VeGiTAX2
VeGiTAX2 blogged
GMC Canyon SLE All-Terrain Weekend Ride
As a competitor for GMC at Madden Bowl XXI this last weekend I had the chance to drive the GMC Canyon during my stay in Phoenix, this isn't a total review but a bit of a diary of experiences with the Canyon over the 5 days we (my guest and I) had with it.
*Full disclosure: VeGiTAX2 was a competitor representing GMC at Madden Bowl XXI in Phoenix.
First Glance
We came across our SLE 4WD after arriving by plane, the Quicksilver Metallic finish stood out in a line of new and used cars in the lot. It catches light and stands out with a crisp finish, the metallic flake balances with the paint to catch the eye without being overkill, many silver finishes often fall on the flat side, creating a dull appearance that feels lackluster. While many cars are doing this more, trucks don't always get the same treatment, GMC put a solid blend in on this color to really catch the eyes.
Once loaded up with luggage in the crew cab to prevent any rain from reaching the luggage we were on the move, the dash immediately boots up as the driver enters the car, allowing the nav / user interface to run post with enough time before they pull out of the car. It's a good consideration to those on the go as the system is ready before the driver is on the move. Features like the backup camera engage automatically by response to the transmission choice, the moment reverse engages it kicks on with guidance pattern to help new drivers understand if they're on the right angle to get out. As a new driver to the Canyon it was a nice help, the radius adjusting on the fly in response to my wheel angles.
Power
Once we were on the move it was easy to feel the power of the 3.5L V6, it packs 305hp with 269lb-ft of torque and has no problem picking up the pace as needed, getting on the freeway it rolled on the power quickly to the drivetrain, the key of course is the same with any manual to apply the acceleration equally. For those who might be heavier on the gas, the manual mode also allows for more control by letting drivers wind out the gears to their desire vs having the automatic try to catch the proper gear to match the acceleration profile.
Personally I enjoyed both options, not for power purposes but to feel a closer level of control while cruising as someone coming from manual cars. It's not about winding out gears but just being able to feel things out while enjoying the ride, after a long day though it's nice to slip into drive mode and leave that up to the automatic to handle. When taking things off on the trail it's certainly understandable that drivers would want more control of their car also and this completely plays to that area.
Control
It poured the first few days in Phoenix, while it was fun driving in RWD mode, the interest was putting that All Terrain feature to use, slipping into automatic 4WD mode allowed the Canyon to use best judgement while traveling over wet and puddled surfaces. While running on gravel and pavement we hit many scenarios but regardless the Canyon kept traction on without slip. Regardless of higher speeds on the freeways with sections of flooded underpasses on a fresh first rain or on gravel roads and dirt sucking up water and making puddles the Canyon handled the terrain without issue and in total comfort.
With a smooth ride and stable response the key was the steering using the upgrade packages for the all-terrain mode. Luckily the Canyon demonstrated smooth control, fairly generous turn radius and strong grip around the long bends without a lean. Those who get used to the dimensions fast will have no issues in parking lots or tight spaces, the steering response is quick for a higher profile vehicle without having a large dead zone or too much play in the wheel. Even with the electric steering the car still translates the road to the driver without feeling dead or clouded.
With smooth control and ride the Canyon of course finishes rounding out the package with a braking kit that allows for smooth speed reduction and quick response in tight moments. While we didn't push the truck into extreme braking we did have our share of stop and go not just in commuter traffic but in high pedestrian areas and wet weather which tested the response over the days.
Sound
While the Bose audio system within the SLE is very enjoyable, the feature of the GMC Canyon is the cabin sound or really, the lack of sound. The truck minimizes road noise to allow for a smooth ride experience, instead of hearing every element of the road and nature in the drive there's a quiet experience that allows for passengers and the driver to talk, enjoy the scenery, use the hands free system or the radio. It's a genuinely welcome experience for those coming from older models or other brands that have heavier cabin noise that catch winds and rough pavement sounds.
The audio system in the Canyon allows for multiple levels of compatibility, aside from the radio, it allows for XM reception and bluetooth connectivity for media sync. The sound is rich and smooth even at higher volume levels without distortion. The combination brings a rich sound field with nice bass and welcoming midrange, the higher range does suffer somewhat but a bit of tuning with the head unit can fix that.
Interior
One of the big features of the GMC line is the Professional Grade quality, as such stitched leather throughout the cabin welcomes drivers and passengers in the SLE, it's a comfortable seating zone for the driver while the passengers can enjoy the stitched leather and metal accents throughout the truck interior and take in the features of USB charging, WiFi hotspot and bluetooth connectivity to share music and heighten the experience while riding along.
During the ride it was pure comfort, the electric seats allowed for quick adjustment depending on the time of day and level of traffic with materials that ensured a comfortable ride during the journey. Despite any rougher bumps or terrain, none of managed to really translate to the seating itself.
For many it's easy to claim a top quality interior experience but it's always clear at some point where the plastic or the vinyl comes into play at just the wrong point. In the case of the Canyon these elements exist when needed (who would really have a leather wrapped 12v port?) and they're carefully used to keep up the design goals.
Overall
Our Canyon drive was a positive one, with over 400 miles put on in mixed freeway and street driving we didn't even go through a whole tank. With a V6 pushing 305hp and variable driving through the experience it was very enjoyable having power and fuel economy on our side. The Canyon provided a smooth ride in multiple driving conditions and a comfortable experience through not only the seating but the low noise cabin and responsive climate control and automated 4WD and even lighting system.
After being in other class competitors like the Frontier and Tacoma I can say it's a very different feel in the Canyon, the ride is stiff enough for off-road but not so much that it's jarring to the ride, it takes the hits and works hard to make sure everyone has the best ride possible. For those looking to find a truck that delivers comfort and functionality the Canyon has the best of both worlds, a comfortable interior for the family and a functional design and power to take on bigger workloads.
*Full disclosure: VeGiTAX2 was a competitor representing GMC at Madden Bowl XXI in Phoenix.
First Glance
We came across our SLE 4WD after arriving by plane, the Quicksilver Metallic finish stood out in a line of new and used cars in the lot. It catches light and stands out with a crisp finish, the metallic flake balances with the paint to catch the eye without being overkill, many silver finishes often fall on the flat side, creating a dull appearance that feels lackluster. While many cars are doing this more, trucks don't always get the same treatment, GMC put a solid blend in on this color to really catch the eyes.
Once loaded up with luggage in the crew cab to prevent any rain from reaching the luggage we were on the move, the dash immediately boots up as the driver enters the car, allowing the nav / user interface to run post with enough time before they pull out of the car. It's a good consideration to those on the go as the system is ready before the driver is on the move. Features like the backup camera engage automatically by response to the transmission choice, the moment reverse engages it kicks on with guidance pattern to help new drivers understand if they're on the right angle to get out. As a new driver to the Canyon it was a nice help, the radius adjusting on the fly in response to my wheel angles.
Power
Once we were on the move it was easy to feel the power of the 3.5L V6, it packs 305hp with 269lb-ft of torque and has no problem picking up the pace as needed, getting on the freeway it rolled on the power quickly to the drivetrain, the key of course is the same with any manual to apply the acceleration equally. For those who might be heavier on the gas, the manual mode also allows for more control by letting drivers wind out the gears to their desire vs having the automatic try to catch the proper gear to match the acceleration profile.
Personally I enjoyed both options, not for power purposes but to feel a closer level of control while cruising as someone coming from manual cars. It's not about winding out gears but just being able to feel things out while enjoying the ride, after a long day though it's nice to slip into drive mode and leave that up to the automatic to handle. When taking things off on the trail it's certainly understandable that drivers would want more control of their car also and this completely plays to that area.
Control
It poured the first few days in Phoenix, while it was fun driving in RWD mode, the interest was putting that All Terrain feature to use, slipping into automatic 4WD mode allowed the Canyon to use best judgement while traveling over wet and puddled surfaces. While running on gravel and pavement we hit many scenarios but regardless the Canyon kept traction on without slip. Regardless of higher speeds on the freeways with sections of flooded underpasses on a fresh first rain or on gravel roads and dirt sucking up water and making puddles the Canyon handled the terrain without issue and in total comfort.
With a smooth ride and stable response the key was the steering using the upgrade packages for the all-terrain mode. Luckily the Canyon demonstrated smooth control, fairly generous turn radius and strong grip around the long bends without a lean. Those who get used to the dimensions fast will have no issues in parking lots or tight spaces, the steering response is quick for a higher profile vehicle without having a large dead zone or too much play in the wheel. Even with the electric steering the car still translates the road to the driver without feeling dead or clouded.
With smooth control and ride the Canyon of course finishes rounding out the package with a braking kit that allows for smooth speed reduction and quick response in tight moments. While we didn't push the truck into extreme braking we did have our share of stop and go not just in commuter traffic but in high pedestrian areas and wet weather which tested the response over the days.
Sound
While the Bose audio system within the SLE is very enjoyable, the feature of the GMC Canyon is the cabin sound or really, the lack of sound. The truck minimizes road noise to allow for a smooth ride experience, instead of hearing every element of the road and nature in the drive there's a quiet experience that allows for passengers and the driver to talk, enjoy the scenery, use the hands free system or the radio. It's a genuinely welcome experience for those coming from older models or other brands that have heavier cabin noise that catch winds and rough pavement sounds.
The audio system in the Canyon allows for multiple levels of compatibility, aside from the radio, it allows for XM reception and bluetooth connectivity for media sync. The sound is rich and smooth even at higher volume levels without distortion. The combination brings a rich sound field with nice bass and welcoming midrange, the higher range does suffer somewhat but a bit of tuning with the head unit can fix that.
Interior
One of the big features of the GMC line is the Professional Grade quality, as such stitched leather throughout the cabin welcomes drivers and passengers in the SLE, it's a comfortable seating zone for the driver while the passengers can enjoy the stitched leather and metal accents throughout the truck interior and take in the features of USB charging, WiFi hotspot and bluetooth connectivity to share music and heighten the experience while riding along.
During the ride it was pure comfort, the electric seats allowed for quick adjustment depending on the time of day and level of traffic with materials that ensured a comfortable ride during the journey. Despite any rougher bumps or terrain, none of managed to really translate to the seating itself.
For many it's easy to claim a top quality interior experience but it's always clear at some point where the plastic or the vinyl comes into play at just the wrong point. In the case of the Canyon these elements exist when needed (who would really have a leather wrapped 12v port?) and they're carefully used to keep up the design goals.
Overall
Our Canyon drive was a positive one, with over 400 miles put on in mixed freeway and street driving we didn't even go through a whole tank. With a V6 pushing 305hp and variable driving through the experience it was very enjoyable having power and fuel economy on our side. The Canyon provided a smooth ride in multiple driving conditions and a comfortable experience through not only the seating but the low noise cabin and responsive climate control and automated 4WD and even lighting system.
After being in other class competitors like the Frontier and Tacoma I can say it's a very different feel in the Canyon, the ride is stiff enough for off-road but not so much that it's jarring to the ride, it takes the hits and works hard to make sure everyone has the best ride possible. For those looking to find a truck that delivers comfort and functionality the Canyon has the best of both worlds, a comfortable interior for the family and a functional design and power to take on bigger workloads.
VeGiTAX2 blogged
Exploring the Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision for Gran Turismo 6
Note: This was originally published on GameGrep by me, please support original articles there.
The Los Angeles Auto Show is in full swing this weekend, and while there are a ton of cool cars to check out and admire, there was another story to see during the show. Chevrolet unveiled the Chaparral 2X Vision to the world, taking on the Gran Turismo challenge of creating a car of tomorrow that defies the norm, that dares to dream outside of the boxes while using real technologies in development or in research.
Instead of just doing a digital launch, Chevrolet opted to create the Chaparral to the best of their abilities with the materials they opted to assign to the car in game and kept that in mind during development. While talking with Clay Dean of the Advanced Design Studio on this project, there was an air of adventure for the project, looking at the past not for inspirations but for what made motorsports so exciting, the result was the Can-Am series, what was essentially a formula unlimited class of the truest form.
That format, that passion and creativity was what stood as the base of the Chaparral 2X Vision, from the body to the engine and seating position, the whole car was outside of any box that was really known before. Design choices like placing the driver in a MotoGP style position, using a laser firing turbine engine that's being researched by NASA and creating a body with extreme aerodynamics allowing the car to reach and maintain speeds at 293 mph or higher and allowing for cornering.
Speed was an obvious goal of the project but this wasn't just a sled racer, the teams took into account all of the aerodynamics to ensure the car could turn and that functionality remained. The drivers position tucks down in the front and compromises the larger field of vision but the team incorporated the use of integrated side and rear cameras into the driver UI / cluster to present video immediately within sight while driving at these high speeds. No head turning just a whip of the eyes while at full throttle.
Everything about the Chaparral strives to maintain the pedigree of the brand while also bridging new space with the GM team. While a crazy HP engine might possibly reach that same speed, the way it accelerates, the ability it has to maintain it and the consistency are unlike any other car. GM had the Chaparral 2X Vision on demo after the reveal and after multiple turns on the demo station I can say it's not something you can associate to any other motoring experience. Even if you drive jet cars at Bonneville for a living the handling and function and position are massively different.
Out of the gate the acceleration is quick enough to leave users catching the speedometer passing 200 mph and climbing fast, the car sucks up pavement while cutting down the track at breakneck speed, the first sense of the acceleration with the wheel and the fight from the wind resistance and lift as the car barreled forward leaves the hands tight on the wheel, worrying if it rocks too hard to the left or right will it be the end, shooting over the top of the hill at 287mph and launching down...289, 290... 291... 292...... 29....3... with a hard push there might be another digit there but in the demo form it stayed and eventually fell off from that top speed. Coming into the high bank corner holding 289-290 mph the car leaves fate to the user, cling to a line and finesse the corner or cut too hard and feel the backlash, go too easy and watch it openly skip up the pavement to the railing. The Chaparral is there to take the player to breakneck speed without apology and it does it very well leaving fate to the driver.
The demo station was limited to this top speed event, but from experimenting on the game it was clear there's handling in the car beyond record speed runs, after doing a fairly wide turn I moved to cut in on the high bank and watched the car correct and slice downward to the exit line I wanted, the response is there, it's just waiting to see it in action next.
So why go that far, why not just make a hybrid electric and combusion corvette with an aero kit of insane proportions? The Chaparral 2X Vision was designed as a way to reach out to what motorsports development was, a pure form of experimentation and research to reach new achievements and engineering heights. It's an ode to a development form that tends to be quite dormant these days and shows that when a team dreams big they can come up with results that weren't even really on the grid.
The Chaparral 2X Vision is coming to GT6 quite soon, the car will include full driver cluster / UI for cockpit experience and the full power of that laser firing turbine engine. There's an unforgettable sound of that engine blasting along the roadway, it's raw and rich allowing players to propel at insane speed and test their ability to manage engine thrust against conventional acceleration. It's certain a car to help spice up the lineup and a unique venture in engineering that I hope more will pursue than what we've seen so far.
*Photos by: Gabriel Vega (VeGiTAX2) do not use without permission.
The Los Angeles Auto Show is in full swing this weekend, and while there are a ton of cool cars to check out and admire, there was another story to see during the show. Chevrolet unveiled the Chaparral 2X Vision to the world, taking on the Gran Turismo challenge of creating a car of tomorrow that defies the norm, that dares to dream outside of the boxes while using real technologies in development or in research.
Instead of just doing a digital launch, Chevrolet opted to create the Chaparral to the best of their abilities with the materials they opted to assign to the car in game and kept that in mind during development. While talking with Clay Dean of the Advanced Design Studio on this project, there was an air of adventure for the project, looking at the past not for inspirations but for what made motorsports so exciting, the result was the Can-Am series, what was essentially a formula unlimited class of the truest form.
That format, that passion and creativity was what stood as the base of the Chaparral 2X Vision, from the body to the engine and seating position, the whole car was outside of any box that was really known before. Design choices like placing the driver in a MotoGP style position, using a laser firing turbine engine that's being researched by NASA and creating a body with extreme aerodynamics allowing the car to reach and maintain speeds at 293 mph or higher and allowing for cornering.
Speed was an obvious goal of the project but this wasn't just a sled racer, the teams took into account all of the aerodynamics to ensure the car could turn and that functionality remained. The drivers position tucks down in the front and compromises the larger field of vision but the team incorporated the use of integrated side and rear cameras into the driver UI / cluster to present video immediately within sight while driving at these high speeds. No head turning just a whip of the eyes while at full throttle.
Everything about the Chaparral strives to maintain the pedigree of the brand while also bridging new space with the GM team. While a crazy HP engine might possibly reach that same speed, the way it accelerates, the ability it has to maintain it and the consistency are unlike any other car. GM had the Chaparral 2X Vision on demo after the reveal and after multiple turns on the demo station I can say it's not something you can associate to any other motoring experience. Even if you drive jet cars at Bonneville for a living the handling and function and position are massively different.
Out of the gate the acceleration is quick enough to leave users catching the speedometer passing 200 mph and climbing fast, the car sucks up pavement while cutting down the track at breakneck speed, the first sense of the acceleration with the wheel and the fight from the wind resistance and lift as the car barreled forward leaves the hands tight on the wheel, worrying if it rocks too hard to the left or right will it be the end, shooting over the top of the hill at 287mph and launching down...289, 290... 291... 292...... 29....3... with a hard push there might be another digit there but in the demo form it stayed and eventually fell off from that top speed. Coming into the high bank corner holding 289-290 mph the car leaves fate to the user, cling to a line and finesse the corner or cut too hard and feel the backlash, go too easy and watch it openly skip up the pavement to the railing. The Chaparral is there to take the player to breakneck speed without apology and it does it very well leaving fate to the driver.
The demo station was limited to this top speed event, but from experimenting on the game it was clear there's handling in the car beyond record speed runs, after doing a fairly wide turn I moved to cut in on the high bank and watched the car correct and slice downward to the exit line I wanted, the response is there, it's just waiting to see it in action next.
So why go that far, why not just make a hybrid electric and combusion corvette with an aero kit of insane proportions? The Chaparral 2X Vision was designed as a way to reach out to what motorsports development was, a pure form of experimentation and research to reach new achievements and engineering heights. It's an ode to a development form that tends to be quite dormant these days and shows that when a team dreams big they can come up with results that weren't even really on the grid.
The Chaparral 2X Vision is coming to GT6 quite soon, the car will include full driver cluster / UI for cockpit experience and the full power of that laser firing turbine engine. There's an unforgettable sound of that engine blasting along the roadway, it's raw and rich allowing players to propel at insane speed and test their ability to manage engine thrust against conventional acceleration. It's certain a car to help spice up the lineup and a unique venture in engineering that I hope more will pursue than what we've seen so far.
*Photos by: Gabriel Vega (VeGiTAX2) do not use without permission.
VeGiTAX2 blogged
Sarah's Jenner, Fighting Cancer one laser beam at a time
We've lost a lot of good people to medical issues lately in this community, be it friends or family. Personally it's hit close to home with the recent cancer related death of Sarah Parries. She and many others have left too soon from the world and from our community. As someone who has faced cancer in the family and has a 5-year-old daughter, the story about Sarah hits to the core because really, it can happen to anyone at any time and it's the one thing we're still helpless against now.
Fortunately I wasn't the only one to feel that way, the MWO community was equally struck that a 5 year old MechWarrior that had just started into their world had passed from the world. The fans did what they do best, they petitioned, they reached out and they wanted to fight back however they could. The result is a customized Jenner Mech in tribute to Sarah that users could buy and all proceeds would go into Cancer research, not only did everyone get to contribute to a cause but they'll always have Sarah with them when they go into the battlefield or stand a chance to see her Mech running free through the world just as she would have.
Right now they're closing in on $100,000 in donations (now $97,280) and they're running toward the close of the event (August 20th). I think it's moving that a community can come together to raise money for things that touch each one of us these days. When people question if we've fallen into the depths, items like this show the community still has some fight and when the right cause comes they'll do what it takes.
At Neo we never had the largest MW community but it's interesting to see how sometimes even people who aren't the biggest fans can still feed off other groups and support them.
Sarah's Jenner Specs:
VeGiTAX2 blogged
Veg on E3 | Development, design and gaming sleepiness (Part 2)
So in part 1 of this group I talked about getting back into shape and putting a train wreck of a schedule back on track. The other half of that was a failing attention span while attempting to do my own work and Neoseeker jobs as well. General tiredness from long hours and living off energy drinks was basically the main issue, also the fact that any of those drinks felt like they were eating through my stomach wasn’t helping things. What sucked even more was as a gamer I was losing time or just being generally awful at anything I played offline or online.
When I went looking for supplements on working out I also dug in for things to help build focus in development situations or in gaming so that I could sneak that extra hour in at 11pm for gaming and actually not fall asleep mid game. I came upon promotions for the new Black Powder Ultra, pitched for working out as well but also for them using a series of supplements focused around generating mental focus. At the time I was already getting the EO2 and aminos so I basically threw the Ultra in with the bunch.
While I didn’t initially focus on it because I was unsure of the reaction, I kicked myself after using it almost a week later as the awareness shot up and I was able to work without lingering headaches or the excessive crash afterward. I got many projects completed in the 11th hour range because of that stuff and it helped lead into the completion of the planning and executing for about 80% of our E3 needs this year. I wasn’t jacked up to the extreme but it was nice to have a mystical extra wind without the hand jitters or stomach churning aftermath from relying on those too much.
So in the midst of all this, I also tested the perks for gaming because hey, they said it’s for gamers to reach in for extra focus or go that extra mile. When you’re about 5 miles over that extra mile it’s really nice to be able to get into a shootout or a race and actually not be awful at it. I had just taken up ownership of a new Logitech G27 and was trying to get used to it with GRID 2 and my patience… it was just missing. After crashing, missed gears and general awful starts I summoned it up again and was basically riding Black Powder Ultra to get me to bond with the wheel at about midnight after spending hours measuring, printing, testing and photo shopping my brains out. As I mentioned above, at times the sensitivity to these things gets to be a bit high and instead of awareness I get jitters in my control instead. It was good though, I was getting kills, getting first and I wasn’t rage quitting anymore or passing out face first and getting admin kicked. A rarity that I enjoyed in the midst of piles of work.
Then E3 hit, it’s a drain fueled by anything you can get your hands on, in my case I made a bottle of it to wake me up, to bring me back to full awareness mid-day and to carry me into the night until it was time to settle in. During the show it was nice to be able to stand aware though while playing games instead of thinking of a nice pillow to plant my head on, although it didn’t stop me from being terrible at some games like The Crew, hit so many palm trees I swear I think I set a record. The bottle cycled over 3 days but I was able to actually enjoy what I was playing on the floor and even remember it later. On top of that I was again free from my body hating me completely and not on the verge of collapse.
Post E3 it’s been a unique ride, with a reduced schedule in general, more time to play during normal hours and not being tired or stressed I took myself back over to the Ultra instead of grabbing a Rockstar or Monster. Having it in mind that I was able to game without the shakes or jitters and actually enjoy it I said why not, I don’t usually need those for general gaming but it’s usually something I have on tap anyway for the moment. I jumped into GRID 2 and honestly, it was a bit better each step of the way, better shifts (faster with fewer misses) and I still had the same enjoyment. In shooters like BF3 it’s the same translation, less having to psych myself into the game and more just communicating with friends and laying it down on the other team.
I needed help getting ready for E3, I had exercise to do to be in better form for the group, I had a ton of development and design projects to clear up for my schedule as well. I went into supplements to get that extra hand and honestly… it wasn’t bad, I got to my goals ahead of schedule, I was able to improve my own health by not power chugging energy drinks and having my body out of whack and I honestly feel better after the show now than I have in any prior year. Also I don’t think I’m going back to Monster and others anytime soon, while the powder has the Taurine, L-Carnitine and Caffeine going for it along with other popular supplements, the way it digests or is used for me is a much more forgiving experience and for a lot of people that’s the big deciding factor, well along with it not tasting terrible and avoiding giving me the shakes.
After going through the prep to get fit for E3 and the overkill use of energy drinks to find those extra hours to get things done I wanted to write up my experience with it all and document a bit about what I did and how I got there. A lot of people just say “yeah bro, worked out, got jacked it was easy, just lift some weights and run” but I wanted something a little more about the why and how I got there. Also with Comic-Con coming up, I think it’s fair to document how I managed to not die at all and instead be active the whole time. Decent hour to cycling if not more, push for the inclines when you can get them and work out the areas you’re really going to use, high reps of a weight I could handle it with and honestly I think I’ll be really happy with myself through the convention walking and carrying phases. Nothing prepares anyone though for 8hours in a line though :P
Hopefully this was some help, I usually go with a lot of things until they break, in this case I couldn’t really stomach more shelf energy drinks especially stacked on each other and I found something that worked out really well and continues to do so. No shakes just focus, faster projects and a lot less dying in game lol. Also it's now the summer so bring it on Gaming.
energy drinks black powder ultra e3 design development musingsthoughts gaming related
When I went looking for supplements on working out I also dug in for things to help build focus in development situations or in gaming so that I could sneak that extra hour in at 11pm for gaming and actually not fall asleep mid game. I came upon promotions for the new Black Powder Ultra, pitched for working out as well but also for them using a series of supplements focused around generating mental focus. At the time I was already getting the EO2 and aminos so I basically threw the Ultra in with the bunch.
While I didn’t initially focus on it because I was unsure of the reaction, I kicked myself after using it almost a week later as the awareness shot up and I was able to work without lingering headaches or the excessive crash afterward. I got many projects completed in the 11th hour range because of that stuff and it helped lead into the completion of the planning and executing for about 80% of our E3 needs this year. I wasn’t jacked up to the extreme but it was nice to have a mystical extra wind without the hand jitters or stomach churning aftermath from relying on those too much.
So in the midst of all this, I also tested the perks for gaming because hey, they said it’s for gamers to reach in for extra focus or go that extra mile. When you’re about 5 miles over that extra mile it’s really nice to be able to get into a shootout or a race and actually not be awful at it. I had just taken up ownership of a new Logitech G27 and was trying to get used to it with GRID 2 and my patience… it was just missing. After crashing, missed gears and general awful starts I summoned it up again and was basically riding Black Powder Ultra to get me to bond with the wheel at about midnight after spending hours measuring, printing, testing and photo shopping my brains out. As I mentioned above, at times the sensitivity to these things gets to be a bit high and instead of awareness I get jitters in my control instead. It was good though, I was getting kills, getting first and I wasn’t rage quitting anymore or passing out face first and getting admin kicked. A rarity that I enjoyed in the midst of piles of work.
Then E3 hit, it’s a drain fueled by anything you can get your hands on, in my case I made a bottle of it to wake me up, to bring me back to full awareness mid-day and to carry me into the night until it was time to settle in. During the show it was nice to be able to stand aware though while playing games instead of thinking of a nice pillow to plant my head on, although it didn’t stop me from being terrible at some games like The Crew, hit so many palm trees I swear I think I set a record. The bottle cycled over 3 days but I was able to actually enjoy what I was playing on the floor and even remember it later. On top of that I was again free from my body hating me completely and not on the verge of collapse.
Post E3 it’s been a unique ride, with a reduced schedule in general, more time to play during normal hours and not being tired or stressed I took myself back over to the Ultra instead of grabbing a Rockstar or Monster. Having it in mind that I was able to game without the shakes or jitters and actually enjoy it I said why not, I don’t usually need those for general gaming but it’s usually something I have on tap anyway for the moment. I jumped into GRID 2 and honestly, it was a bit better each step of the way, better shifts (faster with fewer misses) and I still had the same enjoyment. In shooters like BF3 it’s the same translation, less having to psych myself into the game and more just communicating with friends and laying it down on the other team.
I needed help getting ready for E3, I had exercise to do to be in better form for the group, I had a ton of development and design projects to clear up for my schedule as well. I went into supplements to get that extra hand and honestly… it wasn’t bad, I got to my goals ahead of schedule, I was able to improve my own health by not power chugging energy drinks and having my body out of whack and I honestly feel better after the show now than I have in any prior year. Also I don’t think I’m going back to Monster and others anytime soon, while the powder has the Taurine, L-Carnitine and Caffeine going for it along with other popular supplements, the way it digests or is used for me is a much more forgiving experience and for a lot of people that’s the big deciding factor, well along with it not tasting terrible and avoiding giving me the shakes.
After going through the prep to get fit for E3 and the overkill use of energy drinks to find those extra hours to get things done I wanted to write up my experience with it all and document a bit about what I did and how I got there. A lot of people just say “yeah bro, worked out, got jacked it was easy, just lift some weights and run” but I wanted something a little more about the why and how I got there. Also with Comic-Con coming up, I think it’s fair to document how I managed to not die at all and instead be active the whole time. Decent hour to cycling if not more, push for the inclines when you can get them and work out the areas you’re really going to use, high reps of a weight I could handle it with and honestly I think I’ll be really happy with myself through the convention walking and carrying phases. Nothing prepares anyone though for 8hours in a line though :P
Hopefully this was some help, I usually go with a lot of things until they break, in this case I couldn’t really stomach more shelf energy drinks especially stacked on each other and I found something that worked out really well and continues to do so. No shakes just focus, faster projects and a lot less dying in game lol. Also it's now the summer so bring it on Gaming.
energy drinks black powder ultra e3 design development musingsthoughts gaming related
VeGiTAX2 blogged
Veg on E3 | Exercise | Taking the plunge into supplements (Part 1)
This year going into E3 I wanted to break away from the sore feet, tired shoulders and general physical dismay that follows the show. Aside from the fact that sleep and food are essentials (Scotch, Whiskey, Vodka and other spirits don’t count) there’s a reality that working out a bit more on specific areas and building up higher endurance for the miles I’ll walk each day can greatly help and make me less of a sweating mess at the next appointment. Also with a lot more in the planning for how our show was to go down I was burning that candle at both ends and regular energy and coffee were cutting it, into my stomach. :P
When I set out to start this goal, I was knee deep in appointments, design and developing projects and even a special site for our industry friends. Needless to say my diet consisted of Monster / Red Bull / Rockstar and basically anything I was able to cook between those periods. As anyone will note, after a while and especially as you age these are not great staples of living.
I started looking into a few things toward E3 to increase my endurance and start getting my diet back in check. I started working with free weights throughout the day, also taking about an hour to cycle as well. Putting in my miles and my reps I was able to start building toward that goal, unfortunately living in Southern California, sometimes a nice day turns to death valley because the Sun loves doing that and your endurance crashes with it. After some heavy defeats I decided to step it up a bit with my timetable to E3 closing in.
Even with downshifting and water there’s only so much I can do against stiff elevation changes, I started using EO2 Edge from MRI to help optimize how I was working out, following the general advice of pre-workout and how to sustain mid-workout I was able to actually start pushing toward doubling my ride range. I was able to increase leg strength and stamina as a whole, with my refined diet I pushed to help that accelerated exercise schedule with amino’s from them to focus on the muscle development, while they are basically massive pills they helped immensely with the recovery periods and got me where I needed to be.
As a result of that focused workout, at E3 I was incredibly snappy to move around, it’s a given you’ll get warm but I wasn’t dropping buckets going from end to end at the show and that was a relief because despite the AC it’s often not enough and you don’t want to be the odd guy carrying a towel to dry off before you meet up with people. I can say that pushing for that 40 days or so of straight up cardio was a massive factor in it and using the E02 Edge was monumental because the uphill areas around where I live can just flat out kill after a while. It’s a cocktail of vitamins and supplements that let me keep pushing to the next tier in a hurry and it probably kept me out of what seemed to be a post E3 bug for a lot of people online.
My feet weren’t sore at E3, my knees weren’t killing me, I wasn’t a soaked mess and I was able to reach my goal of 7-8 miles of riding to get it done. I might not be ready to run a marathon or cycle in a massive race but I can say that having some physical prep going on for even just shows in general helps a ton and if you really push it you’ll be thankful. For my time available I needed the boost and I'm glad for taking that plunge because I'm in better condition after doing it and the time to get there otherwise could have taken much longer with a harder toll on my health.
On the free weights, focused on shoulder exercises and some incline bench which helped immensely with heavy bags or equipment for the team. Stuck to using high reps of 15’s for the whole thing and it was clutch since I always feel like I’ve killed one side by the end of E3 with my laptop bag and backback.
The prep hasn’t stopped though, Comic-Con is coming up and I’m still going strong with a bottle of my endurance prep while I ride. I look forward to being able to power through the show this year with all the crazy events they’ll have going on across the Gas Lamp district and more.
Part 2 follows this, talks about passing out and moving from standard energy drinks to something more forgiving.
exercise e3 mri e02 edge training gaming related musingsthoughts
When I set out to start this goal, I was knee deep in appointments, design and developing projects and even a special site for our industry friends. Needless to say my diet consisted of Monster / Red Bull / Rockstar and basically anything I was able to cook between those periods. As anyone will note, after a while and especially as you age these are not great staples of living.
I started looking into a few things toward E3 to increase my endurance and start getting my diet back in check. I started working with free weights throughout the day, also taking about an hour to cycle as well. Putting in my miles and my reps I was able to start building toward that goal, unfortunately living in Southern California, sometimes a nice day turns to death valley because the Sun loves doing that and your endurance crashes with it. After some heavy defeats I decided to step it up a bit with my timetable to E3 closing in.
Even with downshifting and water there’s only so much I can do against stiff elevation changes, I started using EO2 Edge from MRI to help optimize how I was working out, following the general advice of pre-workout and how to sustain mid-workout I was able to actually start pushing toward doubling my ride range. I was able to increase leg strength and stamina as a whole, with my refined diet I pushed to help that accelerated exercise schedule with amino’s from them to focus on the muscle development, while they are basically massive pills they helped immensely with the recovery periods and got me where I needed to be.
As a result of that focused workout, at E3 I was incredibly snappy to move around, it’s a given you’ll get warm but I wasn’t dropping buckets going from end to end at the show and that was a relief because despite the AC it’s often not enough and you don’t want to be the odd guy carrying a towel to dry off before you meet up with people. I can say that pushing for that 40 days or so of straight up cardio was a massive factor in it and using the E02 Edge was monumental because the uphill areas around where I live can just flat out kill after a while. It’s a cocktail of vitamins and supplements that let me keep pushing to the next tier in a hurry and it probably kept me out of what seemed to be a post E3 bug for a lot of people online.
My feet weren’t sore at E3, my knees weren’t killing me, I wasn’t a soaked mess and I was able to reach my goal of 7-8 miles of riding to get it done. I might not be ready to run a marathon or cycle in a massive race but I can say that having some physical prep going on for even just shows in general helps a ton and if you really push it you’ll be thankful. For my time available I needed the boost and I'm glad for taking that plunge because I'm in better condition after doing it and the time to get there otherwise could have taken much longer with a harder toll on my health.
On the free weights, focused on shoulder exercises and some incline bench which helped immensely with heavy bags or equipment for the team. Stuck to using high reps of 15’s for the whole thing and it was clutch since I always feel like I’ve killed one side by the end of E3 with my laptop bag and backback.
The prep hasn’t stopped though, Comic-Con is coming up and I’m still going strong with a bottle of my endurance prep while I ride. I look forward to being able to power through the show this year with all the crazy events they’ll have going on across the Gas Lamp district and more.
Part 2 follows this, talks about passing out and moving from standard energy drinks to something more forgiving.
exercise e3 mri e02 edge training gaming related musingsthoughts
VeGiTAX2 blogged
Current rig update
Soooooo I did some summer cleaning this weekend. Broke apart the rigs so they're on their own minus the network of course.
Jetfire
pc hardware builds diy pc gaming amd
Jetfire
- NZXT Phantom - White
- Jetway HA08 ComboL 790GX
- AMD Phenom II B93 @ 3.7GHz
- GELID GX-7 Cooler in push pull configuration
- Crucial PC6400 DDR2 4GB
- ASUS EAH6850 DirectCU @ 1000/4600
- Creative X-Fi Xtrememusic
- Cooler Master Real Power Pro 650W
- Turtle Beach AK-R8 Headset
- Altec Lansing 641 4.1 Speakers
- Logitech Wireless KB
- Logitech G9 mouse
pc hardware builds diy pc gaming amd
VeGiTAX2 blogged
NZXT - I wanted to love you guys
Recently came into a brand new NZXT Phantom in White, the case is sexy and sleek and all kinds of amazing to setup. Shortly after getting started though, I noticed the top fan lights were dead it was kind of bummer as they threw down a nice blue hue throughout the white interior. Thankfully I had a BitFenix LED light strip that I was trying to use as a custom backlight which I put inside the case. It lights up and looks nice in white, but seriously a fan that has the LED's die within weeks of use is stupid.
Top fan in the left corner is supposed to be blue, not dead.
The tale gets better, I've been contacting NZXT customer support for the past weeks and the best I've gotten from them is 0 response from their support group. I see tales of how they rushed new fans out to replace the essentially DOA fans but I'm wondering how much of that is either the old NZXT or just made up.
I'm bummed on this setup, everything is set in stealth and basically I have an older Antec 250 throwing out random Tri-Color combinations and an LED light strip lighting up the rest of the case. At one point I wanted to swap out the Antec and just run the main fans but now I need it to carry any kind of accenting.
NZXT, you guys let me down in ways I never thought possible. I'm looking into other companies for some decent low noise 200mm fans with optional lighting in them that wont randomly die just after installation and will actually support what they put their label on.
I had that built up for a while and it feels to let it loose. They could have at least responded noting they were busy or looking into the matter instead of blowing it off.
Update: Contacted NZXT on Twitter, still no response. Buyer beware guys.
Update 2: NZXT PR contacted me a few hours later, new fan on the way. Lets hope it actually works though. Took about 3.5 weeks to get a response for something this simple. Wow.
Take into the account that media status standing was probably a factor as well in getting this pushed through. It's not a good showing by the company for the general consumer especially given the general attitude.
I was honestly just going to go to Microcenter instead and buy something else from another company to avoid the headaches. We'll see how this goes first. :/
wilhelmina shakugan no shana pc hardware
Top fan in the left corner is supposed to be blue, not dead.
The tale gets better, I've been contacting NZXT customer support for the past weeks and the best I've gotten from them is 0 response from their support group. I see tales of how they rushed new fans out to replace the essentially DOA fans but I'm wondering how much of that is either the old NZXT or just made up.
I'm bummed on this setup, everything is set in stealth and basically I have an older Antec 250 throwing out random Tri-Color combinations and an LED light strip lighting up the rest of the case. At one point I wanted to swap out the Antec and just run the main fans but now I need it to carry any kind of accenting.
NZXT, you guys let me down in ways I never thought possible. I'm looking into other companies for some decent low noise 200mm fans with optional lighting in them that wont randomly die just after installation and will actually support what they put their label on.
I had that built up for a while and it feels to let it loose. They could have at least responded noting they were busy or looking into the matter instead of blowing it off.
Update: Contacted NZXT on Twitter, still no response. Buyer beware guys.
Update 2: NZXT PR contacted me a few hours later, new fan on the way. Lets hope it actually works though. Took about 3.5 weeks to get a response for something this simple. Wow.
Take into the account that media status standing was probably a factor as well in getting this pushed through. It's not a good showing by the company for the general consumer especially given the general attitude.
I was honestly just going to go to Microcenter instead and buy something else from another company to avoid the headaches. We'll see how this goes first. :/
wilhelmina shakugan no shana pc hardware
VeGiTAX2 blogged
Neo goes mobile
Today Redemption announced that the Neo team has completed their transition to the mobile realm. As an Android user I had to check and see the goodies for myself.
The main page condenses the format of the page to a handy format that reduces bandwidth consumption and the need to pinch to zoom everything. The news, blogs and fanart are revamped in the same fashion to conserve for those on a tight data plan.
I took some shots of the new look on my Eris, the only notable issue so far is the user review formatting as I can't zoom out to fit the full page in landscape mode. Other than that it's working like a charm right now. :D
neoseeker related
The main page condenses the format of the page to a handy format that reduces bandwidth consumption and the need to pinch to zoom everything. The news, blogs and fanart are revamped in the same fashion to conserve for those on a tight data plan.
I took some shots of the new look on my Eris, the only notable issue so far is the user review formatting as I can't zoom out to fit the full page in landscape mode. Other than that it's working like a charm right now. :D
neoseeker related
- 34 NeoLove
- private
- Joined 2001