Guest: Shane - Team Hot
Guest: Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
Guest: Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
Guest: Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Host: Rio Pesino - PodTech

Rio Pesino - PodTech
This is Rio Pesino for PodTech.net, reporting from NVIDIA's Reality Redefined event in San Jose, California. Now at Reality Redefined, NVIDIA is hosting a number of gaming tournaments, and its annual GForce LAN party. Team Hot was one of the gaming clans participating in one of the tournaments held at NVIDIA's LAN party, and they came out on top, winning first place in a Battlefield 2142 gaming tournament. I sat down with the members of Team Hot and the team gave their thoughts on the GForce LAN party, the GeForce 8800 Graphics Card and the event as a whole.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Shane, we're here at NVIDIA, a big event introducing the GeForce 8800, a big LAN party here. Your team, Team Hot, won a tournament today, tell us about that?

Shane - Team Hot
Well, we competed in a 2142 event here where, actually the prizes were really, really nice. There was I think 20 teams to start with, and they played the finals today, which we played here at GameInn and beat them in a close second round. It was really a good game.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
You guys win anything?

Shane - Team Hot
Yeah, we won NVIDIA 7950s, we won FX Processors, and we won like Gigabyte Motherboard, so it was pretty nice.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
So what are your thoughts on the event today and yesterday, what are your thoughts on the event as a whole?

Shane - Team Hot
Actually I'm really impressed. I was impressed with how professional it is, how clean it is. One of my earlier experiences with LAN's was basically at a flea market, it was like a no bathing policy I think. This was really nice, the people here are really good, it's real professional, and I've been impressed.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Sorry about that Shane, we'll wait for that plane to pass by. Shane, let's go ahead and talk about NVIDIA's announcement, introducing the GForce 8800. What are your thoughts on the new graphics card?

Shane - Team Hot
That graphics card is unbelievable. I don't know if I can probably express it. I went to a basically a 45-minute presentation and it was just showing the advancements, and it's going to take gaming to a level that nobody -- you just can't understand it until you look at it, you watch it, you see what they've been able to do with DirectX 10, with the new technology they're using, that kind of things. So I'm really impressed, excited about the future of gaming.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
How does this compare to the graphics card that you currently have?

Shane - Team Hot
I mean it's a man among boys. It's not even in the same ballpark.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
What are your thoughts on NVIDIA and the new technology, them pushing the envelope and (Voice Overlap)?

Shane - Team Hot
That's what I'm saying, it's horribly impressive. It's beyond anything I expected. I thought it was going to be a gradual step forward and more impressive graphics and things, but this is just huge, its mind blowing.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Where do you see the future of gaming headed, I mean do you see it getting any better than what we just saw with the GeForce 8800?

Shane - Team Hot
Personally I hope, at the same time I mean if that's the best we got, if that's the best it'll ever be then I don't think I'm going to be unhappy. I was really honestly impressed with some of the visual capabilities that the 8800's able to do combined with like DirectX 10 and Vista and some of the technologies. So, if this is the best we've got than I think everybody's going to be happy, but I've come to expect with NVIDIA at least that, they're going to push the envelope even farther.

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
Michael Wilbanks. My alias is MichaelD.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
I feel 2142, Team Hot came out on top today here at NVIDIA. What are your feelings and you must be pretty juiced.

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
The events awesome, the tournament was awesome, we had a lot of fun, good stuff.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Now, what are your thoughts on NVIDIA's announcement today with the GeForce 8800?

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
The whole thing they did in there was definitely pretty cool. I like the whole presentation they had, graphics card and the new chips that they're coming out with, it's pretty nice, I mean they -- it was like they went all out this time.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
How does this compare to your current rig then?

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
Yeah, it blows it out, easily, easily.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
You guys plan on upgrading your systems anytime soon with this announcement?

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
If the money is right it's definitely possible.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Yeah, definitely to trick out your system, and then it's certainly going to cost you a bit of cash.

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
Oh yeah.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
So, you guys won in this tournament today, Battlefield 2142, was it pretty soft or what?

Michael Wilbanks - Team Hot
Yeah, it's a great tournament, it's 5 v 5 with vehicles. I think there are about 32 teams that were participating. We just had our final (ph) match, so it's fun. I had a lot of good time, good stuff.

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
I'm Allen WhiteBlade Gonzalez.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
How does it feel man, you guys are still pretty great?

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
It's nice, it's unbelievable, especially winning with all the prizes and all that. This is my first event here, first time to one of these, and it's awesome.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
First time at a LAN event, this must be overwhelming, because NVIDIA's just blown it out of the water man, they're going all out here.

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
Oh yeah definitely, I'm very excited, I'm happy with what they did.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
What are your thoughts on the products they announced?

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
The 8800? Oh man, I'm thinking, give me one right now, it kills my machine. As soon as they -- I'm going, give me one, as soon as they release it.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
This has to be a big, big step as far as PC gaming is concerned.

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
Its definitely heading the right way, bunch of teams, competition, everyone's trying to get into it, and I'm hoping it moves on further.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Any problems with the event, or with the announcement, any grudges?

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
Nothing.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Not really?

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
Everything has been cool except I lost the Rock Paper Scissors contest.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
That's right, I saw that, it was over like 70, 80, a 100 people trying to win that.

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
Oh man! Then I missed out on the tug of war.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Its okay man, there's always next year. I'm pretty sure they'll be other LAN parties out there man.

Allan Gonzalez - Team Hot
I'll meet you next year.

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Kyle (Dep) Trantham, I'm from Flint, Michigan.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
You guys are hot, definitely hot.

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
We're hot tonight. We just won GeForce LAN 3 here in San Jose. We beat Era (ph) Gaming by six tickets second round; it was a real close one, we had a lot of fun here.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Now, how long have you guys been playing Battlefield 2142?

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Well, I'm new to Team Hot, I've been around for about two months or whatever, but they've been around for about two years, and they've had a lot of accomplishments, so this isn't a new thing to them, winning.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
How about for you, is this your first LAN party?

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
This isn't my first LAN. I've been to a couple of LAN before, but this is the best LAN I've ever been to, for sure.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
So, your general thoughts on NVIDIA hosting this event has to be a positive one?

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
NVIDIA put so much money and effort into this LAN that it can't -- nothing else even comes closer to comparing with this LAN. They're letting us play all these new games, to see the new DirectX 10 stuff before anyone else is just real good privilege, and I'm glad I could be a part of it.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
What are your thoughts on the GeForce 8800, DirectX 10 and Vista as a whole? What are your thoughts on that?

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Yeah, Vista, DirectX 10, GeForce 8800, it's all overwhelming. I can't believe that some people here are going to be walking home with technology that just came out today. It's mind-blowing to be honest that, I'm here witnessing the next generation, the next architecture firsthand.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
You've come a long way.

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Yeah.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Really come a long way from the days of Wolfenstein.

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Yeah, I do remember when 3dfx got bought up by GeForce, and they've come a long way. It's amazing.

Rio Pesino - PodTech
Congratulations on the victory Team Hot and thanks a lot for the Podcast.

Kyle Trantham - Team Hot
Thank you.