Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Cheerful Ghost Roundtable S4 E1: The Most 2016 Thing We've Ever Done

In this episode of the Cheerful Ghost Roundtable we talk about our highlights of 2015 in gaming as well as talk about what we are looking forward to in 2016. We take a break to read some Chick Tracts, discuss paid mods as well as our guesses or general lack of knowledge around Nintendo's new dream console NX!

jdodson may also have first coined "Triple Indie" to discuss Indie games with large budgets. Even if he wasn't, it's still nice to dream big! Come for the discussion stay for Scrypt drinking so much he can't think of what to say next!

Notes:

Cheerful Ghost 2015 GoTY Awards - http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/2753/cheerful-ghost-2015-game-of-the-year-awards

... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 01/21/2016 at 06:39pm

https://medium.com/@morganjaffit/indipocalypse-or-the-birth-of-triple-i-eba64292cd7a#.nom0ekkfg

This guy called it Triple-I back in August, which is close. I still give you credit.

I'm gutted that I can't find my Chick Tract collection. At least I still have the weirdest one.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 01/21/2016 at 07:10pm

Scrypt sounds so defeated when talking about Destiny lol

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 01/21/2016 at 07:10pm

(And a little drunk)

scrypt Supporter wrote on 01/21/2016 at 08:37pm

So defeated! Pathetic, right? No more booze at the RT for me, I think :)

scrypt Supporter wrote on 01/21/2016 at 08:38pm

I couldn't talk about life shit, or I would have lost it, so I had to dump it on Destiny.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/21/2016 at 08:39pm

I think it's OK for games to disappoint us. Destiny disappointed many people so you're not alone there. When you also consider how much money people spent on versions of it, I think it's OK to think about it.

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New Doom Game Heavily Inspired By The Original

Game Informer has an incredible spread on the new Doom game that is slowly unlocking over the next couple days. In the next couple days they will do a story on Dooms new Snapmap feature which is the coolest part about the new game in my opinion. The detail and love iD is putting into the game really shows and it does seem to be a love letter to the feel of the original.

No exact date is set yet but it should be in the first couple months of this year. Doom is coming out on PC, PS4 and XBox One and I am curious how you plan on playing it and if you are going to pick this one up on launch day?

http://www.gameinformer.com/p/doom.aspx

Even the Ocean To Release Summer of 2016 As New Site & Trailer Drops

Joni and Sean and the two part super group behind the Indie Zelda-like Anodyne are close to releasing their follow up Even The Ocean. Even the Ocean is a story based side scroller where you "follow Aliph, a technician for Whiteforge City, as she investigates a recent string of power plant failures..." It features an interesting power mechanic that you can balance to use in your favor situationally. From following the game in it's early stages it looks to have changed some but it still looks great.

When the game launches i'll post more but you can find out more by checking the games website.

http://www.eventheocean.com/

We also talked to Joni and Sean back in 2014 about... Read All

Square Enix Giving Away David Bowie Game Omikron The Nomad Soul

Beloved musician and entertainer David Bowie recently passed away to the grief of many. It's hard not to see the effects of Bowie's long career in music and pop culture. Many may not know but David Bowie was featured in a game called Omikron: The Nomad Soul.

"Responding to the desperate pleas of a mysterious character from another dimension, your soul must enter the dark and futuristic city of Omikron. This heralds the beginning of an epic adventure through an increasingly strange and dazzling parallel world, trying to solve the many puzzles that prevent you escaping alive. Think, fight and interact with the immense gaming environment to defeat the menacing demons that... Read All

Hearthstone Dailies For Ghosts: Episode 1 The Show Begins

One goal of 2016 is to do more Cheerful Ghost video projects. Keep the Roundtable going strong, do more local developer interviews and game streaming. I love Hearthstone and I know some of you do too and thought it might make sense to do a new Hearthstone series where I play the game and talk a bit about it. Specifically i'll be focusing on grinding my Hearthstone gold dailies, talk about the game in terms of strategy to help people understand the game a bit more and learn that they can do pretty well playing the game for free. In this first episode I grind out one of my daily quests while playing 3 ranked matches. I talk about and use two of my new decks specifically... Read All

Video Power!

I was not aware of this game show, but as a 90's kid, it would have been my favorite, easily.

If you've not seen it before, I recommend you check it out. It's pretty "rad."

At least check out the theme at the beginning.

Word.

(Also it includes all the commercials, which are an amazing 90's time capsule as well)

jdodson Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:03am

I __LOVED__ video power as a kid. I watched it as much as I could and really wanted to be on the show. The best part was at the end when the kids ran all over the place and grabbed whatever games they could. I always dreamed about how awesome that would be to be able to grab as many games as possible.

jdodson Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:08am

Watching this show is something else, I had the intro memorized and wow it's got that incredible 90's rap thing going for it.

Word.

I wonder if this guy was hyped on Coffee, he is really amped for each take. Never really noticed that as a kid, I was just really excited to be watching it.

jdodson Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:10am

They guy with the guitar isn't actually playing it. The music is all beats and keyboards. He looks "Polly Shore Amazing" holding that guitar though.

Travis Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:02pm

This is so incredibly 90s. I had forgotten this show existed. I wanted to go through that course and grab games. I remember as a kid being annoyed with kids getting terrible games and passing up great ones. At least the winner in this one got Duck Tales and Batman, two of the best.

As for "hyped on coffee"-- I'm thinking another word that starts with C. They cut out all the times he rubbed his nose or sniffed. This was the early 90s after all, everyone was doing it :D

The commercials in this are amazing. I remember some of them. That Honey Nut Cheerios commercial hit me right in the nostalgia.

And wow, the "fashion" choices, and the 90s mullets.

I was a 90s kid, basically. Born in 81, but I came into who I am in the 90s, and feel the most attachment to that decade. It doesn't seem that long ago, but things like this show just how far back that was.

Travis Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:09pm

Huh, I wonder if this was the start of eSports.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:21pm

This and The Wizard

jdodson Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 08:11pm

I think it could have been an early start to eSports and I think the Wizard and the Nintendo World Championships really helped that along for sure.

Having the commercials really does make this video something very special, I remember many of these. I always thought that eastport pack was something really cool but it was just a bag that had a Gameboy in it.

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ASMR Reads 90's EGM Magazines While Whispering

YouTuber ASMR made this video where he pages through Electronic Gaming Monthly while he whispers his thoughts about them. His channel is dedicated to him doing playing games, crinkling plastic and going through magazines while whispering. If you were really excited about looking over some EGM magazines while someone softly talks to you, get ready for an amazing time!

Decided to share this because this was so different I had to share it with somebody.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 01/14/2016 at 02:42am

I dig ASMR. I've been listening to a few different "asmrtists" (I think that's what they call themselves) for years, mostly female, to help me fall asleep. For me, I chalk it up to being an introvert. When I was a kid, and my parents would have people over at the house, one of my favorite things to do was grab a coloring book and hide behind the couch against the wall. I loved the sound of everyone talking, and me in my little world, coloring away. That's what I get out of ASMR. No tingles, unfortunately :).

Travis Admin wrote on 01/14/2016 at 03:55am

Yeah, ASMR videos are just creepy to me. It's like something out of a nightmare.

For more about what we're talking about, if you aren't in the know:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_response

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 01/14/2016 at 07:33pm

I hadn't heard of ASMR until watching this video. I think it could be relaxing, but the consonants popping drove me crazy. I decided to jump around YT for other ASMR videos, and I kinda hate them all for the same general thing. Whispering is cool, but I really don't like consonants, nor tapping/crinkling/noise making that they all seem to like to incorporate.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 01/14/2016 at 08:58pm

I avoid the crinkling. Tapping is alright, as long as it's gentle, and not thrashing the object at hand. I usually listen to these videos with earbuds at very low volumes, so it's never too jarring. This one is one of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/user/KaylaSuzette .

It can be a little weird, for sure. The roleplay, for me, is unnecessary to the experience, but I'm sure it's fun for the actor to come up with a script of sorts, rather than talk about what they had for breakfast, or other personal things.

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Watch Speedrunner Yagamoth Beat The Secret Of Mana in Less Than Two Hours

We've shared some absolutely incredible speedruns and this one is no exception to that tradition. Speedrunner Yagamoth was present at the 2016 Games Done Quick charity drive which raised 1.2 million dollars for the prevent cancer foundation. His speedrun is of the 90's classic I am currently playing called the The Secret of Mana. Secret of Mana is an old Square game that is a real time hybrid that mixes Zelda and Final Fantasy elements. As Yagamoth runs through the game he talks a bit about it and how he uses glitches to achieve a faster run. Under two hours is a really impressive effort as my current game is well over 15-20 and I just unlocked the final Mana... Read All

Can You Tell Me How To Get, How To Get To Greenland?

http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/416/4161502/2457321-population.jpg

AdamPFarnsworth gives this an astounding "Must Play" on the Ghost Scale

This achieves something special, and it would be a shame to miss it.

AdamPFarnsworth gives this a "Must Play" on the Ghost Scale

This achieves something special, and it would be a shame to miss it.

Plague Inc. is a strategy-simulation game in which the player controls a plague which has infected patient zero. The player can choose between various game-modes, plagues and viruses, and complete the objective set by the game-mode by evolving the plague and adapting to various environments. The objectives include, but are not limited to: Infecting and killing the world's population with a pathogen, enslaving the world's population with the "Neurax Worm" or converting the world's population into zombies with the "Necroa Virus". However, there is a time pressure to complete the game before humans, the opponent, develop a cure for the plague.

I just discovered this game... Read All Plague Inc. is a strategy-simulation game in which the player controls a plague which has infected patient zero. The player can choose between various game-modes, plagues and viruses, and complete the objective set by the game-mode by evolving the plague and adapting to various environments. The objectives include, but are not limited to: Infecting and killing the world's population with a pathogen, enslaving the world's population with the "Neurax Worm" or converting the world's population into zombies with the "Necroa Virus". However, there is a time pressure to complete the game before humans, the opponent, develop a cure for the plague.

I just discovered this game (it came out in 2012 originally) and have been really enjoying it! Basically you start off with a disease (depending on the level you're playing it could be a bacteria, a virus, a fungus or many other pathogens, each with different abilities) and you control how it evolves to infect and kill the entire human population.

You have three different areas to evolve the disease in: Transmission - How the disease infects people (could be spread by animals or blood or just in the air or water), Symptoms - How the disease affects people (starting with minor symptoms like coughing or rashes, working up to total organ failure) and Abilities - How the disease fights to stay alive (ability to survive in extreme climates and drug resistance to name some ways)

As your disease progresses, humans will notice it. If you develop your symptoms too early, the humans might find a cure before you have time to spread to everyone. But some symptoms also help spread the disease quicker, so it's a fun balancing act to find creative ways to kill everyone off.

In addition to the standard play modes, there are really unique scenarios. I played one called Santa's Little Helper. Here's the synopsis in game: The world is dark and gloomy. Boring governments worldwide have banned holidays, laughter and celebrations. Humanity has forgotten how to have fun - people dress in grey and spend all their time working. Luckily, the Neurax Worm has teamed up with Santa and is determined to infect the whole world with joy and happiness. In this scenario, you try to infect everyone with a brain controlling parasite that causes them to be happy. If people get too happy, the government notices and tries to find a cure. You can send planes full of "presents" from infected countries to uninfected countries to spread the parasite faster.

Other scenarios I've played have included a resurgence of the Black Death and the Simian Flu (from the new Planet of the Apes movies). In the Simian Flu, not only are you mutating the virus to spread and kill humans, but you also can work to increase ape intelligence and lethality. Unfortunately the Simian Flu scenario was just a sampling. I'll have to buy the various scenario expansion packs eventually.

I don't normally spend money on mobile games, but this is one I think I will. There's so much variety in play on this, I think I can get a lot of bang for my buck.

I definitely recommend checking this game out if you haven't yet!

Diablo III Patch 2.4.0 Drops Next Week Adds New Zone, Armor Sets, Dungeons and More!

"Miles off the coast of Westmarch lies an island that many believe to be little more than legend. Cut off from the rest of Sanctuary’s developed civilizations, Greyhollow was once the center of a grand empire. Often times, such isolated societies grow and advance at incredible rates, and Greyhollow was no different. Its citizens devoted their cause to a mysterious and, as is often the case in Sanctuary, completely evil being. For reasons still unknown to this day, this unimaginably advanced society collapsed, leaving ruin, chaos, and a lingering curse behind."

Diablo III is still getting some major attention from Blizzard and the upcoming 2.4.0 patch contains a bunch... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 01/11/2016 at 10:54pm

Whoa, they're adding new locations without charging for an expansion, that's great post-launch support. I wonder if it's a teaser for the next expansion.

I guess we can expect one new class and act, since that's what RoS added.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/11/2016 at 10:57pm

True, that said they are not rolling in loot 2.0 or adventure mode, which was a huge revamp of the original progression system and a ton more content plus changes to the online requirement(you are still required to be online but the PC client caches a ton more). So my thought it they will have time for more content? I could be wrong, but it's a nice thought.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/13/2016 at 01:11am

Are you guys speculating on a new expansion or is that really expected? I think I'd definitely buy one, assuming it adds to the single player game. As I've stated before, I really do enjoy Diablo III (including RoS), much more than I expected. I'm not sure if this new patch will get me to jump back in. Eventually I'll probably check it out. There are numerous additions I still have not yet experienced, since I've pretty much only focused on Campaign Mode. I did play around a bit with Adventure Mode, though.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/13/2016 at 01:23am

We are talking about an expansion that they haven't discussed.

I'd recommend heading back to d3 at some point to nab the kanai cube. It's like the horadric cube from d2.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/13/2016 at 01:40am

Are there sources hinting at an expansion, or are you guys doing some wishful thinking?

Yeah, I know about both, but only by name. I've only very briefly played D2. I remember reading about the Kanai Cube, but I don't remember what I read about it. LOL

Travis Admin wrote on 01/13/2016 at 03:44am

They said early on they were planning on two expansions.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/13/2016 at 04:34am

Frankly if they want to keep launching D3 expansions i'll keep buying them as long as they look good.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/13/2016 at 06:06am

@Travis Awesome, I wasn't aware of that.

@Jon I agree!

I found another video going over what's new. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8exDyPoV3fg

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/14/2016 at 06:20am

Here is a nice post on Kotaku about all the new stuff you might want to check out:

http://kotaku.com/eight-cool-things-in-diablo-iiis-new-patch-1752672498

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/14/2016 at 06:26am

Wow cosmetic pets pick up gold and Keywardens are shown with an arrow if they're around. That's cool, stuff! Jumping back into the game and playing with the new patch sounds like a cool idea, but now that I have a character of every class and both genders, I'm not sure which one to choose. LOL

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/14/2016 at 05:52pm

I started my first Denon Huntress a couple nights ago and I am having a blast playing the game. I also loaded my old SnuggyBunny Witch Doctor and found they've really changed up the skill system significantly since d3 launch. He plays like a totally different character now.

With that, the Demon Huntress is great and I am just going through the story again. It's been a really fun time. I might switch back to an existing character to try Greyhallow at some point though OR just wait till I get there with my DH.

Travis Admin wrote on 01/15/2016 at 05:37pm

I've never heard anyone call the female Demon Hunter a "Huntress" before :D

Greyhallow is a big area but it's not huge. You can get through it all pretty quick.

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