Sunday 30 July 2023

Old is new, new is old, fun is fun....

Same'ol same'ol. More or less. Wouldn't be having fun otherwise.

With the Steam post Summer sale, sale on. Steam Stealth Fest was of no interest to me. Two games on my wish-list were on 'sale' but not enough of a sale. Not enough of a sale with the amount of DLC I'd need to make them a 'buy'.

Sniper Elite 5 and Hitman 3 are both games I've taken advantage of via demo/free weekends and of course through the Xbox Ultimate pass for PC. While I'd aim for physical copies those are a thing of the past and not even GoG can sate my 'need' for ownership. I'm all in on Steam and I'll sink or swim with that ship. Too big to fail(like Microsoft)? Anyway.
 
Sniper Elite 5 has a proverbial excrement ton of DLC, even with all the sale off pricing it's expensive. I'm under no pressure; I can wait. It's a good game in retrospect(I looked at it here, here and here), different than it's previous iterations but one to pick up cheap. I'll appreciate it more then. Besides I'm sure a lots been ironed out since then.... Right!
 

Hitman 3 has been in a state of flux with it's developer/distribution since the first one came out. There has been good and bad elements mainly due to DLC/pricing/distribution/iterations/versions(stuff like my time here and here as well) and the odd random clusterfaaaaak now an then(like Epic exclusivity etc). Again retrospectively I've played it I've had fun and now I'd like to 'own' it all(good and gooderer). I'm just still not there yet with a buy.


 
 
 
 
World of Warcraft....
 
With the alt boost for post 60 day characters I subbed for a month and have played the game. Alt'ing myself up. Upgrading them with the boost benefits and enjoying the asset/character management side of things. While trying to assist my wife as she actually plays the game, seriously.

 
That said the tweet above was also of interest. Having a character in the mid 20's(leveled with on eof my wife's characters), it seemed like a nice way to get back to both the game and a character to play with my wife. Which I did, gained the quest to claim the mount, went to do the handin and was stopped by a brick wall. Neither myself or my wife ever took part of the Battle for Azeroth expansion. Which explains why we says no NPC's in the main city and so no handin(even as we could see the gold ? for its location). Neither of us has the current motivation to do the 10(or so) part quest chain. Neither of us have done that in full... One or two characters have done some part way..... Maybe we were overthinking it and we'll get into it.... https://www.warcrafttavern.com/wow/guides/how-to-unlock-the-battle-for-azeroth-war-campaign-portal-room/





Eve Online....

Since I last posted I've not even touched the launcher never mind the game...

To further waffle on, again I still shouldn't be surprised by CCP going this route but I still can't get why they did so; Or rather I can't see why CCP would sully CCP with bad faith to sell out their beloved player base for cash.... I really shouldn't be surprised. A games company that could be so much better for players and still make a profit. Players, gamers, as customers are being used, really 'used'. Such a shítty situation. Glad the bulk of the community see's it the same way(more or less).

OZ_Eve





Mini Metro and Mini Motorways....

Two great games(Metro and Motorways) with ongoing content and updates. Reaching it's 10 year mark. I was initially confused by thinking that I'd missed out on Mini Metro on Steam but it's been out 8 years(2015) there; So it must have had a life before Steam...

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/287980/view/3676674869985617675
 

So on both games I've put in some time to see the latest maps and their challenges.

 
Seeing the games, especially Mini Metro as well as the PR push on the social medias has me wondering about the game on Android. Which I did get. I'm sure Motorways will make it there eventually as well.



 
 
 
Planet Crafter....

One of those games it's hard to put down and leave; I just find myself back in it. Asset management, export for the sake of export and a 'base' rearrangement for the sake of rearrangement than to live with what 'will do'. So useful but not necessary. Fun in it's doing and a time sink, blink and three hours have passed. Part of the joy.






Darkest Dungeon....

More of the same here as well so not as much done or worthy of mention.
 
Progress is progress; Game fun is game fun.
 
 
I did get a Grave Robber up to level 6 completing all classes of heroes(for this play-through).
 





Euro Truck Simulator 2 & ATS....

The next expansion seems to be getting closer to release.

The latest update video for American Truck Sim is looking good as well. I may not have a lot of content on that side of the coin but as with most patches/updates, the quality of life 'bleed through' is always good.


A live stream over last Christmas gave a discussion of the ETS 2/ATS game engine being incompatible withe consoles; They also talked about updating and changes to the game engine allowing console developments. I hope that happens. The console players deserve it as much as SCS do. 
Non truck hauler games like Snowrunner aside I was interested in seeing what games on console were out there today to please my ETS 2/ATS trucking needs. 
A void does get filled after all; I've been down a rabbit hole of truck comparison on Xbox. Mainly between two games. One better than the other and even that better choice has a lot of issues. Delay's, broken DLC/mechanics, prices etc, etc. Neither ideal but when they are all a player can get; So yea a void gets filled. 
ETS 2 and ATS may have the PC market sown up but to have a clone(even in an arcade style more than Sim) of such games on console was not a thing I knew about till I saw trailers. The better of the choices was Truck Driver. I've seen some other similar games of less quality before but not heard of this branch of the 'clone' market for Trucks. As it's own thing, fleshed out with a character and story narrative; It has me looking at it as a somewhat worthy game. Even if it's got so many cloned elements..... Then again it doe show a lot of it's own ideas.... So it's worthy. Looking at it with interest at least. It may not beat ETS 2 or ATS but as a change, as a game that's got the potential to be the same but different; That could be 'interesting'.That games new DLC:
 
 
There's a lot of the game that's somewhat generic in some looks. A game that 'looks ok' gets more interest because it's such a sparse market; Not to harp on the point but that void is large.

Truck Driver seems to have been released in 2019 for PS4; As well as on Xbox One. This latest version seems to have some 'enhancements' since. 2021 saw it on Steam(https://store.steampowered.com/app/768180/Truck_Driver/).
Xbox does seem to be it's comfortable home. Main game, DLC's etc etc.


On The Road The Truck Simulator is the 'other game'. A 2017 (2019 on Steam) release game that's not proven it's worth for a long time(or so I've read). However it seems in the last year it's started to prove it's worth? That said from what I've seen it's got some good additions over ETS 2 but is still 'rough around the edges'.The game is on Steam but to be fair as good as it 'could' be..... ETS 2 is King.
So 'On The Road' is the lesser 'clone' of the lesser 'clone' which is Truck Driver. With no ETS 2 or ATS on Xbox it makes more room for other 'clones' to breath and find their own feet. So finding out more about Truck Driver curiosly interesting.

In saying all that they are expensive games for what they are. IMHO they are not worth it no matter what I find out. ETS 2 and ATS are by far so ahead in all areas by such a distance as to be the only choice. If only they were on console(gamepass does not count in this regard).... So when you don't have that choice...... Options can be 'considered'..... For Xbox. Yet with those prices this is only a thought and/or blog waffling exercise.
 
 
 
 
 
PowerWash Simulator....
 
Progress to the end.
 
  

The Kiffness
 
 
 
Boat, RV/UFO all done.




I'll be waiting a while before tackling the next and last map of the main campaign. The new and most powerful washer will help but it'll still take time.

 
 




Star Trek Online....

On console there's an ongoing Temporal Recruit event but I'd no need to take advantage of it at all on any platform.

Also on console the next event is coming up as the Summer evnt has ended. I will be doing the so called Flagship Celebration Event, though I am not looking forward to it. The Borg: Disconnected TFO is the better choice but I have doubts about random players for smooth and quick runs. I look forwad to being pleasently suprised.
 
 
On PC there are two weeks of Red Alerts against the Borg which is always quick and smooth; The rewards will be good to collect and add to teh account bank.

There are the usual plethora of stuff to buy as well as a new packs etc etc. I'm not a player of the game that is into buying the newest new for the sake of it never mind old ships updated for the now. Says the guy happy in an event ship. Plenty of Youtube STO creators talking about said pack.

A double XP event on PC is a much better event bringing players less of a mission grind(or Doff grind)
So lots for everyone.

Best for me is the current Phoenix Prize Pack Even. I've been gaining a lot more crystaline consoles and red matter devices to cover alts and theior ships. Not to mention every last Zen to Dil to buy upgrade tokens.

In the last week I'd been playing the end days of the Risa Summer event. Daily for the Dil and Summer store tokens from the event participation; More for the sake of stockpiling than aiming to buy anything.
Still, with a few days left of the event it was still hard to believe the event had come and gone. At least for me the time seems to have flown.


 
The problem that was fixed on PC does not seem to have trickled down to console. Maybe a more involved fix needed.


Speaking of console my KDF recruit finally got to finish off the Doff Marauding option. Not that I'd really tried to do it but even in orbit of Nimbus it seemed that there were not that many assignments to help do it. If only there was a phoenic event on Xbox so I can get him the Zefram Cochrane Shotgun.

 





Warhammer 40,000 Boltgun....

What started off as a 'usual' blast of fun continued on the next day as a much longer session to complete the game. I'm glad to get to the end; But I'm not completionist with it. The secrets I've missed along the way will stay secret.


And it's from here I was getting absolutely fk'd up by streams of nerglings. Making me run out of ammo. But in a one more try way late one night I pushed through to the end and ended the source.

 
 
Moving on to the end.

 
 
 
 
  
 
The end is a horrendous yet fun and by this stage stereotypical larger, open arena; Filled with guns, ammo and secrets. Waves come at stages of larger mini bosses and the main boss himself..... A few times between the waves and his health/return. It's a slog but a fun one.
.
 
 
 
 
 
In 'wining' I was reminded of the Star Trek Jem'Hadar mantra "Victory is life"; So too with 40k Marine life. Happy to win but more to do elsewhere. No time to rest*. Typical 40k!
 

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Sunday 23 July 2023

A week here, a week there, again....

With all the undersea games I've played and been really into; A new one Under the Waves looks to be as interesting. One for the steam wish-list and keep an eye on.
 
 
 
 
 


PowerWash Simulator.....

I'm not an achievement junkie.... Just somewhat of an ironic(picky) completionist. So I was persisting on with the white nozzle on the ancient statue.... While watching Youtubez.
 
 
 
That is until I realized that the achi is actually for the ancient monument and not the ancient statue.... 
OMG/WTF(insert all the acronyms) am I doing..... Or as I'd say here in lil 'ol Ireland..... Féckin Góbshíte! Yea realisation at last.
In trying to clean the necklace of the statue with only the white nozzle I questioned the practicalities. Then I questioned if it was doable; Which lead to the internet and my double checking the achi and seeing the name of the monument....


I'd say I was embarrassed or mortified blogging about something that was a hardcore mistake but the fact that I blog and not more than a handful of views come in(never mind a comment) really isn't 'that' embarrassing. Mistakes happen. Still what a mistaka to maka.

Time for a course correction. Unleash the hose of power!
 

The next day it was done.


 
Then it was time to break out the purchase power of everything I'd not bought yet in game.


Which lead to an easier time on the next few maps and allowing some more achi pop-ups.

 
 
Getting to finally do the White nozzle on the ancient monument was also made a lot easier with the best power-washer equipment in hand(pun intended). Quick and easy!





 
 
 
And that was that. Lots done, equipment bought, maps completed and achievements done.
 

The next is already in progress:
 
 
 
 
 
 
World of Warcraft....

A lot has been reported and a lot changed in patches to the game in the last few weeks; Yet I've no hook to get me back to the game. Messing about with leveling or helping my wife's alts is one thing but to actually 'play' the game myself unlikely. To much to catch up on. Which is the double edged nature of WoW; It's a constant keep up with gameplay, constant upgrade, constant 'need' to 'keep' doing. 
I'm probably not the only person feeling like that. The WoW news reporting on player numbers/motivations seems to show ups and downs for one reason or another. Yet all said I've a growing 'want' to play the game since I saw an alt friendly game mechanic.

So it's no wonder Blizz are trying to enhance the 'returning' player experience. 

This message on some of my wife's alts was an interesting one to see; Then I saw the treet. Checking my own account showed many many eligible alts. 
 
 
Goodies for characters that you've not played in a while! A boon to get players playing and I mean that sincerely. It may be the hook for me. Players who leave alts that long will get the most form such items and that's most of my alts. Talk about speaking my language.
The Welcome Back to World of Warcraft details are for characters between 10 and 60 who have not logged in, in 60 days. Thankfully (unlike some other games) this feature is per eligible character and not just a once off per account thing.
 

This also has me thinking of logging in to my own characters across all realms... Alliance and Horde...
A feature to actually make me feel like I'd be missing out, while also being a way to get me to pay to play again....Who'd have thunk it; Maybe this weekend....
 

 
 
 
 
 
Warhammer 40,000 Boltgun....
 
The best enjoyment in playing the game for me is in not having long play sessions. Hop in, blast, drop a save and exit. At that I'm allowing more time between those sessions.  A few times a week is now bordering once or twice. Which has noting to do with anything negative about the game. More a savoring the game from me.
 
 
 
 

Chapter 3-6: Death Is Honour is next. It's the second last mission/level, so enjoying it and taking my time are key(pun intended?).


 
 



Darkest Dungeon....
 
So far I've left doing the objectives of higher level progression; And instead have been doing more low level 'fun'. Given that this is an 'easy' mode run supposed to be my retirement swan song of enjoyment; It's been surprising me with how difficult it's been so far. As I was waffling last time, this last week is more of the same. Progress at a price. I've lost low level hero fodder and gained gold, trinkets and heirlooms. As planned. Doing so has also let me do a number of Shambler runs in moments of opportunity; Plunging in.
 
 
 
That said I can still flinch (at time) when pushing the limits on some of these teams abilities/endurance. Some are just not worth it. But it can be fun to try. 
 
 
My only real concern is to level a Grave Robber up to 6 so I can then say that all Hero classes are 'done'(ticked on the caretaker's list). So still in progress.
 
 
As well as finalizing some of the last remaining treatment upgrades. More of a would be nice rather than essential; I'm sure I'll thank myself later.



I need to remember that this run isn't about doing everything in a rush.
 
 

 
 
 
Planet Crafter....

More fun had in it's doing. Learning more about drones, trading and the production items/chains. Lots done, more to do.

I've rearranged my trade rockets and added another(or two). 2 are still alternating launches but are both taking a share of pulsar crystals and circuit boards(for best value returns). The third has taken over the cloth and super food exports. Another rocket is part of a Uranium mine making and exporting Iridium rods(slowly). The other rocket that's setup could export from another circuit board 'farm' but automating it causes issues with the drones and overworking/duplicating drone journeys. It broke more than it solved so is for 'manual' use.

 
Better to leave whats already setup then tear anything down. Besides, stuff could be handy in the future.
 
In finalizing everything and having rockets on the go I felt good about trying for the remaining achievement (100k currency). However when the two main rockets rewarded me with the export cash at what I thought was the start of my efforts the 100k achi popped! I was surprised, I guess the counter was global overall rather than a current wallet value(liquid cash). I'm ok with that but I was expecting a longer 'fight'.
 

Overall more random asteroids helped the cause with extra materials etc. It's always nice to get freebies.

 
 



 
Also in progressing the exports I've used some of the excessive processed goods to bolster what I had. Drones all the drones; 50 of them created in all. 25 to fill both my drone stations. Never say never I guess.
 
 
 
 
Seeing the sheer storage size of the T2 lockers was kinda jaw-dropping; And the materials I needed to create such wondrous new items were readily available...... I reworked my warehouse storage. Replacing all large lockers for the T2 variety. I was not disappointed. 

 
To keep me somewhat straight in the future I stuck signs up to label and explain; Or at least point towards usage etc... I've a feeling I'd come back to something in 6 months and wonder what it was all for. Best to preempt the memory blackouts.

Of course faffing about with materials meant that all storage and stockpiles everywhere needed to be sorted and replenished. At my main base and of course my 'secondary' base....... Which did take time... More time than I'll admit to. Asset management for fun, if you know your know.
 
 
 
 
 
Star Trek Online....
 
A game that's easier than they say but more complex than they let on. STO can be a complex thing but once you know a few things which benefit you those things will be the most benefit to you(as a casual player). What brings this philosophical waffle? Watching a youtuber of course; As they were talking about the meta. Who's comments were to best play STO on PC but more than gave the impression from his comments that playing on console was worthless. I get where he was coming from but he was so brutal with his thoughts that anyone who could only play on console probably wouldn't after hearing him and miss out on any fun with the game(meta or no). 
As I've said before, playing the game on Xbox is a different (than PC) experience. It's worth it(imho), so much so that I play there as well as PC! It must make me some sort of weird exception, but I can't be the only one! Enjoying both, what next! On console it's a more casual experience mainly due to the transfer from keyboard and mouse to controller. It simply can't be the same in that regard. I may beach and complain about game elements or players but as advice I can say to at least try the game for yourself on your own platform of choice.
 
 
Thankfully the small patch during the last week was a correction to the shader issues on Risa; Which were an eyesore when they happened. Much better now.
 

My third KDF recruit on PC has completed the last of the Endevour perk point bonus's. The character was created specifically for those and now that it's done I'm unsure what to do with him.

 
With his special task taken aaway he's now like every other 'plain' character to do endevours and gain perk points with.... Deleting him brings up the sunk cost issues. He is what he is, a decent character with improvements, items and ships to use. So he can still do things...... I'd just think I'd now pick other characters first. Talk about overthinking it. Sooooo I guess I'll just do Endevour tasks based on ground with him. Maybe have him as a ground combat specific endevour do'er of deeds. 

Endevours, the big down side to the whole system is it's randomness. As well as a Dil sink, random daily tasks to reroll in the hope of doing a task that's 'easier'. Then randomness in the choice of perk point you can apply towards. Rng on Rng. That said looking at the points I've already used I've been lucky. I thought I'd been 'forced' to choose more ground perks than it seemed.
Only five more space based topics to improve on(guess my priorities, not PvP for sure). 

 
Only one fully upgraded for ground perks....

 
I may end up not doing any more other than what comes my way by chance than doing it all as a 'to do' daily. Choices, choices. I could also 'bank' some perk points for the future if the system ever gets changed or added to.

On both PC and Xbox I've now claimed the summer event ship and have continued the daily for the extra Dil reward.



The new event ship is a true event ship; It's most things to most players. So no wonder I'm having a blast with it. It's a ship that's a 'master of none but often times better than a master of one'. Which may as well be my STO philosophy. I've fitted it out on both platforms but on more characters on PC than XBox. NonMeta but with whats handy(rep gear) and/or at hand(in the inventory); And it's been doing really well. The dragon breath console ability is a literal blast, doing good damage off the bat.
 
 


The ship in person has so much more of an Eve Online Amarrian vibe that I had to go with the lighter/gold colours to match.



My main on PC has combined Gravity well with Portal of the Damned; So once an enemy group is drawn in and taking damage and I'm close enough I reverse off and allow dragons breath to 'flame' them. Nice as an opener. It's all good fun.
 


The fit is as ad-hoc as can be; As are the bridge officers/abilities. But I'm having fun with it!
 






Dave the Diver....

This game goes out of it's way to give a player the satisfaction factor. Pop-ups for everything; New mini games and mechanics.... The in game phone of the character is never out of his hands for a reason. It may as well be real world.

The recent hotfix added to the quality of life, balance and bug fixes(not that I've seen any).
 
Needless to say I've been having fun with it!
 
Again I'll finish off with less words and more screenies. Preaching to the choir but worch it if your interested. The game has so much to it you don't realise till you do screenshots! It's fun makes the time fly!
 

 
 
 





 
 
 
 

 







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