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Roccat Ryos TKL Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

February 5, 2015

Roccat Ryos TKL Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Manufacturer: Roccat
Platform: Windows
Price: $139.99 USD – Available Here

Visual learner? No problem. Check out our video review at the bottom of the page.

Unless you’re an accountant or some other number crunching nerd, most gamers see the number pad as the vestigial remnant when computers were built with business in mind. The Roccat Ryos TKL Pro keyboard uses a tenkeyless design that ditches the number pad in favour of desktop space savings. The keyboard is available in a mindboggling number of keyboard languages and in four of the most popular Cherry MX switches.

The keyboard is packed in two boxes. The first outer box sports all of the technical information and pretty pictures to lure buyers when sitting on the local computer store shelf. The inner box is a more subdued and classy affair that is reminiscent of Apple packaging design. The inner box opens up to reveal the keyboard packed securely with a small instruction guide.

The Roccat Ryos TKL Pro is the smaller brother of the Roccat Ryos MK Pro. The TKL Pro is designed to take up the smallest footprint on a desk as possible and to be easy to carry to LAN parties. Num lock and the entire number pad has been completely eliminated, and the macro keys on the left side of the keyboard have met a similar fate as the number pad. The LEDs that indicate Caps Lock and Scroll Lock are on have been shifted underneath the Page Up/Down key cluster.

The keyboard features a shiny/matte design intended to stop fingerprints. The main body has a nifty dot design that gives the keyboard a unique look. The dots are shiny plastic, which reflects a little bit of light, but are small enough to hide any finger prints. There are feet on the bottom of the keyboard for those who prefer a steeper typing angle. The Roccat Ryos TKL Pro comes with an integrated wrist rest. Personally, I would have preferred a higher wrist rest, as I found my wrists to be at less than ideal angle when rested. The wrist rest is generously sized, which is a bit curious to me as the keyboard is designed to take the smallest footprint possible.

Like most mechanical keyboards, the Roccat Ryos TKL Pro is a pretty hefty beast. Between the generously sized rubber feet on the bottom of the keyboard and its weight, I found it impossible to move the keyboard around when typing. There are several channels built underneath the keyboard that serve as cable management. The channels seem to fit the standard USB cable gauge. The channels are a straight U shape, so slightly thinner cables will fall out if the keyboard is lifted.

I was initially a little hesitant about using a tenkeyless design, as I am pretty attached to my number pad due to my experience with data entry tasks. I was quite surprised that I did not actually miss the number pad as much as I thought I would. There is definitely a transition period going from a classic keyboard design. For the first few days, I found myself reaching for the arrow keys and suddenly feeling a little lost as I reached to the end of the keyboard, but I quickly adapted.

Since the macro keys on the left side of the keyboard have been nixed, users will have to rely on the main keyboard and the three thumb buttons to bind their macros. The Caps Lock button is by default rebound to Roccat’s signature Easy-Shift[+] button, which will trigger an alternate state for all buttons in the Easy Shift zone. This allows a majority of the keyboard to be turned into a giant macro keypad without interrupting regular typing functionality. Replacing the dreaded Caps Lock key with the Easy-Shift[+] button is a stroke of genius, especially for small handed folk like me. The Easy-Shift[+] function effectively doubles the possible macros available in a small space. When used in conjunction with a Roccat mouse with Roccat Talk functionality, the Easy-Shift[+] button can apply to both devices.

The keyboard is available in four of the most common Cherry MX mechanical switches, so every user is almost guaranteed to find something to their liking. The switches are capped off with laser etched and UV coated keycaps. I like the fact the space bar received the same laser etching as the rest of the key. Unlike many other lit gaming keyboards, a subtle line is cut through the center of the space bar, allowing for the bar to be lit up.

Each key is armed with a blue LED. The light is blindingly bright at maximum brightness and illuminated on a per key basis with the drivers. Due to the locations of the LED on the switch, larger keycaps like the Windows key and the media buttons of the function keys are not evenly lit.

Roccat’s drivers tend to be tightly packed with functionality. The Roccat Ryos TKL Pro’s drivers are no different. Roccat has gone above and beyond by allowing every key to be disabled or remapped. The drivers come with a set of pre-loaded macros for many games, but the listing is starting to show its age. Older games like Command & Conquer 3 and Crysis are due to be replaced with some newer titles. Recording your own macros with the manager is a snap, simply hit the record button and start hitting keys.

The drivers is packed with lighting options. There are two levels of control, but even the simpler automatic setting is still pretty daunting. It took a good twenty minutes of fiddling around before I really got a hang of the LED control schemes. A set of YouTube tutorials would be extremely helpful in cutting down the learning curve with the keyboard. Roccat has provided a bunch of neat visual effects for the LED. My favourite is probably the fade effect that will turn off or on a key momentarily after it has been pressed. The LED’s have a consistent brightness across the board. Unfortunately, the LED brightness cannot be tweaked on a per key basis. It would be great to have WASD keys lit up brighter than the rest of the keyboard for gaming in dark rooms.

I’m not ready to spend the rest of my life with a tenkeyless keyboard, but if I had to it would be with the Roccat Ryos TKL Pro. The Easy-Shift[+] and the three thumb keys allows the keyboard to punch well above its weight. The per key lighting system is pure eye candy and the huge number of variations means gamers can get their switch preference in their local keyboard format. If you are looking for a great compact gaming keyboard, look no further.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Starbound Recieves Huge New Update

Brandon Postal

February 5, 2015

Starbound has finally updated! The procedurally generated exploration title by Chucklefish Games has received it’s long awaited Winter Update. The patch contains a huge new amount of content, which has been sorely needed for the indie title.

While many fans have been soured over the slow and infrequent releases to Starbound, it’s great to see such a huge release for the title. While Starbound is often compared to Terraria, the space based title has been unfortunately stuck in beta for a long time unlike it’s competitor. Hopefully this huge new content boost signals a change in tides for Starbound.

While the list of new changes is too big to list here, some of the new changes are outstanding. Head over to Chucklefish’s bog to check them out. Personally the addition of a new space station where you can get missions and the ability to upgrade your spaceship is enough for me to get interested in the game again. However, this is far from the only addition to the title.

Players will be able to explore new biomes, a ton more mission sand items, a new playable race, tons of new techs, and new upgrades for just about everything. With reworking of combat and new monsters adding to the danger of the universe, it’s clear to see that Chucklefish has been working hard. You can check out the official video for the Winter Update below. Get out there and start exploring!

New Jobs, Weapons and More Make Their Way to Grand Theft Auto Online

Andrew Day

February 5, 2015

Grand Theft Auto Online is probably the most stand-out feature of Grand Theft Auto V, and a big part of that is due to the fact that the community are always coming up with fantastic new ideas for the game and today we’ve got ten exemplary additions to the pool of Rockstar Verified GTA Online Jobs, including the first batch of creations utilizing the Last Team Standing mode. The following jobs are a mixture of user created content as well as some Rockstar designed jobs to keep you entertained while you live out your criminal fantasies on the streets of San Andreas.

Stealth Required! LTS – created by sgt-vaguepouch
- An epic and exhilarating arena-style LTS in the woods around Raton Canyon. Teams face off across a gully and must either use the natural contours and cover to get close enough to draw first blood, or find themselves long-range weaponry and fight from afar. As with all Last Team Standing Jobs, your blip on the enemies HUD is always visible, so use your teammates to provide a distraction while you grab the central RPG and try to sneak behind enemy lines. Although limited visibility through the trees makes long-range sniping a challenge, you can find good positions to take out the entrenched opposition. As sgt-vaguepouch explains “Stay out of sight or approach carefully. Take your time to take the opposition out one by one.”
San Andreas Shootout LTS – created by wafflemann
- An excellent example of an LTS that presents different challenges for each team, much like the Rockstar Created Skyscraper. In this case, the “robbers” start on top of the parking garage, hunkered down with Molotovs, RPGs, Heavy Snipers and Advanced Rifles. Meanwhile the “coppers” approach from the GOH in FIB cars, the Police Riot armored truck, or the Buckingham Swift. Coordination and timing on the ground is key in order to outsmart the team with the height advantage – try to surround them and lure them out from their hiding place, but don’t get caught in the crosshairs!

Lumberjack LTS – created by MRPTHUGLIFE
- MRPTHUGLIFE elected to use props sparingly over a wide area in this vehicle-focused Job. Each team begins with four Buzzards and four Rhino tanks at their disposal, but more treats are tucked into the hillside above the coastal road just south of Paleto Bay. The Buzzards can be used in two ways: protect the Rhinos as the ground assault team move in on their opponents; or take to the high ground and land next to the RPGs and Heavy Sniper. From there, bed in and wait for the right moment to strike.
Close Quarters LTS – created by Matt-Conman
- An excellent arena-style LTS that forces you to move fast and think faster in order to outwit your opponent. Stick with the default setting of 4 Rounds since each Round is short and brutal. Teamwork is key to cover all of the angles. Once everyone is posted up, move between cover spots to attack from both sides or overload the enemies with 2-on-1 situations at close quarters. The default weapon is the Combat MG, a rapid and powerful machine gun with the range to pick off heads peeping out from behind wrecked buses. Props to Matt-Conman for the balance on this Job, giving both sides different elements to play with, but equal opportunity to take the win.

Bowl Brawl LTS – created by coleco-vision
- Already having been played an impressive 2.5k times, this one is a balanced and fun map with a high replay factor. Set in the Vinewood Bowl (a space we think has been surprisingly underused for Deathmatches and LTS Jobs), both sides spawn near SMGs, and must either make a break for the RPGs up in the nosebleeds, or put themselves center stage to collect the Minigun. Tip: stick to the side walls to minimize the chance of getting caught in the crossfire, and also to maximize the cover available to you.
Contend: Zombie Town – created by count_poopula
- Here, Blaine County’s quiet moonlit farming village of Grapeseed is transformed into a zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic circus of death. On your way into town, abandoned military vehicles and artfully-placed pickup trucks provide smart visual cues evocative of classic zombie horror movies. Coulrophobes beware – in the center of town is a clown-infested circus where a Sawn-Off Shotgun will blow away the first wave of knife-wielding night terrors, but once you’re surrounded there’s no escape. Teamwork is crucial to battle your way through to the Capture bag, and protect you from the shots fired by the Team coming in the other direction. Make for a quick exit, but be sure to leave some of your Team behind, so that they are primed and ready for when the Capture bag respawns.
Rodeo Loop – created by mozo15
- An exciting, high-speed Super class Race around Portola Drive and the Vangelico Jewel Store. This crisscrossing track promises high speed collisions in any 16-player session, and allows anyone slipping behind the leaders to still make a nuisance of themselves. Neatly placed roadside props indicate a detail-orientated Creator in mozo15, although cynically placed tire stacks will punish any wildcards who don’t respect the course layout. Be careful of the road’s natural contours around the subway, as these could also spin out anyone falling foul of the “less haste, more speed” truism. A track for the mature racer.

Border War – created by TRIPLE_extremo14
- A moody and atmospheric battle amidst the undulating terrain of the Grand Senora Desert that’s best played at night and with the rain pounding down to heighten the tension. Be careful in the ‘no man’s land’ between limited clumps of cover: stay close to your team and communicate as you dash between cover to make sure you have all points accounted for. Powerful weapons & explosives litter the battleground and can easily be used to blast away stragglers. Note that the Buzzard placed near each team’s spawn point does not respawn, so use it wisely. Also, there are RPGs on the battlefield but they’re not Homing Missile Launchers, so be sure to set Weapons to Forced and Pickups – to ensure the Buzzards can’t be picked off too easily.
Bahama West Mama Mia! – created by bobchilli
- A very short, very technical Race around the Bahama Mamas West nightclub in Del Perro. Tight turns, narrow alleyways and a 16 player limit make this race chaotic, difficult and a great challenge. The default vehicle class of Sedans is an inspired choice for swinging round the corners while not letting players pick up too much speed and lose control going through the alleyways. Stick with the default non-contact setting and aim for a clean Race to max out your chances of earning a W – you might even be able to lap a few stragglers over the course of 3 laps. Bobchilli is a Race Creator veteran, with 53 excellent races to his name – congrats on your first Verified, Bob!
The Slipstream GP – created by MossyTossy
- Set in the heart of Downtown LS, The Slipstream GP has the look and feel of a real Formula 1 track. This high speed Race contains hairpin bends, tricky chicanes and quick changes in elevation that demand full concentration. Long straights will allow racers to really open up the throttle, but the Race will ultimately be won by skillful drivers who know when to tap the brake in order to hold the racing line. Stick to the default Jester vehicle for maximum enjoyment, and opt for the Race liveries to fit in with this professional looking course.

So there you go folks. 10 new jobs for you and your buddies to go play! So what are you waiting for!? Which of the new jobs do you reckon you will get all up in? Let us know in the comments below and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Grand Theft Auto news as it becomes available.

LEGO Jurassic World Teaser Trailer

Andrew Day

February 5, 2015

Last week Warner Bros. announced that they would be releasing five different LEGO games over the course of 2015, and now we can take a look at the trailer for the first of those games: LEGO Jurassic World. Well, it’s more of a teaser but it still got me suitably excited. Check it out:

While not too much is known about the game so far, we do know that it covers the events of all four “Jurassic” films and will likely have that same level of polish as the rest of the LEGO games.

Are you looking forward to LEGO Jurassic World? Let us know in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the LEGO news as it becomes available.

The Sims 4: Get to Work Expainsion Officially Unveiled

Andrew Day

February 5, 2015

When the The Sims 4 launched late last year everybody knew that one day we would be getting expansion packs to buy and add on at some point in the future. Well, after rolling out a bunch of free content updates (including quite a hefty one a couple of weeks ago) EA have finally announced the first full-fledged expansion pack: The Sims 4: Get to Work is on its way.

Get to Work shares a lot of similarities with the old Sims 2 expansion Open for Business in that it allows players to build and run their own business. Retail, fast food, fine dining or just about anything else you can think of! Not only that, but the expansion will add three new career paths: doctor, detective and scientist. These three new careers will function a little differently than the rest and allow you to control your Sim at work!

Of course there will be new objects, clothing options and a bunch of other stuff that EA and Maxis will reveal in due time. The Sims 4: Get to Work is slated for release in April this year, with an RRP of $49.99. We have attached a short trailer below that shows off some of the new features in action so make sure you check it out and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Here’s the Daredevil Trailer

Andrew Day

February 5, 2015

It’s finally here! After yesterday’s fifteen second teaser, the world of left dying for more footage from the upcoming Daredevil TV series. Well, the time for waiting is over! Check out the trailer in all its dark, gritty, downright awesome glory:

I’m not seeking forgiveness for what I’ve watched father, I’m asking forgiveness for what I’m about to watch! The trailer looks like it has captured the feel of the Daredevil character and mythos damn near perfectly! Daredevil will premiere on the online video-streaming service Netflix on April 10th (barely a month after the service launches here in Australia) so you will be able to binge-watch the entire season in a day. What did you think of the trailer? Does Charlie Cox make a convincing man with no fear, and what did you think of the costume? Let us know those and the rest of your thoughts in the comments below and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Daredevil, Marvel and Disney news as it becomes available.

The Crew Major February Patch Detailed

Nathan Farrugia

February 5, 2015

Over two months after release The Crew is finally receiving a major patch to fix most of the issues player’s have been experiencing within the game, in particular finding PvP matches and stats issues which lead to some awards being impossible to complete. A big highlight of the patch is that a brand new elimination mode is being added to PvP and that four new faction missions are also incoming. The patch should be available to all PC, PS4 and Xbox One players on February 12th. Full patch notes below.

New Content

New PvP mode
The new PvP mode is an elimination race with 10 new tracks available.
New faction missions
Four new faction missions will be released with the patch on Thursday, February 12.

Fixes and Updates

Online

The quick co-op feature has been improved, and several bugs related to joining sessions have been fixed.
PvP lobby improvements
- Enabled browsing of players after selecting cars.
PvP session improvements
- Matchmaking should now allow players to find more players quicker.

Statistics

Fixed the issue that was causing statistics to display incorrect data and/or simply reset the data.
Previous data will not be restored, but new statistics should not be lost anymore.

Awards

Fixed an issue related to unlocking and tracking the progress of certain awards.

Challenges

Fixed an issue related to progression on challenges.

Frame rate

Improved frame rate in cockpit view.

Fixed an issue when applying certain parts.

Friends

Fixed an issue related to a friend’s presence in game – their status will be set to offline when they quit the game.

Cars

Improvements and tweaking of several cars’ handling and speed.
- Buggy’s grip has been improved in order for it to be able to climb hills as other Raid cars.
- Fixed a bug where some cars were able to reach an extreme off-road top speed in reverse gear for:
  - Bentley Continental GT
  - Cadillac Escalade
  - Abarth 500
  - Alfa Romeo 4C
  - Hummer H1 Alpha
- MINI Cooper S:
  - Toned down the nitro and grip for MINI Cooper S.
- Lamborghini Murcielago:
Grip slightly improved when using nitro.

Missions

AI behavior in some missions improved.
AI and police car behavior in chase missions improved:
- Opponent cars are now less aggressive, and they try more to follow players instead of taking them down.

Gameplay

Modifications applied to the friction on side barriers in order to avoid wall-riding exploit.

This positive piece of news comes after it was announced to PC players that they would not be receiving the Speed Car DLC Pack cars one week early as promised due to technical issues. Console players of The Crew are not affected by this.

Kill la Kill Volume One Review

K. Roberts

February 4, 2015

Kill la Kill Volume One
Studio: Trigger
Publisher: Madman Entertainment
Format: DVD (reviewed) / Blu-ray
Release Date: October 15, 2014
Price: DVD $29.95 (AUD) – Available Here / Blu-ray $34.95 (AUD) – Available Here

Overview

Dozens of anime series are produced each year; some are original works, while the majority are adapted from a variety of sources, typically Japanese light novels, manga, visual novels or other Japanese games. From the long list of anime works produced each year, many fall into the category of ‘mediocre,’ many are regarded as average, some are good but have wasted potential and then there are those that are considered to be worth watching. Where do the first four episodes of Kill la Kill sit amongst its fellow 2013 anime productions?

Story

Honnouji Academy is a high school ruled by the Student Council and its president, Satsuki Kiryuin. Her faithful servants, the Elite Four, wear Goku Uniforms, as do those whom Satsuki otherwise deems worthy. The majority of the Goku Uniforms are one-star or two-star, and each Goku Uniform has special powers that can increase the physical capacity of anyone who wears it.

Ryuko Matoi transfers into Honnouji Academy one day and almost immediately has a run-in with Satsuki, who appears to know more about Ryuko’s scissor blade than she is willing to let on. Initially no match for Satsuki, she is forced into wearing a Kamui, a sentient sailor uniform that somehow gives Ryuko power by draining her blood. It provides Ryuko with an immense power that helps her defeat her enemies, somehow obliterating their clothing in the process, and protect her new friend Mako Mankanshoku. Upon learning the secrets of her Kamui, named ‘Senketsu,’ or ‘Fresh Blood,’ she faces Satsuki once again in order to find out who killed her father and left behind the scissor blade.

Although this may seem like a simple story of revenge, Kill la Kill is everything but simple. The people in Ryuko’s life are not only abnormal, but downright crazy. Mako is a hyper-energetic person who can withstand an onslaught of tennis balls hitting her at super-fast speeds and can generally defy the laws of physics and reality in general along with the rest of her family. Ryuko’s homeroom teacher is also strange, but with him it is because he likes acting in a ‘sexy’ way by stripping his clothes off in front of Ryuko, all in the privacy of his own home. If there is one thing that is clear so far, it is that there is clearly no law enforcement agency outside of the Student Council, because a teacher taking their clothes off like that is a serious cause for concern.

Visuals

Trigger has done an excellent job animating this series. The character designs are unique and easy to tell apart. Furthermore, Ryuko is visually portrayed as having realistic emotions. While the way in which a character contorts their face when angry in most anime productions looks odd and is nearly always the same, Ryuko is drawn to look genuinely angry. When she is annoyed at something, her anger seems real. When she is happy about something, it is obvious that she is genuinely happy, and those rare moments of happiness help demonstrate that she is at least a somewhat well-rounded character, not just a one-dimensional being with a one-tracked mind for revenge.

The action is extremely fast-paced and fluid. For example, a group of students fall into a vat of boiling oil and then climb out and scramble away all in the span of just a few short seconds, only to be immediately forgotten as a fight scene is about to take place. Viewers who enjoy fast-paced series and nonsensical action will find plenty to enjoy about this seemingly insane series.

One thing that may bother some viewers is the ‘fan-service’ present in each episode. There are some scenes where boys are shown naked in a non-sexually humiliating way, but while there are no depictions of genitals or female nipples so far, many characters are sexually objectified on multiple occasions. This results in many scenes featuring men nosebleeding so much that they should be dead from excessive blood loss and in scenes where Mako decides that Ryuko must be an exhibitionist. The transformation sequence, for example, features whichever girl is putting on a Kamui completely naked while their breasts are defying gravity, just like how everything else in the series defies gravity and any commonsense whatsoever. When the Kamui is active, it only barely covers up the wearer’s breasts, genital region and behind. To make it worse, girls tend to end up in positions where men can get a clear look at the their almost entirely naked bodies. Anyone who has a problem with the sexual objectification of women is recommended to look elsewhere for something decent to watch.

The original on-screen Japanese text is completely retained. No English credits are included in Madman’s release, which is typical but perhaps disappointing for those wanting to find out who voiced a certain character. The subtitles are mostly perfect, but at least one typing error is present and very noticeable.

Audio

The music throughout these four episodes is fantastic and leaves nothing to be desired. The opening theme song is a rock song and the ending theme song is a rather catchy pop-song. The lyrics are the typical type that come from the main character’s thoughts interspersed with random messages that may or may not actually be relevant to anything. The background music, from composer Hiroyuki Sawano, is well-suited to both the action scenes and the scenes of pure randomness and insanity.

The English dub is great. The voices are very well suited to their roles; emotions are portrayed in a realistic manner and the dub script stays true to the original for the most part. However, a few additions of western phrases are made in order to help the dub make more sense to western viewers.

Extras

The on-disc extras for this release include the textless opening animation sequence and the ending animation sequence. The opening animation is as fast-paced as the rest of the show, and the ending animation contrasts with that by showing what it would be like if Ryuko was a normal school student.

Overall

The first four episodes of Kill la Kill sit in the category of ‘good’ original anime productions. The action, the plot, the characters, the music and the animation all come together to make a great action series that is incomparable to any of the more normal anime series produced in 2013. If this is what can happen when some people sit down and decide to make an original anime series, then we may be in good hands. With any luck, the next five episodes will treat its female characters with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Author’s Note: The original score attached to this review has been revised by the author.

Criminal Girls: Invite Only out now for the PS Vita

Travis Bruno

February 4, 2015

Criminal Girls: Invite Only out now for the PS Vita

There have been many games that have been released in Japan that gamers in the West likely thought would never be released in English and Criminal Girls Invitation was one of them. Well now the day has come where Criminal Girls: Invite Only, as it is now called, is available for purchase at retail stores and digitally in North America with a European release coming on February 6th by NIS America. It is worth noting however that this title will not be released digitally in Australia and Ireland.

Criminal Girls: Invite Only follows the story of a female gang of delinquents that the player is tasked to guide these seven girls, all of whom have damned souls with their only hope for redemption being the player. In this game players will have to try and choose the best possible path to victory and listen to the desires of their team, as the girls can choose to disobey your orders and act on their own in combat, making it a title that may offer a far different experience than your standard RPG.

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