Xross

Custard just a follow up to our chat this is quite risky stuff and I can't in good conscience recommend it. The impact to MTBF is impossible to calculate but heat and electronics have never played well together. Things will fail anyway but if it fails while it's overclocked what gets the blame? I had an E6600 that I lapped and it overclocked to 3200 Mhz quite easily on an EVGA board (and would have gone much higher) but both it and a Q6600 were extremely finicky with lots of 'holes' on an ASUS platform. So I went with EVGA for this and other unrelated reasons but ultimately the build quality does not compare to ASUS. Both catastrophic failures I've had (very modest OCs/temps) came from losing EVGA MoBos. They have a great community and BIOS like butter but the hardware quality was lacking. To answer your question final gaming temps are still TBD. If I had to guess I'd say low/mid 50s for extreme gaming and only on the core(s) involved at max settings. This is a high estimate for safety. You really can not compare the two architectures (65nm C2D and 45nm i7) in terms of temperature or much of anything else. This is still very early in the process for me and I've got plenty to learn. Right now the GPU concerns me more than anything with idle temps approaching the stress test temps on the CPU. Still considering a single loop w/c setup for the GPU as it's such a blast furnace. Peace,

Not trying to throw a damper on your vacation dream but Mexico is not a place I would recommend. U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Note the Mexico Travel Alert ..."CRIME: Crime in Mexico continues at high levels, and it is often violent..."

After a period of letting the system 'burn-in' it was time to start the tweaking. OS = Vista Ultimate 64 Bit This is the entry level i7 processor (920) with a stock clock rate of 2.67 Ghz. It is still $700+ USD less expensive than the 'Extreme' version (965) which has a clock rate of 3.2 Ghz. So can an entry level processor run with the top of the line 'Extreme' version...on air? See for yourself: Note core speed of 3.6 Ghz at a Vcore of 1.312v (I just reduced this voltage and it's still rock steady...and cooler). As the core, uncore, QPI and Memory multipliers are 'locked' in the upward direction on a 'non-Extreme' processor a bit of basic math is necessary to keep the other paths happy. Here's the memory speed (720x2= 1,440 Mhz) with 12GB of DDR3 on board: Using core temp to monitor things (true temps) while extreme stress testing (Prime95 Blend Test x 8): These temps are well within reason for these speeds and extreme stress testing (note 4 cores (8 threads)) at 100% for an hour and a half. They are well below Tj Max so even with thermal throttling enabled it would not need to protect the processor at these modest temps. Only reason the test was stopped was to protect the system from a passing thunderstorm. More later but I'm more than convinced there's not enough 'head room' in an 'Extreme' processor to warrant the ridiculous price point and more than enough head room in an entry level processor to leave the extreme in it's dust. As always, do not overclock what you don't understand and can't tolerate replacing. I am intentionally pushing these things around fully accepting the risks (mitigated by research, methodology and quality components) to find a modest overclock for daily use. Summary: Stock Clock Rate = 2666 Mhz New Clock Rate = 3600 Mhz ----------------------------------- 3600-2666= 934/2666*100= 35% Overclock from stock Compared to Extreme 965: 920 at 3600 965 at 3200 ------------------ 3600-3200= 400/3200*100= 12.5% Performance Gain over Extreme Processor (and $700+ cheaper). Next stop 4 Ghz on air? (50% Overclock) We'll see... Your mileage may vary

Not sure if this is a factor but there is NO audio hardware acceleration for ArmA 2. Instead they are using software specifically for a 'write once code twice' audio setup in light of the XBOX 360 compatibility requirement. ArmA I only vaguely resembles what it once was and may be the last of true 'PC only' full scale battlefield simulators. Forcing console compatibility with a game of this scale concerns me. Time will tell I suppose.

Nice write up Medic and this was an excellent example of what a small team can accomplish when they are completely selfless and working as a cohesive unit. The emphasis to me was on that fact primarily, in an environment where the odds are overwhelmingly against us and there is no second chance. No casualties in that setting is simply amazing and a testament to the quality of play you guys bring with you every single time you join a mission. The 'No Respawn' and 'No Revive' heightens the intensity and immersion to amazing levels. One mistake, one time an arc isn't covered, one break in concentration and it's over. Sincere thanks to you, Dai and Pun for reminding me what it was like to play at such extreme levels of team work. This is what it's all about.

Welcome youngster! Glad you made it to the forums and it's just a small step from here to the games. It sounds like you have Team Speak already so drop in anytime and say hello. You'll feel right at home. There are games like Call of Duty being played regularly and Sunday is race day with a GRID race focused on f.u.n. And if you enjoyed Operation Flash Point you may enjoy ArmA which also runs regularly. Freelancer is currently running as well so pick your poison and join in anytime. Some of the games require a few patches/mods to get up and running but it's painless with the assistance of the guys in Team Speak there to guide you through. Again welcome and I hope to see you in your game of choice soon. Cheers..

After waiting for quite some time for a back ordered G19 I had the good fortune of speaking with Sir Cobol our resident Guru of all things computer related and he advised that the G19 has been delayed. Bollocks I said...(Funny I never used to say Bollocks) 'It's true' said the Zen master. So here it is late but accurate.... G19 Delayed

I'm a bit behind on my posts.....so little time, so many things to do.... Morgan, Great to see you in game the other night and glad you enjoyed it. I too have been looking for this type of play for some time and it's nice to know that Sparta makes it available to anyone and everyone that likes the team based style. Please don't ever think you're not ready for server 4. It's very much an inclusive environment for anyone that enjoys that type of play. Sure there are rules/expectations but that's only to ensure mutual respect and to foster a particular environment for the folks that enjoy more of a military simulation. Server 3 and 4 are most always available and I enjoy both of them. I like the looser structure of server 3 to work on the different weapon platforms, vehicles/aircraft etc. I also very much enjoy what server 4 offers as the team(s) are counting on everyone to properly carry their weight in support of the mission. Server 3 typically offers an infinite re-spawn setup while server 4 is generally a single life only scenario and no join in progress (JIP). Mistakes are typically rewarded with a trip to the spectate cam either for the player or their team mate that was counting on a player to properly cover their arc/sector. In a long mission an early trip to 'spectateville' can be frustrating but it really intensifies the immersion. Again I'm glad you're now setup for A.C.E and enjoyed your first foray into the vast world of ArmA. Drop in anytime... X ps Custard....while ArmA will probably never feel as fluid relative to CQB as a game that does CQB exlusively it's a relatively minor concern given the open battlefield scope ArmA offers. This goes without saying but please feel free to join in anytime. See ya there....

Troubling.....deeply troubling.... Lol... Great pics Zebb and nice to see '7' enjoying the server.. Keep 'em coming

Reference post: Due to the feedback from the community concerning OPFOR AI recovering and coming back to life after being shot (ie wounded) in an A.C.E. environment the developers are actively seeking a long term solution. However due to limitations within the core ArmA engine (eg setSkill variable array not functional) this task is both difficult and time consuming. In the interim a Sparta 'tweak' has been added to server 4 which prevents the OPFOR AI from regaining full composure after being shot in 90+ percent of the cases. The vast majority of OPFOR AI (tweak does not affect BLUFOR AI) will now go from wounded to dead instead of wounded to fully functional. I'm confident the A.C.E. development team will find a way to address this concern in the not to distant future but until then this issue has been mitigated at Sparta. A few other changes have been made to server 4 while in 'veteran' mode including: - No scorecard - No on-screen 'crosshair' - AI skill set to 100% Enjoy,

Great news Pro! Congrats and Blessings

Damn she's cute!

A single download is now available for anyone interested in joining a Sparta ArmA server running the Advanced Combat Environment (A.C.E.) Mod. This process does assume you are running the current Bohemia Interactive patch for ArmA which is 1.16b. If you have not updated ArmA to the current release and are still at 1.14 please start by D/L'ing and installing this patch: ArmA 1.16b Patch (All patches are available here) Once you are running ArmA at it's current release all that's necessary is to D/L the Sparta A.C.E. package and extract it into your ArmA root directory (allowing all over writes). Get it here (p/w on TS): Sparta All-in-One A.C.E. Package Upon completion simply edit the shortcut you use to join Sparta ArmA servers 3 and 4 to the following: (This is for a C: drive installation - adjust path to suit your individual needs) "C:\Program Files\Atari\ArmA\beta\arma.exe" -nosplash -mod=beta;@ACE;@SIX_BC;@Mapfact_EU;@mapfact;DBE1;@opx;@aceip Steps: 1) Ensure ArmA is at it's current release (ie 1.16 beta) 2) D/L and install Sparta All-in-One A.C.E. package 3) Adjust Target Path in ArmA shortcut for Servers 3/4 As a reminder server 3 is available to check out features, explore and practice while server 4 is reserved for tactical team based missions only. Any questions please ask.

What I (and others) have said before and will continue to say is 'talk to me'. Frustration from trying this on your own is easily avoidable and entirely your choice. Queen's Gambit was an expansion pack and included with the 'Gold' version. The expansion pack is difficult to find and with ArmA2 on the near horizon purchasing anything for ArmA1 is not something I can recommend but entirely up to the indiviual. Sparta ArmA Servers: Server 1 - 1.14 (no Queen's Gambit) Server 2 - 1.15 (no Queen's Gambit) Server 3/4 - Modded for A.C.E. Not sure what else I can tell you.

The right mouse button defaults to at least three different functions (optics/zoom/breath hold). You might try deleting all of those associations and then assign 'w' to your right mouse button. Associating the right mouse to 'forward' probably won't work but 'w' on the right button may do it....not sure. Good Luck,

Huh? Did you say somethin' DaCapt?

Very impressive Athlon...really nice looking work! It seems like only yesterday all you had was a rusty rear torsion set up. Now look at ya!

Aw Hell! And you swore if I let myself get shot so you could drag me around there would be no pics... I'll never trust again....

Sorry you're having h/w probs Custard and I hope they take good care of ya. Best of luck!

Hello Morgan and welcome. I'm afraid we haven't me but I go by X-Wind (pronounced Cross Wind) and it's good to hear from you. These patches can be a bit confusing to those not familiar with them and I am usually available to help you or any else that needs it (real world responsibilities aside). The links in the post above are all valid with the exception of OPX which File Front has purged so I've added an alternate at the bottom of this post. I've triple checked the link to purchase Queen's Gambit from the initial post above as well as the others and they're working fine. If you have some time Sunday I'll be around most of the day so just grab me and I'll get you going. I'm GMT -5 and intend to be available NLT 1700 GMT (probably sooner). Server 3 is available to check out the features while Server 4 is strictly for tactical missions with a defined team based structure, disciplined coms and chain of command. If your intention is to check it out or join the tactical teams I'll be glad to help either way. There is a bit of a learning curve for ArmA like most games, particularly if A.C.E. is new to you which is why Server 3 is set up. You can also set the game up to host you on your on rig to check things out so you don't really even need a server. I don't know how much you've played the game, if at all which is why I mention it. We can sort these things out if you decide to pursue it. Like I indicated the most time is consumed on the actual downloads. Once the files are on your PC it's just a matter of extracting them, setting up the folders and then building the path. Doesn't take long at all once you have the files but please wait to talk to me before you start the extractions so we don't lose time. Go ahead and d/l the zip/rar files and we'll go from there. Are you on XP or Vista? It's pretty much the same either way so it shouldn't be an issue. The A.C.E servers (ArmA 3 and 4) are currently at 1.06b. You need some more files that are at the links in the first post. Specifically: Bohemia 1.15 ArmA patch Queen's Gambit (Comes with ArmA Gold or via link provided) Mapfact Mapfact Editor Update OPX (Afghan Village/Avgani (Fille Front has apparently purged some things so here's a better link) OPX Link Sixth Sense Battle Center (server will allow access without this but it adds the ability to change your view distances and terrain detail. It of course is required for Battle Center missions) A.C.E. Mod currently at v.106b (links are all good in first post..check bottom of pages) A.C.E. Island Pack (also optional and mission dependent...servers will allow access without it) If you want to try ArmA with the A.C.E. Mod D/L the files from the links in the first post which are all valid (the actual downloads are typically at the bottom of the page at BIS and Armaholic...they're not hard to find. Don't let me talk you out of Freelancer as it looks like a great game. I'm simply setting time aside for anyone having trouble getting the mods/patches/addons setup properly. Enjoy,

Just to let you know I'll be around most all day tomorrow (3/22). If anyone needs or wants assistance in getting ArmA setup simply let me know. It's honestly not difficult but it may be a bit time consuming due to the size of the requisite downloads. If you D/L everything and have it available we can get you set up in a matter of minutes. If you need assistance any other time we can do that as well. And you'll quickly see why it's been modded. Between the new environments (primariily Afghan Village/Avgani re:OPX) along with all of the amazing enhancement A.C.E. brings to the game it's a whole new world. Server 3 is available for familiarization of the new weapons systems (just look in an ammo crate and see how many weapons you're proficient with), recon devices (steerable parachute deployed camera fired from a 203 launcher (HuntIR). Add the new stamina models along with the ability to render aid, proper Fire Control Systems, Flares, Effective Smoke, Ruck Sacks, Auto Adjusting NVG, Dual Primary Weapons, Vehicles, Air Craft etc etc etc and it's a tactical buffet table! Let me know if I can be of assistance. Regards, ps Please start here (Both A.C.E servers 3 and 4 are currently at 1.06 beta)-> A.C.E. Links Current Setup

Yea that's Ohm's Law for calculating DC values and it (P) probably includes the 3.3 and 5v stuff as well so it's not all for the 12v systems. Be careful with some (most) of these vendors as they distribute the power over multiple 'rails' so you never have the full capacity available. So is the link working properly?

Is the link not working for you? I just tried it again and it went straight to the ASUS calculator. Let me know and I'll try to sort it out. And yes you're right. No such thing as too much power (within reason of course). This particular calculator builds in some head room by assuming all devices are drawing peak current simultaneously. That's how it should be spec'd out anyway so it's a valid setup. Cheers, X