u/WarMom_II

TSIA, I guess? Like many I've been playing leapfrog between my CPU and GPU for a good while and I'm currently on a 3900X and a 5070Ti. I get the impression that the 3900X is starting to bottleneck the GPU. I'd have instances where games aren't reaching my framerate cap but the GPU is still only 60-odd% utilised. Marathon targeting 120fps for one. Helldivers 2 all over the shop and sometimes going under 60 during hectic moments. EDIT: for clarification, I'm playing at 1440p, 120Hz monitor but 120 is 'nice to have' but I'd never stick my nose up at a consistent 60.

I appreciate that the main benefits of the 'x3d' line for gaming is more that it shores up the low end, the 1% lows, reduces stutter, but will it still be of benefit? The context looming over an AM5 jump, of course, is having to get new RAM and a mobo for it.

Additionally, because I'm moving to an X3D line, am I at risk of losing some performance on productivity stuff, or does that only really apply if you're comparing X to X3D in the same series?

https://preview.redd.it/9kc3xprucg9h1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=c57f275b10b7a350df4c86538eea2c74f9e68179

https://preview.redd.it/2c87ntdaq39h1.png?width=323&format=png&auto=webp&s=dd58b8eff775570fd47c3edef71be52e21688394

And don't even try that 'oh I used to read so much but I'm a former burnt out gifted kid, I used to be slightly above average and that fucked me up forever' just read for 20 minutes before you sleep! You'll have a whole novel done in a week! Pick up an anthology of short stories! Fuck! Ao3 does not count either!

I have never had a VR headset before. At this stage, I doubt the Frame will be available to purchase in the ~2 weeks before the Steam Summer Sale starts. There is a part of me that wants to skip (VR games in) the sale if I don't know the Frame's price by then, because it might end up being too high a price point for the introductory hardware.

How about you? Will you be picking up some things to prepare, or do you have reservations about getting software until the Frame is in your hands and on your head?

Some things to note from the trailer:

• Emphasising a career mode which is 'endlessly replayable' rather than just being 'a note hitting simulator' EDIT: in a followup interview Jake said this is because it is a roguelike campaign mode where you pick songs, powerups, and items to craft a build to plan for challenges coming up ahead. Interesting, but I hope it's not too bite-sized.
• Plastic instrument and keyboard / pad modes (pad apparently charted by one of the world's best DJMax players)
• Mentioning 'powerups' for score chasing rather than just a SP equivalent, so might be something like what we saw in Warriors of Rock
• Drum kit can be set up as 'classic' rock band (4 pads) but also in the 'pro' configuration (4 pads, 3 cymbals) and with double kick (GH Expert+) support.
• Drum control panel also has five large buttons in addition to dpad and face buttons, no idea what's going on there
• Branded Wired and Wireless mics
• Bandmates / characters are premade, but we can 'create our ultimate band' so selection is likely manual

Songs confirmed in the game:

• Static-X - Terminator Oscillator
• Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Dani California
• Good Kid - Mimi's Delivery Service
• Babymetal & Electric Callboy - Ratatata
• Ghost - Square Hammer
• Extreme - Get the Funk Out
• Weezer - Island in the Sun

'Major announcements coming soon', release still slated for Fall 2026 for PC and Consoles.

Additional IGN interview with Alec and Jake

• Song licensing did keep referring back to open community polling, while also keeping in mind introducing players to things they haven't heard before
• Per Jake, more details on the campaign mode are coming 'sometime in the summer' but it is a roguelike campaign, different each playthrough
• Developing the drum kit was approached from the view of 'how do we make this welcoming to long-time players and to newcomers'; I think it's fair to assume the setlist will follow a similar philosophy
• When asked, Jake blurted that it's coming to 'every console' before going on to say 'Xbox, Playstation 5, Switch 2'. I eagerly await the Virtual Boy port.

Really surprised to see this! It's the first time Harmonix has officially supported this feature.

So, context: I'm a Steam Deck user with a pretty beefy desktop, and a Shield TV in another room, so I'm fairly okay at dabbling with Steam Link or Moonlight/Sunshine. One thing I've noticed with some Deck users is that they're pretty fond of using XR Glasses, and that actually sounds pretty good to me, not having to find a compromise position that lets me hold both the deck to use it and look at the screen comfortably. With XR I could just be comfortable and hold the controls where I feel best.

But, they're expensive. Of course, the Frame will be too! But, if the Frame can function decently like XR glasses for non-VR titles and connect to a Steam Controller, then I see that as potentially getting XRs and paying a bit more on top of that for a decent first VR Experience too.

Are VR headsets generally too heavy for this kind of experience?