Gods of War, Football and Back To College

I don't usually do these kinda posts, but I'm in an unusual good mood today, so I'm going to try hit this one out of the ball park, you diggin what I'm laying down? I knew you could, slide me some skin soul brother!

Anyway, earlier this year, Forgeworld (a sister company of Games Workshop) released the Eldar Avatar, pictured below.

Forgeworld tend to make resin models of the stuff GW only touches on, stuff that would perhaps be too big for regular games of WH and what not. The original GW Avatar is pictured on the right. Needless to say, the Forgeworld one is vastly superior. Since I recognised the talent at Forgeworld, I had aspired to eventually purchase something from them, to add a kindof 'final touch' to my army. And about 3 weeks ago, I did just that. I purchased the above Avatar to replace the crappy one. It arrived about a week and a half ago and is currently sitting -unpainted- in front of me here as we speak, fully assembled. Hopefully when I catch, torture and kill the gremlin hiding away in my digital camera, I'll start up some sortof 'Project Log' or something here on blogger.

As a follow up, I decided that this year I would save up to buy one of Forgeworlds 'Mega' kits, this being the Eldar Revenant, pictured below. At €250 this is certainly going to rape my wallet, but given the complexity of the build, not to mention the vast painting time that will go into it, I'm just relishing the challenge.

The footy season is back in business, not just the Premiership but also my youth team playing again in Division 1 after finishing 4th last year, though there was only about 3-4 points between the top 4 teams. This day last week we had a friendly against Iveagh Trust, and I was pretty satisfied after about 50mins, given that we were 5-1 up.... Unfortunately, we ended up losing the game 6-5. I still don't know what exactly went wrong..... But today we've a friendly against Esker Celtic, the very club that play in the park just beside my house, hence how we got the friendly, so we had better win, if not, its back on the rack!!!

Finally, today I managed to enrol for all my modules for this and the next semester. It's looking really promising as at the moment, I will finish at 12pm most Mondays, 1pm most Wednesdays, 1pm every Thursday (and starting at 11am), and 3pm every Friday!! Yippee!!!

That's all folks!!!!

~The Damo

Resistance: Fall of Man - The Review!!

Finally, after a LONG time, I took an hour or so today (Monday 21st of August) to finish RFOM. After three beers, two sore thumbs and one headache I can safely say that it was worth it. In previous blogs I've given brief snippets and images of the background behind the game, which is most definitely one of the games strong points. The storyline is so enveloping and original, coupled with in-game documents that further add to the plot, that it is very hard not to get into RFOM.

As this review will likely take up several blogs and much typing time, not to mention aching fingers and irritated eyes, I will split the blog(s) up into as follows:

Part 1 - Game History and Characters, Weapons, Enemies and Tips

Part 2 - Visual Appeal, Sound, Realism, Location, Enemy AI

Part 3 - All 29 Levels, Multiplayer and Unlockables

The Review - Part 1

History (Covered Previously)

http://smoke-me-a-kipper-back-for-breakfast.blogspot.com/2007/06/resistance-fall-of-man-preview.html

Characters

>Nathan Hale - the main protagonist and player character. The U.S. Army deployed in Britain to face the Chimeran threat. No sooner had they landed than thousands of soldiers were incapacitated by the Chimeran virus. Hale was the only victim to recover. Shortly after awaking, Hale continued on his mission, and freed British Resistance Captain Rachel Parker, who takes note of his strange gold colored eyes. Throughout the war, Hale would prove to be a vital member of the Resistance forces, and the last hope in defeating the Chimera..

>Captain Rachel Parker - is the primary figure in coordinating a resistance to the Chimera in England, and eventually helps lead an offensive on Chimeran power grids. She takes the role of the narrator in the game aswell, describing the events of Nathan Hale and the evect of the Chimera virus on him.

>Lieutenant Stephen Cartwright - is a lieutenant in the British Royal Marines during the war against the Chimera. Not much is known about Cartwright's life other than the fact that his known family consist of his youngest daughter Angela Cartwright, who was found in a bunker after the purge of London tower. The fact that he has a daughter may or may not suggest that he has a wife. He accompanys Hale on several missions throughout the game.

The Chimera

The Chimera are the fictional, alien-like mutants that are the main enemies in the game. The creatures come from somewhere in Russia and they are believed to be the result of a biological experiment gone wrong, although events and revelations further on in the game and the Chimeras' advanced technologies (such as advanced weather control and force fields) might rightly lead a player to deduce that the Chimera are, in fact, extraterrestrial in orign. They infect humans with a transformative virus which causes its victims to fall into a coma, during which the virus transforms them into Chimeran creatures.

The Chimera are much stronger than regular humans, and have between two and six yellow eyes. The Chimeran metabolism is twelve times that of humans, which allow for extraordinary healing abilities, but it causes them to overheat quickly; for that reason, Chimera soldiers are implanted with cooling devices on their backs, and they alter their climate to lower temperatures. Chimeran technology is much more advanced than human technology. It is also said in several intelligence reports during the game that they will devour their own kind, usually their wounded or dead.

The Cloven

The Cloven have not appeared in Resistance: Fall of Man, and are fairly mysterious. They appear to be a kind of superhuman. An unlockable skin in multiplayer under the name "Cloven" features a bald, pale-skinned humanoid in a foreign military uniform. In intelligence reports and on the official site, they are said to be maniacs who speak Russian, ritualistically mutilate themselves and their victims, and feed on the bodies of their own dead soldiers. In another intel document within the game, the Cloven lured the Chimera to York which was where the Americans were landing. In another intel report, the Cloven are said to kill themselves to avoid turning into Chimeras. Also, the British guess that they probably turn into Slipskulls (A type of Chimera). They appear to be enemies of both the Chimera and the Euro-American forces.

Weapons

M5A2 Carbine - This is the first weapon you have when you start the game. It's quite good, and is useful for dealing with virtually all enemies in the game. This is your trusty weapon, I always use this when I can, the attached grenade launcher also dishes out some extra firepower. There's ammo for this thing lying around everywhere, so there's no reason why you shouldn't use it. (American Weapon)

Bullseye - The primary Chimera weapon. The great thing about this baby is that you can tag you enemies by hitting L1, and then blow them away with your entire clip when you hit R1, from anywhere, behind walls over hills, in the sky you name it! This gun is great for taking out some of the bigger enemies in the game. Often times the accuracy it require to get enemies with the bigger guns require standing still, which can get you hit. Bullseye allow you to move around and still makes sure you bullets hit their mark. Later on in the game you pick up the Bullseye Mark II, which shoots blue rounds and is basically a more powerful version of the original. The only downside is that the enemies are armed with it too!! (Chimeran Weapon)

Rossmore 236 - This is probably the most trustworthy and reliable gun in the game. When you get frustrated and you just want to blast your way through an area, you can nail everyone in the face with this gun a few times, and you can pretty much survive. Experiment with its long range capabilities. I was able to take out several enemies located on high platforms with the shotgun, though it does deal less damage at longer range. It's a more versatile weapon than one would think. (British Weapon)

Auger - This beauty is good when you're in tight quarters, and you know enemies are coming around the corner. The discharge from the Auger fires through walls. Aim the cross-hairs at the walls and watch for it to turn red. If it does, let loose. At the very least, you'll soften the assault, and set yourself up for some efficient killing. In face to face instances, I wouldn't advise using this weapon, as it is fairly weak on its own. The more solid objects it passes through, the more powerful the shot is! (Chimeran Weapon)

L23 Fareye - Here's you next best friend, the sniper rifle. The genius ability here is that when you hit L1, you slow down time and have a better chance of lining up an accurate shot (called focus mode). This comes in handy when you've got enemies shooting at you and you see the bullets coming your way. You can slow down time and get a shot off before the bullets reach you. Other times, you don't have time to use the time exploit, and it's better to just use skill to eliminate the threat. (British Weapon)

Sapper - When I got this weapon, I didn't really use it all that much, though over time, I found it to be very effective against leapers and rollers, saving your more useful ammo. It discharges bio-mines that glob up on the ground, and enemies that are stupid enough to walking into them die real good. Bigger thugs like Steelheads and the like don't get hurt as bad with this weapon. So save it for the enemies whose main task is to run directly at you, and better still, those that don't shoot back at you. Just pull the trigger and back peddle. Hit L1 will blow mines if they don't get used and you need to walk past them. (American but possibly Chimeran Weapon, as the mines it spits out are identical to the mines the Widowmaker spits out)

Hailstorm - I love this weapon. I wish there would have been more ammo lying around for it. The bullets themselves bounce off walls and continue to do so until they find a soft target, like the Chimera. And as an alternate, hitting L1 will discharge the entire clip, and turn it into an auto-turret that fires the ammo everywhere. Its cool looking and effective, but I just needed more of it. (American Weapon...I think)

L209 LAARK - Well it shoots rockets. That much is for sure. But the new catch is that you can control the flight path by hitting L1 and then swivelling the laser pointer on its nose using the right analog stick. Turns out, I don't have time for all of that crap. I just need it to hit the enemy hard and fast. So more often that not, I use it to clear clusters of enemies in the distance. It's especially good at taking down Stalkers as well (if you manage to sneak up behind them). (American/British Weapon)

Frag Grenade - This is a simple grenade that does the job.

Hedgehog Grenade - This nasty weapon shoot spikes everywhere and usually takes out more enemies than a regular frag grenade.

Air-fuel Grenade - This is the sexiest grenade I've ever seen in a videogame. When you throw it, it'll stick to surfaces (a Titan perhaps), discharge a greenish looking smoke, and than set the smoke on fire, like napalm. It's mean, and it works so well. I've cleared whole rooms with this little bastard.

The Enemies - Know Your Foe!

Menials - These are the most human-looking of the Chimera, and also the easiest to deal. They walk toward you slowly and when they get close enough, they grab and bite you. The idea is to shoot them before the get close. If they do happen to grab on, shake SIXAXIS controller and Hale will throw them off. Recommended weapon: Rossmore.

Leapers and Rollers - Fighting against these creepy guys will give you the heebie-jeebies. You can do the rolling leaping math to figure out what they actually do. They like to flood in from nowhere and surprise you. Remember to back peddle and keep them all in front of you. Recommended weapon: Rossmore or Sapper

Hybrids - You'll find these guys everywhere throughout the game. They have the basic cooling unit on their back and they also carry around the Bullseye weapon. A healthy diet of bullets and grenades will take these guys down. Some will get aggressive when you least expect, so watch out. Recommended Weapon: Anything really.

Steelheads - These guys have much more armor than the Hybrids, and they carry around an Auger. Yeah, it can shoot through walls, but you'll have it to, so you can give them a taste of their own medicine. Sometimes you'll throw a grenade at these guys and they'll take the hit and get back up. A double-shot of the shot gun to the face should knock them down. And the Air Fuel grenade should serve 'em up dark and crispy.

Hardfangs - I thought these guys were Steelheads when I first saw them. But then they hit me with that Arc Charger and I found out otherwise. Treat them as you would the Steelheads and show no mercy. The shotgun will always do a good job of putting these merciless creatures in their place.

Advanced Hybrids - You won't see these guys until later in the game. When you do, they're carrying around that Bullseye Mark II that deals a lot of damage. Take these guys as fast as possible. You don't want them overwhelming you because that could spell danger. They look a little skinnier than Hybrids with more armor. They look creepier than they really are. Recommended Weapon: Bullseye Mark II.

Howlers - Are they dogs? Are they bears? When they get to you it won't matter. Just don't let those claws get to you, and put you out your mind. A few shotgun blasts to the face should calm Fido down.

Slipskulls - These jerks are hard to hit. They jump from wall to wall, zeroing in with their laser pointer, trying to shoot you. I like using the Bullseye on them. Wherever they jump to, that tag will make sure the bullets reach them, and that's all you need.

Gray Jacks - These guys look like Slipskulls that have been stretched out and made to look abnormally tall. But these guys aren't too dangerous. The shotgun will lay them down quick. There's one point where a stage is set-up to make these guys look like bosses and you're supposed to be all scared. Don't trip. Just aim for the face.

Titan - He's just an overgrown bully. He's huge with no armor, but thick skin. If you walk in front of him he'll pound you into the afterlife. And yes, you do want to avoid those fireballs he shoots, as they will make you very sorry you ever when up against him. Recommended Weapon: Anything except Sapper.

Stalker and Goliath - Ahh, the Stalker. This mechanical monstrosity is your worst enemy when you fight it, but you'll love it when you're driving one. And who can forget its bigger cousin, the Goliath that takes more damage that anything in the game? Just know that when it's time to take down a Stalker, you want to get behind it and fire at the power core. Rockets in the face help out too. The Goliath on the other hand will die at the hands of Stalker you control. Just remember to hit that X BUTTON to make quick dashes to avoiding get hit.

Widowmakers - I hate these guys! They're huge giant spiders that happen to be powerful and fast. You can't hope to line them up for an accurate shot from the rocket launcher without risking them shooting that acidic explosive at you and chopping away at your health meter. I suggest using the Bullseye to tag them and run for cover, blasting all the way to safety. (I placed a picture of one of these in the old previews)

Angel - These guys are creepy! Seriously. It's an 18's game and all, but when you first meet one it hangs down out of nowhere screehing, making your vision all blurred. And if you let them line you up for a shot of their poison cloud or spikes, they'll show you why they're so feared. They glide in the air like ghost which really has a chilling impact on the atmosphere. Don't take time to appreciate their beauty. Just tag them with the Bullseye and run. You can think about what they looked like after they're dead.

Stay Blogged for Part 2!!

~The Damo

Even MORE Metal Gear Solid 4 News!!!

I have two new pieces today, the first being a 15 minute video of in-game gameplay, carried out by Hideo Kojima at a Japanese convention.

The demo explores the environment Snake will be operating in, as well as the many new game features explained in the video such as Snake-Eye, Octocamo, new targeting system, new movement controls, the improved CQC from the previous game and many other snippets.

There's little point in me describing what happens in the video, as Hideo himself does a pretty good job on the running commentary (the subtitles, because as you may have guessed, he's Japanese).

Certainly one of the things that will strike you ahead of previous MGS games is just how intense the battles are. MGS has always been a stealth game, and it does continue that way in the 4th installment, the only difference is that you are infiltrating a warzone and the gameplay is designed to have you cope with a live battlefield environment.

The vast array of new controls is also impressive. Snake now has the lowered stance movement available, instead of just crawling on his stomach. Also, thanks to the SIXAXIS, the game can be played as a FPS (First Person Shooter), similar to how the earliest trailers of the game suggested the gameplay might be like.

I'll leave you to make up your own thoughts on the video, so do leave a comment if you've anything to say about it.





The second trailer is back to a real-time movie standard, entitled "Beauty and the Beast". The trailer reveals four of the bosses that will appear in the game.

Picture (from left to right); Laughing Octopus, Screaming Mantis, Raging Raven, Crying Wolf

Several things make these bosses special and unique, compared to previous bosses. Firstly, they're all women. Not that that's a bad thing or anything. Each of them was modelled on a real world (fashion) model. Previously the boss "unit" in MGS featured both men and women. Secondly, this is the first game to feature bosses that are -mainly- mechanical, although they're female form (aka the Beauty) is underneath the mechanical form (aka the Beast).

Thirdly, on initial inspection it would seem that each of the bosses is named after bosses from the first Metal Gear Solid: Decoy Octopus, Psycho Mantis, Raven and Sniper Wolf. HOWEVER, on looking at their names, it seems as though Hideo Kojima has also named the four women after the bosses in MGS3. Although I haven't covered this game yet, four of the bosses in MGS3 are named: The Joy, The Fear, The Fury and The Sorrow. Now, take into account the human response to each of those names.... Joy = Laughter, Fear = Screaming, Fury = Rage, Sorrow = Crying. Therefore, we can conclude that the names of The Beauty and the Beast unit are derived from both MGS and MGS3, thus showing another aspect of Hideo's creative genius and also his cleverness to incorporate minor references from the previous installments.

Enjoy the video. Speaking strictly of gameplay terms, these bosses are going to be a biatch.

On one final note, Hideo Kojima confirmed in person what we all hoped and that was that MGS4 is in fact PS3 exclusive!!!!

~The Damo

Some News and a New Nerd Video!!

The Resistance: Fall of Man blog is finally underway, and I expect to have Part 1 of the review posted within the next few days. I'm just looking for good screenshots at the moment.

Likewise, the Games Workshop blog is also underway, just trying to get pictures of unpainted miniatures.

And now to the Nerd... this video goes back to Atari, though it's quite different from his previous videos. Not for the faint of heart...and I mean it...

Atari *something*:



It's Payback Time!!

~The Damo

Grinds My Gears!! - Issue 8

*EDIT: Blogger had disabled me from posting for a few days for some reason, so some areas of this blog will be out of date, this was intended to be published Saturday the 25th.*

This is kindof a follow up to my previous post. As many of you will know, Dublin are playing Kerry in the All Ireland Semi-Final tomorrow (this blog being written on Saturday and currently I'm disabled from posting so by the time this is in fact posted the Dubs may have lost!!).

Anyway, I've spoken muchly about the anti-Dublin vibe from RTE sport, but it's no secret that this opinion exists outside of the RTE media.

Only yesterday, in the Friday issue of the Herald, there was an article written in response to an article published in the Leinster Express (a Laois newspaper), urging their countymen to support Kerry in the clash, and it gives seven reasons why you should not support Dublin:

Reason 1: Dublin are neither good winners or losers (see Leinster final Vs Laois). Could you imagine what they would be like if they won.

My Response: It's understandable that the honourable Laois gentlemen is a little bitter. Dublin gave the Queen's county boys a nice trashing in the Leinster final. The victory was made all the sweeter for the Blues as in a space of 5 minutes, Laois went from being a goal ahead, to more than two goals down. The gentlemen is also annoyed at the fact that Dublin are now on a run of 3 successive Leinster titles, beating Laois in 2005, knocking Laois out in the first round in 2006 with a 3-15 to 0-9 (I believe, it could have been anywhere between 3-12 and 3-18) and then beating Laois this year by almost the same margin. See any trend why this Laois reporter may write what he does....

Reason 2: Kerry fans are likely to be there on time, Dublin fans are more likely to cause a delay because Man Utd are playing Spurs on Sky Sports.

My Response: Yes in the past Dublin fans have delayed kick-off, but not this year. This remark also suggests that the 50,000-60,000 Dublin fans all support Man Utd or Spurs. It's interesting how the columnist hasn't yet suggested that his fellow countymen should support Kerry because they may perhaps be the better team....

Reason 3: If you're nice to Dublin fans, they'll probably come and visit you and drink all your cider. Because of the motorway, they're only an hour away.

My Response: Eh...yeah. I think he's really trying hard now. Is he trying to say that Dubs are the only guys that drink, or is he moaning because all motorways lead to Dublin. Honestly man. This must be a country thing because I don't see what this has to do with anything, and more to the point I don't see why any Dublin support would drive to the country to get a pint when there's pubs 360 degrees around Croker.

Reason 4: Kerry think they have a divine right to win because they're good, Dublin think they have a divine right to win because they're Dublin.

My Response: This suggests that Dublin aren't a good team. But as I've pointed out already, any team that wins 3 successive provincial titles and reaches the semi-final stage 2 years in a row IS good, whether he wants to admit it or not. As I've said, it's understandable given that Laois have failed to beat Dublin in years....

Reason 5: Not a reason, but the article pokes fun at the current crop of Dublin players comparing them to classic Kerry. Unsurprisingly the article seems to avoid mentioning Dublin All-Star players like Bernard and Alan Brogan, not to mention the cream of the Blue Squad at the moment like Ciaran Whelan or Mark Vaughan.

Reason 6: The article blasts "Paul Caffrey's 'look at me and me lovely family'" pose at the end of every game. The columnist writes that Laois were fined for bringing children onto the pitch in 2003. Yeah, mate. It's a little different when the run of the mill Joe-Mo brings little children onto the pitch at the end of the game when about 6,000 other adults are charging the pitch aswell. The Paul Caffrey thing he is refering to is when his son runs up to him at the end of the game win or lose. The verdict: pure JEALOUSY. He's basically blasting the Dublin Manager because he wants to celebrate a win with his SON. Grow up man.

Reason 7: The article makes reference to a previous Laois article regarding Dublin, quoting that they are arrogant, and it's a thrill to beat Dublin, especially in Croke Park. Excuse me but does that not sound awfully familiar to the first comment, citing Dublin were bad winners and losers. That sounds fairly like the words of a bad winner to me... (not that Laois have had that experience in some time).

It's evident how this article can infuriate a Dublin fan like myself. It comes from the same newspaper that in the previous year wrote that the Dublin team and fans were a "shower of pansies", and were the only players in the whole championship that wouldn't forget to bring "their hair gel and wax" to the dressing room. Dublin's response to those remarks was of course the delightful trashing in 2006.

In another similar article, a Leitrim columnist was blasting the fact that Dublin have been cited as having the best fans in the country, the 'Hill 16' factor if you will. This imbecile said: "If the Dublin fans are so great, how come they only have 60,000 at their matches out of a population of 1.2 million. News flash buddy, first things first. Croke Park can only hold 82,000, not 1.2 million. Secondly, Dublin only ever get a maximum of 60,000 tickets, the other 22,000 is for other fans of the team against Dublin and the other matches that take place earlier in the day!!!

Will I be disappointed if Dublin lose against Kerry?

No, they've done the capital proud. The only way I would be terribly disappointed is if they give away an 8 point advantage, not that that's ever happened before..... :P

~The Damo

AVGN - Bugs Bunny's Birthday Blowout

As you can see, there is very little activity on my blog at the moment. This is 100% due to the fact that I'm currently incarcarated in hell (well Wicklow, but if you've spent as long as I have there).

Some brief news before I post the latest Nerd Video:

The 'Resistance: Fall of Man' blog is on hold as I have yet to complete the game due to my situation just outside The Pale.

I have in the works another Games Workshop blog, this time however on a positive note.

I am also now making myself available to cook fancy meals for people so if you have my number, as most of my blog readers do, we can have a chat about it.

Anyway.....

This is the Blowout (really blowout your ass!)



Remember kiddies, verify your age!!

Who has two thumbs and doesn't give a damn?
...
Bob Kelsow, nice to meet you.

~The Damo

UCD Gateway Unveiled!!!!

International award wining architect Christoph Ingenhoven from Dusseldorf, Germany, has been selected as architect for the massive 13 hectare Gateway project on the UCD campus at Belfield, Dublin. Ingenhoven Architects were chosen after an international competition that drew interest from 62 firms from across the globe. The winning design was viewed and approved by the university’s Governing Authority.

The firm is best known for its new headquarters for Lufthansa in Frankfurt and the new European Investment Bank headquarters which is currently under construction in Luxemburg.

“We are delighted with the outcome of the competition,” said UCD President, Dr Hugh Brady. “The creativity of the design from Christoph Ingenhoven’s team meets the vision we set out to create a precinct of modern beauty which blends with the natural landscape of the campus and surpasses environmental standards for energy usage.

The winning design has proposed a new building edge on to the N11 frontage of UCD, which in turn will enclose a revitalised green oasis at the heart of the university. These circular green spaces will be bounded by a tree-lined belt walk. The newly laid out open space will be traversed by pathways creating stronger linkages between the various campus buildings. To help form the centre circles, the architects propose reducing the size of the existing lake and softening its edges.


(Pictured viewing winning Gateway architectural model: Architect, Christoph Ingenhoven and UCD President, Dr Hugh Brady)

Access to the green space and the wider campus will be through a dramatic new Gateway building. The new building forms are softened by echoing the curved theme of the landscape design. The buildings in the Gateway are linked at the centre by a 6 storey open air glass-covered roof over a new pedestrian plaza around which many new amenities will be clustered. The design takes Belfield’s geographical position into account with the mountains and prevailing winds to the south west and the elevation over the sea to the east.

Within the Gateway will be a mix of uses including: a culture and exhibition centre, cinema, hotel, student residences, office and retail facilities, crèche and medical centre. “The campus environment will be greatly enhanced by providing a cultural/entertainment centre for students which will also attract the local community and visitors from further afield,” said Dr Brady. “The new facilities will enable the university to expand its academic and non-academic conference provision and increase the out-of-term usage of the campus.” The central plaza will offer a dynamic and vibrant space for students, staff and visitors to the campus. The plan is to include 1,000 residences in the Gateway to augment the current student on-campus accommodation.

The extent of the Gateway will cover 13 hectares of the 132 hectare Belfield campus. Fronting onto the N11 it reaches south as far as Merville House, the UCD Innovation Park and incorporates the current location of the running track – which is being relocated to the sports section of the campus and the recently restored Belfield House. To the west, it allows for existing buildings including the engineering centre and those along the pedestrian spine stretching from the Quinn Business School to the science centre. To the north it includes O’Reilly Hall and links the veterinary hospital.



Ingenhoven architects are known for their innovative high-tech approach to sustainable building design and the proposal includes many innovative ideas in this regard.

The design – which is subject to planning permission – includes a proposed light weight arch extension to the N11 flyover. The new bridge design will provide a safer pedestrian environment at the entrance to the campus where people will be given priority over vehicles. The current surface carparks beside O’Reilly Hall and the engineering complex will be replaced with multi-storey and underground parking. This reclaimed land will become part of Gateway as green space in the beltwalk parks.

Green building design is central to the work of Ingenhoven Architects. The new Gateway complex integrates low energy and building control systems to reduce total energy consumption. Intelligent facades provide for insulation, natural ventilation and maximum daylight. Efficient lighting systems, solar and geothermal-backed conditioning systems and “non stand-by” technologies will also reduce energy demand.

The design is due to go on display in the university. The project will be self-funding and the university is currently in the process of inviting expressions of interest from developers with a view to forming a partnership. Until such time as this process is completed the university is not in a position to put a value on the cost of the project. The design allows for phased development and after planning approval, is expected to take several years to complete.

-Courtesy of UCD.ie

~The Damo