AdamPFarnsworth | Cheerful Ghost

"I've Got A Bone" - Dan Bull

Now that it's October, Halloween 🎃 season can begin!

This song has a fun "This Is Halloween" type vibe to it and I just thought I'd share!

The Rise of Virtual Sports and ESports

I used to play a lot of fantasy sports. You'd generally pick a team of players (football, basketball, baseball, etc) from all the guys playing that day, and then as they compile stats (points/rebounds/steals/etc in basketball, passing yards/catches/touchdowns in football, just to name a few), you get a cumulative point total for your team.

But now there aren't any sports being played...
at least no sports being played by humans.

In the video above you'll see 2 virtual NBA games being simulated by a Playstation. No one is playing the characters, it's just a simulation. (My wife thinks this is the dumbest thing ever lol) On the various fantasy sports apps, before the games, you can choose lineups, just as if they were real games, and then watch along and root for "your" players. The website https://www.awesemo.com/ has been running both NBA and NFL simulations, and I've found it really fun to watch along with. And really, I don't see much of a difference in passively watching real players play games, or simulated players play games (my wife strongly disagrees and thinks this is the dumbest thing ever lol)

I'm not really into NASCAR, but today I stumbled upon eNASCAR/iRacing, and I might become a full-time fan. Actual NASCAR drivers race virtually against each other, using realistic multi-monitor simulators on their computers. The graphics of the simulation look really, really good.
Here's an example of what a race looks like (this was on FOX, and had real racing commentators) https://youtu.be/g75HghckIyY?t=474
And here's an example of what their racing setups look like: https://youtu.be/nHDH0pL_qBM

There are a ton more Esports/Virtual Sports out there. I've seen Virtual Golf (sometimes there are simulated players like Happy Gilmore and Shooter McGavin lol), Virtual Baseball in addition to various Virtual basketball and football simulations. And fantasy apps are venturing into Reality TV as well. You can create a "team" of players for the show Survivor, and you get points for things like Wins Immunity/Cries on camera/Catches Seafood.

And of course League of Legends has had fantasy sports for years now. Here's a post Jon wrote back in 2014 https://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/2043/league-of-legends-gets-the-fantasy-football-treatment

Almost all the Virtual/ESports contests are free to enter, and many allow multiple entries, so you can try different lineups and see how they score. It's a fun thing to fill the time with, and occasionally you can win 5-10 cents lol. My favorite app is FanDuel, which you can download from any app store, or go to this website https://www.fanduel.com/

The Batman - Camera Test

I geek out over superhero movies, and this camera test just dropped for The Batman.

I didn't think we needed another Batman movie... but we probably always will lol.

This is very simple, but looks so rad!

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 02/13/2020 at 11:47pm

It kinda has a Daredevil Vibe to it!

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/13/2020 at 11:49pm

Today I learned i'm way less interested in the new Batman movie than I was.

Good to know. 🤣

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 02/13/2020 at 11:54pm

#HeartBroken

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/14/2020 at 01:46am

I wasn't really interested when I found out about who would be the next Batman, but I do like this video. I like the music as well. From what I've read, it seems Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler will be in the new movie. I think we've seen enough of those characters, but perhaps we've also had enough Batman movies. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/14/2020 at 03:59am

He definitely has the jawline for it.

I'm very hopeful for this. Ignore the Twilight stuff and Pattinson is pretty good at what he does. Now that the DC movies are kinda uncoupling and they're shying away from the shared universe formula, things seem to be getting better. I mean... The Joker, wow. It seems they're taking a hands off approach and letting people make their own takes on things so there's the gamble of quality but that gamble is also pretty exciting. You know what you're getting with a Marvel movie.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/15/2020 at 08:20am

I the "knife gun" idea. Travis will get it. https://youtu.be/qK_y8FXGfdI

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 02/19/2020 at 04:37am

I'm always down for a batman movie.

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The History Of Speedrunning

Since speedrunning is often topic on Cheerful Ghost, and we run Speedrunning competitions at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, I figure this is a fitting video :)

It covers the history of speedrunning, from the super old school "demo" days of Doom to the current Games Done Quick.

Black Widow

The first trailer to Black Widow is out!

I'm still a little worried that this will suffer a similar fate as Rogue One and Solo for (prequels where we know the ultimate outcome, thus making the stakes for the main character not as high, because ultimately they live), but I am more excited for this than I thought I would be.

Maybe because I'm in the middle of a Winter Soldier rewatch (as I'm rewatching it, I honestly wonder if I ever actually saw it? It feels like the first time I'm seeing scenes in it lol), but I'm just lately getting into Nat's character. Endgame was sad for her, but wasn't *that* sad to me, but I bet next time I watch Endgame, it'll hit even harder after watching Black Widow.

Enjoy the trailer! It has Hopper in it!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/03/2019 at 03:39pm

Awesome! The only thing that's always bothered me about Black Widow is that I always thought she was from Russia (or the area), but she doesn't have a fitting accent. The other characters in the trailer from her past do, I wonder if that ever gets explained.

There is the Endgame question, too. Didn't Cap return the soul stone? If so, does that mean Nat comes back? Maybe Tony's sacrifice brought her back. Although, she could be "back" but only in an alternate timeline. Maybe some of the characters she reunites with return in later movies and (Disney+) shows.

Thanks for sharing the trailer! I recently got caught up w/ the MCU movies and have been watching a YouTube channel called New Rockstars, which analyzes these movies (and more like Star Wars, I wrote a post about it in the forums).

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/03/2019 at 03:52pm

New Rockstars is one of my absolute favorites! Another channel I recommend is Emergency Awesome :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/03/2019 at 04:40pm

I give this trailer four spiders! 🕷🕷🕷🕷

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/03/2019 at 04:41pm

Also. Is David Harbor the Russian equivalent of Captain America? PLEASE BE REAL

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/03/2019 at 05:02pm

Yes! He is!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/03/2019 at 06:31pm

Greg this takes place after Winter Soldier, so well before she died. Thus Adam talking about it being a prequel where you know the character’s eventual outcome.

I’ve always just assumed that she’s a super spy so she has to blend. Actual Russian spies lived in the US in the 70s and 80s and spoke with a perfect American accent so they could blend in.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/03/2019 at 08:26pm

Yeah, when it takes place wasn't a question. I expected it to take place then, probably because of New Rockstars. As for the accent, good point, Travis.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/03/2019 at 09:34pm

"I’ve always just assumed that she’s a super spy so she has to blend. Actual Russian spies lived in the US in the 70s and 80s and spoke with a perfect American accent so they could blend in."

Travis seems to know a lot about this. Hmmm

Travis Admin wrote on 12/03/2019 at 09:51pm

Hahaha

I watched The Americans then read about the real stuff it was based on.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/03/2019 at 09:52pm

And that paragraph that starts with “there is the endgame question too” made it seem like you thought she was alive after endgame

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/03/2019 at 10:05pm

WAIT GUYS WHAT HAPPENS IN ENDGAME? SPOILER MUCH?

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/03/2019 at 11:30pm

I realize that for sure, Travis. I was just speculating on a "what if" post-Endgame thought. I think it was New Rockstars that said it should take place just after Civil War. This was before the trailer was released. I guess the question of this movie is, why? Why are they showing us this? Does it some how connect to past or future MCU movies and/or Disney+ shows? Or does it just fill out the character, letting us get to know her better. Maybe I'm looking too deep into it.

Yeah, Jon, well yeah, Adam did kind of put a spoiler in the post, so I've kind of gone with the assumption that all of us here have seen Endgame. I think you're joking, though, it's hard to be sure. LOL Still, I'm glad I just recently watched Endgame. Although, I knew of Tony's fate before I watched it, I some how caught a spoiler, but that didn't make it any less dramatic, I just didn't know how it happened or when.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/04/2019 at 03:19pm

What if everything about Black Widow taking place in the past turns out to be only the first half of the movie, with the second half being in the MCU present day, with Belova fighting as a good guy? Perhaps Nat captures Taskmaster, but somehow he escapes in the present day, and Belova is recruited by Fury to hunt him down?

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/05/2019 at 04:02am

All characters will be played by skrulls.

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Infinity War/Endgame Dance Off

For something completely different, here's a high school dance team, performing the story of Infinity War and Endgame :)

*spoilers for Infinity War and Endgame* lol

Star Wars Scene 38 Reimagined - Vader vs Obi-Wan

A new fan-made scene by FXitinPost of the fight between Vader and Obi-Wan at the end of Star Wars Episode IV.

It's very cool, and I love the emotion of it. Check it out and post your thoughts below!

Travis Admin wrote on 05/10/2019 at 04:01am

This is better done than I imagined it would be. By far honestly.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/13/2019 at 02:45am

Ok. I just watched this.

A couple things.

1. I don't consider this scene from a New Hope to be bad. Perhaps that's nostalgia blinders? I've heard people say it's hokey and even George Lucas seems to dog it when he talks about it. That said I've always considered it to be fine, if not a bit bland which this fixes but with a few downsides and not a lot of upside.

2. I always viewed the old New Hope fight as Obi Wan not really trying to kill Vader and it seemed like Vader was holding back too. Like Vader and Obi Wan were just talking and not really trying to kill each other. At the point in the story, Obi Wan wanted to stall Vader and let Leia, Luke and Han escape. The fight was on his terms and at no point did Vader ever "get Obi Wan" or hurt him because he couldn't. I'd argue because Obi Wan was so powerful, Vader couldn't have but winning in that way wasn't Obi Wan's goal. Frankly I think this makes Luke's last stand in the Last Jedi even more powerful it's a direct mirror of this fight in a New Hope. Luke exiting the scene just like his teacher. And this video doesn't seem to revel in that, it's just Vader being a badass and Obi Wan getting knocked around and seems to imply he's Vaders lesser, which I think isn't how I look at it.

3. When Obi Wan loses in this version it has less weight because he's simply a less talented Jedi, not because he chooses to save anyone. I think this is a repeat of 2 but it's important.

Fun fight though, thanks for sharing.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/13/2019 at 03:06am

One more thing.

I also think something else is going on in this scene. As Obi Wan is trying to stall Vader two things are happening. Firstly Vader is thinking he's toying with Obi Wan and chides him as being weak. Obi Wan stays on message and calls Vader evil, and that he failed as a teacher. I think what Obi Wan is doing is playing weak or not trying to get Vader to focus on toying with him to get him to lose interest in Leia, Luke and Han who are escaping (I didn't forget Chewie, R2 or C3PO). When he realizes they are going to be ok Obi Wan lets go. I don't read this scene as Vader is more powerful, but Obi Wan has a different goal and he's not trying to "out lightsaber Vader" and Vader actually thinks Obi Wan is weak, which I think is a trick Obi Wan is playing on Vader.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/13/2019 at 03:08am

After Revenge of the Sith, Vader would have an axe to grind in this way too BUT I imagine that wasn't as well formed when this scene was written and I still think if it wasn't my read makes sense.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/13/2019 at 03:10am

Oh and I misspelled Obi-Wan a lot so apologies to everyone reading that dying a little inside. My son has been acting up a bit today and I had to type fast to get this out.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/14/2019 at 12:58am

That's always been my read on the scene, and I think Revenge of the Sith strengthens that interpretation. But the fight has always been janky, even if their intentions were stalling/toying with each other. The first time I saw it I interpreted the fight the same as you but chuckled at the choreography a bit. As I have said before I don't have any childhood nostalgia for Star Wars so that may be a factor. The first time I saw it was the special edition in the theater and I actually fell asleep for about 30 minutes in the middle. I've come a long way :D

But I don't think anyone involved said they were trying to fix the scene at any rate, just reimagining it.

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STAR WARS: ALWAYS

The Force will be with you, always

I don't have much to say about this, other than it's a fantastic fan-made trailer for all the Star Wars movies!

Avengers: Endgame Teaser Trailer!

The most important information from this trailer is seeing that the movie release date has been moved from May to April!

**The comments are going to be full of speculation (at least by me lol). I don't know what will be spoilers or not***

I'm a little underwhelmed by the title, but that's only because of all the endless speculation on what it might be.

Watch the trailer and let's discuss theories in the comments!

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/07/2018 at 03:29pm

Doctor Strange was right, we’re in the endgame now!

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/07/2018 at 03:41pm

I'm guessing Captain America's plan isn't going to work (possibly time jumping through the Quantum Realm with Ant-Man?). "Because I don't know what I'm going to do if it doesn't" probably will lead to a sacrifice that he has to make to save everyone else.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/07/2018 at 04:01pm

Also, when Tony is making his recording for Pepper, he says the word "rescue," which there's speculation could be Pepper's hero name with her own suit :)

Travis Admin wrote on 12/07/2018 at 04:03pm

This does make me wonder how Scott got out. I was kinda assuming someone from the Avengers would get him out but they seem to be surprised that he’s alive.

Someone posted a comic that all Scott would need to do is get small, fly into Thanos’s butt, and get big again and we’d be done. So... I doubt they’re going that direction.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/07/2018 at 04:12pm

Lol!

Obviously Scott taps his heels together and says "There's no place like home."

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/07/2018 at 04:26pm

The THANOSRECTUMANUVER needs to be a thing. Travis, why are you not a Hollywood writer?

Also, someone said at the end of Ant Man there are two dust clouds and that The Wasp wasn't directly shown to be dusted therefore she might not be? Could be a fun surprise that she is in Endgame.

Also makes sense they are gonna push back this movie, it's huge and they had a year to finish it.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/07/2018 at 08:39pm

Ah that's an interesting detail if Wasp is still out there. But then I bet Scott was pissed that she just left him in the quantum realm!

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/07/2018 at 09:51pm

She might not have.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/07/2018 at 11:37pm

I guess tone doesn't do well over text, or I'm bad at telling jokes. The way they left it seemed like he was totally stranded, and I was riffing on that, poorly apparently.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/08/2018 at 12:31am

Lol Travis :)
But I just watched to post credit scene again and there's clearly 3 dust clouds.

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/08/2018 at 03:13pm

I need to stop listening to people. I remember someone saying there were two and I believed them w/o checking. Sorry guys.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/08/2018 at 04:13pm

Hawkeye is going to kick some ass!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/08/2018 at 04:24pm

Captain Marvel coming out in March and this in April seems too close together. They should have spaced them out better.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/09/2018 at 12:47am

I love that they'll be practically back to back. The next Spiderman movie is coming out soon after too. GIVE ME ALL THE MARVELS

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/13/2018 at 01:56am

Another wild speculation:
Cassie (Ant-Man's daughter) isn't dusted, and somehow she finds the van and is able to pull him out of the Quantum realm. He and Cassie then drive cross-country to Avengers HQ, but no one is there. They do find Shuri and Hawkeye and form the Secret Avengers. Then there's a time jump, a new bad guy shows up to earth and Captain America and Scarlet Witch try to fight him "This will work because I don't know what else we'd do," lose, then find out that Ant-Man is still alive from the archive footage, then track him down, finding Hawkeye/Ronin and the rest of the Secret Avengers.

I'm not sure how Stark fits into this though.

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/13/2018 at 04:28am

> They do find Shuri

I think she was dusted as she shows up in the trailer as someone they lost. But that might be a red-herring?

> I'm not sure how Stark fits into this though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz-SaMu8k3w

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/13/2018 at 03:12pm

Stark just floats in space all movie and is emo.

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/13/2018 at 04:43pm

*First five minutes fade from black*

Stark: “Hey pepper floating in space oxygen and food gone. All I think about is you. Rescue.”

5 minutes later he asphyxiates and as the lights go out an oxygen mask drops from the ceiling.

*Smash cut to opening crawl*

ENDGAME

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/13/2018 at 08:30pm

LOL to both of you :)

I believe the Russo brothers (or someone else close to the movie) confirmed that Shuri survived the snap, but we now know that they lie about upcoming movies occasionally, so who knows lol. In the trailer it looks like Scott Lang, Peter and Shuri are listed as "missing." I think they're all unaccounted for and probably assumed dusted, but not confirmed.

Between her missing and claims that she's still alive, that's where I'm guessing she has gone underground with other former Avengers.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/14/2018 at 10:59pm

Did Howard The Duck make the cut, or is he dust? Maybe he shows up in this one.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 12/15/2018 at 01:03am

Oh man, I hope he's there!!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/15/2018 at 02:38am

Howard is the linchpin.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/15/2018 at 03:15am

Howard is Thanos.

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World of Warcraft Epidemiology

In 2005, World of Warcraft accidentally provided a virtual simulation of a pandemic that academics have been studying in papers since.

AdamPFarnsworth5

151 Posts

"I've Got A Bone" - Dan Bull

The Rise of Virtual Sports and ESports

The Batman - Camera Test

The History Of Speedrunning

Black Widow

Infinity War/Endgame Dance Off

Star Wars Scene 38 Reimagined - Vader vs Obi-Wan

STAR WARS: ALWAYS

Avengers: Endgame Teaser Trailer!

World of Warcraft Epidemiology