The Future.

Over the past few years, I have had a blast updating this blog with tech news and innovations. But alas all good things must come to an end (or a long pause).


During the last year, I have been spending more and more of my spare time working with various companies both in and out of the UK on websites, software packages and much more.

Some of you may know that I have a passion for programming and love to experiment in new methods and languages.
Since March this year, I've had the honor of working with a wonderful company, designing and developing a full website for them, the company gave me free reign to play about and do it any way I wanted.
Honestly I've never felt more in my own comfort zone.

Since this has eaten a huge quantity of my time, I have had to make several sacrifices in life. Sadly this is one of them.

DotHorizon has been part of my life since 2010, covering everything from Apple's iOS software to Rockstar Games not-so-subtle GTA 5 pre-announcement.

It has been fun posting the latest news and writing reviews on various products and games.


So alas, it is time to say goodbye, not forever, but for a little while.
I don't know when I'll return to blogging, but I hope it to be in the near future.

My thanks to my readers, from all over the world. You've inspired me to work in fields I never thought I'd work in.


Here's to a fine technological future to you all, enjoy the new consoles and games that are heading our way in the coming months.

RESTORE THE FOURTH MOVEMENT

Some of the web's biggest names have backed mass protests over internet surveillance carried out by the US National Security Agency (NSA).

The Restore the Fourth movement - referring to the US constitution's fourth amendment - said it wants to end "unconstitutional surveillance".

Reddit, Mozilla and Wordpress are among the big web names backing the action, due to take place on Thursday.

Almost 100 events have been planned across the US.

An interactive map is available at www.restorethefourth.net

The site quotes a line from the fourth amendment which pledges "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures".



Join the fight against unconstitutional surveillance and attend protests.

Any other protests will be listed here.

Twitter:

• #RTF_Protest 
• #RestoreThe4th

Help end the invasion of personal privacy!

Edward Snowden

Join Julian Assange and many others and fight for Snowden to be a free man.!

The long painful hiatus

First off, I would like to extend my apologies to all my readers for my extended hiatus.

Things are a little complicated in life at the moment, and I just haven't been able to keep up with the technology news of late. I've also been hard at work programming a full site for a friend and that is eating up a considerable amount of my time. Especially with bug-checks, commits and sanitizing strings.

I will be returning to the fore of technology very soon, but for now I'm going to be on the back seat.


I wish you all the best and hope to see you soon


Until the next time.

Apple makes another issue.

As many of you know, Apple Inc, recently released iOS 6.1 for all major devices, but was met with some criticism of its perfomance after a bug was found that caused excessive log growth and decreased battery life of the device.

Since February 19th Apple released 6.1.2 (6.1.1 was desginated solely for the iPhone 4S on a seperate matter), and claim this will fix the bug.

The update is 10.8mb in size on an iPhone 3GS and rises up to 12-13mb on a iPhone 5, while it is claimed this update will fix the issue, I personally remain sceptical about the result on the 3GS model of phone.

Over the coming week I will be monitoring the battery usage both in native standby mode and through normal usage patterns.


Until the next time.

GTA V Release Date Confirmed

Rockstar Games have just officially released the date that GTA V will hit the shelves.

September 17th 2013

Rockstar have issued a public notice as to the reason for the delay.

"Dear all,

 

Today, we have an official release date to share with you: Grand Theft Auto V will arrive in stores on September 17, 2013.

 

We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require.

 

To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience.

 

Yours,

The GTA Team"

 
---
From now until release day, we will have a live countdown at the top of the blog.

We'll see you then!

The long wait

Hi everyone,

Until the release of GTA V, (Which I estimate will be around the 20th of March 2013), Dot.Horizon will be taking a hiatus in preparation for it.

So until then, I wish you all the best.

Until next time..

Under Development + Other Things

As Promised, I am currently working on a full Far Cry 3 review and also working on some items in the lead up to the release of Grand Theft Auto V.


Also on the subject of GTA:V, I am currently working on a modification for the Rockstar Games / Take2Interactive releases, Grand Theft Auto 4, and Grand Theft Auto EFLC (The Ballad Of Gay Tony & The Lost And Damned).

This modification will NOT make major changes to the game, but moreso, smaller changes.
It is currently a very early release beta and is yet to be published online.


I do have plans to create a follow-on mod for the GTA:V PC release, but I am awaiting confirmation on details from R*

Far Cry 3 Review

Soon I will have a full FarCry3 Review to post here.

This is just a quick update informing this as I am also working flat out on some 3D Animations for a secondary project.

Until next time...

GTA V Confirmed Features (2nd Trailer Roundup)

Ok so here are the already confirmed features from the previous trailer and from some "leaks" (PR news releases) from RockstarGames

•  Animals are not just scenery (They WILL attack you if they are guarding something)
• High-end vehicles (such as jets) are guarded early on in the game and will be met with fierce resistance if you attempt to steal one (you've got to work for it)
• Money can buy more things than what you could in GTA 4
• THREE playable protagonists! With inter-playable switching available
• Flyable jets make a return to the game
• The pedal bicycle returns also
• The playable area is 30x (30 Times) larger than the sprawling deserts of Red Dead Redemption (making it the biggest playable area EVER created by RockstarGames)

Now for the confirmed information from Trailer number 2

• Parachutes make a return to the game with a sky-jump from a moving cargo plane (A possibility for piloting it perhaps?
• The buzzard from GTA 4 TBOGT makes a return, although possibly under a different name
• Dogs play an integral part of the game
• Arson, Theft, Mugging play high point in the game with a fair number of missions dedicated to it.
• Jet Fighters also make a return with high performance missiles equipped to them

Rumoured content includes the return of Mt Chiliad and a possibility of a "Area 51" style location. (However with the game set in only ONE region of San Andreas this could turn out to be nothing more than a red herring.

The second trailer overall reveals little of the games actual contents, but does pose some interesting questions regarding the mission layout and overall playout of the game.

Whether or not it will be a viable pre-order and release in Spring 2013 remains unknown but it does seem to be holding up the anticipation bullet from RockstarGames.

Well done! But please give us more in Trailer 3!

Until the next time...

WATCH THE GTA V 2ND TRAILER LIVE

Enjoy, We are now streaming the GTA V Trailer Live!

You can expect to see a full round-up of all the features in our next post (in just under 15 minutes time)

Enjoy!

Just 25 Minutes!

Please hold with us for just 25 more minutes as the GTA V trailer is unveiled.

Live coverage will be posted here as soon as the trailer is released.

New GTA V trailer coming soon!

Yes RockstarGames have released information about the much awaited new trailer.
While the content is still a mystery information has been released to state that the new trailer is to air itself on the internet on the 14th of November 2012.
While accurately the definitive time of release is not known, it could be assumed to be a derivative of 5, meaning it could be released at 5:55pm EST on the 14th November 2012.
This is only a speculation however.


Other info that has appeared on the internet is that the game will feature THREE protagonists to the story line and that you will be able to play as all of them.


Currently we have no further information but we will update as soon as we have more for you.


Until the next time.

Live GTA News!

From now up until the release of GTA 5 we will be covering everything there is to know about the game.

Please Click the GTA 5 logo in the menu on the right to see our dedicated page about the newest game to the Grand Theft Auto series.

We will also have a live twitter feed following the latest news about GTA 5, please note that we are not liable for the content in the twitter feed and have no control over the language used within it.

Until the next time.

GTA V is confirmed for 2013 release

Yes you read that right. Rockstar Games has officially announced that GTA V, (The latest addition to the Grand Theft Auto franchise), is due for a release in Q1/Q2 2013, that means to the lay-man, that it will arrive between March 1st and July 1st in 2013.

According to internet discussion a new trailer is due for imminent release on the 8th of November 2012, we will continue to bring you the latest news as soon as it breaks. Pre-orders for the game will start on 5th November 2012 (In the UK, as far as I'm aware).

Currently it is confirmed for the Xbox 360 and the PS3, a PC version is expected, but currently no details are out. Speculation does bring an air of questioning for 1080p (True HD) resolution gaming.

For now there is nothing more to tell, but I will leave you with some teaser art R* themselves put out.

Disclaimer:
Grand Theft Auto, GTA, GTA V, stylings, brandings, monikers and all other associated media are property of RockstarGames and remain so. This image is published under the notation that it is used solely to advertise the aforementioned company and game for free and incurs no financial gain in any way for this blog.

You can find more information regarding RockstarGames and GTA:V at http://www.rockstargames.com and http://www.rockstargames.com/v/ respectively.

This submission and its contents may be altered or redacted without warning under guidance from RockstarGames themselves.

Until the next time.

Windows 8: Day 1 Review

OK, so Microsoft has just released Windows 8, the latest operating system in from perhaps the worlds biggest technology company.

Since it's Day 1 I cannot give a full in depth review but here is a review of the things I checked out so far.


Tiles

Those of you who have taken the plunge and gone to Windows 8 may have notice the desktop no longer exists. Yep, Microsoft have done away with the traditional interface and replaced it with something altogether more weird, the tiled interface.

Showing all the latest news, stock information, games you have installed and more, the tiles interface attempts  to make everything feel that little more central. The only thing thats missing  is a direct link to the system settings, Who doesn't like Control panel?


Performance

Again Microsoft have advertised a new operating system as a performance boost, but in a moment of honesty it is anything but. The boot time increases by about 4 seconds (on average) and the shutdown time is catastrophic in the fact my shutdown time has increased 400% (See end of post for stats)

File searching is a godsend however, its almost instant in its results. I love that!



Compatibility

I've seen in posts on various forums that some programs are not compatible with 8, in the case of McAfee and AMD Catalyst Control Center (AMDCCC). They ARE compatible however you need to uninstall them before upgrade or clean install and then reinstall them afterwards. (its to do with merging files and settings between Windows 7 and 8)


Overall

Visually the system is pleasing and works well, but it needs some serious tweaks to make it better. For example remove the annoying delay in shutdown, add control panel to the tiles menu (for admins) and address the issue in which the startup programs get stopped without warning.


So Microsoft, please don't advertise faster speeds if it doesn't actually happen.

WinXP* Boot = 10sec
WinXP* Shut =  10sec

Vista Boot* = 15sec
Vista Shut* = 10sec

7 Boot** = 10sec
7 Shut** = 5sec

8 Boot** = 16sec
8 Shut** =  21sec

* = 32bit System
** = 64bit System

My thoughts on Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

Ok, So now I've officially completed the game I can look back and expound my thoughts without issue.

!! * WARNING, SPOILERS BELOW * !!

Having played the game I found it somewhat mismatched to its predecessors, I mean the plot didn't seem to feature the enemy team (Team Plasma) as much is it did before. I counted only 3 different events in which they appeared (en mass that is).

At times it felt a good wholesome game complete with some intricate puzzles and logical choices but in other times it just doesn't make sense.

I mean Victory Road is now in disrepair, yet no trainer I encountered mentions anything of the sort, the inclusion of the legendaries (Zekrom, Reshiram and Kyurem) all seem a little lite for my taste, perhaps a little back-story for those who haven't played the original version?

Some of the music doesn't fit the game, for example there is a decidedly Jamaican themed segment of music playing in one of the towns but it just doesn't make any sense for it to be there.
Having said that, it is really well done with the Gym Leader music, especially the final battle theme. A very nice remix.

Moving onwards, you also have the reappearance of Trainer N, who has reconciled his issues from the previous game. However I don't feel he has been used to his fullest extent, it just seemed as if he was dropped into the story as a filler and a way of catching a previous legendary (how else would Reshiram or Zekrom be available for capture since this game is set two years after the originals and both were initially caught by yourself and N)

My final gripe is that after the Elite Four you can venture towards Nuvema town (your original starting town in the previous game) to visit Prof. Juniper. However you encounter a pre-schooler who has a level 60-70 pokemon. How in the heck could he manage this? he's far too young to take on the Gym's required to gain the badges!



Overall yes its a good game, one or two glitches here or there to be taken care of, plus some minor plot inconsistencies, but yes I do like it. My only thoughts now are how are Game Freak and Nintendo going to expand the series further, they seem to be fast running out of Colour names to use as well as the 'Dex hasn't increased since Black and White (V1). Hopefully this wasn't the swansong of the series and we can look forward to a better edition next time.

If we are going to say goodbye to the series, lets go in style a nice round 700 Poke's and a decent plot to end all plots (new region would be nice also, perhaps a revisit to Sinnoh or Hoenn?


Until the next time.

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 UK Release Day Review

OK, so the UK has just seen the newest addition to the Pokemon franchise with the release of Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2 and as promised here is a release day review of the new games.

!! * SPOLIER ALERT BELOW * !!

Overall since the release of the Black and White versions I feel that the game has grown in leaps and bounds, there are numerous changes to the game including some never before seen towns as well as some old faithful's in Pokemon such as Mareep.

In the terms of the plot, it seems as if it is somewhat shorter than that of its predecessors, almost as if it is chopping out some interesting key points to the storyline.

With the game set only two years after the events of Black and White it shows the player in a world where Cheren (a previous companion) is now only just a Gym leader, and Bianca is a assistant to the ever-helpful Professor Juniper. Team Plasma make a gratuitous return to the series with the group now split into two factions, one faithful to Ghetstis (who wants to control all pokemon) and the other faithful to N (who has now changed his ways and is all for trainers with pokemon), over the course of the game the two factions battle for supremacy in Unova. For the risk of spoiling the plot further I shall cease there with a plot overview.

Graphics have seen a major upheaval in the game, with new and improved camera angles to play with, some even visible from the outset of the game, admittedly the game does have a feel of the old-school about it, but thats the "joie de vivre" of the whole game and its legacy.

Music has also seen a major reworking in the game, with some incredible tunes making way into the game, it still maintains that feeling of the original Red. Yellow and Blue phase while incorporating some newer themes and genre.

Overall GameFreak and Nintendo have outdone themselves with the improved version, even if the game doesn't have its own title. I mean seriously, "Black 2" and "White 2"?  I understand the game is set after the events of "Black" and "White" but it seriously needs its own name. otherwise it just feels cheesy. Having said that a full overhaul of the C-Gear makes up for the name Faux pas so I'm happy there.


My only big bugbear is the fact that the Keldeo event for the game was surprisingly limited in the UK with little or no promotion anywhere, not to mention, furious restrictions on the methods in which it can be obtained.

I would have to say the follow about the game

10/10 for graphics
10/10 for music
5/10 for Events
9/10 for plot (somewhat short and over too soon)
?/10 for connectivity (to be tested)

Overall a score of 44/50 (not including multiplayer in the final score just yet)

Thanks GameFreak and Nintendo for a wonderful game and a glorious series, may there be many more like this.

The future

Welcome one and all.


Coming up in the next couple of weeks I have some wonderful updates, including FULL release day reviews of both Pokemon Black 2 AND Pokemon White 2.

Things will be sparse in the lead up to it, but things will improve I promise you


Ciao for now.

New Design and Future content

Hi Everyone,

You may have seen that this blog now sports a whole new lool. In fact some of you may say it is rather minimal.

I figured that instead of flashy, in-your-face graphics, a sleek, fast and efficient model was needed. So now we have that, we also have a very awesome style switch  on the left end of the nav bar, you can set whatever theme you prefer style you prefer best and it will remember it for you.

As a note, I also am working very long periods of time as a unpaid beta tester, glitch finder and coder for a few different companies. So if my updates are sporadic or very very random, please forgive me. I have a load on my plate right now and need to balance it accordingly.

Finally, all updates for future games will still go ahead, but due to some unforseen issues, my Halo 4 review will not take place, this is mainly due to a point where I won't be around on release day to purchase and test it. I will however be around for GTA V's release and the FULL onslaught of glitches and exploits inside.  (I should know, I helped discover over 50 different glitches for different R* games in 2011/2012)


Caio for now, my humble readers.