Gamecca Magazine July 2017

ISSUE 97 / Vol.9 July 2017

www.gameccamag.com

Titanium Power

MXGP 3

it’s back!

WipeOut Omega Collection

Memory Game Get Even

Ryzen Master

A Dirty job

Asus’ ROG Strix X370-F Gaming

MSI’s X370 XPower Gaming Titanium

Get Even Dirt 4 And More...

Next Stage

Dirt 4

e3 2017 Our picks from LA

Happy Birthday

Gamecca! eight years, 97 issues...

Free Online Mag

H W

E Read Online for Free!

Read all new and back original and unaltered issues free at:

Bronze Award SCORE 80-84

Read on www/gameccamag.com Read on Issuu (Also available on your App Store) Read on Facebook

Silver Award SCORE 85-89

Gold Award SCORE 90-94

Platinum Award SCORE 95-100

Please Note: Gamecca is a monthly digital magazine!

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Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd / Gamecca Magazine do not hold any responsibility for any malicious exploitation that any reader should experience due to unauthorised distribution. Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd / Gamecca Magazine will not be held accountable for any injurious detriment or pernicious damage to personal equipment or software due to use of unauthorised downloaded files. Action will be taken against any person or persons engaging in unauthorised distribution of Gamecca Magazine.

Gamecca Magazine: © Copyright Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd. (2009 – 2016)

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Ed’s Choice Awar

From the Editor

EightisAwesome

rd

by Walt Pretorius

A

s you get older, you

grow up so fast) but it is almost

tend to forget about

surprising that eight years have

things like birthdays.

already passed. We are fast

The excitement you

approaching our biggest milestone

have as a kid, counting

to date – 100 issues, which will

the days ‘til your next

happen in October of this year.

birthday (generally starting right

The game industry has certainly

after your last birthday) wears off,

changed since the first issue

until eventually you get the point

of Gamecca Magazine saw the

that they sneak up on you. You

light in July 2009. We have seen

might even get to the point that

franchises come and go, we have

you only remember your birthday

seen new platforms released –

when someone wishes you for it on

some to great success, and some

Facebook.

to shattering failure. We have seen

That almost – almost – happened

technology march unstoppably

with Gamecca this year. But it’s

forward, with things like smart

less likely because the mag (or I)

devices and VR changing the face

am getting older and more likely

of not only gaming, but also the

because this year is going by so

world.

fast. It feels like I was wishing

And yet, in all that time, the

everyone a happy New Year

enthusiasm of our readers has

last week! And yet here we are,

never waned. In fact, it has grown

already past the year’s hump and

– and for that I, personally, say

heading into the downhill towards

thank you. And I also say thank

the next year end craziness.

you to all the Gamecca Crew

E3 has come and gone (we didn’t

members, both past and present,

forget about it, though… there is

for helping this digital magazine

out usual birthday issue E3 round-

grow from strength to strength.

up in this edition of Gamecca). Our

What the future holds for

South African game expo, rAge,

gaming, and for Gamecca, is hard

is fast approaching. And all those

to say. We play in an industry that

tasty year end releases are just on

can change in a heartbeat. But we

the horizon. And, as always, our

have been in it for eight years now,

birthday issue falls into a bit of a

and issue 100 is fast approaching.

gaming slump, although there are

Right, enough nostalgic

a few good titles hitting shelves

nonsense from me – this issue may

these days.

be a little lighter on reviews, but

This issue marks the eighth

it does contain our fifty top picks

birthday of Gamecca Magazine. I

from E3, and a whole lot more. So,

am going to sound old again (like

without further ado… let’s get on

a parent lamenting that their kids

with it…g mgeect 2 c7a 9 7 ggl a ad

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THIS MONTH’S COVER

Going back to the beginning with Assassin’s Creed: Origins...

Publishing Editor Walt Pretorius

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Feature: Land of the Pharaohs Assassin’s Creed visits its roots

18

Feature: E3 2017 Round-Up 50 picks from the LA show floor

walt@novamentis.co.za

Art Director Katia Taliadoros katia@novamentis.co.za

Writers: Alex Scanlon Clive Burmeister Iwan Pienaar Noelle Adams Nthato Morakabi Rob Edwards Sibonisile Motha Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius

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Reviews: Games 4 games inspected

66

Regular: IndieView The long road

Letters: letters@gameccamag.com

Competition Entries: competitions@gameccamag.com

Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gameccamag.com

Marketing Contact:

Copyright © Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd 2009 - 2017

walt@novamentis.co.za

Taking fun seriously!

All rights reserved. No content may be reproduced, copied or transmitted without the express permission of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editors and publishers. All Trademarks and Registered Trademarks are the sole property of the respective owners.

GAMECCA is published by Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd

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Feature: The GPU drought Not a great time for upgrading

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reviews: Hardware 4 great tech toys

88

Regular: Internet Will data ever fall?

92

Regular: Living Digital What’s a blockchain, then?

96

COOL STUFF: Movies Swinging in style

106

COOL STUFF: Comics Books with pictures

114

COOL STUFF: Books Mor ebrain food

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Gamecca Vol. 9 Issue 97 July 2017

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s e d’ c E oi h C

“A great step forward for the franchise and rally games in ge Dirt 4 is one of the better rally games we’ve seen in a long ti

Dirt 4

eneral, ime.�

Features 12 18

The Land of the Pharaohs Gamecca’s E3 2017 Round-Up

Reviews 48 54 58 62

Get Even Dirt 4 MXGP 3 WipeOut: The Omega Collection

RegularS 66

10

IndieView

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tu a Fe

Land of the Pharaoh GAMING

The start of the Assas

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Assassin’s Creed: Origins

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ssins

by:

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: Walt Pretorius

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Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and it brought a lot of freshness to the franchise. See, up until that point, Assassin’s Creed had started treading familiar territory a little too much. The original game was something of a breath of fresh air when it first arrived, despite complaints about repetitive game play.

The second game – arguably the best in the franchise – took the series to fantastic new heights, spawning two great expansions as well.

But by the time the third title came out, things were feeling a little stale. It didn’t help that, until the release of Assassin’s Creed: Unity (with its many, many bugs and issues) Assassin’s Creed 3, despite a strong story and a whole new setting, was considered by a great many to be the series’ lowest point.

It lacked the depth of the second game, and the uniqueness of the first.

So when Black Flag hit shelves and afforded players to take on the pirate life, it made something of a splash. The hero

wasn’t the noble Assassin that we had seen three times before, and the focus of the game was somewhat different.

It was something of a triumph for a franchise that was becoming long in the tooth far too quickly.

This was perhaps also due to the fact that Assassin’s Creed had become a regular feature in the video game calendar. Other than a gap between the first two games, released in 2007 and 2009 respectively, the series has seen a major release in every year. 2010 brought Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, 2011 Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, 2012 Assassin’s Creed III and 2013 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. In fact, the trend continued after Black Flag, too; 2014 brought Assassin’s Creed: Rogue and the lamentable Assassin’s Creed: Unity, and 2015 Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate. And then, in a surprising move, Ubisoft announced that there would be no game in the franchise in 2016, opting rather to release a remastered version of Assassin’s Creed II. That two year gap may be important, if trends are to

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be believed (and considering there was a two year gap before the release of the excellent Assassin’s Creed II). Because this year – two years after the release of Syndicate – Ubisoft have announced Assassin’s Creed: Origins.

Just before E3 2017, rumours started spreading about the game, and that it would be set in Ancient Egypt (a setting many fans have believed would be explored by the franchise sooner or later). And those rumours proved founded in truth Assassin’s Creed: Origins will take place in Ptolemaic Egypt (a period that lasted from 323BC until 30BC). And it will also explore the origins of the shadowy Assassins, which there has been quite a bit of speculation about.

In Assassin’s Creed: Origins players will take on the role of Bayek, who is a Medjay (basically an Ancient Egyptian paramilitary force who had sweeping policing and protection duties).

The players will use Bayek to protect his people from threats, although whether the Templars will be the main bad guys

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Assassin’s Creed: Origins

2

013 saw the release of

GAMING

e ur t a Fe this time around (the order was established in 1129AD) remains to be seen. What we do know, however, is that taking out bad guys in Assassin’s Creed: Origins will be a little different.

Missions will build towards something that has been missing from the franchise – boss fights. And each boss fight will be different, forcing players to consider loadouts and tactics with each and every one, rather than just taking to the mission with their favourite kit. Additionally, mission completion will be freer than before… this time around, targets won’t just stroll around areas where players will expect to find them. Rather, they will have lives, meaning that they will travel between different locations at different times of day.

This means that the player will need to strategies and choose the best time to strike, adding a new level of freedom to mission completion.

That, all on its own, is reason to get excited; this freedom will enable players to take advantage of differing conditions, and make each hit their own, rather than being shoe-horned into tighter situations.

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Players will also be able to undertake missions at their own pace, which is a good thing when one considers that Assassin’s Creed: Origins offers an entire country to explore. There will be varied environments, ranging from lush, overgrown oases right through to desert landscapes. In addition, players will be able to discover and explore tombs and more, meaning that there is going to be a lot to do in Assassin’s Creed: Origins… just like there was in Black Flag.

And at the core of the action – in addition to great graphics and a number of expected new mechanics – will be an overhauled reactive combat system, as well as a host of new weapons that all have their own characteristics.

It is all rather exciting, particularly for fans of the franchise who have seen chinks appearing in its armour. But possibly one of the most exciting factors is one that is happening behind the scenes… and is the reason why Black Flag has been mentioned so often here. The team

behind Assassin’s Creed: Origins is the same team that created Black Flag, an undeniable high point in the franchise’s history.

That team brings with it not only the know-how that went into creating Black Flag, complete with its enormous playing area, but also the time that they have put in; Assassin’s Creed: Origins’ development started in 2014, not long after Black Flag was released.

Many Assassin’s Creed fans are suffering from “once bitten, twice shy”. The franchise’s misstep with Unity left a sour taste in many mouths, which many feel Syndicate did not do enough to change. But initial reports for Assassin’s Creed: Origins seem hopeful that the franchise will be aking a long overdue return to the heights achieved by Assassin’s Creed II and Black Flag… all we can do is hope that our upcoming adventures in Ancient Egypt will be what the franchise needs to return to its former glories. g gamecca97

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

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nd-Up

we highlight our 50 favourite titles from the show floor. And so, in semi-alphabetical order, here is Gamecca’s E3 2017 Round-up... gamecca97

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A Way out PC/PS4/XO 2018

It’s not just about getting out of prison... A Way out, a new co-op game from EA, will see players engaging in numerous activities, including melee battles, car chases and more. It’s all about the co-op in this title, which is coming from the makers of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Should be a great challenge.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown PC/PS4/XO 2018

It’s been a good long while since we saw a new Ace Combat title. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown promises to live up to our expectations, with tons of air combat, lots of action and a great story-line all set to go. We should be returning to the skies in this arcade style action flight simulation next year.

ARMS

NS Now available

GAMING

Armed (ahem) with extra long arms, players will be able to take to arenas and do battle with foes who are similarly equipped.

Using the Switch’s motion controllers, players will be able to punch, throw and generally cause all kinds of mayhem in dynamic arenas in a game that might just pack a lot of punch...

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

Assassin’s Creed: Origins PC/PS4/XO October 2017

The Assassin’s Creed franchise travels to the lands of the Ancient Pharaohs in Assassin’s Creed: Origins, a game that promises to perform some major overhauls on concepts held dear by this popular, long-running franchise.

Players will have more freedom than before, with a whole country to explore and many more options for completing missions.

But things will be a lot tougher this time around, as Origins looks to up the ante in the difficulty stakes while it explores the origins of the mysterious brotherhood of noble Assassins...

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Call of Duty: World War II PC/PS4/XO November 2017

GAMING

The decision to return the Call of Duty franchise to its World War II roots was made more than two years ago, and it looks like it might just pay off.

Gone are the impersonal, high tech weapons; in this game, players will get down in the mud and blood as they sweep across Europe in single player, or do multiplayer battle in a variety of arenas.

This game looks set to up the ante in the long rivalry between Call of Duty and Battlefield (which was conspicuously absent from E3)...

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Artful Escape XO TBC

There weren’t a lot of Xbox exclusives on show this year, but Artful Escape was one of them.

While there is not a lot of information available about this game yet (including a release date) the name implies that it is going to be a creative head-scratcher... at least we hope it will be, rather than just another action shooter.

beyond Good & Evil 2 TBC TBC

The original Beyond Good and Evil was a true classic, and this sequel is very long overdue.

Set in a stunning new solar system, players will join the fight for liberty and self determination alongside numerous interesting and colourful characters when Beyond Good and Evil 2 hits shelves... but when that will be is anyone’s guess.

call of Cthulhu PC/PS4/XO 2017

GAMING

HP Lovecraft’s dark mythology has always fascinated those who like being scared stupid, and this new video game take on the universe he created will likely deliver all the horror you can handle. It’s set for release laterthis year, so get ready to have all kind of clothing scared off of you...

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

crackdown 3 XO TBC

Perhaps Scalebound frightened Microsoft, but they didn’t seem keen on giving out release dates for the handful of exclusives that were on offer at E3 2017.

That included Crackdown 3, the next instalment in the Xbox exclusive action series.

While there isn’t a lot of information out about the game yet, it is safe to assume that it will be full of over-the-top action, crazy antics and, of course, orb gathering.

At least, that’s what the previous two games had in store, and if the formula isn’t broken, why would the developers change anything?

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days gone PS4 TBC

Mindless, feral creatures aren’t quite zombies, but they’re close enough. Days Gone will put the player in the role of a man hunting down the victims of a terrible plague that decimated the world population.

It’s sure to be dark, action packed and even a little disturbing.

detroit: become human PS4 TBC

We still don’t know a massive amount about David Cage’s latest efforts, but it seems that Detroit: Become Human will be a strong shower for PS4 when it eventually releases. When that is... that’s anyone’s guess. This is the second showing for the dystopian future title at E3...

It is looking darkly impressive, though...

dishonored: death of an outsider PC/PS4/XO September 2017

GAMING

Spin-offs... they can be great, particularly when their source material is excellent. This is a new standalone adventure in the Dishonored universe, apart from the main plot line. The player will take on the role of Billie Lurk, a killer-for-hire tasked with killing the god-like Outsider... should be fun!

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

destiny 2 PC/PS4/XO September 2016

With tons of fans extremely excited and a movedup release date (they can do that in the video game industry?) things are looking really good for Destiny 2. This time around, the Guardians will be fighting a new foe after the last safe city on earth has fallen.

It looks like exciting stuff, full of the MMO style game play that made the first Destiny game so much fun.

And, of course, along with the new story line will be a host of new weapons, new settings and new enemies to take on.

It’s not long to wait now for the next instalment in Bungie’s exciting new franchise.

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everybody’s golf PS4 TBC

We don’t have a release date or lots of information yet, but if the screenshots are to be believed, Everybody’s Golf on PS4 looks amazing.

And that’s a good thing, because we haven’t had a new golf game in ages... it seems that EA has all but given up on them.

fifa 18

PC/PS4/XO/NS/PS3/X360 September 2017 Another year, another FIFA... EA’s football powerhouse has Cristiano Ronaldo on the cover this year, and is certain to bring all those tweaks and improvements that we expect to one of the world’s best-loved video game franchises.

We’re excited to see what EA have cooked up for this new instalment.

gt sport PS4 2017

GAMING

With three game modes, a ton of cars and more racing action than you can shake a stick at, GT Sport is working hard to bring the PlayStation exclusive Gran Turismo back into the racing picture. It’s also the first game in the series released for PS4, so things should get exciting in the last quarter of this year for racing fans.

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

far cry 5 PC/PS4/XO February 2018

Although it’s more than six months away from hitting shelves, there is already plenty to get excited about with Ubisoft’s latest action-packed shooter.

And there are people getting pretty upset about it, too. It will be set in North America, and the enemies will be a group of fundamentalist Christian alt-right folks who take over a town.

It looks like it will deliver more than just an action punch, with a strong commentary that many people may not want to hear.

Either way, there will surely be tons to do in this next additional to the Far Cry franchise.

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forza motorsport 7 PC/XO September 2017

GAMING

700 cars seems like an unachievable feat for any racing game, but it is what Forza Motorsport 7 promises will be available to drive and collect when the next instalment of the Microsoft exclusive racer arrives in September.

Forza 7 will also feature numerous exciting modes and the biggest track list ever in a Forza game.

And thanks to the new Xbox One hardware that is incoming, it will all be available in glorious 4K resolution.

Forza has often set the mark for modern, accessible racing simulations, and we have no doubt that Forza 7 will do the same.

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hidden agenda PS4 TBC

The makers of Until Dawn are working on a storydriven crime thriller called Hidden Agenda, in which players will be able to work co-operatively to evolve the story. Every choice has consequences here, and players will even have their own agendas to fulfil. While it will feature a single player mode, it looks like one you’ll want to co-op.

just dance 2018

PS4/XO/NS/PS3/X360/WiiU/Wii Oct 2016 Just Dance really has developed into a long standing franchise since its first tentative steps.

This year will see 40 new songs, as well as access to 300 more through online streaming.

It will have a new feature or two as well, but some of the issues that are making the game seem long-in-thetooth may persist.

king’s knight: wrath of the dark dragon Android/iOS 2017

GAMING

We don’t often feature mobile games in our E3 round-up, but this RPG, spun off from Final Fantasy XV, looks like a lot of fun.

Final Fantasy XV has seen a few releases on mobile, and this new title should prove to be a valuable addition to the growing handheld offering from Square Enix.

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

God of War PS4 2018

At least we now know more or less when to expect on of the PS4’s most anticipated titles... the new God of War will be out in early 2018.

More than that - well, there are a bunch of assumptions. But based on screen shots and what little other information is floating about, we know that there is a new mythology involved, and that the game looks absolutely fantastic.

And there’s a kid involved this time around the player character’s son will play a role, although how that all ties in remains to be seen.

One thing is for certain... this title will be action packed and extremely exciting to play.

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knack 2 PS4 TBC

Knack 2 seems a little overdue - this sequel is to one of the PS4’s launch titles, and will return the player to the inventive, action-packed puzzleplatforming world of Knack. Details are still a little thin on the ground, but we can be sure of tons of puzzling fun in this return to the unique and challenging franchise.

life is strange: before the storm

PC/PS4/XO August 2017

Life is Strange is a game that came almost out of nowhere to establish a huge fan base. In response to the first game’s success, Square Enix are releasing this prequel.

Set three years before the events of the original game, Life is Strange: Before the Storm will deliver more of the same great story telling as the first game.

mario + rabbids: kingdom battle

NS August 2017

GAMING

Mario and Rabbids working together?

Sure, why not? This collaboration between Ubisoft and Nintendo will deliver tons of turnbased action for Switch owners as the unlikely partnership between characters sets out to restore order to the Mushroom Kingdom.

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PC/PS4/XO September 2017

New characters will be joining the fight in this outing, with names like Ultron, Hulk, Thor, Rocket Racoon, Chun Li and Chris Redfield joining the battle.

This action-packed universe mash-up will deliver tons for fighting fans, with a host of recognisable characters to do battle with.

monster hunter: world PC/PS4/XO 2018

Despite a few trips onto PlayStation handhelds, Monster Hunter has normally been the province of Nintendo consoles.

But next year will see the release of a version for all major non-Nintendo platforms, allowing others to explore the living ecosystem that the game will present... not to mention hunt massive monsters!

no heroes allowed! vr PS4 TBC

Be the bad guy in this VR enabled management title for PS4. As the god of destruction, you will be able to wreak havoc, train monsters and build all kinds of nefarious devices, while AI driven heroes try to lay your schemes low.

It should be a lot of fun... gamecca97

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GAMECCA E3 2017 ROUND-UP

marvel vs capcom: infinite

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ori & the will of the wisps PC/XO TBC

Ori and the Blind Forest proved to be quite the hit when it was released, and its unique, thoroughly modern brand of platforming will return in this sequel.

Details are still somewhat thin, but we know that Ori will be exploring a whole new world, and that we will learn more about his destiny as we experience this next excellent adventure.

pes 2018

PC/PS4/XO/PS3/X360 September 2017 Konami is promising a massive overhaul for this year’s edition of Pro Evolution Soccer. In the last few years, it has been catching up on its rivals by leaps and bounds, and it will be interesting to see what exactly the developers have in store for us with this next outing. One thing is for sure - it will be crammed full of football action!

project cars 2 PC/PS4/XO September 2017

GAMING

Project CARS brought the gaming community together through collaborative creation efforts. In this second instalment, professionals have added their input...

Project CARS 2 promises to bring even more racing authenticity to the table, from tracks to cars and physics. Nuts and bolts for dinner, anyone?

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sea of thieves XO TBC

Yet another Xbox One exclusive with no firm release date details, Sea of Thieves will put players in the role of pirates as they co-operatively explore a massive and dangerous world. Nothing much new has been announced for the game since it’s showing at E3 last year, but it does look like lots of fun.

shadow of the colossus PS4 2018

Twelve years since its original release, Shadow of the Colossus still hold the reputation of being one of the finest games ever made.

So it is hardly a surprise that it is getting a massive overhaul for release on the PS4. One thing is for sure - the visuals that were so great on PS2 should be mind-blowing on the latest Sony hardware...

skull & bones PC/PS4/XO 2018

GAMING

Ubisoft proved that they know how to do naval battles in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

Now they’re working on a game that is all about that, as players enter the Golden Age of Piracy in Skull & Bones.

This one looks pretty exciting but it is only due in the third quarter of 2018...

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PC/PS4/XO October 2017

Eric Cartman, Kyle, Kenny and the gang are heading back for another irreverent and off-colour gaming adventure. If South Park appeals to you and you enjoyed Stick of Truth, the Fractured but Whole should be right up your alley. Crude humour and political-incorrectness will rule the day, to be certain!

space junkies PC 2018

Using a proprietary VR engine developed by Ubisoft, Space Junkies will pit players against each other in 1v1 or 2v2 arena battles. Equipped with jetpacks, the players will undertake alarmingly multidirectional combat in this game. At this time it is being developed for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headset compatibility.

Spider-Man PS4 2018

It’s unusual to see a major character coming out in an exclusive title, but it is happening a little more lately. This time it’s Spider-Man, and he’ll be swinging onto the PS4 platform in 2018. Despite very little information (even though this was its second year at E3) we’re pretty excited. gamecca97

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South Park: The Fractured but Whole

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splatoon 2 NS 2017

Splatoon proved to be fairly popular (as popular as a Wii U game could be) so it’s no surprise that Nintendo are revitalising the franchise for the Switch.

There will be a host of new features available (in Splatoon terms, at least) and NS players will be able to take on their friends in LAN battles, too. It is light, action-based fun.

starlink: battle for atlas PS4/XO/NS 2018

This new title from Ubisoft Toronto will allow players to customise and experiment to their hearts’ content, and then take to a massive, space adventure. All adaptations within the game will happen on-the-fly, thanks to some new tech.

That could make Starlink: Battle for Atlas an exciting space shooter. We’ll find out for sure next year.

State of Decay 2 XO 2017

GAMING

Surprisingly (or perhaps refreshingly) there weren’t a lot of zombies on display at E3 this year. One zombie game that stood out was State of Decay 2, a great game for proving you have what it takes to survive a zombie apocalypse. And, look at that, it has a sort-of firm release date, so we’ll hopefully be playing it soon.

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steep: road to the olympics PC/PS4/XO December 2017

While the original Steep was all about doing your own thing on snowy Alpine slopes, this next instalment is the official game of the Winter Olympics next year in Pyeong Chang. That probably means a lot more structure to the events, but this remains to be seen. There will be lots of snow, though...

super lucky’s tale PC/XO TBC

Lucky is a fox who, we’re assuming, enjoys good fortune. Whatever the case may be, this new game for PC and Xbox One will be filled with platforming adventure, mini-games and surprise skill challenges.

And it’s aimed at the whole family, which is pretty refreshing amid all the blood, gore and headshots out there...

that’s you PS4 TBC

GAMING

Here’s a party game based on selfies and cell phones.

Perfect for our modern society, really...

That’s You pits up to five players against each other using a smartphone companion app. The game changes according to the number of players, and tasks friends with answering questions about each other. Good fun!

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PC/PS4/XO 2018

The original game launched with more than a few issues, but that’s not stopping this sequel.

And with bikes, cars, boats, planes and more in the mix, The Crew 2 might just establish itself as a very different kind of arcade racer.

We’ll have to wait ‘til next year to find out, but the idea sounds exciting.

the evil within 2 PC/PS4/XO October 2017

While most survival horror games force the player into certain routes, The Evil Within 2 will allow a number of different game play approaches - stealthy sneaking, all out action, or running like hell.

Set in a twisted world filled with truly horrific enemies and ideas, The Evil Within 2 is almost sure to be a great psychological thriller.

the inpatient PS4 TBC

Supermassive Games are really busy. Aside from Hidden Agenda, they are also working on the VR title The Inpatient. The story is set 60 years before the events in Until Dawn, and it is up to the player to solve their own amnesia in this title, which looks exceptionally creepy. gamecca97

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transference PC/PS4/XO 2018

VR is great for creepy games, and Transference looks like it will be just that.

A collaboration between Ubisoft and actor Elijah Woods’ SpectreVision development studio, Transference will bridge the game between games and movies in a tale of one man’s destructive obsession, told by way of recreated memories.

tropico 6 PC/PS4/XO TBC

El Presidente is making a return, and this time he will have more space to dominate. For the first time in the series, players will be able to control multiple islands in their tropical paradise nation.

There will be numerous other tweaks and additions, too, but the fun will be the same. Tropico is a unique take on management...

wolfenstein II: the new colossus

PC/PS4/XO October 2017

GAMING

America is controlled by the Nazis after their victory in World War II. But BJ Blazkowicz isn’t taking that lying down... the Resistance is strong.

It’s pretty exciting to think about a sequel to the fantastic Wolfenstein reboot, and the setting is sure to be unique. The action will be thick and fast in this shooter.

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uncharted: the lost legacy PC/PS4/XO Oct 2016

Nathan Drake might be retired, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t treasures to be found (and, let’s be honest, when does the video game industry ever give up on a good thing?). The Lost Legacy is set some time after the events of Uncharted 4, and follows Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross as they try to discover the Tusk of Ganesha in India.

New heroes are the thing here - Drake was a well loved character, and how gamers react to The Lost Legacy’s two new female protagonists remains to be seen. Still, a new Uncharted game is an exciting prospect.

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Get Even GAMING

…even if it is uneven

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Get Even

by Walt Pretorius

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foremost, is a piece of interactive storytelling – and it is in this arena that Get Even shines. Sadly, though, in terms of being a game, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.

What must be lauded here, right at the get-go, is the development team’s willingness to take risks where so many others prefer to tread well-trodden trails. The Farm 51, the team behind Get Even, has taken a definite decision to be brave and take more than a few gambles.

Sure, there are times when they don’t pay off, but the willingness to go to places that other developers won’t is really quite admirable.

In Get Even the player takes on the role of Cole Black, a military type who wakes up in an abandoned asylum with amnesia. Strapped to Black’s head is Pandora, a device that allows him to relive memories and using it, as well as the help of a mysterious chap named Red, the player

GAMING

hese days there are more and more games that blur the established genre lines, straddling between genres in an attempt to become more engaging and offer greater dimension to players. But few manage to straddle quite as widely as Get Even, a new game that toys with elements from numerous genres. However, the spread may be a little too thin, and Get Even manages to struggle with its own identity at times.

On the surface, Get Even is sometimes a shooter, sometimes a walking simulator (those pedantic exploration games that some people love and others absolutely hate) and, at others, a survival horror title. That, to be honest, is a little broad in terms of definition, because Get Even pokes and jabs in all kinds of other directions. But what it really is, first and

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pieces together what is going on. It all revolves around – it seems – a girl with a bomb strapped to her that Black was meant to rescue. In fact, the game kicks off with this scene… but the player is, right from the start, left with more questions and answers, even when things do seem a little clearer.

To investigate what the hell is afoot, the player will need to do two things; search for answers and clues using Black’s cell phone, and shoot people using Black’s guns.

The first bit is fairly decent. The phone has five apps installed, which the player can easily cycle through; a scanner for unearthing clues, a map, a heat camera, a UV camera (for following tracks and trails) and a message system. Using these five, the player can discover new memories to uncover and explore using Pandora. And this leads to Get Even’s brightest, shiniest

bit – the plot.

The narrative is quite long, but it is in no way linear. It is up to the player to piece things together from scattered memories and clues found lying about. It feels almost episodic in nature, thanks to this, but the fact that the player’s actions can change the narrative, it is a bit beyond what you might find in a televised psychological thriller.

Supporting the player’s exploration of the environment and the facts – not to mention those missing memories – is an excellent soundtrack. The music on offer in Get Even is among the best in video games, and it manages to weave itself into the game, rather than lie on the surface. Even other sound effects play with the music, like at times when Black’s breathing or heartbeat become instruments in the overall audio landscape.

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Corner Gun to alleviate having to lean past corners.

Where the plot feels finely crafted and polished, the action bits of Get Even are a let down – but they’re never meant to be the focus of the game. In fact, Red will warn the player against excessively shooting tons of bad guys, as this could negatively affect the memories that the player uncovers.

Ultimately, Get Even provides the player with an enjoyable and lengthy experience, provided they’re willing to push their main focus into the areas that The Farm 51 wanted to highlight. This game is about plot, about unwinding a complex and surprisingly deep narrative. If you need to get through a few clumsy stealth and combat sections to do so, then that is the price to pay. But what The Farm 51 failed to realise is that no matter how good your plot might be, and

GAMING

Additionally, the voice acting is equally excellent, with the small cast of characters being humanised beautifully by high grade vocal performances.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for the visuals. In terms of looks, Get Even is a mixed bag. There are times when the game looks really great, and then there are others when textures feel lacklustre and repetitive.

To make matters worse, Get Even gets a bit ambitious at times, resulting in frame rate stutters and other inconsistencies that hamper the generally decent overall presentation of the title.

Standing next to the great plot and decent investigation portions of the game are the shooting bits. If you’re looking for action, go elsewhere; gun play in Get Even feels inconsistent and tacked on, even though the game does offer a fun and funky

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no matter how intriguing and edge-of-your-seat the narrative may become, the overall experience is as important. Players will be as likely to criticise the poor gun play and sometimes lacklustre, repetitive environments as they are the plot. In fact, they are probably more likely to criticise those, no matter what the developer’s intention were.

As a player, you need to know what you’re in for when you get started with Get Even. You’re not going to find oodles of fighting. In fact, you’ll spend more time fiddling with Black’s phone than you will aiming down the sights of his pistol or assault rifle. And even if you’re OK with that idea, you need to come to grips with the fact that the story is not going to be spoon fed to you. You’re going to have to work things out and piece it together as you go, working towards what is actually a pretty great

conclusion.

What this all means is that while Get Even is a great bit of storytelling, it isn’t a fantastic game by any means.

In fact, there are many areas in which Get Even is rather disappointing… and they are areas that could be considered key in video gaming circles. But if you are out for a mind-bending psychological thriller, and you are capable of seeing past the sometimes glaring weaknesses, Get Even will provide you with a tale that is far beyond what the majority of video games out there aspire too. It is deep, dark and enthralling, and those that enjoy a solid narrative, complex and complete with tons of twists and turns, will likely enjoy the story that Get Even has on offer. Fans of lots of guns and copious amounts of righteous head shots should probably look elsewhere. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

Get Even has many weak points, particularly when it comes to combat, but it also has a great level of storytelling and an excellent narrative.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

The Farm 51 Bandai Namco Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

16+ gamecca97

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

75 53

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Dirt 4 GAMING

The next level…

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Dirt 4

by Walt Pretorius

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A great step forward for the franchise and rally

by Walt Pretorius

games in general,

Dirt 4 is one of the better rally games we’ve seen in a

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

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Codemasters Codemasters Apex Interactive

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

90

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long time.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Racing

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– Codemasters Ego engine has never looked this good.

Whether it is light playing across the body of your chosen chariot, or the simply amazing water splash effects, Dirt 4 looks great.

And it sounds fantastic, too. From throaty exhaust notes to the clatter of gravel on the underside of your car, Dirt 4 paints a soundscape that is convincing and exciting.

And then there are the cars. They look more like rally cars this time around, and less like vehicles that have just rolled off of the showroom floor. In addition, their handling has been improved, and two modes – Simulation and Gamer – provide a high degree of accessibility for any taste. Driving cars in Dirt 4 feel fantastic, although those that want a more challenging experience will do well to avoid Gamer mode.

Dirt 4 offers a wide array of vehicles to choose from, with some great ‘80s and ‘90s classics on offer. The cars from the 2000s feel a little light, though, and there are some strange groupings going on.

The career has been beefed up considerably as well. This is largely due to the inclusion of upgradable team facilities, which has an effect on how effective and useful your team of mechanics and engineers will be. There is a fair amount of management to do, but compared to the lacklustre efforts of career mode in the previous Dirt release, this is actually quite welcome.

Dirt 4 is a great rally game – one of the best we have seen in a long time. It presents players with a great multiplayer experience, too, but those who prefer keeping things solo will find a lot of racing here, thanks to the brilliant Your Stage technology. g

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odemasters certainly understand how to put driving simulations together. Sure, they might not be the most nuts-andbolts when it comes to deep technical stuff, but they invariably manage to strike a balance between tinkering under the hood and blasting down roads that works really well. And with this year’s new release, they have refined that even further.

Perhaps most importantly, though, is that Codemasters have extended the lifespan of their game almost immeasurably, thanks to the inclusion of a new feature called Your Stage. Using this new tool, the player basically sets two sliders – track length and complexity.

After those selections are made, Dirt 4 procedurally generates a new track.

And it’s not just a bunch of similar sections strung together, either; Your Stage tracks feel like they have been designed by humans, not algorithms. This means that Dirt 4 will constantly deliver fresh content that players will need to come to grips with, without the need for downloading new stages.

And, best of all, really great stages can be saved and shared online.

Your Stage supports tracks created in Australia, The USA, Wales, Sweden and Spain. Each environment offers very different conditions, from the sweeping gravel of Australia to Spain’s tight tar tracks, and with tracks that can get to be up to 12 km long and provide plenty of room for racing and crashing, it is possibly the most exciting thing to happen to rally games in a very long time.

Your Stage is something of a masterstroke in a game that is full of excellent things. Most obviously, the graphics have seen something of an overhaul

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MXGP 3 GAMING

Been there, done that…

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MXGP 3

by Rob Edwards

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matter as much here. Just blasting around the track is good enough, really, which is odd when considering that the game will require the player to take certain technical ideas into account.

That’s really the theme here – some things you need to worry about, and others you need to ignore. The end result is a game that can be fun to play, but it cannot really be considered a simulation. Rather, MXGP 3 comes across like an arcade racer, which is something that developers Milestone have been struggling with since the series first fired up three years ago.

In fact, it is something that Milestone struggle with in most of their games. The real problem is that, in this particular case, if any progress has been made, it isn’t obvious. Rather, it seems that Milestone have put all their efforts into making the game look good, rather than feel

GAMING

iding a motorcycle is a technical affair at the best of times. It is extremely different from other forms of motorised transportation, purely because the actual physical body of the rider comes into play. And riding a motorcycle of dirt is very different from other surfaces, too, because the balance and road holding offer all kinds of challenges to the rider.

This is what makes people who compete in dirt biking as a sport such impressive riders. They have an extremely deep understanding of the technical side of their machines, and they can apply this knowledge at a moment’s notice – like when picking out the best racing line.

That’s not something people deciding to enjoy the virtual version of the sport, in the form of MXGP 3, will need to worry about. It seems that the line doesn’t really

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good. This is the best looking MXGP game yet. However, some things still need a little work – most notably the new dynamic weather system. While this system does add a nice new element to the mechanics of the game, it doesn’t look great. The rain, in particular, is disappointing, and the on-off nature of the weather (rather than using some kind of transition system) is jarring.

There are, naturally, a number of tweaks and changes that can be made to the way the game handles, making it more accessible or more challenging. This can improve things a bit when playing but caution needs to be exercised when handling the changes. That’s because they can be extremely finicky. Tweaking just a little too much in the wrong direction can have wide reaching and disastrous results.

The career mode will keep you busy as you work yourself

from the bottom of the pile to the pinnacle of off-road racing, of course. But it, like almost every other aspect of MXGP 3, falls prey to the notion that there simply isn’t enough new here to warrant another iterated release.

In fact, the whole experience feels like you’ve done this before, improved visuals aside, and it seems unclear on where Milestone is heading with this series… other than trying to make it look better.

And that’s a real pity because, quite frankly, the world needs a great dirt bike racing simulator. Sure, it’s a pretty niche market overall, but there is still a market for it.

Unfortunately, MXGP 3 doesn’t feel like it is taking the right steps to get to that point. It can be fun to play, sure, but ultimately is stays mired in the world of arcade-style racing, and those that want a really technical simulator will likely find it wanting. g

AT A GLANCE Racing

REVIEWED ON

While the visuals are better and questionable dynamic weather has been added, there really isn’t much in MXGP 3 that we haven’t seen before from the franchise.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Milestone Milestone Ster Kinekor

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca97

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

60 61

E M W A IE G EV R

WipeOut Omega Collection GAMING

Another trip around the track

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WipeOut Omega Collection

by Rob Edwards

a

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A really great remaster for

PS4 owners,

by Walt Pretorius

this collection brings together three great games from the

WipeOut

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

3+

SCEI SCEE Ster Kinekor

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

80

AT A GLANCE

PARENTAL ADVISORY

REVIEWED ON

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stable.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Racing

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PS Vita, and the transition from the handheld to console has revealed some differences. Once again, not a train smash, but something that you should be aware of.

2048 feels a lot looser than the other two, which is likely a throwback from it needing to be a bit more forgiving on the Vita.

Lastly, the controls used to play WipeOut haven’t changed much since the game was first released.

This means that acceleration is on or off, rather than a controllable factor granted by using trigger buttons. It’s a throwback to WipeOut’s history, really, and it doesn’t break the game; the challenge here is in navigating the tracks while going fast, so full tilt is really the only speed you need.

This factor may stand out most, though, to those that are new to the franchise. It is good to keep in mind that this remaster pays homage to a game that was more or less synonymous with PlayStation gaming for a long time, rather than being a brand-new title.

Speaking of remastering, the developers did a fantastic job here. Bright, vibrant graphics are made even more so by the addition of HDR technology, and running the game in 4K is really awesome (provided you don’t activate motion blurring, which is has an issue with). The performance is smooth and sleek, making this a great game for PlayStation 4 Pro owners.

What the future of the franchise is remains to be seen. At this time, with no dedicated WipeOut development team, one cannot be sure that this popular and pulse-pounding racing franchise will be reprised specifically for the latest hardware (although we can hope). For now, we will have to make do with the WipeOut Omega Collection which is, admittedly, not a bad thing. g

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here was a time that the WipeOut franchise was more or less definitive when it came to PlayStation racing.

The brightly coloured, futuristic racer allowed players to truly test their mettle in high speed hoverracers, firing weapons at opponents while blasting around challenging tracks and unlocking better and better vehicles.

And then, just before the PS4 was released, WipeOut pretty much went away. In fact, for those that have been following PlayStation for some time, it is one of those titles that is conspicuous in its absence. PlayStation without WipeOut is like summer without sunshine.

To fill the gap (because we’re not sure if there is going to be a new instalment in future) Sony have released WipeOut: Omega Collection.

This remastered version of the wildly popular sci-fi racer wrings together two PS3 versions of the game, as well as one released for the PS Vita. WipeOut HD and Fury were both released on PS3, while WipeOut 2048 was the Vita version – and all three are here, remastered and tweaked to deliver all that WipeOut goodness.

There are, however, a few issues that arise from this remaster, despite the fact that it is excellent. Mind you, none of them are game breaking… but they may be things that you’ll pick up on.

The first, most obvious thing is that, even though they are now presented in 4K and HDR, if you have played WipeOut before, the tracks may be familiar. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you’re a returning WipeOut veteran (and particularly if you have played all of the games included) don’t expect any new challenges.

The second is that HD and Fury handle differently from 2048. This is likely because the latter was created for the

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ame development, for some, is a lifelong passion.

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thinking outside of the box. Gobbo Games’ Quinton

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NG rOAD

n with Gobbo Games

By Nthato Morakabi

Delpeche is one of them, and we recently spoke to him about how he got started, where he finds inspiration and whether you can balance development and gaming.

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outside of gaming and how has it helped in your development?

GG: The inspiration for games comes from various sources, things like YouTube or even doing a game tutorial can lead me down the path where I ask myself: “Can this be a game?”

Kaboom Arena, although never released, was born from doing a tutorial on Unreal Engine while my current project has been inspired from watching a You Tube video.

GM: Was there ever a game you played that made you want to develop games?

GG: There are actually three games that have motivated me.

The first game was the original Elite in the late ‘80s that I played on my ZX Spectrum 128K +2. I was in awe of the pseudo-3d objects and the vast open universe.

This showed me that anything was possible, all you had to do was put your mind to it.

The next game was Toxic Bunny in the late 90’s, made

by South African company Celestial Games. This showed me that South Africans could also make games and get involved in the industry, Travis Bulford has become a friend and I still look up to him as an industry veteran.

The last game was the original Neverwinter Nights, specifically the Aurora Toolset.

This is when I realised that games can be anything you want them to be and if you create the tools to allow players to make their own worlds, your game can take on a life of its own.

GM: What role does gaming play in your life in general?

GG: I enjoy playing games but tend to spend more time

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making games than actually playing them, although some would say that testing a game is the same as playing.

Gaming doesn’t play a huge role in my life, it is a way to unwind and appreciate other people’s hard work at the same time. I have however started introducing my daughter (aged 7) to the likes of Minecraft and Kerbal Space program, and I can’t wait to start our journey with Lego Mindstorms in the near future.

GM: What does being a Game Developer mean to you both as a gamer and as a developer?

GG: As a gamer, I want to share my games with people and watch them enjoy the game and experience it the way it was intended to be experienced. There is nothing better than standing to the side and watching players enjoy your game and have a good time with something that you developed. I want people to have fun while playing a good quality game.

As a developer, I want to ensure that the players get the most stable game possible and not get frustrated by bad design or user experience. If they can start playing without having to read a manual or spend hours on tutorials, then I have done my job as a developer.

GM: You’ve mentioned Celestial Games and of course you were with Geoff Burrows at GeekFest, who has featured in these interviews too. Tell us, how integral is the gaming community to your development?

GG: The gaming community is extremely integral to development, I try to get them involved in my projects at an

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GM: Greetings Quinton.

We heard you speak at Geekfest earlier this year; can you tell us who Gobbo Games is and how it came to fruition?

GG: Gobbo Games is an Independent Games Development company and creator of board games operating from offices in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Originally founded in 2008, it wasn’t until 2016 when I officially registered the company and started operating it as a business.

I came up with the name while working on a game called Kaboom Arena, the main character was a goblin that could drop dynamite and throw bombs. During the development, I started referring to him as Gobbo and so Gobbo Games was born.

He is our unofficial mascot and although Kaboom Arena was never released, he may still make an appearance in a future game.

GM: So how did you start developing games?

Was there an idea that turned from concept to implementation?

GG: From a very early age - I am talking the early ‘80s - I was always interested in making games and programming. Initially the barrier to entry was extremely high and it took the discovery of Torque Game Engine Advanced that started me down the route of creating games.

Originally, I created a FPS in Torque 3D, and after some trial and error I eventually made the move to Unreal Engine and this is where Riders of Asgard was born and ultimately released.

GM: What has been your source of inspiration both in gaming and

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development, how difficult is the industry?

Care to share advice, struggles, victories or challenges you’ve faced as a company?

GG: The industry is actually not that difficult, having a quality game that stands out from the rest is the difficult part. There are so many games being released these days by indie developers that standing out from them and trying to get your game noticed is the hardest part.

I think the main victory for me was being part of a local indie game developer panel at one of the conferences here and I managed to sit next to Travis Bulford from Celestial games.

The only advice I can really give is that you should never give up, follow your dream, make a game, release a game and learn from the whole experience.

You also need to be prepared to accept that your game will be pirated and I highly recommend that any developer learn how to do DMCA Takedowns and Copyright Challenges.

GM: You already have Riders of Asgard under your belt available on Steam, is there another game you are currently developing?

GG: Yes, I am currently looking at a few different games but there is one that I am extremely excited about and I have started actively developing. It is still early stages but I already have a working prototype that I am currently enhancing and polishing.

GM: Can you tell us a little about it? What is a key feature that makes your game unique or

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worth checking out?

GG: Basically, it is a FPV Drone racing game and I am trying to capture the intense action and fast-paced nature of FPV Drone racing. The game is still in its early stages and is constantly undergoing changes and tweaks, but I am making good progress.

The unique feature that I am going to add is that you can immerse yourself in the game by using your smart phone and VR Headset to make you feel like you are really flying your drone in FPV. GM: That sounds amazing. What was the inspiration behind it?

GG: The inspiration behind it was a YouTube video that I accidentally came across. I am constantly referring back to that video to make sure I am capturing the essence of the video in the game.

GM: What platform are you looking to release it on?

GG: I am going to release it for PC on Steam and will then look at doing an Xbox release shortly thereafter.

During the entire development process, I am doing test Xbox builds to make sure that the porting process to Xbox will be relatively straight forward.

GM: And is there a release date?

GG: There is no definite release date yet, but I am probably looking at 4th quarter this year or 1st quarter next year.

GM: Last question and random but… if you had one game or studio past, present or future that you could work for, what would it be?

GG: I think it would have to be Bioware during the time they were developing Neverwinter Nights. g

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early stage. Their feedback is vital and by taking in their feedback I can ultimately make my games the best that they can be. I will constantly make updates to the game based on feedback received from the gaming community.

GM: So, what did you study? Did you study it specifically to go into gaming?

GG: I didn’t study anything, I am completely self-taught. I did enroll in a game developer course from Train2Game while I was in the UK but unfortunately personal circumstances forced me to leave the UK and come back to South Africa without completing the course.

I initially decided to study, in order to cement my knowledge with regards to game development, but I never studied anything specifically to get in to gaming or game development.

GM: Is it something you’d still want to do and do you think it would help aspiring Game Developer to study?

GG: Yes, I would study Game Development. I definitely think these courses have their merits and can provide a solid foundation for anyone wanting to be a game developer. I have the advantage of starting off my career as a software developer in the middle ‘90s and game development just became the next logical step for me.

Research your courses carefully and if possible ask questions regarding the courses to your local game development communities first and try to make an informed decision.

GM: Speaking of advantages and having a history in game

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HARDWARE Reviews 80 82 84 86

Tt eSports Black FP Gaming Mouse MSI X370 XPower Gaming Titanium Motherboard MSI Interceptor DS4200 Gaming Keyboard Asus ROG Strix X370-f Gaming Motherboard

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o you decided to upgrade your PC sometime in the last few months. You did your research.

You did your calculations. You painstakingly shuffled, adjusted and balanced everything to get the most bang for your buck…because that’s the way we do things when we upgrade PCs. The only thing is, despite the fact that you’ve done everything you need to do – including saving up the money for several months, possibly subsisting on a diet of bread and water – you cannot put that dream upgrade together. One component is missing, and you’re having a really hard time finding it… the new graphics card.

Buying a new graphics card at the moment is extremely challenging here in South Africa and, in fact, around the globe. There is a global shortage of high end graphics cards, both from the Radeon and GeForce ranges. The reason is simple… they’ve all been bought

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up. There has been a buying frenzy of graphics cards of late that has left store shelves seriously depleted.

This rush on graphics cards was not caused by gamers wanting to link several high-end cards together to get lazing frame rates, though. Rather, and much to the disdain of gamers, the cards in question may never see a single game played at all. They have been bought by crypto-currency miners, to be built into powerful number crunching rigs that will, if these miners have their way, spit out hard earned virtual currency.

But why now? Why has this sudden rush on highend hardware taken place at this time? The answer is Etherium, a cryptocurrency that has shown a sudden spike in value over the last few months. The rise in value of Etherium started in late April, and is showing no signs of slowing down. It is now almost ten times more valuable than it was at the start of this year, and the demand

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The GPU Drought

for the cryptocurrency just keeps growing. Despite the fact that there has been (at the time of writing) a dip in the value of Etherium (perhaps due to a lot more of the coins entering the market) it still appears to be the “next Bitcoin” in terms of demand and value.

Let’s take a step back from the current situation and take a look at the concept more broadly. Cryptocurrency is defined (by Wikipedia) as a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange using cryptography to secure the transactions and to control the creation of additional units of the currency. In 2009, Bitcoin became the first decentralised cryptocurrency, meaning that it belongs to no government, state or bank – it is a currency that is controlled by the people who own it. In theory, it frees users from ideas like taxation, although several governments around the world have found ways to apply taxation to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Still,

numerous transactions around the world take place every day using this “internet money”, even though concerns of criminal activities surrounding the unregulated currencies are proving to have some grounds.

Etherium is an alternative currency to Bitcoin, grouped together with numerous other currencies colloquially known as altcoins. Its sudden rise comes at a time when mining for Bitcoin has become much more difficult and increasingly expensive (because there will only ever be 21 million Bitcoins in the “market” and running a Bitcoin mining rig consumes a lot of electricity). So, understandably, people are paying attention, and those that want to get hold of Etherium are pouring their money into setting up rigs. With graphics cards offering a lot of processing power and being capable of mining Etherium, they are the obvious target for miners.

The end result is that high-end graphics cards have

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become rare, and those that are in the market have seen fairly substantial price increases as suppliers take advantage of the demand. Here in South Africa, hardware distributors are working on back orders that will take almost a year to fill.

As a response, major graphics cards manufacturers have announced graphics cards designed specifically for cryptocurrency mining. With a strong focus on generating the processing power required for mining, these cards will be trimmed specifically for the task.

This means that they will have no graphics output ports – because these cards have nothing to do with visuals. Rather, they will be focussed on the task at hand, freeing up “normal” graphics cards for gamers and other users who are currently battling to find them.

The theory is sound, but in practice it may not work

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as well as graphics cards manufacturers are hoping. First of all, the warranties that will be offered on these cards will be less substantial than those offered for standard graphics cards. The reason is simple’ cards used in a mining rig will run under full load, more than likely 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That kind of strain shortens the lifespan of the card significantly, which the manufacturers are aware of – therefore, shorter warranty periods. But this won’t necessarily fit well with cryptocurrency miners.

The second issue is that these cards cannot be used for anything else. Should the bubble burst on currencies like Etherium, many miners may want to cut their losses by reselling the hardware that they have invested in.

But reselling a graphics card that doesn’t deliver visuals only works if you’re selling it to another miner, and that may not be the easiest thing to do if the shine wears

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off of the cryptocurrency market. Unless the price of cryptocurrency focussed graphics cards is substantially lower than that of standard cards, it makes sense to just stick to cards that can be resold easily. It solidifies the return on investment somewhat, which is what mining for cryptocurrency is all about.

The knock-on effect of this action would be that the market would be flooded with cheaper, second-hand graphics cards. The catch, of course, may be that these cards have a dramatically reduced lifespan, thanks to high strain operation, but those unaware of that fact may be caught with an apparent bargain that will result in heartache.

Additionally, this could have a negative effect on the sales on new cards, driving prices down as the manufacturers need to compete with a massive amount of used cards for sale, particularly in countries where

new cards are extremely expensive. That, of course, depends on whether buyers are aware of the risks of buying these second-hand cards but, quite honestly, an apparently great deal can blind anyone to common sense.

The situation is, if you’re a gamer looking to upgrade your beloved PC, dire. It is next to impossible to find a reasonably priced high-end graphics card at the moment, and the market may (at some point in the future) be flooded with old, tired GPUs as miners try to cut their losses. But the reality is that the technology market is an unpredictable beast. This trend may affect the future of graphics cards and their prices in numerous ways, which is something that only time will tell.

For now, you’ll be best served by putting your upgrade on hold, or putting your name of a long, first-come-firstserved waiting list. g

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H C EW E T VI E R Tt

eSports

Black FP

Gaming Mouse

For when security matters

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echnology is a funny thing; there are so many technology bandwagons that it is never really surprising to see some kind of superfluous tech being introduced to devices. So seeing a fingerprint scanner built into Tt eSports’ Black FP gaming mouse is not really surprising, even though it does get the eyebrow just a little arched.

At first glance, it is a great idea – it helps with user authentication. But any Windows based system has tons of user authentication systems, really, and seeing as it is a muse aimed at a gaming market, it seems a little strange to have a fingerprint scanner to protect all the security sensitive save games and porn collections.

OK, I am being overly cynical. The fingerprint scanner is a nice touch, when all is said and done, even if it is somewhat superfluous. It’s a great fancy

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feature.

Perhaps, though, Tt eSports should have taken time to look at the other features of the Black FP. Like, for example, the fact that the Avago sensor offers up to 5700 dpi sensitivity. Apart from it being an odd number, it is also a number that simply won’t do for some users.

Sure, it is great for the majority of people out there, but there will be some that won’t be overly impressed.

They might not be impressed with the fact that the Black FP also only offers one colour of lighting: red.

It suits the overall aesthetic of this admittedly well shaped and attractive mouse, tying in with the red accents on four of the seven buttons. But some will want to have the freedom to change colours, which the Black FP doesn’t offer.

One customisation that is offered is weight. The Black FP has five removable 4.5g weights, but even

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Tt eSports Black FP Gaming Mouse

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS

It has a funky idea or two, but ultimately the Black FP falls securely into the middle of the road.

Ma nuf a c t ure r: D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :

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7 button Red lighting Fingerprint scanner 5700 dpi Weight adjustable Teflon feet

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with all of them in place it feels remarkably light.

The button placement is really good on this mouse.

The two side buttons are very well positioned and easy to access, and the main buttons are large and well contoured, which is great for long usage comfort. The design is also ever-so-slightly asymmetrical, making it very comfortable for right handed users (no, it is not an ambidextrous mouse). It is also covered in a comfortable, non-slip finish, and the great quality feet make the Black FP glide like a greased pig on fresh ice.

The Black FP does its job well enough, and is a good looking, comfortable mouse. But it just doesn’t tip the scales in any particular area (aside from that fingerprint scanner). The average user will be more than happy with its performance, but more serious gamers may find it a little lacking in some respects. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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H C EW E T VI E R MSI

X370 XPower Gam

TECHNOLOGY

For power crunching!

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MSI X370 XPower Gaming Titanium Motherboard

ming Titanium

Motherboard

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by Rob Edwards

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS

While Ryzen chips may not be the best gaming performers, those that want to build a powerful all-rounder should certainly consider this motherboard as their backbone of choice.

Ma nuf a c t ure r: D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :

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X370 chipset DR4 compatible VR ready Customisable RGB lighting Nahimic 2 audio Gaming LAN

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MD’s Ryzen range of processors has made people sit up and listen, not least of which are the various manufacturers out there that want to take advantage of the enthusiasm.

Whether you like AMD CPUs or not, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Ryzen processors pack quite a punch, and so they require motherboards capable of delivering great performance.

MSI are no slouch when it comes to delivering the goods, and so those who are keen on a Ryzen based system will do well to take a look at their offerings.

And for power users (including overclockers) MSI have the X370 XPower Gaming Titanium motherboard.

It’s quite a mouthful, but it packs the kind of punch that its name implies. And because the word Gaming is in there, you know that this motherboard means business – it is part of MSI’s upper end enthusiast range.

The impressive looking matt silver X370 XPower Gaming Titanium comes with every bell and whistle you might expect from a high end MSI motherboard.

The heat sinks, for example, which form a large part of the board’s extremely impressive looks, are heavy plated heatsinks that not only look good, but also deliver a high degree of cooling. Not that this is something that “normal” users need to worry about, but overclockers will certainly want the highest degree of cooling out of their motherboard, particularly when it appears that higher end Ryzen chips run pretty hot.

Other protections come in the form of the now standard Steel Armor that MSI introduced to their boards a while ago, and includes reinforced PCI-e and RAM ports, as well as a full I/O port cover.

In terms of gaming, the X370 XPower Gaming Titanium offers numerous technologies to boost performance, including gaming device ports, Intel Gaming LAN, an integrated gaming hotkey system, as well as Game Boost technology. It also features easy VR setup and DDR4 Boost for optimised RAM performance.

The real joy, though, is the massive amount of tweaking that the X370 XPower Gaming Titanium allows for. Overclockers and power users will have access to simple and reliable systems, including a host of overvoltage protections and easy debugging systems.

AMD’s Ryzen chips are not necessarily the best option for those who want pure gaming performance, but they are arguably better number crunchers and all-round performers than what Intel has on offer.

To this end, a board like the X370 XPower Gaming Titanium seems to be aimed at a market that will be less receptive to the CPU at its core. But if you want to build a power machine that doesn’t just get used for gaming, it really is a smart option. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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H C EW E T VI E R MSI

Interceptor DS42 Gets the job done…

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SI are perhaps better known for their internal components, but that doesn’t mean that the company doesn’t make peripherals. And they make decent peripherals at that.

However, it isn’t their strong suit, to be honest, and opting for an MSI keyboard over one made by a company that truly focusses on peripherals would be a function of brand loyalty, rather than trying to get the best hardware.

The MSI Interceptor DS4200 gaming keyboard is a great example of that idea. Here is a keyboard that looks great on paper, but falls a little flat in some key areas. That’s a bit of a pun, because it really is the keys that are the biggest problem. See, MSI has used a membrane system with the Interceptor DS4200, but have attempted to introduce a mechanical feel.

The result is a set of keys that are relatively high, and have a long travel distance before actuation. That’s fine, and they are responsive enough for gaming… but they’re also wobbly. While you may not notice it too much, the keys don’t stick to a strictly up-and-down motion; there is a fair amount of side to side play as well, which simply makes the Interceptor DS4200 feel a little unreliable.

The keys are backlit, as well, with three backlighting modes – off, breathing and static. The colour of the lighting can be changed

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across the RGB spectrum, and the lighting has four levels of brightness and ten levels of flashing speed. But without per key illumination or set lighting zones, it feels more like flash than function.

One nice feature is the 20 key anti-ghosting that the Interceptor DS4200 offers, which is a really nice, high number. But that is one of the most impressive features which uses multimedia keys and a dedicated gaming mode (long since things that are expected as standard on keyboards) as selling points.

This review is starting to sound far more negative than it should – the truth is that the Interceptor DS4200 is a decent keyboard, if not a great one. It also looks great, with excellent lighting and a generous wrist rest rounding out its undeniable gamer aesthetic. It’s also water repellent, but that’s potentially just a fancy way of calling it spill-proof.

MSI produce excellent components, with thing like motherboards and graphics cards that are really top notch. Their peripherals, on the other hand, don’t really measure up to those created by companies that dedicate their focus in this area. And while it might appeal to some to see the same logo on everything from motherboard to mouse, a prudent user is more than likely going to look elsewhere when it comes to input methods.

The Interceptor DS4200 does the job, sure, but there are others that simply do it better. g

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NAME MSI Interceptor OF THE PRODUCT DS4200 Gaming Keyboard

Gaming Keyboard

SUMMARY Although it gets the job done, opting for this keyboard over a more focussed competitor will probably be the result of brand loyalty.

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RGB lighting 3 lighting modes Gaming mode Membrane keys 20 key anti-ghosting

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H C EW E T VI E R Asus

ROG Strix X370-

TECHNOLOGY

A great all-rounder option

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SUMMARY It’s a great board for users who aspire to powerusage without going all out on top-of-the-line.

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AT A GLANCE:

for the board’s visuals. Additionally, the board is 3D printer friendly, for those who want to put a little more effort into their customisation.

Looks aside, the ROG Strix X370-F Gaming is a great performer. Aside from the much maligned Sonic Radar, it provides a host of other features that strengthen and speed up the system. For example, it has reinforced PCIe ports to handle oversized, heavy graphics cards. It also has a number of overvoltage and overclocking related protection systems, making it a great option for those that want to tweak away at their heart’s content. While it may not necessarily be the best boar around for power users, it certainly does allow users to up the performance with simple, reliable overclocking systems.

Performance is improved through numerous systems, too, ranging from the sensible gaming LAN systems that are now standard on all gaming motherboards, through to systems like RAMCache III, which speeds up performance by caching an entire storage device to ensure breakneck speeds.

AMD Ryzen is not really the weapon of choice for gamers, though, thanks to the fact that Intel’s gaming performance is still a bit better. But Ryzen does offer a massive amount of processing power, making these CPUs (and by association, motherboards) great for all round systems… and the ROG Strix X370-F Gaming is a good option for those who want a machine that does more than play games. g

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A s us A s us w w w . a s us . c o m

by Rob Edwards

any people complained when Asus added Sonic Radar technology to their gaming motherboards. This tech would use a game’s surround sound features to pinpoint enemy positions and present them visually in-game, giving the user an undeniable edge – because Sonic Radar would tell them where their opponents were. Asus didn’t seem to pay attention to the complaints, because the tech is not only still present in their new motherboards… it has been refined, with a new 3D arrow that displays enemy positions.

It’s right there in the ROG Strix X370-F Gaming motherboard, along with a host of features designed to take advantage of the X370 chipset’s great overclocking capabilities and AMD’s number-crunching Ryzen CPUs. While the ROG Strix X370-F Gaming doesn’t mark the top of the line for Asus’ Ryzen-compatible offerings, it certainly does make for an impressive package. Like all motherboards aimed at the gaming market these days, the ROG Strix X370-F Gaming is all about speed in terms of performance, as well as in keeping the end-user’s expensive hardware investments safe. And, of course, about customisation.

The ROG Strix X370-F Gaming looks great, with lots of sharp aggressive angles defining the overall appearance.

Angled heat sinks and customisable RBG lighting are the order of the day here, with a large LED light built into the I/O port cover being a centre point

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Asus ROG Strix X370-f Gaming Motherboard

-F Gaming

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X370 chipset Customisable RGB lighting Reinforced PCIe ports DDR4 compatible Ryzen compatible

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Data Didn’t Fal The war on high data prices continues

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by Suvesh Arumugam

South African was spending between 7-15% of their monthly income on mobile internet. Molefe went on to give extensive interviews on Radio and TV, spoke to parliament and stirred up social media to issue an ultimatum to the mobile operators (or else there would be a mass movement to stop buying data and voice services).

However, fans soon started labelling Molefe a sell out, after he partnered with MTN to make access to his online radio station free. Many felt that this didn’t address the core issues, and also suspected that the deal benefitted Molefe directly. Tweeting that he had “the biggest announcement ever of my entire career”, Molefe announced the plan with the tag #DataFalling. Molefe further announced he was proudly moving his number to MTN, while social media users criticised the announcement as a red herring. The new packages announced by MTN in response, called Night Express, was only available between midnight and 6am, and offered no real benefit to poor internet users.

The hashtag seemed to die off after that, with people accepting that high mobile data costs weren’t going anywhere.

But a few weeks ago, poet and musician Ntsiki Mazwai galvanized her 85k plus followers around the high cost of data and the hashtag rose again. This was triggered by MTN’s announcement that they would be discontinuing their free unlimited Twitter service to their subscribers.

After challenging many of the mobile operators directly about their prices, Mazwai called all South Africans to boycott social media completely on the 21st of June, with the aim of taking a sizable chunk out of mobile operator’s revenue from data usage on the day.

The call was heard by many on social media, with other major Twitter

“...data prices and access to data has been a growing concern...”

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obile is life! The 2017 We Are Social report shows that South Africa is a mobile nation. With 55 million citizens, we have more subscriptions and cell phones than people - almost 80 million! That means that many people have more than one cell phone. That will probably shock some, considering that a large part of South Africa lives in poverty. In fact, the global figure is about is about 4.9 billion phones to 7.4 billion people, with Africa at 995 million mobile subscriptions to 1,2 million people. Only Europe and the Middle East have more cell phones than heartbeats, but nowhere close to the extent that South Africa does.

While South Africa may no longer be the biggest economy in Africa, it has the most established and sophisticated cell phone market. A large part of this presence is represented by access to data. Of the 55 million people, almost 30 million people use the internet, with about half of that number using social media. Of the 15 million social media users, 13 million are mobile.

With more and more over-the-top services like Whatsapp, Viber and Telegram replacing traditional GSM call and messaging services from networks, data prices and access to data has been a growing concern in the country.

Social media apps have also caught up with Messenger offering voice and video calling, and many other services like Slack, Skype and Hangouts offering alternatives to traditional ways of doing business and meeting up with friends.

Radio personality Thabo Molefe (aka Tbo Touch) started a conversation last in year in September, using the hashtag #DataMustFall. Within hours the hashtag had gone viral and there was major pressure on the networks to review their prices and business models.

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influencers jumping on board to pledge support. Over the course of the days leading up the 21st, many had changed their profile pictures to encourage others to join the boycott.

However, when the hashtag #SocialMediaBlackout continued to trend on the 21st, it was clear that nobody was staying away from social media. Media experts were quick to point out the flaws in the protest strategy, especially that this was a last-minute campaign with very little planning before-hand.

Another thorn in the side of the campaign was a spat that developed between Mazwai and Ange Saint-Truth, a Johannesburg based graphic designer, who claimed she has started the

“No doubt the movement will rise again.”

TECHNOLOGY

hashtag and originally conceived of the blackout. While Saint-Truth fired shots at Mazwai and her supporters, Mazwai quietly retreated from the conversation when it was clear the movement had not gone as planned.

So did data fall? The short answer is no (the long answer is probably also no). Subsequent protests also suffered poor turnout, like a Right 2 Know march to Cell C in Durban which attracted only 40 supporters. FNB also recently announced zero-rated traffic to its banking app on the wake of the movement. MTN, who initially stirred the beast, also announced they would continue the free Twitter up to a daily limit, and also increased that limit from 100MB to 500MB per day.

However, the results were far from the desired revolution of the way data works and is priced in South Africa.

And while social media may have had the mobile operators on the ropes for a

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while, they failed to deliver a knockout blow, and the networks took the match on points.

But it’s certainly not the last bout between the people and the big telecoms. No doubt the movement will rise again. But users should also take heart that one day they can put their gloves away. While local telco’s are still using the same business model to run their business and slowly increase their scale (with the intention of connecting more paying customers), other forces are casting their eye towards South Africa (and the rest of Africa) and applying their mind to the issue of data and connectivity.

Facebook revealed their 10 year roadmap in April this year at their F8 Developer Conference. High on their list of objectives is connectivity through terrestrial solutions, satellites and drones. This is not too unlike Google’s plans to deliver free Wi-Fi through hot air balloons in their Project Loon pilot, while they’ve also laid terrestrial fibre in countries like Kenya and Uganda.

Both Facebook and Google have made it clear that free basic internet is high on their priority list, since they make money off people using the internet, not buying data. With many cities also prioritising free Wi-Fi in city centres (like Cape Town and Johannesburg), there could be many viable alternatives to costly mobile data.

One can’t help but remember the story of Kodak. Once a global leader in the photography game, and one of the first truly borderless brands, Kodak’s lack of foresight saw them lose their market share because they failed to act on the rise of digital photography.

What was once a worldwide empire soon became nothing more than a novelty and mostly forgotten tagline.

South African mobile operators should keep an eye on the future, or they’ll surely find themselves having a “Kodak moment”.g

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Blockchain?

Say, what?

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Giving power to crypto-currency

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What is it?

Wikipedia defines a blockchain as a distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of records, called blocks, secured from tampering and revision. Each block contains a timestamp and a link to a previous block. By design, blockchains are inherently resistant to modification of the data — once recorded, the data in a block cannot be altered retroactively.

So, what it boils down to is that a blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way. Enter bitcoin. As a widespread blockchain protocol, it provides a secure and efficient way for people to buy and sell products and services without ever needing to use a financial institution.

Benefits abound

Earlier this year, IBM wrote how the convergence of the Internet of Things (connected devices) and the blockchain could provide businesses with several benefits. These include building trust, reducing costs, and accelerating transactions.

It argues that because the blockchain makes it easier to create more efficient business networks where anything of value can be

By Iwan Pienaar

tracked and traded, the organisation itself can take over the trust role from a third-party or intermediary.

And by empowering users to operate independently as a group, the blockchain can reduce costs by cutting out the middle men.

Finally, transactions can be accelerated through blockchain technology and using an appropriate consensus algorithm for a group that agrees to work together. This [algorithm] sees transactions being processed faster while reducing costs and continually engendering trust of one another by working together as a collective.

Embracing digital transformation

Over the past several months, you might have noticed an increase in reporting around digital transformation. This essentially is how businesses are implementing technology throughout the organisation to improve their bottomline but also to make our ostensibly easier.

As the Harvard Business Review writes, many of the fundamental elements of the running of a company (think contracts, transactions, and records) need to stay in tune with economic digital transformation.

The publication argues that the blockchain enables these contracts and bureaucratic elements to be embedded in digital code and stored in transparent, shared databases where they are protected from deletion, tampering, and revision.

Changing business environment

With blockchain factoring in security and accountability, and is compliant with government regulations, plugging in a blockchain-centric approach therefore means an organisation can provide a better user experience, a more efficient operational structure, as well as offer stakeholders additional value-added services.

Imagine the possibilities when virtually every aspect of business is intelligently connected to each other.

Already, the growth of the Internet of Things has resulted in device-driven connectivity. With blockchain, this shifts to data-centric connectedness linking processes and systems together.

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More traditional approaches such as business process management and business process optimisation become transformed under the adoption of the blockchain. Gone is the historical challenge of getting visibility into operation technology. Using blockchain means the blind spots in business process all but disappear.

Strategic integration

Of course, this does not necessarily make blockchain the digital nirvana that many believe it to be. It still requires a strategic approach to implementation with organisations closely needing to examine the merits it offer their business. As with any shift in technology approach, the temptation might be too rush in and fully adopt blockchain into operations.

Yet, for all the benefits the blockchain offers, there still needs to be alignment with what the organisation wants to achieve.

We have seen this with cloud computing and we have seen this with data analytics. If an organisation is not prepared for a significant change in approach, a shift could potentially disrupt the business negatively.

However, when a considered approach is taken (as should be the case with all digital transformation initiatives), the company stands to gain a step over its competitors.

Having a secure and compliant networked approach between different organisational partners means a company can do things more efficiently and faster than was previously possible. It changes collaboration methodologies and integrates technology into all spheres of business.

Even if it is embraced, companies should not expect an overnight success.

As Gartner writes, “we may all jump on board with cryptocurrencies and other blockchain-enabled services, or we could have a backlash.

Governments could step in and try to exercise some control. More likely, there will be a kind of ‘arctic slide’ where people will become used to one application of the technology and become increasingly comfortable with it…blockchain is going to fundamentally change the society in which we live. Not tomorrow but within our lifetime.” g

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Blockchain? Say, What?

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n 2010, sitting with more bitcoin than he knew what to do with, a computer programmer spent 10 000 units to have someone deliver two large pizzas to his house in Florida. No big deal then when it was valued at less than half a US cent each. Today?

Those 10 000 bitcoins are worth approximately $25 million. Expensive pizzas by any standard.

Bitcoin has exploded in recent months with the spotlight firmly falling on this crypto-currency. In fact, one bitcoin worked out to roughly R4,500 at the end of last year. Currently, the exchange rate is sitting at close on R40,000.

And while the story of bitcoin itself is quite fascinating, let’s dig deeper around the technology that is essentially powering the cryptocurrency. After all, given how banks are getting increasingly worried about the impact this will have on financial transactions, it is worth investigating how businesses can use it to help their dealings with us, their humble customers.

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COMICS 106 108 110 112

Warhammer 40 000 – Dawn of War III #1 Deadpool #30 Ian Livingston’s Freeway Fighter #1 Generation X #1

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The Black Tides of Heaven The Read Threads of Fortune

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by Noelle Adams

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With Spider-Man: Homecoming, the wise-cracking superhero finally joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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o doubt Disney and Marvel Studios wish they owned the movie rights to every Marvel

comic character, but they don’t. Fox has the X-Men (including Deadpool) and Fantastic Four. More importantly, SpiderMan, arguably Marvel’s most iconic character, has his big screen home over at Sony Pictures.

However, after much deal-brokering, an agreement was reached in early 2015 between Sony and Marvel, where both studios would bring their resources together and “share” Spider-Man. This meant that Spider-Man could finally “come home” and join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This allowed the character to appear in last year’s Captain America: Civil War, where Spider-Man sided with Iron Man, Black Panther, Vision and War Machine in the face-off against Captain America and his band of anti-authority superheroes.

Acclaimed young British actor Tom Holland played Spider-Man (AKA Peter Parker) in Civil War. Holland plays the part again in Spider-Man: Homecoming, a solo film which kicks off a new big screen Spidey series integrated with the MCU. It’s worth noting that Homecoming is actually the second cinematic SpiderMan reboot in 5 years, so what’s the difference? What sets this movie apart GAMING

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Skipping Spider-Man’s origin story, Homecoming takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. The film depicts 15-year-old Peter Parker living with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) in Queens, New York. Peter is trying to juggle the complexities of high school life with the demands of being a superhero. It’s still early in Spider-Man’s crime-fighting career, and he has Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark (AKA Iron Man) as a reluctant mentor.

The events in Civil War have given Peter a taste for heroism. However, he may have bitten off more than he can chew when he takes on the Vulture (Michael Keaton), a ruthless criminal who uses repurposed alien technology left over from Avengers’ battles.

Speaking of technology, Spider-Man: Homecoming features an all-new suit for Spidey.

Designed by billionaire inventor Tony Stark, the upgraded costume has its own AI system, detachable chest drone and over 70 web shooting styles.

Never-before-seen villains and new costume aside, Homecoming promises something fresh in the form of a superheroic coming of age tale, influenced by 80s John Hughes classics like The Breakfast Club.

We’ll see soon if the filmmakers were able to stick to their pledge. Spider-Man: Homecoming opens in many countries from 5 July, and on 7 July in South Africa and the United States. The movie will screen in 3D, IMAX and IMAX 3D.

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SPIDER-MAN ON THE BIG SCREEN The Made-for-TV Spider-Man (1977) This Spider-Man was actually a TV movie designed to kick-start weekly series The Amazing Spider-Man (which ran for two years). However, the film was released in cinemas outside of America, technically making it Spidey’s first adventure on the big screen. Nicholas Hammond played newspaper photographer Peter Parker and his masked alter ego.

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man (2002 - 2007) After two decades of studio fighting, Columbia Pictures, under Sony, landed the rights to Spider-Man. Evil Dead director Sam Raimi went on to make a trilogy with Tobey Maguire as the title character, fighting the likes of the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Venom (Topher Grace). Kirsten Dunst was Mary Jane Watson, and James Franco Peter’s best friend, Harry Osborne. There were plans for a fourth, fifth and sixth movie, but these were scuppered when Raimi walked away from the series.

The Amazing Spider-Man-s (2012 - 2014) Attitudes to superhero films were changing in the Late Noughties. Though it had only been a couple of years since the Raimi trilogy, the Spider-Man movie franchise was rebooted. While Raimi’s films weren’t afraid to be colourful and cartoony, The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel were more “realistic,” drawing influence from the comic Ultimate Spider-Man. Andrew Garfield played a skateboarding Peter Parker, trying to discover the truth about his parents’ death, while battling the Lizard (Rhys Evans) and Electro (Jamie Foxx). Sally Field was Aunt May and Emma Stone Peter’s love interest, Gwen Stacy. (500) Days of Summer’s Marc Webb directed.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

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Due to performing below expectations, the Amazing Spider-Man franchise – including plans for a Sinister Six spin-off – was abandoned once the SonyMarvel deal was struck in 2015. Spider-Man: Homecoming and its intended sequels promise to stick to Peter’s high school years. Behind the camera is John Watts, an up-and-coming writer-director whose movie credits include horror flick Clown and thriller Cop Car.

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WHO IS THE VULTURE? The chief villain of Spider-Man: Homecoming is the Vulture. But who is he, really? Next to Batman, Spider-Man has one of the most extensive rogues’ galleries of all comic book superheroes, and it can be a little confusing as to which colourful character is which.

Although he doesn’t have the iconic status of Doctor Octopus or the Green Goblin, the Vulture does have some historical significance as a SpiderMan foe. Back in 1963, he was the second ever enemy that Spidey faced in the Marvel comic, after the Chameleon.

Most Spider-Man villains have been enhanced through science and technology, and the Vulture is no different. A couple of different characters have

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gone by the pseudonym, but in essence the Vulture is a powerful aerial opponent for Spider-Man. Thanks to the winged harness he wears, he has the manoeuvrability of a bird in flight, as well as superhuman strength and resilience so that he can actually punch it out with Spidey.

In the comics, the first and most famous Vulture is Adrian Toomes, a veteran electronics engineer who invents the flying harness. When betrayed by his business partner, Toomes uses his creation for revenge, and then takes to a life of crime.

Ex-Batman, and Birdman, Michael Keaton plays Toomes in Spider-Man: Homecoming. This version of the character is more of an “ordinary joe,” a family man who runs a salvage company in New York. After the mammoth battle of the Avengers, Toomes comes across alien Chitauri technology, and creates an armoured flying suit. His plan is simple: give his family a better life through the profits of crime – and take from the mega-rich, like Tony Stark.

Out of interest, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a case of third time’s the charm for the Vulture.

The character almost made it to the big screen twice before, during director Sam Raimi’s run.

Ben Kingsley was courted to play the character in Spider-Man 3, before Venom was prioritised as the primary villain for that film. Then John Malkovich was lined up for the role in a Spider-Man 4 that never happened. Now, though, the bad guy can finally spread his wings.

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:

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Warhammer 40 000 – Dawn of War III #1 Ryan O’Sullivan Daniel Indro Titan Comics Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

The Warhammer franchise are no strangers to the comic industry, having brought out multiple stories over the last few years.

Now, coinciding with the video game release of Dawn of War III, comes a new limited series, tying into the events and characters of the game. After their victory over the Space Ork hordes, the Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter face catastrophe when their Chapter Master, Gabriel Angelos, goes missing. But in the midst of the struggle they can only spare a few marines for the important task of locating him and bringing him back.

If you’re still new to the Warhammer setting, a fan of the tabletop game or a fan of the video game, or just a fan of Science Fiction in general, this well put together comic offers a little something to everyone.

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Title: Writer: Artist:

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Publisher:

Marvel

Rated:

Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

In this really thick, lots of extra paged special, we see Deadpool on a quest that takes him to the far reaches of space, to Knowhere (it’s a thing!), to a Nova Corps station, and even the moon! Wait, the moon probably should have been first. Anyway, what makes Deadpool leave the comfort of his favourite chimichanga selling fast food joint and travel into space and battle Asgardians, Nova troops, scary Aliens, bounty hunters and bunnies? Revenge of course! Revenge against his enemy, the unkillable clown Madcap. And for Deadpool, nothing says revenge like a really big weapon, something not from earth, something that might actually be able to take down the clown. If only it was that easy.

(Warning, may or may not contain bunnies.

Probably not though).

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Title:

Ian Livingston’s Freeway Fighter #1

Writer:

Andi Ewington

Artist:

Simon Coleby

Publisher: Rated:

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GET GRAPHIC Titan Comics Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

I grew up on game books. Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, Blood Sword… there were so many. They were my gateway drug into the world of gaming. From there I went to D&D, and Warhammer, now I can’t even count the games I’ve played. But it all started with game books, like Freeway Fighter. The game book concept was a good one, the literary benefits of a book, with the freedom of a game. Read about the character, but make it your own, engross yourself in the world and make the decisions, and then read further to see what happens. Now a comic adaptation can’t give you the open-endedness of a game, but, if done well, it can expand on the other things which made the game books great, that merging of immersive writing with thrilling artwork.

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Title: Writer: Artist:

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GET GRAPHIC Generation X #1 Christina Strain Amilcar Pinna

Publisher:

Marvel

Rated:

Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

It’s a new era for mutants, and while the X-Men revert back to their former roles of heroes trying to maintain the balance between improving relations with the nonmutants while still protecting their own kind, so too has the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters reverted to its original function of taking in those mutants who have no-where to go, and teaching them not only how to control their powers, but also the moral responsibilities and implications of using them. With Kitty Pride as the new headmistress of the school, another former student, Jubilee, takes on the duties as a more personal mentor to the younger generation of mutants trying to find their place in a world that hates and fears them.

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The Black Tides of Heaven Friendship, family and struggle

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The Black Tides of Heaven JY Yang Tor Books Historical Fantasy

COOL STUFF: bOOKS

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he Grand Monastery was promised a child from the Protector. However, when twins Mokoya and Akeha are born, their fates with the Monastery and Protectorate extend beyond the changing world and their mother who rules with an iron fist. Mokoya’s

strange prophetic gifts set her on her own course while Akeha sees these visions as a guide to what could be. In particular, the growing rebellion from The Machinist against the Protectors Tensors. How far will Mokoya and Akeha go before the bond they’ve shared for so long is severed?

A beautifully written tale of friendship, family and struggle. Nothing feels unnecessary or overdone, as we explore the magical world created by author JY Yang. While the core of the story revolves around the bond between Mokoya, Akeha, their mother the Protector, and the Grand Monastery where they were raised, there is much more under the surface.

It is a world where gender does not guide the course of one’s existence. Where bonds must be forged or broken for the sake of self or others.

Of revolution and love and taking steps to find your own peace in a broken world, regardless of

by Nthato Morakabi

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The Read Threads of Fortune New bonds

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The Read Threads of Fortune JY Yang Tor Books Historical Fantasy

COOL STUFF: bOOKS

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anao Mokoya has abandoned the life that once bound her. An explosion that ended one part of her life and unleashed a second, broken one. Her prophetic visions lost, she now hunts naga in the harsh deserts away from her memories. Only a new threat

has arisen. A naga of immense proportion threatening the mining city of Bataanar where her brother and leader of the Machinists rebellion hide. She also meets the mysterious Rider, and with it, the threads of fate begin to twist.

In a continuation of the Tensor series, this second book continues the story of twins Mokoya and Akeha. Far from the Protector and her troops, they have forged new bonds against their royal home. Tensions are high as Mokoya hopes to deal with all her loses. The book places us in the mind and feet of Mokoya and her grief, of hope and love. Of the past and present and future uncoiling. With powerful vivid descriptions and an emotive journey of self-discovery, The Red Threads of Fortune is another great fantastical work by JY Yang. g

by Nthato Morakabi

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BY rAMJET

Hands Off...

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Ramjet’s rantality

elieve it or not, I actually work quite hard for my money. It’s just the way I am – I believe in rewards for working hard, and so I work hard to get those rewards.

Aside from money, I set up little rewards for myself, too… nothing better than a good whiskey and a gaming session to put a cap on the end of a productive day, I say. I think there are probably a lot of you out there who are in the same boat.

I am fortunate enough to have my choice of gaming platforms. I have pretty much everything you can play a game on, going back a few generations. But, quite honestly, I still love my PC for gaming, even though I have all of the latest console hardware at my disposal.

The kind of games that sit well with me – strategy, management, 4X – all work best on PC. And so, the PC is my “old faithful” when it comes to gaming.

And, like many PC gamers, I like to have the best hardware at my disposal (which a lot of my hardearned money goes into).

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Even if I don’t need to have that hardware to play my games of choice on PC, I like to have it. In case, you know?

So, when my last upgrade date emerged, I got ready to sink some cash into making sure that my PC was up to spec, no matter what I wanted to play on it. Once again, in case. But no, I can’t do that. I cannot pour my cash into an upgrade, because one of the most vital components I need for that upgrade – a new, mighty GPU – is nowhere to be found. Because they’ve been bought by people who want to mine cryptocurrency… the very definition of not working hard at all, in my book.

I am mad – crazy mad – at the idea that these guys have sunk tons of money into rigs so that they can sit back and pretty much pick the lint out of their navels while their hardware – strike that, my hardware – is doing all the work for them.

Don’t get me wrong. I am all for clever investments and working smart. I think these are great concepts, particularly when they can go further and enrich the

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lives of others, in addition to the person making the investments. Like setting up a business that employs others. Or making money while being freed up to undertake other, beneficial projects.

Those aren’t ideas that spring to mind when I think about cryptocurrency mining. Instead, they are quite the opposite. Because all that you need to be a miner is money, and luck.

You don’t need to build a team of skilled individuals.

You don’t need to empower others so that they can help empower you. None of that.

You need hardware. You need a space to store it.

And you need time. And you can do it all alone, without lifting a finger beyond the odd hardware repair and paying your electricity bill.

Call me old fashioned, but it seems far too easy and selfish a way to make money.

So why not get out of your crypto-cave, and make a real difference in the world, instead of just enriching yourself. And while you’re at it, give me my GPU back. g