Template Change

I always like changes and especially in designing.. So altered the blog template, to avoid not to be too much blue-ish.. Hope you like it.. Also did a small scripting to show the front image randomly.. These are the altered/designed images that you will see randomly...

Finding ME with GPS

Finding Me – Not psychologically but geographically.. Yes with the help of GPS receiver that I installed in my PSP. A short description on this product.

I always like to use my PSP for some other purposes, other than gaming. Found out that it can be used as navigation device. As it has display, a small GPS receiver and software with maps loaded in the memory, helps to see the maps and track where we are and where we are heading.
I ordered this device – GPS Receiver official from Sony and hence cost little more, but very reliable. I saw some other cheap GPS receivers for PSP, but they required extra wires, which need be genuine, it seems. Also I realized from some forums, about the compatibly issues with other receivers. So finally decide for sony product which doesn’t need wires. I ordered from Play Asia, Hong Kong in this link.

It got shipped within few days by postal, as if you wish to track it by DHL or BlueDart, you can but paying price more than the product. It is relatively small compared to the device and it mounts on the top of the PSP perfectly. That’s it, its installed.

Now the Software for using this: You need two software, PSP mapping software and software for your PC to download maps. There are plenty of softwares for your version of PSP, luckily the software I downloaded first, worked for me. FYI my PSP firmware is 3.51 m33-6. I am using MapThis! Software in PSP for GPS Navigation and using GMDL0.5.04b software for downloading necessary maps (from Google Maps, Microsoft live maps, etc etc)

The Map This! Wiki Guide: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Map_This

The GMDL Guide: http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=60230

I downloaded the maps of south India and Bangalore covering my location and put it in my PSP. Then turned on my PSP, and opened Map This!, turned on my PSP. I couldn’t get any satellite if I sit inside my house. But I am able to get up to 13 satellites at the max when standing out. When I give some 3 minutes, I can get easily fixed to 4 satellites and able to get my position – longitude and latitude something like N 13` 04` 13` and E 77` 38` 17` . Now a tiny blue arrow shows my position, even if my map is somewhere, it centers it and shows my position.

So now I have the point where I am and If I move the point moves. The software just needs this, it calculates the speed, max speed, avg speed, distance travelled, trip time and different 3d views of map. I tried using it in my car, seems to be working, but couldn’t test it thoroughly as I was stuck in traffic that day. Will go home or somewhere with the map loaded just for testing this!! Here are some of the PSP screenshots of my location.

All about my PSP – Versatile portable

I bought a secondhand PSP a month above to quince my thrust on Create Zen Vision W or to prevent myself from big expenses by getting Zen Vision. I see PSP (Play Station Portable) far cheaper and worthy comparing to any portable players if you are an active PC user, I mean you have to compromise the memory size by replacing files you want to play. Here is why I put my money on PSP.

Short description:

PSP is Play Station Portable by Sony Corporation launched in 2003. It is meant for portable gaming. It has separate drive called UMD drive, where you can only put UMD discs. So Sony PSP is meant to play game/software only from UMD disks. It will be the same if there are no hackers in the world and no users like me to utilize them. By doing a 1000 INR firmware update, the PSP is hacked. Now it is ready to play anything from its memory stick.

Features:

Now coming to features, PSP is versatile. It can play games, obviously. It can play videos (mpeg-4). It can play audio (mp3/wma). It can be used to view pictures. Nothing can beat its video quality and audio quality is also fine and its obvious as it is a Sony product. It is Wifi enabled. It can also read pdfs. It can read docs. It can be used as organizer. It can be navigating device…the list goes on, until the PSP software hacks halt.

Why all these features with such a low price of 8k INR? I heard that there are still people getting original UMD disk paying 1k INR for one game UMD disks are sole proprietary of Sony Corporation. Seem they get money in them.

Drawbacks: size and size.

Yes, memory size and device size. The PSP I am using is having a memory size of 1GB only. By far I have seen PSPs having memory 4GB at the max in common. But in my 1GB memory stick I can put two movies and one compressed game and some software as well. Won't that be enough for your journey? Yes it won't if you have uncompressed game which could be 1GB, but 4GB should be more than enough to put all.

If you are okay with this memory size then comes the player size.. it is definitively bulky, but bulky enough for good video display and to sit in lap for movies in long journey.

Small comparison:

Ipod nano, wins in player size and sucks in everything. Ipod classic wins in memory size and sucks in everything. Ipod video without its wide screen first sucks and I feel it would be difficult to hold it to see an entire movie, where PSP seems better. Zen Vision, which is around thrice the price of PSP has only the media features of PSP. No portable player has gaming, wifi, applications like pdf reader, gps navigation…

I watched Michael Clayton, Bee Movie and BeeGees live last during my last time journey. I played NFS Most Wanted from UMD disk in between each movie. I saw neither my watch nor the mile boards of my home town with a sleepy head.

Conclusion :

Only music – Ipod
Only Video – ZEN Vision
Only Game – PSP
Atleast any two of the above – PSP. Am for all the three… In the next post am gonna write abt the navigation feature of my PSP…

Online AOE Guide

Again a game related post.. Thought of trying this long before.. Finaly into it, I would say more into it..for about a week..Playing Age Of Empires 2 and 3 and Asian Dynasty expansion online daily.. Got some friends from India and abroad too.. This is post is just a shot tutorial for playing Age of empires 2 and 3. Here it goes…

Things you need.

1. Of course Age Of Empires Game
2. Hamachi
3. AOE loader (only for AOE3)

AOE Games:

As far as I know there are two versions of AOE 2, having same version with both peers is mandatory for online play.

1. AOE 2 - Age of Kings (Red) : CD2.0
AOE 2 – Conquers expansion (Blue): CD1.0

2. AOE 2 - Age of Kings (Red) : CD2.0a
AOE 2 – Conquers expansion (Blue): CD1.0e

For AOE3, you have three editions: Age Of Empires 3 (Basic) and two Expansions: The Asian Dynasties and The War Chiefs. For AOE 3, it is always better to update whatever edition you are having through net. So make sure the editions and versions of the peers are same.

Hamachi:

Hamachi is a VPN internet application which makes one to connect to peers as if you are connecting in LAN. Just install it from here and power it on. You will be given an IP something like 192.168.xx.xx. Choose your own Nick name, and create your own network for your friends, or better join my network
Username : booaoe
Password : password

You can chat with your peer friends to setup all using hamachi.. That’s it, nothing else, if you want to play AOE 2

AOE3 Loader (Only for AOE3 users):

As AOE3 has problems in seeing the internal IP provided by hamachi, this small comes for rescue. Just download this loader from here. Run it and choose the hamachi IP like 192.168.xx.xx and start game and choose the game you want.

Now for AOE2 and AOE3 you are in the game, go to Multiplayer and LAN settings as if you are playing in LAN and host a game and wait for the peers to join or join the game of your peer and enjoy gaming.

Troubleshooting Tips:

1. Make sure all your peers are in sync with the editions and version you are playing. Make sure all peers have updated for AOE3.
2. You should be seeing the hamachi IP 192.168.xx.xx in the Peers joining screen. If you are some other IP, check if you have selected hamachi ip in aoe3 loader.
3. For AOE2, if you are not seeing hamachi IP, goto, control panel -> network connections. Select Advanced -> Advanced Settings menu. Make sure hamachi Connection is in ordered first above all other connections.
4. If you have problem in finding the game of the peer who has hosted, try to connect using IP of the peer instead of searching the game present in the network.
5. If you get CRC Version Mismatch error, try different Crack. I had the same problem for Asian Dynasties expansion, and I used this crack to solve it. Download it from this rapidshare link.

I would like to thank Quang, a Vietnam guy who helped me patiently for my first online gaming. And this 14yr old kiddo, Denis from Israel, who helped me for AOE3 setup. And he is a Photoshop geek too… the pic posted in this blog is done by him.. hats off to Denis.. Denis, I think its enough!!

So dudes, come lets play aoe2/3.. join my network :
usename : booaoe & password : password