Azurephile | Cheerful Ghost

No Man's Sky Companions Trailer

It's been a long time since I've seriously played No Man's Sky. I mostly played it around it's launch and not too much after. It's received a lot of updates since then, so there's a lot of content I've not yet explored. Well, it looks like NMS is "the gift that keeps on giving." A new trailer has been released showing off the Companions update and honestly, I think it looks great. Maybe it's because I've always loved animals. Maybe it's the high quality of the video that impressed me, I'm not sure, but it looks cool!

From what I read on Steam, it seems that this is now in the game (I don't have it installed, so I wasn't sure until I did some more reading). That same article also says that they're excited to show us "what else [they] have planned on the roadmap ahead."

Check here for more details: https://www.nomanssky.com/companions-update/

What do you think about all this NMS content we're still getting? Have you explored any of it and have something to share? What do you think about this one?

Mortal Kombat 2021 Trailer

It looks as though the Mortal Kombat movie is getting a reboot and there's a new trailer for it. It looks better than the movie we got in 1995, but seeing as how that was nearly 20 years ago, that shouldn't be a surprise. I enjoyed that one (that theme song was awesome, I thought) and the follow up Annihilation we got two years later, but they were pretty "campy" (I guess that's the right term for it).

You may also be interested in seeing the reaction from New Rockstars: https://youtu.be/vnJI1pNt-Ys

Check it out and let me know what you think. Seeing this makes me want to play the games more, but I also remember how much they've kicked my ass. To me, MK is definitely a "rage quit" kind of game (or series).

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/20/2021 at 10:45pm

Promoting to main.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 02/20/2021 at 11:46pm

There are also two animated films. One came out in '95 and another last year. I think I saw the latter, though at the moment I can't recall as I've watched a lot of things as of late.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_Kombat_(film_series)#Animated

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 02/21/2021 at 12:28am

This looks rad. HBO Max is going to kill it this year :)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 03/17/2021 at 11:01pm

Here's why (I almost said "Luke Cage") Johnny Cage isn't in the movie (not a spoiler, apparently his absence isn't something the movie will address, esp. because he's just not in it at all): https://www.gamespot.com/articles/johnny-cage-isnt-in-the-mortal-kombat-movie-heres-why/1100-6488897/

Scorpion's origin story revealed in first 13 minutes (warning spoilers for these minutes) along with a teaser trailer. I wouldn't call it a "major spoiler," but if you don't want the first scene spoiled and to know what happens to make Hanzo Hasashi Scorpion, then you should avoid this, but it's nice to note that the movie is sticking to MK lore): https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-mortal-kombat-movie-teaser-reveals-scorpions-origin-story/1100-6488900/

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 03/31/2021 at 05:19am

The movie has been delayed a week to April 23rd.

Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-reboot-movie-delayed-one-week-to-april-23/1100-6489549/

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/01/2021 at 02:47am

I generally love delays, because it means they're working to make it as good as possible (at least that's what I tell myself. I hate being patient 😆)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/01/2021 at 03:29am

I like to think of myself as a patient person, though I can think of many times I wasn't. However, in reply to you, Adam, I got the feeling from that article that this isn't about making the movie better, it appears to be more of a corporate decision with hopes that more theaters will be open, thus hopefully generating more revenue. Though, I'm not saying that's a bad idea, I know the movie industry was hit hard due to the pandemic. I saw Godzilla Vs. Kong tonight and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get a perfect seat at it's premiere without pre-ordering tickets. There weren't very many people there, though I live in a small rural area.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/01/2021 at 06:33am

True, a week isn't a ton more time to fix something lol.

I have no idea when I'll ever go back to a theater (but really I know it's when Black Widow finally comes out lol)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/01/2021 at 08:02am

Well Black Widow's release date is now July 9th.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/01/2021 at 02:28pm

We shall see 😉

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/01/2021 at 06:06pm

Yeah, it might not happen BUT the reason why I think they will hit this date is word on the street characters from Black Widow will be in an upcoming Marvel Show so they sort of have to drop it soon-like.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/01/2021 at 07:58pm

What show, Jon? Have you guys been watching WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier? I have been and I LOVED WandaVision. I'd be happy to talk to you about it, we (or I) could create a post in the forums for us to talk about it (there I can also hide spoilers for others). Did you guys know that you can watch Black Widow (and some other movies) on Disney+, but you have to pay $30 for it, even if you're subscribed to the service? I think this is freaking (to put it nicely) ridiculous.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/02/2021 at 01:53am

I would gladly pay $30 to watch Black Widow. That's not much more than I'd pay for a movie ticket, and I get to watch it from the comfort of my own house :)

I have Disney+, so I'll keep an eye out for it when it comes out! Thanks for the heads-up!

I'd gladly chat in a forum post about the Disney Marvel shows. WandaVision was amazing! So far Falcon and The Winter Soldier is only ok, but I'll keep watching it :)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/02/2021 at 03:06am

See, for me, ticket prices are about $8 each (adult). I think a Blu-Ray might cost about $10-$30 (that is mostly an assumption along with a very brief look at Google and Amazon to see what Blu-Rays cost these days). I'm not aware of specifics, such as if you get to keep a digital copy of the movie (if you paid $30 to watch it via Disney+) and thus are able to re-watch it. That's kind of why it just seems pricey, to me, but it's also not the only movie getting this treatment.

Check out the forums, I'll create a post after I write this comment. :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/02/2021 at 05:17pm

> I would gladly pay $30 to watch Black Widow.

WHERE DO YOU WATCH MOVIES? AT GOLDMAN AND SACHS?

Since my son is very little, if I go to a movie it can be by myself unless we get a baby sitter which is rare during COVID now. The Disney+ $30 movie thing is odd as you have to have a sub to keep it? I don’t mind buying a movie for that much early, but not like that?

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/07/2021 at 04:50am

New "Meet the Kast" featurette (about 3 mins long): https://youtu.be/k3StqDN36G0

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/23/2021 at 07:43pm

So, I didn't think the movie was bad, though I rarely see movies that I think are bad, I think of myself as being easily satisfied in this area. I thought I saw an article that said that the main villain in the movie isn't an MK original character, but that turned out to be false. Instead, and thus I may have misinterpreted what I briefly read, the main character isn't an MK original, however he is related to one. I thought it was interesting that Scorpion was Japanese (a ninja) and Sub-Zero was Chinese, yet Sub-Zero was multi-lingual, though Scorpion was not, except for the "get over here" (or did he say "come here" I've forgotten). I thought Kano was a funny character and it was funny how other characters treated him. I liked Kabal, too, in fact when I heard him speak I immediately thought, what if he was replaced by The Mandalorian, because his voice had that kind of inside a metal helmet sound. There were a couple of MK original characters I didn't recognize, but I now realize that's because I haven't played the games that they appear in. I guess this movie is perhaps better than the mid- to late-90's two that we got. I didn't think those were bad movies, but they were...I don't know how to describe them, "campy" might be a good word or "corny," I'm not sure. Perhaps one of the greatest parts of those movies was the theme music, which I think was good and popular. In this movie, you hear a version of the theme movie when a certain character appears. Then, you don't hear the theme again until the movie is over. There are also no post-credit scenes, which is something Hollywood has made us come to possibly anticipate these days. It's a great trick to get us to watch the credits. I think this movie is cool, though. I think if you're a fan of the games/series then you should probably check it out. Watching it and talking about it kind of makes me want to play MK, but then I remember how pissed off I get because the game kicks my ass. LOL I remember when the original game came out and I had the first two for my Gameboy. I think I may have had one for my Sega GameGear, too, but I'm not sure.

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Ready Player One Recommendation

Seriously, watch the trailer, I bet you'll love it.

Many years ago, in high school as a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation I was quite enthralled by the Holodeck. If you’re unfamiliar, the Holodeck is a room people could go into, but it wasn’t just any room. The Holodeck was pretty much a 100% realistic virtual reality where many characters spent some of their leisure time. It was an awesome place, everything was real, even the possibility of death, if safety protocols were disabled.

Since I’ve considered myself a writer pretty much my whole life, I was inspired by this and thought of writing a story about something similar. My thoughts were that if that technology was available, it would devastate society as people would probably prefer to spend their every waking hour in it, instead of living the real life. That’s about as far as I got with my story idea, I never wrote any of it.

A few years ago, I was told about a book called “Ready Player One.” Sadly, I didn’t read it, but the good news is that it became a movie. I just watched it and I wanted to share some thoughts and give it a recommendation for people who love video games and pop culture references.

The movie opens up telling us that this story is occurring in the year 2045 in “The Stacks” in Columbus, Ohio. “The Stacks” refers to an area where people live in stacks of mobile homes looking something like an apartment building. As the main character is walking around we get a glimpse of what’s going on around him. Pretty much everyone seems to be playing with what looks like our current state of virtual reality technology (visors). We also see a Pizza Hut delivery via drone, which is something that’s been gaining some ground as of late, especially due to the pandemic. He tells that he was born in 2027 and a few things about what’s happened to society since then. Reality doesn’t look great and it seems people use a virtual reality game called “Oasis” to escape.

Oasis is something pretty much everyone is participating in. It’s a virtual reality MMO (or "virtual universe" as stated in the movie & trailer). Here, people get to choose who or what they want to be, whether it’s a different gender, race, age, or something else, as the main character tells us. He also tells us people can go anywhere and do anything in the Oasis. Some examples include skiing off of the Great Pyramids of Giza or climbing Mt. Everest with Batman. There is in-game currency, which people collect to purchase items like weapons, vehicles, etc. If a player dies in the game, they lose everything in-game including their money, items, and progress. Death isn’t permanent as players get to respawn, but they’re back at the start as though they were a new player.

The story is mostly about video games, but there are also so many other pop culture references that you’re sure to notice, especially if you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s (as I did). You may even find something you forgot about, I certainly did. These references are a big part of it all and I see them as “bling,” as someone who really loves pop culture references, especially relating to the ones I experience in my own lifetime. I really enjoyed watching the main character race in a Delorean from Back to the Future. I also really loved seeing MechaGodzilla and hearing the music change to its theme, which you’d notice, too, if you’ve watched as many Godzilla movies as I have recently.

The basis of the story is similar to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. One of the creators of Oasis explains that “if you are watching this than I am dead.” He states that before he died he put in an Easter Egg, which players can find after finding three hidden keys. He says that the first player to find this Easter Egg inherits his stock in Gregarious Simulation Systems at a value of half a trillion dollars and “total control of the Oasis itself.” The challenge is nearly impossible though and the first clue is just something players have to try to discover on their own. Once they find the first key, they’ll receive a cryptic clue to the next, until all three keys are collected. Multiple players can find the keys and there’s a scoreboard showing who is in the lead. At the beginning the scoreboard is empty.

Unfortunately, the competition is fierce because a rival company is also seeking the Easter Egg. The CEO doesn’t play nice and he has plenty of resources, including a lot of people looking for it. Whenever one of them dies in the game, they get taken out of their station and replaced by another. Although, it seems as though competition between players isn’t so fierce as they band together.

I think it is an interesting and cool movie, although the many pop culture references are like toppings on a cake. As someone who likes these things, it’s kind of hard for me not to like seeing and hearing so many of them. The movie made me want to be a part of that virtual reality and I wondered how my avatar would look (probably similar to the main character with all the blue) and what I would drive.

Updates:
If you've watched the movie and want 300+ missable easter eggs, check out this video from New Rockstars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfeVH2bbzlw

Now I'm finally reading the book.

“Ready Player Two” has already been published and production of it as a movie has already begun.

Have you heard of Ready Player One? Have you read the book or watched the movie? What do you think about virtual reality? Have you experienced VR? I have not yet. What do you think would happen to society if we had similar technology now? Do you know anything about “Ready Player Two?” Let me know what you think!

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/05/2021 at 05:29am

Here's a write up I did of the book, and them when the movie came out, a discussion about that happened in the comments :)

https://cheerfulghost.com/AdamPFarnsworth/posts/1908/book-review-ready-player-one

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/05/2021 at 06:50am

Thanks for sharing! I was told to read the book, but didn't and forgot about it until I saw a video talking about Godzilla and after having watched all of Godzilla's movies, I couldn't figure out where their video of MechaGodzilla came from. It turns out it was from Ready Player One. I watched it and enjoyed it so I read the book. I was concerned, though, about how the book was going to be able to tie in all that nostalgia and I wasn't disappointed. Yes, after reading the book, I like the movie less than I did. I'm not at all a horror fan and I've never watched The Shining, which wasn't in the book. Yeah, I wasn't a fan of that part in the movie. I hate how they changed things, although I did enjoy the race, because we got to see King Kong and the Rex from Jurassic Park. I still wonder why book adaptations usually get grossly mutated. I think it's just because a movie is about 2 hours long. Although, since I watched the Snyder Cut Justice League, I'm starting to feel like, if I can sit in my room and watch a movie, it's ok if it's say 4 hours long. Anyway, when I first saw RP1, I swore I saw a Chocobo (from Final Fantasy), but after reading the book and checking out a video on New Rockstars, I learned that it was an ostrich from Joust, which makes sense (especially after having read the book). As I stated in another post, I'm currently reading Ready Player Two and I believe that movie is in production. I don't want to spoil it, but the antagonist really surprised me.

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Kingdom Hearts Finally Comes to PC (EGS Exclusive)

If you're unware of Kingdom Hearts, it's a series of action-adventure games in which the worlds of Disney and Final Fantasy are as one. You'll see familiar characters such as Cloud, Sephiroth, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck. You'll also explore many of the Disney worlds created from the vast history of Disney movies. The voice overs are nice, too. I really enjoyed hearing David Boreanaz as Squall in the first game. Leonard Nemoy also had a voice over in one of the DS games I played. It's an amazing co-existence and I've really enjoyed the KH games I've played, though I've missed out on some of them. If you think this idea sounds interesting, you should check it out sometime.

If you're a fan of Kingdom Hearts and want to play the games on your PC, your chance is here! They will arrive on 3/30/21, however as an exclusive on the Epic Games Store. Another factor is that the games will cost $50-60. There are four separate games including one for KH HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, another for HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, another for KH III + Re Mind DLC, and a final one for KH: Melody of Memory, which is a rhythm game (absolutely one of my least favorite types of games).

Personally, I prefer to have all of my games on Steam, in one place, but I have grown to accept the various digital gaming platforms available to us now. I still don't like exclusives, although I've always given Nintendo a pass for that. As long as I have, even if eventually, access to an exclusive that I want then I'm pretty much ok with that. I'm currently holding out on FFVII: Remake, hoping it will make it's way to Steam, eventually. Honestly, I think the worst part of it is the price. I don't think each package necessarily merits a $50-60 price tag. I'd love to get this (except for the rhythm game), but at it's current price, I'm definitely going to wait until that changes.

Let me know what you think about this! Is this something you're interested? Have you ever played a KH game? How do you feel about the EGS exclusive? How do you feel about paying $50-60 for them?

Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/entire-kingdom-hearts-series-coming-to-pc-on-epic-games-store-next-month/1100-6487443/

Godzilla Vs. Kong Trailer Released

A trailer for the much anticipated movie, Godzilla Vs. Kong has been released and it's AWESOME, so I thought I'd share it with you. If you're a fan, you definitely should check it out. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! I'm going to share some thoughts (and other videos) with you now. I don't know what's going to happen in the movie, so I don't have any spoilers for it, but I do have some possible spoilers for other Godzilla movies below. I've also included some ideas about what might happen along with some other videos you should check out, if you're interested.

I'm a big fan of Godzilla. I remember seeing the original Godzilla Vs. Kong sometime in or before my teens. I remember falling in love with the 1998 version of Godzilla. I saw that movie so many times! The ending really did make me very sad. I loved the soundtrack, too, well to be more precise, I LOVED Green Day's Godzilla version of "Brain Stew," which included Godzilla's lovely (in my opinion) roar. I also loved the Wallflower's cover of "Heroes" by David Bowie. I did not, however, like the Puff Daddy song that "sampled" the song "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin.

I have recently complete watched (and in some cases rewatched) every Godzilla movie. I also watched the 1998 animated series. I have some thoughts on that and they're negative, but I don't plan to share them here unless you'd like to know. Doing so made rewatching Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which came out in 2019 a bit better (though I already loved it). This gave me a better background on all the "kaiju" (Japanese for "monster or beast") and helped certain pieces of music stand out. For instance, I definitely heard the music that always plays when Godzilla is spotted and comes ashore. I also definitely heard the music that always plays when the military has a plan to defeat Godzilla and the battle begins. However, in that movie this music played when the military was helping Godzilla, not fighting against it.

I recently watched a trailer breakdown from New Rockstars (https://youtu.be/cYnQa5I3Agk). It was good, though I think Erik Voss stated that Kong's new weapon handle was made from a tree, but to me it clearly looks like a bone. I also watched another from Dangerville (https://youtu.be/WWVPyE4HPQg). If you're really into Godzilla and the like, Dangerville is a channel you definitely want to check out!

From what I've seen (not limited to what I've posted here), it seems that Godzilla is acting abnormally. In the previous movie or movies, Godzilla was human-friendly. You could tell this by the fact that it would swim around and under ships, but in this new movie, Godzilla clearly doesn't care as he runs right through a ship and destroys more. So, what's going on? The humans are definitely shipping Kong some where, is it to a destination to fight Godzilla? They are definitely rivals, as the movies make clear, but if so, then why does Godzilla attack Kong before he even makes landfall? One theory I've seen in the videos I've mentioned and others is that MechaGodzilla is involved. It's possible that someone is controlling MechaGodzilla and maybe that's why Godzilla's acting so aggressively. I even heard that maybe humans found a way to make MechaGodzilla look like Godzilla, perhaps by hologram imaging. They'd disguise MechaGodzilla an attack do something to Kong to make him attack the real Godzilla. If that were true, though, then why do we see what looks like MechaGodzilla in one or two shots of the trailer? Who knows. We'll just have to wait and see, but it's good to know that this movie is coming out this year. I believe, like everything else, it was delayed last year due to COVID.

Anyway, please feel free to share your thoughts on this!

jdodson Admin wrote on 01/28/2021 at 04:05am

Promoting to main. This trailer is awesome!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 01/28/2021 at 04:13am

jdodson Admin wrote on 01/29/2021 at 03:10am

One sad moment in my history is when I got rid of a Godzilla VHS movie pack. I didn't quite know I'd collect VHS later in life but mark that as a sore memory. That pack had some good entries including Son of Godzilla.

I've heard the last Godzilla film, King of Monsters wasn't great BUT if you want an incredible monster movie you need to check out Kong Skull Island. It came out in 2017 and it's campy in all the right places and great in all the right places. HOPEFULLY Godzilla VS. Kong is a lot more like Skull Island!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 01/29/2021 at 05:46am

I didn't like Son of Godzilla. Along w/ the Godzilla movies and show I watched or re-watched (as stated in my post), King Kong movies were among them as well. I've probably seen Kong Skull Island nearly 3 times now. I really enjoyed the modern Godzilla movies. I liked King of Monsters, perhaps especially because other titans were involved. My only disappointment that I can think of is that I didn't notice the music or sound that plays for each titan. They all have their own unique signature sound at the very least, but that seemed to be missing almost entirely, with Godzilla being the exception. I don't want to see Godzilla and Kong fight (again), but I'll definitely watch this movie and I imagine I'll probably love it.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 01/29/2021 at 07:02am

Needs more man in rubber suit

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 02/12/2021 at 05:38pm

3/26/21!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXPps7p0UUI

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/13/2021 at 04:15am

Awesome, that’s pretty close now! I’ll have to watch skull island again.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 02/13/2021 at 11:43am

There's a Skull Island Netflix series coming, along w/ an anime called Godzilla Singular Point. If you want to see more info about these, check out the Dangerville channel on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DangerVille/videos

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/14/2021 at 05:19am

Whoa, awesome!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 02/17/2021 at 06:12am

New teaser! I watched a video on Dangerville recently that covered this, but I didn't see one shot that I thought was cool. It seems that shot was in what Japan got for trailer/teaser footage. Apparently fans noticed that Kong was doing all the hitting in the trailer, but in the Japanese one, I saw Godzilla bitch slap Kong. LOL

Check out the new teaser: https://youtu.be/J-FjUN0O61k

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 03/25/2021 at 06:59pm

After checking with some sources, confused as to why my local theater wasn't playing the movie tomorrow, it seems the movie has been delayed to 3/31/21 (which is supported by the fact that that is when the movie is playing in my local theater).

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/25/2021 at 07:49pm

Yeah, seems like everything is getting pushed back. Hopefully with a large vaccine rollout we can go back to theaters soon.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/01/2021 at 03:24am

I just got back from the movie. I thought it was really good, but I'm a big Godzilla fan, so I may have some bias. I was only minorly disappointed. One of those disappointments relates to a potential spoiler, so I won't spell it out here. It's not something regarding the plot, just the look of something. I was also disappointed not to hear Godzilla's theme when we see him, but I later realized this isn't a TOHO movie (the original studio that created Godzilla). It would have been nice if they had a bigger hand in this, because I think Godzilla's music is awesome and powerful (kind of like the modern day Wonder Woman's music). Godzilla doesn't have his signature roar either, but that shouldn't be a surprise as this movie is part of a series (the modern Godzilla movies & Skull Island), meaning he pretty much sounds just like he has in the most recent movies. As I said, it was a Legendary production, not TOHO, so I think that makes sense why these audio elements were left out. It's not that Godzilla doesn't have a roar, it's just that it's not what it usually is. I went in afraid of being disappointed with the outcome, but that didn't happen, so keep your expectations in check and I'm sure you won't be disappointed either. I could go into more, but I don't want to spoil things, so if anyone wants to talk about this, let me know and I'll create a forum post so I can hide the spoilers from others. Oh and don't waste your time during the credits, there is no post-credits scene.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/01/2021 at 06:07pm

You went to the theater to see this? Awesome. I’m scheduled for my vaccine next week so when all of that resolves I might head back!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/01/2021 at 07:55pm

Yeah, I did. I decided to do it, because the movie was supposed to come out on Vinny's 17th birthday. We've been to the movies 2 or 3 times before (the newest Star Wars trilogy and I don't know if we saw the 2nd movie in that series together). I wanted to share that experience with him again. We both enjoyed the movie and I was impressed with how much he knew about Godzilla/Kong lore. Later I asked him about this and he said he read stuff online and watched some YouTube videos. I'd be happy to share my opinion with you after you see the movie and see your thoughts about it, too.

I'm also scheduled for my first dose vaccine next week.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/06/2021 at 05:43am

New Rockstars has a new video pointing out some things about the movie. If you want to watch it, beware it contains spoilers, so after you've seen the movie, you can check it out here: https://youtu.be/tdhIBsoLf54 But, I just wanted to say that Erik Voss pointed out that the Godzilla TOHO theme does play when we see Godzilla, but to me it doesn't sound like what I've grown used to hearing, so I thought it was missing. It is a really good movie and I totally recommend watching it. I recommend watching Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla (2014), and Godzilla: King of the Monsters before watching this one, though. This movie directly connects to those and they're all made by Legendary Entertainment, which is a company I strongly favor. Obviously Kong: Skull Island introduces us to Kong and Godzilla (2014) introduces us to the most modern Godzilla, which is followed up with what you could call a sequel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and all of that leads us here. Both monsters do get their appearances changed. For instance, Kong has grown to match Godzilla's size and there were other modifications to Godzilla since the 2014 movie (like his dorsal plates now look more like the original TOHO Godzilla). The CG was really awesome and probably my favorite part of Godzilla was that his dorsal fins and his atomic blast are blue. It was difficult for me to resist by thing Godzilla action figure in Wal-Mart, but I ultimately did resist.

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FYI: Free Video Streaming Services

These days, if you're looking for a movie (including documentaries) or a TV show to watch, you can bypass your local cable or sat. dish services by checking out one of many video streaming services. Most likely, you're already familiar with Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, and more. However, there are actually video streaming services that you can watch for free. I found a great article from where I get my daily dose of gaming (and pop media) news from that I thought I'd share w/ you. It seems, many of these services contain ads, but there is at least one of which you can pay for to remove the ads. Some don't even require you to sign up for an account. Many of them are also compatible with most video streaming devices such as a Fire Stick, Roku, or a web browser. I don't have any personal experience with any of these, so feel free to share your thoughts! Enjoy!

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-best-free-streaming-service-in-2021-watch-movies-and-tv-without-a-subscription-fee/1100-6475919/

PSA: Steam Gifts!

The Steam Winter Sale is going on, which also means it's time to vote for your favorite games in different categories. While doing so, I noticed I had two gifts in my inventory, so I suggest you take a look at yours. In the main Steam window, you can go to your user name (mine is GregoPeck for instance) and click on "inventory." If "gifts" isn't listed, click the drop down menu button and check for that section. Keep the gifts or send them to your friends. Happy gifting (or collecting)!!

*Edit* I just tried to look for this using the instructions I gave you and now I find it difficult to find the gifts section, whereas before it was quite easy for some reason (maybe because I had gifts to send and I've now sent them).

What kind of keyboard do you prefer and why?

Here's a quick question for ya: What kind of keyboard do you prefer and why? Mechanical (clicky), membrane (soft), or hybrid (both)? This year, I've gotten to know the difference between the two (I'll explain below). I kind of think I like the membrane (my Cynosa) more than my mechanical/hybrid (my Ornata). From what I've briefly read (mostly on the packaging), it seems "hardcore" gamers prefer mechanical keyboards. I'm not really sure why though. I think it has something to do w/ response time and being able to have a definite, hard feel of pressing a key, being sure that you press it. Since I'm not sure of this preference, perhaps someone here could fill me in, especially if it's there preference. So let me know in the comments! Also, be sure to let me know what your favorite brand of keyboards is! Thanks for sharing!!!

Until this year I'm not sure I knew there were different kinds of keyboards, I thought they all were the same. I was wrong. When Re-Logic announced Chroma support for Terraria 1.4, and I realized what that is, I just had to have one of these keyboards. I don't know how I lived w/out a keyboard w/ keys that light up. I often play in the dark and even though I'm really good at typing, there are some keys I'm less familiar w/ and thus more likely to hit the wrong key. So, I went out and bought a Razer Cynosa Chroma (membrane) and absolutely loved it!!!! Unfortunately, I spilled soda on it this year and even though all the keys seem to be functioning, it still feels bad, so I decided to buy a replacement. I went to Wal-Mart looking for another Cynosa, but instead found a mechanical (hybrid I believe) Razer Ornata Chroma. That's pretty much when I learned the difference between the two and I was disappointed, because I loved that Cynosa so very much. However, a few months or so after getting the Ornata, the "N" key started sticking, as in it wouldn't pop back up after I pressed it. Then another key started doing the same. In the end, I did an RMA w/ Razer. I had to send them the Ornata before they would send me a replacement. I felt like I couldn't go w/out a Chroma keyboard, so I bought a Razer Cynosa V2 Chroma from Amazon. The only problem I've noticed is that the Space Bar sometimes squeaks (I can hear it now as I type). I find this to be a minor annoyance and I've noticed others reporting the same issue (perhaps w/ a different key). I decided I could live w/ it. The replacement Ornata finally came and I switched back to it. Then, I decided to see if there was a simple solution to the squeaky Space Bar on my Cynosa V2. Razer doesn't want end users to remove keys unless their keyboard came w/ a key remover. However from what I've seen on YouTube, it seems easy and safe enough to do, but I dare not do it as I don't want to chance voiding my warranty. So, I reached out to Razer and they decided (automatically) to go through the RMA process. This process starts w/ them deciding whether or not they'll replace it. Unfortunately, they deemed my squeaky Space Bar as damage caused by me, which is absolutely wrong. This Space Bar has been squeaking ever since I started typing on it. Sure, I could have possibly gotten Amazon to replace it or whatever, but again I didn't deem it worthy enough of going through all that trouble. Unfortunately, the replacement Ornata they sent me started doing the same thing a couple of months after I got it, the Back Space key started sticking. This behavior is definitely unacceptable, so I started the RMA process (again). They've decided to replace the keyboard (again). How many keyboards must I go through to get one that isn't faulty or doesn't fail within a few months of using it? Maybe this is a Razer thing, I don't know. I still like Razer, it's hard not to like these keyboards. I know there are others similar. Some are extremely cheap, while some are even more expensive than the Ornata. I believe Razer has one or two models that are more expensive.

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/21/2020 at 06:09pm

Promoting to main as this is a pretty cool question and relevant to a lot of gamers.

My preference is for an ergonomic keyboard with a fair amount of travel. I don’t care too much about click noises, just that my wrists are sitting in a good spot for blood flow to avoid issues. Historically the ergonomic keyboard I’ve used the most is the usb Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard. The original run was built well and I had for about 8 years until I spilled coffee on it. I tried buying the same USB model but newer and it literally never worked and I had to return many. I ended up moving to the new Microsoft Sculp Keyboard and Mouse combo which is a nice wireless redesign of the classic model.

Since I love the original Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard so much I’ve found two at various used shops in town so I’ll always have a couple on file if I want to go back.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/21/2020 at 07:14pm

Mechanical, 100%.

I don't care about whether it's clicky, in fact I get the quieter Cherry MX Brown switches. But there's just no replacing the efficiency and response of a mech keyboard.

I have a WASD brand mech keyboard for my main driver PC which has been in heavy use for about 5 years and still feels like the day I unboxed it. So when I went to work writing code, I bought another mech keyboard for my office. I honestly can't remember the brand and I've only been into the office about 4 times since March-- yay Covid!

And I have a Razer Blackwidow Elite mech keyboard for my gaming rig that I bought about three months ago to replace an old Logitech membrane gaming keyboard. To its credit, it still worked fine for the most part, but the volume knob on the keyboard started wigging out and changing volume whenever it felt like it. Like you mentioned Greg, I decided to go with Razer mostly because of the Terraria Chroma support ;)

I decided a few years ago that if it ever went out I'd definitely replace it with a mech, and I only wish I'd done so sooner. It feels so much snappier.

I have no experience with the hybrid and I'm honestly not sure how that could work-- how it could be both mechanical and membrane. But I haven't dug into it much.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/21/2020 at 07:26pm

(to be more clear about a point in that last comment-- the older Logitech keyboard was the one that had a failing volume knob)

Also Greg you may remember me using an absolutely ancient and loud-as-hell IBM keyboard when we lived together. Forget N-key rollover, that thing would freak out if you pressed more than 3 at a time. I was into mechanical keyboards before it was cool :D

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 12/21/2020 at 10:37pm

Wow! Thank you for promoting this to main and replying!

Jon, so what kind of keys do you prefer, mechanical or membrane? As it comes to the mouse, I have a cool Corsair that lights up, you can change it's color, too. A year or two, I started getting a callus on my right hand and realized I had to get a mouse pad w/ wrist support, which resolved my issue. I now have a beautiful mouse pad (w/ wrist support) that has the image of Van Gogh's Starry Night painting, it's beautiful!

Travis, The Blackwidow is at least one of the keyboards I was thinking when I mentioned in my post that even some Razer models are more expensive than the Ornata I bought. For some details, including the hybrid stuff, here's a link to Razer's site on the Ornata: https://www.razer.com/gaming-keyboards/razer-ornata-chroma/RZ03-02040100-R3M1 At first, I didn't like the "clicky" sound of it, though Vinny did. I think I got used to it though. I feel like the efficiency and response of each type was too similar to notice a difference.

Like Jon, one of the things I like about the Ornata is the wrist support, though I can live w/out it. My wrists are usually kind of hanging off the edge of the keyboard and desk anyway. One thing I like about it, too, is that the lights for things like Num Lock and Scroll lock aren't just little dots, but they show you what's active. So, the Num Lock notification light is in the shape of a "1," while the one for Scroll Lock in the shape of an "S," so you don't have to guess which is active. Even though the Cynosa V2 doesn't have this, it has a cool set of media controls above the numpad. I can change the volume, even mute it, or do so some skipping, it seems. The Ornata has this functionality, but you need to press the Function key "Fn" along w/ an F# key. I haven't really looked into details regarding Razer's other models, so I don't know much about them. Maybe the Cynosa was the only Razer keyboard in Wal-Mart and that's why I got it, but the Ornata was the only one there after I had to replace the Cynosa. As for the Cynosa V2, I decided I loved the original so much I'd check out this one and see what the difference was.

As for why I went w/ Razer, well it started when I decided to go to Wal-Mart and buy a gaming headset years ago. I don't know why, but I chose Razer for the first time and I really loved it. Now that it's been used a bit, it's a little bit fussy, sometimes cutting me off, causing me to restart the game I'm using it in or adjusting the wire or USB connection.

Oh, and Travis, I remember the old keyboard I had back then. It wasn't even a PS/2 keyboard, it was some kind of fat plug (maybe serial?). I'm not sure what happened to it or that PC, but that was the first PC I built.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/22/2020 at 12:57am

I will go mechanical over membrane purely for the click. Otherwise, I can do either.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 12/22/2020 at 02:40am

>I will go mechanical over membrane purely for the click. Otherwise, I can do either.

That's what I'd like to know, what's so special about the click? I kind of think I prefer membrane, because it's more quiet and feels softer. However, since I've now experienced both types this year, I could do either as well, so long as my keys are backlit and functional.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/22/2020 at 04:05am

Nothing special for me, I just like the sound of it.

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/22/2020 at 04:32am

> Jon, so what kind of keys do you prefer, mechanical or membrane?

I'm not sure I care much more than if it has a good feel and isn't too loud. I think the only times I had a mechanical keyboard were back in the day when all computers had them. I think now days membrane is the norm unless you get something clicky on purpose.

> Like Jon, one of the things I like about the Ornata is the wrist support, though I can live w/out it. My wrists are usually kind of hanging off the edge of the keyboard and desk anyway.

Makes sense. I've had blood circulation issues and when I get a raised keyboard that's ergonomic I haven't.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/22/2020 at 03:03pm

I had serious wrist pain until I took the wrist support off my keyboards altogether and trained myself to NOT let my wrists rest on anything, like this: http://ergonomictrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/closed-elbows-poor-typing-posture.jpg

If you rest your wrists you're making a serious bend there.

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Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is Beautiful!

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

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

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

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

Final Fantasy VIII is my ultimate, most favorite Final Fantasy of them all. I was introduced to it and the series about 20 years ago and I fell deeply in love with it. I don't know how many times I've completed this game, but I remember when I'd play it annually. Now, it's been remastered and the game looks beautiful! Check them embedded video that will show you the difference (between this and the original) to see for yourself. I haven't completed the game in this play through yet, but I feel like it deserves a strong recommendation (from one of FFVIII's biggest fans).

Aside from some upgraded and now beautiful textures, one slight difference between this and the original (the other version you'll find on Steam) is Chocobo World. I never played this until I played that other Steam version, because I didn't have the extra accessory to play it on the PS1. However, if you're looking for Chocobo World here, you're not going to find it, or at least I'm quite sure of that.

The game does have it's own launcher, kind of. It's fine though, it gives you a chance to tinker with some settings. One thing that this version does include, that was also included in the original Steam version, is a few cheats. You can significantly increase the game speed and turn off random encounters, for instance. I haven't used these and I don't really plan to, but it's still nice to have them.

If you love Final Fantasy VIII, you should definitely check this out. Even though this game hasn't gotten a "remake," having a "remastered" version is still great. I'm so glad my favorite Final Fantasy game got a face lift, it gave me a great reason to play it again!

The embedded video does show some of the negatives, such as lack of rumble and analog support. FPS was also mentioned and attributed to input lag, but as I've been playing, Squall's limit break seems normal.

What do you think about this? Is FFVIII one of your favorites? Are you glad it got remastered? Would you like to see a remake? Feel free to comment!

DOOM Eternal Rocks!

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

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

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

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

“DOOM” Eternal is a sequel to “DOOM” (2016). However, it doesn’t just add new content, but it also adds some new functionality. Platforming is still a part of the series and DOOM Eternal adds a bit more to getting around. Now there is a mod for the Super Shotgun called the Meat Hook. It will let you grapple onto a demon and shoot or punch it. The new Blood Punch melee attack does some serious damage. If you want to instantly kill a Pinky, Blood Punch it in the face. The gauge for this attack gets refilled when you perform Glory Kills.

One new way to get armor is by using the Flame Belch. It is a new piece of gear that puts demons on fire. While they’re lit, they’ll some drop armor. Another way to get armor is to upgrade the Meat Hook. The demons you grapple on to will then temporarily catch on fire and drop some armor.

Your arsenal also includes Frag Grenades. You can turn them into Ice Bombs, which will temporarily freeze enemies. You can switch between the two modes just like you can with weapons.

The Codex is very resourceful. Along with lore, it contains information about weapons and demons. It will tell you what a demon’s weakness is, since this varies among them. The game doesn’t go about hiding this. It has a great Tutorials section. These can be brief videos that appear in a small window to show how something, like the Ice Bomb, is used. In the very beginning, the game will take you to through a brief tutorial.

One function I enjoyed with DOOM Eternal was Cheat Codes. They are part of the “secret” collectibles you can find on some missions. Using them does not affect your progression. However, you can only use them on a mission you’ve already completed and they disable the Slayer Key in the mission. Slayer Keys open Slayer Gates. These are “special encounters.” They will teleport you to a different battle ground and you have to defeat all of the demons. They can be challenging. I think the only one I didn’t complete was the last one in the Ancient Gods Part 1 DLC. Winning these in the base game grants an Empyrean Key. There are six of them and they unlock a new weapon similar to the BFG.

There are a lot of options within the graphics settings. I was hoping to use GeForce Experience to “optimize” my settings, but the program didn’t detect the game. So, I tried out the different presets. The highest one told me I didn’t have enough VRAM, so I think I chose the one below it. The game ran great, I never noticed any kind of lag. Speaking of issues, the game did crash at least at one point a couple of times, though I did get around it. There was also an issue when I first tried to play, but it was pretty much a network issue that was resolved not long after I encountered it.

There seems to be a bit more of an online part to DOOM Eternal. I didn’t explore the multiplayer parts of the game, but I knew it’s different. For instance, there is a Battle Mode and you can play as a demon. You can connect to your friends and get some experience points when they do. Experience points unlock special customizations for your character, title, weapons, and more. Along with mission and weapon challenges there are now weekly challenges, giving players more opportunities to earn experience points. There are also events that occur like the holiday one going on now. One of the items I got is a skin for a weapon, another is a Santa “Doom Guy” skin.

The central location in the game is the Fortress. You will be able to explore it between some missions. Within, you’ll find some of the collectibles you’ve found on different missions. Music tracks you’ve found are displayed on the walls. You can interact with them and make them your current background music. There are tracks from different id games. You can also visit a room that displays your collected weapons, gear, and toys (“secret” collectibles).

The Fortress also contains different things you can unlock. In some of them you’ll find Suit upgrades, Runes, or a skin for your slayer. In order to unlock them, you’ll need to get Sentinel Batteries, each item costs two. You’ll find these as collectibles on missions and by the end, it seems there are more than you need, so it may not be necessary to collect them all.

I pretty much think DOOM Eternal takes everything that is great (which is pretty much everything) about DOOM and gives it a nice upgrade. I like many of the “quality of life” things, such as being able to change the menu colors (although still limited to a few). The music is still good and being able to listen to tracks from older games is cool.

My biggest complaint with these two DOOM games is the platforming. I think being able to jump and dash around is helpful and can be fun or helpful during a fight. However, sometimes theses platforming instances can be complicated. It can be frustrating trying to make some of the jumps. Sometimes while playing, I’ve just wondered, “why?” As I said in my DOOM review, it’s kind of like a mix between Doom and Super Mario Bros.

If you like Doom, you should check out “DOOM.” Then you should check out DOOM Eternal, I would definitely recommend it. After that, assuming you’ve enjoyed the games, you may want to also check out DOOM Eternal’s DLC.

Also, now that I remembered, I like how DOOM is pretty much like Doom and DOOM Eternal is pretty much like Doom 2 (you may notice some similarities).

(Update) I just remembered that I forgot to mention that DOOM Eternal not only lets you jump and grapple, but it also allows you to actually stick on walls. There are certain surfaces you'll find that allow you to do this. They all look essentially the same, though they can sometimes be difficult to spot. Being able to do this and stay on the surface and look to your right or left before jumping is cool. While attached to a surface, your Dash meter will also recharge, allowing you to double dash in mid-air, as you'll need to do sometimes.

Have you played DOOM Eternal yet? What do you think about it? Feel free to comment.

Azurephile27

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What kind of keyboard do you prefer and why?

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is Beautiful!

DOOM Eternal Rocks!