New Year, same'ol, same'ol....

New year, same'ol, same'ol. I've never been a New Years resolutions kind of person. If I was going to make any changes on an ongoing basis I'd have done so when I thought about it; Not when the clock strikes 12. Works for some, just not me. Like posting on a regular basis.... I'm at least two weeks pottering away on this post..... Two weeks late? The post will post when it gets posted....

Euro Truck Simulator 2 had a good Winter Event. The Nordic Horizons DLC event is just over (ended last Sunday the 1st of Feb). Horizons may be the 'current' DLC but with another 2 incoming. If it were not for those other 2 I'd probably have gotten Horizons and taken part in the event. But with the three on my steam wish-list it seems to me to cry 'wait for a sale'. I can't shake thinking that the event is too much of a Fomo push to 'buy the DLC'. Such f.o.m.o. is off-putting for me, this time round. I thought SCS was better than that but I guess the almighty dolla is still key. At least they used to have more subtlety, or at least appeared to be. 

Between both enjoyable events, Halloween and Chrimbo, I've unlocked a lot of in-game goodies. 

 

 

 

As for American Truck Sim, I've only logged in to claim the rewards I've unlocked via ETS2...

I'm into playing the same game but different (ETS2 to ATS) but I'm missing too much DLC to make anything but the annual events really worthwhile in ATS.... So maybe the next event will be the one I do in ATS instead of ETS 2. 

 

Speaking of truck games, it seem that with ETS 2 and ATS heading to Xbox/Consoles; Other Truck games are feeling that they can now change their own lanes on PC.  Steam: Truck Simulator 2026: USA

 

IGN

 

 

  

Planet Crafter has seen me play far too much solo and co-op(wife) game-time. It's a game that is very easy to repeat content in(like asset management in Eve Online). Mainly for me at the moment it's all been about filling inventory with items that I will need(or think I will need) for the upcoming free DLC. 

Since the last paid DLC, the game has seen a few updates to correct some issues. The one main big patch also added some new areas to the DLC including a new animal. All worth it and good to see.

Solo on Toxicity.... 

Co-Op on Humble....

  

 

With the updates to Hitman 3 and it's evolution into 'world of Assassination', I've been keeping an eye on it and the twitch drops... After claiming a bunch I usually go into the game to see the items..... This last batch had a bunch I'd already claimed bar one (version 2 of the twitch suit).... Which did the not show up bug..... not unusual.... Which lead me to actually played the game, shocker I know. Not much played but to get an item unlock I spotted.

 

 

Sniper Elite: Resistance was on sale and I purchased it's all singing and dancing edition. I'd previously played the game on PC through Xbox Ultimate; While the saves are not cross compatible it's good to be back in the game. I've been trading Steam achievement rivalry with a friend.

  

 

BALL x PIT is still seeing gameplay, especially since the last patch added two new charecters and a bunch of balls!  https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2062430/view/99775316462930487

Good timing as I'd just finished running all the other  characters through New Game+ (some through ++). 

 

A Casual Carebear Gamer

 

A game I've enjoyed and look forward to more content. 

 

 

 

 

Some of the last items to claim were 2 of the main balls and 3 of the secondary buff abilities.

 

 

 

 

It's good to get the new content. 

 

 

 

Still need to get two passives but I've been taking my time with it. 

 

  

 

 

Some VR has entered the chat with some minor gameplay. All the talk of the Steam VR/Machine etc has had the VR on my mind. Being all in on the Steam platform means I'm keen on the new hardware. My Rift-S headset is still kicking. So I can say I've played some more of  Beat Saber & Maestro. Both surprising me with their updates and replay-ability. That said Beat Sabre's levels are getting way too fast for my average reflexes......

 

 

 

 

Star Trek Online is still a mainstay, The academy freebies were on PC last week(or so) and will be on console for free on the 17th-ish. The anniversary freebies are also due in the coming week? Or so? As usual they probably won't announce those.... So I'll keep an eye out....

  

 

 

There's currently a week of a boost to endeavour points. I usually do these "dailies" as I see them if they are handy to do(coincidental with other activities) or if I'm 'just' in the mood for more to do.... But with the boost on I've been doing that bit more than usual; Be a shame to miss out on that little bit more of a boost to the points. On PC I've been doing well.... That is until they changed and added to the space items you can add to in the endeavours. So I'm ploughing away, slow and steady (PC and Xbox).

 

 

A players got to do what a players got to do, while waiting for a queue.....

 

 

 

Eve Online has taken a back seat to all other gaming. After the last bit of Omega time ran out from Chrimbo I'd left the characters in a good place. Sorted but not as sorted as I'd like but nothing to worry about both re Skills and assets.

 

 There has been some interesting Twitch rewards to claim....

 

As for in game and out of game dev news I've no read the or seen anything official. After watching a reaction to the news/Roadmap for the coming year I'm still very "meh". So not likely to pay to play.  

Ashterothi's stream is worth having on the side to catch up on the info etc.....

 

So it seems I've no pressing need to be part of the universe and the recent roadmap does nothing for me.

 

 

  

Games I'm keeping an eye on:

 

SpaceCraft :

 

Shiro Games

 

 

 

 EXODUS :

 https://www.exodusgame.com 

 

EXODUS

 

ACG did a good review of the game.

 

ACG

 

VR....

Getting a Rift S was good; It still is good but I've left the headset idle for the guts of probably a year. It feels longer. But this week I'd gotten the itch to play VR games. Specifically Beat Saber; And for more than just a few minutes.

There's an element of delay to gaming in VR due to my setup and 'game space'. In playing it I'm again realizing I've only got 90% of the room(my 'home office' is the smallest of rooms in the house) that I need to fully or more accurately comfortably use the headset, to stand and reach out.... Never mind dodge left and right. That's not to say that VR is unplayable; Beat Saber is the only VR game that I really need to stand and be active with. Which I've been doing a lot of the last week. Another game (VR or not) that I've left sit idle... Too many games and not enough time.

Also VR is not the easiest of platforms to get decent footage of; Then again given the music involved capturing Beat Saber would probably get hit with copyright left right and center(pun intended).

While games like Beat Saber are the epitome of why the platform is needed some games piggyback with VR. Minecraft has been getting a lot of great updates. Being on the Java version, buying the Xbox version and getting the Windows version free with the Java edition is a lot to 'keep up on', never mind the actual in game content. But Minecraft in VR is something I've wanted to see and something that's always proved tricky to really work. There seems to have been enough time and changes that checking it out in VR now is 'easy'. And after playing for a few minutes it isn't a preferred option for me. It does look great and after getting used to the controls it is playable. It's also a game where the movement gave me moments of disorientation. I think due to the eye level of the characters viewpoint in game and the ground level being so close, so similar, I guess that was a form of motion sickness. Just a few moments of dizziness/disorientation more than any actual puke moments.... 

A version of the game I'm glad I got to see and experience but not one I can spent time in.

On the other end of the spectrum House of the Dying Sun again amazes me. It's simulation-y enough to be a wow factor while 'casual' enough to get into and still have fun. Even if your doing it on the hardest difficulty and your being blow up.

A game that I'd never had a problem playing in VR, but one that has received numerous updates for VR and controller support. Always nice to see from devs.

One of the things I really like in the game is that you control a host pilot in game. While I don't know the lore(if there is any).... But when you bank and turn sharply, you hear the pilots breath and strain efforts with the g-forces as you control him in controlling the craft. A moment like that as you look over your shoulder eye tracking a target bringing the ship to bear is a unique VR experience. An immersive one. This game does it so well.

It's also a game that has a great VR cockpit(I gush again). Not that I'm a sim cockpit aficionado. I guess my point here is that the non VR version is great and the implementation of VR makes it even better, not just a gimmick.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Sometimes you get into some games and all you wanna do it shoot stuff. Casual is casual.... One such VR game I picked up 'back in the day' was Gunjack (waffle here and here). Fun is fun, so no wonder I was back at it as well.

Day's of Unlockable's....

The last few days has seen some new games purchased, as well as a lot of the 'winter' events in games come to a conclusion.

New games:

Democracy 4, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw and Beat Saber; though I've barely scratched the surface of them so far.

As well as DLC for Two Point Hospital. The Culture Shock DLC. Which should be interesting.

The DLC, at least in my head can't be disassociated from Duke Kaboom. 

Unlocked events:

ETS 2 had the bulk of it's winter objectives done, personal and community. 

Two Point Hospital is 50% done on it's current winter project. 

The first unlock reward 'ice fountain' is at least to me a bit underwhelming. It's a bit big to use in the majority of my hospital server rooms.

Over on Star Trek Online I'm still pottering away as I really like that event.

This years reward ship has been claimed on both Xbox....

.... And on PC.

It's a better ship than I thought but I'm sure that my best of inventory fit is an abomination to those out there that are leetist stat savvy.

Still it's a fun ship to blast about in.

Last but not least, and not a winter event but here it is anyway...... Tetris Effect got it's December update which finally add's VR. 

For me VR does nothing to boost my Tetris Effect experience. It comes off as an impractical gimmick; Pity as it was the last thing I was hanging on to see in the game....