Finally got my GFX card, decided the performance vs cost for upgrading to a 7800 Gt, plus a new mobo (agp-pci-e) and all the hassle and cost of reinstalling my shit was just too much hassle, so got me a 6800 GT, second hand from ebay, paid over the odds (177), but its boxed and it works great.
I only wanted a setup for Quake 4, compared timedemo scores vs fooki's 4000 AMD and 7800 GT/X? and he was about 15-20 % faster in the Doom 3 timedemo scores.
Considering I have a 3.4 and a 6800 GT I'm really happy with that, I can also overclock the GT for a few extra FPS, bringing the differences down to about 15%. Is 15% extra performance worth an extra 340 pounds. Not for me its not.

Stil not heard anything back on my visa, been 3 weeks, I assume they are running my application by someone official.
Selfish as it might sound i'm hoping the Katrina disaster won't affect it.
I daresay if I go to San Fernando valley (CA) I'll get my own taste of shitty disasters
Just my luck all the easy visa's are gone so I'm really at the mercy of the companies lawyers now.
I don't have a criminal record, but I was done for speeding. 158 MPh :( it was late and some rich git in an M3 was egging me on. Well I won the battle but lost the war.
It was a classic moment, a smug smile as I passed him, then a few moments later I swear I could see him and the passenger laughing his tits off as I was in the hard shoulder with the cop seriously pissed off at me. Nelson.wav comes to mind:)
Apparently he (cop) heard me a mile before I got there, so I got a two year ban. That was just over 2 years ago so I'm free now, but hoping stuff like that don't go against me.
Oh (CA) police also caught me doing 98 when I was in the USA, to make matters worse I was undertaking people, wtf, I got confused.
They let me off on that one, so hopefully there is no record, but again he was seriously pissed and seeing a cop shouting at you with a gun in his belt is pretty scary coming from the UK.

What else, hmm, started playing quake III again, getting absolutely raped, but I'm just interested in re-learning the weapons so I won't be too far behind with Quake 4.
I invented a new term. Time Fragger, something I use for people who I believe beat me on the basis that they have simply played a game/map more than me. Playing people who are on their 6th year of ZTN is pretty freaking impossible, but I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone does when Quake 4 comes. Basically a Time Fragger is someone who you believe is less skilled than you, but still manages to beat you purely though the amount of time he's played a map. I proved this by playing the same guy on a map neither of us knew and I won, so it's good to know as I hate losing by 20 frags to people I feel are of a similiar, if not worse skillset. I am also playing on a basic config, that means no seperate sensitivities or fov for weapons. the idea is that I think CPL and Qcon and other tourneys will be more strict with the configs, plus this stuff WAS NOT written into doom 3, so unless they include this I'm doubtful of the CVAR potential with Quake 4. At least on initial release anyway.
I'm pretty confident the actual skill gap between good players and elite players is actually very close, even if the scores don't show it. Knowing a map inside out and playing it a billion times counts for a lot, so Quake 4 will be Interesting from that POV. New blood, new scores to be settled etc.

Also been playing some doom3 with Fooki, horrified to find he's pretty good at it, beaten him a few times, but he's won more than me and he's played it a lot less, but he's no noob, he knows the maps etc. Kinda'a contradicts my Time Fragger thing, but it's hardly against fodder, so I'll remain positive about my little discovery.
I guess I Should be happy having close games against a good q3 player, but I'm pretty certain if he played it as much as I have I would lose a lot more, so I guess we'll see in Quake 4.
Looking forward to being on even ground with all those players who left me bleeding in Quake 3, or at least staying within 8 frags.
I still say Doom 3 is worth playing for Q4 training, it don't have a railgun and it really improves your close combat skills.
Plus the maps are so freaking cheap, you really have to be sneaky to kill a good player, or just land a lucky SG!
And then there is the engine and the getting used to 60 FPS, I dont care waht anyone says, coming from q3 to D3, you DO NOTICE the difference, so Q4 will share a lot of the graphical feel from D3 and those that have not experienced that yet might have a big problem with it. Takes time to readjust.


So, not sure what the future holds, will it be a life in LA, or will it be working part time and playing Quake 4 on a semi-serious basis in the UK. I don't consider q4 a game now, I consider as a gateway to satisfying my competive instinct. Have always done something like sport, but gaming has definitely taken over now. I still get the biggest rushes from gaming and it's the most consistent form of fun I have had. Cars also do this, but not unless they're turbo'd and running filthy amounts of power:)
And yes I have done things outside of gaming, but I always get bored of those, and usually of the people I do those things with.

I want the LA thing, I really I do, but it would also be awesome to experience Quake 4 from the start. I could not do that in LA, I'll be working my ass off and getting having fun with crack hookers on Sunset Boul :)
The competition/atmosphere/new players is real temping though.

Everyone has been waiting for this and it's going to be tough, but if I don't get the visa I'm gonna give it a good go.
I finally have enough knowledge of what to do, decent hardware, connection and I can start at the start. Though I lack discipline regaining control (I give away too many frags) and I get real nervous even on small online tourneys, but I think a beer before hand will solve this.
Worked for my interview nerves anyway. So no excuses.
If CPL pick Quake 4 I'll attend the first stop for sure and if I don't do well I'll accept defeat (top 12) and stop playing on a serious basis and just play now and again and follow the scene.

Also looking forward to the razer Copperhead, mainly the 1000hz polling withouht drivers. If they pull that off and I like the shape I think I'll finally own a mosue that I am happy with.

Also been experimenting with some gameplay stuff. Huge potential with this stuff, should be possbile to do some crazy things.
If I have time I will do some new stuff with q4 I think.
http://www.jamerio.com/maps/bounce.wmv