The Coming of the Dawn", fixed rare instance where a quest object would spawn incorrectly on the Katariah during Hail Sithis
• Fixed rare issue in "The Mind of Madness" where player is unable to equip the Wabbajack
• Fixed issue in "Pieces of the Past" where Mehrunes Dagon's Razor will not trigger properly if player leaves the cell for extended period of time before activating it
• "Blood's Honor" will start properly if you visited and completed Driftshade and an extended period of time passes before starting the quest.
• Fixed rare issue where "Dampened Spirits" would not start properly
• Fixed issue where player would be unable to become Thane of Riften if they purchased a home first
• Fixed issue where killing guards in Cidhna Mine woud block progression for "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine"
• Fixed numerous issues with "Blood on the Ice" not triggering properly
• In "Blood on the Ice", Calixto can now be killed if player owns a house in Windhelm
• In "The Cure for Madness", killing Cicero then resurrecting him no longer impedes quest progress
• Fixed rare issue in "To Kill an Empire" where an NPC would fail to die properly
• Clearing Knifepoint Ridge before starting "Boethiah's Champion" no longer prevents quest from starting.

Looks like alot of issues will be fixed! For those of you who are feeling quite brave it's possible to try the beta version of the update. All you need to do is;

1. Start up steam.
2. Click on "Steam".
3. Click on settings.
4. Click the "Change" button under Beta Participation.
5. On the dialog that appears select Skyrim Beta.

Don't forget to backup your save files first!

The good, the bad and the really ugly!: Gears of War 3 Beta

The Gears of War 3 beta has ended and people are cleaning their chainsaws before putting their Lancers to rest, but how was the beta? Well for the most it was a good run, we saw some interesting kills and shouted a fair few times at the screen, there were a few annoyances though;

Trenches and super weapons
The 'Trenches' were one of the better maps but too often, when there were super weapons available, you'd find people camping the trench at the very back of the map. Unless your team were well organised then you'd have difficulty getting even two people out of there for any length of tie. On the King of the Hill maps this just meant that two people could exploit the Hammer of Dawn with abandon while their team mates captured the objectives. Not fun, just frustrating!

Gnasher
Sometimes capable of one shot kills, sometimes capable of just annoying your opponent the wild inconsistency of this weapon means the sawed off is usually the more preferred choice. Which is a shame because a good fire fight between people wielding this weapon is good fun!




Lets go team...wait a minute
Due to something being a bit wrong with the re spawn mechanic it's possible to find yourself re spawning right next to a member of the opposing team. Usually this resulted in the one who was paying attention promptly sending their opponent back to the graveyard. Hopefully this will get fixed and situations like this won't exist any more.

BE QUIET!
Why can't there be an option in game that’s easily accessible to mute other players? It wasn't common but there were occasions when you would find yourself with team mates who had confused their headset with a Singstar microphone. Very annoying!

Decals
Yes your flaming lancer is very nice, but what you don't know is that it makes you easy to spot from a mile off. Is that bunker on fire? No it's just somebody with a dodgy decal. If you're going to give people modifications for their weapons try not to make it ones that put them at a disadvantage!

So these are the few annoyances with an otherwise wonderful beta but you may have noticed that the obvious option is missing here, the sawed off. Admittedly a one shot kill weapon is annoying but the fact that the reload time is measured in days and that it's completely useless at range means that it's a perfectly balanced weapon. If someone is giving you grief with it, try using the lancer for a bit that should surely dissuade them.