Gaming! And then some waffle....

Another week starts, another week ends; And another week starts again....  This passage of time thing goes quick.... Another week away from home with the barely running graphical laptop and the trickle of internet. Homer goes something something. The work on my mothers house goes on with as much work internally now as has been done externally. Progress is progress.  My wife working from our own home is still technically 'mammy sitting'. My cat seems happy with his human granmother which is good. 

So for me workers come and go, drilling, hammering, push/pull/haul....... Works are work. At least with it all being internal it's going to be done regardless of the weather. Externally there are some finishing touches but noting to worry about. Another week ish of it all to go.... But a plumber starting at 10 and finishing at 3 is fairly handy hours; As good as the work he's doing is, light hours mean a longer job time. As he has hours to travel to get to the 'work', well, agreements are agreements and they employ him for his great work, which is not disappointing. Benefit and hassle of companies working for companies.... It's ll for free so how can there be any complaints!

 

So yea gaming on the laptop has been interesting. The cooling fans are at max 100% of the time despite my disassembly, cleaning, re-paste and reseat parts..... There is only so much more resuscitation that can be done to keep it going. The battery has long since given up taking a charge and buying a new new or even a new old stock or 'similar', isn't worth the shipping cost never mind 'request a quote' options. So it's a laptop desktop not just due to size but in function. Mobile is not in it's nature just relocation. A while back I replaced the keyboard from a Hong Kong company easy enough but parts since have been so rare, batteries even more so. The laptop isn't worth that.... I'm keeping it going as it's of sentimental value..... Till I retire it to 'storage'. That said, in looking up second hand models of it for parts it's still a pricey buy. No doubt the screen is the big ticket value of the purchase. So maybe users are like me keeping this model/series going and still get some value out of a 11+ year old laptop....... 

This is the last time I'll 'need' it to be a 'real' laptop. Fingers crossed for a new one later this year.....? 

Or a more easy loadout of accessories(external screen etc) for the Steam Deck. But the incompatibility of the Deck with my phones as a hotspot is no joke, wouldn't connect at all. On the laptop as is it's not quiet ye olde 56k days but may as well be if you know what I mean.....  Time will indeed tell as copper cables are being phased out so at some point I'll have to arrange fiber and then have access to broadband... Mmmmmmmmm broadband.....

For now it's all allowing gameplay. Older games are still running 'fine'. Star Trek Online is good to play and see visually. Eve Online is pure potato mode but functional. So as long as my internet mobile  phone hotspot holds up I can't complain much....... When it works it works....

 

Not the Whole story....

 

I've not been posting a lot of stuff about gaming since mid December and there's been a lot of news and updates to most games. Too much to mention and too much to waffle on a catch-up but I'll try to be 'brief'.... Before I waffle about other things.

 

As 'bad' as my Eve Online conditions are to play via laptop, at least I still can. My real life friend in Pacific Merica may have a lesser laptop (but better to see Eve than my own), but at the moment he has no internet so it's 'academic'. I've been keeping his account ticking over in a maintenance mode. The last two weeks have seen no less than 2 very lengthy mails from him explaining his process's and what he 'needs' me to do to 'keep things working'. Which has been interesting. He is so deep into the manufacturing dark arts and long-term market orders..... Items so deep in the making process it would make anyone's head spin; My heads just about over the water.

 

When I do get home I have been pottering in Eve; Alts and dailies take time. Home PC screenshots......

 

 

Mt friend explains but I don't need to understand his methods and process's; Just as long as he says what I need to do..... It's all a form of interpretation. I appreciate the info but until I'm 'really' into industry the interest to learn just isn't there. There's so much of it tho. I'm into the P.I. side of things but his web of planets/processes is a game of twister. That's all not to say we don't learn from each others methods, we do, we also are happy to keep doing our own things. I do like the end results of his T2 production and he still owes me 4 Cranes...... So there's some self interest in helping him. Just not sure I'll see the Cranes.... Sooooooo.....

 

Some PI mineral heat maps can be extreme..... Planets may not like this 'extraction' lark.

 

 

The onward process of upgrading Eve goes on and the next tests should be interesting once done..... I'm sure it will kill my laptop use of Eve, rather than help it.... But normal play on a 'good' pc should see the benefits....  https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/speed-evolved-more-fps-in-new-eden

  

In rooting around old files on the laptop I came across a pic I took of my Dust 514 characters. Which brings with it good memories of it's gamplay as well as it's issues which in retrospect were not so bad as it was still playable..... CCP kinda threw the baby out with the bath water on Dust 514. CCP has that kind of history. They're like google when it comes to abandoned software. Dust 514 may be close to the first but is not the last game to be 'cut loose' by a long shot. Valkyrie anyone? Mystery code anyone? Yea they also specialize in cutting game loose without actually cutting games loose. Just letting things drift away...... Echoes anyone? Anyone wanna walk in stations.....?

 

Mumble, mumble, Mystery Code, mumble, mumble....

 

Anyway that image shows the characters..... I miss them. I miss the matches, I miss the battle barges and the gear loadouts..... Not like I'll see any more than 'just' my mains name.... The Isk, Aur...... SP... All virtually declined......... Pity.

 

 

 

 

Astrox Imperium is in it's end of production release blitz. Both great to see and yet sad at the same time. Guess I've just been too used to seeing it get updates and progress over time, with the dev's video explainers..... Still it will be interesting.

 

UBoat is 'done' but has been getting some patches as well.... I'll really have to give it time and a decent playthough at some stage; The 'to play' list is long.

 

XO has been getting updates but I've not been able to really get into it. I think it's been uninstalled and reinstalled so many times I've just left it installed to see the updates....

 

PowerWash Simulator will be getting a Wallace & Gromit Special Pack, which should be good to see.

 

Oblivion is getting a remake. I'm not so sure about that. Getting back to see that game was not the best the last time I tried it. Too many memories from back in the day. Never mind Skyrim. I've no doubt I'd buy the remake.... If it allowed old saves I've say I'm in 100%, but would I 'really' play it.....?

The user rework of Oblivion Skyblivion still looks like it's amazing work is full force ahead.

Interesting on all fronts!

 

Sims 4 while not on my play lists, both my wife and a niece are into it so it's hard to not absorb some of the info. Even if her niece is more into it they do have fun with it. They are also keen on inzoi, Inzoi? InZoi? Anyway....

 

With some twitch rewards and an urge to play Hitman's newer/updated mechanics I purchased the basic World of Assassination edition. Claimed the freebies but lost out on the earlier freebies form Twitch which I guess 'timed out'. I've since played a few maps, just messing about and enjoyed it for what it is.... A bit of fun.

 

Starship Troopers has seen me get and play the Urban and Lava DLC's. Both are good in their own ways that make things interesting. The lava DLC ended pretty harshly but expected given the overall 'franchise' story expectations; Even if I thought it 's ending was a bit too sudden. With my Urban playthrough I'm about 50% done, it's also proving to be decent.

 

 

Planet Crafter has gotten ever increasingly better quality of life updates and the recent 'big' patch before the next full content addition is packed. That next content drop is one I'm looking forward to. Despite keeping up with the news I'm kind of letting the changes wash over me with no real need to dive into my save and rework things regarding all the new tweaks/changes. Granted a lot of the changes are automatic and need to alteration to in game items..... Guess I'm on autopilot till that next 'release'.

 

 

Xbox has it's own smaller to-play list but it's more secondary to PC so no real rush, or need to play outside of Star Trek Online.

I've fallen out of playing both Assassins Creed Mirage and Prince of Persia the Lost Crown. Of either I'm still more inclined to go back to Mirage. I'm sure with a bit of a big push I could clear most of the game in quick order. I've not played any other Assassins Creed games since Origins on PC. I did buy Odyssey on Steam but found it's game-play (mainly combat) off-putting so pushed it further back on the 'to-play' list. 

Darkest Dungeon is a great game I've played to bits on PC and blogged about here but a proper playthrough on Xbox is needed at some stage.......

I've played the two South Park games on PC(the good ones); The first on Xbox was a blast and while I'd only just started the second I left it for a while; It may be a while yet but I do want to go back to it.

Assassins Creed Mirage as I said is a 'want' to play so will take time..... Be in the mood for it for a week or so etc.....

The more I think about Prince of Persia the Lost Crown the less I want to play it.... So I may have had enough of it.....

Star Trek Resurgence is a great game. A game where your first playthough will always be the best no matter what. I've been back to it for a second run on PC. A sale on Xbox made me curious and I got it there as well. So I'd like to get some time on it. Probably better to leave it a while longer so that I'm not so sharp with the decisions it wants.....

Tetris Effect, Battlefield 1 Multiplayer and Minecraft round out my active(as can be) games on the platform.... 

Star Trek Online is still a daily driver for me on PC. So many events, events after events, that it's kind of too much when there's a crossover in event dates...

 

 

The implementation of the Picard Season 3 Earth Spacedock still to my eye look like a downgrade. Not the technical implementation but the comparison to the original Movie look. That original movie look is akin to a classic ballerina; While the new dock is a toddler in a tutu. Personal perspective but I can't not see and make the comparison. So very much a case of what is seen can not be unseen. I see the loss.

I get the need to upgrade the game and the franchise responsibilities..... The planet changes even if I still liked the old blue marble have been nice to see.. STO has a strength to it's old graphical style; But, maybe I'm too old school.

 

 

 

  

All other changes are good; the Deca change-over seems to be going well and should bring new life to a game that was already doing things well enough but needed that lil extra uummpphh to really make the playerbase excited; I think Deca has that potential. I've never complained about getting quality free items from the game but there is a danger of getting too much now these days. There seems to be a constant flow of stuff that is 80 to 90 % fear of missing out even if I don't 'need' it..... There used to be weeks, months, between 'events' but now there's always an event. So special is a less special than it could be. Filler events  between those events only add to the near burnout of constant daily 'stuff' that 'needs' to be done. Sometimes a daily can just be too much. Catering to the playerbase I guess. Gotta keep the content pumping. I'm glad they changed the current event TFO's to only need 1 rather than two counts, having to repeat it each day across multiple accounts and platforms was really a bit too much repetition. Dailies are not an addiction but they are a familiarity of enjoying the process of doing.

My time in Eve Online is a lot like that as well. two mmo's that do not require I interact with anyone for my enjoyment. Not to say that I'd not get more enjoyment from interactions but in Eve it's usually the reverse. I'm a risk averse player; Each to their own.

 

 

Euro Truck Sim 2 is another game that's received a lot of updates (as well as ATS). Great to see.

It's also just had the Valentines Event. Which I completed over two days on a weekend break from the builders madness. While the laptop can still play ETS 2 it was the connection to the world of trucks servers that was the problem. Progress save is essential for sanity. Better to do it under normal circumstances on my home PC. It also gave a chance to explore some more of the Greece DLC.

 

 

 

 

All that said, more real world delays and a blog post to waffle lets me do a bit more waffle for the rest of the post...... Games I've got on my 'to play' list. In roughly the order of my interest. Very roughly....

Remaining DLC for Starship Troopers

 

Stargate Timekeepers has my interest but is punishing on even medium difficulty. Not that it's not doable it's gamplay is frustrating in repetition rather than the likes of hitman....

 

Chorus is a game I played, fell for and bought then never played again... Too many games not enough time.

 

Star Trucker... Another victim to too many games not enough time. Even after a lot of patches and quality of life updates.... 

Maneater is a bit of a grind that I can see myself doing if I'd not a lot of other games.......

Suzerain is a game I need time and patience to play, not to mention be in the mood for given it's text based quality.....

 

The Great War Western Front is another like most that needs time....

 

Hitman III/ World of Assassination, time again is the killer here, I've done a lot of it's content from the previous iterations, never mind III when it was called III via gamepass; So needs a little readjustment itme to have fun with. That said I can see myself being frustrated with it's need to repurchase content I've already purchased etc.......

 

Detroit Become Human..... Again needs time to play. Not sure I'd be a completionist with it as I would have been way back in the day(KOTOR / KOTOR II style); But time will tell.....

The Witcher III(Incl. all DLC)...... May take a while..... If I can finally get into it. At the moment it's size is so colossal I'm looking at a mountain with a party on top but it's the thought of climbing that's killing interest. A game I need to start and be in the mood for a challenge.

 

Assassin's Creed Odyssey. I'd need to start form scratch to see if it's really for me. Going from Origins to Odyssey was a large ship that rubbed me up the wrong way I think...

Mad Max is a game I was a completionist on, on Xbox. The PC version should be no different, just need the time.

 

Mass Effect Legacy. Again more games I've played on Xbox to completion and then some. Getting them on PC seemed to back sense at the time. Now tho I'm not so sure..... 

Door Kickers 2 is stull getting updates and should be seeing better quality to being a 'game' to play sooner rather than later. I'll be waiting a while yet.

 

Fargone is good and harsh and is getting updates, slowly, but getting there. Fun with it is dependent on the version you are in at the time you play... So it's situational. I'm also finding it's gameplay for me is suited to short sprints. So quick little sessions here and there.... Long-term.

 

Thunder Helix is very patch dependent and is a wyas off being 'done done'; Going from Beta to Alpha etc etc..... Good updates to see but it's even more long-term.

 

Tiny Combat Area, speaking of long-term..... So very much more long-term, but it gets updates...

UBoat is technically released but is getting refinements. A game that feels like it's almost doen and ready to be played but I need to hold off a little longer.......

 

Asterox Imperium development is being rounded out and finalized rather than being an ongoing project(which was a good thing). A game in development that was good in that role and process. But we'll see what it ends up as by the middle of the year..... I've not played it in a while wince updates were halted.... Now that the final flood of updates is hitting I'm holding off till the 'end' and then I'll get back into it. 

My Steam wishlisted items are all further out / To be announced etc...... Those that are out are ones I'm looking for a on a sale. With the right price.....

 

Two Point Museum looks of interest but I'm very hesitant after the first game(hospital) and it's DLC. The University thing did noting for me; whereas my wife was into it. As she is into the new game. Very into the new game. I like the mechanics of what I see but still have a hesitance. I may be late to the party tho...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yea, the other stuff......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the non gaming stuff well the shit show that keeps giving is full on max velocity diarrhea and diuretics; With the usual case of projectile vomiting. Just turned up to 11 with 'his' 'speech' the other night. It's impressive to see it all get ramped up further and further, when you think it can't be increased.... Then there's some more.

All the acronyms and profanities are not enough so see this titanic go down taking everyone with it as well as the world.

 

 

They've flushed away so much and still he's supported so so strongly, it's beyond a cult.

New world order eh? Nobody can rely on the U.S. Kinda says a lot when it's all now at an ego whim instead of non partisan national interest.

Americans don't get to cluelessly ask "what did we do" to make ppl angry round the world, or why ppl hate them even more in the middle east(and now everywhere else that was a friend) or why won't countries help them via good will.... America pulls support worldwide and that vacuum gets filled... America not wanting be reliable and a leader after doing so for 60 years has consequences for America as well, brings them down a lot of dark roads. Greenland is part of nato via Denmark, they should inact article 4 to discuss it. A U.S. military take over by force and the US won't be the last country to have triggered Article 5. Wouldn't that "be something". Bully tactics never last, not long-term. Even talking about the U.S. 'owning' Greenland is bizarre and crazy..... Trump land is just that, crazy. Unreliable. Who knows what could happen. I mean look at how píssed off the Canadians have been made...... Canadians! I saw a meme that said Canadians have two modes, "Sorry and your going to be Sorry". Funny.

 

Freedom of speech..... eh?

 

 

 

"Americans are tired of the War in Ukraine"? Try being a Ukrainian getting shelled, shot, bombed, kidnapped, tortured and media'd to death. All the American B.S. about stats on costs and who has what capability, so much B.S. it's annoying. Everything Trump does is on every American; He is 'their' president. Ignorance is not a shield.

 

A lot of US citizens shouting about local issues to local reps. Not good enough. Local issues on this global scale, Americans are still so local blinkered. At least some Americans are trying, but not enough, not now, not on the right issues and not altogether, never mind global issues. This is only the start of month two....  This type of stuff is like Brexit on steroids. Enjoy your recession I guess, tip of the iceberg for the greatest, richest, free-ist of ist, bravest, bestist country on the planet going solo. Fine. America pulling back from the world is the worlds problem, Yet Trump is still America's problem. And if they think he's great, they can keep on embracing the 'greatness'.

 

Not about gaming....

For the day that's in it. 

 

Yea it's hard to miss all the B.S. from the U.S. these day's, so I have to start with it. For decades questions have been asked how could the people of Germany leading up to WW 2 let things happen; And for decades it's been explained. It's the same things that 'make' people, that made Americans' today, vote for who they voted for. Out of personal ideology, beliefs and political need, out of personal need and for practical survival to put food on the table. Nuance and reason, fear and hate. The unfortunate thing for the rest of the world is that the U.S. internal national needs have a very real and much broader global impact that is not considered in the local ballot box. Vote a local idiot to a school board is one thing, vote a Trump in and well, it's happening now. Second time worse than the last for all involved and a whole lot more. Because he, 'the party' and their backers have learned from the first time round. This time round worse than the last regarding a president that is not for all citizens, but for specific citizens, very specific citizens. Getting more specific by the week. Again, very local becomes very global. Shouldn't at least half the population be more agitated..... Vocal. There are hints of that, meetings and uproar. As well as that uproar being escorted out by force. That speaks even more volumes of history and should cause more concern from the 'Free Speech' nation. Being escorted out for trespass rather than breach of peace says a lot more. What next to go, the right to assemble. So many angry people support Trump, who has it all, the Presidency, House and Senate. But it's still all the Dems fault, the left and whatever talking point can be blamed that's still the problem. Books, Biden...... Canadians...... Where's all the miraculous day one fixes, delayed, delayed again due to, the left, pronouns, laws, protocol?  As the quote goes "The problem with living outside the law is that you no longer have its protection."...... And trump is? Both law and lawless..... At home and abroad. 

Good will, alliances and trust, all being shát on. The more this goes on the worse any kind of recovery will be and how long that will take(if at all). Third term? But of course that won't happen, will it..... Will it!?

 

Three years ago Russia invaded Ukraine, not for the first time, but the build up of troops doing threatening exercises proved to be the attacking force.  

Nobody wants to be Russia's neighbor as Russia wants to force it's neighbors into being Russia. Satellite states with no free will. Controlled politically by force. The 2014 revolution in Ukraine was a hard thing for Russia to swallow. People rising up. Russian proxy's not able to stop it. Not the first, not the last. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_of_Dignity. A Revolution for America to follow soon enough? Not a bloodless revolution; But given the U.S. excessive force as being gun central, anything started peacefully has a high chance of not ending that way(how many cop body cam's prove that). Trump and Jan 6th say enough in that regard as well. Who can say how that would turn out again or in reverse(a crowed marching on Trump). Anyway, it's no wonder Russia threw a hissy fit and went to annex Crimea, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Crimea_by_the_Russian_Federation. Not that Russia hasn't been directly and/or indirectly messing with Ukraine and other states, Moldova, Belarus, etc etc etc for years.

I mean what could possibly be 'forcing' countries to join a mutual defense organization? Well it's not the peaceful intentions of Russia!! Russia very much in need of a 'are we the baddies' moment; But those in power don't care about populations, only holding power and getting more. 

 

With the invasion now 3 years on I've been reminded of some of the footage from 'back then' worth a share:

18 Dec 2021

19 Jan 2022

26 Jan 2022

28 Jan 2022

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24 Feb 2022

 

 

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25 Feb 2022

28 Feb 2022

So 3 years later and after re-watching those clips I'm reminded of both the engineer and the island; And so much since.

 

The documentary from the AP reporters as it happened is a must watch. It is as it happened. They were the ones there and the ones giving all the footage to every news agency.

This is now...

 

 

 This is now....

 

 

 

This is now..........

 

This is now..................

Alexander Stubb @alexstubb speaking in Kyiv today:

▪️ It is not Russia who decides on EU membership, it is the European Union who does that.
▪️ It is not Russia that decides on NATO membership, it is the alliance itself.
▪️ It is not Russia that decides on what Ukraine has by… https://t.co/UJdnTaYeBN pic.twitter.com/7RD1fZLlhD

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) February 24, 2025

 

 

Life, reality, dreamscapes and ponderings; Oh and some gaming.....

So the start of week 3 in the curious case of mammy sitting; And it's been a lot of early mornings. That said the end times are upon this job. With luck, the final layer, the finish to beautify the look of the 'job' goes on. But in this happening it's all schedules and other arrangements for jobs to be done and people to visit in quick succession to finish off the other final fittings. I'm at a stage now where I'm starting to dream about things. The side gate that I got rid of and piled on the skip did not miraculously disappear via scrap scroungers as in reality but instead dreamt it's way back onto being fitted etc etc.

 

So finishing touches, big and small. The list is still long enough.... So lots of hurry up and wait involved.

 

As for gaming....

 

I've been going on with Eve Online and StarTrek Online as my on again off again staples. The only other 'big' game I tried has been ETS 2 with the Valentines event but I've not had any luck doing it as the game logs me out for online progress. With luck and another weekend reprieve I'll get back home and make up for lost time there.

https://blog.scssoft.com/2025/02/cupids-express-event.html

 

SCS Software

 

Gaming is ongoing but still not serious in it's doing. No real progress to count on. Again the laptop and again the internet, combine with the ongoing disruptions for gaming but lack of serious gaming. Gaming for the sake of gaming. Blogging for the sake of blogging........ And the hotspot is still as annoying as it ever has been, no matter what I'm doing....

 

As for the Trump stuff, well he's just the 'gift' that keeps on giving to the casual observer. If only he wasn't actually influencing people's lives to their detriment worldwide never mind the US. Flushing away all that soft power is interesting to see. Well if your putting down a person and a country who's already an ally then said ally's gonna be altering there mindset. Americans loosing the capital A for sure. While I guess that I've not had shock and disbelief at his actions (even in term 2), but I do have disbelief and pondering wonder at the ongoing actions and at how brazen things are going..... At what he can try to get away with. As there are still so many citizens(subjects?) that are sooooo 'into' him, I wonder for how long that will last. "the swipe of a Presidential sharpie,", with a headline like that well that says a lot. So unseriously serious it's comedically sad. And this is only what 3 weeks into 4 years. 53 executive orders already(and counting), Crayons and colouring books on standby. Handmaid tales coming to life, but lets laugh at the interpretive signature via shap-aaaaiiiii. The Russians 'love' his work.

 

And the hits keep on coming..... The USA under Trump actions just keep on fucking with shit. No end game just stirring the pot; And now f'ing over Ukraine. Words fail me. Ukraine owns nothing to the U.S. The U.S. owes Ukraine! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum

Gauls me to hear the U.S. side say "the Russia-Ukraine War"; Russia invaded Ukraine! It's the Russian war in Ukraine!!!!!!!  WTF! What The ACTUAL FUCK!

 

Now it's the 12th as I blog this far on and Trump pissing away all the cards held by NATO and Ukraine; Just so Trumpy can have media lovin sessions with his fuck buddy Putin.  I'm very much WTF lost for words to explain all of this..... I have expletives..... America, fuck right off! I mean WTF....

Wafflin away....

Waffle all the way down........

 

New week new me, dear god no, yet I does has a need to be doing the wafflage...... 

 

Last weekend reminded me of how I used to do weekends while my wife was in hospital some years ago. She was in for months. As my mam lives near(down the road literally) it made sense to stay there; To save on time traveling etc. I had the same internet woes back then; Mobile hotspot does not a hardline make. So I'd go home on a Sat, order dominoes, fill my face while I downloaded the larger/longer youtube vids to catch up on... Not to mention catch up on cloths washing etc. Then head back on Sunday. Data is valuable even in these unlimited but very much limited in all ways days. A harder task if it were to happen today due to "the cat" complication. Much harder due to his no F's given towards anyone else around never mind me. 

 

That said there are some people he just immediately flops over for. Traitor! I joke I joke. Yet still can't help but feel a little hurt.... It's just a bit much to be bitten and clawed "with love" so often. That said he's a lot more chill these days. Cats, each as individual as a human, you just can't tell, till you get to 'know' them. By then it's 'too late', being fully responsible for the little lifeform an all. Just because he doesn't like to be held, stroked or looked at, by me.... Still wouldn't leave him despite being 'technically my wife's cat'. Which does help in certain situations... "Your cat is <insert action>".

 

 

Yea an exaggeration but kinda not. Cat before him was a looker, clueless, but a cute one. At least he chased a ball, would bring it back to me and go after it again.... Cat before that was 'back home' and a cats cat, set the bar so high I was spoiled in cat expectations. Ran his own crew over a large area. Pro to say the least.

 

 

So the week has been another week, works are still being done on my mams house, so I was back staying over. She's in the acceptance phase, so I'm just waiting for the return of the anger phase born of frustration when there are delays to the work...... Managing the information flow is critical, not to much, not too little.... What she don't know she don't 'need' to know etc.... Considering this is the easy job I'm glad she'll be 'vacationing' with my cat for the next one. I'll still be staying in my mams; But at least she realizes her presence during that time will need a self imposed removal from the situation. Should take half the time but will be double the hassle(internal works). .emote/roll eyes to heaven. Time will tell indeed. Onward to week three!!

 

As for the online games; Star Trek Online remains the more playable due to looking as normal or as close to normal as it can be, Older game, older graphics card. The only problem is the internet connection. Which is kinda needed. 

 

The 15th anniversary for the game is on and the freebies are welcome! The event is ongoing as well. At least I can play the game. My wife is kindly doing my 'side' pc account as well as my Xbox daily.

 

 

Lag is bad when not even the in game store loads properly. Lag is not a thing I've had to deal with in some time. Lag ending in a disconnection, even longer. the last two weeks have made up for that lost time. Some times of the day are proving better than others for certain games and connectivity. STO is better all day over Eve Online and Eve is better left for later in the evening. So I guess it all works out. That said, Eve Online is not like a fine wine on older systems; and has a very bad taste due to inconsistency of the potato mode. I complain but it's an experience of my own making due to both laptop and internet limitations not of the games making. Or is it.... Pushing up the tech levels and requirements..... How dare I as a user try to use what I have. Still it's just about do-able with it's basic of basic options and the right time of day.  

 

 

 

 

 

Random is random and it can all be up in the air when the wrong confluence of events, timings and happenstance combine to make things work or not. Things happen the way they happen. I'm persistenting because my dailies do need to be done. I am 'into' the game and getting the most out of it is 'making' the best of the situation. All very first world problems given the state of the U.S.(re Alex Massie on BBC Question time (and Pod Save America Here and here) and Gaza(re Canadian news UN rapporteur, where were all the news agencies covering this talk). 

 

 

Back to gaming....

 

 

As for blogging it's 50/50 even uploading images to the blog post....... Time and idle hands make a waffling blog post...... But this internet......

 

Other gaming has been very limited due to current timings and circumstances. Much as I'm out of my normal routines it's hard to be in a place and time of shifting norms. The more things change the more they stay the same in familiar ways but are inconsistent in keeping things 'norms'. So yea gaming can be done and at times 'needs' to be done but the way that all happens, for how long and the level of enjoyment is all dependent on everything else happening. Waffle on a blog looks like work so when 3 lads are in the window plastering away it's not too bad but not a thing I'd sit and 'endure' if I'm trying to game, no matter the game. Other people may have no issue with being overlooked by others no matter what they are doing but not me.  There are certain niceties and facades to be kept up. If I look like I'm actually busy then that means I'm less likely to be bothered unnecessarily.  Not that I've been bothered by the workers this week. They have a routine as much as I have. The work goes on and I get to do my things in my ways. So I'm a gonna let the waffle and gaming be the sides of the occupado coin.....

 

On a side note it's already noticeable that the house is both warmer and keeping the warmth in. This morning was -2 degrees C and it was fine indoors with no added heating to 'warm the place'; Residual overnight heat was enough to be comfortable. So heat bleeding out is down. Worth the effort to drag my mam into the last century. Stubborn all her life, these elderly days are like a multiplication of that in the thousands. Best way to deal with things is to not bring friction but understanding. Not so easily done but time and patience just like connectivity and lag. Retry/Reconnect again with patience and see what happens. 

 

 

@JarlathReganComedy

 

 

New year, new me?

No, no new me, same old me, just in new situations, new times and with evolving but persistent perspectives. With the time seemingly going even faster, nearly the end of January already. Sneeze and it'll be Paddy's day... Needless to say despite it all, gaming is gaming and I've been 'having me some'; Old games more than new, as my list of newer 'to do' games is long and only getting longer. Otherwise real life is real life with it's ups and downs, some more serious than others. 

 

 

This last week has seen me stay over at my mothers house as she's getting insulation upgraded so I've essentially been mammy sitting her. Just in case her mood for such works takes a turn to the stubborn side and she decides she doesn't want it done/completed (as only an elderly woman can do, Swedish death cleaning isn't just a Swedish thing). It's only taken 5 years to get the ball rolling after all; Now that it's in full swing.... Time will tell. 

So I've been not so nostalgic for the old days of laptop and limited internet. Reduced to a trickle of internet powah even with unlimited data on a phone as a hotspot...... So like life, it has it's ups and downs. Expletives and dropped connections..... 

 

So with a lot of time on my hands and a laptop to waffle to the internet on, prepare for all kinds of whatever this post turns out to be..... Gaming, life, world news..... Waffle!!! 

 

My laptop(Alienware m18x) is now very much officially 'old'. It was old iin 2018 never mind now but it's hangning in there.... It's seen better days for sure but it's really at the end of it's 'time' I think(no matter how I reseat / repaste /redo it's parts).... Being away from home is only proving that in spades. Having a Steam-deck seemed like a good idea as a replacement but I guess even in desktop mode with an external monitor and other accessories it's 'just not the same'. The deck has real issues with a hotspot connection.  That all said the only recent/modern game the laptop has real issues running is Eve Online. Eve Online barely runs in potato mode; And that's when the graphics decide to actually load. Still it lets me do the bare essentials of the games dailies so there's that! Yet the character editor does so much better.....

 

Ship, what ship!!

 

 

Station, what station!! 

 

 

 Embracing the spud mode!!

 

Yea the character edits are showing 'normal' enough graphics....

 

The end of last year, just in time for the festive season, the ground floor of my house flooded which was 'fun'. I've never bailed out a house before. Cat watching the water rise with the 'this isn't normal' look in his eyes, as his fluffy bed floats past.... An epic ending to three months of pain getting a kitchen/dinning room 'renovated'.... Interesting how even a little water for a short time can damage things; And while I'd classify the ground floor getting an inch and a half of water as flooded it's nowhere near anything that anyone that's actually faced 'real' flooding has endured. My great flood of 2024 was caused by a plumber finishing off a job in my brand new kitchen; which was a planned 2 week job which with 'one thing and another' spiraled into over 3 months; So at the time of the 'incident', works were at the 90% done phase. Both my wife and I were upstairs, me gaming as she watched tv. A few hours passed and as she went down to check on the washing machine(the first washing we'd been able to do at home in weeks), well, splash wtf splash..... I'd only just started to play my Steam version of Maneater; I've not been back to it since. Talk about water trauma. Thankfully accidents happen and the 'one stop shop' doing most of the work were on the ball and insured. As for the actual kitchen units, luck and some slight weaving of words with the "kitchen" place added up to some fixed 'corrections' and replacements. Too many stories to tell but all adding up to a refixed kitchen but a stressed out wife. This incident at the end was that final straw for my wife.....  I've seen her in uniform in stressful situations, military and civi medic and not seen her crack, but this kitchen job really broke her. Talking since she's said she'd rather move house than face another project like it. The one stop shop, were and are still a high recommend from us, despite the 'incident' they really put us at ease with recovery and righting the ship. The kitchen suppliers/fitters not so much....

 

An end of year roller-coaster to an already high emotional year medically for me. Doing this blog post as I'm sitting in my mothers kitchen, laptop on the dinning room table, as her house is surrounded by workers on scaffolding; Free from the government just like the new hi-tech drug I'm on. It's a pity the nuance of the social in Socialized medicine is a hill of a word too many Americans are literally dying on(best of luck to them. Mericans in Merica). Home of the free land of the almighty dolla, So with the removal of merica's d.e.a.i. it's safe to 1st amendment say how stupid 'some' voters are to their face. Right? Then again.... What is with 'Dems' not being aggressive towards Republican clusterfks....

 

I've commented a few times before that when looking up the medications I take monthly and get for free for the rest of my life compared to U.S. prices(including discounts, I done done the research etc), all came to the same amount as my monthly house mortgage. Add on the new hi-tech drug I now also take monthly, well it blows half my yearly mortgage out of the water, a month! And I get it for free!!!! Blows my mind that I live with a health-care system in my country that is built around me as a patient, cared for. When 'the greatest country in the world' can't do that for it's citizens. Like I said before, my father in his life had 2 kidney transplants, never paid a penny for them, never mind years of dialysis before and between. My diagnosis this year included many devices, tests and scans etc... I never paid a penny for them. The system isn't perfect but how can I complain about it! It's been there when I needed it as everyone in my family has had. Just like everyone in the country. It's a safety net. So when a 'yank' cries about choice and freedom I just have to roll my eye's. In choosing the new drug for me I was given information on 4 choices and for me it all boiled down to me wanting the once a month injection instead of taking multiple tablets multiple times a day. Nothing about cost. If that's not choice I don't know what is. Send me info on U.S. nuance in health pls.... I want to know more.

 

 

Whats the phrase... "freedom isn't free".... Faaaaaaaaaacts, Then again facts don't matter to a lot of ppl, cookie?

 

 

 

I'm a political centrist at heart, yes a filthy dirty centrist, leanings left and right but always centered with facts. But to even share Pod save America would brand me with some. I'm a facts over faith person(faith fueled arguments do little to further anything for anyone), so double whammy. As it's said, anyone can get along with anyone else as long as there's no mention of religion, sex or politics. But with current U.S. shenanigans, it's hard to not have views from the outside. Still the more you know etc....  

 

Lines on Maps Extra

"Meh" I'm waffling....

So the laptop is still doable on other games with as much visuals as ever, older games are good in that respect; And as many updates as Star Trek Online gets it's visuals are more a 'style' that don't need super computers to generate each frame. Eve by comparison seems to try too hard, leaning in the "look how technical we are" department if the game actually needs it or not. STO is STO, it works. Walking in stations, on planets and ships since launch..... Eve online, well if you know, you know.

Loading times can be slow and longer, the fans may kick into overdrive just by looking at it the wrong way, but it's still saving my gaming sanity. Just not as much as I'd wish it was. Add the internet issues and it's compounded....... But persisting....

Like STO a lot of games are still well playable.

Turtles Shredder's Revenge

Stardew Valley

The Planet Crafter

Peggle

Euro Truck Simulator 2 (just not top graphics but still good)

Minecraft (draw distance is an issue)

Mini Motorways

Mini Metro

Darkest Dungeon

Close Combat 2, 3 & 4

Tetris Connected

With all going on works wise the gaming is ongoing, interrupted and unfocused for most of the day, but gaming none the less.. Blogging to fill the gaps. I'll gorge on a home gigabit tsunami as soon as I get in the door at the weekend. I'm sure the cat will ignore my presence, as ever, I am a mere secondary human after all.Then see what week two of mammy sitting entails.....

Have a good Friday and weekend. You are who you are; And what will be will be. You will either have already preempted what you can to mitigate whats heading your way or will have to react to whatever is to come as it happens. Life is life....

 

Not sure if this is a blog I should have this kind of waffle and post but it's happening; Not sure how the next post is going to go or when...... As the mood and gaming goes I guess.....