I've seen something vaguely similar once before, with different software; turned out to be, basically, not being able to read the hard drive fast enough. (The video card in question had two sync modes; switching to the other sync mode sorted out the desynchronisation problem after the stuttering).

Try closing down all the background processes you can? And run a good virus scan as well. I'm afraid I've got no idea how to actually fix this, having never worked with windows 7...

It might also be worth trying, if possible, to output the video you're recording to a different drive (flash drive, external hard drive) to the one you're playing the game on. Good luck.

I'm glad to say that writing to my external hard drive did the trick. It still stutters a teeny bit at times, but nothing like it did before. I've drained the capacitors (I'm sure that's what the holding the power button thing was about) and I blew out the vents as best I could with some compressed air.

Time to record Dragon Age 2 the second it becomes available to play!

For readers of the Dresden Files, is there a certain point I should read to in the series before I read Side Jobs?

Well, I don't read the Dresden Files, but this page may help you decide. It lists all of the short stories and where in the series they fit in. So you may only want to read the stories that fit with the books as you read the main series.

Or you can do like what I do. I always read a series (and related works) in publication order. So... that would mean Side Jobs would be read after Changes.

The last story in Side Jobs spoils the ending of Changes, so to avoid risk altogether I'd suggest you read Side Jobs after Changes.

Thanks! I'm only on Summer Knight, so Side Jobs might have to wait awhile.

Fallout: New Vegas

Is it fun being the bad guy? I'm such a goodie two-shoes that I rarely play an evil bastard of a character.

It's ALWAYS fun playing as the bad guy.

I would like to play the bad guy in video games, if they ever let me be the kind of bad guy I wanted to be.

I wouldn't go around slaughtering innocents for no reason. No, I'd subtly maneuver them all into working for me, then I'd abuse my power. All the deaths I engineered would look like accidents or betrayals by their most trusted friends.

But no, in video games being evil means shooting people for fun. Lame.

In Mass Effect, playing on the 'Renegade Side' is more like being in the gray part of morality than pure evil. It's still pretty fun though, Renegade Shepard is far more funny than Paragon Shepard and performs more awesome stunts. For example, in one mission a Hanar (giant pink blob-alien with tentacles) is spouting religious sayings in a space station. Commander Shepard's response to the police officer wondering why it won't just go away:





(Yes, Renegade Shepard is a bit of a Large Ham)

The second one ups the action with this: when doing a loyalty mission (long story) you run into an alien who starts a monologue about how his species will rise from the rubble and basically trash the entire galaxy for no good reason. One of the added features of the sequel are 'interrupts' which allow you to take an action that will change the course of a conversation. Most of these last only two seconds, requiring on-the-ball decision making. Now during this guy's speech the symbol for a Renegade interrupt pops up and stays there for about a full minute. The game itself is begging you to shut the guy up. Should you oblige it, Shepard shoots the explosive tanks right below the guy, delivers a one-liner, then shoots and blows him up. It is awesome. On the downside, playing as a pure Renegade tends to piss off a bunch of potential allies, likely making Mass Effect 3 harder to beat. As such I tend to play as a mostly good guy, but I do a bunch of Renegade options.

End of Line.

Is Netflix worth it?

Yes and no.

I use Netflix to stream stuff. However, certain internet services, such as my current provider, Comcast, have begun instituting monthly bandwidth limits (250 GB on our current plan). While most households might be fine with such limits, a household that does heavy streaming such as ours hits that bandwidth limit quick because Netflix delivers high quality video.

The streaming selection is decent. They've got a lot of TV shows available for streaming (my primary use of it), and at least a few good movies. However, if you're really wanting to see popular, new, just came out stuff, you're going to usually have to use their mail in/mail out DVD program that comes with your Netflix subscription.

We're using Shaw, so I don't think bandwidth is going to be an issue, but I live in Canada, so I don't get the DVD-by-mail service that you yanks do. :(

I suggest double-checking with your ISP to be sure. Better that than streaming a bunch of stuff then one day finding yourself completely without internet.

I'm a southerner, not a yank.