AdamPFarnsworth | Cheerful Ghost

Are We A Simulation?

As we're waiting for the launch to hurry up and get here, here's a fun video about how simulations are getting more and more complex and realistic.

No Man’s Sky is ... gigantic. Players traverse an entire, simulated universe exploring procedurally generated planets; there is practically no limit to what you can see. No Man Sky’s creator Sean Murray estimates that players will see maybe 1% of what the game is capable of generating. On top of that, much of the appearance and behavior of things in that universe–planets, plants, creatures, light itself–is emergent. The creators didn’t decide how stuff looks or behaves on a planet by planet basis. They made systems and rules that generate stuff and decide what happens when various stuffs mingle. Appearances and outcomes aren’t designed; they emerge. No Man’s Sky is lush and naturalistic. It’s detailed and even occasionally… life like. So this begs the question: if we’re able to simulate a universes of massive, life-like complexity–like that of No Man’s Sky–within our universe… should we wonder, or worry, that our own massive… life-like universe is itself… simulated? Today on Idea Channel we discuss No Man Sky and the Simulation Argument!

For Us New To Pokemon...

This is just funny :D

The Death Of The Platformer (For Me)

Perhaps it was driven by availability, but growing up, I very much enjoyed platforming games. Super Mario Bros 3, Mega Man, Duck Tales, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; heck, I even played the crap out of Barbie for the NES, because my family owned it, so I played it.

But lately, I've found I'm drawn less and less to platforming games. I bought the remastered version of Duck Tales, and played through about half of it. Shovel Knight came and went without me finding any interest in it. Even Mighty No 9 doesn't interest me, at all, when I loved the game series it was modeled after.

I've been trying to figure out why, and it's finally occurred to me.

Roguelike/Roguelite games have ruined Platform games for me

I now realize that I no longer want to have to memorize levels. I don't want to have to practice the same jump over and over.

I want to master the mechanics of a game, and have the game develop around me. I want a new experience every time I play. I want to try different powerup combos. And I want a full game play through each time I sit to play.

I've been spoiled by Roguelike games!

Travis Admin wrote on 07/20/2016 at 09:48pm

I was interested in Mighty No 9. I'm not anymore, but that's not because it's a platformer :D

That said, I still adore platformers and I really like some roguelikes. I don't think they're mutually exclusive. FTL didn't make me enjoy Shovel Knight any less.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/20/2016 at 10:49pm

Have you tried Rogue Legacy, Adam? It's a rogulike platformer. Might be right up your alley :).

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 07/20/2016 at 11:03pm

I have not! I will have to look for it.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/20/2016 at 11:17pm

It's actually really good, and the music is snappy .

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 07/21/2016 at 12:29am

I like that you mentioned Duck Tales. I remember playing it when I was about 12. I enjoyed it. I haven't looked at the remastered version, but (since you remind me) I may. I enjoyed Mega Man back then, too. I do have the Legacy Collection on Steam, which at least looks so much better, but I've hardly played it. I was a big TMNT fan back then, too, and had that Gameboy game. I also enjoyed Super Mario, but the first SMB game on Gameboy was difficult, at least that's what I remember of it. My gaming was somewhat limited to a Commodore 128D and a Gameboy. My cousin, however, had a Gameboy, NES, and Sega Genesis. So, I always enjoyed visiting him and playing a variety of games with him. In fact, I strongly believe those moments are what I cherish most of my childhood memories.

At present, however, I'm really not interested in platform games. In recent years I've found Mario games to be much more frustrating than fun. I haven't tried Super Mario Maker, but my son has played it.

These days I think I'm more interested in games that feature an open world, exploration, RPG elements, crafting, and surviving. I am looking forward to the new Zelda game which seems to contain many of those elements.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/21/2016 at 02:37am

Adam,

I think a more apt post title would be "PLATFORMING IS DEAD!"

Fun aside, I mostly agree with your opinion here. Like Travis I played Shovel Knight and it's very good. But it didn't hook me like it has with others. It's a good game, but playing the exact same level in hopes that, "this time I'll actually beat it" isn't as much fun to me these days.

Conversely I __love__ Risk of Rain, which is a rogue like platformer. Each play through is different and you can unlock new characters for some really fun and different abilities. It's more learning the game mechanics and strategies and less a bout memorizing a level.

Rogue Legacy is also pretty good and if you are interested they have a demo you can try.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/21/2016 at 03:18am

Risk of Rain! Definitely Risk of Rain!

Timogorgon Member wrote on 07/21/2016 at 04:48am

I second Risk of Rain. :)

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Battle of the NOT Mega Man games

Here's a fun look at 2 games Mighty No. 9 and 20XX

I used to love the Mega Man games, so it was fun seeing both of these *not* Mega Man games side by side and discussed.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/17/2016 at 12:45pm

I'm still interested in playing Mighty No. 9 and maybe picking it up in a steam sale or bundle. I wonder if they will make another one?

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/18/2016 at 03:27pm

This is a great video, not just for the comparison between the non-Mega Man games and their spiritual predecessor, but also in showing some of the troublesome nuances with Kickstarter projects and games that are Early Access. While Mighty No. 9 seems to have elements of bait-and-switch (and suffering from it), 20XX is snowballing in a more positive direction. Jack's perspective of what Kickstarter is, and how supporting projects on that platform should be approached, is spot on. It doesn't excuse tricking people into giving you money, but I get the impression that too many people (i.e. backers) view Kickstarter as a sales portal, rather than an investment portal. Contrasting that, with Early Access games, especially on Steam, there are significant warnings about what you are getting, and how it will undoubtedly change over the course of development. During that time, though, you have a thing to play, and test, and submit feedback on. You're paying the devs to beta, or alpha, test their game.

I'm not a huge fan of Mega Man. I forgot which ones I played (probably the first two), though I remember enjoying them well enough. The idea of 20XX, with it's procedural levels and roguelike play, sounds more appealing than Mighty No. 9, but I'll wait until 20XX is more polished, or finished for that matter.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/19/2016 at 07:46pm

> I get the impression that too many people (i.e. backers) view Kickstarter as a sales portal, rather than an investment portal.

I'd say it's more like a pre-order system where you invest your money expecting the return to be the thing you put money into supporting. I know projects that simply drop a Kickstarter to handle an initial marketing push and it's not as much about money as it is about marketing and getting the word out.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/19/2016 at 07:47pm

That said, money is an important aspect of Kickstarter for sure, it's just that maybe more than it's a huge marketing tool and place to find an audience for your game.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/20/2016 at 02:15am

...expecting the return to be the thing you put money into supporting.

That thing that you are supporting, though, could change drastically, or not get delivered (*9% of successful Kickstarter projects fail to deliver rewards) . That's the difference.

"We want everyone to understand exactly how Kickstarter works — that it’s not a store, and that amid creativity and innovation there is risk and failure." * https://www.kickstarter.com/fulfillment

I don't know. I don't see Kickstarter as a marketing tool, per se. In fact, it seems that projects that succeed have the bulk of their audience before coming to Kickstarter. Maybe it's the summation of a marketing push, but not the start of it. I'm sure you could use Kickstarter however you want, and people do, as you've said, but they are the outliers. The primary motivator for initiating a Kickstarter project is to get funds. That's the core of the service. If your main reason for being there is to build an audience, I think you might be using it wrong. There are probably more practical (and efficient) ways to do that than with a fundraiser (Facebook, mailing lists, etc.). Otherwise, you're kinda putting the cart before the horse.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/20/2016 at 03:32am

Well, I don't support games on Kickstarter because more than half haven't shipped yet and some may not at all. Or way way later than anyone thought.

And I agree that the primary motive seems to be funding. That said, it's still a big way to get an audience you wouldn't have otherwise. The methods you mention work when you have people, but how do you go get them in the first place?

Its hard if your nobody and Kickstarter had lots of eyeballs to that helps a lot. The money more so.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/20/2016 at 03:33am

I guess I should clarify, I don't back games or do early access at all anymore. I'd rather play the final thing.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/20/2016 at 03:28pm

The methods you mention work when you have people, but how do you go get them in the first place?

This might be subjective, but all the research I've done (I'm interested in potentially using Kickstarter for my own project) points to building awareness first through social media hubs, personal email campaigns (mailing lists), basic advertising, and so on. Campaign for your project first, then go to crowdfunding. You want people to know what you're about before asking them for money. Building toward a Kickstarter campaign months in advance gives your fans something to look forward to, and that anticipation can perpetuate interest in your project, so that, when the time comes, they have allocated funds and are prepared to invest. Exposing an audience to your project for the first time through Kickstarter, on the other hand, gives them a deadline to invest (While this was initially successful for Comcept with Mighty No. 9, it ultimately lead to buyers remorse with a lot of backers). They may stumble upon it half-way, at which point they only have 15 days or so to decide whether or not they want to support you. Then they start looking through other projects on Kickstarter to see if their money might be better invested on another project (one that is a little more polished, is closer to funding, etc). They have no preexisting interest in your thing, so they face little resistance when clicking over to another page. That's not to say that people won't find you and support you during the fundraising, but I think building steam to that end will yield a much more successful campaign.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/20/2016 at 03:38pm

> I think building steam to that end will yield a much more successful campaign.

I agree it does, but in starting from zero, unless you do something I haven't figured out, your starting follower levels are very small and that ticks up over time really slowly. If you find something that grows that more, let me know! Having a platform like Kickstarter can really increase that level considerably, at least in terms of Wick with Starship Rubicon and other Indie games around Portland. In most of the cases I know of they went from obscurity to an actual audience and i've had conversations with local developers that have said Kickstarter is more of a marketing platform than a funding one. That's all entirely subjective experience to be sure, but it's something.

That said, i've seen some very ineffective Kickstarter campaigns that didn't do well at all and starting with some kind of following really does help a lot.

I guess really my point is, in starting from zero, in most cases Kickstarter if effective will net you more of an audience you'd get otherwise due to things i've seen and heard from the local scene. Again, subjective experience but it seems useful.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/20/2016 at 03:47pm

Again, not saying funding isn't very important in most cases, just that the marketing part of Kickstarter and having it build your audience is huge.

Wick wrote on 07/20/2016 at 05:29pm

The picture I've started to see is that the internet isn't a big homogeneous mess that you can just "market" to -- it seems like it's more of a big ol' venn diagram of different communities. Ignoring "viral" effects where people share it to different circles themselves, you yourself can push to reach one circle of people through kickstarter. If your project is small enough, that very well could be enough (e.g. my Rubicon campaign). Setting your sights higher requires you to reach more circles (through social media, forums, etc) or increase the percentage of people reached who end up backing (by making your project better: http://bit.ly/ryan_clark_design).
Scrypt, I think you're right in saying there are pros and cons to trying to build an audience before launch versus after. I like your breakdown of both.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/20/2016 at 05:37pm

Yeah, right good point.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 07/20/2016 at 10:22pm

That's a really interesting article, Wick. Thanks for sharing.

It's certainly nice to be able to read cautionary tales, without having to go through the process. I appreciate the input :).

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DOOM It Up

Lyrics by Jack Packard of Previously Recorded during their stream of DOOM4 on 5-15-16. Music is a tribute to DOOM with some original bits thrown in.

Zelda Launching on Wii U and NX in March 2017

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/13087611_10154099831059280_8161451438740929865_n.jpg?oh=997323bdc16c8d58e4f7b4067b43b131&oe=57B1B46D

I'm not crazy about the news, but now we know that the NX and Zelda will launch in March 2017. Nintendo still won't say much about the NX, but Zelda will be the focus at E3.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/28/2016 at 02:29am

Well, it's good that Zelda on the NX was finally confirmed and by this I imagine that means the NX will launch around the same time. I imagine we will also see more NX details to emerge from E3 as well!

I wonder if the NX will provide a markedly different Zelda experience than the Wii U?

Nintendo did something similarly for Twilight Princess as that came out on the GameCube and Wii. The differences were GameCube was slightly worse graphics and the Wii version used the new motion controls to a point. Both systems(I imagine the NX is) will be HD so I wonder how different they could be graphically?

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 04/28/2016 at 02:31am

From what I've read, Nintendo isn't going to be revealing the NX at E3. Hopefully we get some details though :)

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 04/28/2016 at 02:34am

Well damn. I'd probably want the better version, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see what the NX is. What little speculation I've read about it hasn't caught my interest.

Thanks for sharing the news!

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/28/2016 at 03:15am

> From what I've read, Nintendo isn't going to be revealing the NX at E3.

Huh. That isn't fun.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 11/16/2016 at 05:52am

It looks like the game may actually be delayed until mid 2017:
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-will-miss-nintendo-switch/1100-6445427/

jdodson Admin wrote on 11/16/2016 at 03:06pm

I hope they have some other amazing launch titles as that was the reason I was going to buy one.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 11/16/2016 at 07:44pm

Well, since you asked:
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-mario-game-for-nintendo-switch-could-be-a-laun/1100-6445431/

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Psycho Mantis knows you want a 2017 Ford Fusion Titanium

Well... this is an interesting car commercial...

Miitomo Afterglow

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xat1/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/13001254_10154084923014280_593559020561928748_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=2851a752c543465d91171549214271a2&oe=57BF7D1E

Is anyone still using Miitomo? It was a fun app that seemed to burn bright and quick.

When I first downloaded it, it took a couple days for others to install and us all to find each other, but it seems like no one is using it anymore.

Part of its charm was in the questions it asks you, but I wonder if that's also part of its downfall. If I have a random thing I want to post to a social network, I go to Twitter and/or Facebook and post it. Miitomo doesn't work that way, so I'm not as inclined to use it when "inspired."

What are your thoughts? Will Miitomo continue its initial popularity, or will it dwindle as people try it and then move on to something else?

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/21/2016 at 12:42am

I head back every couple days. I think it's a fun thing to do every so often but I don't go back many times a day anymore. I wish I could be friends with people yet for some, get less notifications from what they say.

Hopefully Nintendo adds more social and gamey elements to it because it's a good first drop and I do like it.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/21/2016 at 02:27am

I've literally answered all the available non-repeating questions so it kinda lost its charm.

Plus it gamifies adding tons of friends, and if you do that you don't see the people you really care about, and if other people are doing that nobody sees your stuff.

Some things are really neat though. I'm hoping the 1.1 version might fix a few things. As it stands now I don't care much about it anymore.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/21/2016 at 04:53am

Same boat. It had lost its charm.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 04/21/2016 at 07:24pm

Nice pic! Speaking of, the option of composing pics is pretty cool. The whole thing is a neat idea, but there does need to be another hook. Miitomo Drop is shady as f$&@. I'd be curious to know how many people have actually spent real money so far.

If Miitomo was just slightly more like Animal Crossing, I'd be on it more often.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/22/2016 at 01:32am

@Will_Ball are you one of the six or seven Wills on my friends list?

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/22/2016 at 02:55am

scrypt: I've won quite a few outfits with Miitomo drop, but I may be in the minority here. That said, you can buy in game tickets and gold and I am not sure I know anyone who's bought anything in game but I bet many have. I'd love to see how many and how much but I am not sure if Nintendo posts those numbers.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/22/2016 at 03:09am

I tried for that Ninja sword for like 18 tickets worth, and never got it. I got a ton of other stuff though.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 04/22/2016 at 03:56am

I got the ninja sword on my very last ticket lol

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/22/2016 at 05:09am

I was bummed because I got the Ninja tree suit but not the hat. I still have a bunch of tickets and gold. I buy things here and there but seem to love hoarding digital currency....

You know.... for the ummm.. upcoming Miitomo-pocalypse. Some people will be roasting rats over an open flame but not this guy!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/22/2016 at 05:12pm

@Travis, yup!

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Trigger Warning: Previously Recorded Review Stardew Valley

I've still not played the game, but I enjoyed Rich and Jack's discussion of it. Spoiler alert: They're not crazy about it lol

Wife Interuption

Rich and Jack are playing Helldivers and accidentally invite a couple random players (another funny moment is https://youtu.be/LwdfSPCkP1g?t=1h17m when the first player joins and surprises Rich and Jack) to play along with them.

In the main video, one of the random players has his wife start scolding him apparently for being too loud, and for being 30 and talking to people on a computer game. The funny exchange starts at about the 7 min mark.

AdamPFarnsworth5

150 Posts

Are We A Simulation?

For Us New To Pokemon...

The Death Of The Platformer (For Me)

Battle of the NOT Mega Man games

DOOM It Up

Zelda Launching on Wii U and NX in March 2017

Psycho Mantis knows you want a 2017 Ford Fusion Titanium

Miitomo Afterglow

Trigger Warning: Previously Recorded Review Stardew Valley

Wife Interuption