Stardock is excited to announce that “phase two” of its digital download platform, Impulse, has begun and all updates, new games and software applications will soon be live. Phase two of Impulse sees new games from 2k (Civilizations III, Shattered Union, Sid Meier’s Pirates! and Sid Meier’s Railroads!) and Tilted Mill’s Children of the Nile enhanced edition. New software applications include a host of Corel applications like WordPerfect Office X4, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, and Corel Paint Shop Pro X2 as well as software applications from Genie Soft, Iolo, and AVG Internet Security and Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware software.
Phase two of Impulse also adds the ability for users to install and update third-party and freeware programs that are available via Impulse. This makes the transfer of the catalogue of programs installed on a user’s machine extraordinarily simple from machine to machine as it’s all centrally located on Impulse. Phase two has already addressed user feedback and incorporates significantly faster load times, downloads, a smart queue option and a smarter updating process which exponentially decreases processing time for updates.
Stardock’s Impulse is getting ready to move into the second phase, and there are some pretty significant changes upcoming. Some of the changes and additions were posted today, so I wanted to give a quick summary of what they are.
Phase II of Impulse will include:
Load time. A new Fast Load option is on by default and allows Impulse to be loaded in about 1 second or less depending how fast the machine is.
Downloads. Downloads are much faster thanks to new clustered server back-end along with Stardock’s new digital download framework that comes with Impulse replacing bits by default.
Logons/Connections/Redownloads. A major back-end update is nearly complete to handle the higher than anticipated user base of Impulse at this stage. This should radically improve the responsiveness of it.
Processing/Building List. A major improvement in determining which files need to be updated. The existing system literally checks every file against what’s on the server. This is fine on say WindowBlinds but on a program like GalCiv or Sins of a Solar Empire, it’s a very long process. The new system should reduce this time to almost nothing.
If you haven’t downloaded Impulse yet, head on over to ImpulseDriven.com and get the free download.
Impulse, the next-gen of digital distribution platforms, continues to grow, and there are so many ideas and features that are being floated around, it’s almost crazy. However, one thing that we at Stardock take pride in is listening to our customers and even potential customers on how to improve upon what we have built. Community feedback has played a big role in shaping how game updates have been made, and now we can do the same thing in regards to the future of Impulse.
Brad Wardell wrote a more extensive article on this, so I wanted to make sure that everyone takes a moment and gives it a read. Basically, you have the power to help change and shape the future of development regarding Impulse, and we want your feedback!
I have used Paint Shop Pro since about version 8, and I have upgraded to almost every other version update since then. I was always recommended PSP from many members of the skinning community, and even today I know many popular skinners who use this. Paint Shop Pro has come a long way since I first started using it, and even though it has moved more towards use with photography, I found it’s still a great graphics tool that is perfect for making skins and themes. Best of all, it’s a great alternative to other higher-end imaging software which costs much, much more.
The first thing I notice when opening Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 is it’s sporty a sleek new graphite theme, which can be disabled if you rather have the previous style. The graphite theme works well and gives a darker look to the whole application, which at least to me, makes working on graphics easier on the eyes. If you are new to Paint Shop Pro, or just need some help in some areas, there is a Learning Center docked to the left side which guides you through the process of several techniques like making photo collages, adding effects, adjusting images, etc. Of course you can configure the interface to your liking, but I found the default quite suitable for my needs. There is also an image browsing window where you can easier organize, find, and edit images stored on your computer.
All the tools you would ever need to either create graphics for skinning, or for adjusting photographs, are right here. I was happy to see one of my favorite tools, the picture tubes, are still there. There is such a wide variety of settings and tools available that I could write all day about, but take my word for it, it has what you need. On the photography side, there are several “one-step” fixes for various common corrections in photos. There is also a new Express Lab which can batch edit several files or folders at once with actions like crop, resize, etc.
Some other new features are the HDR Photo Merge which combines two or more images and corrects the contrast automatically. Also new is the addition of layer styles and watermark support, both of which should be welcomed to both beginner and seasoned professionals. The Black & White conversion tool has also been enhanced along with the Makeover tools which are essential for fixing any impurities in images.
While I was once concerned that Paint Shop Pro would only be useful to photographers, I have now realize that it’s only added to the graphics experience. Whether you are a photographer, graphic designer, or skinner, Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 has all the features necessary to bring your creativity to life.
You have heard me talk a lot about Impulse over the past couple of months, and much of that was about gaming. One of the most exciting features about Impulse is that it’s not only limited to games, you can also get applications through it as well. The latest edition to Impulse has been some applications from Corel.
These are some really great applications and I can’t wait to see what else is in the lineup. The best is I can download and manage these applications through Impulse, so I don’t have to worry about losing the CD’s or things like that. Stardock’s Impulse is a free download, so go check it out.
The latest edition of the SkinCast is up. We have a great discussion about the launch of Impulse, and our special guest Seabass even takes the time to give several support tips on making the most out of Impulse. After that Seabass tells us about his design and skinning skills, and also gives tips to people in 3D design and .dream creation. It’s a great episode so be sure to check it out!
Stardock has released the highly anticipated Impulse today. Impulse is the next-generation of digital distribution for PC games and applications. With Impulse, users don’t have to worry about losing registration numbers or finding long lost CD’s when setting up or updating a new or existing PC. Once a user purchases a game or application, that item is associated with their Impulse account so it will always be accessible.
Impulse will also provide a virtual platform called Impulse Reactor, a set of server-side features for developers that will work even if the user doesn’t have the Impulse client installed. Impulse Reactor will include support for virtual drives for saved game data, multiplayer matchmaking, game rankings, NAT negotiation for multiplayer games, friends lists, and support forums.
If you would like to try out the Impulse beta, now is the time. Please note this is still a beta and things will be changed and overhauled, this is just a preview to get more feedback on bugs.
What is Impulse? Impulse is Stardock’s successor to Stardock Central. It is designed to merge all of Stardock’s various digital networks into a single platform (TotalGaming.net, WinCustomize.com, and Object Desktop.net). With it, users can buy, download and update a wide variety of software.
Will Impulse replace Stardock Central? Eventually. But we expect to keep both going for a long time so that fans of Stardock Central don’t feel pushed to get Impulse.
What will be on Impulse? Eventually, everything. Right now, it’s mostly Stardock titles and a handful of indie games. With Impulse, we are opening it up to all publishers of all venues - games, utilities, applications. On the games side, we expect parity with Steam and Direct2Drive by the end of 2008. On the non-game side, we hope to have most major utilities and a number of major applications available on it.
Does Impulse have DRM? Impulse does not use DRM as it’s traditionally thought of. It uses a technology called SSD (Secure Software Delivery) which ensures that the content is transferred to the user in secure form. Users are able to install their games onto multiple machines using their accounts within reason (the system does evaluate geographic locations of multiple installs and a number of other metrics to flag possible "warez" accounts). Stardock is also working on a new technology tentatively called Secure Virtual Machines (SVM). More information on SVMs will be released later. Overall, Impulse is largely invisible to users. They do not need an Internet connection to play games, they can re-download the full retail game from it even if they purchased it elsewhere, and there is no "phoning home" during the launch of games.
Stardock is excited to announce that “phase two” of its digital download platform, Impulse, has begun and all updates, new games and software applications will soon be live. Phase two of Impulse sees new games from 2k (Civilizations III, Shattered Union, Sid Meier’s Pirates! and Sid Meier’s Railroads!) and Tilted Mill’s Children of the Nile enhanced edition. New software applications include a host of Corel applications like WordPerfect Office X4, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, and Corel Paint Shop Pro X2 as well as software applications from Genie Soft, Iolo, and AVG Internet Security and Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware software.
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