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**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:18 pm Post subject: BIOSHOCK for PC

I see when I was at Futureschlock they have Bioshock available for the PC.

Has anyone tried this? How are the controls? I'm a mouse/keyboard guy. Is it playable or just one of those awkward ports of a console game?

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10273

So, it really makes no difference if its written for the Personal Computer or a Gaming Console as long as it is usable with KB&M?

Sorry, I had a friend that bought it for the 360 and liked it a lot. Too bad its a single-player only kind of game.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:34 am Post subject:

perisoft · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 2920 Location: Ithaca, NY

I've got it, running it on my HTPC on the 1271... it plays like any other FPS, no problems at all with KB/Mouse. Pretty good stuff, particularly with five or six hundred watts of subwoofer when one of those big diving suit guys goes groaning by. Scares the cats, though. Smile

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:35 am Post subject:

LOL Nice Peri. I'll give it a go when I get some time. Still bussy outside, no snow flying yet.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 2:36 am Post subject:

Ok after spending 3 hours trying to get this piece of DRM sh!t software to install...I GIVE UP. I have a legitimate copy of a $69 game that I can't play. I guess I'll just have to download the c r a c k e d version or something.

What a load of d!gital crap! I can grab any old game off the shelf here and fire it up in the time it take's it to install. THis POS I can't even play. Thumbs Down

</rant>

**kal** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:06 am Post subject:

How's Bioshock anyway? I hear it's just losely based on the System Shock idea (different company / different developers) but System Shock was one of my old time fav's from that Looking Glass Technologies. Those guys put together some fantastic games. Also absolutely loved Ultima Underworld (back when they were called "Blue Sky Productions". I should see if I can fire up a copy of that somehow... Smile

I don't know if it's me that's changed but somehow games these days don't seem to have any soul. There was something magic about the games back then. My bet is that it's me....

Kal

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:45 am Post subject:

Well back then the programmer's seemed to be more hard core about their games. I loved System Shock, I remember how creepy it was. I got it with my Sound Blaster EAX card. The positional audio, the sounds from behind and the zzzstt of the florescent light's buzzing on and off just added so much. That was on a 4.1 system from Altec Lansing.

I don't remember playing Ultima Underworld. I think that was around the same time as I was playing Quake 2 and Soldier Of Fortune 1. I jumped from game to game but I had my core fav's. I also did just about every co-op mission in the Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear franchise. I had load's of fun with that game. NO Damn Retarded Moron's stuff in those game's either. AND....and..you could install it on all your machines on the network and go head to head. Awesum Thumbs Up

As for how is Bioshock? I couldn't tell ya....I saw the commercial's on TV, got sucked in buy the advertising, and screwed over by the DRM. Thumbs Down

From what I have read the X Box 360 version has no DRM bullsh!t on it. Lucky them.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:46 am Post subject:

You know the other thing that pissed me off about tonight? I actually schedueld some game time 'cause I havne't had any in weeks ( games people sheesh ) and I spent my 3 hour's arguing instead of playing. I knew I should have fired up Quake 3 Excessive. You can be in the game and fragging in 15 second's. Yeah!

lyd · Joined: 15 Sep 2007 Posts: 390 Location: Lake Mills, Wi

I bought Bioshock, don't recall having any problems installing it on XP, and thought it completely rocked. Most fun I've had playing a game in a long time. Little bit of weirdness with the audio on my system -- when there was a *lot* of stuff going on simultaneously, it was like it ran out of channels or something... I would stop hearing some of the gun noises -- but otherwise no trouble. Some brief web searching seemed to indicate it was a problem specific to my audio chipset/drivers.

Then I bought this projector, moved my gaming PC into the corner and dubbed it my HTPC, and haven't touched Bioshock since. Looking forward to getting back to it one day, though. Need a couple of long USB cables for keyboard and mouse. I thought it was a really excellent game, with fantastic sounds and visuals.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 6:09 am Post subject:

This game is so much fun. Nice 50's spin on things. It's a little different with the trackball on my HTPC but I'll fire up the G9 mouse as soon as I can clear one of these CRT monitor's to make room for the mouse.

FazZ · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 3 Location: London, UK

[color=darkblue]I got BioShock – Special Edition cheap from a good friend in ‘Game’ about 3 months ago and have enjoyed it plenty! I’m a big fan of movies, as well as games. They will both always be different worlds but close in many ways. BioShock uses such advancements like 60fps and 5.1Ch audio via optical. Not many games bother to go this far, but when they do, its serious enjoyment. Very Happy

I noticed the comments above regarding controls and keyboard. Keyboard and Trackball works perfectly well and I also have the Xbox 360 version, which plays similar, but on my HTPC, it looks a HELL lot more amazing and plays a lot smoother too! I also have the Xbox 360 controller receiver for my HTPC allowing me to use my wireless controllers on my HTPC for many of the recently released games and some old that bother to update. Using the controller on BioShock works amazingly well and I must admit, I find it that little bit easier, as the game was bent to work on consoles, so the controllers fit round a console controller a lot better than many. Thumbs Up

I also have my old PlayStaion Dual Shock 2 controller wired up on a 5 meter USB cable and use that frequently and the Xbox 360 controller does do the job better generally, but not all games support it still, mainly newer releases. Rolling Eyes

If you like BioShock, may I recommend ‘Prototype’ to one and all! I believe it’s officially released in November 2008 and from I’ve be able to play and see, it stunning! I believe it will be on the Xbox 360 and PS3, which is a shame, as it usually is downgraded a fair bit, to work on both formats equally, but not unleashed on the PC as it should be. Never the less, it still looks amazing and I’m sure if you see it or try it for a moment, you would feel the same! Meanwhile, L4D (Left 4 Dead) should be out sooner and serious multi-player on-line fun for all… PC’s anyway! 8)

If you’re wondering what I’m playing this all on, my HTPC is Windows Vista SP1 64bit, Extreme Quad Core, 8Gb DDR3, Nvidia 8800GT 1Gb Vram, Asus Sonar 7.1Ch, about 8Tb HDD etc etc …It does the job for what I need anyway! Laughing

perisoft · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 2920 Location: Ithaca, NY

Advancements like 60fps? What?! 60fps hasn't been an advancement since... well, for PCs, since ever. A good enough machine will run any game at either the game's hardlimit (usually around 100 to 120fps) or the refresh rate (usually 60 for digital output or 72 to 85 for analog).

As far as audio, everything worth its salt in the last eight years has used 5.1 output.

Bioshock is a pretty nice piece of work, there's no need to pump it up with useless specs. Might as well say that my car features advancements like power windows and pneumatic tires.

FazZ · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 3 Location: London, UK

Yes... and no!

Many games will run to almost whatever frame rate you like, of course depending on your graphics card. A few games I've noticed, especially via Steam (Valve) and other like BioShock will play in split screen (Windows on one and the game on another) in 60fps full-screen or windowed. In the past trying this has resulted in a slow and not a smooth running game.

My mistake, I should have pointed this out! Yes the game will clock well over 60fps in full screen at 100Hz in 1980x1200, but anything between 30-60fps is plenty and I think anything above that is over kill, but not much you can really do about that.

Yes, you’re very right about 5.1Ch games being around for donkeys, but optically? I haven't seen many games that run in 5.1Ch optically and it's just nice that it does. OK, so it's drivers and tweaks I guess, but still, to work without having to do much was nice! I hope that the HDMi out on Asus's new audio card will work better for all movies and games, old and new.

I guess you’re just the type of person who prefers to complain and moan about everything and NEVER say anything nice about... anything. It's easy to criticize, but to give some praise to something SO minor like an OLD game that will be forgotten soon, if not ALREADY... well simply... I thought it would be NiCE. You should try it sometime... I think you might like it!

I was being more detailed on the spec’s due to the conversation previously/above talking about the Xbox 360 and PS3 version's and although they are great, cheap and easy options for most, they seem to cut too many corners where it counts and not look as good as a PC would do it, with the right spec of source. My HTPC is becoming dated by the minutes and it feels good for now to actually get some good use (work & play) out of it for myself, friends and family... ...but the inevitable will always and forever happen! ...By the next OS generation, my PC will barely be suitable for something like Windows 7 or whatever OS option I go for... yet we all want technology to speed up and have what we read and see on-line, now!

perisoft · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 2920 Location: Ithaca, NY

Extrapolating from one post that I never say anything nice ever at all about anything seems odd - particularly given that I was praising the game eight posts up...

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:11 am Post subject:

Well now. Let's all be nice shall we?

I have a Box1020 here. Let's say the external gama bump makes Bioshock shine. I was running it at 1600x1200@72Hz. I LOVE the easy adjustment.

I'll have more to say about it when I get OpenGL running on my HTPC. Weird glitch. I can't even tab to the 3D driver tab in the graphics properties screen. I'll try rolling back the box and try again.

I love the feel and atmosphere of Bioshock and it's absolutly playable with a track ball. Thumbs Up