No Man's Sky....

I'm big into space games in all guises, exploration/combat, first person, 3rd person, RTS etc.
NMS is a game that promised a lot, delivered little on launch but has updated and patched so much that today it's a shadow of it's launch day version(in a lot of ways).

I don't often prepurchase games. When I do its because of the game developers previous works. Cities skylines is why I'm going to pre purchase Surviving Mars. Xcom was why I prepurchased Xcom2. So NMS was a let down in more way's than one for me after a hype inspired prepurchase. I also have a thing for getting the most out of games. So NMS is still on my list to get more entertainment/gamplay from. With this games upside of progress via patched content and updates I'm feeling better about the game. If there were no updates than it would really have felt like a scam purchase.

Subnautica or Planet Nomads may be the better no No Man's Sky-esque adventure today that NMS should have been (even as an experience), but my investment in NMS is overruling or is that my obsessive miffedness (its a word!) and need for this game to 'get gud'.

It's easy to say things should be a certain way in retrospect, especially regarding NMS(it did have it's ground breaking elements). It's even harder when there were so many expectations let alone derived information, no answers and a launch day with 10 million % hype. Maybe that's my nostalgia for the hype talking.
NMS has had a lot of updates and I've found them all to be worthy of inclusion but none are a true game changer that keeps me hooked to constantly play.

My original gameplay was boiled down to the 'get to the center of the universe' theme. The main overarching aim of the game. The secret worth ruining was indeed worth ruining in that regard. However my playthrough felt like I was stuck in a loop with no progress even in doing that task.

Some of my journey:
no-mans-sky-again
hello-hello-hello-games
back-to-no-mans-sky
no-mans-sky-pathfinder-patch-patched
no-mans-sky-another-quick-look

No matter the number of jumps the distance to center was barely decreased. Black holes were more like one of those shortcuts someone suggested that at the end leaves you the same distance from your destination than before that shortcut, yet your situation is now 'worsened' because you haven't a clue where you are now(cut off from all previous explored systems); And there is no going back. There is only so much of that you can take.

With the latest updates I've "claimed" a planet with my own base, gained some crew members/followers/NPC's, To put down roots as it were, but I've not done much with it. I can't even be bothered with the sandbox mode where resources are unlimited. Great to check out once and play with all the new toys but not to stay with. As for permadeath mode, it's too hard an end to a grindy game like NMS.

Still for some reason I have hope in the next update, in the greater plan, that will do something to "fix" my gameplay hook. I may be naive in this belief, hope is hope. The dev team do genuinely seem to want to make the game greater. Time will tell. Maybe patch 1.5 (inclusive of patch 1.4) will be a real game changer (out soon TM).

For now the game is still on my long term "to play" list. Maybe I'll dip back into it for a nostalgic look at what was (and could have been) among what is there now. Experience it for the sake of experiencing it. Take a walk on an alien planet and potter about with a mining laser.... Not thinking too hard about it (time to cut the cord yet?).

Two vids worth a look.

Pro(ish). SomeOrdinaryGamers

No Man's Sky... in 2018...

It's funny and worth the full watch. Shammy

An Annual Review of No Man's Sky 

VR again....

VR has waned as an 'in' thing this long while(for me since 2020)... It's all still doable now, if VR is your thing; But most of the best of VR content regarding games is still 80% the same as it was 'those' years ago. At least in my view.... For PC. Such as today's top games, they still include the likes of Beat Saber, Half Life Alyx, Minecraft, SuperhotVR and No Mans Sky..... Good games are still good but there's not been more done better to blow away the VR users longterm..... Never mind draw in more to VR on PC. It's as novel a thing now as it was then. Just very niche. 

Many gamers get the headset, play the games and before they know it a year has passed since the last time they used it... I'm no exception. I've had my headset packed away but still near my desk for the last couple of years; Yet have not needed, never mind missed it. Not really. I last posted about VR in 2022.

 

All that said I still have a pang to use it every so often. A 'need to get value' kind of urge. There's still no games that demand the use of VR above all else. The last time I got to gain some more value was to use it for my (non-tech savvy) mam with the Roller Coaster game. She enjoyed it. As for me I've maybe popped back to see updates and spend a few minutes with same games I've already used it with.......... 

 

All in all I've got 5 'real' games worth replaying that are 'fun' in VR, so are worth it. Just not an essential gaming existence to repeat often.

Over time two games happened to be great in VR if not specifically designed to be pure VR experiences. One I can play in VR and really get the experience House of the Dragon; And one I can not get into for gamplay, No Mans Sky. Good to see but not to stay(for me). Feel like I've said all that before... 

The other two games are specifically VR orientated. Both of which I've found to be very much my thing. Beat Saber and Gunjack. 

With one more entry out of (desperation?)a need to get something out of the tech and it's games....Shooty Skies Overdrive. Simple and cheap, bought in a sale way back when.....

 

So where to start. Maybe keep the best to last? 

Shooty Skies Overdrive

No Mans Sky

House of the Dragon Dying Sun

Gunjack

Beat Saber

What could go wrong.

Yea it started on the wrong foot; I've not used it in a long time, so software needed re-authorization/login Meta details checked and software downloaded/updated(Rift S).

 

 

 

Going through the initial tutorials for VR still has that 'magic' feeling to it. VR it seems is still an experience worth doing. I just wouldn't push a PC gamer in that direction. One thing that Playstations and PSVR 2 has in recommendation spades over PC. Maybe the one Playstation 'thing' I'd actually recommend. It's an all in integrated system/platform and software/games. Plus it's less hassle overall compared to PC.

 

Anyway onto the games....

 

Shooty Skies Overdrive is still a fun game to get a person moving, hop in blast away and hop out. quick fun. Just not one I'd spend a lot of time in. A game that reminds me of Flynn's arcade for some reason.

 

No Mans Sky is an epic VR experience. Just not a game in VR that I can play. So it's a look around and see kind of visit via VR. Not a game I'd like to get into combat situations in, not in VR mode. But still it's so good to be in it in VR. 

One niggle I'd say this time round trying it is that loading is longer and has a tenancy to be laggy. Age of my headset and PC showing perhaps?

House of the Dying Sun. As a normal game it's good but in VR it's elevated to such a level as to be called great. I'm biased I love it and seeing it today is as good as when I first played it in VR.

The patch notes list the batch file to launch the game for VR and while I've used that and played it in VR before; This time round I couldn't get it to work for me, smoothly. At first. The process would hang in the background 'launching'. But after a few cajoling attempts 'things' seem to smooth out and the shortcut listing the extra VR parameters worked without a problem (for any interested those parameters are (-force-d3d11 -vrmode openvr). I think it was more the order I did things in that worked out better. Launching Meta/Oculus software, then Steam VR, then the game shortcut with the parameters. Great to be in and one for that immersive combat experience. It's really enhanced by being in VR.

 

 

Gunjack. I've not come across another on rails shooter I prefer. It's a great game. It's a pity the second game never made it to Steam and now you can't even get Gunjack anymore.

 

 

Gunjack worked with no issues. A game I really enjoy, it was good to be back to it.

 

A Casual Carebear Gamer

Given that it's no longer available as is Valkyrie, a much bigger more shouted about game.... Is Eve Online the only game that's 'maintained' long-term from CCP... Doesn't make me have faith in future games no matter the platform from them.. Poor Dust 514. 

CCP a bit like Google in that regard, they should share a software graveyard..... All those gamers that spent cash....

 

 

Beat Saber, the VR game to get. Lightsabers and beats; Whats not to like. The only game to bring me back long-term and has 'made' me keep the headset connected. Will see how long that lasts this time....

 

 

There were a few other titles I tried out just because the headset was attached. 

Rollercoaster(Epic Roller Coasters) & Race the sun, but only a few minutes in each.... Just because rather than to 'do' them.

 

 

Would the Meta Quest 3 or another 'current' headset be that much of a game changer?

 

https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/meta-quest-3

 

https://uk.pcmag.com/virtual-reality/75926/the-best-vr-headsets

 

https://www.pcgamer.com/best-vr-headset/

https://www.ign.com/articles/best-budget-vr-headset

No Mans Sky....

Urge to waffle... So I shall.....This post isn't going to be rainbows and sunshine.... It's a personal thing.

Since my last post I've changed my mind(again); I've been overthinking things(again). So again what really stops me from playing the game with enjoyment/fulfillment is me(no surprise?!). My attitude, thoughts and feelings about it. All mixed. It's not something I feel I can change. No matter how I try. A while back I commented that I'd changed as much as the game has since it came out. It's true. True as the phrase that you only get one chance to make a first impression. There's so much to like, so much to get into with the game, I've tried on a genuine level to 'get into' as much as I can...... But my hard disconnect(removal from planet that time) was a hard one to swallow for me. It's results linger now and still cloud it all. While I've had these feelings for a while I felt I was getting to grips with the game again, as near to a fresh start as I could do, now the new update has lost me again. 

I've spent my entire journey avoiding the wrath of the sentinels. That's not to say I've never pushed my luck or not killed them... I have. But the latest update sends you into a town and with one line of dialogue puts you in combat with some drones. Then your pressurized constantly and heavily hinted by every other NPC conversation to make you their Mayor Overseer... It all feels wrong to me because I've still got my original journey unresolved. It's unresolvable and that's the unhealing splinter in my brain. I can't change that any more than the game can transport it and me back in realworld time to 'fix' things. In this game I don't like being pushed into certain paths. My frustrations now are born of that frustration as well as the old ones. The newer journeys mean nothing to me. No matter how I try and explain, analyse and reason with things in my own noggin; Quiet the mess... yes; No wonder I blog.

Over time since it's release there have been high's, lows and all that can be in between. I've waffled and blogged and posted lots as I journeyed. And didn't post about it when I was put off the game. Some changes are not good. Like involuntary incidental base/player move/resets(you may have picked up on that). I can't let that go. Obsessive, yes, compulsive, maybe, OCD, just a touch. Who isn't 'complicated'. Yes,the game over-promised at it's start and now (imho) has over delivered. Where the start was a mysterious journey into space; It wasn't(that) complicated. Now, especially with the new patch/update... I'm lost in a sea of content that seems overly complicated. Even if I choose to be minimalist and 'basic' it still gets complex. Needlessly overly complex.... From in game, game mechanics to actual gameplay micromanagement. This game has changed to be 'current' and up to date with today's gamer needs(constantly changing with additions....). That's not for everyone. Even if things can be spelled out in a video, it's now a long-winded bloated game. 

Don't get me wrong there is good work on good work; The constant updating and additions are to be applauded. But for me in this game, it's gotten too much! 

I watched some more TheXPGamers stream playing Genesis Alpha One and it made me feel like I connected more with that game than than NMS.... Where I was once put off by Genesis's samey grind I'd take it now over the ever changing grind in NMS.

The amount of time that I've been away from the game has made me miss the smaller, subtler changes that most take for granted. To be "into" the game I'd need to have been in the game all along. Never leaving. Absorbing those changes and not noticing. 110% interest all the time. Or at least that's how it feels. I'm disconnected because I chose to not be in or a part of the game and meta community for long periods.  

No Mans Sky, a game I've tried in so many ways to get back into. An uphill struggle now more than ever... Trying to keep up to date with all the changes feels exhausting; I feel like I'm an old, senile adventurer that should've been put out to pasture long ago. Or taken out back... Ol'yeller, lets go for a walk......Feeling like I can't catch up, lost in a sea of gathering materials, adrift on waves of knowledge that I feel I should know about but don't... Other players play this game so intuitively and with such vigor while I'm just on a planet drooling in my helmet. 

So yea I'm overthinking this, venting, waffling and feeling like I should close the book of No Mans Sky, finally altogether.

To find my own goals to try and 'just explore' now is off-putting, the game gets in the way. A grind with no fun to persist in that grind. My frustrations mount and there's no enjoyment in it at all.  There hasn't been real fun for a while. The grind of the grind has worn through the veil of reasoned motivations. Thinking soberly I've played the game and gone along to get along. Hope and expectation of things getting better. The last few months have been the last hard roll of the dice; Real effort but in the end proof that 10% interest isn't enough; That 90% 'Meh' existence in game isn't a mysterious journey to dive into and be brought along by. I can't do any of it any more. 

I can't just play in creative mode either. It's less adventure... like a survival game without survival mode. What would be the point(better base building in Minecraft!).

Recently I waffled about buying 'big box' games back in the day. Finished games that may only receive one or two patches after retail. I cling to games to get maximum value because games have value to me, longterm. That's not to say I don't appreciate games that get constantly updated. MMO's aside games like ETS 2, Dawn of Man, Domina, Stardew Valley are great to with new content. Which brings me back around to appreciating the Space exploration, harshness and micromanagement of Genesis Alpha One..... Again. It's not perfect either but I can forgive it a lot more now. Perhaps time better spent in it than NMS. It's never taken anything away from me in game(I'm really bitter the more I waffle).

Complexities within and without.

It's time for another uninstall. Archive info/save and move on. I'll still feel like I'm missing something by leaving it behind. I've said and felt that before about the game. It's like the loop or a self fulfilling prophecy with no happy ending(just another uninstall).

No Man's Sky.... It Speaks....

There was an update for both the games software and it's development future today.

The patch has a lot of fixes, full details here:
http://www.no-mans-sky.com/log/#pc_1_07
Two main issues that I'm sure affected me were the blueprint issue, and the "catapult" into space on ground takeoff. Glad they are fixed. Not that I'll see the fixed result in game as I  still don't intend to play it.

The development update, details here:
http://www.no-mans-sky.com/2016/09/development-update/
I think the key quote here is: "What matters now, as always, is what we do rather than what we say. We’re developers, and our focus is first on resolving any issues people have with the game as it is, then on future free updates which will improve, expand and build on the No Man’s Sky universe.

This is a labour of love for us, and it’s just the beginning."

That phrase brushes a lot of comments under the denial rug. Yet offers hope to the die hard fans.
Am I write in thinking that there is meaning in the fact that they stated "future free updates"? I think so. But then again I've also heard the phrase "it’s just the beginning" from a developer that then shafts the product they promise and leave the gamer/player swinging in the wind. Yea I'm looking at you CCP Games! #Mysterycodeneglect

No Man's Sky.... Piecing it together.

Before I waffle on about what I'm currently doing in the game I have to say that No Man's sky is a game that you will either love or hate.  I've been seeing alont of things being said by a lot of people in txt and video's online. Nothing can be all things to all people.

Good examples of both sides are here....

Love:

 boogie2988  No Man's Sky HYPE and First Impressions

Hate:

Many A True Nerd No Man's Sky - Lonely Planets 

As you can probably guess from my last post I'm a lover of the game. It's kept me engaged and intrigued. I'll explain more below, but before I do I'd like to share some youtuber insights that are helpful in understanding gamplay (gamers of the game) and the game/game company. 
 
I've linked the next clip from boogie2988's video "Rambling: Cravecon, Traveling, NO man's Sky", at the No Man's Sky part....

TotalBiscuit, The Cynical Brit 's talk on the game is also well worth listening to....

 

I've continued to play and some things have become more clear while adding yet more mystery. I'll try to explain without spoiling too much but even for as much as I know I'm still lost in the dark.

I've been killed twice, both in space battles. Both times I respawned in the local space station and got to then fly out and reclaim all my inventory items. Death in this game is not so scary. I've only lost time. If I'd have lost most of all of my inventory I would have been peeved. It's a lack of real risk but if there were that real risk it would have peeved me off further and having to grind for materials again or grind to sell and buy items again would have made me log off and not return for a while. Not quite a rage quit but defenitley would have narked off if it was that way. Thankfully it isn't. It "just" a little inconvenient. And that is without doubt much better.
Those deaths' lead me to a part of the story, when you respawn the title message given is "Generation #", so on my first death I was respawned and read "generation 1" the second time "generation 2". What this means beyond respawning in a new body I don't know. Is my character a machine? A clone? Something else? Maybe the journey will answer all these questions.

The more I delve into the monolithic ancient structures to initially learn the language, I come across them and learn their stories. Those stories point towards many things but the overall sense is a dislike of the galaxy sentinels. A war with them for one race. I could say a lot more on what I've found but it's fragmented and leads me to draw conclusions. Is my character a weapon? Or just a lost traveller.
The bigger picture is also being revealed more as I travel from system to system. Some races are very laid back and relaxed, there seems to be a war on but nothing is really happening. But the latest system I'm in is really on the front lines. No wonder I've been killed twice. I've come across scared npc's both looking to have their responsibilities removed from them. Even talking to these front line NPC's seems vague as I know only some of the language. One NPC wanted me to injure them, maybe so they could go home. Another wanted me to shoot it's omnitool while pointed at him in another "casualty" go home moment. Others are just straight out belligerent and aggressive hurting me no matter what I answer. They are aliens and I don't know the language. I know 50 words and their conversations have none of them. Well OK one word keeps popping up. "Interloper". Yep that's me. It's strange when you see a two line sentence from an alien and it had the word interloper four or five times. Me needs me more words.

I choose at the start of the game to take direction from Atlas. This has been a mysterious force/entity/faction that revels little and explains even less. My last scan and prompt form atlas gave me the system I'm in at the moment. War is in the air in more ways than one as I've explained. But in this system Atlas has it's own large station. I went, I saw, I have more questions. I'm sure this is going to be a long journey.

I'm the kind of gamer who does the side quests. A completionist. This game is O.C.D. central for a completionist because it will never be done, even with the "main" story line completed. My current system is the last system I will visit and do "my thing". My thing is to visit all the planets/moons, gather a resale materials and catalogue the plants and animals for credits/units.
When I move on I intend to do as little as possible and besides "claiming" the system name, I'll gather only what I need to move on. Easier said than done but I'll see how that works out for me and how long I can resist the "one more look" instinct.
 
One big draw to me was the statment from the game creators that the game would not have paid DLC and that all content after release would be free. It seems that they are reconsidering that. Which really peeves me off. More detail's here:
http://www.pcgamer.com/no-mans-sky-creator-walks-back-no-paid-dlc-statement/

For a great lets play I've found Dan Gheesling's series to be interesting. Worth a watch if your trying to make your mind up or just want to see more.

Choices....

 

 

 

No Mans sky has seen a lot of news with it's updates of late; Even with all the new systems etc I've not been able to 'get into' the game again. I've blogged and waffled a lot over the years suffice it to say the more the game has 'become', the more the game is over the top in getting me to play again. All that said there is a NMS youtuber I watch that has also done Planet Crafter content. Jason Plays. As Plane Crafter has had a big update I checked back on his channel to see if I'd missed any Crafter content. Which I didn't..... Long story short he did have a new series started on 'getting into' No Mans Sky.

A Fresh Start Part 1 No Man's Sky Beginners Guide 2024 Well worth a watch. For me even watching it I can see from those vids that I'd still not be 'into' redoing the game. Much as I 'feel' I could, I know I'd be wasting a lot of time for little reward. TheYamiks did a video on it recently as well.

 

Speaking of TheYamiks he's also done a good video on Star Citizen. So 'what he said'.

Star Citizen WORTH IT in 2024?!

PowerWash Simulator's next paid DLC is based on Warhammer 40,000 and I quiet like the trailer. Another DLC to add to the wish-list for some sale down the line.... Very down the line.

The 2024 roadmap is interesting but no sign in sight of it slowing down.... So a sale on DLC seems very far away.

 

 

Gameranx had a recent video on 10 WEIRD Gaming Stories of February 2024, interesting to me in that they had two sections Part 6 regarding Xbox and Part 5 regarding Deca and Star Trek Online. More on the Star Trek Online angle later down the post....

 

Darkest Dungeon saw a good bit of game-time this last week. That time was a 90% RNG nightmare.

 

 

My first run getting back to the Crimson Court was a great success; It all went downhill from there and fell further with every run no matter what and where. I made a lot of mistakes. The Hero Roster is back to a declining state. The available heroes are no longer in sync with compatible groupings which I prefer. The need to mix and match is there but the heroes I can choose is far from ideal. RNG just makes it worse.

 

A Casual Carebear Gamer

 

 

In playing Planet Crafter I've realized that after the patch my active on launchpad rockets are not missing; Just invisible. I'm sure that will be 'resolved in time'. Maybe?

 

 

Patches for the most recent update seems to have updated the randomly generated biomes you reach via portals. I've still been doing a lot of them. New is the new new after all.

 

 

 

 

Star Trek Online is still the 'old reliable'. The game had a 50% off on it's Lifetime Subscription. Again I'll say that if you are into STO and you get a lot from 'just' playing, the Lifetime is well worth it. Pays for itself over time(rewards, details).

 

MC Stu had details regarding the CEO To Address Star Trek Online Community On Ten Forward Live

 

CasualSAB  has two recent relevant videos:

Jonathan Herlache is no longer at Cryptic / Star Trek Online

&

More STO Devs Leaving? - DECA/Cryptic Update

Of the recent updates to the game a patch brought a nice quality of life tag to new items in a players inventory/mats inventory etc.

 

That said recent patches have brought back to me an old bug... walking in space(take that Eve Online). So STO, it's only happened 2 or three times, tis haha funny.

STO on Xbox still has the zoom issues but fingers crossed the fix will be here in a couple of weeks(apparently it's fixed and internally developed to 'work'). As for overall PC/Xbox gameplay; Gameplay is gameplay. I've been doing it more and enjoying it. Events/Dailies/R&D..... Gameplay.

 

 There can never be enough Borg balloons in the bank! 

 

World of Warcraft has seen a slight uptick in gameplay but I'm still not 100% 'into it'. I have a feeling I'm definitely wasting game-time. That said I did get a tour from herself with the Emerald dream etc. 

 

 

Getting some gear to get me into the last of the raid wings for LFR. For the first time in a long time I'm considering not getting the next expansion.... If not for the overarching multi-expansion plans I think I'd have fully checked out. 

 

 

Eve, Eve, Eve online. I've been doing the 'usual' for my preferred gameplay; No surprise's there(that's a good thing).  PvE,R&D with a side of rock harvesting.

 

 

OZ_Eve has been interesting re the markets. The Oz Report (Mar 2nd, 2024) - Eve Online Market Insights. A 'show' that makes me think about 2 previous market youtubers(EVE-Prosper and delonewolf if anyone is interested).

Loru Gaming is a tuber I came across but his 'excitement' about Vanguard makes my eyes roll.

EVE Vanguard UNRECOGNIZABLE In 6 Months   I look forward to being surprised at the epic game that will be Vanguard by the end of the year; I just don't think that's gonna happen(*see meme about google app graveyard).

 

I've seen Eve Status tweets more in the last week than in a long time. https://twitter.com/EVE_status

Eve is Eve; Eve'n after their patch of a patched patch.

 

Only it won't

Initial client run is confused it's already running.

 

 

 

 

No Man's Sky....

I've not been back to the game in a long time. One quick look at the foundation update and that was it. What's prompting me to write is that Sean Murray has resurfaced....
http://www.pcgamer.com/sean-murray-compares-no-mans-sky-development-to-a-rocketship-being-fired-into-the-sun/

The best quote from that article "Murray's math was light years off." In more ways than one says I. That quote was for the anticipated number of concurrent players on the games launch. All I can do is shake my head and wonder how the company didn't know how many people had bought the game. 200,000 is not a small number you can ignore. Unbelievable.

While I am bitter and/or salty about the game/game company not to mention the lack of information/silent running; There are people that are very favourable to the game. From that point of view a good read is:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2017/02/05/i-would-pay-for-no-mans-sky-dlc/#7df0d48048b0


And to see what others are up to in game, twitch:
https://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/No%20Man's%20Sky/videos/all


People are playing the game but with an average of less than 500 people over the last 30 day's, Hello Games needs to get their finger out to bring back the other 200,000+

http://steamcharts.com/app/275850

No Mans Sky.... 1.1 update bigger than I thought.

I was surprised with the new Foundations update, with it's download size being 1.3GB and the content that it has: http://www.no-mans-sky.com/foundation-update/
I'm still going to wait for the patch of the patch before I reload the game.

Have a look at Baertaffy's Twitch footage:
No Baer's Sky (1.1 Survival Mode Update)

The best clip of that being: https://www.twitch.tv/baertaffy/v/103893045

No Man's Sky(with a side of Minecraft)....

I have a muddied history with No Man's Sky. Almost 60 blog posts over the years of varying waffling'ness(this one is no different), from high's to low's. From it's interesting lead up to launch, it's actual launch, to my start in the game, my decided ending and the aftermath and the need for more.

A long term tried and tested history. A lot of been there and done that.

I'm all for patches and content updates. This game has delivered some great content and still gives more. The delivering on the promises made and the surpassing of those with work done since. Yet it's that work that plucked me from my planet. A planet that I chose and they removed me from. It was a gut wrenching moment. My entire adventure in the game lead to a patch that randomly threw me out into the universe. Choices to choice-less made my gameplay meaningless, a waste of all my previous time.

What's done is done. I do 'go on' about it, b*tching and moaning because to me it was such a hit in the face. Hard to forget. So yea my history in and with this game weighs my considerations down.

Can I ever get over that? I'm not sure at all.

I'm sure it's possible to find and travel back to that planet; But at this stage I doubt it's worth the efforts. The break was made. The journey altered.

So the game has been back on my mind since the Desolation trailer and patch:

New content, same'ol same'ol ? ?

Being away from playing the game (minor hopping back to see patch changes not withstanding), it's been about 2 years(ish). Seeing this trailer does makes me wonder about it. Not about hopping back in to quickly see changes; I'm past all that. Thinking more broadly about the game as a whole and getting back into it weighing the options.

It's not a case of 'just' playing it. Not for this particular gamer. There are better games to 'just play'.

While I've gotten value for money long term from the game; There's still a certain unfulfilled element for me. A loose end I'm not sure I can ever solve. The idea of No Man's Sky is still there if not the practicality for me. I do still want meaning from the game, more mysterious adventure.

Despite all the changes, additions and tweaking to the game; I'm still thinking that I've done it all before. How different is it really going to be on a deserted freighter this patch. Maybe the new freighter content is 'just' the deserted base on a planet only bigger...... And in space. So yea been there, done that.

I wonder if I can get back to the game again by starting fresh. The best way to 'get back into it'?
It's the question that drives us..... The potential of what could be.

Going back to my old all in one save only brings back the unwanted memories of what was lost; And how behind the curve I am. Missing out on the grind workload of newer content. The game is a grind. In both good and bad way's. Getting up to speed seems so much work(finding portals and glyph's, the space anomaly station thing, changes since my day, community event(s), different economies, racial standings, currencies, weekend events, more currencies, classes of upgrades be it ships or equipment. (All to name but a few). At least it seems so to me. A far cry from just being and exploring.

Lacking game knowledge is a massive time sink to catch up on never mind anything in game. Jason Plays channel has so much content per day that is fun and informative but compounds my feeling on how much I am 'behind'. Dependent on the gamer play-style I suppose. Multiplayer group content is not for me in this game.

Maybe with Desolation there's been so many changes since 'my day' that there is new purpose to the wandering again. Now more so in space as well as on planets that does go further. Turn off multiplayer in options..... Be a lone traveler with nothing but a suit and a ship. K.I.S.S.

Now, might actual be that time I mentioned. To start again, a real fresh start in a new save. It's tempting. No harm in trying the latest version from scratch.

Then again the new patch for Minecraft has added a lot of content which I've been playing. As well as enjoying it with my wife.

The latest Minecraft patch has an easier lan co-op and makes it a lot better than running the previous separate lan server option. It's been great to play my 'main' save co-op with her, a map with everything I've done since I first created it in mid 2011. A save I'm proud of(a few others not so much). Can't ever say that about No Man's Sky. Yea the NMS bitterness is coming back to me more and more. I've waffled about both games in comparison before. It's an easy comparison to do and an easy way to say Minecraft is 'better' as an exploration game. At least for me. So why start NMS again and waste spend time on the lesser of the two....

Here I am a year on and still pondering the same questions(Minecraft(with a side of No Mans Sky)).
Indecision is a killer. Hmmmmmmm.
No Man's Sky.
The potential of what could be.
Just a quick look....
Maybe....
At some stage from scratch again....

.... Spends 3 hours in Minecraft.

No Man's Sky.... Still playing it...

Why am I still playing it.... To get at least one "playthrough" done. To feel that I have "completed" it.
I guess. I suppose. Probably.

I don't sound very convincing do I....

There is something about the journey that pulls you back in. Knowing the "spoiler" helped me to be super annoyed at Hello games. Once my boiling point subsided I think getting "there" once will be enough for me.

There are other players of the game that are doing their own version of the journey. This article about the circumnavigation of a planet on foot was different.

They are updating the game and patching things. I've seen some minor graphical improvements and less popping. I don't think they can completely remove that effect from the game, but going from space to planet seems more fluid now.
The problem is that they are updating the game and not saying what they are updating and changing.
Typical silence from Hello Games.

The gamers on Steam and not so quiet.
http://steamcommunity.com/app/275850/discussions/0/350542145693636451/
http://www.no-mans-sky.com/log/

It also seem that Sony were not quiet about their disappointment with Hello Games as well:
http://www.pcgamer.com/sony-president-criticizes-no-mans-sky-it-wasnt-a-great-pr-strategy/

But back to my gamplay. So I have continued. Again not doing much exploration on planets unless it is to gather exactly what I need to make warp drive fuel. Or to refuel the ship's normal drive and weapons. The same goes for my suit and multitool. The odd building I do visit is to also gather materials.

Gather resources, make warp cells, refuel, leave star system, warp, warp, warp x10 (ish).....   And repeat.

I've done that about 3 times at this stage, between each break or when I've detected it I stop into the Polo and Nada station to get a Blackhole shortcut.

The only thing this does besides cutting out a lot of warping is that it adds a Repair step before the usual -> Gather resources, make warp cells, refuel and leave system, warp, warp, warp x10 (ish).....

OK I admit once I reach a planet I do, do a 360 degree scan while standing on top of my spaceship, it's quick and painless. Plus the credits it gets me help with buying Zinc off all the traders that land in the station.

Yea, Zinc is hard to gather in quantities. It comes from plants and in my experience they are not clumped close to each other. Faster to scan some plants and animals then use the credits from that to buy Zinc from traders.

It's a streamlined process, honest.

I've not sought out the extra Version 2 or 3 access cards etc.

Something tells me I may be closer to the Center than I thought I was.......

So it's an experience for me. I am not seeing anything totally bizarre now that I'm "used" to seeing the animal combinations. Most plants are variations on a theme that doesn't vary too wildly.
In saying that I'm still caught out by one or two moments where a scene or "vista" looks nice, seems pretty or has unusual shades that are off "normal". Maybe that's just me.

I was never hyped for the game, but what I did see pre-release I was looking forward to seeing for myself. Now that it's flat on it's face and laid bare for all to see, now that the internet supernova explosion has washed over it, I'm experiencing the game for what it is. Maybe that is the journey for the journey's sake. It is an experience that is better than nothing.

I did load the game and forgot that I was still on a harsh planet, seems if you die more than once you only get to loot your last "alive" inventory from the grave stone. So Once you have been killed once, you have one change to loot your inventory items. If you die the second time before looting your first death's loot, that first death inventory is lost and replaced with your empty no loot second life inventory....
What makes it worse for me is that it wasnt' a creature or sentinels that killed me, it was the cold. A slow cold. But my dinner was hot and the TV program was long. Meh....

I pass by a lot of planetary surfaces, a lot are very unsafe, when I try to land on a flat surface I usually get the not safe to land message. Safe my *ss, this is where it landed me! I have very little faith in Mr. Autopilot in this game now.

I won't drone on any more as I've already waffled enough.
What I will link is a very good video from Noah Caldwell-Gervais, it may be long but it is worth watching.