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" Manufacturer: Sony / Genre: Driving & Racing / Release Date: 2008 "
It's no secret that the Wipeout franchise has been an important one for Sony, acting as a launch title for pretty much every console since the original Playstation. With the recent sad demise of developers Sony Liverpool (more properly known to veteran gamers as Psygnosis), now seems an appropriate time to review the game in its PS3 incarnation.
Wipeout HD Fury is a futuristic racing game. Races take place on elevated tracks in spaceships that hover above the track and reach incredible speeds. You must hurtle along, avoiding obstacles, trackside barriers or other racers and finish in as high a position as possible.
On initial release Wipeout wowed PS1 owners with its stunning graphics, pumping techno soundtrack and incredible speed. Although I'd heard a lot about the franchise, though, I'd never actually played a Wipeout game until I downloaded this PS3 version.
Whilst this shares common ground with a lot of previous versions, it is no lazy port and the PS3 version has been lovingly rebuilt from the ground up. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the crisp, clean graphics which look fantastic. They are brilliantly designed to create an exciting atmosphere. The neon flashing lights, twisting tracks and various bits of scenery really help to recreate the excitement of race day. Crucially, the game is fast; blisteringly fast. There is a real sensation of speed and danger as you hurtle along the tracks at death-defying pace. No matter how fast you are going, or how much activity there is on screen, the PS3 copes with it all effortlessly, producing really fluent images.
Where I did have an issue was with the track layout. Some of the tracks (particularly on later levels) can be really twisty and windy; and there is so much going on at any one time that trying to pick out what is track and what is background can be rather tricky. There were several times when I found myself crashing into barriers simply because I thought the track went one way, when in fact, it turned in the opposite direction. This is particularly a problem because game is so fast, giving you very little time to react or correct a mistake.
And making a mistake in Wipeout can be fatal to your chances of winning. Wipeout HD Fury is hard. Brutally hard. It makes no apologies for it and from what I gather, it has been this way since the outset. One small crash or one missed Speed Boost Pad can cost you any chance of victory on some tracks. It is a game that is meant to challenge you; a game where when you get an achievement or win a race it's because you have earned it, not because you have learned how to turn your console on. This difficulty level that will make or break the game for you.
The good news is that the controls are easy to pick up and highly responsive, so at least you are only battling the track layout, blistering pace and high difficulty level. And don't also have to wrestle with awkward or non-intuitive controls at the same time!
If you accept it for the challenge that it is, then Wipeout HD Fury is going to offer you a massive amount of gaming time. With 28 different tracks to race and over 50 achievements to gain, it's not a game that you will finish in a hurry. Of course, if you find it too frustratingly difficult then you're not going to finish it at all. In fact, you possibly will barely even get started.
Personally, I tend to play Wipeout HD in bursts. I'll play it for ages, really enjoying it and then I'll hit a difficulty spike and find a track I just can't do and put it down in frustration. Such is the addictive nature of the gameplay, though, that I find myself returning to it after a while and enjoying it once more. Fun and frustrating in equal measure: that pretty much sums up Wipeout HD Fury.
Throw in several different game modes, split screen two player racing and online gaming with up to 8 players (which I haven't used, but is reportedly lag free) and Wipeout has the potential to keep you occupied for a VERY long time.
"But SWSt" I hear you cry "you haven't mentioned the sound yet". Well, no. I'm leaving that till last because I'm going to be a bit controversial. After everything everyone has said about the music over the years, I expected more. Yes, the pumping, pulsating music really gets you in the mood for racing and captures the adrenalin-fuelled atmosphere perfectly. Yes, the sound effects are great with the roaring engines, screams of metal as you crash and other sound effects adding to that atmosphere. But... is it really that different from other racing games? In a way, Wipeout is a victim of its own success. It became the benchmark against which other racing game soundtracks were judged. They all copied Wipeout's style and success to the extent that Wipeout no longer sounds unique. It sounds great; but not unique.
Available as a digital download, Wipeout HD Fury is not the cheapest game on the PSN, costing around £12 for Wipeout HD and a further £8 if you also want to unlock the Fury pack. Of course, if you're a fan of the Wipeout franchise, then this is cheap when you consider the price of the original games, and well worth paying. If you're not sure, then I'd recommend you just download Wipeout HD to start with - you can always buy the Fury expansion pack later on. Just be aware that you do need quite a bit of space on your PS3's Hard Disk: the Fury pack alone takes up around 700MB.
If you are prepared to put up with the punishing difficulty level and occasional frustrations over the graphics, then Wipeout HD is a must-have download that offers hours and hours of racing fun. It's a fitting way to remember Psygnosis/Sony Liverpool.
© Copyright SWSt 2013
Wipeout HD:
For anyone that has not heard of Wipeout it is a futuristic, extremely fast paced racing game with weapons and the boosts to keep you entertained throughout the mayhem. For anyone with anything other than a playstation look away now as this is exclusive to the Sony device and was originally only available as a download but can be bought as a disc as well making it easily obtainable for everyone. The take home message is that it is a good game, good fun but probably not for the casual gamer. I actually first came across the wipeout franchise years ago on the PS1 and still keep an eye out for any new titles as they are normally very competitively priced and offer a good time.
Wipeout has a good variety of racing modes both in single and multiplayer.
Single Race: In a single race event, you compete on a track of your choice, at a level of your choice and you can compete against both AI and friends. This choice offers simple and quick fun for those on the go, or those in large groups changing between races.
Tournament: This allows you to have a selection of races in succession with the points tallied up. I have played this a few times, recently with a mate we went for 12 races, things looked good, I was well ahead of everyone after 6 races and still in the lead after 10 but the pressure took hold and I blew up in the last races to finish 4th (but crucially still thrashed my friend who came rock bottom). Great fun to be had in this mode, especially if you get 2 equally matched friends challenging each other until the end. The scoring system means that unlike F1 you can stay in touch with the competition with a bunch of podium results and then pip them at the end.
Both of the above races have 8 competitors in total, this is a good number and normally means that whichever end of the field you are at there is still normally someone shooting at you or someone to shoot at.
Speed Lap and Time Trial: Not my favourite mode but great for anyone who has to be the fastest, here you race alone, against the clock in an attempt to set the fastest time you can over either a single lap or a set of laps.
Zone: Zone mode is different to every other racing game that I have come across and offers a massive challenge to anyone willing to take it. Here you have not control of the speed, the game makes you get faster and faster, your objective being to receive as little damage as possible and last as long as possible, again personally I prefer the racing but this is, for me, better than just setting fastest laps.
Wipeout has few tracks but they will keep you thinking and test your driving abilities, with edges to fall off and sides to fly over and alternative routes which do differ in speed and ease of access the limited number of tracks isn't too much of a disappointment.
Teams and Cars (though they are not really cars):
There are many different teams, the difference here being that they give you a different vehicle to drive, these each offer their own advantages. This can be a crucial choice, picking the wrong one can leave you at the back with no hope, make sure you pick the right one for your driving style, the options really are:
Speed (how fast you can go), Thrust (acceleration), Handling (cornering ability) and Shield strength (determines the amount of impact that you can take.
Unlike some other racing game the shield is of upmost important, you don't just lose time and places by getting destroyed you are eliminated from the race forever, well until you restart at least.
Of course one of the most important features of Wipeout is the weapons, you can normally choose between a weapon or a speed boost, for the weapon go over the red X.
You do not get a choice of weapon it is, as far as I can tell, random. The selection of weapons is pretty good and varies between the good offensive weapons, to the rubbish weapons, to the defensive. Some examples of these include the earthquake which effectively lifts the track in front of you and sends out a quake to everyone in front meaning that you influence everyone You can also get a machine gun which allows you to blast out fire at the vehicles in line of sight. Some of the more defensive options include shield (covers you in an impenetrable barrier protecting you from the strongest of attacks, auto-piot guides you through the track at the best speed for a short time (watch out for it ending otherwise you will crash) mines / bombs which allow you to drop explosives behind you.
For me one of the annoying things is that you are not able to store weapons for later use, you can only have one at a time and either need to dispose or absorb it to pick up another. Absorbing the weapon is advisable for those who are hard on their crashing as this helps replenish and stop you from being eliminated.
Controlling in wipeout is easy to pick up... is not something that you will hear me saying, the controls are easy in that left is left and right is right, but cornering takes a long time to master and requires the use of the air breaks and sometimes you even have to slow down and in a game like this the last thing that is on your mind is using the brakes. This is not a game for those who have never gamed before or for those who have not raced before, me and my mate are fine on this but have been playing games for years, my other half and my mum however are hopeless and don't want to learn as it is so tricky, if you want something for them try Blur (also reviewed on here by me).
Wipeout does excel in looking cool, don't think I really need to say more than that, the cars look good, the environment looks good and the use of the weapons produce the desired effect.
Wipeout is a good racing game, those who have played it before probably have it and those who have never heard of it will probably find it too hard (especially if you have never raced before). Is it worth it, well when I got it it cost about £20 and it has been well worth that. If you are on the look out for a more family friendly game rather than a hardcore racing game go for Blur, in fact personally I would say go for Blur anyway.
This game is a must play, unbelievable how fun it turns out to be when you are playing alone in the campaign mode, co op mode or even in multiplayer. I first came about this game when i went to my mates house and he introduced it to me.
Downloadable Content
There is added download content which you can get, this makes the game alot better and unlocks more ships and other such items. There are many different styles of races that you can do and all of these come on a range of different tracks so this keeps the game fresh and interesting
Graphics and Game play
There are twelve different teams and each of them have there own versions of the cars all with different perks and down sides ranging from Toughness to speed to acceleration. This keeps the game fresher as once you have completed the game with one car there are plenty more options which you can do on it. Meaning for the cheap price you will pay for tyhis game there are always more and more that you can do
The more races you win and the further you can get in the career mode the more you unlock and then you get into the super cars, these are what make the game really fun! There are 8 tracks to start with but you can also play these in reverse. this then doubles what you can do and even if you think you know that track perfectly .. play it in reverse and i can guarantee you will not know them all straight away and you will CRASH.
The game's graphics look awesome! they run at 60 frames per second which leaves you with a perfectly smooth experience which is perfect for this fast paced racing game, it makes it feel so much more alive and realistic, especially when played in 1080p on a HD television. This game can then be taken to the next level as if you play this with a good sound system or even better surround sound. the game throws out some strong techno like tunes which really get you in the mood for racing.
There is a setting where you can play your own soundtracks in the background so if you think you can race better to bon iver or slipknot these options are available making the game more diverse and ranging out to alot more people.
There are also some fun settings in the game aswell, there is a section called Zone mode. this is my most favorite section as you start of by driving round the track at normal speed. you then get faster and faster as you go around when your score slowly increasing. the fast you get the higher your score. the object of this is to see how far you can get before you explode and die essentially. This is really challenging and makes you want to try beat it time after time. this also comes up well at parties as you can feel the big man when you have the top score and they physically cant beat you as you have (secretly) put hours and hours into this game because of its addictiveness.
The only down side to this game is you will find yourself sitting there for hours on end playing this game as time just flys by and you will not stand a chance at getting out and getting some real sunlight as the virtual lighting effects on the game feel real enough for you mentally! Enjoy!
brilliant game. well worth a purchase and play!
Note: With Wipeout HD being one of the 5 free titles available to PSN users after the PSN outage of April 2011, I decided to review the game that I already had, but wish I didn't yet. I hope this helps users make Wipeout one of their choices!
Wipeout is far from a new title, its been around since the beginning of the PlayStation and hopefully will live past even the end of PlayStation itself. Definitely not to be confused with the obstacle course TV series, Wipeout is a futuristic pick-up racer with blazingly high speeds that have never been rivalled in any other racing game I've played. Wipeout HD brings the series to a new high with silky smooth 60 FPS online action on the PlayStation 3, making for a real treat of an experience.
Racing games never really had a place in my games collection unless some form of violence was involved, be it pelting other motorcycle racers with fists in Road Rash, slamming a racer from the road into the sea on Burnout or even tripping other racers up with bananas in Mario Kart. As long as there was some way to punish other players and essentially take them out of the race. What I like from a racing game is speed, weapons and a good laugh. Wipeout HD simply nails every one of them.
Wipeout HD is akin to Mario Kart, where the karts are spaceships, the bananas are highly explosive bombs and the general speed is faster than what any mushroom could ever possibly dream of giving to a go kart. Its rough and not for sore losers. A race typically involves choosing one of the several ships with different strengths and weaknesses (speed, thrust, defence and acceleration) and aiming for blue pads on the track to give a little boost to the already accumulated high speed. Red pads grant the player a randomised weapon to either deploy on the enemy, or absorb to repair some of your ship's health. The tracks are all pretty self-contained and as you may expect, bashing against the sides of the track will lower the ship's health as will being hit by enemy weapons. The player can perform barrel rolls in the air to give that extra boost of speed on landing at the expense of some health which plays a tactical advantage by finding new jumps to barrel roll from. The player can also tilt the nose of the ship up and down slightly to give more air or a faster descent which aids the barrel roll business. That's all there is to the standard Wipeout races, its a fairly simple formula but the execution is simply a joy that it brings me back for more.
Wipeout is mostly renowned for its unforgiving speed and Wipeout HD definitely does not hold back. For players new to the series even the lowest (baby) speed might be too much to handle causing them to play ping-pong with the solid ridges of the track until they blow to smithereens. The game has 4 speeds to play on; Venom, Flash, Rapier and the sickly reaper of a speed appropriately named Phantom. Players new to Wipeout should have a shot at Phantom first, seriously. It just might blow you away (literally, you are sure to blow up) at how fast the corners appear before you can react. This is where you aim to be, this is the speed you will eventually conquer as impossible as it may feel to begin with. If you are having trouble, there is a pilot assist option which veers the ship away from the sides of the track at the cost of a very slightly reduced speed. Of course, it is still possible to crash and can help a lot of players get into Wipeout.
There is several weapons, some more common than others which are gained after passing over a weapons pad. Although the player must mostly remember the symbol of the weapon, the name is sometimes read out by a slightly robotic female announcer who also cruelly lets you know that someone behind you has just deployed Quake: a flaming earthquake which hits hard on every unfortunate player who is in front of you as it waves down the track. Luckily the most powerful weapons such as Quake are much less common than the likes of mines or machine guns. Although not technically a weapon, the player can also pick up a boost, auto-pilot or a shield making for an invulnerable ship for a limited time. Sometimes the weapons feel cheap, but that is what is fun about these kind of games.
Wipeout could be taken more seriously than other pick-up racers, but where is the fun in that? Taking Wipeout too seriously is only going to lead to frustration. Whilst the majority of the gameplay very much has skill as a requirement, the randomised weapon pick-ups makes for an element of luck. Wipeout HD can be played multi-player both locally (split-screen on the same system) and over the internet with a wide array of players. Letting a friend pass you on purpose in a race and proceeding to fire a missile at them doesn't really get old. Wipeout is certainly a better experience with friends despite having a solid single-player campaign.
***Game modes***
In the single-player game there are 4 different game modes. The standard race which could be played as a tournament, speed lap- where you continuously lap around a track until you beat a certain time, time trial and finally Zone mode. Zone mode is the most interesting and difficult mode of the game where you loop infinitely around a track until you destroy your ship. The player must use a ship unplayable in the standard races whilst they start their journey around one of the tracks which has now been saturated in bright colours. Every lap gradually increases the speed and adds a new set of colours to the funky looking track which acts as a music equaliser to the excellent electronic soundtrack of Wipeout HD which can also be replaced by your own music! Zone takes practice, practice, practice. Originally unable to beat 25 zones, I eventually made it up to 76 to get the 'Zone Zeus' trophy, one of my greatest gaming achievements.
The optional extra to Wipeout HD known as Wipeout HD: Fury adds new tracks, upgraded ships and brand new game modes; eliminator, detonator and zone battles. Eliminator makes for a kind of battle mode where the objective is to damage enemies until a certain number of points have been gained. With the ability to quickly switch direction and go the opposite way, it makes for some intense fire fights. Detonator is similar to Zone mode, except the ship is kitted out with a gun to destroy the objects and mines blocking the path. It is a fantastic mode which does not have a multi-player equivalent unfortunately. Lastly, Zone battles is again based on the awesome Zone mode, except this time it is a race against other players to reach a top speed. By driving across pads, the player builds up a boost gauge which allows them to get a quick burst of speed and place a barrier which if hit by other players slows them down. This boost gauge can also be absorbed for more health. The decision between repairing the ship or taking a risk and using that boost is what makes Zone Battles great fun.
Wipeout HD coupled with Fury is bound to provide endless amounts of entertainment to both yourself and those you play with. There isn't very much replay value as far as the single-player goes, but when it comes to multi-player you will be sure to have the urge for a quick game of Wipeout now and then. Its pretty difficult to pin-point many flaws with Wipeout HD, its an excellent racer which at times is maybe a little hard? But how can that be a weakness when it is also a strength of Wipeout HD... The music is incredible, the graphics are pleasing and the gameplay is pure genius.
WipeoutHD should be played in HD! It's ok without HD but it's amazing with HD and it runs smoothly at 60 FPS, (Framer per second). The game is where you race "cars". They are hover cars/spaceships that can pick up abilities and attack enemy cars. The game is no doubt set in the future. The game's graphics are stunning and the visual design is fantastic. For £11, this game is a must get off the Playstation Store as it is like a full game more or less.
The graphics are the thing that may hit you the most when first playing this game. You will notice the flashing neon lights, all colourful and a million lights flashing and moving smoothly as you race and leap at half a thousand mph across futuristic detailed tracks.
The controls are simple. They are easy to pick up on and the steering is not very flexible which makes it realistic when spinning around a corner out of control. The controls feel realistic and your car/ship feels heavy which is a good thing.
The features in the game are good. You get different types of single player game modes. Time trails, racing modes, and a mode where you have to go around a track getting higher the rounds. Your car get's faster and you must not hit the sides, the more you hit the side, the more your car will explode. This game mode is fun and there are a lot of online game modes which are fun to play with friends or with random people across PSN. You can play tracks in reverse mode and you can get bronze, silver and gold trophies for each event. To achieve platinum in this game, it is very hard but it challenging. There are also difficulty levels which make it even harder when racing in advanced events.
The online is fun and nothing is more satisfying than rocketing someone or blowing up someones ship with a laser. You can have a lot of fun and there are leaderboards and ranks which are good. You can have a lot of fun with this game, online and offline and there is a sandbox game mode where you can choose track, difficulty, customize rules/options etc..
There are also additional things that you can do in the game as well which make it last long like unlock skins for your ships. There are a lot of unlockables and going for trophies in this game is fun. Great game and suitable for everyone to play, worth £11, great game and will last you a while!
Let me start off by saying that I hate racing games. But Wipeout is so distinct from any other racing experience that I am a huge fan and therefore a hypocrite.
Wipeout uses space ships instead of cars and moves at a faster pace than any other racing game (even burnout). This takes a while to get used to but eventually you get there. There's different speed settings to get yourself used to the game (I still can't play on phantom and struggle on rapier).
Playing through single player lets you unlock ships and different tracks for use in multiplayer modes. Gameplay is pretty simple, you race other ships BUT THERE'S A TWIST. It's a bit like mario kart in that if you fly over certain panels (instead of boxes) you get a random weapon to assist you in winning the race. Weapons include guns, lasers, mines, bombs, shield and speed boosts which is pretty fun times. As well as weapon panels there are panels which offer a quick boost in speed. There's other gameplay modes to keep you amused too such as speed trials, endless tracks etc in fact campaign mode is made up of different events to keep things fresh.
Multiplayer is where it's at though. You play against other players from around the world in any mode you like. Tournaments are fun, there's a certain thrill of racking up points are feeling the pressure of needing 3 more points to reach number one. Voice chat is supported which is always a good thing.
That's right the game is enhanced by SO much with the expansion pack 'Fury'. It's a whole new game! It introduces three new modes one of which is the brutal eliminator. In eliminator mode you need to destroy your opponents using weapons. Every time you manage to destroy an enemy ship you get points, reach the target amount of points first to win. You can even flip around at any time and go backwards to shoot an enemy in the face with a plasma cannon MUAHAHAHA. As well as new modes there's updated ships and new tracks which makes the game much better. Wipeout without fury is like toast without butter, if you don't have both you'll get funny looks from everyone around you.
Other notable features are the HD graphics which run at a full 1080p yummy indeed. Custom soundtrack means you can listen to your own music stored on your ps3 if you get bored of the awesome techno beats that play by default. Trophies are in there for all you trophy hunters. If you're really good online then you may even get into the leaderboards (not like me, I really fail online).
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(also on Ciao)
Wipeout HD is the first of the games in the series that I have played and having completed and collected all the medals for the campaign section of the game I have decided to encourage other novices out there to give it a try by writing this review.
My partner and I downloaded this game to our console through the Playstation Store so it has instant convenience factor as I never need to worry about putting a disc in or waiting for it to load up, that being said the game isn't totally free of loading screens and while the levels load up you're treated to advertising interspersed with tips on how to play the game. I for one am not loving this development of actual advertising in games but it won't last forever so I'm trying to just accept its here for now. However the loading screens are a reasonable feature as the graphics are fantastic and it uses pretty much all of the Playstation 3's processing power to display it.
The game is a racing game with 5 different types of events, a speed lap, a time trial, tournaments, single races and zones and there are 3 difficulty levels, novice, skilled, elite. In speed laps you have 7 laps to achieve a target time which the computer has set. This target time increases depending on which difficulty level you are playing the game at. Speed laps are a good way to familiarise yourself with the tracks of which there are 8. Time trials give you a set time to complete 3,4 or 5 laps of a track depending on which campaign and difficulty you are playing with. Single races are races against 7 computer players and tournaments consist of 4 or 8 of these races. Zone events involve you driving a specially designed vehicle around a track at an increasingly fast speed.
There are 8 campaigns to play in total each with a larger amount of events and usually a new track or two. For each event you complete with a medal you can receive up to 3 points and these points allow you to unlock the next campaign when you have enough points- you do not have to complete every event in a campaign before being able to move on which can be a frustrating feature of some games.
The Playstation offers trophies for achieving a medal in each event on each campaign. Playstation fans have said that this game is one of the hardest games to achieve a platinum trophy on and I'm inclined to agree as even with those 8 trophies there are a lot that still seem very out of reach.
The game has a range of vehicles most of which are unlockable throughout the game. Each vehicle has different strengths connected to its ability to handle, shield, speed and thrust. If you are after another trophy it is worth noting that playing with a certain vehicle more than others will provide you with a lot of loyalty points which once you have 100,000 will earn you another trophy. You can get additional loyalty points for eliminating other racers and getting perfect zones in the zone events.
This game provides great entertainment and does have multiplayer features which makes it possible to play with friends and has an online play option. As you can select the events you wish to play and the game has a quick access menu it is ideal if you don't have long to spare but want to play a quick game and at the same time if you want to play something repeatedly for hours you are unlikely to get bored of this game. On top of its fun factor of being a fast racing game (going back to the early levels is really strange as they are so slow compared to the later levels) this game looks stunning however because it is so fast you don't really get a chance to appreciate the detail that has gone into each track. Wipeout HD is definitely worth a purchase if you're looking for a non car racing game.
Having played the original WipeOut on PS1 only a couple of times, I wasn't really drawn to this game by it's history, it just looked like a genuinely good game, and I was right!
The first thing that will hit you when playing this game is the amazing graphics, in full glorious 1080p on my 40" Sony Bravia, it's just absolutely breathtaking. It's amazing that they managed to get such fast paced action and such great graphics in the same game.
You can choose from a range of ships, and there's some amazing tracks to be played on. If you choose the campaign type mode, there's a range of gameplay modes that you have to get through including, time trials, race's, tournaments, and fast lap etc. There's enough to keep you going for ages. Unfortunately, some of the tracks etc. do a get a bit repetitive but streaming through tracks at high speed in glorious 1080p never gets old in my book!
Theres also an online mode which I haven't checked out much since I'm not that much into online gaming, but it's nice that the choice is there!
I have always loved wipeout. And then I heard they were making a HD remix almost. Now we all know how most of those go, you pay 40£ for a game with better graphics, yet the gameplay is rubbish compared to the original. But it was on offer, so I got it. And I was wrong.
The game is the best wipeout yet. The graphics are jaw-dropping, every single part of the game has some eye catching graphics. And when you first play it, you will just be amazed by the quality of the graphics put in. Screenshots can not do it justice, nor videos. You must get this game. The gameplay is also great. Its just how I remember it, screaming along at 1000KPH, in space age ships, shooting rockets at people. The single player is great, and if it was single player only, you would still get months of fun out of this game. But theres more. Multiplayer
Multiplayer is a amazing addon to the game. You will get some fast paced fun races, with people from around the world. There is very little lag, and the multiplayer feels very well made. And you still get the amazing 1080p graphics with 8 people. And honestly, there is no drop in frame rate.
And there are some wicked challenges in the game, to be awarded as trophies. This is one of the first games I enjoyed collecting them. From the easy, to the impossable (Beat Zico), they offer some fun to the game trying to get some of them. And thats what i love about wipeout, it is honestly hours and hours of fun. So if your looking for a good racing game, get this. If you are looking for a good game, get this. And if you are not looking for a game, get this. You will not regret it.
Wipeout is back in HD.
The main mode in wipeout HD is single player, as you play through the races you gain points for the position you come and when you geta certain amount you unlock a new event.
There are many events and these will keep you entertained for quite a long time. There are many different vehicles to choose from with different acceleration, top speed and handling but if you stick with the type you like you will earn loyalty points and unlock new skins for the vehicles.
There are foup types of races in wipeout and they are your standard race where you have to come first, one where you have to complete a certain amount of laps in a certain time, speed lap where you have to do a lap at speed within a time limit and zone mode which is the most original.
Within zone mode you start off slow and start to build up speed, you do not control the speed, you just have to concentrate on keeping the car without damage for a certain amount of laps.
There is also online multiplayer which is a nice extra in which you can either play with friends or anyone from around the world.
Wipeout HD is the newest instalment of the super fast racing series for the Sony Playstation 3.
The games made mode is the campaign mode, here you can pick from a variety of events to play in different cups. Each cup will have a grid of events to fill up, by achieving victory in these events you get points and when you have enough the next cup will be opened up to you. There are many cups to unlock and play so this game will have you playing it for quite a long time!
The race events are mostly generic ones you've played before your standard single player races return where you must beat all your rivals, time trials where you must complete a set amount of laps in a certain time, fastest lap where you must do a quick lap and beat the target time.
The one really interesting mode the game has is the zone mode, here you start off slowly and you must race while the game gets faster and faster and you have no brakes on your machine, the graphics are insane in this mode you may even zone out! It's really addictive to see how fast you can go and how far you can get.
There are a ton of futuristic racing machines for you to pick from but if you stick to one you like you will earn loyalty points and unlock new skins for that brand. The racing action is very good, it starts off slowly but the pace soon picks up and you will really have to master the controls and powerups properly to succeed.
The graphics for a downloadable title are amazing, this could easily be a full priced game on the shelves and the techno soundtrack is what you have come to expect from this series, it does support custom soundtracks if techno isn't your thing however.
You can pick this one up on the Playstation store for £12, excellent value especially if you are into the series.
WipeOut HD is one my favourite games for the PS3, and probably the one game that I have spent the most time playing. I will explain why:
Firstly, the graphics are fantastic, 1080p at 60 frames per second, if you have a full HD tv you can really get the most of the stunning visuals, but if you don't, it won't will still look great but you won't get as much detail. The frame rate never drops throughout, even when the explosive action is at its maximum the visuals remain smooth and steady. The ship designs are brilliant and imaginative, the levels are all unique, well designed and challenging in their own way, the menus are cutting edge and futuristic and the zone mode is absolutely stunning.
Secondly, most importantly, the gameplay is insane and super addictive. Racing at breakneck speed while dodging traps, trying to hit speed boosts or pick up weapons, then trying to shoot down your opponents and try to win the race. The race types are excellent; race, zone, speed lap and time trial. Race is just a standard 8 player race, you can do 2 player splitscreen, 8 players online, or just yourself against computer. Zone is really hard, it starts off slowly, but the speed increases over time until you crash so many times that you explode, takes a lot of practice, a lot of very hard trophies are based on zone. Speed lap, is trying to complete a lap in the fastest time possible and time trial is completing the track in the fastest time possible, both are fun and can be quite hard as you progress through the campaign. You can play these race types throughout the campaign, in racebox or online. The campaign is solid, very enjoyable, my favourite part of Wipeout. It does take a lot of time and practice to complete the harder levels on elite difficulty however and this can be really frustrating, especially as you winning or losing a race might depend on the type of weapon you pick up randomly. Racebox is for practising, earning trophies or playing your friend in split screen, it is a good feature. The online is decent enough, it is very basic, you can customise what features you want for the race, i.e. pilot assist on/off, what maximum speed, what level you want to race. you can do a tournament or a single race. There is also a basic rank system which is satisfactory but not something that has me rushing online to rank up for.
In conclusion, Wipeout HD is a great game, but requires a lot of dedication and practice to get good at and complete the campaign. There is a very steep learning curve and the higher speeds can be a bit daunting for beginners, some of the trophies are also incredibly hard to attain, I am still trying to get the platinum trophy (you get it for having all the trophies). The online mode is basic but fun. The custom soundtrack is fantastic, I absolutely love it and wish other games would incorporate it, It really adds longevity to the game, not that the Wipeout music is bad, I don't particularly like the techo, electronica genre. For the very low price that it is sold for compared to other PS3 games, Wipeout is well worth your money and is a must buy.
A Quick Background
The Wipeout games are a series of futuristic Anti-Gravity (AG) racing games originally made popular in the mid '90s with the second game in the series '2097' and its 'Club Culture' style. Originally developed by Psygnosis who were bought and merged with Sony STUDIO Liverpool (SCE STUDIO Liverpool) who have been developing since Wipeout Fusion (Wipeout 4 for all intents and purposes).
I've been a fan of the Wipeout series since Wip3out (That's Wipeout 3 for the non-initiated) although I'd been familiar with the series since the original made its way to the Playstation One and Sega Saturn. What had initially made me sit up and take notice when Wip3out was released in '99 was a completely renewed handling system, futuristic designs by 'The Designers Republic' and it was the first in the series to run in the Playstation's High Resolution mode. The handling in previous versions was very "floaty" and you'd bounce all over the place, but in Wip3out you stick to the track nicely so all you needed to worry about was making turns and not missing the track.
***Wipeout HD***
Jump forward four editions and you're now flying around in glorious 1080p at 60 frames per second, meaning you're Wipeout experience is ultra crisp and super smooth. Needless to say, the graphics are amazing - the detailing in the AG ships are stunning, right down to nice little touches like seeing your airbrakes pop up when you apply them during the race. The tracks are also as beautiful as you'd expect, especially with the addition of photo mode which can be accessed at the end of every race, which is like a replay with a fully free floating camera so you can see every detail and view the action from any angle. Also when you pause the replay you can save photos of your race using various lens filters and effect to your PS3 hard drive.
Everything in this game screams style, the game menu's are beautifully simple and you'll never get lost, the in-game HUD is informative without being intrusive, the weapon effects are stunning, the numerous fake advertisements dotted around each track are well designed as are the ships different skins and company logos. This is a part of the Wipeout experience I've always loved and little details like these make you feel all the more immersed in the Wipeout world.
Wipeout HD takes the best tracks and weapons from the PSP editions of Wipeout Pure & Pulse to the big screen, the PS3 version also handles a lot like its PSP brother and anyone familiar with the portable versions will be able to pick this up straight away. However for any newcomers to the series you can now turn on 'Pilot Assist' which tries to push you away from the walls and keeping you from bumping in to things. This is a nice addition and a couple of my friends who aren't Wipeout veterans like myself use this feature to great success. I've tried playing using Pilot Assist but I find it over complicates things as I'll steer to take the perfect racing line on a corner and the assist will push me further than I was prepared for, either plowing me into the opposite wall or another racer.
This latest edition also makes use of the motion control of the PS3's wireless controllers to steer, while this is a nice option, I can't see myself playing the whole game using the motion control as it doesn't feel remotely responsive enough if you consider how insanely fast this game gets. Its amusing to play with this turned on a couple of times for the novelty however you'll probably find yourself quickly switching back to the comfort of your analog sticks.
Most of the control commands are brought over faithfully from the PSP games also, the PS3 making obvious use of the extra analog shoulder buttons for more precision with the airbrakes. The "Speed Start", barrel rolls and the side shifts are implemented here also (For the first time in the console version) and much like the Portable versions are vital for your success in the game. I find the barrel rolls are still very frustrating as they use a "left, right, left, right" (Or opposite) motion of your analog stick or D-Pad and although you'll think you've nailed the command it sometimes just won't happen. Other than this minor gripe, the controls are as responsive as you'd expect from a game this fast, the button layout is easy to remember and you'll soon be leaving the controls to instinct, which I feel just highlights how simple this game can be.
The Wipeout series has always been known for its pumping Electronic soundtracks and HD is no different. You'll find the likes of Kraftwerk, Stanton Warriors, Mist and many more, which you can blast out in 5.1 surround sound. Taking another page from Pulse on the PSP you can also use your own custom playlists from music held on your PS3. Great if you're not a Dance or Electro fan. I have to admit, I'm serious into my Metal music but I came to love dance music with help from the original Wipeout games and I feel Wipeout wouldn't be Wipeout without its signature music. My custom playlist for HD features music from Wipeout's past, present and potential future!
---Game Modes:
Keeping things simple, the main menu has five main options: Campaign, Racebox, Online, Options and Records.
Is the main backbone of the single player experience. Here you will find eight events, only one of which will be available to you to begin with. Each event gives you a grid of races which you must complete, ranking Gold, Silver or Bronze to gain points to unlock further events. These races can be any of the races available in the game (More about these in a minute). Campaign mode is also how you unlock the locked teams and tracks in the game.
Also the further you progress the faster the game will become. You'll start off with Venom class races (The slowest the game has to offer) and as you unlock higher events you'll start experiencing faster classes right up to Phantom class in which you'll likely turn into the ball of a pinball machine and start bouncing off of every wall and obstacle as the game becomes uncontrollably fast!
Is where you can race on any of the tracks you have unlocked in any of the ships you've unlocked in any of the five race types available. These are Single Race (Pretty self-explanatory), Time Trial (Try for the fastest time over a number of laps), Speed Lap (Try over a set number of laps to get the fasted single lap time), Tournament (Race in a set of up to twelve races to get the gold overall) and Zone (Complete a number of 'Zones' as the ship gets faster and faster and see how long you can survive).
Racebox is also where you will find your split-screen two player mode, which is a very welcome addition. I find games are often more fun when you can share the excitement with your friends or at least when you're head to head with real players, which brings me to:
Which is pretty self-explanatory also. I've tried playing this online a couple of times and have found it frustrating. When you try to join a game it'll most often let you join with no problems. However my frustration comes when, after you've waited for your game to load, you find the race has already started and you can only spectate. Of course the other option is to create your own game, which I have also tried and had to wait for fifteen minutes before someone else joined my game.
Although it clearly has a few problems, once I did manage to get racing it is a very fluid experience. I haven't noticed any lag at all and I haven't come across any bailers (People who quit because they're loosing.). So if you have the patience to find a good tournament to join, good for you. Unfortunately due to my initial findings there are other games I'd rather worry about playing online.
The last two options from the main menu are Options and Records. I feel these speak for themselves, but I'd like to point out that the records are a very nice touch, as this is a good way to keep the game competitive with friends even if they aren't playing at the same time.
I got Wipeout HD shortly after it was released. It is, in fact, the reason I bought my PS3. I played it pretty intensively to begin with, however (Probably due to my short attention span) I still haven't unlocked everything. This is more a detriment to myself than the game as I do still play it. I come back to a lot of my Wipeout games when the mood grabs me.
Maybe this is the only problem I have with the game as a whole: Because HD is modeled closely on the PSP Wipeout games I feel that the big screen addition suffers from the 'Pick up and Play' aspect which was actually a strong point for the PSP versions. Meaning that although you'll come back to it from time to time, you're probably unlikely to sit playing it for hours as it lacks the depth of the previous console editions. Although in Pure and Pulse on the PSP have a back-story that sets the scene, this appears to be completely absent on the PS3.
This is a near perfect edition of Wipeout. Its crisp, fast and beautiful, however lacks any real depth. I like the idea that you're supposed to be the pilot for you team, gaining loyalty points after each race, but I honestly miss the 'named' driver characters and team rivalries from Wipeout of yester-year. I am proud to own this game and will always recommend people play it as it is a fantastic game. Take away my issue with the online gaming (Which I ignore now anyway) and this is the best Wipeout game by far.


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These Blizzard of 2013 photos aren't your typical snapshots of cars buried in snowdrifts or hipsters building anatomically correct snowmen. With a little trial and error, photographer Brian Maffitt produced magnificent images that look like something out of a science fiction movie or a DNA lab.
To capture his unique "Projector Snow" images, which you can see in the gallery above, he pointed an old Optoma DLP projector out a bedroom window as the mighty snowstorm known as Nemo dumped 15 inches of powder on Maffitt's hometown of Chestnut Ridge, New York, last week. Using an Apple TV, the photog pulled up the first kids' movie he could find on Netflix and began beaming the colorful video into the night.
"The movie was The Lorax, but for no good reason," Maffitt told Wired. "Projecting a darker movie like Saw wouldn't have worked as well — and may have startled the neighbors."
The projected video lit up the snow swirling in the air, and longtime shutterbug Maffitt was on his way to capturing images that blew up online, drawing hundreds of thousands of views in just a few days. (You can see high-res versions on his Flickr photostream.)
The 50-year-old photographer, who said he's been into experimental photography since his teenage years shooting star trails at summer camp with a 35mm SLR, said it took him about an hour of swapping out lenses and tweaking camera settings and projection angles before he began producing quality shots. Eventually, the projector's "color wheel" shutter combined with the fluttering snowflakes to produce "results that look both organic and digital," said Maffitt, who has done video production for years and even designed video special-effects software for Adobe After Effects.
"I've toyed with the idea of shooting swirling snow for a while, but this was the first big snowstorm we've had when I was prepared to experiment," he said. He ultimately used a 50mm f 1.4 lens mounted on a Canon EOS 7D to capture hundreds of photos and a video, which you can watch in the gallery above.
The project presented unique challenges, even for a veteran of nighttime photography.
"A huge swirling cloud of snow produces a ton of ambient light, so pointing directly at the sky was useless," Maffitt said. "Even a quick exposure would blow out the image. I had to find a dark spot, and more importantly, point the camera at a dark object — in this case, a big pine tree outside my bedroom window."
He set his camera to Bulb mode so he could could control the shutter completely by touch. "It became a process that felt very much like painting, where I tried to match the length of the depressed shutter with the speed and density of the snow," he said. "Too much snow and too long an exposure would blow out the scene."
Maffitt, who honed his nighttime chops taking long-exposure fireworks photos, said he's previously turned to digital tools to capture experimental images like his "Projector Snow" shots.
"This is the only time I've captured a 'digital' result using purely analog means," said Maffitt, who by day works as chief creative officer at Total Training, an educational site focused on creative use of software.
After 90 minutes with the window propped open on the 28-degree night, Maffitt ended up with cold hands — and some really hot pictures. "For the record, I was prepared to go outside to get the shot, but fortunately that proved unnecessary," he said.
All images Brian Maffitt/Flickr. Used by permission.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.

subset: commoncrawl


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Which protocol should I follow?
If you are struggling to find the proper HCG protocol, then you are not alone. There are tons of different plans available online that tell you what you can and cannot eat while on the diet. However, we highly recommend that you follow the original diet protocol as created by Dr. Simeons. In order to get the best results, Dr. Simeons' plan has been shown to be the best option.
Chances are that other protocols found online online were not created by actual doctors. Following a human chorionic gonadotropin diet protocol that was not created by a doctor can be very dangerous. Illegitimate practices can consist of eating more calories than required and also eating foods that consist of fats and other nutrients that need to be limited while on this diet. Stick to the original 500 calorie diet created by Dr. Simeons to get the safest and best results unless instructed otherwise by a doctor.
The HCG Diet Protocol Is Simple..
Now that you have a thorough grasp of the importance of following the protocol, the next step is to understand the actual plan itself. Again, we are adhering to the original protocol as noted by the creator, Dr. Simeons.
The daily dosage for injections should be 150-200 iu for 40 days. During Simeons' research, he found this amount gave the best results for weight loss. For women on their menstrual cycle, you should stop your injections until your cycle is complete.
Up until the 3rd injection, patients should eat in excessive amounts. the Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) does not start until after the 3rd injection. For women on their menstrual cycle, they should continue with the special diet even through their cycle, but discontinue the HCG injections.
The diet consists of the following:
You may have coffee or tea, without any sugar. If you would like, you may use Stevia. You may use one tablespoon of milk within 24 hours.
This is where you will get some of your protein. You will also have a few different options on what you choose to eat during this meal. This helps the diet from getting repetitive and boring. For lunch, you may have 100 grams of beef, veal, shrimp, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, or crab. As you'll notice, these are all very lean meats. You must remove any visible fat on your meats as well. This can be easily done with a sharp knife or you can ask your butcher to do it for you. When preparing the meat, it must be boiled or grilled without any extra fats.
You may also choose a vegetable for the meal as well. Your choices are:
Green Salad
Beet Greens
Red Radishes
You may steam, boil, or grill your vegetable without any extra fats. In order to get the most nutrition from them, steaming them is recommended. To give you some sweetness, you may have a piece of fruit for your lunch. You can have one of the following:
1 Apple
Handful of strawberries
Half of a grapefruit
Dinner will consist of the same choices as your lunch. It's recommended that you try to vary you diet up and not eat the same thing for lunch and dinner. This will stop it from being as repetitive and decrease your likeliness of stopping the diet.
In order to avoid eating bland food, you do have choices for seasoning your meals. You may not use any types of fats (olive oil, vegetable oil, etc.) but you are free to use very small amounts of salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, basil, and other natural herbs to season your food.
Cosmetic Products
An area that is sometimes forgotten on the protocol is the monitoring your cosmetic and hygiene products. Many of the products we use consist of animal fats that cannot be used while on the HCG Weight Loss. The best option to avoid these is to consult your doctor and get their recommendations. However, it's generally best to focus on organic, all natural products to help narrow your choices down.


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Spoiler:Didn't Nolan already say he finds the Penguin too ridiculous of a character physically to ever put him in a movie? I think he said that after Begins or maybe while he was filming Begins. Either way I kind of doubt we see the Penguin.
Bane is such a hard character in the Nolan universe also. Mainly because there aren't that many good actors with the physical attributes needed to play him.
I really think some consideration should be given to Deadshot. Like I already said he is Batman's polar opposite. He kills people, he uses guns. Two of Batman's biggest no-no's. Plus he's fairly realistic. The only issue is that he's an assassin and there aren't that many people left to assasinate after this movie.


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A sure sign that summer is coming is the start of Blossom Music Center's concert season. The concert venue, in Cuyahoga Falls, will have its second concert May 31, featuring Lady Antebellum's "Take Me Downtown Tour 2014," with Billy Currington and Joe Nichols.
"This is my first time touring with Lady Antebellum," said Nichols in a recent phone interview of the tour, which started May 2. "It's great people, with a great vibe. The music and the audience reaction have been positive."
Nichols, a four-time Grammy nominee, is known for his songs such as "Brokenheartsville" and "Gimmie That Girl." His most recent single "Sunny and 75," from his most recent album Crickets was certified gold by the RIAA.
"The overall tone of the record is positive," said Nichols of Cricket. "I'm in a great place in my life right now. I have a great family life, a great wife, soon to be three beautiful daughters."
According to Nichols' official website, www.joenichols.com, daughter Georgia Blue was born a few days after the interview.
Nichols described his live concerts as fast-paced.
"I also like to put in a lot of new music," he said. "A mix of the new stuff with the old stuff, and the occasional curve ball to keep it light. I want the audience to have a good time."
Nichols added that he hopes to come out with another single in early fall.
Blossom Music Center is at 1145 W. Steels Corners Road. For details on this concert or other upcoming concerts, call 330-920-8040 or visit www.theblossommusiccenter.com online.
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 330-541-9438


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Docking & (Fine) Dining
Hungry? Tie up at these dockside eateries for a feast you'll remember.
By M. B. Roberts — February 2002
Sunset is a special time for boaters. After a full day of cruising, it signals that it's time for a break. And if the break you have in mind does not involve saltines and sardines, have we got the places for you.
Here's a scratch-the-surface list of 20 fine-dining establishments with their own docks or nearby marinas, grouped according to region. Some are white-tablecloth places with awe-inspiring wine lists. And some can be best described as casually elegant. But all furnish weary boaters with terrific service, delectable food, and a rejuvenating sunset. Call ahead for docking instructions, water levels, etc. Then prepare to indulge. (Note that all prices given are the cost of one meal, excluding drinks, tax, and tip.)
Rock Grill
Voted "Best Fine Dining Beachside" by a local newspaper. Festive tiki deck. Rockin' fire-roasted lobster tail and tuna sashimi. Chef Tom Prichard, who has worked kitchens from New York to Mallorca, Spain, has been here since day one. Check out the single-malt scotches in the cigar room.
Claim to Fame: oak and citrus wood open-pit fire.
The Kemah boardwalk is a lively restaurant row with an adjacent dock, and the Aquarium is one of the best the boardwalk has to offer, with seasonal specials including sumptuous lobster dishes.
Claim to Fame: like the name says, two huge aquariums--one 50,000 gallons and another 15,000 gallons--featuring exotic saltwater fish.
Next page > Great Lakes > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
This article originally appeared in the January 2003 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.


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Is there such a blood test to monitor keppra? the neuroligist office called back and told me my keppra level was in range at 8.4 (3.1 to 10), i have not heard of a blood test level for keppra, i would appreciate anyones knowledge on this...
Is there such a blood test to monitor keppra? the neuroligist office called back and told me my keppra level was in range at 8.4 (3.1 to 10), i have not heard of a blood test level for keppra, i would appreciate anyones knowledge on this...
When I went to my neurologist in September, he had me get a blood test for my Keppra level, which he said was fine. I don't know the numbers, but if it had been off, he would have adjusted my prescription. I think this is pretty new.
We asked my son's Dr about having his blood tested to check the levels and he said not needed when using keppra???
I was 20 points above normal. I am an adult The blood level indicated 53. I was have flurry seizures. I had trouble w/ my gait. I was sleepy too. My muscles were to sore and I had a lot of diarhea. When my doctor noted that he is in the process of lowering my medication now. He wanted me in the hospital but there was no room and I have family that can keep an eye on me if things go bad.
I dont know about this just yet, I have only been on keppra for five days now, after taking tegretol for 25 years, I was always given a blood tegretol level test once a year. So when I go back for my check up I'll ask my doc. I can't imagine them not doing it. Its so important.
Hi there,
There isn't really a blood test as such for Keppra because although it is long acting, it has a short half-life, so to get accurate readings is not possible. Also, because it has only a few metabolites (ie tracers) and is not metabolised by the liver, it is unlikely that any serum levels would convey an accurate level of keppra.
hope this helps
They checked my grand-daughter's Keppra levels and the doctor said normal for her age (14) is between 16-26 hers was at 70 so yes they can check levels now their trying to figure out why her body isn't absorbing the Keppra...
I take other sz medications too. I used to take 3750 mg. of Keppra. I also took Zonegran 400 mg. a day.. I also take Vimpat a total 600 mg. a day.
I was taking Tegretol when it was a test drug. I was part of the a study group. I found it the best drug for me. I unfortunately had a reaction to it, in the 90's. It got me thru school w./ it, work w/ it , married and had children! It was the best med. for me. Each medication is different for everyone!
I wish you the best!
I am taking Tegretol and my neurologist also checks my meds levels from time to time. I guess they can check any med level in your blood- they just have to know what to look for. The test, from what I know, might be very useful because it can help to determinate the correct dosis for you- so you don't take either too muc, which is unnecessary and bad, neither too little, because the risk of seizing would be higher.
So it's a good test :)
I get a blood levels for Keppra and Lamictal about evey six months. For me, it checks the level of the medication in blood stream to see if the level is normal. If it is too high, they ask me how I'm feeling and check what side effects it can cause to my body and whether or not to get other blood work. Too low then they see if I need to increase so I won't have any of my petit mals. Hope this helped.
My daughter takes Keppra-500 mg x3 twice daily and Lamictal-100 mg. x 2 1/2 a.m. & x3 p.m. Everytime she goes back to her neurologist for her checkup...she has bloodwork done. They have never told her that the level is too high/low.
I had started to only have 4 petit mals a month and that was great for me. So she wanted to check my levels on my meds. When she got the results, she was surprised that they were not higher than they were because my petit mals had decresed. I don't know what the range of the levels are. I take 2 200mg tabs Lamictal twice/day and the Keppra is 300mg 3 am and 4 pm. The dr that does all the meds is a phamecologist/neurologist. I also see a nuerologist that she works with.
I also take Topamax. The insurance co. made me start generic. Before I started it she had me to get levels on it. They were 7 on the brand name. After I was on the generic for a month, the level dropped to 5. That shows what generics do.
I had a blood test done and I just got the letter in mail stating that my keppra legal is 27 which is therapeutic. It says continue at current dosage. Not real sure what it means but apparently it is good since it is "therapeutic."
I had a blood test done and I just got the letter in mail stating that my keppra legal is 27 which is therapeutic. It says continue at current dosage. Not real sure what it means but apparently it is good since it is "therapeutic."
There is a blood test for Keppra where they measure Serum levetiracetam (XaJeB) however my consultant advised that he would not take too much notice of the result as the therepeutic level (which I believe means the level at which it has a successful effect) is different for each patient.
However I still pushed to have one carried out and it showed my level to be at just over 11 mg/L against a range of (10 - 37 UK) so on this basis I now know that I am only just in the therepeutic range (or just outside if you look at this website: http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/83140 ) and have therefore decided (jpointly with the consultant's blessing) to up my dose from 1,500mg p/day (750mg morning + evening) to 2,000mg.
If you have a blood test for Keppra it is apparently important to have it as close as possible to the time just before your second dose ie. late as possible in the afternoon (trough point). NB. This is not a standard blood test and the hospital taking the blood will normally have to send it off. (possibly means that there is a cost and that could be another why it's not offered freely)
Good Luck fellow members.


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Program Top Stories
The Citizen Corps Good Stories provides a state online network of lessons learned and best practices designed to help emergency response providers and homeland security officials prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards.
Citizen Corps is constantly working to improve citizen and community preparedness by identifying and promoting good stories and lessons learned. The Good Stories showcases innovative and exemplary Citizen Corps programs from all disciplines. Lessons Learned identify and share lessons learned from the actual experience of Citizen Corps volunteers from around the state. Both Good Stories and Lessons Learned provide ideas from which other Citizen Corps Programs, Partners, and Affiliates can develop their own initiatives.
Story Guidelines:
- Please send your submissions by the 15th of each month.
- Submissions should be under 150 words.
- If you include photos, please send as an attachment (not in the body of the message.)
- Don't forget to tell us who is in the photo, where and when it was taken, and what it shows. All photos must be approved for publishing before submitting.
Featured Stories
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) To The Rescue
Pictured above are CERT Members Clara Hicks, Carmen West, Kim Malave and our unidentified victim.
CERT volunteers have been trained by the Sheriff's Office Emergency Management Section in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) CERT Course. This course contains basic search and rescue, basic first aid, fire suppression, weather observation and additional topics. CERT training is held one night a week for nine weeks. Our job is to help ourselves, our neighbors and our county during times when the first responders are overwhelmed with calls during any incident such as hurricane, tornadoes or flooding.
On the 23rd of March, 2013 The Citrus County CERT teams were activated for a search and rescue drill. The scenario was that three youth groups comprised of 4-H members, Scouts and Explorers were camping in the woods behind the County Extension Office in Lecanto, Fl. Early on the morning of the 23rd storms hit the area accompanied by straight line winds. This caused damage to the area. After a head count, it was determined 23 victims were unaccounted for. The Sheriff's Department was contacted and CERT was activated.
All four quadrants, the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast sent teams to the drill area. At the drill site a Command Center and Communication Center was established along with a triage area. The teams formed up and a briefing covering communications protocol and search area assignments were reviewed.
The teams were sent out to their assigned search area. Over the next two hours the teams found and treated all 23 victims, had them transported to triage for further treatment and if needed, transported to local medical facilities (simulated). The CERT drill was ended and viewed a success. For many, this was a first time we had an outdoor drill.
An after Action de-briefing was held to evaluate how the people involved in the drill felt about it and what they observed during the drill. Areas that need strengthening were discussed. These will be addressed in future training exercises.
Our communications set up was a combined effort with CERT and Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES). ARES members acted as perimeter security and manned the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to act as a relay for requests for transportation of recovered patients. Our Communications Supervisor was Joe Calzaretta. Jerry Dixon and Ed Koch manned the EOC during the drill. Joe and Jerry also teach the amateur radio (ham) radio courses that have resulted in over 75 CERT members becoming amateur radio licensed or have upgraded their licenses.
The drill today was a chance to practice our training in an outdoor environment. If CERT sounds interesting and you would like more information contact our website at www.citruscountycert.org or Gerry Brummer 352-382-4446. (Article by Gloria Wells and Ron King, 04/25/2013)
HRDF Post-Event Report Community Emergency Response Team [CERT] In Action
Aquin, Haiti - Tropical Storm "Isaac" - August 24-26, 2012
Aquin CERT member, mobilized with motorcycle, vest and first-aid pack talks with resident about precautions against the advancing storm, "Isaac." Note household toilet in background is already surrounded by standing water from a previous rainstorm.
The Haitian Resource Development Foundation <hrdf.org> was founded in 1987 and is based in Aquin on Haiti's south-central Caribbean coast. HRDF is an advocate and acknowledged leader for education, training and mobilization for emergency medical technology [EMT] and community emergency response teams [CERT], both being essential in disaster-prone small island states such as Haiti. For many years, HRDF's physicians and instructors, many of them from overseas universities, hospitals and emergency management organizations, have provided continuing education in emergency fields for Haitian police, firemen, medical and rescue personnel.
Three years ago, HRDF assembled and began to train a CERT for Aquin, the first of its kind in Haiti. Weekend sessions are held periodically, with subjects ranging from first aid, search and rescue, life support, mass-casualty response, transport and evacuation, community alerts, environmental and bio-surveillance and post-disaster assessment. With the approach of Tropical Storm "Isaac," Haiti's Ministry of Health and Population [MSPP] requested the services of Aquin's CERT. The purpose was to alert the residents, provide comfort, guidance and reliable advice, assist with storm preparations, be on-call during the storm passage, and then respond as needed to injuries and property damage. All of this takes into account that Aquin is a vulnerable coastal city and commune typical of dozens that face the sea, with their backs to Haiti's steep hills and mountainsides. Especially during severe weather events, these conditions pose significant threats from storm surges, landslides and flashfloods.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management CERT/Citizen Corps Program Office was crucial in the planning and training process prior to the storm impact. If you would like to support this CERT Program located in Aquin, Haiti, please contact Peggy Cadeaux at firstname.lastname@example.com or 850-413-9966.
2012 CERT Training at the Villages
Event overview.
Annual CERT Training (ACT) drills here in The Villages. We developed 12 modules for use as training aids (in addition to the topics listed below, we also have:
Patient Assessment
Profuse Bleeding
All of our 300+ CERT members must be refreshed in these modules at least once every 2 years. In addition, we have one open training session per month, where members are encouraged to attend (these include such topics as: Nuclear Emergency Preparedness, CERT Leadership Skills, Infectious Diseases, Heart Attack & Stroke Awareness). (08/28/2012)
2012 CERT Workshop and Training
Over 80 Program Managers throughout the State of Florida participated in the 2012 CERT Workshop and Training. The Citizen Corps Office delivered the L428 CERT Train-the-trainer at the International Palms Resort in Orlando, FL. As the current State CERT/Citizen Corps Program Coordinator, I would like to thank every Floridian who volunteered to make this workshop a success. Let's continue to engage the whole community in preparedness activities so that we can show the world how Florida citizens prepare for major disasters. Peggy Cadeaux, Coordinator (08/03/2012)
Helicopter Transport Presentation
On Wednesday, the 1st of August, 2012, the flight crew of Tampa General Hospital's Wildwood, Fl based AeroMed III gave a presentation on establishing a landing zone to members of CERT of The Villages. Following the presentation two "victims" were strapped to backboards and a practice drill to load a patient for transport was executed by the CERT members. (08/03/2012)
Villages First Responders Class
After 14 months of classes and drills, 16 members of CERT of The Villages completed the U.S. Department of Transportation First Responder course. Additionally, Instructor Larry Turner, who has 25 years of EMT skills, taught advanced life savings techniques for emergency situations. Each graduate was awarded a certificate of completion on April 28th, 2011 by class Captain Bill Pyle.
Pictured from rear left to right:
John Bartelink, Tom Connors, Tony Curtis, Dwight Gardstrom, Wayne Ward, Lyle Richard, Bill Pyle,
Front left to right: Sally Brynes, Kathy Francoeur, Mary Hall, Steph Starnes, Phyllis Hunter, Karen Stroman, George Silva.
Not Pictured: Stanly Golove and Bud Quackenbush
Eagles Scout Project Benefits Local CERT
Joshua Joyner from Troop 645 in the Gulf Coast Council located in Pensacola has just completed his Eagle Scout project which will benefit local CERT programs. And in true scouting form, he did a wonderful job with managing his overall project and graciously provided a thank you certificate to BRACE for the collaboration on the project. The new barricade posts and triage tarps will be put into use at our next CERT class disaster simulation drill being held on Saturday, September 25th during our Youth Emergency Preparedness EXPO: YEP Kids Save Lives, Too! The event while be during National Preparedness Month and involve many Citizen Corps Programs, Partners and Affiliates. (08/30/2010)
City of Pensacola CERT held first CERT Class Graduation
Twenty students participated in final CERT class disaster simulation drill on July 20th, 2010. In addition to the new CERTs, the City of Pensacola Citizen Corps Council and our Escambia County Medical Reserve Corps assisted with the drill by serving in the role as Evaluators and as disaster victim actors for the event. While taking a break from the oil spill work, the NCCC VISTA team got a chance to "play" in the disaster simulation, too. The event was held at Bayview Community Center in Pensacola and since this city park also includes a dry land and water Dog Park, it was great fun to include a puppy in our drill as well. View the CERT Summer 2010 Class Graduation (pdf). (08/30/2010)
2008 Broward County CERT Volunteer Awards Luncheon
The Fire Chiefs Association of Broward Countys "Broward Area CERT Coordinators Committee" officially announces the "2008 South Florida Community Emergency Response Team Volunteer Awards Luncheon" on Saturday, November 15th from 12:00PM 3:00PM at the Signature Grand in Davie.
This event provides the Broward Area CERT Coordinators Committee the opportunity to acknowledge CERT volunteers from across South Florida for their contributions to our communities. Each CERT Program Coordinator will have an opportunity to recognize one of their volunteers. The volunteer of your selection will receive an award from the Fire Chiefs Association of Broward County. Of the volunteers recognized, the Broward Area CERT Coordinators will select the one volunteer that stands out above all others as the South Florida CERT Volunteer of the Year. Last years recipient was Robin Burns of Pompano Beach. Luncheon Announcement | Attendee Registration Form | Volunteer Nomination Form
To Realistic for the Faint - Orange County 2008 CERT Drill
Her head wound was made-up so realistically, that the rescuers hesitated in approaching her. Fortunately, the graduates of CERT are familiar with a time saving system for evaluating levels of trauma... More About the Orange County 2008 CERT Drill (PDF)
Lealman Fire District Hurricane Conference
Dear CERT Community,
The Lealman Fire District's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is proud to partner with Saint Petersburg College to host the first ever Hurricane Conference dedicated to training CERT members on skills needed before, during and after a hurricane strikes your community! ... Read Full Story (PDF) | Read Full Flyer (PDF)
Santa Rosa On the Move
Not often do we see a government program succeed as intended, but in the case of the inception of the Citizen Corps program we can proudly say our tax dollars are working for the people that paid them ... Read Full Story
Miami-Dade Preparedness Fair
Miami-Dade County, FL – Miami-Dade Citizens Corps and Wal-Mart stores are holding a Public Safety Day event on Saturday, March 22, 2008 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store, 15885 S.W. 88 St. in Miami. The free event will promote public safety and awareness issues, best practices for family security during emergencies, and community preparedness ... Read Full Story
NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In any major disaster, emergency workers may not be able to reach everyone right away. What would you do if you had no electricity, no gas, no water and no telephone service? Having a plan for your family and their needs will help ensure their safety and comfort during these difficult times. A well thought-out plan of action for you and your family can go a long way toward reducing the damage from tornados, wildfires, severe thunderstorms and flooding that could strike the state of Florida.
Get Your Family Plan Today! | Get Your Business Plan Today!
July 20, 2017 9:02


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Visiting Oberlin
Planning a visit to Oberlin? This list of accommodations, local restaurants, transportation services, and other information may assist you as you make arrangements to spend a day, a weekend, or longer in Oberlin. Refer to our online Events Calendar to see what's happening on and around campus while you are here.


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Dr. Richard Michaels MD
- Vascular Surgery Warren, OH
Patient Reviews
Reviews reflect patients' level of satisfaction with the care they received from this provider. Dr. Richard Michaels xhas an overall rating of 5.0.
Dr. Richard Michaels, MD is a Doctor primarily located in Warren, OH, with another office in Youngstown, OH. He has 31 years of experience. His specialties include Vascular Surgery and Cardiovascular Disease. He speaks English.
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Specialties & Expertise
Dr. Richard Michaels has the following 10 areas of expertise and 2 specialties.
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In case you missed the 49ers' first quarter Sunday, here is what it resembled: A train wreck.
In case you missed the rest of the game, here is what it resembled: A beautiful train ride to New Orleans.
That became the 49ers' new destination city after they earned an invitation to Super Bowl XLVII for the first time in 18 years and their sixth trip overall to the NFL's ultimate party. And this one will be extraordinarily historic: The Super Sibling Bowl.
Never have brothers met as coaches in a pro football championship game. But when Jim Harbaugh leads the 49ers onto the field Feb. 3 at 3:30 p.m., the man on the opposing sideline will be his older brother, John Harbaugh, coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
"I don't know if we had a dream this big," a beaming John said
Sunday night after the Ravens won their Super Bowl trip by beating New England. "But we'll try and stay out of that business and let the two teams duke it out as much as possible."
Jim Harbaugh could not be reached for comment. He was 30,000 feet over land, traveling home from Atlanta after the 49ers had won their way into the matchup with a 28-24 victory over the Falcons -- by unfurling the greatest comeback in the history of the NFC Championship game.
"It was an amazing game to watch," said 49er owner Jed York. "One of the best football games I've ever seen."
York is just 32 years old. But he's got a good argument.
There are many ways for an NFL team to reach a Super Bowl. The 49ers took a path that was agonizing and hideous and glorious and nerve-racking and uplifting and revolting and stunning and triumphant -- all in less than three hours. They fell behind the Atlanta Falcons here, 17-0, and now they're going to the Super Bowl.
Perhaps by then, the 49ers will finally have figured out how they managed to claw from so far behind to take their first lead halfway through the fourth quarter, then make a bold defensive stand inside their own 20-yard line to hold off a tough Falcons team in a very clamorous Georgia Dome. On Sunday night, some were still at a loss for words about how it exactly happened.
"They always say a man's true character will come out in adversity," said 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis afterward.
Whether or not you believe that's a cliché, the 49ers had no choice but to find their true selves Sunday unless they wanted their season to be done. The Falcons overwhelmed them in the first quarter to such an extent that the 49ers offense possessed the ball for just three minutes and 12 seconds.
Things reached a nadir when Atlanta took that 17-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter. Up in the visiting owners' box, York was feeling overwrought. So he turned his gaze to Jaxon, his 3-month-old son.
"I picked up Jax, and he calmed me down," York said. "And I got to hold onto him during our first touchdown drive."
That drive cut the Falcons' lead to 17-7 and was the 49ers' first real spark of life. York wondered whether he should ever put down his son. Instead, he and wife, Danielle, alternated holding the baby the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, on the field, the 49ers were gathering themselves and figuring out their next moves. Their view on the bench was that the Falcons were simply playing near-perfect football, and it would be hard for them to continue doing so -- especially if the 49ers brought more heat.
"We weren't frustrated," said defensive lineman Justin Smith. "We knew they were a good team. We knew we weren't going to go on the road and just shut everybody down. ... Guys stepped up and made some plays. Big-time players make big-time plays."
"There was no fear," agreed offensive lineman Alex Boone. "Nobody got out of whack. We knew we just needed a little momentum to get going."
Hello there, momentum. The 49ers offense scored again on its next possession to make it 17-14. The Falcons scored just before halftime to lead 24-14, but once the third quarter began, the 49ers took ownership offensively and defensively. On the Falcons' five possessions in the second half, Atlanta gave up the ball twice on turnovers -- an interception and a fumble -- and scored zero points.
On the flip side, 49ers' running back, Frank Gore scored twice to give his team a 28-24 lead with 8:23 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Still, there was one very hairy sequence remaining. The Falcons' offense churned out one last effective drive and had a first down at the 49ers' 16-yard line with 2:23 left. The defense needed one more shutdown series. Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick, watching from the bench, stepped onto the field during a timeout and yelled at his defensive teammates: "This is for the Super Bowl! I've got confidence in you!"
The next four plays will become famous in team lore. On first down, Willis jammed a Falcons' run for a 1-yard gain. On second down, Willis and fellow linebacker Ahmad Brooks held a pass play to 5 positive yards. On third down, Brooks batted down a pass. And on fourth down, linebacker NaVorro Bowman positioned himself perfectly and blew up another pass play. The 49ers took over the ball on downs with 1:09 left.
After the game, Jim Harbaugh was asked whether he'd felt comfortable with his defense as that crucial Falcons series began. Harbaugh -- who had suffered a mini-meltdown a few plays earlier when a replay challenge went against him -- was surprisingly honest.
"Wow," Harbuagh said. "If you would phrase that using a different word. ... Comfortable is not in the football lexicon. We rose up there at the end, and it was a great finish for our defense, an exclamation point."
There was one more semi-nervous moment when the Falcons got the ball back for a single offensive play. But it went nowhere. And at long last, veteran players such as Gore and Smith and Randy Moss and others will be making their first trip to the NFL's championship game.
Smith admitted that there were "absolutely" times when he wondered if this day would ever come. The same for safety Donte Whitner, who spent five years toiling in Buffalo obscurity and losing and losing and losing before signing with the 49ers.
"There was a time when you wondered whether something like this would ever be possible," Whitner said. "But now, I see that everything is possible."
The possibilities now stretch from here to Bourbon Street. We've got two weeks to wallow in a matchup with Baltimore between the two Harbaugh brothers, along with so many other angles. But for now, it's fine to savor Sunday's unforgettable outcome.
Here's one thing you can say for sure: It was the best football game that Jax York has ever seen.
Contact Mark Purdy at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MercPurdy.


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