Friday, 25 August 2023

Better late than never......

 
A busy real-world time as well as in gaming; Best of both worlds? Typical yes and no to both. Highs and lows, real life and gaming. Life is life.
 
So a post after almost two weeks; This is gonna be a long one and that doesn't even include Gamescom info.





Essentially a link to steam https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1663850/view/3668798010128587489?l=english. At least they are doing that.
Again there may be controversy to it and another game. A while ago I recall saying that I'll get the game that actually makes it to release first no matter who was 'right'.... I have both wishlisted, up to the devs to sort shiz out. The last night hasn't had info posted on Steam since 2017. 2019 had a Chirstmas tree post on Facebook and on Twitter they had some retweets of and some posts in 2021. about the number of views the rtailer had......  All not really informative but more of a 'keep the faith' kind of stuff. 
 
Either way for both games I wish someone would do something.





Speaking of sorting shiz out. Star Citizen overall seem to be even more of a clusterffffffffffffffffk. I've waffled way too much on this blog over the years about it. But this is getting worse.
 
 
As well as mentioning it in posts this year; I used to do exactly what StarCit apparently do not want! I'd log in see whats not changed, see the same bugs with lots of new ones and log off. If they had a game to play then I'd stay longer, but it's not a game and it has no gameplay. It's a tech testbed at best. I don't know how some Youtubers get gamplay vids out of it; Deep editing of footage and manipulation? I know CIG does it. 
Overall I agree with what was said about it in the latest from the Angry Joe Show.

AngryJoeShow





The news that Atari is releasing a 'modern' version of the classic 2600 called the 2600+ is interesting. 
It's key feature is that it accepts all old 2600 and 7800 cartridges as well as joysticks/controllers. There are untested games regarding compatibility which is not good but then again it's an emulator in a box so bucket of salt on standby. Yea it's all emulation so it's not hardware based not really but that hardware does have some plusses... No wonder it's '+' via official Atari.
 
 
 
They'll be selling new hardware, new joysticks and new cartridges with updated software(one or two games I think). I was interested in learning more till I looked at the site and everything was labeled as USA exclusive. International retail at a 'later' date. So sod me I guess.
 
 
Overall the new news is interesting, maybe a little exciting at first but the more I learn the more I'm 'meh' about it.
 
 
I grew up with a friend who had the woodgrain version and then I got the 2600 Jr via Santa! As I'm an ancient 2600 Jr owner my edition came with the two button 7800 stick, so it's no wonder I'm not a fan of the older(in my view) CX40, so using a newer version of that CX stick is not a selling point to me.




 
The amount of game service/streaming options today is way more than I recall even a few years ago. Then again time has been a weird kind of slow/fast time-warp with the way things in the world have been the last few years. Still a lot has gone under the radar for me with game streaming(Since the end of Stadia). 
Even now there are a lot of problems with looking to go down the rabbit hole of game streaming(imho). Especially without specific hardware. Good as the infrastructure has gotten with faster net speeds available and with service optimizations etc etc; It's still not a thing I am or will be 'into'. Maybe that's just my old skewl PC/console hardware ways. That and I just like owning my things a lot more(games/hardware), rather than buy to rent. I've waffled about Steam before and how I consider that different(too big to fail?). So it's all a personal perspective thing. 
Netflix seems to have moved onward from mobile(mobile mobile) gaming to a Cloud Gaming-ish service on mobile devices. Not that the information out there is clear but is very user specific(lots of caveats). It's not that Netflix changes had caught my attention. It wasn't either of the games they're starting with. It certainly wasn't the options the same as other services already have(not seen anything to take me away from Xbox Ultimate). I was interested in what looked like a decent gamepad/controller... Only it wasn't for their service it was a mock up using a Luna controller from Amazon(shakes fist).

While Luna from Amazon may have another 'controller of interest' it's Amazon overall that does not interest me never mind their gaming service... There's so much blurring of the lines with large companies, their services and products(never mind just PC shenanigans). Anyway when it comes to anything outside Xbox/Microsoft I'm just not 'fully in' their ecosystem.  https://www.amazon.com/luna/landing-page
Technically I'm not in Netflix ecosystem either. Shocker I know! The lines seem blurred further as Netflix gaming can/will also use Amazon and other service/devices to connect to Tv's etc.

It's already getting over-complicated and there are no real details to confirm(for sure). Simple in concept but in reality (at least for me) techy as I am there is always hassle and/or compromise. I'll not want things over-complicated, by choice. PC, Xbox, Gamepass Ultimate to bring me all the games! I'm in too deep for far too long now. Besides it's all simple to be a part of. What works works. Besides I see other offerings as so much less when compared from my Xbox services ivory tower.
Anyway regarding Netflix, I may be a sucker for a good controller... But I really don't fancy using my phone as the controller for Netflix gaming. A controller App does not a better controller make(in my view)!
When I look at Luna I see it as Amazon Stadia 2.0. Not in any good way! Whats the 'killer' app/game/service options? There's no must have.... In my view. Not over the Xbox offerings. 
Xbox/PC/Ultimate subscription all the way for me.... No shill, just looking at the practical options. User experience will vary. Each to their own.
 
Further reading on game streaming:

Even Xbox/Microsoft/Blizzard are changing things up. Giving up the Blizz remote play to Ubisoft. https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/22/23828302/microsoft-activision-blizzard-acquisition-ubisoft-cloud-gaming-rights-uk-cma


 
 
 
 
All that said I've not been doing so much in my Xbox for gamplay this last week. Again I'll say there's something nice, and it's a retro thing, about putting in a disc and playing a game(games not on Ultimate that is, for the smart azz'z out there). 


I did finish off the Tutorial in The Division with the character that was there/reloaded(previous trial maybe rather than any PC crossover?). Which is what I remembered from when I saw it on the PC version(way back). Which again reminded me why I didn't play it. I'm sure I'm glossing over years of patches and changes; But the same problems for me playing it are still the core game mechanics. Bullet sponge enemies with overpowered melee enemies charging me doing one hit kills(of me). I can't stick with the game long enough to level up never mind get enjoyment from it. Too many frustrations and too much repetition for the sake of repetition. Repetition can be good(assassins games, Wildlands, Hitman games) but it's feeling really bad (for me) in this game. I know some players are all in singing it's praises(and good for them, each to their own); As I was/am with Ghost Recon Wildlands imho a much better game!
 
 
At least I tried, again. There's a lot more I could complain about with the game but no real need to harp on it's only going to show my early knowledge/lack of late game know how etc etc. No need to argue points that won't change. I'm just not going to get that far into the game. I may try it again in the future but at a few times around over PC and console I think the writings on the wall.
 
 
Also on Xbox, Genesis Alpha One saw me start and finish off it's tutorial again; Then continue for a while to familiarize myself with planet excursions, enhancing clones and running a ship(in general). A lot of which I'm glad to say is the same as on PC. 100% knowledge crossover between versions and only the control method changes to contend with changing from PC to Console.
 

 
It's a good game, just not one I can stay with for long stretches. Not a bad thing at all, just my way to enjoy it more. Again it was fun to be back and go further with regardless of platform. A game that's easy to get into (once you do get into it); And hard to master; Proven once again.
 


  

PowerWash Simulator....
 
With a bit of a push I've done it; Campaign completed. With the end of the game done(same as I'd seen before), well it's a good feeling of completion.
 



There's the next free DLC due the end of the month so I guess it's all good timing.

 
 
 
 
 
Planet Crafter....
 
The more I mess about with the game the more I create in it's world; And the more unstable it seems to get. Not in any big way, just little things(for now). Scenery refresh, drones going 'wonky', export systems and more being weird..... Such as plants ready for harvest but with no fruit/veg to pick. Or asteroid events not giving anything to loot(cargo boxes). Or graphics going low res when set to max etc etc... Save and reload does work as a fix a lot of the time but not always....
 

It seems that adding in another 50 Tech 2 drones and some extra Drone stations seems to have 'helped' drones do more. The collection points all now seem to stay full and export rockets are doing faster turnarounds. So all in all the export business seems 'good' now. For the most part......
 
 
 
 
All the time I'm still adding to the terraforming with more plants, trees, bees, fish and frogs. I'm sure it's all over the top and above par for the average(achi stats from the other week); I just enjoy being in the game. Best to take advantage of the materials now that they are plentiful(leeching from the export business setups).

Once I hit the 200k cash mark I splurged on the new frog spawn/larva and trees etc.

On a side note; The golden larva don't spawn anything like how they used to. The super rare now seem super super suuuper rare; and the golden frogs have not re-spawned once for me at all.

 
 
 
 
 
Darkest Dungeon....

Much has happened; As well as being able to say 'same'ol same'ol'. The first Darkest Dungeon run has been done and it all felt a bit anticlimactic. Which is a good thing as it was uneventful.






Overall gold was gathered along with heirlooms and trinkets; The town buildings are almost 100% upgraded. While the hero losses also took an increase in numbers. Two level 6's being the worst and a bunch of forgettable 3's and under(cannon fodder's gonna fodder). That said it's all gone relatively 'well' all considered. Good with the Bad.
 
 
 
I have to say again that this play-through is more hassle than on any of the harder modes!

With the DD run I took my best team in. Which means that both Dismas and Reynauld can't be present for the final DD run to proc the achi for their presence. It never crossed my mind about the achi until after. Given the nature of this playthrough I've rechecked that they can indeed return; Which the notes say they can..... Yet they sure don't want to go back a second time(I've tried). More trial and error needed. Maybe they can but only go back on the actual last run....



 
 
 
Star Trek Online....
 
Events ongoing, no surprise, more events incoming, more tweaking of characters, ships and their fit/holdouts; All for the enjoyment of it rather than any min/max meta'ing; On both PC and Xbox. This is 'my' way.

On PC the Kobyoshi Maru event is ongoing... It's gotten a bit frustrating in it's end days. With a hard lack of a fail state it's too easy to see players make no effort and just afk'ing. Which brings me back to complaining about why 'some' players bother. The old event was so much better. That said I've been having fun in it 90% of the time. But now it's just a case of players get blow up, don't bother re-spawning, TFO ends and they get credit anyway.... Makes me not want to bother!
 
 
 
The Xbox Flagship event has ended. It had similar issues with TFO pick up groups. Of the TFO's available 2 being the worst I've been a part of for events. Synth Wave and Iuppiter Iratus. I tried to do the Swarm or Bord Disconnected TFO's; But when players are not queued for them it's usually Iuppiter Iratus that pops first, much to my chagrin and eye rolling.... And in doing it all the old annoyances for it come back up. Players not knowing what to do as the TFO tells them with voice and text lines. Players going to my cleared objective while I have to go to where they came from and clear it! Players in expensive ships who can't do anything with them; While I clear up their mess in my T5-U.... Yea I'll shush now.
 
 
 
Anyway that event is done and Red Alerts are in. Brain-dead pewpew event filler, what could go wrong!
 
 
 
On the plus side there is also a Phoenix Prize event. 
 

 
Taking the opportunity to buy some of the crystalline consoles and red matter devices to update and refit ships across characters..... 

Also a chance to buy the shotgun for my KDF character to ease the transponder unlock for melee kills.
 
 
Unfortunately the kills with the shotgun do not count. It's shots may do physical damage but it's not just not counting. The PC version was easy to do with the Tommy Gun as it counted physical bullets as melee but as far as I know there's no chance of getting that weapon on Xbox. Not for anything less than the Zen cost of a pack I don't need; And I don't need that! But even if I did get it who's to say the Tommy Gun wouldn't count kills either. I'll call the shotgun bugged and see what a future patch holds....?
Guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way and manually whack some stuff with a blade... 2200 times.... The Partisans mission(club arena) is still the best place for that but I'll need some motivation as unlike on PC there's not auto-target-auto-attack setup to 'make that work'.... Also I'd have to set my away team to passive as their kills don't count even if done with melee weapons. Further research needed.....

My xbox Gamma recruit has also been seeing some game-time. Mainly to finish off his transponder Duty officer rewards(account unlocks again). Not long to finish that off Soon™. Then it will leave my KDK recruit to finish up episodes and see about the three Delta's which I've been consistently ignoring.

 
 

 
 
 
Eve Online....
 
10 days of training is good for alts but my mains are in the category of needing a year of time to complete skills. If only I felt into playing the game to invest that much in it.....  

 
Not that I'm ungrateful. Free time like this does get me in game and reworking skill queue's as well as manage assets/ships/industry etc.... Still CCP is CCP and a sale is never a sale. 
 

So I was more 'in' the game with alts than anything else given the 'free' time. Alts, minor mining, minor hauling, 90% a.f.k. Or at most a side screen with 10% attention. I guess that still counts as playing.
 
The news about Eve having Twitch drops is of zero interest to me. I prefer options of multiple rewards for multiple accounts and even more characters. It's what used to be good about the old game event rewards. Non-character bound. I'd a set of alts to pass rewards/gifts to my mains and main alts. It was a thing to me. That process was part of my game-play. I'm a collector/hoarder.
 
If I had the interest I'd be more into doing more. That said a good place for anyone(rookie or not) looking to 'get into' activities could do worse than checking here: https://everookies.com/eve-rookies-incursions/
 

The next large update/story for Eve Online is for players to find Stargates. I guess the players building stargates was/is a bust? CCP tweeted that players at/in/through the stargates will get large cash rewards(50 Billion with a B) as well as hardware/ships. 
 
 
None of which interests me; Stuff like that is pounced on by the high and mighty of Eve(never mind general mobs) and that always leaves the dead and dying of all others littering the stars. Have at it, I'll read about the shiz a week later. 
The new trailer does look good, I guess the dramatic walk through nightclub cliché works(Blade, Matrix, Blade II, John Wick I, II, III, IV et al, just overdone on me in this game). For a game that reverted hard ripping out walking in stations, they so wanna push life walking in stations. Kind of on the nose as a player.... Especially when other games are adding and progressing past previous deeds of forgiveness.
 
The next CSM (player voting on players for a council of stellar management) is almost at a vote stage. In the past I had little faith that CCP listened to never mind acted on any ideas or advice any CSM gave. Never mind actially 'really' listening to them. So now I think it's all just a PR formality. More than it was before, times 10.  
At a quick casual glance there are still some names that look interesting. One of which has a proven record in line with my carebear way of life. As a recommendation Mike Azariah. 
There are so many bloc members up for selection that they don't need the general players to vote for them. It's all gerrymandered in that regard. So discounting them or anyone like them..... Of those left, I whittled them down for one arbitrary reason or another(night that's in it), but chose 3 more that I could add to a ballot... Not in order:
Not that I can vote, I'm a non paying member of the community....





Dave the Diver....
 
A game I've been having too much fun in. It ticks a surprising amount of boxes for me on an ongoing basis. It's surprising how the game keeps changing bringing you with it's narrative and new mechanics. These new systems are usually for a story arc but are then your choice to interact/use after that is done. No wonder there are so many Apps on Dave's phone!
 
Again more gaming sessions in the last two weeks where there's far more screenshot material than I can explain. Not in any kind of short enough time.... So just a few screenshots; As over a hundred wouldn't be practical to share! It's a game to be played!
 
 
 
 
 
  


 




 
 



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