Lobby | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 07 Dec 2023 10:30:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Lobby | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 You’ll only get ray-traced graphics in Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone’s pre-match lobbies https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/youll-only-get-ray-traced-graphics-in-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3-and-warzones-pre-match-lobbies/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/joao-silva/youll-only-get-ray-traced-graphics-in-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3-and-warzones-pre-match-lobbies/#respond Tue, 05 Dec 2023 16:30:18 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=639733 While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 did launch with support for upscalers like DLSS 3 and XeSS, it does not feature ray-tracing. That will change with a patch this week, bringing ray-traced graphics to the game, but there's a catch – ray-tracing will only be shown in the pre-game lobby and not during actual …

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While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 did launch with support for upscalers like DLSS 3 and XeSS, it does not feature ray-tracing. That will change with a patch this week, bringing ray-traced graphics to the game, but there's a catch – ray-tracing will only be shown in the pre-game lobby and not during actual gameplay. 

Nvidia stated that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone will receive an option to enable ray tracing and Nvidia DLSS 3.5 with ray reconstruction in the pre-game lobby. So, unless Nvidia miswrote the announcement, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III won't have DLSS 3 (campaign-only) or ray tracing support during actual multiplayer gameplay.

Unfortunately, the announcement doesn't explain the reason behind this decision, after all, who would bother switching on ray tracing just for the pre-game lobby? However, it is worth noting that by doing it this way, Activision can avoid complaints about RT performance issues during matches and also continue to use the pre-game lobby as a vehicle for advertising in-game skins. In all, not a great use or implementation of the technology.

Something similar happened with Armoured Core 6, which also received ray tracing support but only for the game's garage. There were no ray tracing effects during actual gameplay, rendering them essentially meaningless. We also saw this with Forza Horizon 5, which only had ray-tracing effects in the car viewer.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: It seems odd to me that Call of Duty games are taking steps back with their PC graphics options. Modern Warfare 2019 offered RT Shadows during the campaign, only for RT effects to be removed in MW2. Now, RT is back in MW3, but given the restrictions on when RT can be enabled, it feels pretty pointless. 

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Anti-piracy group sued by fan-subbers in free speech claim https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/anti-piracy-group-sued-by-fan-subbers-in-free-speech-claim/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/anti-piracy-group-sued-by-fan-subbers-in-free-speech-claim/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2016 12:29:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=282726 In an about face from the usual reporting we do on anti-piracy lobby groups, BRIEN, a Dutch organisation is being sued by the Free Subtitles Foundation, a group that creates fan-made subtitles for movies. Its claim, is that what it does is protected by freedom of speech and it wants to stop anti-piracy groups from …

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In an about face from the usual reporting we do on anti-piracy lobby groups, BRIEN, a Dutch organisation is being sued by the Free Subtitles Foundation, a group that creates fan-made subtitles for movies. Its claim, is that what it does is protected by freedom of speech and it wants to stop anti-piracy groups from going after it by setting a precedent in court.

BRIEN is a lobby group that has had its fair share of legal tussles over copyright law breaches online. It's also one of the few lobby groups that has lost a few times too, with Dutch ISP Ziggo famously undoing a block order after defeating BRIEN in court.

While an ISP has much more resources to throw at the lawyer money vacuum, the Free Subtitles Foundation isn't exactly devoid of funds. Over the past two years it's raised nearly 15,000 Euros (£11,300) to help fight its case, in the hopes that it can stop BRIEN from going after subtitles groups in the future. In the past, it's done just that, despite them being mainly used for unavailable foreign translations, or for the hearing impaired.

anime

Translating half the crazy in your average anime is worthy of praise in itself. Source: jsks/Pixabay

BRIEN is expected to receive its court summons in the next week or so, though its position on the matter is already known. Fansubbers has (as per TorrentFreak) contacted the lobby group in the past, but was told that it believes large scale subtitle distribution can do great damage to the industry.

It's way of thinking is that unlicensed subtitles allow people to watch foreign language films from other territories, even if the film has yet to be released in their country.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The solutions for these sorts of issues are just bizarre. Instead of accepting that people want to watch the content in those countries at the same time as everyone else, they try and block subtitles. Just do worldwide releases and all of these legal headaches go away for good.

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U.S. spent $350 million+ on lobbying for TPP in the last year https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/u-s-spent-350-million-on-lobbying-for-tpp-in-the-last-year/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/u-s-spent-350-million-on-lobbying-for-tpp-in-the-last-year/#respond Wed, 29 Jul 2015 09:39:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=261248 The Trans Pacific Partnership is a trade deal much like the TTIP which currently threatens to affect medicine prices, copyright law and consumer privacy in the UK and elsewhere. It affects much of the Pacfic island nations, the Western coast countries of South America and North America, with politicians trumpeting its benefits. However clearly it's …

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The Trans Pacific Partnership is a trade deal much like the TTIP which currently threatens to affect medicine prices, copyright law and consumer privacy in the UK and elsewhere. It affects much of the Pacfic island nations, the Western coast countries of South America and North America, with politicians trumpeting its benefits. However clearly it's not as popular as they would like to make out, as lobbyists have spent more than $350 million in the past three quarters alone, trying to have it passed.

The Pro TPP coalition is made up of various U.S. businesses, all of which stand to benefit from the trade deal, which is being debated with little public oversight. One of the largest, the United States Chamber of Commerce, spent almost $18 million between April and June this year, attempting to persuade politicians to approve the controversial bill.

In contrast, U.S. labour groups which see TPP as likely to send jobs overseas – much as president Clinton's North American Free Trade Agreement did in the '90s – have been doing some lobbying of their own, but with more restricted finances, they have only managed to raise and ultimately spend $920,000 (as per Reuters).

tpp222

This does however represent a rise of almost 40 per cent of its lobbying funds when comparing first and second quarter numbers, so across the board TPP lobbying is heating up.

As much as lobbying is taking place in the United States, New Zealand may be a key player in the future of TPP. Prime minister John Key recently admitted that the price of medicines within the country would rise if TPP was signed in to law – something that doctors have been warning about for years.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNsHAHQh4Es']

This is something that with the extension of patents for drug companies, would likely happen across the board of signing nations, making medicine more expensive for everyone and harder to obtain too.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While wealthier nations might be able to shoulder the extra costs, especially in countries with governmental health care systems, more economically strapped nations will really notice it, making drugs much less available to the most vulnerable. 

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Swedish ISP continues to refuse Pirate Bay block https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/swedish-isp-continues-to-refuse-pirate-bay-block/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/swedish-isp-continues-to-refuse-pirate-bay-block/#respond Wed, 04 Mar 2015 12:09:09 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=238611 Even though it barely seems to be operational these days, The Pirate Bay is the most iconic torrent search site in the world and is frequently cited by media lobby groups as a URL that ISPs should block – often with the courts backing that decision. While some ISPs might put up a fight, they …

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Even though it barely seems to be operational these days, The Pirate Bay is the most iconic torrent search site in the world and is frequently cited by media lobby groups as a URL that ISPs should block – often with the courts backing that decision. While some ISPs might put up a fight, they usually go along with the block and appeal it later, much like Dutch ISP Ziggo. However, the Bredbandsbolaget ISP in Sweden has categorically refused to block the site, stating that customers should be allowed to look at what they like online.

As you might imagine, media lobby groups that pushed for the block order in the first place – which include Universal, Sony Music, Warner Music, Nordisk Film and members of the Swedish film industry – aren't happy and there is a court date slated  for October later this year. Still, Bredbandsbolaget has been quite clear about its stance. As TorrentFreak points out, it does not believe it can be held responsible for traffic carried on its network.

greenranger
With the Green Ranger at the helm, who wouldn't expect Bredbandsbolaget to stand up for the people

Unlike many other ISPs, Bredbandsbolaget clearly sees the writing on the wall: once you agree that customer actions on your network make you partly responsible, it opens you up to far more than just block orders.

“We stick to our starting point that our customers have the right to freely communicate and share information over the internet,” said a company spokesperson.

The ISP initially made its refusal back in December last year, but it was only recently that a court date has been announced as talks between the two parties failed to find a resolution.

The court case, when it does take place, will be an interesting once to watch. While there are a lot of companies arrayed against it, Bredbadsbolaget stands to change digital policy in Sweden and other parts of Europe if it is successful. It is also somewhat of a landmark case since Sweden is the Pirate Bay's spiritual home, having been hosted there for many years and founded within the country's borders.

KitGuru Says: It's always nice to see ISPs standing up for their customers. Although sites like TPB do facilitate piracy, limiting access to those sorts of sites also hurts those that use them for other reasons, like distributing their professional work among friends, family and fans. 

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Police claim big impact on piracy, have you noticed a difference? https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/police-claim-big-impact-on-piracy-have-you-noticed-a-difference/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/police-claim-big-impact-on-piracy-have-you-noticed-a-difference/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2014 07:59:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=198189 The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), set up late last year to help the authorities in the UK tackle online piracy and file sharing, has hailed its efforts over the past nine months as impactful, stating that with the help of media lobby group FACT (the British arm of the MPAA), it's managed to …

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The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), set up late last year to help the authorities in the UK tackle online piracy and file sharing, has hailed its efforts over the past nine months as impactful, stating that with the help of media lobby group FACT (the British arm of the MPAA), it's managed to suspend over 2,359 domain names, seen warrants served on 15 site owners and shut down the ability for as many as 19 other sites to process payments.

hook
We all know there's only one thing that can take down a real pirate

FACT has been busy on its own too, claiming to have shut down some 117 pirate websites and even suggests it had a hand in the arrest of as many as seven members of release groups, the piracy collectives that rush content online as soon as it's aired. As TorrentFreak points out though, the language suggests that some of the investigations on these individuals are still ongoing.

FACT was also proud of the fact that it's had 10 different websites blocked by ISPs after having the high court deal out orders for them.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Surely then this has has an impact on torrent site users and pirates across the UK? If you're a user of these sorts of sites, we'd love to hear from you. With all the goings on from FACT and PIPCU, have you found it harder to find the content you want to watch? 

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MPAA, studios file suit against Megaupload to cover bases https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/mpaa-studios-file-suit-against-megaupload-to-cover-bases/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/mpaa-studios-file-suit-against-megaupload-to-cover-bases/#respond Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:37:16 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=186430 Movie studios and lobby groups have been gunning for Kim Dotcom for some time. In conjunction with the New Zealand authorities and FBI, they spied on him before and after his arrest in January 2012 and since have been pushing to have the man extradited to the US. However with the trial approaching, clearly they've …

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Movie studios and lobby groups have been gunning for Kim Dotcom for some time. In conjunction with the New Zealand authorities and FBI, they spied on him before and after his arrest in January 2012 and since have been pushing to have the man extradited to the US. However with the trial approaching, clearly they've decided to insure themselves in-case he isn't deported and have filed a suit against the defunct site and its owner in a Virginia court.

If extradited to the US, Dotcom would face several high profile charges for money laundering, fraud and conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. However if that doesn't happen, the MPAA will still want to sue the man, so it's gone ahead and gotten the ball rolling.

megaupload
Despite being one of the biggest sites in the world and endorsed by many a big name, Megaupload was seized and shuttered in early 2012

In the new suit, the lobby groups hope to secure an unspecified amount for damages, as well as attorney's fees. According to Reuters, they're hoping to be rewarded with as much as $150,000 per instance of copyright infringement.

Dotcom and his legal team are dismissive of the suit, calling it “science fiction.” Head of Dotcom's US defence team, Ira Rothken, said: “The MPAA is suddenly realizing that we're a few months away from the extradition hearing, and once Kim Dotcom and the others prevail in the extradition hearing they'll have more resources and more assets.”The MPAA wants to have cover if the Department of Justice fails in the extradition and the criminal case.”

What's interesting about this filing though, is that it gives Dotcom's team another opportunity to request the evidence arraigned against him. While he ultimately failed to get ahold of it for the extradition trial, with the judge eventually ruling (after much back and forth) that providing a summary instead would expedite the already lengthy process, with a new filing, Dotcom's team can once again demand access to the evidence.

KitGuru Says: This isn't unexpected, but perhaps shows a lack of confidence in the MPAA's chances of getting Dotcom extradited. 

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