LandOGeekery

Electoral dissonance

2024-10-30T12:28:00.003+00:00

I've been observing the latest round of elections and campaigning across the pond, trying to stay open-minded and aware. It's a bit disturbing to see how polarized the political system has become. Decades ago, people in the same household could have differing political opinions without conflict. Nowadays, it feels like you're either on my side or you're a bad person, with shaming and derogatory responses for those who don't share your exact opinions. If I get any comments on this post, I kind of expect them to be in that vein.

The January 6th storming of the Capitol in 2021 is evidence of this polarization. With such division, it's easier to stir up hatred in the masses, on either side.

On one hand, you have Trump, who is up for re-election. From my perspective, he seems to use every manipulation tactic to set his own agenda. He's faced multiple legal issues over the years, some still unresolved. Despite this, there's a belief that his re-election would be good for the economy, with stock markets and Bitcoin surging whenever the polls swing in his favor.

On the other hand, you have Kamala Harris. She seems smart and level-headed, making good arguments for why Trump shouldn't be in power, which I agree with. However, I don't see what she brings to the table. The last four years under Joe Biden have been pretty flat and ineffectual. While Trump's actions stirred up drama, they were high-profile, and people seem to like that, good or bad. I think the country would be more stable under Harris, with less outlandish or antagonizing actions and speeches, but the markets don't seem to favor her as much. My gut leans towards Harris, mostly because I fear Trump could go full-on fascist totalitarian, but that could be due to the information I have access to. I'm admittedly left-leaning with some right-leaning elements, so maybe I'm a centrist?

Regardless, I don't get a vote. I'm merely observing via the information I can access and hunting for views from both sides. What stands out most to me is that if your political leaning is left or right, the other side labels you as an extremist, far left or far right. Celebrity endorsements seem to agree with this. Elon Musk and Gina Carano recently endorsed Trump. Musk likely because of alignment with his business interests and deregulating policies. Carano's reasons are less clear. I like her and have followed her career and the Disney conflict with interest. Cancel culture targeted her for some edgy social media posts, and Disney fired her to save face. I think it was hyped up to be more extreme than it was. When pushed by a bubble, the natural inclination is to double down and push against the group that did so. It could be that she simply opposes the 'leftist' culture powered by her own bubble.

When I say bubble, I mean the environment we're exposed to. What is filtered to us by social media feeds our confirmation bias, the view of our peers that align and embolden our own. We tend not to see what's outside that bubble, and when we do, we reject it. The Oatmeal did an awesome comic on this confirmation bias you should read. Like, now!

In summary, the right's view of the 'far left' seems to expect the removal of people's freedoms and rights (guns, vaccinations) and excessive government control (Ala V for Vendetta). The left's view of the 'far right' involves the removal of social equality, nationalism, xenophobia, and resistance to progressive changes. From my digging, it seems there's a lot of crossover in the more extreme views, simply bucketed into 'that's their view' because they are so unbased on reality or cruel and inhumane.

The truth is much more subtle. All of this results from cognitive biases set out to protect ourselves from the 'others'. Everyone lies on a spectrum, can have views that align with the left or the right, and probably don't actually align with the extremist views. But news, activists, and social media portray it as such to win votes for the side they align with and because it's clickbaity. It gets people riled up and engaged, keeping them in the headlines, getting attention, and making money. What's the downside, right?

I guess my point is, think about your views, be open, do the research, and be mindful of what is filtering into your bubble. It's uncomfortable to do this work, but that's a good thing. Regardless of who is elected, it's all downhill unless, as a people, everyone can come together and see each other as equals, with views, with flaws, but people just like yourself. Take care all, and get out and vote!

Let's plays are back on the menu boys!

2024-10-30T11:31:00.004+00:00

Greetings all!

It's been a spell, but I have finally gotten around to a semi-regular let's play schedule. My new laptop and sound setup mean that I am able to record footage with a good framerate, and with a decent level of audio quality. (Not perfect, but it is a £40 Fifine USB microphone I am using).

At the moment I am working through a Hardcore Minecraft series, if that's your bag, come check it out!

Episode 1 of my latest attempt here: https://youtu.be/W8F-fsy4yt8

Velk Reviews: Baldur's Gate 3

2024-05-08T12:00:00.002+01:00

In the latest installment of the Baldur's Gate series, Larian Studios invites players to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of the Dungeons & Dragons universe with Baldur's Gate 3. From the moment you step into this fantastical world, it's evident that Larian has spared no effort in crafting a breathtaking experience that seamlessly blends stunning visuals with immersive atmosphere.

Set against the backdrop of a world teetering on the brink of chaos, Baldur's Gate 3 thrusts players into a gripping tale of magic, monsters, and political intrigue. As you create your custom character, choosing from a diverse array of races, classes, and abilities, you're immediately drawn into a narrative that unfolds with each decision you make.

The game's visuals are nothing short of spectacular, with beautifully rendered environments, detailed character models, and spell effects that dazzle the senses. Whether you're exploring the depths of a dark dungeon or traversing the vibrant landscapes of the world, every corner of Baldur's Gate 3 is filled with rich detail and atmosphere, begging to be explored.

It's not just the visuals that impress; Baldur's Gate 3 delivers a deep and engaging gameplay experience that stays true to its Dungeons & Dragons roots. Combat is tactical and challenging, requiring careful planning and strategic thinking to overcome formidable foes. Meanwhile, the game's robust character creation system allows for a high degree of customization, ensuring that each playthrough feels unique.

At its core, Baldur's Gate 3 is a game about choice and consequence. The decisions you make throughout your journey have far-reaching implications, shaping the world around you and determining the outcome of the story. Whether you choose to forge alliances with powerful factions, uncover the secrets of ancient artifacts, or succumb to the temptations of dark magic, every choice you make leaves its mark on the world of Baldur's Gate.

I have been a fan of the Baldur's Gate series of games, including IceWind Dale since Baldur's Gate 1 was released in 1998. Using the good old Thaco system from Second Edition D&D, the game world was addictive, the game play, clunky in hindsight, was great and I spent many many hours exploring. Baldur's Gate 2 repeated this endeavour, with improved resolution, but a higher level and relatively tougher experience. Nevertheless, great games worth exploring, as is this latest instalment.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a masterful blend of captivating storytelling, deep role-playing mechanics, and strategic combat. With its stunning visuals, immersive atmosphere, and richly detailed world, it's a worthy successor to the legendary Baldur's Gate series. Whether you're a fan of Dungeons & Dragons or simply love epic fantasy adventures, Baldur's Gate 3 offers an unforgettable journey through a world of magic and mystery.

Blog update, New Youtube and new Tech.

2024-05-08T08:49:00.003+01:00

So, I decided a while back that I was going to start a new YouTube channel to document my outdoor adventures. Hiking, wild camping, generally being outdoors and getting back in touch with nature.

In a step towards this I have a bit of a rebranding going on. I created a new YouTube channel, though I still need to decide on the final name. I have been planning some excursions and the kind of content I would like to go over, still much a work in progress, but definitely taking you fine internet people on adventures with me, seeing some epic scenery, talking about places, gear, and the benefits of getting outdoors. I also want to cover off things like planning for your adventure and the life situations and logistics that might cause friction in doing so, and hopefully help you develop some processes and strategies to enable yourself to do the same. It has been a long journey for me to get to where I am now.

I have drawn a lot of inspiration from the likes of Haze Outdoors, Wildbeare and Fables and Fells, to name but a few. I have found doing this kind of thing is good for the heart legs and noggin, and in the last year of doing all of this, I have been thoroughly enjoying it. I have taken some epic photos. I have been to places I never conceived of, and met some amazing people along the way.

After some research (and boy was it a hard choice!) I have bought a GoPro Hero12 to enable better vlogging and video capture of these adventures and the scenery.

I may create a new blog page to interact with this channel, and the work I will be putting in, but for the time being, I will be posting here, and hoping to up my rate of posting of all things geeky and nerdy, and getting out and having fun (Look! It's a geeky toy ok, don't look at me like that...)

-V

Velk Reviews! Assassins Creed: Valhalla

2024-05-06T22:49:00.003+01:00

I started this game the day it was released for the PS5 back in November 2020. It is weird thinking back that it was that long ago, but there we are!

I have played through the base games and the additional content in Ireland and France, taking me about 180 hours to play through. That is 180 hours of fun filled murderous satisfaction 😁. Let's break it down and discuss some of the key areas.

Gameplay:

The control system took a few hours to get my head around, but once I did it felt pretty natural. Character movement is somewhat different from the AC games of yore, but once I got used to the way Eivor (You!) moves, it felt natural. There are a few combat methods in the game, with sub 'methods' of each.

Eivor can be set up as an out and out warrior, where they wade into the midst of battle wielding whatever combination of weapons you wish them to wield, one handed, two handed, dual wielding or sword and board. I found dual wielding was particularly fun, especially later in the game dual wielding a two handed weapon in each hand, you can carve your way through the ranks of enemies.

You can take a stealth approach (It IS Assassins Creed after all...) keeping out of sight or above your enemies, creeping about, using cover, and whistling at your enemies to draw them towards your cover and taking them down, sneaking up behind them for a silent takedown, or, death from above! Dropping from outside their line of sight onto them and eliminating them (And as an added bonus, I think with a perk, you can hurl an axe at a nearby enemy that has not noticed you to eliminate them too. Double takedown, heck yeah!)

Finally, you can do some archery. The archery system (especially with the PS5 haptic feedback triggers) is great fun, and there's 3 kinds of bows you can use. Light bow, Hunter bow and Predator bow.

I thought the light bow sucked and just did not find an area I was happy using it.

The hunter bow was great for mid-ranged picking off of the opponents, lining up headshots for instant takedowns, and making use of the stealth system to maximise the effect.

The predator bow is a sniper rifle. Zoomed in sights, and the ability to use various shots including guiding the arrow in slow motion from first person to navigate around obstacles to try to take down the targets. Great fun!

Combat is interactive, there are ques if you pay attention on what the enemies are doing to react to, and the boss fights offer a good level of challenge but are not crushingly difficult to overcome, especially with practise.

Graphics:

On a high end system, they are gorgeous. The lowest end system I have seen this on is a PS5 in 4k, the details, the terrain, the lighting, all great! I particularly love as you travel around the different counties and areas, the terrain all looks slightly different, and they are in different seasons showing some passage of time, and the plant life that exists there is realistic to the area. I remember a tweet (An X? Whatever) from @MiracleOfSound when he was playing through the Wrath of the Druids expansion that was based in Ireland, that it was like being there, was gorgeous and super immersive! I am from the UK and am well travelled, and many of the areas I have been I would say are very similar to what they are in the game. Again, love it.

Story:

No spoilers here, but the plot line is great. Starting from Eivors childhood you get an introduction to their past before picking up in Norway to start the game.The wider world events that are happening are relatively historically accurate. If you have ever watched The Last Kingdom, you might recognise some of the locations that are contested. Play the game, meet famous real life vikings and saxons, follow the plot, explore, pillage and raid. It is a sandbox game with a plot weaved through.

If your reading this and you have NOT played it. Go play it. Just, off ya go, go play! :)

-Velk

DayZ hyperfixation

2023-08-14T22:16:00.004+01:00

Ah, the digital realm of YouTube – a place I've explored with fervour! For those who are acquainted with me, it's no secret that I harbour a deep fondness for this platform. Flashback to the early-mid 2010s, and you'll find me immersed in the world of recording "let's plays" – a delightful stint that left me yearning for more. The allure of returning to this creative endeavor tugs at me, though crafting a new system for the purpose is a step I must take to continue. I'm thrilled to introduce you to a league of extraordinary YouTube content creators in the realm of DayZ – (If you have not heard of this one it is an open-world survival video game that has been around for the last decade, where players navigate a post-apocalyptic landscape, scavenging for resources, interacting with others, and battling both zombies and fellow survivors. Its immersive environment, realistic survival mechanics, and player-driven interactions create an intense and unpredictable gameplay experience.)

Now, if these names don't ring a bell, it's high time you give them a virtual visit. Trust me, your face is in for a smiley treat! 😄

TheRunningManZ's Channel
SourSweet's Channel
LottieTwitch's Channel
FRANKIEonPCin1080p's Channel (A classic, but the player is focusing on being a Lawyer nowadays)
SadaPlays channel

These luminaries of DayZ have mastered the art of crafting content that's both captivating and grin-inducing. So, if you're seeking a quick escape to a world of virtual adventures, I implore you to venture forth into these digital realms.

As the saying goes, "The journey of a thousand videos begins with a single click." Okay, maybe I slightly adapted that, but you catch my drift! Without further ado, hit that play button and let the magic unfold.

Until next time! 🙋‍♂️

New hobby unlocked: Hiking and Wild Camping

2023-08-14T21:53:00.013+01:00

My ongoing journey of adulting has led me to some delightful areas that seem to resurrect mnay parts of my childhood. Who would have guessed that the world of hiking and wild camping would capture my heart? It all began with a curious twist of fate when I joined a medieval reenactment group (More on that in a future post!). My quest for knowledge about crafting bows pulled me down the YouTube rabbit hole, unveiling a treasure trove of bushcraft and wild camping videos. Memories of my youthful escapades in the outdoors, hitting the Lochs and rivers , fishing rod in hand, or walking home with friends through woodland pretending to be Rangers from Dungeons and Dragons, or Baldur's Gate.

In this digital wilderness, I chanced upon a band of exceptional YouTube adventurers whose content I feel compelled to share with you:

Yet among this band of intrepid content creators, a particular spark ignited my enthusiasm like no other – WildBeare. Her videos have an uncanny ability to plaster a grin across my face, no matter the circumstances. 😄

So, let's talk about the recent escapades that have infused my summer with the spirit of adventure. Picture this: traversing the Scottish North Coast 500, my trusty campsite a wild patch of heaven; or nestled within Wales' Snowdonia National Park, the very essence of nature's majesty surrounding me; and just this past weekend, finding myself beneath the open skies in the embrace of the Ochill mountain range near Stirling, Scotland.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. So, without further ado, allow me to share a few snapshots from my summer adventures:

My journey into the realm of adulthood has become an enchanting tapestry woven with threads of nostalgia and newfound passions. Stay tuned for more tales of adventure, as I continue to explore the wonders of the world around us. Until then, remember to embrace your inner adventurer and let your spirit roam free! 🌄🏞️🏕️

Samsung Galaxy S23 upgrade from Samsung Galaxy S10 review

2023-03-27T19:02:00.002+01:00

I recently upgraded my phone from the Samsung Galaxy S10 to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and I must say that the experience has been nothing short of amazing. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has exceeded my expectations, and I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. So much so, I wanted to write a short review on the upgrade.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 was starting to feel a little long in the tooth. The USB post was giving issues, and the battery life was beginning to diminish. A full charge was not lasting a day, and with heavy use would only last a couple of hours so I decided it was time to upgrade. This blog post will look to introduce the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, provide some basic information on the phone and my thoughts in comparison to the older model, and my level of satisfaction in 4 key areas: Performance, Camera, Battery life and overall satisfaction. A longer review of the phone will be provided in a follow up post.

Spec Comparison

First and foremost, the battery life of this phone is exceptional. I no longer have to worry about my phone dying halfway through the day as the battery life lasts me a full day with heavy usage. I can go on with my day without constantly checking if my phone needs to be charged. The quick charging feature is also highly convenient and ensures that my phone is ready to go in no time. It's an absolute lifesaver when I'm in a hurry and need to charge my phone quickly. I have started the day on 100% charge, and kept it in a bag whilst not using it, pulling it out to take a handful of photos and a short video, briefly checking some messages, and between 9am when I took it off charge and 5pm, I had dropped to 97% charge. With heavy use (my definition: watching You Tube, and jumping between a few apps whilst having conversations with people on chat apps) it is only dropping about 5% an hour.

Readout of my usage and phone batter life expectancy.

The image above was taken a moment ago, I gave the phone a couple of brief top up charges whilst driving to and from work (where I listened to spotify and tinkered with the Investing 212 app in breaks) but with 48% remaining, it is expected to last another 18 hours. I actually trust this phone to last that long. Longer if I don't make much use of it. Since the last charge I have been watching lots of youtube, browsing the web and Instagram. If I plug it in now to a decent USB C charger for half an hour, I would be at near capacity and good to go for near two days. It's nuts, I love it.

Another aspect that I absolutely love about this phone is its camera. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has a 108-megapixel camera that captures stunning photos with sharp detail and vibrant colors. The zooming capabilities of the camera are also remarkable and allow me to capture distant objects with great clarity. I don't have to carry around a separate camera when I'm traveling or attending events. The camera is more than enough to capture all my precious moments. Below is a couple of quick snaps from re-enactment training I participated in at the weekend (where I used 3% over the course of the bulk of the day)

Taken using 10x optical zoom. That blur is an arrow ricocheting off a helmet, and it still got captured.

Slightly blurry, but full moon shot with image stabilizing at 100x zoom. (Almost as good as my specialised SLR camera, but able to snap on a dog walk)

The overall performance of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is incredibly fast and responsive, allowing me to multitask with ease. I can switch between apps and run them simultaneously without experiencing any lag or delay, including using the split screen function. The phone's design is also very attractive and feels great in my hand. The large screen and slim form factor make it easy to hold and use with one hand - albheit with a slight stretch to reach the opposite edges. The Stylus is also quite simple to use and allows for quick note-taking or making notes over screen-shots.

The phone's security features are also top-notch. The fingerprint sensor is very responsive, and I can unlock my phone quickly and easily. The phone also has facial recognition, thought I tend not to use it but allows for additional customised access.

In conclusion, I am extremely satisfied with my decision to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Its excellent battery life, exceptional camera, and sleek performance have exceeded my expectations. The phone has everything I need, and more, making it the perfect device for me. I highly recommend this phone to anyone looking for a high-quality smartphone.

MTG: Kaya, Orzhov Usurper Planeswalker - Thoughts / Analysis

2019-01-17T17:11:00.001+00:00

My first Magic the Gathering post!

I have seen this planeswalker getting a lot of hate since it got announced for the upcoming Ravnica Allegiances set, which is out for pre-release this coming weekend. I have looked at the arguments, and whilst not all inaccurate, I wanted to share some of my own thoughts on why this planeswalker is not as bad as everyone is saying.

Her biggest strength: Disruption.

For 3 mana, and a card slot in your deck, what would you normally put? A small to medium sized creature? A combat trick? Damage spell? There are a lot of good options for a 3-drop, many I would myself argue, that in the moment, are much better.

But, with Kaya here is what you get:

Firstly, you get a face that hits the battlefield that is a target the opponent may opt to attack instead of yourself. That buys you some time. Especially once people realise the threat she DOES pose.

Let's look to her abilities. Bare in mind, you can chose when Kaya initially hits the field to make best use of her opening move, but once on, if she is not dealt with, you have options.

+1: Exiles cards from a graveyard, and gives 2 life if one is a creature card.

This ability can be used to limit recursion effects, for example, undergrowth, resurrection, jump-start cards and Phoenix builds to name a few. Want to stop that Eldest Reborn Stage 3 from stealing something big? Exile it. When you exile a creature, it gives a small lifegain, which from what I have seen, can be substantial in this set and in a pinch you can exile a creature you dont need from your own graveyard for the life-gain. Against an opponent, this also charges up the ultimate ability. Bare in mind any card exiled counts, even land.

Note: Beware the opponent using the same card as you will be powering up their ultimate.
Additional Note: The text says exile up to two - you can +1 and do nothing if you were daft enough to play this card with no targets...

-1: Exiles a nonland permanent with mana cost 1 or less.

Effective removal of some of the small number of 1 drops, mana ramp like Lanowar Elves and other early drops that may pose a threat when they power up, Healers Hawk, Thoughtbound Phantasm, etc... This could be extra juicy in commander with some of the common artifacts. Tata Sol Ring.

This ability of course which powers up the -5 ability, but more importantly, allows you to remove tokens. There are some hard to remove tokens (evasion, or high x/x). How annoyed would you be if your 5/5 biogenic ooze token was removed with a simple -1 down tick, or worse, your Quasiduplicated or Helm of the Host token of that big creature that was going to win you the game. Dead to the -1 of an unthreatening looking planeswalker. Even just the threat of this happening is going to have your opponent hold back on using those spells if they have them until this Planeswalker is dealt with. Often fringe cases I admit, but between all the options, this covers most decks, and at the very least, whilst it will not often win you the game, the lifegain buys you time. I would consider maindecking this card, and definitely having one side decked if I own it.

-5: Deal X damage to opponent equal to the number of exiled cards they have, and gain X life.

This includes exiled cards from other abilities, so synergises well. The opponent could exile thier own cards (e.g. using a jump-start ability), and there are a number of other cards that exile creatures. Rakdos have the -2/-2 board clear that exiles creatures that die this round, though I cannot remember it's name, I will edit it in later if I have time. That gives great potential to power up this ability.

Useable within 2 turns of Kaya hitting the battlefield, often for a minimum of 4, especially later in the game. If Kaya stays on the field after being activated, the exiled cards remain so next time she uses this ability it is going to be even more powerful. It is unlikely Kaya will remain on the battlefield for this long because obviously, this ultimate becomes a bigger and bigger threat, but that means the opponent is spending more resources in removing that threat, that would have been used on other creatures or your face.

Another benefit of this ultimate going off is triggering Spectacle if you splashed into Mardu for some Rakdos Spectacle cards.

In summary (TLDR):

Game Disruption!
Lifegain to stall aggressive decks. (This is not even considering lifegain synergies from the likes of Ajani's Pridemate or Dawn Of Hope)
Good for controlling graveyard abilities. (jump-start, undergrowth, phoenexis, resurrection)
Face damage and synergy triggers.(Spectacle)
An alternative face for the opponent to hit, prolonging your own life-pool.

3 mana for 1 card, for access to these ongoing benefits and potential game disruption, and at the very least, netting you 2 health or removing an evasive / threatening token (or cheap 1-drop creature / artifac / enchant) that is causing grief before attracting your opponents attention for removal

All in all, 3 mana to put a target down that draws some fire and your not too bothered if its killed, but if ignored, can mess about with opponents grave yards, generate small increments of healing, remove tokens or 1 mana permanentsnd if left ignored can generate her ultimate and hit face for some damage and healing, that in certain builds, could be quite hard. For 3 mana, whilst it isn't going to blow up and do lots of damage, (cmon, its 3 mana!) I think the level of disruption this brings is pretty sweet. Some decks just cannot ignore her, and those that do, may just regret it when your life keeps creeping back up and the ultimate is set up.

I forsee this card getting more and more play as people figure out what decks and synergies this works with, I am already excited to experiment, if nothing else, to try to prove the naysayers wrong ;)

-V

An age!

2017-03-09T21:31:00.001+00:00

Wow, it has been an age since I last posted.

Life has been entertaining, I will give it that. I have not recorded a lets play in over a year, I have not written a blog entry in over 3... but I am hard at work as a Business Intelligence Developer / Analyst (Google it...) at a great University, and enjoying many aspects of the geeky lifestyle. I will hopefully get back into posting about them in the near future!

Minecraft 1.8 - The Bountiful Update.

2014-09-03T11:55:00.000+01:00

So, yesterday Minecraft V1.8 dropped. The longest and biggest patch/revision to date, having taken almost an entire year to develop after the release of 1.7 in October last year.

Having spent some time reviewing the changes, and a little time in game, as well as the fact me and my friend Evic will be kicking off our new cooperative lets play this evening, I can confidently say I am excited to get into the new version of the game, and some of the changes I have seen or read about are awesome!

My world preview video for the Coop Lets play world.

The major changes revolve around new blocks, new mobs, material changes, changes to villagers as well as a batch of fun and interesting miscellanious changes.

World Generation:
There is a new option on world creation to create a custom world. With this, you can use a selection of sliders and check boxes to decide what is in your world, and how much presence for certain things there will be. A fantastic way to create challenge maps, or just something that looks a little different.

In ocean biomes, there is also the chance of discovering an ocean monument - large underground structures containing rare materials and guarded by new mobs - the guardians. To say they sound challenging is an understatement. Physics changes mean that arrows wont work under water (beyond 2 blocks) so you need to get up close to them, and to do that likely means crafting lots of water breathing potions.

Mobs:
On the subject of mobs, there are a lot of mob changes and additions. There are passive mobs, such as bunnies, that can be killed for food and leather scraps that can be combined to make leather. Guardians, which guard the monuments, and Endermites, which spawn around nether activities, like Endermen teleporting, and are similar to Silverfish. Sheep now drop meat, bunnies drop meat and can be used with a large recipe to make Rabbit Stew that restores 10 food and 12 sustenance, making it the most potent food in the game. Additionally, the Wolf AI has changed, they now actively hunt skeletons, and scare them away. Give a dog a bone eh?

Villagers:
Villagers have had an overhaul. The trade system is more effective and there are more unlocked trades, and villagers also have a level of willingness that goes up as you trade with them, making them susceptible to breeding with other willing villagers if they get to a certain level. They also have professions, which will dictate their tradeable goods. Best keep them villagers alive ;-)

Enchanting:
Enchanting levels have been changed, and enchanting also uses Lapis Lazuli. Finally, a use beyond blue dye for this most useless of blocks.

Some other changes include making certain items stackable, like doors, and also making wood items like doors, fences and the likes actually have colour to match the base material. This makes for much better customisation. Other items include armour stands where you can hang up armour or mob heads - which themselves are gathered from blowing up mobs with a charged creeper. THere are also a load of new blocks ranging from new types of stone, to slime blocks (trampolines!) and sponge blocks (hold water).

On top of this there have been a butt load of tweaks and bug fixes. If you have not had the chance yet, get in there and enjoy!! :D

Unturned - Speed Review of the DayZ / Minecraft game.

2014-07-30T14:57:00.002+01:00

I played Unturned for the first time last night, and I have to say, for a game that comprises of the most basic of graphics, it is an excellent and fun game. Taking elements of DayZ, where you start with nothing and have to scrounge everything to survive against the zombie hordes and remain 'unturned', and elements from Minecraft - the styling and crafting, it is a very interesting and rather intense game, at times. The impact and effectiveness of the game was immediate, and it was very simple to play, and better than it's appearance conveys.

Here is how my first few lives went:
My first life I walked into a town, and was promptly zombified in the back of a shop when it turned out that not only can these zombies run indoors, they are also a little faster than you and miss a LOT less than in DayZ... They also hit a LOT harder.

My second life lasted a little longer. I even got a rifle. I ended up being flanked by an un noticed zombie whilst hunting a deer, and was hit from behind for my last 10% health.

My third life seen me accrue a good inventory of weapons, start using the crafting system and the built in XP sytem to upgrade my attributes to better survive and combat the undead hordes. I then went ahead and assaulted the local military base, mowing down zombies left and right with a stolen car, gearing up, grabbing a Hum-Vee and spiriting away into the sunset.

FUN!
I have thus far only played single player. It is a tough little game, but is very thrilling... and gore filled! Let's just say a shotgunned zombie will paint the internal walls of a building liberally.

The game includes a few systems that work well, including crafting (Hang onto that last bullet because you will want to refill the clip using the crafting system!), and experience points. Feel like going on a Katana wielding zombie Murder spree? Go for it - you will get XP to spend on swinging that bad boy better! Whilst lives tend to be somewhat atomicised - when you die you lose everything, you still regain some of your skills that you have invested, and your corpse will litter the landscape somewhere to recover some of your equipment.

Recommended!
My suggestion: Get your asses on Steam and get this game downloaded and try it out. It is Free to Play (At least at the moment) -- I will be commencing a short series let's play shortly to see how well I do in this game before I look to hitting up a server with other players.

Adblockers: Yay or Nay

2014-07-09T11:06:00.003+01:00

I have been thinking. Yes, lock the doors and hide your pets away, the brain is being switched to active, and my trade mark waffle is about to commence!

I have been thinking about ad-blockers, like Adblock plus, and the effect they have on web content creation. As an 'internet content creator', doing a little bit of Blogging, a little bit of web development and a lot of YouTubing - one of the primary, if not, sole sources of income seems to be advertising.

I have always gone under the concept that my own content creation is a hobby, and any income seen from that is just a bonus, and simply helps me to part-maintain equipment that I use to do so. (I go through a frightening number of headsets because of the kids, and because cheap headsets tend to break easy, and at some point the PC needs upgrades.)

I am never proud when I put up that AdSense panel in Blogger, or select the monetization option within YouTube. I don't know why. It almost feels like I am saying "I am a professional, and as such you should put up with these adverts so that I can get paid for it". I am not a professional. Perhaps it is because I sometimes find it irritating when I have to endure the flashy adverts on other peoples sites, or take that extra 5 seconds to watch a YouTube video before I can click 'skip'. I am impatient. Either way, it does leave me ambivalent on the matter, and looking online, a LOT of people really don't like advertising.

For a while my perspective was 'Eugh, I don't like these adverts. How arrogant some of these people are. Look that YouTuber has 20 subscribers and expects us to endure his adverts...'. The result being a high bounce rate for myself (Can you tell I'm an analyst? :p). I hit that blog, I hit that YouTube video, and if I was put off, I just left the page without even seeing what glorious content some poor soul has committed hours, days, weeks, even years of their time creating.

Enter the adblockers. They have been around for years. They are even integrated into browsers, like Chrome, and are a simple download and activate app. You turn them on and away you go. It feels smooth and better to stream video after video, to view websites and watch them load in double time because the adverts don't show. This was at least my opinion before I started becoming a content creator.

Whilst I myself, still see any income from advertising as a bonus for putting time into a hobby, I know there are many others out there for whom it is the livelihood. I have no doubt that most people who start creating a YouTube channel for regular content creation such as Lets Plays or making music videos, dream of one day making it big. Hitting that magical number of viewers and subscribers that they can give up their day job and live off that for the rest of their days. This is unlikely, I doubt the likes of YouTube will be around forever, but we all have aspirations! I know I would love to be able to live off the revenue, but I just don't think I am talented enough.

How does this affect my view now? I started Blogging back when I was playing World Of Warcraft and co-running a raiding guild back in 2008. I started YouTubing and making lets plays in 2012. I have seen over the course of this time some nice spikes in revenue from advertising, but all the analytics show the same thing: a downwards trend for people to click-through on adverts. (The Viewer to advertising Click Through ratio) For me, this is disappointing, I liked the little surges of money when I started a popular or well times YouTube series, or had a particular blog post that was drawing in readers. For those who's livelihood it is? I don't see this trend as a good thing. I can't name any big bloggers or YouTubers off hand that have ceased their creation as a result of this downturn of profit, but one thing that must be kept in mind: The Internet is volatile. Interests and popular culture can change in an instant. What might be pulling thousands of viewers a day to your channel because you are discussing a pre-release of the next version of Minecraft, but it has a short shelf life before the next pre-release is out. Content can suddenly become old fashioned and you need to adapt to survive, and create create create. (Consider this all as a warning if you choose to go the path of the humble content creator - it has it's stresses, and ego busting let downs, not to mention the occasional troll comment :p )

I now hold a different view on advertising. Google Adverts that you find on most blogs (unless they are of a banned nature too Google, such as porn sites, and other nefarious websites) and on YouTube are safe. The sites have been vetted and the advertisers are paying customers of Google. The adverts are generally passive. The worst I have seen is the 30s YouTube adverts that are not skippable, or the 5s wait before being able to skip an advert. What is so bad about them? Nowadays, I still use an ad blocker, but if I am visiting YouTube or a number of other sites, I simply White-List the site and it allows the adverts to show. On YouTube especially, when I am shown an advert, I will actually give it a moment, if it interests me I have no problem with clicking the ad to learn more. I am fully aware that the adverts are paid for by the company they advertise, and I don't just click for the sake of it - apart from it being against the rules and regulations for someone registered with Google Adsense, it wastes the companies money.

If you are curious, here is how, in my experience, advertising pays out to a content creator:

Static adverts, like on blogs - clicking these to go to a website can pay anything from a few pennies to a couple of £. I think the biggest ad payout I got was about £1.20 from a single click.

YouTube, most adverts being clicked only seem to pay a few pennies, but with a lot of viewers this mounts up. Also for YouTube, you can get revenue for the length of ad video viewed. When a viewer watches beyond the 30s mark in a video, a small amount of ad revenue is paid out.

I am suspicious that there are diminishing returns on advertising. For example, the more viewers a video has, the less the average payout per click seems to be. I have YouTube videos that have made about £5 - only a few, but they are there, with around 10k views. If this payoff was linear, then the likes of PewDiePie who is nearly guaranteed a couple of Million views per video, would be making like £50k per video - that's something like £200k per hour for recording (not including edit, prep, scrapped videos, etc.). That's a lot of money.

To summarize, my thoughts are thus:

Don't block all the adverts. Don't be afraid to click the adverts, they are there for a reason, and it is not just to benefit the company advertising, or the content creator that is showing them. If you particularly like someones content - don't just click the adverts to get them revenue, this is likely to get their account closed, but check out adverts that do genuinely interest you. Whilst many content creators make things for fun, many want, or may rely on some income for their time, and without it they may simply stop making content. For me, if my Lets Plays did not bring a small revenue stream, I would not be able to find the time to do it, regardless of how much fun they can be - I already work a 45-50 hour week without doing them, and have 2 kids and a wife that I spend what time I can with.

For me, recording time the ad revenue seen approximately matches minimum wage. The recording time however, takes up about 1/2 to 1/3 of the time investment for each video that goes live. I put up about 6 videos a week, which ends up equating to about 3-5 hours a week, for minimum wage on the initial 1-2 hours.

Waffle over! I think I said what I wanted to say on the benefits and disadvantages of Ad Blockers. Your choice, I just hope I have not advertised for MORE people to use ad blockers :p

-V

Game of Thrones.... Preparation for the S4 finale

2014-06-16T11:08:00.001+01:00

WARNING - CONTAINS SPOILERS. MANY MANY SPOILERS! Some are direct discussions from events, others are theory craft but may be considered spoilers if they come true... :p

The last episode of GOT Season 4 airs here in the UK this evening. To say I am giddy with anticipation would be an understatement. Every season of Game of Thrones gets stronger and stronger, and R.R.Martins sadistic tendencies and his take on historical realism become clearer and clearer. I fear for my favourites... I also don't expect them to make it. At least that is my sincere thoughts after Episode 8...

One point to note - I have not read the books. I have a huge collection of books to work through, and very little time to do it, so this is a fresh take from someone being served up the Song of Ice and Fire series through the gogglebox. (I hate that term...)

So, if like me, you are up to date on this season - below is how my brain is anticipating the final episode. There is SO much to tie up, I hope they make the next series be more than ten episodes, but so far it is a winning format. I considered walking through all 9 released episodes but there is a LOT of story arc to cover. Instead, I pick up below, from the end of episode 9 - The Watchers on The Wall.

So, with that in mind. Where does that leave us for the final episode?

Firstly, we need to find out what happens to Tyrion! I hope he makes a break for it, and I hope Bron or even Jaime will assist or join him. Tyrion has long been my favourite character, and after Ep7 and the majority of Ep8 I was hopeful his duel would pay off. And then, despite shouting at the screen to not get too close, the inevitable happened... I anticipated the duel would end with The Red Viper and The Mountain potentially killing each other, but Oberon's skills proved him the most skilled warrior, sadly to the point of arrogance *sadface*. The Mountain is clearly crippled. He looked like the killing blow on Obe might have been his last ghasp, but I don't think we have seen the last of him. I do anticipate his remaining screen time may be short and painful considering Oberons duel history... hopefully tonight will shed some light.

To continue points from there, will we see any more of Bron? He was another of my favourite characters. I would like to see him pair up with Tyrion again, or perhaps have his own spin off story line. I would also like, as mentioned above, Jaime to ditch his sisters company and pair with Tyrion to help him out. However it works out - gonnae no gut Tryion Mr Martin?!

What happens with Arya and The Hound? Will she reunite with her sister? Arya I have liked from the day she started getting trained using Needle, who doesn't like an Underdog story. (Except maybe President Snow) I have grown to really like The Hound - I don't want to see him moonwalking if they let them through the gates, although if he was to be snuffed out - I hope it would be Arya, and so do you :p. Actually, I would like to see them go back out into the wild and for him to continue her training, taking him under his slightly darkened wings...

Sansa - after her showing in Ep8 - I am now, for the first time, curious about her outcome. There is a great potential for her plot (although the last thing I want to see is her cosying up with Little finger. Ooh, fun twist - potential hound v finger conflict?... do it! I wouldn't expect it to turn violent, but I wouldn't put it past the hound to just Gregor the crap out of him. Little fingers saving grace is disposing of some of my lesser liked characters this series.)

Brienne and Poderick - where will their adventures take them? Oh no. Brienne V Hound? but I like them both... they know where Sansa went, and last we seen of them they were horseback riding to The Eeyrie. I suspect they are a good half a series behind Arya and The Hound though.

Will Margaery and Tomlin get married? It's a creepy seduction so far, but I have always been a huge fan of Dormer. /Drool, and want to see more of her. (Not that we didn't get that in her recent photo-shoot)

Danerys. To be honest, I don't feel much for that end of the plot at the mo. I has been a 2 series long trek through desert with a few epic moments thrown in. I am not sure what will happen here, but I would like to see her send for Mormont after realising he has been at her side 100% (I think...) Missendi and Grey Worm are a cute couple though. We are all hoping that Grey Worm lives up to his namesake are we not?

What about the watchers at the wall? I have a sneaky suspicion, that after Jon showing his sub-par swordless fighting skills in Ep9 that he is wandering off to a rather bubbly end.

Bran - I am unsure about this arc. At the minute I am not all that into it, there are interesting aspects and they keep stumbling across others, but as I understand it, even the plot we are seeing is brought forward from a later book or freshly fabricated for the series. Not expecting much.

Theon. The greyjoys are once more a story arc I dont follow with great interest. It served to introduce some characters we really want to see die, and has shown just how dark some areas of this show will go with torture and treachery, and it is always interesting, but I have no idea where it is going. Roose now holds the gateway to the North with 2 large armies, so where will this go I wonder?

Oh, Stannis. Another arc I have not been following with great interest. I probably should have. I may have had some things Stannis side spoiled for me, that I won't mention here, but it could get more interesting if what I accidentally read is true :)

Ok, I have talked about arcs, but not what I expect to actually be in the final episode. My expectation is:

We will see where Arya and The Hound end up, we will find out what is going to happen to Tyrion, we will find out if The Mountain is going to survive his multiple impalings, Jon Snow will walk off, I reckon, to his doom. I expect Sam is going to vacate his nights watch position to take Gillie somewhere safer. Danerys will make another 'cameo' - only I suspect she will make a big decision to continue marching on Kings Landing so she has something to do next series other than play Slaver-Sim City. Stannis may finally start things rolling now he has funding, and we will likely be shown his path. Sansa and Peeta may make an appearance if Arya and The Hound pass through the murder gate(?) but I think the plot lines for Sansa, Roose, Stannis, Theon and Bran are wrapped up, and everyone else is just waiting for their cliffhanger to be shown. finally - The white walkers always wrap up the seasons - where are they now. (Mayhaps they will pop up behind wildling lines and start killing them all saving Jon. Who knows!)

I would summarise this series, and the theme of the whole show in the following paragraph.

The good guys never get an easy time, the best combatants usually fuck up something leading to their end (I think Bron broke the 4th wall on that one!) the best thinkers lead the way - but are often out manoeuvred by the other thinkers. It boils down to Brawn v Brawn, Brain V Brain, a slight mingling in the middle with the thinkers manoeuvring the fighters to do their bidding and dying. The assholes seem to have a protracted shelf life, but when they meet their end, it is GLORIOUS. Sadly, some of them win us over first (I thought Oberon was a bit of an ass for most of his screen time, but a fun one). Martin also seems to have some favourites. Characters that just pop, and are awesome, or make huge advances, but its almost like he is rolling dice for the results and pulling them from some sort of Gygax table. Like >This< but for gory endings, or glamorous encounters. As the saying goes: Trust no one. Don't trust their competence, or their incompetence, their friends, family, neighbours, priests or the weather. It can all turn in an instant - and often does.

I love this show.

-V

Long time - no update!

2014-06-09T00:23:00.001+01:00

It has been a while since I last updated this blog. It is not for lack of content, trust me!

I have so many things I want to blog about. I want to discuss my thoughts on The Elder Scrolls Online, I want to talk about Wildstar, DOTA, League of Legends, Hearthstone, World Of Warcraft and it's upcoming expansion, Warlords of Draenor. DayZ. Minecraft. What I am planning now I have started recording Let's plays again. So much to talk about.

Do many things I want to post about. I shall endeavour to get some more content created soon.

One thing I will note, is that I have changed the name of my YouTube channel from Velkairiwyth (Which is a bit of a silly name for visibility...) to VelkGaming, for the obvious reasons... :p

Bare with me on the updates ;-)

-Velk

The Flappy Bird giveth, and the Flappy Bird Taketh Away

2014-02-11T08:41:00.002+00:00

As you all probably know by now - the creator of Flappy Bird had the game removed from the App stores a couple of days ago. As I understand it, he was not comfortable with the hype and attention that suddenly sprung up around the game. Each to their own I guess.

One crazy thing I over heard at work yesterday though, which I just had to post about, was how many people are selling their Apple and android phones/devices on the likes of Ebay for a rediculous markup because it has Flappy Bird installed. (Linked example selling for £800 rather than the more normal £350...) It seems a little crazy. It is just a game... an addictive one maybe, but one that will undoubtedly be recreated a bajillion times - then probably improved upon.

Just my 2c

-Velk

Flappy Bird. The Avian rage inducer!

2014-02-05T09:54:00.001+00:00

Long time no post folks... thought I would come talk a bit about...

Yes, it's that new hit sensation: Flappy Bird, also known as: Mario Bird - probably due to all the goddamn pipes!

This little game is as simple as simple gets. The graphics are cartoony and pixelated, and remind me very much of Tiny Tower, another game that can be quite addictive. This game however has a crux... it is tough as balls!

Well, actually, it is NOT hard to play, but it requires lots of concentration and any tiny mistakes result in a bird pancake and a great big GAME OVER sign in your face. I first heard about it on the 31st of January by one person raging about the difficulty of it on Facebook. The 1st of Feb seen a half a dozen more people putting up pics of their 'epic 7 point score'! and various other rants. Yes, this game can be that tough. I myself have managed to break the 40 point barrier about 4 times, with the following snap being my highest score to date...

Yeah... I think I got this score whilst sat in a gridlocked traffic jam for 30 minutes, how many times I seen this game over screen is inconceivable!

(Click it... go on, you know you want to!!)

Anyway, this game was released almost a year ago by Vietnam based developer: Nyugen Ha Dong. You control a small bird that flaps its wings with each tap, halting any descent and propelling it in a consistent and predictable arc up into the air then back down. Your task is to Oscillate this little avian clutz through a randomly generated sequence of Mario-Pipes. Hit one and it is game over. Supposedly there are multiple levels and difficulties, but I have not seen any way to choose to change anything, and have clearly not advanced far enough through the game to unlock anything. It is challenging, it is entertaining, frustrating and is probably one of the most Viral games I have seen.

What made this go Viral? It has been around for the best part of a year now. It may seem obvious, but with the release date on the Android Apps store of the 30th of January - I think this is what got the ball rolling, and social media (Facebook and Twitter, I'm looking at you!) done the rest. It took the podium for most downloads of January 2014, surpassing any Angry Birds or Candy Crush downloads, showing just how quickly this was picked up by the general populous.

I am left wondering how long until the apocalypse occurs, with millions of players indulging in some Flappy Bird (Or 'Fappy Bird' as one infuriated friend of mine called it), and then rage quitting when they are 2 points behind their best score from flapping into a pipe in an anxious adrenaline fuelled mis-tap. It really is that easy to screw up, it is relentless. I think this effect us surely part of the key to its addictiveness. It is really quick to play a quick game or two, it is simple (My 5 year old son was in hysterics at watching the bird hit a pipe and dive-bomb into the ground with a splat.) and you get REALLY engrossed. Your heart races, your brow sweats, and BAM, you hit the second pipe every third game...

One last thought... I wonder just how much ad-revenue this free to play game generates from that little ad-banner at the top... People dont tend to click ads, despite how safe they are... but with so many people playing, the mis-clicks alone must be worth thousands!

Ok, enough ranting for now. Go download it if you have not already, you will likely regret it, but it will be a fun ride!

-Velk

Thoughts on GTA:V Launch

2013-09-28T12:21:00.001+01:00

I posted a few months back >here< I posted some comments on the delay of GTA:V. I made some guesses (some might say attempted predictions) as to the outcome of the delay on GTA:V on the sales numbers.

Well, the figures are in, and the figures are huge. According to The Huffington Post, the game mae over a billion dollars in sales in the first few days, the highest sales figures to date, blowing even World of Warcraft and Call of Duty: Black Op's out of the water.

GTA has always been a popular series with the gaming masses, but I am curious as to just how much having the game delayed and letting the hype build made. The local 'GAME' store here had a midnight launch for the game, and by gawd... people cued for a good hundred meters around the high street. The ultimate irony is there was a Tesco express across the road where some people just walked in after midnight and picked it up immediately. No two hours of queuing for them. Mind you, its the experience I recon people do that for. The pure nerding geekgasm of it all :p

I also noticed claims when browsing from an analyst claiming that the games sales were very front loaded, and that we can expect a sharper than normal decline in the sales figures post release. Whilst this is technically bound to be true, the more of the buying population that have it, the less there are available to purchase it, they forget one thing: New console sales in 2 months time. I don't know about you, but I held off buying in favour of buying it once for the next gen of consoles that will be launched. I done the same thing with GTA IV myself, but my consoles blu ray drive has stopped working.

Anyway, just my little waffle :-)
-V

Long time no post.

2013-09-28T11:57:00.001+01:00

So yeah, Aside from yesterdays little review of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, it has been quite some time since I have posted. Long story short: Uni and work and life have gotten in the way. I have not even got to play any more recent games. I am HOPING that when the next gen of consoles come out, that I will be getting my hands on GTA:V and The Last Of Us, and whilst I am at it, I will likely be doing let's plays of them if I can set up the system. Also - Avengers 2, Thor 2 - you know the shibbang. They will be getting the crap watched out of them :-) Follow follow follow if you wish to keep informed :)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D mini review.

2013-09-28T00:51:00.001+01:00

Welcome to my little splurge/revied of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D... and a slightly drunken review at that.

So, Agents of SHIELD (yes, I'm gonna skip the dots...) had it's first airing here in the UK tonight. I figured it has been a while since I had a nice geek out, and felt the urge to post. Warning, thar be spoilers herein.

I am usually skeptical when it comes to new T.V Series, etc, that others are raving on, so I made sure to get in here early to make sure I could form my own opinions before being spammed with others through social media platforms.

And what do I think I hear you ask as your disembodied inner self asks as you read?

I thought it was great, and has good potential. I had a small geekgasm as the cast started rolling in (Missed the credits). It is like a sexy blend of all my favourite sci-fi genres and some fantastic movies. For example, I am watching and BAM. Ron Glass. Aka Sheperd Book from Firefly. Not seen him in anything since - hell I thought at one point that he was dead :s. Next up: Ming Na. Now known as Ming Na Wenn. She was in Stargate Universe and Battlestar Galactica. Next up was Aunt Robyn from how I met your mother (Cobie Smulders). Of course, the biggest star of all that cannot be overlooked: Joss Whedon, along with his sense of humour. A little less punchy than in The Avengers admittedly, but there is a lot of writing.

As can be expected, it is a TV series as opposed to a movie, so there is a much smaller budger, but I have to say, aside from some of the camera work and special effects, there is not a lot of evidence. Much of the cast from The Avengers is present, aside from the big screen names and the big heroes, but I suspect as the series progresses they will find cameos for the original actors. (I will be disappointed if they use different actors.)

My final comment to make is the plot. Just the right level of cheesiness in the names and themes used, but some fantastic tie ins to the other movies, including The Avengers (Naturally) and Iron Man 3. Fingers crossed it holds up! The first episode in these things is always a little rushed and less detailed than the rest of the series, so we shall see!

Keep an eye out for the cross genre slip... "With great power comes great... stuff!"

Go watch, enjoy, I can't wait for the next episode.

Thanks for reading
-V

Star Trek: Into Darkness (Mini review)

2013-05-13T18:55:00.000+01:00

I went to see Star Trek: Into Darkness last Thursday, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Before you read on, I will likely provide spoilers, although I will try to avoid discussing certain things that happen. You were warned :p

Well, what to say. This movie tries to bring a more 'bridge-family' feel to the new genre of Star Trek, and I think it does it very well. With big challenges, some twists and some awesome acting and effects it brings a very different flavour than the first Star Trek movie.

I felt 'John Harrison' played by Benedict Cumberbatch was particularly epic. I thought it was going to be a bit wishy washy this one, and I have never been so glad to stand corrected. The plot is somewhat akin to Star Trek II with many crossovers, and a but tonne of references to the previous movies, but with many many changes which all but add to the levels of epicosity...

I had a fair idea of the plot before going to see the movie, but a mate of mine did not and lets just say the movie has a few elements of surprise - Harrison being one he was not expecting.

I am not too sure what I can say for this one without providing spoilers but Epic trailer, Epic movie, Epic score and Epic action :) If you have not seen it yet, get out and go see!!

-V

Olympus Has Fallen: Honest Velk Review

2013-05-06T23:36:00.001+01:00

Olympus has Fallen... Honest review. (Trying to avoid spoilers) -- scroll to view or hide post if it didn't work :p

I did not think this was a bad film actually, the IMDB rating of 7/10 is probably apt. A pretty wishy washy introductory half hour with a pretty poorly put together story line designed to to get to the meaty goodness that is actually a pretty decent action flick, if designed a little too much to get y'all purty payte-ree-aw-tic, for the last hour and a half. Gerard Butler does Die Hard is pretty much the best description I can give it :p

Stoo recommends: Turn up half an hour late, let a flashback tell you the entirety of the intro story and enjoy some pretty Brutal action :D

The Elder Scrolls Online - How Factions and PVP will work

2013-04-22T20:04:00.000+01:00

Hey folks,

I stumbled upon this merry little >article< over on the Elder Scrolls Online page. Interesting. Very interesting.

I have been thinking for a while - well, when I say me I mean we, and by we I mean my wife and I... I digress. We have been thinking for a while about how TESO will work with regards to factions. My thoughts lay in the friction between the Aldmeri Dominion and The Empire, since there is a running theme across TES games.

I am 1/3 to a half right... I decided to chase this up.

Conveniently, since I last looked around for such information - there is a wiki page for it >here<. As you can see, Tamriel has been split into 3 factions, with Cyrodil behaving as a neutral party. The Dagerfall Covenant that will comprise of Breton's Orc's and Redguard, the Ebonheart Pact that will consist of the Argonians, Dunmer and Nords and the Aldmeri Domiion that will consist of the rest of the elves and some kittycats. (Altme, Bosmer and Khajit.)

If there is a particular race you wish to play, it appears you need to go pick a faction. I predict a bias weighted towards the Ebonheart Pact considering the success of Skyrim, but I digress.

The Imperials are not playable, although I suspect that will be something for an expansion to focus on (cunning!) but they are likely to act as quest givers and peace keepers for the most part.

Anyway, read the article linked to the TESO page - I wont go over all the points here, but I will say this: Siege engines, Castle Sieges and Stealth... Oh my!

Courtesy of Pixelvault.Tk

Reminds me of an old Elder Scrolls Joke I came up with... Mer-Kin... Elf folk... Merkins (Not safe for work)... Pubic wigs... Hahahahaha.

April Fools day once more!

2013-04-01T09:14:00.000+01:00

So, it is the day the net becomes more unreliable than normal! Happy April Fools day folks. I hope you all had a good easter!

It has been an age since I last updated. I have finally got my latest assignments for this Masters course submitted and have a little bit of free time! Yeeey! Lets plays shall be recommencing tomorrow, and who knows what else. For now though, I have been browsing the net for good Aprils fools posts on various sites.

So far Blizzard has been disappointingly quiet, they are usually one of the better sources :o However, there has been a fantastic George Takei one about him being in the new Star Wars movie... I wish ^.^

Adding to the list... Google Nose... Haha ^.^
-V

GTA V (5) delayed.

2013-02-16T08:09:00.002+00:00

I have not posted a lot lately, but this is one that I felt I would chime in on... delayed until September about a month or two from its expected launch date...

What impact can we expect this to have to sales I ask myself... well, first of all it has certainly gained some free publicity... it gives more time for people to get interested, place pre-orders, etc. etc. but I think there will be many fans raging about this move. Still, it is a large game, and often errors or delays will occur, and since they need to make sure the game goes out working, it can take a long time to refine the details.

Put it this way, I would rather they took an extra 6 months and done a Bethesda / Blizzard and produced one fine quality game, than rush it out the door anyway to satisfy the handful of customers who will huff off and refuse to buy it because of the 'broken promise' that is a predicted but un-fixed release date...

Anyway, I leave you with this. So totally agreeing with this too... Put up a few days ago by the awesome Ctrl+Alt+Del :D (Hopefully they dont mind me re-sharing! Check them out - one of the best web comics about IMO :p ) Oh, also - I started a new lets play to tide myself over... view it >Here<