Havok review. Havok’s V: A Landmark Album in Modern Thrash Metal

How does Havok’s latest album V showcase their evolution as a band. What elements make V stand out in the modern thrash metal landscape. Why is V considered Havok’s best work to date.

The Evolution of Havok: From Paint-by-Numbers to Thrash Innovators

Havok, the Denver-based thrash metal band, has come a long way since their early days. Initially part of the thrash revival movement, they have steadily developed their sound and identity over the years. With their latest album V, Havok has solidified their position as one of the leading forces in modern thrash metal.

In the past, Havok’s music might have been described as a paint-by-numbers approach to thrash, drawing heavily from the genre’s classics. However, V represents the culmination of their evolution, showcasing a band that has found its unique voice within the thrash landscape.

From Imitation to Innovation

How did Havok transform from a band that sounded like many others to one with a distinct identity? The answer lies in their gradual refinement of songwriting skills and willingness to experiment within the confines of thrash metal. V demonstrates Havok’s ability to honor their influences while pushing the boundaries of what modern thrash can be.

A Deep Dive into V: Havok’s Thrash Metal Masterpiece

V is not just another thrash album; it’s a testament to Havok’s growth as musicians and songwriters. The album showcases a wide range of influences and styles, all seamlessly blended into a cohesive and explosive package.

Standout Tracks

• “Post-Truth Era”: Opens the album with a nod to Metallica’s “Blackened” before launching into Havok’s signature high-speed riffing
• “Fear Campaign”: Demonstrates the band’s ability to shift gears while maintaining intensity
• “Ritual of the Mind”: A slower, groovier track that adds variety to the album
• “Merchants of Death”: A relentless thrash assault that showcases the band’s technical prowess

Why does V stand out in Havok’s discography? The album’s strength lies in its ability to appeal to fans of various thrash subgenres while maintaining a cohesive sound. From the breakneck speed of classic thrash to more modern, groove-oriented sections, V has something for every metalhead.

Songwriting Mastery: The Key to V’s Success

One of the most significant improvements in V compared to Havok’s previous work is the refined songwriting. The band has learned to craft songs that flow naturally, knowing when to unleash furious riffs and when to build tension.

Structural Improvements

How has Havok’s approach to song structure evolved? Unlike their 2017 album Conformicide, which sometimes struggled with pacing, V demonstrates a more mature approach to composition. The songs on V are tighter, more focused, and better at maintaining momentum throughout their duration.

Examples of improved songwriting on V include:

• More effective use of intros and outros
• Better pacing within individual tracks
• Improved integration of diverse influences
• Smoother transitions between different sections of songs

Production and Performance: Elevating the Thrash Sound

V benefits greatly from its top-notch production, helmed by Mark Lewis (known for his work with The Black Dahlia Murder and Whitechapel). The album’s sound is slightly less spacious than its predecessor but perfectly suited to Havok’s dynamic range.

Individual Performances

Each member of Havok brings their A-game to V, resulting in a tight and cohesive performance. Notable contributions include:

• Pete Webber’s career-best drum performance
• Reece Scruggs’ razor-sharp guitar work
• David Sanchez’s increasingly aggressive vocals
• Brandon Bruce’s thunderous bass lines

How does the production on V compare to other modern thrash albums? The clarity and punch of the mix allow each instrument to shine while maintaining the raw energy that thrash metal fans crave. This balance between polish and aggression sets V apart from many of its contemporaries.

Lyrical Themes: Tackling Modern Issues Through Thrash

While Havok’s music has evolved, their lyrical approach remains rooted in social commentary and criticism. V tackles a range of contemporary issues with the band’s trademark directness.

Key Lyrical Themes in V

1. The rise of automation and its impact on society
2. Ongoing military conflicts and their consequences
3. The war on drugs and government hypocrisy
4. Media manipulation and the concept of “post-truth”

How do Havok’s lyrics on V differ from their earlier work? While the topics may be similar to those explored on Conformicide, the band’s treatment of these subjects has become more nuanced and integrated with the music. The result is a more cohesive and impactful listening experience.

V in Context: Havok’s Place in Modern Thrash Metal

With V, Havok has cemented their position as one of the leading bands in the modern thrash metal scene. The album represents a perfect balance between honoring the genre’s roots and pushing it forward.

Comparisons to Contemporaries

How does V stack up against other recent thrash releases? While bands like Warbringer, Power Trip, and Municipal Waste have all released strong albums in recent years, V stands out for its combination of technical proficiency, songwriting maturity, and raw energy.

Factors that set V apart from other modern thrash albums:

• Greater dynamic range within songs
• More diverse influences incorporated seamlessly
• Improved production values without sacrificing aggression
• Matured songwriting that maintains the essence of thrash

The Impact of V: Redefining Havok’s Legacy

V is more than just another solid entry in Havok’s discography; it’s a game-changer that redefines the band’s place in the metal world. The album showcases a group that has fully come into its own, no longer content to simply emulate their heroes but ready to stand alongside them.

Looking to the Future

What does V mean for Havok’s future? The album sets a new standard for the band, raising expectations for their upcoming releases. It also positions Havok as potential torchbearers for the thrash metal genre, capable of bridging the gap between old-school fans and newcomers to the scene.

Potential impacts of V on Havok’s career:

• Increased recognition in the broader metal community
• Opportunities to headline larger tours and festivals
• Inspiration for other thrash bands to push their boundaries
• A solid foundation for further musical experimentation

Critical Reception and Fan Response to V

V has been met with widespread acclaim from both critics and fans. Many reviewers have praised the album as Havok’s best work to date, highlighting its improved songwriting, technical proficiency, and overall impact.

Critic and Fan Perspectives

How have different segments of the metal community responded to V? While die-hard thrash fans appreciate the album’s nods to classic elements of the genre, more casual listeners have been drawn in by its accessibility and energy. This broad appeal is a testament to Havok’s ability to craft music that satisfies purists while attracting new fans.

Common praise for V includes:

• Improved songwriting and pacing compared to previous albums
• Impressive individual performances from all band members
• Successful integration of various thrash subgenres
• High-quality production that enhances the listening experience

Are there any criticisms of V? While the overall reception has been overwhelmingly positive, some listeners have noted that a couple of tracks, such as “Interface with the Infinite” and “Panpsychism,” don’t quite reach the heights of the album’s strongest material. However, these minor criticisms do little to detract from the overall quality of the record.

Conclusion: V as a Milestone in Havok’s Career

V represents a significant milestone in Havok’s career, showcasing a band that has fully realized its potential. By combining technical prowess, mature songwriting, and a deep understanding of thrash metal’s heritage, Havok has created an album that stands as one of the genre’s finest recent offerings.

The Legacy of V

How will V be remembered in the context of Havok’s discography and the broader thrash metal scene? It’s likely that this album will be seen as the moment when Havok truly came into their own, moving beyond their influences to create something uniquely theirs. V may well be remembered as a classic of modern thrash, inspiring future generations of metal musicians.

Key takeaways from V:

• A perfect balance of classic thrash elements and modern innovation
• Showcases Havok’s growth as songwriters and musicians
• Sets a new standard for production in thrash metal
• Cements Havok’s place as leaders in the modern thrash scene

As Havok continues to evolve and push the boundaries of thrash metal, V will stand as a testament to their abilities and a benchmark for their future work. For fans of the genre, it’s an essential listen that proves thrash is far from dead – in fact, it’s thriving and evolving in the capable hands of bands like Havok.

Havok – V Review | Angry Metal Guy

Earlier in Havok‘s career, I would have guided the tour bus past all the sights worth seeing on V. On the left, the Leaning Toutwer of le Monde, on the right, the (wait for it) And Justice for All Department, dead ahead, the famous Roots 66. However, those elements would be noteworthy only because they spiced up a paint-drying-by-the-numbers take on thrash. However, the appeal there wasn’t originality, but instead that it didn’t vacuum hemorrhoids like the previous decade of thrash. Warbringer, Lich King, Gama Bomb, they all fucking sounded the same. And each, in turn, developed a sound that was wholly their own, even within the thrashscape. V completes that evolution for Havok, producing a landmark in the career of these once and future thrash kings.

“Post-Truth Era” finds the Denverites in fine form, swinging from “Blackened” intro into pacy gallops and spiraling solos with ease. The songwriting is taut, playing the very best bits up and out before ripcording into “Fear Campaign” to do it all over again. Though the speed ramps into a scything thrash standard here, Havok plays to all thrash camps under their wide tent, intent to get you moshing no matter which brand of 80s Metallica you stan the most. That’s the best part of V: the genre’s worth of paces, weights, and ideas, beholden to none, master of all. The occasional track may dabble with one-dimensionality as a stomper (“Ritual of the Mind”) or ripper (“Merchants of Death”), sure. On the whole, though, most entries feature enough freewheeling frenetics and careful development to stave off predictability. The end product plays like a heavily polyurethaned version of 2017’s Conformicide: diverse in scope, sneering and sinister in attitude, and strapped to the teeth with riiiiiiiiiiffs.

The clearest mark of development is in the songwriting. Where Conformicide awkwardly ambled through off-kilter intros and too-long tracks, V never hesitates to annihilate. Havok now know when to open on a huge salvo and when to ease their way into the proceedings, resulting in a more natural, fluid experience. Rootsy interlude “Dab Tsog” may be the finest of these, a seventy-five-second launching pad that rockets “Phantom Force” into orbit. When combined with Havok‘s propensity for stop-start tempos and the lockstep of their timing, as on “Cosmetic Surgery” and “Merchants of Death,” life is a beautiful thing. The record runs fine, if maybe a bit long at 46 minutes, but only a pair of songs, “Interface with the Infinite” and “Panpsychism,” wear out their welcome. The former lacks in excitement, while the latter’s variety can’t shake a mediocre and overused chorus. Eight-minute closer “Don’t Do It” straddles that territory too, reading and playing like a darker “A Tout le Monde.” However, the five minutes of build simply need to cut a bit of fat for its red-line-to-finish-line finale to completely pay off.

The sublime production from Conformicide returns, this time with Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel) at the helm. The overall sound is slightly less spacious but more than capable of meeting the dynamism inherent in Havok‘s range. Everything else has stepped up: Pete Webber turns in the best drum performance of his career; Reece Scruggs’ axe cleaves more meat than ever as he ascends to Riffhalla; David Sanchez’s shrieks push coarser and shriller toward the extreme; rookie bassist Brandon Bruce’s steel-beam bass clangs around a battleship’s hull in the best of ways. In fact, Bruce so excellently fills the void left by the fantastic Nick Schendzielos that I didn’t realize the line-up had turned over before writing this review. Even the lyrics go down easier, though the flavor has only grown more bitter. Sanchez’s subjects span the rise of automation, perpetual military conflict, and the war on drugs (“but not the ones they sell”) with the same atom-bomb-meets-nail bluntness of stuff like “F.P.C.” Mentally separating those topics from the music, however, isn’t as easy three dark years on from Conformicide.

V still isn’t my favorite Havok album—not yet. But with a little time and a few thousand listens more, it very likely will be. It certainly features the band operating at their peak. They’ve managed to land on the holy trinity—mastery of their sound, mastery of their abilities, and mastery of their influences—all at the same time. The result is the best Havok record in a decade. All hail the flying V.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Century Media
Websites: havokband.com | facebook.com/havokofficial
Releases Worldwide: May 1st, 2020

Give in to Your Anger:

ALBUM REVIEW: V – Havok

Whether you’re a fan or not of the thrash resurgence of recent years, one thing for sure is that there’s some serious talent out there and while they don’t shy away from wearing their influences on their sleeves, they also bring their own fire and drive to a genre that has been in great need of a fresh coat of paint. Among those bands vying for the crown that a youthful METALLICA, MEGADETH or TESTAMENT would have worn many years prior are Denver’s furious four-piece HAVOK – arguably one of the most exciting and consistent bands to emerge from the thrash revival. It wasn’t until their sophomore effort Time Is Up that the band really blew up and broke through that barrier of being just another classic sounding thrash act. HAVOK continued this onslaught over the next two albums Unnatural Selection and Conformicide, however, the latter in particular seemed a little unfocused and lacked the precision attack of Time is Up. Thankfully on their latest beast, V, Havok has trimmed the fat and created an album worthy of their place upon the top of the thrash resurgence hill.

Still unafraid to show their admiration for their heroes they open with an ode to METALLICA’s Blackened intro with Post-Truth Era. You could be mistaken into thinking you’ve put on …And Justice For All until you can hear the clear punch of the bass tones from new man Brandon Bruce. Unlike the bass on previous record Conformicide, his tones cut through perfectly without being overtly abrasive and it’s always so refreshing to hear the full-throttle pummelling so audibly on a thrash album.

Riffs are always the key ingredient to a thrash opus and HAVOK have had no issues with piling them on throughout their career and show no signs of slacking in that department on V. Fear Campaign smashes through at a blistering pace with solos peppered throughout as lead man David Sanchez venomously spits along with the gang vocals. His vocals are akin to the likes of Chuck Schuldiner and Trevor Strnad with a high pitched shriek that pierces without being overbearing and compliments the guitar attack and adrenaline-inducing drumming, which is a lot beefier than previously heard thanks to the stellar mix by Mark Lewis.

A stabbing guitar riff opens up the futuristic undertones of Betrayed By Technology, which is home to one of V‘s catchiest chorus lines and a rhythm section that rumbles with force and purpose. Interface with the Infinite feels like it’s brother in the sense that there are similar themes and hard-hitting precision strike riffage. It also opens with a tapping section that is a welcome addition and makes its presence felt within the body of the track.

A short interlude follows with Dab Tsog, which is an interesting respite from the onslaught of the first half of the album. It’s almost eerie and unsettling in its tone that fits the title quite well. While the band tend to stick with the thrash formula on most of the tracks, on the second half of V they seem to be a little more open to experimenting on Panpsychism and closer Don’t Do It, they expand on the instrumental sections and let the tracks breathe a little bit more. These also feature some clean vocals that work well for the most part and show that HAVOK are capable of switching things up and it’s going to be fascinating to see if they take this further into future releases. It’s a slightly more mid-tempo track until it hurls one last barrage at you until the album draws to a close.

V was coined to be HAVOK‘s Rust In Peace moment and while it doesn’t quite reach those lofty heights, it is a modern-day classic that showcases the band’s talent for keeping alive the thrash sound. It’s a shorter album that is more condensed and shows off a more focused band, sharper and even more driven than before. The new era of thrash is truly here to stay and HAVOK are flying the flag.

Rating: 9/10

V is set for release May 1st via Century Media Records. 

Like HAVOK on Facebook. 

Album Review: Havok – V

I think it’s safe to say that 2017 was a redefining year for Denver-based thrashers Havok. The band released their fourth, full-length album Conformicide, which not only saw the band hit tireless touring cycles around the world, but executed some of their most dynamically driven material to date. With that, Havok reached an entirely new level of musical competence, implementing a refreshing variation of string work, employing a flashier production, and injecting prog-infused complexities into their expeditious brand of thrash.

Over the years, Havok have successfully transformed their traditional sounding thrash roots into a sound that is not only multifaceted, but completely puts them in a league of their own. With the release of their brand new album, V, just around the corner, Havok have crafted a fresh collection of 11 think-for-yourself tracks that perfectly combine their classically fueled, thrashing ways with their technical, forward-thinking nature. 

While V may deviate from the band’s more experimental mentality of the album prior, it puts more of a focus on harnessing the raw power of the hard-and-fast classics. However, some of those proggier ideas that came to life on Conformicide are not completely abandoned, just a bit more nuanced throughout V. Luckily for someone like me, I’m all for traveling back in time for a good, ol’ fashioned speed metal attack. This album hits with force (phantom force for that matter). It is in-your-face, heavy, and highlights some of the band’s best guitar shred ever recorded on tape.

That said, after introducing the opening track “Post-Truth Era” in a very “Blackened” fashion (not the only time you’ll hear inspiration from the Metallica discography), V puts the foot on the gas pedal and smashes it through the floorboard. “Fear Campaign” keeps the energy and spirit of the old-school alive and well, kicking down the door with a blazin’-hot speed riff. This song, like many others on this album (especially “Merchants Of Death”), embodies an extreme 80’s feel with that menacing and threatening, signature Havok overtone.

The creative songwriting tactics and dominating grooves, distinctly heard across Havok’s repertoire, start to really develop in “Betrayed By Technology,” “Ritual Of The Mind,” and “Interface With The Infinite.” These tracks are rhythmically stimulating, hammering forth with a simplistic-yet-bold heaviness.

Guitarists Reece Scruggs and David Sanchez (also lead vocals) reveal such a monstrous, metallic guitar tone that pairs perfectly with the hammering double bass and methodical fills of hard-hitting drummer Pete Webber. The guitar pair work together to unleash some of their sharpest, most precise guitar solos, accentuating every intricate detail to the point where every note is played with magnificent clarity. Sanchez goes on to hit higher-pitched vocal registers than ever before, layering some Cowboys From Hell-era Phil Anselmo falsettos in with his normal shrieking scream and even some cleaner-style vocals. 

Bassist Brandon Bruce takes plenty of opportunities to put all concerns one might have to rest throughout V. Being in a position where he had some large shoes to fill, Bruce exceeds expectations, adding extra meat to nearly every riff, filling in open spaces, and even getting playful on tracks like “Cosmetic Surgery,” “Panpsychism,” and the straightforward thrasher “Merchants Of Death.” 

Closing track “Don’t Do It” is massive. Building up from a clean introduction to something slow and heavy, this deliberate offering weaves through clean and electrifying dynamics. Sanchez trades in his shrieks one more time for some of his most melodic singing to date, which works extremely well for the track, while the lead solo towards the end of this song was absolutely put in place to melt your face off.

V is a collective representation of where Havok have gone in past works and where they choose to put their energy. On Conformicide, the band proved they could think outside the box and approach their music with a more progressive mindset. With V, Havok continue to demonstrate a skillset that allows them to create such radical and hard-hitting ideas, seriously upgrading the dimensions of traditional thrash. The intensity of their music continues to match the aggression of their message, which is and always will be TO THINK FOR YOURSELF.

Purchase V here.

ALBUM REVIEW: Havok – V

Colorado-based thrashers Havok are back! After a whirlwind yet rewarding cycle for 2017’s Conformicide effort, the high-octane outfit have emerged from the studio victorious with their new album, V.  Engineered, mixed, mastered by Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, etc.) and showcasing stunning artwork by Eliran Kantor (Testament, Hatebreed, etc.), V will be released worldwide on May 1, 2020 via Century Media Records.

Opening with signature Havok stuff in the form of “Post-Truth Era“, Havok come out guns blazing in fashionable thrash style. The fast paced groove sinks in just right as the band proceed to lace your ears with modern meets old school pure metal.

Following on from that is “Fear Campaign“, bringing more old school touches to the beautifully tight modern production. Galloping kick drums and some scorching guitar work from frontman David Sanchez and fellow axeman Reece Scruggs can be heard as they drive the hammer right into the nail perfectly, sizing up to a break two thirds through.

Foot stomping mid-tempo grooves come in the form of tracks like “Betrayed By Technology” and “Ritual Of The Mind” and they do it so well, another showcase of the band not needing to go a 100 miles an hour at every turn thanks in large to the flexing power of drummer Pete Webber who has really become one of best in the business. The 1-2 punch hits you in the face hard which also brings another element of heaviness like in the track “Interface With The Infinite” which levels up to immense power.

A short interlude in “Dab Tsog” leads into another highlight of the album in “Phantom Force” as once again Havok slip effortlessly into their own trademark style which has remained on every album since their brilliant second album “Time Is Up”. For something a little different though, the next two tracks “Cosmetic Surgery” and “Panpsychism” offer the listener some unique ingredients in the Havok bowl of thrash metal as the band deviate into jagged edges and rolling stock of morphing weirdness and off-kilter rhythms but matched equally with spurts of the good old straight edged grooves.

Continuing the fun in more simplistic manners, “Merchants Of Death” takes us back to easy listening – albeit in a way only metal can before we see things end with the epic 8 plus minute juggernaut “Don’t Do It” which starts out slow, atmospheric and on a seemingly long winding road before things get unleashed into an attack that belittles everything before it. Those last few minutes alone are a highlight of the album and leave the listener very satisfied with an album that once again proves Havok to be one of the best in todays thrash metal world. Long time fans will love “V” and newbies will relish in it’s unadulterated thrash metal mantra.

9/10

TRACKLIST

Post-Truth Era
Fear Campaign
Betrayed By Technology
Ritual Of The Mind
Interface With The Infinite
Dab Tsog
Phantom Force
Cosmetic Surgery
Panpsychism
Merchants Of Death
Don’t Do It

Uwell Havok Pod Reviewed – VapersGarage

Welcome back all, today I’ve got a cool little Pod device to show you. While it’s not brand new, and has been around for a few months already, this little champion is an impressive unit, that is an excellent carry for when you’re out and about.

Uwell are a pretty well known brand, and have had several successful products over the years, the Valyrian, the Nunchaku and the Caliburn just to name a few, so they know what they’re doing when it comes to these types of systems.

Let’s take a look at the Uwell Havok Pod!

Big thanks goes to Sourcemore for sending this directly through to me for review!

Specifications and Features

• Dimensions: 100 x 42.9 x 19.2mm
• Material: aluminium alloy
• Battery: 1800mah inbuilt
• Capacity: 4ml
• Wattage Range: 5 – 65W
• Drip Tip: 510
• Screen: 0.96 inch OLED
• Charging: via Type-C port at 5V/2A
• Coils:
  • UN2 Meshed-H 0.25ohm: 40 – 45W
  • UN2 Meshed-H 0.6ohm: 20 – 25W
• Party on the left, professional on the right with two different side panel designs
• Strong magnetic pod connection
• Fully adjustable airflow
• Sliding top fill in the pod
• Pro-FOCS technology ensures true flavour as usual from Uwell coils

• 1 x Uwell Havok V1 Pod Mod Kit w/ UN2 Meshed-H 0.25 ohm Coil pre-installed
• 1 x Spare UN2 Meshed-H 0.6 ohm Coil
• 1 x USB Type-C Cable
• Spare O-rings
• User Manual

General Info & Photos

As you can see above the Havok is packaged really well, in a sturdy box with cutouts, and pretty much everything you might need, spare o-rings, coils, one pod, main unit, and instruction manual. I would have liked to have seen a second Pod included in here, but most Pods these days usually come with one, so it’s not out of the ordinary.

As for the actual device, Uwell have made sure to make this as functional as possible, with 4ml e-liquid capacity, a decent sized 1800mah battery, a wattage range of up to 65 Watts, x2 different rated coils, adjustable airflow, adjustable wattage, and a 0.96 inch OLED screen.

The Body

The main body is super lightweight being made from alluminium, with plastic internals. And while it’s lightweight, it doesn’t detract from the superior feel, or sturdiness of the casing. This feels like it could withstand quite a bit of rough treatment before it might take some damage.

Up top is your Pod recess, not only does it have a couple of gold plated connections there for better conductivity, but it’s designed with a ‘dish’ at the bottom just in case you do get some leak or seepage from the pod. This works really well, and keeps the internal parts from being affected if ever there is a leaking problem.

Below this is your front control panel, consisting of large fire button, two smaller option buttons and a black and white 0.96 inch OLED screen. This has been done quite nicely, with the glossy window stretching the full length of the device, with the buttons clicky, yet comfortable to use.

Underneath the device, you’ll also find a USB Type C charge port for fast charging.

The POD + Coils

The Pod for the Havok is really interesting, Uwell have gone with an unusual angled top, but also two really interesting and intuitive features.
Firstly the fill port is hidden behind a sliding panel at the top, allowing you to fill the Pod really quickly without worrying to much about spillage, and the second, the sliding airflow control on the side. I’ll talk about this a little further on, but they also deserved a mention here.

There is a round non-removable drip tip on top, which is part of the pod mold, I do wish that they would have gone with a removable drip tip here though, as it does affect the filling of the pod and having it removable would have helped in that regard.

The coils are your typical push in style coils that you see on most pods these days, making it really fast to change coils should you burn one out. The coils also push all the way home with no exposed air inlet, instead drawing air through the pod from the airflow control on the side. I really nice addition, and also helps prevent leakage from oversaturated coils/wicking.

You’ll get 2 different coils in the pack, each with a different specification.

• UN2 Meshed-H 0.25ohm: 40 – 45W
  This coil is pre-fitted to the Pod, and is the more powerful of the two. It provides quite good flavour, with a decent dense vape, for those who are looking for a DTL experience.
• UN2 Meshed-H 0.6ohm: 20 – 25W
  This coil is more for those who like to vape at a lower wattage, and like a slightly tighter draw. It also puts out some excellent flavour, you will have a lot more luck vaping with the airflow fully closed with this one.

Airflow

The airflow is really cool on the Havok, it comes in from the side of the Pod, where you’d adjust the up/down slider, into the Pod, and up through the coil, all done internally. The air does not enter the coil directly from underneath, but through the channel provided in the Pod. This is great because there is less chance of seepage or leakage through the bottom of the coil.

The little airflow adjustment slider, is located on the side of your Pod, so you’ll need to remove the Pod from the device in order to adjust it, but that’s not such a big deal considering you’re likely to set it and forget it.
Another plus for this method, is that you’ll not adjust it by accident when it’s in your pocket.

The action of the adjustment slider is quite nice, it has a nice restriction to it’s movement, but is not difficult to slide, it has a nice, smooth motion.

You can expect anywhere from an almost open airflow (slightly restricted) right down to a MTL draw from this airflow adjustor, which is quite the range considering that this is a Pod device!

Filling

As cool as the airflow slider is, the fill port is even cooler. From the top of the Pod, you slide the little plastic plate over, to reveal the oval shaped fill port underneath. This is great because you can fill the Pod without removing it from the device, the only draw-back is that the drip tip will get in your way a little with larger e-liquid bottles. You can still fill, but you’ll need to be extra careful.

Having said that, I’ve had zero issues filling quite fast using a 120ml bottle, and you get used to holding it at a slight angle. The sliding lid seals great too, making sure you don’t introduce any positive pressure into the pod. It also keeps things nice and clean.

Battery

You get an internal 1800mah battery in the tiny Havok, which is quite a good size for how lightweight this device is. It’ll get you through most of the day, even vaping at the 45 Watts that the pre-fit coil uses.
To charge, you’ll use the provided USB Type – C charging port at the base of the device, which might annoy some, many like it to be on the side so that they don’t have to lay it on it’s side to charge. This doesn’t bother me however and I’d prefer to have it out of the way anyway.
The Havok has 5v/2a charging so charges pretty quickly, and gives me a full charge in about an hour.

Any Leaks?

Not really, well, while in use anyway. I have found that leaving it unattended for a few days does result in a small pool of e-liquid under the Pod. I have no idea how that happens, since the coil is sealed by the o-rings, perhaps it seeps out where the coil legs tuck into the rubber grommit and pin. Thankfully, Uwell have provided quite a deep tray underneath, so it can be easily cleaned up and does not get into the internals of the device.

Usage & Features

There’s not a lot to the Havok, it keeps to fairly simple features, such as wattage adjustment, device lock, wattage lock and clearing puff counter, but what more do you need in a pod mod really?

I do like that there is a wattage lock here, many devices these days do not have this and I like the piece of mind that my wattage wont change while its in my pocket.

Here’s how you operate the Havok:

• On/Off – 5 quick presses of the fire button
• Wattage Lock/Unlock – Press and hold the fire and up button simultaneously
• Lock/Unlock Entire Device – Press and hold the fire and down button simultaneously
• Clear Puff Counter – Press and hold the up and down button simultaneously
• Reset The Device – Press and hold all three buttons simultaneously

Pros:

• Great small size
• Sturdy and stylish design
• Excellent slide to fill feature
• Excellent sliding airflow adjustment
• Great coil life and flavour
• Fast charging
• Adjustable wattage

Cons:

• A little seepage under the pod if left for a few days
• Non-removable drip tip

Where to Buy:

The Havok is stocked up now pretty much everywhere, but you can pick it up from Sourcemore’s online vape store for around the $45 USD price point.

Sourcemore have also been kind to give all of my readers a discount code for the Havok, just enter the promo code “HAVOK” on checkout to pick up this bad boy for $27. 99 USD, that’s a massive discount!

A quick look around the web sees them stocked at several Australian stores for around the $65 AUD mark.

Conclusion

I really like this little pod, it puts out some great power, and an excellent vape. While it might not match up in flavour to some of those larger tanks and RDA’s, it holds its own and produces some excellent vapour too.
The sliding fill port and airflow adjustment is really cool, and both work exceptionally well, with the only exception being that it’s a little more difficult to fill with a larger bottle, due to the non-removable drip tip. However it’s not a big issue because you can actually do it, it just takes a little more finesse.

Uwell have kept things simple with the display and functions available on the Havok, which is great, considering that this will likely appeal to newcomers, and changing coils and recharging is a doddle.

All in all, this is a surprisingly good little unit, and something that has been with me day in day out for the last few weeks without skipping a beat. Great work Uwell!

Rating overview

• Overall Design

  8/10

• Build Quality

  9/10

• Ease of Use

  9/10

• Airflow

  8/10

• Flavour

  8/10

• Innovation

  8/10

Total score

High Quality 8.3

Shane Presser has been vaping since 2013, and has extensive experience with advanced equipment, coil builds and DIY mixing. He is the man behind VapersGarage, and also more recently Aussie Vape Stores, a resource to help vapers find their nearest Vape Shops, and eLiquid Vendors.

Album Review: Havok – V (Century Media Records)

Colorado-based thrashers Havok are back! After a whirlwind yet rewarding cycle for 2017’s Conformicide effort, the high-octane outfit have emerged from the studio victorious with their new album, V. It will be released on May 1st 2020.

As thrash as tight denim jeans and battle jackets, Havok’s V is 11 tracks of heavy, head-banging metal. The sound of thrash we all know dragged kicking and screaming into the present as Havok look to make their mark on 2020. Something they are more than capable of.

It’s all about the speed and the riffs for Post-Truth Era and Fear Campaign, Havok getting V off to a blistering start. The bite of the vocals adding the vicious stamp on the guitar heavy tracks, both offering quality solos too.

Then there are the percussion-led numbers that pull on the neck muscles like Betrayed By Technology and Ritual of the Mind. Stuff that’s easy to let wash over you and even easier to bang the head too. The bass lines in the latter are to die for.

The force of Havok’s thrash is unending as they continue to blow all expectations out of the water with the ballsy groove of Interface With the Infinite. A track that is one you can envision in the live environment. A sea of thrashers losing their mind to the heavy-ass rhythm.

A brief break in proceedings with the short atmospheric Dab Tsog allows a chance to catch the breath before Phantom Force and Cosmetic Surgery has Havok return with renewed energy. A short and sharp jab to the temples from the masters of modern thrash.

Hold some of that energy in reserve though as Havok have plenty more in the tank and even throw in a surprise or two. Namely the expansive Panpsychism with its opening ringing guitar melody, beastly bass, bell tolling and fiery bursts.

If you weren’t sold on the brilliance of V, this will be the track where it becomes undeniable.

By contrast Merchants of Death might seem rather ordinary, sticking to tradition. However, this works in the album’s favour as it breaks apart the expansive former and the humongous finale of Don’t Do It. A slow moving epic of thrash proportions with some surprising clean singing, it’s truly remarkable.

Havok – V Full Track Listing:

1. Post-Truth Era
2. Fear Campaign
3. Betrayed By Technology
4. Ritual of the Mind
5. Interface With the Infinite
6. Dab Tsog
7. Phantom Force
8. Cosmetic Surgery
9. Panpsychism
10. Merchants of Death
11. Don’t Do It

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Havok – V (Century Media Records)

• The Final Score – 9/10

Related

Uwell Havok review : VapingUK

Introduction

How would you design your perfect pod system?

I’d go for MTL only, autodraw, minimalist aesthetics and closed pods – the Havok is exactly the opposite of that, but I’ll forgive it, because it’s also very good.

Images are here

Specs

What’s it like?

Design wise, it’s like a big version of the Smoant Pasito, or Lost Vape Orion, with a diagonal cutout from the allow body, that allows you to see juice levels in the pod.

The 4ml pod has a slide top-fill system that allows you to refill without removing the pod, a slide tab for airflow that doesn’t allow you to adjust airflow without removing the pod, replaceable coils and a non-removable drip-tip.

Operation

The chipset seems to a bit nicer than the standard pod chipset – while it doesn’t have many fancy functions or modes for you to play with, it fires quickly and does everything I need – I would have liked autodraw though.

As the battery depletes, the device actually displays the true wattage rather than the set wattage, also while the chipset will go up to 65w, it won’t let you exceed the recommended wattage for each coil.

The black and white screen displays battery level, wattage, resistance, voltage, puff time and puff counter.

The buttons are clicky and responsive, however there is slight button rattle if you shake it around, trying to make it rattle.

Coils

• 0.25ohm mesh – supposedly the 40-45w restricted DTL coil – however, I was more than happy running it at 30-40w, depending on which juice I was using and airflow settings.

• 0.6ohm mesh – this is the 20-25w more restricted DTL to MTL coil, which again, works just fine at slightly under the recommended wattage.

As with other Uwell products that I’ve tried, both coils give excellent flavor – pod systems nowadays are generally good, but Uwell seems to be a step ahead of most companies when it comes to coil flavor. I really can’t say anything bad about these coils, the flavors are accurate and intense, no matter what juice I use, there are no leaks and they are lasting well – well enough that at the time of me typing this review, they are still giving good flavor with no signs of dying.

Battery

Obviously this depends very much on your power settings and how frequently you use it, but the Havok’s battery lasts well and performs well even when the levels are getting low.

A full charge took me about 90minutes.

Pod

The actual pod is a mix of mostly good and a little bad, 4ml capacity is great and so is the top-fill system – however it would have made the Havok almost perfect if the drip-tip was removable, for two reasons. Firstly, I want a narrow bore drip-tip for MTL and wider for restricted DTL – also the drip-tip gets in the way when I try to fill the pod from a 100ml bottle -having it removable would resolve that problem.

Airflow

The airflow goes from slightly restricted DTL to very very tight MTL – tighter than I could imagine me ever using – this is an excellent airflow range and while you can’t adjust it as precisely as with on an RTA with an airflow control ring, it’s still much better than on most pod systems that I’ve used.

The only problem that I have with the airflow, is that you have to remove the pod to adjust it, this is made more frustrating by the fact that when you look at the design of the Havok, it seems that it would have been very easy to put a small cutout in the body that would have exposed the airflow control, to allow adjustments without removing the pod.

Aesthetics

I won’t dwell on styling too much, because that’s all down to personal taste, however while I would have preferred the styling if it had no plastic panel or logos/branding on the rear, it looks a little less garish in reality than in pictures.

What I like about the Havok

• Coils – both of the coils are very good. Great flavor, good lifespan and no leaks.

• Top-fill – anything that makes my life a little more convenient has to be a good thing.

• Airflow – full range airflow that really allows you to dial in your desired vaping style.

• Chipset – nothing fancy, but it works well and there’s nothing more I could ask from in a pod system.

What I don’t like about the Havok

• Drip-tip a removable drip-tip would have been a really nice feature.

• Fire button only – I like autodraw on pod systems.

• Airflow adjustment – removing the pod to adjust the airflow isn’t a huge annoyance, but not having to do it would have been great.

• Styling – the styling is not to my taste – it’s not terrible and I’ve seen far worse, but I’d still rather have uncomplicated aesthetics.

Conclusion

Testing and reviewing the Havok was strange for me, on the surface it’s exactly what I don’t want from my pod system. The only pod systems that I really enjoy using are tiny, simple and low powered like the ZQ Xtal and Geekvape Wenax K1, for everything else I want an RDA or RTA.

However, sitting at my desk with a selection of RTAs, all wicked up, full of juice and sitting on mods, I find myself reaching for the Havok.

Overall, it’s one of the better pod systems that I’ve tried over the last year or so.

Disclaimer

The Havok was provided for the purposes of this review by the kind people at Sourcemore – if you use the promo code HAVOK you can purchase the Havok for $27. 99 rather than the usual price of $45.89

Uwell Havok V1 Pod Mod. First glance

Today we will get acquainted with the new sub-mod Havok V1 , which is released by the extraordinary company Uwell .

The Chinese manufacturer of devices Uwell recently presented its new product, this time in a sub-mod format. The device received a traditional non-standard design from the aforementioned company, as well as a well-thought-out construct and solid functionality.

The body of the Havok V1 Pod Mod is made of aluminum alloy, and on the sides there are decorative inserts with an epoxy pattern.The cartridges are made of food grade PCTG plastic. Both of these structural elements are fastened together with latches. The manufacturer offers five basic colors to choose from. The device weighs just over 100g.

The new item has an integrated battery with a capacity of 1800mAh. For fast charging, a USB Type-C connector is provided at the end. On the front side of the sub-mod there is a control panel with a monochrome OLED display and a standard set of buttons.Functionally, the device has a simple board that produces power in the range of 5-65W. The cartridges of the novelty are powered by replaceable evaporators FeCrAl UN2 Meshed-H 0.25Ω / 0.6Ω, equipped with top filling through the slider cap and tightening adjustment using a special slider on the side. The capacity of the liquid reservoir reaches 4ml. There are protections against leaks and condensation.

Specifications Uwell Havok V1 Pod Mod :

• Dimensions: 100mm * 42.9mm * 19.2mm
• Material: aluminum alloy, PCTG
• Weight: 101g
• Battery: 1800mAh
• Charger: USB Type-C
• Power: 5-65W
• Capacity: 4ml
• Evaporators: FeCrAl UN2 Meshed-H 0.25Ω / 0.6Ω

Discussion Uwell Havok V1 Pod Mod at the Forum
2021 | Pavel Kotkov
Images | myuwell. com

If you find an error, select it and press Ctrl + Enter .

Uwell Havok V1 POD mod kit – old format, new possibilities … / Reviews of new electronic vaping products / VapeNews

The program closes with a novelty from an equally well-known brand – Uwell. The developers of the brand decided to revise the “belated” release of their valerian pod, moreover, they were not too lazy to convert the latter into a full-fledged pod-mod. Getting to know “again” …

Uwell Havok V1 POD mod kit

Dimensions: 100 x 42.9 x 19.2mm
Weight: 101g
Body material: aluminum alloy + plastic
Power supply: built-in 1800mAh
Cartridge capacity: 4.0ml
Evaporator resistance 0.25 / 0.6Ω
Output power: 5 – 65W
Operating mode: VW
Supported resistance: unknown
Protection: low / high resistance, overheating, short circuit , from overcharge / overdischarge
Connector type: magnetic
Screen / diagonal: monochrome, 0. 96 “
Micro-USB port / charging: Type-C, charging current 2A
Color: see photo below

Package contents
– Havok V1 POD mod
– replaceable cartridge (pre-installed)
– replaceable evaporators 2pcs 0.25 / 0.6Ω (one pre-installed)
– spare origins
– USB Type-C cable
– user manual
– warranty card

The exterior of the novelty, as always with the brand, does not differ in its modest design.A bunch of inscriptions, engravings, inset panels, contrast of materials and colors – this is just a small thing that they decided to surprise the fans with. Everyone decides for himself – whether he likes the device or not – my opinion, if you want – there is an overkill with the decor.

But the dimensions are again relatively compact, even more so for a fully adjustable sub-mod.

At the time of the start of sales, designers presented five design options. It is also gratifying that not only the pattern of the panel-insert differs, but also the color of the main body.

The cartridge looks familiar – the capacity is not bad, the filling is top. The cover is designed as a slide panel – both convenient and practical.

Replaceable evaporators are presented, if I understood everything correctly, with a new line. Both complete copies are made on a grid.

The developers did not forget about the airflow control, moreover, quickly accessible. The corresponding slider is located on one of the ends of the novelty.

The control panel in its entirety settled on the front end of the device.The buttons are small, but don’t forget about the overall dimensions. An ascetic monochrome display with a standard diagonal is sandwiched between the latter.

The device is powered by a built-in battery of a capacity that is not bad for such a compact device. Fast charging will be a pleasant surprise for the future owner. By the way, the same can be said about the Type-C connector.

No detailed information was found about the functionality, which means that there is nothing to boast about. We only fix on board a varivatt with a good adjustment range.

The price at the moment is not the most humane – about $ 50.

Official website www.myuwell.com/

Windows 10 game development guide – UWP applications

• 10/23/2021
• Reading takes 33 minutes

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In this article

Welcome to the Windows 10 Game Development Guide.

This guide contains the complete collection of resources and information needed to develop a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) game.A US English version of this manual is available in PDF format.

Introduction to Game Development for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

When you create a Windows 10 game, you have the opportunity to reach millions of players around the world through your phone, PC, and Xbox One. With Xbox on Windows, Xbox Live, multi-device multiplayer, an amazing community of gamers, and incredible new features like the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and DirectX 12, Windows 10 games will captivate gamers of all ages and genres.The new Universal Windows Platform (UWP) brings game compatibility across Windows 10 devices with a single API for phone, PC, and Xbox One, and the tools and settings to tailor games to each device.

This guide contains a comprehensive collection of resources and information to help you develop your game. Sections are organized by game development phase, so you know where the information you need is when you need it.

If you’re new to Windows or Xbox game development, it makes sense to start with the Getting Started guide.The Game Development Resources section provides an overview of documentation, software, and other resources that can be useful when creating games. If you want to start by looking at the code for the UWP, see the Sample Games section.

This guide will be updated as additional resources and materials are published on game development for Windows 10.

Game Development Resources

Developer software documentation, forums, blogs, and examples — there are many resources available to help you develop games.Here’s an overview of resources to be aware of when starting to develop a game for Windows 10.

Note

Some components are controlled by different programs. This guide covers a wide range of resources, and some resources may not be available depending on the program you are a member of or your developer status. Examples include links to developer.xboxlive.com, forums.xboxlive.com, xdi.xboxlive.com or Game Developers Network (GDN). For information on how to become a Microsoft partner, see Developer Programs.

Game Development Documentation

In this guide, you will find direct links to the relevant documentation, sorted by task, technology, and game development stage. To get an idea of ​​the resources available, see the list of major portals for Windows 10 Game Development.

Partner Center

Registering a developer account in Partner Center is the first step to publishing a Windows game.A developer account will allow you to reserve titles for your games and submit free and paid games to the Microsoft Store for any Windows device. With a developer account, you can manage your games and in-app products, get detailed analytics and enable services to deliver great experiences to your players around the world.

Microsoft also offers several developer programs to help you develop and publish games for Windows.Before registering for a Partner Center account, we recommend that you see if it is the correct one. See Developer Programs for details.

Developer programs

Microsoft offers several developer programs to help you develop and publish games for Windows. Consider joining the Developer Program if you want to create Xbox One games and use the Xbox Live features in them.To publish your game to the Microsoft Store, you also need to create a developer account in Partner Center.

Xbox Live Creators Program

The Xbox Live Creators Program allows anyone to integrate Xbox Live into their game and publish it to Xbox One and Windows 10. The certification process has been simplified as much as possible, and there is no concept approval outside of standard Microsoft Store policies.

Through the Creators Program, you can deploy, design and publish your games without a dedicated developer kit, using only retail hardware. Download the Dev Mode Activation app on your Xbox One to get started.

If you want access to even more Xbox Live capabilities, a dedicated marketing and development service, and presence in the main Xbox One store, apply to the ID @ Xbox program.

ID @ Xbox

The ID @ Xbox Program helps qualified developers self-publish their games for Windows and Xbox One. If you want to create an Xbox One game or add Xbox Live functionality such as Player Score, Achievements, or Leaderboards to your Windows 10 game, sign up for ID @ Xbox now.As an ID @ Xbox developer, you will receive the tools and support you need to successfully pursue your creative ideas. ID @ Xbox Before registering for a developer account in Partner Center, we recommend that you first apply to it.

Xbox middleware and tools

The Xbox Tools and Middleware Program licenses the Xbox developer kits to professional game developers of tools and middleware. Developers accepted into the program can share and distribute their Xbox XDK technologies to other licensed Xbox developers.

Examples of games

There are many Windows 10 sample games and applications to help you understand the capabilities of Windows 10 games and quickly get up to speed with game development. New examples are constantly being developed and published, so remember to check periodically for updates on the example portals.You can also follow the GitHub repos for updates and additions.

Developer Forums

The Developer Forums are a great place to ask and answer questions about game development and connect with the game developer community. Forums can also be a great source of ready-made answers to complex questions that developers have encountered previously and have successfully solved.

Developer Blogs

Developer Blogs are another great resource for the latest information on game development. Here you will find notes on new features, implementation details, best practices, architecture, and more.

Concept and planning

During the concept and planning phase, you decide what your game will be and what technologies and tools will be used.

Game Development Technology Overview

When you start developing a game for the UWP, you have a variety of options for graphics, input, sound, networking, utilities, and libraries.

If you have already decided what technologies you will use in the game, great! If not, check out the Game Technologies for UWP Apps guide for an excellent overview of the many technologies available. We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with it to find out about the available options and their compatibility with each other.

Scheduling Games

Here are some general concepts and concepts to keep in mind when planning your game.

Choice of graphics technology and programming language

There are several programming languages ​​and graphics technologies available for use with Windows 10 games. The path you take depends on the type of game you are developing, experience and development environment settings, and the specific requirements of the game. Will you be using C #, C ++ or JavaScript? DirectX, XAML or HTML5?

DirectX

Microsoft DirectX is a technology that is optimized for 2D and 3D graphics and multimedia with the highest performance.

DirectX 12 is faster and more efficient than any previous version. Direct3D 12 allows you to create more complex scenes and effects, increase the number of objects and fully utilize the resources of modern GPUs on computers running Windows 10 and Xbox One.

If you want to use the familiar Direct3D 11 graphics pipeline, you still benefit from the new rendering and optimization features added in Direct3D 11.3. and if you’ve undertaken a good and true Windows developer API rooted in Win32, you’ll still have that option on Windows 10.

Exhaustive feature set and deep DirectX platform integration deliver the power and performance for the most demanding games.

XAML

XAML is an easy-to-use declarative user interface language with handy features such as animations, storyboards, data binding, scalable vector graphics, dynamic resizing, and scene graphs. XAML is great for game UI, menus, sprites, and 2D graphics. XAML is compatible with design and development tools such as Expression Blend and Microsoft Visual Studio to simplify the creation of a UI layout.XAML is commonly used with C #, but C ++ is also suitable if this is the language of choice or if your game is CPU intensive.

HTML 5

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is a generic user interface markup language that is used for web pages, applications, and full-featured clients. Windows games can use HTML5 as a full featured presentation layer with familiar HTML functionality, access to the Universal Windows Platform, and support for modern web features such as AppCache, web workflows, Canvas, drag and drop, asynchronous programming, and SVG.HTML rendering itself takes advantage of DirectX hardware acceleration, so you can take advantage of DirectX performance without generating additional code. HTML5 should be chosen if you are a professional web developer, porting a web game, or want to use a language and graphics levels that are easier to use than other options. HTML5 is used in conjunction with JavaScript, but can also call components built with C # or C ++ / CX.

Combination of presentation technologies

Microsoft DirectX Graphic Infrastructure (DXGI) provides cross-program interoperability and interoperability for multiple graphics technologies.For high-performance graphics, you can combine XAML and DirectX, using XAML for menus and other simple UI elements, and DirectX for rendering complex 2D and 3D scenes. DXGI also provides Direct2D, Direct3D, DirectWrite, DirectCompute, and Microsoft Media Foundation compatibility.

C ++

C ++ / CX is a low-overhead, high-performance language that provides a powerful combination of speed, compatibility, and platform access.C ++ / CX makes it easy to use all the great gaming components on Windows 10, in particular DirectX and Xbox Live. You can also reuse existing C ++ code and libraries. C ++ / CX generates fast, machine code that does not require additional garbage collection, so the game can have high performance and low power consumption, resulting in longer battery life. Use C ++ / CX with DirectX or XAML, or create a game that uses a combination of the two.

C #

C # (pronounced C-Sharp) is a modern, innovative language that is simple, powerful, type-safe, and object-oriented. C # accelerates development while maintaining the understanding and expressiveness of C languages. Despite its ease of use, C # has various advanced language features such as polymorphism, delegates, lambda expressions, closures, iterator methods, covariance, and Integrated Query Language (LINQ ).C # is the perfect choice if you want to use XAML, get started quickly developing a game, or are experienced with C #. C # is mostly used in conjunction with XAML, so if you want to use DirectX, choose C ++, or write part of your game as a C ++ component that interacts with DirectX. Alternatively, you can use Win2D, a Direct2D direct-mode graphics library for C # and C ++.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a dynamic scripting language that is widely used in modern web applications and full-featured clients.

Windows JavaScript applications access useful features in the Universal Applications Platform for Windows in a simple and intuitive way — as methods and properties of JavaScript object-oriented classes. JavaScript is a good option for your game if you come from a web development environment, are already familiar with JavaScript, or want to use HTML5, CSS, WinJS or JavaScript libraries. If you’re using DirectX or XAML, choose C # or C ++ / CX instead.

How to use Windows Runtime Components to combine languages ​​

with Universal Windows Platform can easily combine components written in different languages.Create Windows Runtime Components in C ++, C #, or Visual Basic, and then call them from JavaScript, C #, C ++, or Visual Basic. This is a great way to program parts of a game in the language of your choice. Components also allow you to use external libraries that are only available in a specific language, as well as use previously written code.

Which version of DirectX should your game use?

When using DirectX for the game, you must select the version to be used: Microsoft Direct3D 12 or Microsoft Direct3D 11.

DirectX 12 is faster and more efficient than any previous version. Direct3D 12 allows you to create more complex scenes and effects, increase the number of objects and fully utilize the resources of modern GPUs on computers running Windows 10 and Xbox One. Because Direct3D 12 runs at a very low level, it can give a team of professional graphics developers or DirectX 11 everything they need to maximize graphics optimization.

Direct3D 11.3 is a low-level graphics API that uses the familiar Direct3D programming model. It takes over more complex GPU rendering operations. It is also supported on Windows 10 and Xbox One. If you already have a Direct3D 11 graphics engine and aren’t ready to upgrade to Direct3D 12 yet, you can use Direct3D 11 over 12 to get some of the performance gains. Versions 11.3 and up include new rendering and optimization features that are also available in Direct3D 12.

Bridges, game engines and middleware

Depending on the needs of your game, using bridges, game engines, or middleware can save development and testing time and resources. Here are some overviews and resources on bridges, game engines, and middleware.

Bridges for the Universal Windows Platform

Universal Windows Platform Bridges are technologies that make an existing app or game available on the UWP.Bridges are a great way to get started quickly developing games for UWP.

PlayFab

PlayFab, now part of the Microsoft family of solutions, is a complete server-side real-time gaming platform that helps indie studios get to market. Increase revenue, attract more and retain more users, while reducing costs through gaming services, real-time analytics and LiveOps technology.

Unity

Unity provides a platform for creating beautiful and fun games and applications: 2D, 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality.This platform allows you to quickly embody your creative vision and make the result available on almost any medium or device.

The Unity Platform supports Direct3D 12 development (since Unity 5.4).

Havok

Havok’s modular suite of tools and technologies helps game creators reach new levels of interactivity and experience. Havok delivers highly realistic physics, interactive simulation, and stunning cinematic scenes.In version 2015.1 and later, Visual Studio 2015 on x86, x64, and ARM architectures is officially supported by the UWP.

MonoGame

MonoGame is an open source, cross-platform game development solution based on the Microsoft XNA Framework 4. 0. Monogame currently supports Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox, as well as Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and several other platforms.

Cocos2d

Cocos2d-x is a cross-platform open source game development toolkit and engine that supports UWP game development.Starting with version 3, 3D development capabilities are also added.

Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine 4 is a complete set of development tools for any game by any developer. Unreal Engine is used by game developers around the world for the most demanding games for consoles and computers.

BabylonJS

BabylonJS is a comprehensive JavaScript framework for creating 3D games using HTML5, WebGL, WebVR, and web audio.

Porting the game

If you already own the game, there are many resources and tutorials to help you quickly make your game available on UWP.You can also try using the Universal Windows Platform Bridge to speed up the migration process.

Prototyping and design

Once you have determined what type of game you want to create and what tools and graphics technologies you will use during development, you can start designing and prototyping. At its core, your game is a Universal Windows Platform application, so that’s where we’ll start.

Introduction to Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

Windows 10 pioneers the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), which provides a common API platform across Windows 10 devices.The UWP is the product of evolving and extending the Windows Runtime model, honed into a single unified kernel. UWP games can call WinRT APIs that are common across all devices. Because the UWP provides guaranteed API levels, you can create a single app package that installs on multiple Windows 10 devices. If you want, the game can call APIs (including some classic Windows APIs from Win32 and.NET) related to the devices on which the game will be used.

Here are some excellent tutorials that discuss UWP applications in depth. These guides will help you understand the platform better.

Start UWP Development

Preparing to develop a Universal Windows Platform application is quick and easy. The following guides provide step-by-step instructions.

If you’re completely new to UWP coding and want to use XAML in your game (see:Choosing Graphics Technology and Programming Language), the Developing for Windows 10 video series for absolute beginners is an excellent resource.

Design Principles for UWP

API for porting Windows desktop apps to UWP

Using these links will make it easy to port your classic Windows game to the UWP.

Process Lifecycle Management

Process lifecycle management (or application lifecycle) describes the various activation states that a Universal Windows Platform application can go through.The game can be activated, paused, resumed, and terminated, and the transition between these states can be done in a variety of ways.

Designing a game user experience

Creative design is at the core of good play.

Games and applications are similar in some standard user interface elements and design principles, but games are often characterized by a unique look, user interface, and design. Games succeed when clever design is applied to both aspects: when the game should use a proven user interface, and when it should be different and innovative.The presentation technology you choose for your game (DirectX, XAML, HTML5, or some combination of the three) can affect the implementation details, but the underlying design principles are almost independent of that choice.

Unlike user interaction, aspects of the game such as level design, walkthrough, world design, and others are art in themselves; it is up to you and your team to decide, and these issues are not covered in this development guide.

Recommendations for color and palette

Following a consistent color palette improves game aesthetics, simplifies navigation, and is also a powerful tool for informing the player about menu and HUD functions. Consistent colorization of game elements such as warnings, damage, experience, and achievements can simplify the user interface and reduce the need for explicit labels.

Type design

Correct application of text decoration improves many aspects of the game, in particular the layout of the user interface, navigation, readability, atmosphere, branding, and player immersion.

UI Map

The UI Map is a flowchart-style navigation and menu layout for the game. A user interface map helps all stakeholders to understand the game interface and navigation paths, and can also provide potential obstacles and unfinished ends early in the development cycle.

Sound for games

Guides and reference for implementing game sound with XAudio2, XAPO, and Windows Sonic.XAudio2 is a low-level audio API that provides basic signal processing and audio mixing capabilities for developing high-performance audio modules. The XAPO API allows you to create cross-platform audio processing objects (XAPOs) for use in XAudio2 for Windows and Xbox. Windows Sonic adds support for Dolby Atmos for Home Theater, Dolby Atmos for Headphones, and Windows HRTF to games and multimedia applications.

Developing with DirectX

DirectX Game Development Guides & References

Learn Direct3D 12

Learn what’s changed in Direct3D 12 and how to get started programming with Direct3D 12.

DirectX Toolbox and Library

The DirectX Toolkit, DirectX Texture Processing Library, DirectXMesh Geometry Library, UVAtlas Library, and DirectXMath Library contain textures, meshes, sprites, and other utility functions and helper classes for DirectX development. These libraries help save time and effort during development.

Get DirectX Toolkit for DirectX 11	DirectXTK
Get DirectX Toolkit for DirectX 12	DirectXTK 12
Get DirectX Texture Processing Library	DirectXTex
Get DirectXMesh Geometry Processing Library	DirectXMesh
Get the UVAtlas library for creating and packing an isochart texture atlas.	UVAtlas
Get DirectXMath Library	DirectXMath
Direct3D 12 Support in DirectXTK (blog post)	DirectX 12 Support

DirectX resources from partners

This is additional DirectX documentation contributed by external partners.

Working environment

Your studio is now fully operational and moving to the creation stage, all work is distributed among the members of the working group.You modify, rework and develop a prototype to turn it into a real game.

Notifications and Live Tiles

The tile is used to represent the game in the Start menu. Tiles and notifications can catch the interest of players even if they are not currently playing your game.

Enabling in-app purchases (add-on)

Add-on (In-App Product) is an optional item that players can purchase in-game. Add-ons can be game levels, items, or any other that your players can play. Where appropriate, add-ons can provide income by enhancing the gaming experience. You can define and publish game add-ons through the Partner Center, and you can include in-app purchases in your game code.

Debugging, Optimizing, and Performance Monitoring

To optimize performance, take advantage of Game Mode in Windows 10 to get the most out of your players’ current hardware.

Windows Performance Toolkit (WPT) includes performance monitoring tools that generate detailed performance profiles of Windows applications and operating systems.This is especially useful for monitoring memory usage and for improving game performance. The Windows Performance Toolkit is included in the Windows 10 SDK and Windows ADK. This toolkit includes two independent tools: Windows Performance Recorder (WPR) and Windows Performance Analyzer (WPA). ProcDump is a command-line tool included with Windows Sysinternals that monitors CPU usage spikes and generates dump files during game crashes.

Modern DirectX Methods and Concepts

Some of the subtle elements of DirectX development can be tricky.If you need to learn more about your DirectX engine or troubleshoot complex performance issues, the resources and information in this section may be helpful.

High dynamic range (HDR) content development

Developing game content using the full color capabilities of HDR

Globalization and Localization

Develop international-ready games for the Windows platform and learn about the international features built into the best Microsoft products.

Submitting and publishing a game

The following guides and information are designed to make the posting and submission process as easy as possible.

Publication

You will use the Partner Center to publish and manage game packages.

Create package and transfer

Policies and Certification

Avoid delaying game release due to certification issues. Here’s a look at our certification policies and common issues.

Store manifest (StoreManifest.xml)

The Store manifest (StoreManifest.xml) is an optional configuration file that can be included in an app package. The store manifest provides additional functionality that is not part of the AppxManifest.xml file. For example, you can use a store manifest to block the installation of a game if the target device does not have a specified minimum of DirectX features or a specified minimum system memory.

Game Lifecycle Management

Once you’ve finished creating your game and submitting it, don’t assume you’ve done everything.You may have completed the development of the first version, but your game’s journey to the market is just beginning. You will need to monitor usage and receive bug reports, respond to user feedback, and post game updates.

Partner Center Analytics and Promotion

Visual Studio Application Insights

Visual Studio Application Insights statistics provides insights into the performance, telemetry, and usage of a published game. Application Insights statistics help detect and fix post-release issues, continuously monitor and improve gameplay, and understand how players interact with the game. For Application Insights to work, you need to add an SDK to your application that sends telemetry data to the Azure portal.

Third-party analysis and promotion solutions

How to create and manage content updates

To update a published game, please submit a new application package with a higher version number.Once the package has been submitted and certified, it will automatically be available to users as an update.

Add Xbox Live to your game

Xbox Live is a premium gaming network that connects millions of players around the world. Developers gain access to Xbox Live features that can dramatically increase a game’s audience, including Xbox Live presence, leaderboards, cloud saving, game hubs, clubs, chat, game DVR, and more.

Note

If you want to create Xbox Live games, there are several options available to you. For information on the various applications, see Developer Programs Overview.

Xbox Live Creators Program Developers

ID @ Xbox Managed Partners and Developers

Additional Resources

Havoc Demon Hunter DPS Guide – Shadowlands 9.1.5 – Guides

Welcome to Wowhead’s Havoc Demon Hunter guide, updated for! This guide will teach you to master playing Havoc Demon Hunter in all aspects of the game, helping you to $ role in Raids and Mythic + dungeons.

Throughout this guide, we will cover many different aspects to increase your Havoc Demon Hunter expertise, including concepts like Havoc Demon Hunter talents and talents builds, Havoc Demon Hunter BiS gear choices, Havoc Demon Hunter stat priorities, among many other aspects of your class and specialization. Make sure to navigate to additional pages of the Havoc Demon Hunter guide to find more in-depth information on topics such as Covenants, Legendaries, Soulbinds, Conduits, Mythic +, and Raids.

Overview
NEW
NEW Best Covenant

Gear
Talent Builds
NEW Legendaries
NEW Shards of Domination

NEW Conduits
NEW Kyrian
NEW Necrolord
NEW Night Fae
NEW Venthyr

Pre-Patch
0 Starter Guide 9000 Rotation, Priority, and Abilities
Advanced Concepts
Stats

Consumables
Macros & Addons
WeakAuras
Common Terms
NEW Castle Nathria Tips
Sanctum of Domination Tips
NEW Mythic +
Common Questions
Twisting Corridors
NEW Simulations

About the Authority
This guide is written by Kib, who raids in Strawberry Puppy Kisses and is Admin of the Fel Hammer Demon Hunter Discord.You can catch him online on his Stream.

How to Play Havoc Demon Hunter in Shadowlands

Havoc Demon Hunter is a fast dual-wielding, leather wearing melee DPS specialization with very high mobility.

The core of Havoc is based around generating and spending Fury . We generate Fury by using Demon’s Bite and spend by using powerful spells such as Eye Beam and Chaos Strike.

New Demon Hunters will start at level 8 rather than level 1 due to being a hero class, and are restricted to being either Blood Elf if Horde or Night Elf if Alliance.

If you are looking a brief overview of how to play a Havoc Demon Hunter in Shadowlands, please visit our Starter Guide for a short summary on Covenants, Legendaries, Stats and more!

Havoc Demon Hunter Starter Guide

For more information on how to play your Havoc Demon Hunter, please see our Rotation Guide or Talent Guide.

Changes to Havoc Demon Hunter in patch 9.1

Changes to Havoc Demon Hunters in 9.1

Havoc Demon Hunter Chains of Domination (9.1) Changes Analysis

Changes to Havoc Demon Hunters in 9.0.5

Havoc Demon Hunter Strengths and Weaknesses

Shadowlands Highlights for Havoc Demon Hunter

Shadowlands introduces several new expansion-specific features to help customize your character in the form of Covenants and Legendaries. Choosing a Covenant is the most important decision that your character will make in Shadowlands, as the Covenant abilities and Soulbinds will significantly impact your spec’s gameplay and performance.Shadowlands Legendary Powers grant impactful gameplay effects for your character through the new Runecarving system. For more information on these Shadowlands Systems, please see our Havoc Demon Hunter Covenant Overview and Havoc Demon Hunter Legendary Guide.

Havoc Demon Hunter Covenant OverviewHavoc Demon Hunter Legendary Guide

If you’re a returning player from Battle for Azeroth, you can see all the Demon Hunter changes for Shadowlands in our Havoc Demon Hunter Changes Compilation.

Demon Hunter Class Changes Guide

How to Gear a Havoc Demon Hunter in Shadowlands

Gearing a havoc dh is fairly easy in Shadowlands. You will want to seek out items with haste and the other stat have lower importance. Below you’ll find information on how to gear a Havoc Demon Hunter in Season 1 of Shadowlands including Best in Slot recommendations.

Havoc Demon Hunter Gear Guide

Learn how each stat increases your damage and which you should be prioritizing in each type of content with our stat guide.Add finishing touches to your Havoc Demon Hunter with all the best consumables, gems, and enchants in our consumables guide.

Havoc Demon Hunter Stats GuideHavoc Demon Hunter Consumables Guide

Playing a Havoc Demon Hunter in Shadowlands Season 2

Jumping into end-game content may feel intimidating for new Havoc DHs, but we have you covered with guides for a variety of content specifically tailored to Havoc DHs of any item level. Whether you’re looking to raid Sanctum of Domination, jump into Mythic +, climb the layers of Torghast, or challenge other players in PvP combat, we’re here to support you no matter your content preference.

Havoc Demon Hunter Sanctum of Domination Tips Havoc Demon Hunter Mythic + GuideHavoc Demon Hunter Torghast Guide Night Elf.

What Makes Havoc Special

Havoc Demon Hunter is a melee DPS specialization, you can learn more about all types of melee DPSers in our Melee DPS Overview.

Havoc Demon Hunter Changes in Shadowlands

Shadowlands adds many new abilities and changes for all Classes, including Havoc Demon Hunter. For a detailed view of all the changes, check out our Demon Hunter Changes in Shadowlands Guide!

All Demon Hunter Changes in Shadowlands

New Artifact Transmog Options for Havoc Demon Hunter

Shadowlands brings new changes for Artifact Transmog Options, allowing players to transmog their weapons to any of their other spec Artifact appearances.

All Artifact Weapon ModelsAcquiring Artifact Appearances

Our Havoc Demon Hunter guides are always updated with the latest information from in-game experience, simulations, and logs; make sure to check our changelog to this page, by clicking on View Changelog at the top of the page. If you are interested in more in-depth Havoc Demon Hunter guides for, make sure to browse the Navigation Bar below, and our list of Related Guides just beneath the Table of Contents .

Would you like to quickly find this guide using Discord? You can do it easily using Jeeves Bot! Click here to add Jeeves to your Discord server.

Next Page:
Beginner’s Guide

Feedback

Thanks for reading our class guides! If you have any feedback about the guides, feel free to leave a comment in the section below and we will reply as quickly as possible. If you’d like to talk with any of our writers directly you can do so by joining our Discord Server and finding them there!

Havok – Burn | Releases, reviews, authors

havok music, videos, stats, and photos

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Liquid Force Havoc Hybrid Kite of the Year

Bow and C kites have dominated the kite market for the past few years. Bowkites cover a wider range, are capable of completely releasing traction and are easily restarted from the water. Traditional C-kites have a more regular arc shape and combine stable, controlled traction with consistent canopy cornering behavior. Today, hybrid kites combine the best features of bow and C-kites to give the rider the most ride-friendly kite possible.

REAL Kiteboarding named Liquid Force Havoc “BEST HYBRID KITE 2007”.Havok is a kite for all riding styles. It delivers consistent traction in the wind window, predictable for all riders, riding styles and wind conditions. Beginners will love the Havok for its ability to completely release traction, no eversion, easy water start and the system of inflating the entire kite through a single valve. Advanced riders will go crazy for minimal plank loading, fast wind window turns, huge jumps and insanely easy upwind carving.

“Liquid Force Havoc is incredible! I just got back from Australia from filming the new kiteboard DVD “Lines”. During filming, I rode all Havk sizes from 6m to 14m. They combined all my requirements for a kite in one model! Havok allowed me to teach beginners before their first start out of the water, helped advanced riders progress to the next stages of riding and provided everything I needed for my own sessions, satisfying all the modes I needed for shooting and riding. ” Jason Slezak – coach and rider of the international Liquid Force team

A revolutionary feature of the shape is the 25% flatter arch segment (relative to traditional C-kites).The flatter arches are combined with a special canopy cut to give the kite two sizes of more power, while still providing full power relief. This implies that a 14m Havok will generate the equivalent of a 16m C-kite. Just like a regular 7m kite will create less thrust than a 6m Havok. The system of inflating the kite through one valve makes preparing for the gurney and folding the kite easier than before. The extended wind range and quicker kite set-up means less pumping and longer sessions on the water.

“This kite was a year ahead of its time. All hybrid kites will copy Havok next season. ” – Trip Forman (co-founder of REALKiteboarding)

Compliments for the performance of the kite also apply to the design of the Havok kite bar. The design is simple and straightforward, although it contains all the functions you could require from a plank. The integrated dipauer clamp makes it simple and easy to adjust the trimmer while riding.Convenient adjustments and easy movement of the bar make it possible to ride comfortably no matter how gusty the wind is on the spot.

“Liquid Force has set the bar insane! The stopper is designed very competently, the release of the trimmer is quick and easy, the safety system allows you to be calm while riding. All the necessary functions are included in the design of the Havka bar, while there are no unnecessary parts on it. ” – Matt Nuzzo, RealKiteboarding Team Trainer

Thinking about the right size for you? Havok has a line for riders of all sizes. If you are on the lighter half of humanity (45-60 kg), think about 6.8 or 10. If you weigh more impressively, then your choice is likely 10, 12 or 14. Any Havok will give you confidence and enjoyment from skiing for several seasons.

“This kite maintains the stability and integrity of the canopy anywhere in the wind window. Havok continues all the good beginnings of Bowkites (full depower, large wind range and easy restart), but the feeling of riding is like on a C-kite, especially when riding an unhooked.The Havok is a solid, stable kite, great for surfing. ” – Brandon Scheid, rider of the American team Liquid Force

“If you love waveriding and complete depower, Havok is your only sure way!” -Bryan Elkus, rider of the Greate Lakes Kiteboarding team

“Havok is great for light riders. Minimum pressure on the bar is important for people who do not have a lot of weight, but also like quick turns of the kite. It has a nice and simple bar.This bar allows you to feel the state of the kite both when there is little thrust in the canopy and when the thrust is at its maximum.