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Month: January 2009

Improving World Of Warcraft Disconnect (WOW DC) problems

Improving World Of Warcraft Disconnect (WOW DC) problems

Fatweh in Dalaran

For many people Disconnect is a major problem in Warcraft. DC interrupts at random, and often crucial moments of play.
‘Oh I DC’ed’ being is a common, lame, excuse for players who die in inexcusable circumstances.

Don’t be a lamer!
Up until 2008 I used Norton Antivirus. A product I had used since my first computer in 1997. A ten year stint which came to an abrupt end following the 2008 suite.

To reduce in-game DC in Warcraft
I suggest removing your Norton product and replacing it with a comprehensive, industry respected firewall product. This will reduce your levels of DC by ensuring your ports are accessed by services only sanctioned by yourself.

Unwanted Access
Here’s a list of the programs that instantly jumped to access my connection when I installed the latest version of Warcraft WoTLK (10/12/2008).

zone-alarm

I used the IP addresses supplied by the software to reverse trace the following companies:-

-Netherlands Amsterdam Versatel Nederland B.v
-Slovenia Ljubljana T-2 Access Network
-NTLI Network Management Centre
-INVITEL IP NETWORK COORDINATION CENTER
-Sweden Kungsbacka Telia Network Services
-eircom Group plc
-United Kingdom London Bt-central-plus
-Denmark Roskilde Cybercity A/s Xdsl Users
-Denmark Kolding Tdc Bredbaand Professional Users

These are large national telecommunications companies, contributing an additional 8 connections through MY broadband wire.
Placing that additional strain on my games’ connection won’t be contributing to play in a positive way, and it’s not something I’ve asked for..

I rarely suffer from DC
I’m glad my software blocked these access attempts.

I rarely suffer from DC and would point you in the direction of Zone Alarm, the best gaming firewall at an affordable price.

3227_lgo_zonealarm

May the Force by with You

May the Force by with You

force-toyx-large Could The Force be with you? A toy due in stores this fall will let you test and hone your Jedi-like abilities.

The Force Trainer (expected to be priced at $90 to $100) comes with a headset that uses brain waves to allow players to manipulate a sphere within a clear 10-inch-tall training tower, analogous to Yoda and Luke Skywalker’s abilities in the Star Wars films.

No, you’re not tapping into some “all-powerful force controlling everything,” as Han Solo said in the movies. But you are reaching out with mind power via one of the first mass-market brain-to-computer products. “It’s been a fantasy everyone has had, using The Force,” says Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing.

Mind-control games may be the coming thing: Mattel plans to demonstrate a Mind Flex game (also due this fall), which uses brain-wave activity to move a ball through a tabletop obstacle course, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Thursday.

In the Force Trainer, a wireless headset reads your brain activity, in a simplified version of EEG medical tests, and the circuitry translates it to physical action. If you focus well enough, the training sphere, which looks like a ping-pong ball, will rise in the tower.

A state of deep concentration is needed to achieve a Force-full effect. “When you concentrate, it activates the training remote,” says Frank Adler of toymaker Uncle Milton Industries, which is creating the Trainer. “There is a flow of air that will move the (ball). You can actually feel like you are in a zone.”

Star Wars sound effects and audio clips emitted from the base unit “cue you in to progress to the next level (from Padawan to Jedi) or when to move the sphere up or down to keep challenging yourself,” Adler says.

“Until today, EEG technology has been designed for rigorous medical and clinical applications with little regard to price (and) ease of use,” says Greg Hyver of NeuroSky, which developed the brain-wave technology for both games. “We are putting this exciting technology into everyone’s living room.”

taken from USA Today