4 Easy Steps to Waste $200
by Matt Fairfax · 06/21/2001 (1:29 pm) · 0 comments
1) Unplug fan on system controller chip
2) Boot computer up for 5 secs and shut it back down
3) Plug fan back in and restart computer
4) Stare in amazement as your computer literally does nothing
5) Order new motherboard for $200
Yeah, last week I discovered that the chipset on the new DDR motherboards really does need that fan and heatsink. Here's the whole story: When I would boot up my newly constructed computer, I would hear this awful rattling sound from one of the fans. It sounded like I had a blender inside my computer. After a time of watching me and my wife wince every time I cut on my computer, I decided I would just have to take a look and see if I could make the fan more pleasant sounding. So I opened up my case, botted the machine up, and listened to figure out which fan was causing the racket. It sounded like it was the fan sitting on the system controller chip close to the processor but it was hard to tell since the chassis, power supply, cpu, system controller, and video card fans are all within about 4 inches of each other. So i decided I would unplug the system controller fan boot up and shut back down immediately and, if I didn't hear the rattle, I would know it was that fan. Now, you have to understand that I am fairly highly skilled with computer hardware. I have built my last 5 systems and helped many other people with theirs. I know you shouldn't boot a computer w/o a heatsink and fan on the processor, especially with the higher-end processors of today. As one of my Computer Engineering teachers told me, "Computer chips run on smoke. When you let the smoke out of the chips, they won't work anymore." However, I reasoned that since my PC133 board from 6 months ago only had a heatsink on the system controller, my new DDR board would be ok for a brief 5 secs with only the heatsink and no fan. I figured that Asus (I have an Asus A7M266) was just erring on the side of caution. Well, as you have probably gathered, they weren't! My computer didn't even give warning beeps on bootup. It was totally dead. There was even a nice smell of cooked circuits wafting up from it. Fortunately, I still had my PC133 and Duron board from my last system so I transfered it over and ordered a new DDR board (ouch $200). I am happy to report that the new board is performing flawlessly and I haven't ahd a single crash or freeze-up since I put it in =)
I got DSL last week also! Same day as my new motherboard in fact (all sorts of toys that day =). I set up a server to host my web, email, and ftp servers and to share the internet connection out to our network. I have been enjoying playing online games for real again =) It is great to have high speed internet again!
I have been so incredibly busy these last two weeks! Between my computer disaster, starting a new job, helping with the v12, setting up my servers and network, and putting together a new computer for my parents, I have been swamped. I am also doing consultant work on another game project, building a design document, doing structure design for the v12 test app, and helping create spaceship models for the project I am consulting on. Not only that, my Exchange server is being a pain and won't send any emails (I think it is a DNS thing). I also need to be looking for another job (more on that later).
So, what about the job? I am enjoying it but they really aren't paying me enough and this is definitely a two-bit operation. I am creatng simple database driven pages and they are totally wowed. The company is losing money like crazy. Yesterday I explained the concept of planning out their projects in advance so it would go faster coding them and they thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. If they decide to pay me more after the 30-day trial period, I might be interested in sticking around but I am going to be looking in the mean time.
I decided to port my game, Zoinks!, over to the v12. Yeah, I know everyone and their brother is doing the same but the v12 is an extremely good fit! It would take very little programming work to get it up and running on the v12. To me he coolest thing is how good a fit (networking, terrain, scripting, hud, gui, physics, editor) it is, yet the game is radically different in style and gameplay from Tribes 2. I believe that, with a decent sized team, the game could be finished very quickly and would be an excellent example of what the v12 could do besides Tribes 2. Once the decision was made to move to the v12, I realized that I needed a good design doc to make the development of the game as fast as possible and as easy as possible for a team. When it was me, another programmer, and an artist, a design doc wasn't really needed but I am hoping to have a bit larger (5-10) team and having a clear vision of the game will be essential. I am about a third of the way through the document but it shouldn't take much longer. Once it is done, I will start looking at building the team.
I think I may have figured out where I would best fit in the game development industry. I could see myself in the role of game designer/tools programmer/level designer where I would be responsible for or help with the game design, then create the tools needed for the game, and then use those tools to create levels or missions for the game. I would be able to go in and fix any problems I am having or add any features I need while I am doing level design. Since I would be a part of the game design process, I would have a very clear vision while doing level design. I think this mix would provide me with outlet for my creative and technical desires. I have always been most interested in tools programing and most of the projects I have completed are tools. As I get more and more into level design, I find that I enjoy it a great deal also but I don't want to "give up" game programming because it holds an equal interest for me. Maybe one day I will find a job like that.
As I'm sure everyone read in the v12 Status update, I got to play some multiplayer v12 with Tim and Rick =) We ended up playing a game to see who could jump the farthest off the building. Then, Tim placed another building for us to try to jump and land on and it became a contest of who could make that jump first (me btw =). It reminded me of being a kid and coming up with games without any special toys or props or anything. It was a lot of fun!
2) Boot computer up for 5 secs and shut it back down
3) Plug fan back in and restart computer
4) Stare in amazement as your computer literally does nothing
5) Order new motherboard for $200
Yeah, last week I discovered that the chipset on the new DDR motherboards really does need that fan and heatsink. Here's the whole story: When I would boot up my newly constructed computer, I would hear this awful rattling sound from one of the fans. It sounded like I had a blender inside my computer. After a time of watching me and my wife wince every time I cut on my computer, I decided I would just have to take a look and see if I could make the fan more pleasant sounding. So I opened up my case, botted the machine up, and listened to figure out which fan was causing the racket. It sounded like it was the fan sitting on the system controller chip close to the processor but it was hard to tell since the chassis, power supply, cpu, system controller, and video card fans are all within about 4 inches of each other. So i decided I would unplug the system controller fan boot up and shut back down immediately and, if I didn't hear the rattle, I would know it was that fan. Now, you have to understand that I am fairly highly skilled with computer hardware. I have built my last 5 systems and helped many other people with theirs. I know you shouldn't boot a computer w/o a heatsink and fan on the processor, especially with the higher-end processors of today. As one of my Computer Engineering teachers told me, "Computer chips run on smoke. When you let the smoke out of the chips, they won't work anymore." However, I reasoned that since my PC133 board from 6 months ago only had a heatsink on the system controller, my new DDR board would be ok for a brief 5 secs with only the heatsink and no fan. I figured that Asus (I have an Asus A7M266) was just erring on the side of caution. Well, as you have probably gathered, they weren't! My computer didn't even give warning beeps on bootup. It was totally dead. There was even a nice smell of cooked circuits wafting up from it. Fortunately, I still had my PC133 and Duron board from my last system so I transfered it over and ordered a new DDR board (ouch $200). I am happy to report that the new board is performing flawlessly and I haven't ahd a single crash or freeze-up since I put it in =)
I got DSL last week also! Same day as my new motherboard in fact (all sorts of toys that day =). I set up a server to host my web, email, and ftp servers and to share the internet connection out to our network. I have been enjoying playing online games for real again =) It is great to have high speed internet again!
I have been so incredibly busy these last two weeks! Between my computer disaster, starting a new job, helping with the v12, setting up my servers and network, and putting together a new computer for my parents, I have been swamped. I am also doing consultant work on another game project, building a design document, doing structure design for the v12 test app, and helping create spaceship models for the project I am consulting on. Not only that, my Exchange server is being a pain and won't send any emails (I think it is a DNS thing). I also need to be looking for another job (more on that later).
So, what about the job? I am enjoying it but they really aren't paying me enough and this is definitely a two-bit operation. I am creatng simple database driven pages and they are totally wowed. The company is losing money like crazy. Yesterday I explained the concept of planning out their projects in advance so it would go faster coding them and they thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. If they decide to pay me more after the 30-day trial period, I might be interested in sticking around but I am going to be looking in the mean time.
I decided to port my game, Zoinks!, over to the v12. Yeah, I know everyone and their brother is doing the same but the v12 is an extremely good fit! It would take very little programming work to get it up and running on the v12. To me he coolest thing is how good a fit (networking, terrain, scripting, hud, gui, physics, editor) it is, yet the game is radically different in style and gameplay from Tribes 2. I believe that, with a decent sized team, the game could be finished very quickly and would be an excellent example of what the v12 could do besides Tribes 2. Once the decision was made to move to the v12, I realized that I needed a good design doc to make the development of the game as fast as possible and as easy as possible for a team. When it was me, another programmer, and an artist, a design doc wasn't really needed but I am hoping to have a bit larger (5-10) team and having a clear vision of the game will be essential. I am about a third of the way through the document but it shouldn't take much longer. Once it is done, I will start looking at building the team.
I think I may have figured out where I would best fit in the game development industry. I could see myself in the role of game designer/tools programmer/level designer where I would be responsible for or help with the game design, then create the tools needed for the game, and then use those tools to create levels or missions for the game. I would be able to go in and fix any problems I am having or add any features I need while I am doing level design. Since I would be a part of the game design process, I would have a very clear vision while doing level design. I think this mix would provide me with outlet for my creative and technical desires. I have always been most interested in tools programing and most of the projects I have completed are tools. As I get more and more into level design, I find that I enjoy it a great deal also but I don't want to "give up" game programming because it holds an equal interest for me. Maybe one day I will find a job like that.
As I'm sure everyone read in the v12 Status update, I got to play some multiplayer v12 with Tim and Rick =) We ended up playing a game to see who could jump the farthest off the building. Then, Tim placed another building for us to try to jump and land on and it became a contest of who could make that jump first (me btw =). It reminded me of being a kid and coming up with games without any special toys or props or anything. It was a lot of fun!
About the author
I am a Game Designer at PopCap who has worked on PvZ Adventures, PvZ2, Peggle Blast, and Bejeweled Skies. I am an ex-GarageGames employee who helped ship TGE, TGEA, Torque 3D, and Constructor.
