PC Gaming Show 2022 + Workspace Suggestions!

 

I thought it would be cool to drop a little segment in the spirit of the PC Gaming Show 2022 to focus on wireless tech + peripherals for those of you who like to move freely around your office or studio. I know that some of you enjoy your keyboards & mice, while others... just have keyboards & mice that aren't as... eye-catching. You don't need these things, but... having a picture-worthy setup doesn't hurt either, and believe it or not, it's well within reach for quite a few PC owners.

There are people like... fashion designers who need a wireless keyboard setup because... remaining in one place doesn't allow for as much productivity. Measurements have to be taken, the tablet is used almost as often and you can do without the keyboard & mouse wires.

If you have a white desk or a work table that you utilize as a desktop as well, a keyboard & mouse of the same color doesn't hurt if you like to coordinate. Duo's like the Lenovo 510 Wireless Combo come to mind. They're clean, and only require one USB port to control both peripherals.

I definitely have to add audio to the mix, because... audio is definitely a huge part of my life + the lives of so many of you.

The option to cut the cord is nothing new... although some of you prefer cords because of the sound quality, but... there are options that deliver just as well without the cord.

The 1More EVO Earbuds deliver HiFi Sound, have 6 mics, 28hours of playtime, and the quality sound is undeniable (I actually have some on right now). To stick with the color theme, you can get these headphones in white (with gold trim). You can go into the office and not only have these headphones connected to your phone, but they can also connect to your computer's Bluetooth without skipping a beat (you don't have to disconnect your phone, both can be connected).

Check out the full review of the 1More Evo... here.

To maintain the theme of an all-white desk space, definitely grab a white qi wireless charger. There are definitely lower-priced wireless headphones out there like the Philips T1207's that are said to have an 18-hour playtime + IPX4 water resistance. They might not have all the bells and whistles, but... (ay) they're less than $40. If you have the money to spring for some speakers... there are some solid bluetooth bookshelf speakers out there like the Audioengine A2+.

If you're going to get a new mouse, might as well get a new mouse pad... especially for an all-white setup. I could warn against a white mousepad because it could get dirty quick... but the same can be said about a white mouse & keyboard (but there is a keyboard and mouse setup here that have gone without issue. I wouldn't go jumping on them after eating some Cheetos, but... yeah... no issues here.

Gotta have a game controller on deck... so definitely grab a white wireless Xbox controller + a stand... or a drawer to keep it out of the way when you aren't gaming to your heart's content.

Another thing that makes sense... is a white office chair, but... out of the options at the link, I don't have any recommendations (preferences vary). I do recommend getting the best chair that works for you, and if you're on the taller or larger side... keep the weight limit in mind. There are larger chairs with increased weight limits, but even with that... some only go up so high, so I'd recommend replacing the office chair cylinder lift. This could actually save you a crap load of money if you need a chair with an increased weight limit and/or height. If you wonder why your chair goes down after you've adjusted it... this is the reason and it shouldn't take much to replace it versus throwing a perfectly good chair out.

By the way, if you are constantly moving around and find yourself moving your office chair from your desk to the work tables, I do recommend getting a stool on wheels. Some have backs on them, some have a saddle design, but either way... I recommend one without a back on it if you aren't going to put it to use and don't plan to utilize it as a desk chair as well. You can just sit regardless of its position and get your grind on.

Going back to drawing tablets, Xencelabs newest edition is their white medium pen tablet bundle. The working space is grey, but... there could be a reason behind it (especially when you consider the constant stroking of the stylus). We also had the pleasure of reviewing this bundle... which got a 5 out of 5 for being a damn good entry for the company in this competitive space.

Check out our full review... here.

They're veterans in the industry who stepped away from well-known brands like Wacom to create their company. I wasn't a fan of tablets without screens until I used this one... the way the tablet is structured works well for drawing and doesn't have that annoying wrist drop-off. We have other tablets without screens, but they're just annoying to me, so this was a pleasant surprise. I use this tablet just as much as I do the Wacom Cintiq, and the price is right. If you prefer a screened drawing tablet... definitely consider a Wacom, and to maintain the white theme (to an extent)... you may want to go with the more affordable Wacom One that connects to your PC, Mac, and... (certain) Android devices.

At the end of the day... you don't have to have all-white everything or... all-white anything, but if you're in the mood to switch it up, explore your options and consider what works best for you. There is definitely a ton of motivation out there but always try and aim towards your needs first... and then consider the wants afterward.

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SpellForce 3... reviewed!

SpellForce 3 reminds me of why I'm a fan of RTS games, but it also reminds me of why they're frustrating as hell... sometimes.

Variety is what we generally try to present to you, which means we don't always get to play some of our favorite genre's... so getting back around to an RTS like SpellForce 3 was like "YES!" (for me). This is actually the first time I've ever played a game from the SpellForce franchise, but doing reviews has gotten me to put my stubbornness aside that required me to play previous installments first. That said... SpellForce 3 actually takes place before the first installment (about 500 years or so before the convocation) so that's cool and if I decide to backtrack... it would basically be moving ahead in the story. SpellForce: The Order of Dawn (the first game) took place after the convocation, followed by the second installment that took place a few centuries after the convocation... which is the central apocalyptic event in the SpellForce universe.

It was a ritual done by the Circle Mages that devastated the world. Yikes!

(Anyway) I do recommend playing "Scenario: Old-Haalayash" before jumping into the main SpellForce 3 campaign. This particular scenario plays out before the events of the main campaign, which definitely played on my stubborn side. The option to at least get up to speed with this mission... (versus reading or watching what happened prior) could not be ignored. Not only that, if you're a noob, you need to shake the rust off or you need to learn the user interface of this game... this mission is perfect. The initial missions of the main game get you up to speed as far as learning how to play, but you get backstory and experience in this scenario. So I recommend starting here... even if you can't transfer that experience or the items over to the main game.

Here is gameplay of the full mission (broken up due to size), which leaves the main campaign unseen for those of you looking to get the game.

SpellForce 3 places you in the shoes of the Betrayer's Child... which its probably safe to assume that no one would want to be known as... in real life. You can choose the name, sex and appearance of this character (to a degree) before starting his or her journey. This is a nice touch, though I would've preferred something a bit more custom... its better than nothing. Your father/the betrayer is known as... Isamo Tahar, a mage rebel. He convinced several Royal Houses of Northander to turn against the Queen to join forces with him... in hopes to put an end to the persecution and discrimination of mages in Northander. You happened to be saved from execution by the commander of a Royal Army elite unit, General Sentenza Noria... which lands you on the side of the Royal Army where you begin your playable journey just after the end of the wars.

The playable adventure itself involves you setting out to find who or what is behind something known as Bloodburn (that looks like a plague) decimating parts of Nortander. During your journey, you will meet new characters and factions to join forces as you dive deeper into the story. I won't be going into detail about that, but I will say that (for me) the story is pretty good... and it flows well.

SpellForce 3 is a real-time strategy/role-playing game, but... it also has something for fans of base building. I like when hybrids hit it out of the park, and this game is almost the perfect blend.

The base building comes into play when you're taking on the opposition, so it's not something you'll be stuck doing all the time. It's a nice touch though... just be prepared to race against the clock in order to get your base prepared for on-coming attacks when battling some enemies; you also have to build your offense to take care of that threat at its source via a tried and true Click 'n Fight system.

You have a variety of characters at your disposal once they join your squad, just make sure that you take advantage of the fact that you have variety. Equip them with the right weapons to make sure you can bring the hand to hand combat + ranged attack options. Not only that... make sure you take advantage of the skill tree to have a full circle of ability during your adventure... so that you can bring the pain and the healing. Trust me, you'll need it.

These battles can really feel like overwhelming tasks at times (to the degree of "WTF?! Is this even beatable?!" as you increase the difficulty) but stick to it... even if you have to save your progress in the middle of the battle based on you reaching strong momentum in battle just in case it goes left. My frustration came from not being able to zoom out and collectively see the areas all my soldiers were located. That's something I appreciated about the RTS game... RUSE. Don't get me wrong, you can zoom out to a nice extent, but not as much as I'd prefer because I'd like to see what's going on and act accordingly. You can click on the map to see that location or scroll to that location, but a zoom similar to RUSE would've been a plus. Also the ability to lock the camera onto selected characters.

I think zooming may have been limited due to the level of detail this game has... I mean the environments are beautiful in SpellForce 3. I found myself just zooming in and out to appreciate the work the developers put in at times, and I still do, to be honest. So visually they knock this game out of the park and the audio quality is awesome (minus hearing "We're being... attacked!" one too many times). Go up to the video above and really listen to the background music, the sounds in the environment, the voiceovers and of course the sounds of battle and other sound effects. Use quality speakers or headphones... and just listen, they really deliver in this game.

Outside of the single-player, you also have PvP multi-player action... as well as a co-op mode that I really look forward to trying out (aka I haven't played it yet). So replay value is here, which also comes by way of 39 Steam Achievements and the SpellForce 3 Editor allows you to create levels and so forth. Modders should be able to appreciate the mod tools... and I'm actually looking forward to seeing what is created.

Price wise... I don't have any complaints about the full retail price because you get a fully satisfying experience with depth by way of an RTS/RPG masterpiece that's actually worth it. Nuff said. I don't see anything fit to really be a con... but I will say that I'm not the biggest fan of rotating the camera in search of items in the environment. They're almost swallowed up by the detail in some locations, but just consider that as an added challenge since it doesn't make or break the game.

Overall, I think that SpellForce 3 is a force to be reckoned with in the RTS/RPG genre... and the man hours have been well spent because this is one beautiful looking adventure with a story packed with depth and audio I can appreciate.

Fun factor: 4

Visually: 5

Replay value: 5

Price: 5

"4.75 / 5 Cool Points"

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THQNordic provided SDGT Entertainment with a copy of SpellForce 3 to review.

SpellForce 3: The Mission Before the Adventure!

The rest of the videos from this mission have to be uploaded.

Get in on the SpellForce 3 action!

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May The SpellForce Be With You! + Free Game!

May The SpellForce Be With You

RTS/RPG Hybrid SpellForce 3 Is Now Available on Windows PC

The critically acclaimed RTS/RPG-series SpellForce returned Dec. 7, 2017 with a new installment: SpellForce 3 is available as a Windows PC-exclusive title.

By combining real-time-strategy and role-playing, SpellForce 3 takes the best from both and blends them together in a unique way. Players will create their own hero and meet others along their epic journey through over 30 hours of campaign gameplay. They will construct large bases and muster powerful armies, command three different factions, clash together in multiplayer matches, or join forces in the co-operative campaign.

The story of SpellForce 3 takes place before the events of its predecessors, telling the tale of the aftermath of the Mage Wars – an exciting experience for players of the former SpellForce games and players who are new to the franchise alike.

SpellForce 3 is available now for an SRP of $49.99 // €49.99 // £34.99 as a digital download and at retail:

About SpellForce 3

SpellForce 3 returns to the roots of the SpellForce saga. Taking place before the acclaimed SpellForce: The Order of Dawn, players will unravel a deep and epic story in the SpellForce universe with over 30 hours of a single-player campaign, that is also playable in co-op. Additional multiplayer modes offer competitive battles for up to six players. Create your own heroes, develop your skill set and build your army to fight in legendary battles with gameplay that expertly blends the RTS and top-down RPG genres together.

SpellForce 3 is out now on Windows PC and will be available with English and German voice-over plus full-text localization in French, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian and simplified Chinese.

• RTS/RPG mix: Unique gameplay that combines the genres of real-time strategy and top-down roleplaying games.
• Create and customize: Create your group of heroes and choose a number of different combos with a range of skill structures.
• Boost and command your army: Prepare your troops and fight the greatest of all battles. You can also exploit numerous strategic aspects (e.g., terrain, troop formations, visibility, exploration, etc.) that would make Sun Tzu proud!
• Epic storyline: Unravel a deep and complex plot that eventually leads up to the events that trigger the convocation ritual, which will change the whole world.
• Extensive universe and lots of loot: Explore the world of Eo, discover intrigues and secrets and collect a whole load of loot for your hero.
• Complex single-player campaign: Over 30 hours of gameplay time, and even more if you’re able to discover everything Grimlore Games has incorporated into the game world.
• Multiplayer: Strong multiplayer component with various modes - play in versus battles with up to six players or master the single-player campaign with a friend in co-op mode.

We will be reviewing this game!

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