The Planet Crafter....

Since my last post about the game I've done a lot of gameplay; Another update has hit and I've done even more gameplay. A lot like in Minecraft, once you get established, your move from surviving to thriving changes gameplay. At this stage I'm well beyond even that. I've been double, triple and quadrupling down on everything. With the return of the Pulsar Crystals I've created more transporters than I can shake a Pulsar Crystal at; And more Pulsar Crystals in storage than used in anything I've built(and I've built a lot). As well as a lot of new fusion power plants(fear of a scarcity return/rebalance). 

I've done and setup as many T3 tree spreaders as I can.

This game has a gather and crafting feedback loop. That's not a bad thing but it's lead to a lot of redundancy for the sake of it. Noting says this more than having two transporters on either side of my 'main base'...... Because I can.

I've also found myself decluttering some area's of obsolete equipment but rearranging others so that it all looks 'used' and in use(flavour). My main base is still a patchwork on patchwork in regard to how the buildings went up at the time and I like that look/feel... Whereas I've completely taken down the 'backup base'; And rebuilt it larger at the stargate to have it be a more planned and space filled area.... Kind of(which is a good thing as if things were too perfect they wouldn't look 'lived in').

The new 'backup'.... 

Even since those pics I've updated and added so much more. 

There are way more creative crafters out there.

I found the last/new golden crate on the edge of the sand falls. 

Lots more satellites have been added, for now.

The look and feel of the base items/flowers during a certain type of asteroid storm(Osmium) is always interesting to look at. Very neon black light. I wish the internal lights were customizable to be something like it.

Then again so are the Supper Alloy Storms, my second favorite.

The next update should bring a lot of new content(end of July). Looking forward to that. It would seem to contain a lot more of the good quality of life improvements as well as new life.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder's Revenge....

What a great game. Lots of options and playability. A game that has a serious combo system and still be a casual button masher. A game that can be taken really seriously or super casually. Play it how you want as you want. Turtles in the 90's were a phenomena for a wide range of ages in the same way as this game caters to all gamers, fans or not. This game brings back a lot of nostalgia, specifically arcade nostalgia. 

I'm very much a button masher(even when I did play games like Soul Caliber and Dead or Alive); So I'm enjoying the game as a super casual. That said I'm still using all the characters to gain all the benefits and unlocks....

All that said I've not bought the game. I've been playing it across PC and Xbox (cross platform saves are a yes) via Xbox Ultimate. I do want to buy it to own and probably will on Steam so will have a fresh save issues so I'll weigh that in(as a fresh restart, but I'm not that far 'in' sooooo).

Kingdoms and Castles....

Since the last time I posted I've been playing a bit of the game on and off. Kingdoms and Castles is a great game and it's received a lot of updates. Big updates as well as small tweaks are great to see. The quality of life has improved so much. I like the games aesthetics overall. The dragon and raider attacks add to the suspense(if you have them enabled) of survival and defending what you've created.

However, like other games(such a Two Point Hospital for me) it seems that my time in the game isn't as enjoyable or meaningful as I want it to be. I'm not sure if that's due to burnout for the type of game in general. I really do like the changes, the new DLC is fun and I've been back to my largest save to add in statues. Maybe it's a subconscious averse to it in a 'I've done it all before' kind of way. Something that's been happening a lot more to me more often these days. Maybe because I've yet to sink my teeth into Diplomacy is Not an Option and I know that will need time and the same kind of game-play.

Getting back to my 'big' save and largest city(town?). Bad things happened in short order. More fires. More hunger and a lot of discontent(lose of gold). Loading up the save and a few turns later my 'perfect' city has gone all Mad Max. So I guess some real reworking to 'bring it up to speed is needed'. I just can't bring myself to do it.

I've tried starting another new town....  It works for a while then I find myself drifting off to other games or forgetting it was minimized.

Kingdoms and Castles it's not you it's me! For real!

Star Trek Online....

With the Mirror universe stories coming thick and fast there've been two elements in the recent updates that I'm really into. The mirror Kuumaarke and the return of a decent story line including V'ger(the storylines involving the normal universe Kuumaarke are imho some of the better Star Trek elements(in game and out).

The mirror version of Kuumaarke has the Terran uniform and a variation of the Lukari ground gear. All good stuff. So much so that I had to create a new character based on her race. In for a penny in for a pound. The Lukari are not a playable race but the customization in game is so good that it's more than doable. So I did, with an 'alien' race selected and customized there was no better time to do it. The return of the Delta recruit bonuses and the redo of the starting missions were also worth it. With the added bonus of the ground set rewarded from the event at the time; All to good to pass up.

In leveling my new character one of the mission arcs has you cross paths with the actual Kuumaarke... I think I did a good job in comparison. 

Seven's Voyager uniform with the lukari ground attachments and intel belt in a black dark purple theme seems to work well(no way to change the purple of the ground gear so had to 'run with it'), and a Lukari ship to match.

The only thing I've changed since the screenshot is to darken the characters eye colours by two levels. The skin tone should probably be lighter as well but I'm running with things as is. Not all Lukari are alike after all. If only I could tone the lips.

The classic look and sounds of V'ger, with the big torpedoes. It feels threatening. Maybe that's a form of dramatic nostalgia from the original movie (TV in the 80's).

Some of the new ship bridge designs are really cool. I like this one that has and actual window up front and a view screen as an actual screen rather than the usual combo. It seems more practical, more 'real'.

The old Miranda bridge never looked like this.... Not that I'm complaining, I like it.

The borg are still the main tutorial protagonists and are suitably brought up to date with graphics and mission tweaks. 

The planet assimilation seems more on scale and immersive.

Not that it's a real spoiler but I don't recall the primary 'boss' borg being your abducted captain. Maybe I'm getting confused with the Klingon protagonist kidnap version. Either way I was impressed that the captain that was kidnapped and assimilated being the 'planet boss' of the encounter. It made for a good story moment.

I've also been trying to gain useful items from mission for her ship. Teaming up with my wife and an alt she has we did a few mission chains; But I settled with repeating the Home mission to gain the 3 piece Morphogenic space set and Phased-Waveform Beacon device.

Interesting to see that the consoles will be getting something before PC this time round,

Speaking of console, I've been doing a lot of messing about with my Xbox characters. Not much beyond leveling the 'alts' to 65 and trying to clear-up 'recruit' transponder goals. 

Playing both PC and Xbox has lead to a bit of confusion on my part. Leveling an alt on PC thinking I needed certain marks when it was actually a similar alt on Xbox.... It happens(but it's happened a few times). Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

My main on Xbox being a Temporal 'recruit' needed the Delta mission arc done. One I tend to avoid but seeing as I'd done about half of it I decided to take the plunge and finish it off. It's a grind not only because you need to finish the arc but because you need to do the open ground missions on Kobali Prime itself(which are not listed as needing to be done) as well. But I ploughed though and got it done.

1.55%

Only two more equally long grinds of arcs to go.... That will be made a lot easier when the Mirror Lukari ground set is gained form the next event on Xbox(last one on PC). I really, really, really like the new set and it's abilities, the lightning storm is and I say this really quietly and with a shhhhhhh.... it's OP.

Having the set on you and all your officers..... All doing lighting storm....... FREAKING AWESOME!

It's a set that now makes me want to do ground missions!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd never have thunk it!!!!!!

Anyway. Playing the missions on Xbox has brought out the usual, non game breaking, quirks.

Like the always on line visible from the grapple hook. Safety lines, safety first!

And the way your characters weapon (stays visible) and combines with the cutscene weapon..... Pass the duct tape!

The only new 'quirk' I've noticed is where all weapons being fired in at NPC's don't animate correctly. Weapons fire hitting the NPC's but look like they are all firing to a central point. Quriky but not game breaking. Players are still doing damage and completing the TFO's.

Again there've been a number of promotions. From Steel Series and Intel. Always good to get freebies that are really worth it and not just fluff.

Noting much else to say....

Thought he'd be bigger in person....