<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
	<title>MG</title>
	<description>Melbourne Gaming Latest Topics</description>
	<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php</link>
	<pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 06:39:15 +0000</pubDate>
	<ttl>10</ttl>
	<item>
		<title>Server Wide Events</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/108-server-wide-events/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[A great idea for our server could be to have server-wide events. These would be organised and advertised at least a week before  the event and for the entire time the event is on (this could be hours or days), all players would be encouraged to, or have to (depending on type of event) participate. <br />
<br />
Each event could have (a) Game Master(s), who doesn't actually participate but will moderate and contribute (e.g dropping items) to the action.<br />
<br />
The events could be split into two categories. PvP (competitive) or PvE (cooperative). <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span class='bbc_underline'><em class='bbc'>PvP Events</em></span></strong><br />
<strong class='bbc'>Server Wide PvP</strong><br />
This would be a very large scale event which would involve every player online. Each player would have to select  a home, or build one if they haven't already, or if they'd like to change. They would respawn here whenever they are killed. The battle could go on for more than one day, during which alliances can be formed and broken and anything can happen. However, this is not an excuse to grief, and damage to other player's structures must be minimised. The Game Master could drop items in this event if the action is slowing down, or to get players to encounter each other, and prevent players from griefing.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Arena PvP</strong><br />
PvP in the multiple (as in I will be making some more soon) PvP areas in the server could be advertised and organised at specific times. It could also be done in a tournament setting, or play through all maps in a certain order etc. The Game Master would referee the game and drop items if required. <br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Race</strong><br />
Pretty self-explanatory, we could build platforming challenges specifically for the purpose, or make it point-to-point e.g. this town to this town, and players would have to find the fastest way there. The Game Master could moderate to make sure no one cheats and <br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Mob Arena</strong><br />
If there is a mob arena in the server (if not, build one), teams of players could battle in the mob arena to see who can kill the mobs fastest, or survive the longest.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class='bbc_underline'><em class='bbc'><strong class='bbc'>PvE Events</strong></em></span><br />
<strong class='bbc'>Zombie Siege</strong><br />
All players are placed in a house/a town at night, and the Game Master would spawn waves of zombies in the town, spawning a new wave after a certain time after the defeat of the previous wave, as well as giving items.  <br />
 <br />
<strong class='bbc'>Dungeon</strong><br />
A dungeon could be created specially to challenge the players participating, where all players would need to work together. The Game Master could spawn obstacles and even be an enemy to defeat.<br />
<br />
<br />
If anyone has ideas for events, or wishes to organise them, please leave a reply.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 06:39:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/108-server-wide-events/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>MG LAN 4</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/106-mg-lan-4/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[This is the thread for the 4th Melbourne Gaming LAN Party.<br />
We welcome any new people attending and hope everyone has fun!<br />
This thread will be updated through the day.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:34:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/106-mg-lan-4/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Starbound</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/104-starbound/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[<span style='font-size: 17px;'><span style='font-family: Arial Black'>Not released yet</span></span><br />
<br />
This game is being made by the sprite creator of Terraria, and many workers of Chucklefish games<br />
<br />
it looks like a super upgrade of Terraria, the sprites are better, everything is better.<br />
<br />
I will be moving to Starbound when it is released too!<br />
<br />
here is the website media section, from the pictures, the players, monsters, and the whole game looks way better than Terraria.<br />
<a href='http://playstarbound.com/media/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://playstarbound.com/media/</a>]]></description>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:29:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/104-starbound/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>LAN PARTY  24/02/2012</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/103-lan-party-24022012/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[G'day,<br />
<br />
Everything is all green for the Lan party for Saturday 24/02/2012.<br />
Networking gear is setup, PA system up, tables unpacked and all the food is brought.<br />
<br />
The event starts at 9am and goes to 11.30pm with a 30 minute grace to get a lift home to whether that may be.<br />
Remember to bring a power board for your equipment and a network cable if possible.<br />
<br />
Throughout the day there will be plenty of gaming, music and food...you like to eat food don't we!<br />
<br />
There will he very heavy load on our uplink side of things so game servers may go down throughout the day or be restricted due to this, we will keep you updated.<br />
<br />
Cya there<br />
<br />
*Admin team*]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:17:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/103-lan-party-24022012/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Upgrading the Melbourne Gaming website</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/102-upgrading-the-melbourne-gaming-website/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Over the next few weeks, we will be upgrading our website. This will allow us to free up more server resources to the game servers and will also allow us to host more content on our website (such as file downloads).<br />
<br />
Things we have planned:<br />
<ul class='bbc'><li>Major website design update.</li><li>Implementing a CDN.</li><li>Optimizing the website.</li><li>Optimizing the databases.</li></ul><br />
We also have a few secret surprises that we will be implementing in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!<br />
<br />
The Melbourne Gaming Admin Team.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:07:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/102-upgrading-the-melbourne-gaming-website/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Another sudden Leave-Nicholai</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/93-another-sudden-leave-nicholai/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Everyone, including admins, mods and everyone behind the scenes<br />
<br />
Due to sudden and unexpected personal commitments I have to leave the country for a couple of weeks to a land far far away and possibly no internet connection.<br />
As a result there will be no longer be there to administer the equipment during this time and you will be at gods fate if something happens, there may be know-one available to reset servers or fix issues for the time been.<br />
<br />
If anything major pops up you can try to email on "nicholai@melbournegaming.net"    however there is no promise I can return the email in good time.<br />
Given the plane doesn't crash and I don't get wiped out in an accident I should be returning early February.<br />
<br />
Wish you all good luck<br />
Nicholai]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:46:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/93-another-sudden-leave-nicholai/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Picking the right computer mouse</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/89-picking-the-right-computer-mouse/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Computer mice are something we use everyday and take very little notice about until it stop tracking and we smash the damn thing on the desk...<br />
There are hundreds of mice on the market from<em class='bbc'> laser guided logitechs</em>, mice that give me blueteeth and some that even sell themselves as rats, but what one is right for me?<br />
<br />
There are 2 main types of mice on the market; laser and optical...although they sound the same they are quite different in how they handle.<br />
On-top of this we have wired and wireless mice, in the gaming sector most respected mice are wired with only a handful of them wireless, this is as wired mice don't need recharging, have less latency and can support more power draw for more technologies loaded into the mouse. Choosing the right mouse is important, the wrong choice could leave you out of pocket or even worse uncomfortable or even with conditions such as RSI.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Optical Mice</strong>: We all have used them and stared into the pretty little red LED light, these are not laser but rather just plain simple light. They are normally cheaper to manufacture hence why they are in most mice and work at lower sensitivity's. If your on a budget optical can work wonders but every day laser is coming down in price, the only advantage I see of optical other then price is knowing that the mouse is on and the ability to shine it at other players at Lan party's...my secret weapon of choice!<br />
Do note that some mice listed are optical but of a high grade, high grade optical mice do perform very similarly to laser's and can be better in some cases.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Laser <del class='bbc'>Warfare </del>Mice </strong>: Haven't we all seen the scene in 007 where the laser is following the car and leaving a trail or destruction?  In real news laser mice are the latest tech when it comes to mice, they allow you to track across the surface with laser precision meaning that when you move the mouse it will be accurately reflected on the screen allowing the cross-hair's to be exactly where you told to it be. <br />
Laser mice do have a slight premium but you do normally get more dpi and in term a better mouse (most of the time).<br />
<br />
In this thread we will list a few popular mice that we have used and are common throughout the gaming community while clearing up terms that will make your experience on a computer more enjoyable.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif'><span style='font-size: 13px;'><br />
</span></span><strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Gigabyte GM-M6880 Laser Gaming Mouse   ~$16</span></strong><br />
<a href='http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2896#sp' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2896#sp</a> <br />
Costing $16 from most retailers this budget gaming mouse is a fantastic for the cost conscious or those after a mouse that is accurate, comfortable and reliable for everyday tasks. <br />
These mice are becoming more and more popular with me personally selling 5 of them to friends, family and even throwing one in my LAN Bag when I need a mouse that I'm not going to cry over if it gets some dust over it.<br />
The mouse does feel a little plasticy to touch at first  but quickly wins you over with its rubber sides and easy to grip shape, there are 3 dpi settings on the mouse <em class='bbc'>slow, normal </em>and <em class='bbc'>super caffeinated cursor speed</em>  which will shoot your cursor across the screen at varying speeds accordingly. The mouse is very precise and  one of the most accurate I have seen completely leaving the cheap $2 mouse that came with your computer in the dust. Some may find the mouse on the light side (100g) however it is stable when sliding it across the desk and very smooth thanks to its little teflon feet. Surfing the web with this mouse is a breeze thanks to its forward and backward buttons and a super smooth scroll wheel, it takes a little getting use to but you'll never go back to a mouse without it.<br />
For $16 its a steal, I have 3 of them sitting in my closet right now.....<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'><strong class='bbc'>Logitech MX518 Gaming Optical Mouse   ~$39<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.logitech.com/en-roeu/mice-pointers/mice/devices/4259' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.logitech.com/en-roeu/mice-pointers/mice/devices/4259</a> <br />
 <span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong></span>Ever been using a mouse and got it sweaty after an intense game of solitaire or a 50 billion word uni essay  , that's gross isn't it Nicholai.<br />
Thanks to this mouses cloth overlay and stressball like rubber design this can be a thing of the past, at first the mouse took me some getting use to due to its shear size which will easily accommodate a claw or palm grip. Tracking is smooth and what you would expect it to be for around the $40 mark however I did get the feeling that there was software running in the driver that smoothed the device's output when drawing lines.<br />
Like the above mouse it does have a forward, backward and dpi selector in conveniently placed locations that will drop down from the overhead locker in the event of a sudden cabin depressurization.<br />
When buying this mouse I would suggest you look at the size of your hands and the size of the mouse, it is a large mouse and could feel chunky.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Gigabyte M6980 Laser Gaming Mouse  ~$42<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3617#kf' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3617#kf</a> <br />
4D mouse wheel? What the hell is that you ask...<br />
Most tracking wheels are 2D meaning you can scroll up and down and click a button if you push the scroll wheel down, this mouse allows you to scroll left and right by pushing the wheel, this allows you to scroll horizontally or in some games lean left and right.<br />
This mouse is the first real gaming mouse of the lot that allows you to do some serious customization, the mouse has a staggering 8KB or storage on it...OMG your all thinking, in reality that allows you to store 3 profile configurations on it. Custom configurations come in handy if you have games that react differently to mouse sensitivity or you map different buttons to each game, some may load a profile for each person if multiple people use the mouse, the mouse is configured through the sleek looking software package.<br />
First impressions of the mouse is how well built it is, I judge this by giving it a squeeze test whereby I squeeze it waiting for it to make funny noises or implode...this mouse just stared back at me hinting that I was weak and should get a life.<br />
Upon holding the mouse you can't help buy take notice of the rubber coating on it, this seems to be very good at keeping grip with the mouse under heated situations where a plastic mouse would go flying when you dramatically move it across the table, it also makes the mouse feel expensive.<br />
      Another pretty feature with this mouse is the DPI lights that divide the inner part of the mouse and light up in stages depending on what DPI you have set it to.<br />
The mouse is smooth, feels well built and fits nicely in a moderately sized hand.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Gigabyte GHOST M8000X Gaming Mouse     ~$59<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3314#ov' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3314#ov</a> <strong class='bbc'> </strong><br />
No we aren't Gigabyte fan boys, we just think they have plenty of great mice with high availability on Australian soil.<br />
The M8000X (Ghost) is a serious looking mouse that means trouble when you pair it with a mean gamer, or our admin DunNZ.<br />
With the Ghost you are left with a very advanced mouse which is packed with features such as "Perfect Tracking Precision system" which calculates the surface your using it on and works out how sensitive the 6000dpi laser needs to be along with other features that work behind the scenes.<br />
Once again the construction is top notch, its a solid mouse which supports the user to modify the weight of the mouse by putting in a different weights in a secret compartment located beneath the seat your sitting on (bottom of the mouse).<br />
The software customization on the mouse is once again very good with the user able to load macro's and create profiles which are indicated on by the changeable color on the "ghost" logo running down the center of the mouse.<br />
Overall the Ghost is a very strong unit having the most comprehensive feature set of the Gigabyte mice.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Mionix Naos 5000 Gaming Mouse        ~$89<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://www.mionix.net/page.php?al=naos5000' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.mionix.net/page.php?al=naos5000</a> <br />
<br />
Mionix are a rather new competitor to the computer hardware market releasing some impressive pieces of kit at very reasonable prices.<br />
Since this mouses release many gamers have fallen in love with its sleek looks and fancy LED side lighting, if we were to give an award to the most sexiest mouse this would be it.<br />
Straight out the box we are teased with the rubberized exterior and very clean look which makes it a breeze to hold, atleast for a palm grip person.<br />
       Users are able to adjust the weight of the mouse in 8 five gram increments by putting these metal squares in the bottom of the mouse, its a simple design but allows much more flexibility then the Gigabyte Ghost or Roccat Kone+.<br />
Laser wise I can't fault the unit, its super smooth and super fluid while being exactly where I want it to be on screen thanks to its cheeky little<em class='bbc'> surface sensing technology </em>which rates the surface your gaming on, its  similar to the Ghost and Roccat.<br />
For $89 you can feel like your getting one of the best laser mice on the market backed by a powerful software package which expands on a excellent mouse.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'><strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong></span><br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'><strong class='bbc'>ROCCAT Kone [+] Gaming Mouse         ~$109<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.roccat.org/Products/Gaming-Mice/ROCCAT-Kone-/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.roccat.org/Products/Gaming-Mice/ROCCAT-Kone-/</a><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'> I</span><span style='font-size: 13px;'>'ll be honest with you guys, I got charmed into buying one of these colorful fancy mice and spending hours looking at the light show it gives at night!</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Out of all the mice reviewed this is the most advanced hands down, it has sensors that </span><em class='bbc'>analyse the surface, anti-lift off </em><span style='font-size: 13px;'>and rate you how well you look...maybe not the last one but you do raise people's attention with the mouse at LAN parties.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>     With this mouse you get the rubber top and a 4D scrolling wheel, dpi shifting, forward and back and all the other fun features the other mice above have.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>The software with this mouse is very powerful, you can customize profiles which include macro's, sensitivity's and even your very own personalized light show with a nice intrusive and easy to use software package.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>You do need to be right handed when using this mouse, if your left handed you will need to learn or find another mouse unfortunately...this one fact was the reason my girlfriend didn't pinch the flashing mouse thing on my desk.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>The laser is once again very responsive and accurate making it simply very pleasant to use day to day on photoshop or in game, its a big investment but if money is no issue this mouse will not fail to please even the most critical of users, its worth noting on this mouse when you switch DPI a scary German voice gives you "audible feedback" and never lets you forget...apparently it stops you loosing attention in game, it only made me laugh in horror the first time I heard it!</span><em class='bbc'><br />
 </em><br />
<br />
One long lost secret in the mouse world is mouse mats, why bash up your new investment against a wooden desk or rub the fancy teflon feet off in the first 6 months...This is where a good quality mouse mat comes in.<br />
Many gamer's use a surface which is uneven and sometimes uncomfortable, a mouse mat will give you better tracking and in most cases a nice comfortable place to rest your hand.<br />
I will be listing 2 mouse mats I think are worth there money, your taste will differ from mine in what style of comfort you like however these are two mats I like out of the tens I just couldn't get working.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Razer Goliathus Fragged Alpha Speed Refresh       ~$25<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://au.razerzone.com/razer-goliathus-speed-edition-au' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://au.razerzone.com/razer-goliathus-speed-edition-au</a><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'> Razer are a very common name in the gaming world, they manufacture keyboards mice and there respective accessories.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>The mouse mat's they create come in a multiple styles, different sizes and 2 main textures.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Speed and control are the two main picks, the speed offers the least resistance and is the nicest in my opinion with the control been the less dense version which I find to slow and slightly uncomfortable to rest on. As any women will tell you "the correct size is important", pick the wrong one and you will forever be uncomfortable and confined...I'm still talking about mouse mats! Picking a to small mat will not give you sufficient room to move the mouse and to large just won't fit on the desk, measure up your desk and rule up the approximate size you swing your mouse. This mat is a cloth mat so you may need to clean it every now and then with some warm water, you can role this mat up being cloth and a rubber bottom.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Mionix Propus 380 Gaming Mouse Pad     ~$25<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://www.mionix.net/page.php?al=propus380' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.mionix.net/page.php?al=propus380</a> <br />
Are you just after a straight foward mouse mat that just looks plain and performs like a champ, how about looking at the Mionix range of mats.<br />
The Propus 380 is a rather large straight forward mouse mat but performs like nothing from this world, my sample pad became my permanent one because I was so impressed with it.<br />
The surface of the pad is very smooth thanks to been a solid construction and sealed cloth like top, you cannot role this mat up as it is flat like paper (it comes in a giant envelope thing).<br />
For the price this mat is amazing and works well with all sorts of mice, it does have its pro's and con's against the Razer Goliathus but you should be able to gauge what you like and what works.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Where do I get these things?</span></strong><br />
<br />
In Australia you may find it hard to find these products in retail stores for a good price, I would recommend you shop online through a trusted Retailer.<br />
One retailer I can't fail to recommend would be <a href='http://www.pccasegear.com/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>PC Case Gear</a>, they stock most of this gear for good prices and have fantastic service.<br />
<em class='bbc'><br />
We hope you found this article helpful in your choice to find a mouse that suites you, we do expect you research your choices carefully as each mouse will feel different to different people being a subjective topic, there are plenty of Quality reviews on the internet with helpful information...You may find non of these mice suite you for all I know, shop around and if possible try the mouse up.<br />
<br />
Let us know what you think.</em>]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:41:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/89-picking-the-right-computer-mouse/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Freeware Software that rocks</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/88-freeware-software-that-rocks/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Do you get sick of popups telling you to buy something? So do I, I love programs that work and are offered free of charge given I use them for non commercial purposes.<br />
I will try to compile a list of software that find helpful and most importantly free!<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 17px;'>Google Chrome</span><br />
 </strong><a href='https://www.google.com/chrome/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>https://www.google.com/chrome/</a> <strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong><br />
<strong class='bbc'> </strong><span style='font-size: 13px;'>Looking at my internet logs most of you guys use this already when visiting this site.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Google Chrome is one of the latest and fastest browsers on the market, it looks nice and supports quite a few extensions such as "Ad-Blocker".</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Try it today, you may love it over Internet Explorer if you haven't upgraded already. </span><br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'><strong class='bbc'>VLC Media Player<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.videolan.org/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.videolan.org/</a> <br />
Don't you just love it when your video clips just play...no fuss about installing this codec or this extension.<br />
VLC play's almost every video and audio format known to man kind....mp3, wma,flac,apple lossless mp4, Xvid, mkv<br />
The only thing it won't play is blu-ray disks, other then that its all good.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'>Auslogics Disk Defrag<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/</a> <br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Is your computer running slow and taking along time to load files, chances are your hard disk is fragmented from all the programs you have installed on it.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Thankfully there is a very effective way to fix this through the Auslogics software, it differs through the built in windows software by doing the task much faster and accurately.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'> I would suggest enabling "move to start of disk" in the options and hitting "defrag & optimize" for best performance, you should only need to run the process once a month or after a major software install.<br />
<br />
</span><strong class='bbc'>C-Cleaner<br />
</strong><a href='http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner</a> <br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>How many times have you gone through the menu's trying to delete your browsing history? heaps I would imagine.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>C-Cleaner is a great piece of software that allows you to delete all your online history on your computer through one click, it will delete everything leaving no trace of where you have been, it also allows you to reclaim disk space of old cache files you never use.</span><br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'>PEAZIP<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.peazip.org/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.peazip.org/</a> <br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Ever come across a file that just won't unzip for the love of it or find its packaged in .rar, 7zp, tar or one of the other 131 compression formats that the software supports?</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Peazip is able to compress and extract files from the desktop by right clicking or going through the full launcher, you can encrypt, splt and play with all sorts of fun settings if the defaults just aren't good enough for you.<br />
</span>No need to spend money on WinRar, WinZip or having to hit "next, next, extract" through the windows unzipper again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'>Microsoft Security Essentials<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials</a> <br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Just after a anti-virus software that is free, fast and simple to use and that doesn't spam you popups when it finds a legit program <em class='bbc'>cough cough...</em></span><span style='font-size: 13px;'>Microsoft Security Essentials is just that, a nice clean program that will keep you protected through the worst online threats without damaging your pings or transfer speeds.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>After installation you don't have to update or run a scan manually again, it will automatically update itself and run scans by itself but will allow you to scan if you suspect a virus is on the system.<br />
MSE is free for all genuine copies of windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.<br />
 </span>  <span style='font-size: 13px;'><em class='bbc'><br />
</em><br />
</span><span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'>Ninite<br />
</strong></span><span style='font-size: 13px;'>A PC technicians best friend and secret.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Ever had to install ten's of software packages on a new computer...what if you could do them all form one click, fully installed and no more conditions to accept or installing toolbars.</span><br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'>Check out the site above and never spend forever manually installing again.</span><br />
<br />
<em class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 13px;'>All of these programs listed above are freeware for personal use from at the date of publishing, we are all behind supporting developers that arn't greedy do what they do for the open community...If you like the software and you find it helpful Donate or recommend it to friends, it really helps them in the long term.<br />
<br />
If you have any more suggestions or comments feel free to comment below.</span></em>]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:14:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/88-freeware-software-that-rocks/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Choosing a Sound Card - Guide</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/87-choosing-a-sound-card-guide/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Audio and sound is a huge part life, we use it to judge distance, picture our surroundings and to communicate, this is no different with gaming or computers.<br />
 Without a decent audio setup your ability to function correctly is greatly impaired and can be the difference between winning and loosing.<br />
<br />
We all know what a speaker and headphone is and there role in gaming, what many don't know is there ability depends on the quality of the sound being fed into them.<br />
This is where a soundcard comes in, most motherboards have a built in sound chip (normally Realtek), as far as these have come over the years they are still have there flaws and weaksides.<br />
<br />
Do your speakers make a buzzing or electrical noise when you turn them up to full or sound muffled when playing at high volumes, chances are a sound card could dramatically improved with a small upgrade.<br />
A good sound card will elemite buzzing, enhance sound effects and give you an advantage that will put you ahead of the others.<br />
Like all things you get what you pay, in this guide we will show you how to best spend your money.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'><strong class='bbc'>Xonar DG  -Movies, Music lovers and Moderate Gaming for a budget   	~$39<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_DG/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.asus.com/...Cards/Xonar_DG/</a><br />
This card is one of the most popular cards on the market for music and gaming for users on a budget, with a retail price of just $40.<br />
For the price you get a great sounding 5.1 card which incorporates a built in headphone amp with Dolby processing and all the features to have a stunning clarity and distinction in your gaming.<br />
Music and movies is where this card shines, you won't be disappointed with it given you have some half decent speakers or headset.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme PCIe      -Very nice gaming card that blows us away        </strong><strong class='bbc'> ~$65<br />
</strong><a href='http://au.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-xtreme-audio-pci-express/1-16770.aspx' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://au.store.crea...ss/1-16770.aspx</a><br />
After a sound card that will knock your socks off in gaming? This card is for you, every time I play BF3 with the creative card I am amazed at the clarity and positing this card offers over onboard.<br />
This card is a little more pricey over the Xonar DG but you do get slightly better gaming features and a crystalizer which can make your music sound better if it was poorly mastered.<br />
The X-Fi does support 7.1 systems and headphones very well, in my opinion hearing both it does gaming better then the Xonar series but not as good in the music department.<br />
If you want a sub $70 upgrade for your latest games this card is a winner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 13px;'>Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium    -Gaming card on steroids      ~$99<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://au.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium/1-17927.aspx' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://au.store.crea...um/1-17927.aspx</a> <strong class='bbc'> </strong><br />
This to me is the ultimate gaming card for the price, costing a few dollars more then the "Xtreme" you get better quality components, the latest positional processing effects and the best quality gaming you get for a reasonable price. It does every the Xtreame can do, just better...is it worth the added money? I would pay the extra, you get better support and overall a nicer more modern card.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'>Asus Xonar DX  - The Ultimate Movie and Music Lovers Card      ~$99<br />
</strong></span><a href='http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_DX/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.asus.com/...Cards/Xonar_DX/</a> <span style='font-size: 13px;'><strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong></span>What can I say about this card? Its bloody excellent for one thing and sounds very impressive for music.<br />
This card is the one convinced me that sound cards make a huge difference and are more then just a gimmicky object for "audiophiles", its also currently the one I'm using. <br />
One look at the pictures of it and you will see it is built to amazing standards for the price, its 7.1 and does all the processing you could ever want for movies and music, gaming isn't as nice as the Creative lineup but it certainly does game very well and provide a 3D environment that will make you unstoppable on the battlefield .<br />
    I personally think this card is worth its weight in gold, it sounds fantastic and will make you re-listen to all your tracks again, you WILL hear detail's you have never heard before in both games and music.<br />
If $100 is to much for you to justify the Xonar DG does do most of the DX however you do miss out on 7.1 and do make a slight sacrifice on sound quality, you will still be impressed at the lineup.<br />
<br />
<em class='bbc'><br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'>Nicholia you fool, I have a laptop, I can't fit one of these in it?<br />
</span></em><span style='font-size: 13px;'>Thankfully there are some great soundcards for laptops that will improve what you hear through your headphones, you can't change the way your built in speakers sound like but if you have a headset it will sound much better most of the time. You can even use one of these on your desktop as-well if you don't want to open or up, or even use it on both your laptop and desktop. </span><br />
<br />
 <strong class='bbc'>Asus Xonar U3 (USB)    - Music never sounded better for a laptop    ~$55<br />
</strong><a href='http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_U3/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.asus.com/...Cards/Xonar_U3/</a> <strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong> 	Asus have been very nice to us, a reasonably priced usb sound card that sounds excellent for laptops (or desktops) in one small package, it includes a headphone amp to drive your latest headset or trendy speakers without having it sound flat and underpowered.<br />
If you primarly listen to music or movies and are after a USB card this would fit the bill perfectly, like the desktop cards I find the Xonar better at music then gaming...<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go Pro    - USB Budget Gaming Card    ~$55<br />
</strong><a href='http://au.store.creative.com/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-x-fi-go-pro/1-20056.aspx' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://au.store.crea...ro/1-20056.aspx</a> <strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong>My first experience with this card forced me to take usb sound cards seriously, this card will get you blasting away and hearing your opponents before they can ever get a chance to react thanks to its advanced postional technologies that have carried through the creative lineup for years. Another great/scary feature of this card is the voice morphing ability's, it will make you sound like monster, teenage girl and sometimes even a great gift to a friend to deepen his squeaky 13 year voice.   <br />
For USB gaming its hard to pass this card, for music the Xonar U3 is still better in my ears.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'><span style='font-size: 13px;'>Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D  -The Ultimate USB Sound Card      ~$115<br />
</span></strong><a href='http://www.creative.com/soundblaster/tactic3d/recon3d/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://www.creative....ctic3d/recon3d/</a> <strong class='bbc'><br />
</strong>Are you loaded or just refuse to buy anything less then the best?  This card may suit you then, its the latest generation technology and is comparable to the $100 X-Fi Titanium in quality.<br />
 You get enhancements for every little thing possible:<em class='bbc'> echo cancellation, noise reduction, voice reduction, auto volume...</em>Some even say it will make you a sandwich.<br />
If you've got a very good set of headphones and a flash new laptop then you can feel assured your getting nothing but the best with this card.<br />
You've now got a crash coarse on whats hot in the sound card world in 2011/2012, I have tried all of these cards and believe I have accurately given you a run down on them, by all means research the cards yourself through forums, review sites and the manufacture's documentation.<br />
 To get the most out of your sound card you will need some alright speakers, I'm sure you will be aware if your using something half good or a pile of plastic...I trust you.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 17px;'><strong class='bbc'>Trusted Australian Retailers<br />
</strong></span>Buying online can be hard and very risky, below is a list of stores that I feel have given me consistently good service and prices.<br />
<a href='http://pccasegear.com.au' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>PC Case Gear</a>  :<em class='bbc'> A leading premium retailer of PC supplies in Australia, the prices are competitive but sometimes higher, you get second to none service through them.  Cant recommend any higher.<br />
</em><a href='http://www.mwave.com.au/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>MWAVE</a>: <em class='bbc'>A great retailer, good prices and have always sent my parts out in good time. Not as fast as PCCG at shipping but still good service.<br />
<a href='http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/default.php' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>CentreCom:</a><br />
<a href='http://msy.com.au/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>MSY:<br />
</a><a href='http://scorptec.com.au/' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Scorptec:</a><br />
EBAY: Can be good, can be bad, compare the prices and be aware the the item may not be coming from Australia...Buy at your own risk.<br />
</em><br />
Let us know what you think, any suggestions or experiences...Feel free to comment below<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style='font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif'></span>]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:47:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/87-choosing-a-sound-card-guide/</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Nicholai-Extended Leave</title>
		<link>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/79-nicholai-extended-leave/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Afternoon all,<br />
<br />
From the time of 22 December to around the 7th of January I will be on holiday floating around the ocean non of the less and unable to return emails or provide support.<br />
Your first point of call is now DunNZ who can assist you equally.<br />
<br />
Have a safe and merry Christmas, hope to see you all in the new year.<br />
<br />
Your sincerely<br />
Nicholai]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:33:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.melbournegaming.net/forum/index.php?/topic/79-nicholai-extended-leave/</guid>
	</item>
</channel>
</rss>
