GregoPeck | Cheerful Ghost

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Second Trailer

There's a new trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife and it looks awesome! It seems like it's been a long time since we've heard or seen anything about this movie, so it's very refreshing to see a new trailer out now. the movie releases Thanksgiving of this year.

The story revolves around a family, which happens to be related to Ego Spangler, one of the original Ghostbusters. They have inherited a house he lived in and his grandchildren find things he left behind, including Ecto-1!!! We get to see a scene of them going on a joy ride with it, but we also later see them using it while ghostbusting. Ghosts have returned to this town, including some familiar ones from the original movie. There is a ghost that looks like Slimer, but isn't him, instead this ghost is called Muncher.
At the end of the trailer we see a red phone getting answered by Dan Akroyd.

This trailer is slightly different than the first I remember seeing, but it looks good. I think I'd really like to see this. It's been long since I've seen a Ghostbuster movie. I've only seen the first two, but I also did watch the cartoon when I was much younger. I did not see the latest female reboot.

Let me know what you think about this! Are you planning on seeing it? How much of a fan are you of the Ghostbusters and which movies (if any) have you seen? Did you also watch the cartoon?

If you want to see a great trailer breakdown, which includes the name of the new ghost I mentioned along with other Easter eggs, you can see it here at New Rockstars: https://youtu.be/AqcFIsmJDgw

Dune Official Trailer!

There's now an official trailer for Dune (embedded) and the movie is coming in October. You may recognize many faces as there are some well-known (and maybe not so well-known) actors.

You may be aware of the book titled Dune written by Frank Herbert (or you may not), but it is only the first in a series. I have Dune and at least one (some where) and at least one of the related books, but I've only read Dune. This movie centers on the first half of the first book. There was a previous movie that adapted the book. Patrick Stewart had a part in it, but it seems it wasn't received well. There have been other adaptations of the book.

You may also be aware of some video game adaptations. Dune 2 was among the first strategy games I played around 1995. It was popular among my friends, so I played it and really enjoyed it. It evolved into Command & Conquer, which was also a great strategy game in those days. Since then, there has been at least one attempt to bring that Dune game back. That game was titled Dune 2000 and I've hardly touched it.

Legendary is behind this and they're one of my favorite movie studios. They created the modern Godzilla and Kong movies, which I think were fantastic. They have other titles I really enjoyed as well.

It looks like it's coming to HBO Max. Let me know what you think about this and if you plan on watching it. Let me know if you've read Dune or other books in the series. Also, let me know if you've played any of the games and what you thought of it (or them).

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Spoiler-Free Review

GregoPeck gives this a solid "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

GregoPeck gives this a "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

I’m a Star Wars fan and if you are, too, I think you’ll enjoy this game as much as I did. The main technical issue I ran into was with two cut scenes that occur on a certain planet (it starts with the letter “K”). One had choppy video and the audio in another was out of sync with the video. I found out that even people with better hardware still experienced this, so you should probably expect this, too, but it’s not a game-breaking issue and there were only two cut scenes with these issues. I also noticed very brief video choppiness while exiting hyperspace twice, but it was very minor. Other than that, the game ran very well for me on Epic settings. I ran it at my default resolution of 1920X1200 and locked at 60FPS w/ VSync.

Part of what makes this game great, is that it lets you experience being a Jedi. You don’t start with all the skills, but you’ll gain experience and be able to spend points towards abilities. In the end, I unlocked all but one of them. There were some things I got to do that felt really awesome. I loved deflecting blaster fire and sending it back to the shooter. This is something you see in Star Wars movies and it’s so fun to be able to do. Cal also has the ability to basically slow time, so when someone shot a rocket at me, I got to slow it down and Force throw it right back. It’s also fun to Force throw enemies off an edge or into another enemy. You can also Force pull an enemy towards you and hit them in a specific way when they’re close enough. I also liked being able to throw the lightsaber. One cool thing you can do with the double light saber is throw it and it spins in a circle around you, which is really good for when you’re surrounded.

Speaking of the double lightsaber, you can get it early in the game. Once you’re done with the first planet, you’ll have two options, one is easier than the other. You’ll want to go to the planet that starts with “D” (remember, no spoilers!). There’s a certain area there where you can get it, so I recommend reading watching a video about how to collect it. You can at any time switch between it an a single lightsaber.

The game is challenging, even on the second (default) setting. You can change the difficulty at any time in the settings options. I decided I was tired of dying, so I changed it to the lowest difficulty and this let me enjoy the game more.

I think the story is good. You may not be aware of Cal, but he was a Padawan of Jedi Master Jaro Tapal. Order 66 was a tragedy for him, to say the least. If you watch The Bad Batch, you’ll briefly see him make a brief appearance. Eventually in the game, you’ll see first hand what happened between the two and why you Cal is on Bracca, the junkyard planet, when you start the game.

The beginning is, interesting. Your droid boss has you and a co-worker go do something, but getting there is dangerous. In doing so, you’ll learn the mechanics for getting around in the game, such as jumping, running, climbing, etc. There’s much of that in the game. It’s not too bad. Eventually you’ll be able to do more things, like climb specific walls and climb faster.

On some planets, you’ll come across places you might not be able to reach until you gain a certain ability. These abilities are not skills you unlock in the skill tree, but they unlock during certain points in the game. Some of these include the ability to run along the side of a wall or being able to jump farther with a flip. Because you don’t start out with all of these abilities, you may want to revisit a planet once you obtain them, because there are many “secrets” hidden throughout each area. One of Cal’s Force abilities is to sense an “echo.” By touching something he can get a sense of something that happened and hear voices. These will add small database entries that add to the lore. You’ll also find boxes you can open, which contain customizations for your lightsaber, outfit, poncho, BD-1, and the Mantis. Some boxes can’t be opened until BD-1 gets an ability. Oh and there are also puzzles, some of which require certain abilities to solve (like being able to Force push).

Speaking of which, BD-1 is your little droid buddy. It’s a really cool droid that becomes Cal’s best friend, you’ll find it at the beginning of the game. It’s a nice little companion that can open those boxes I mentioned, scan areas in the environment, which can contribute to the lore, and also scan enemies, which will give you some information about them. I really love BD-1. As I mentioned, it’ll gain new abilities as you progress, which makes revisiting a planet a good idea.

The Mantis is the starship you’ll be riding in. The customizations you unlock for it are just paint jobs. It’s where Cal lives, pretty much, with others. Initially, there will be two others. You can also find “secret” seeds throughout the game, which Cal can plant. These plants are used by the pilot for food, but that’s just a bit of dialogue stuff and not really important. You will find the star map in the ship, a place to meditate, and a place to customize your lightsaber.

Speaking of meditation, there are spots in areas where you can “meditate.” Basically, this gives you access to the skill tree and allows you to rest, which will not only restore your HP, but also respawn enemies. You don’t have to “rest,” but these points are there so you can save your game.

There’s not much to say about customizing your lightsaber, but you’ll unlock different models of the different parts in those boxes I mentioned. I didn’t find many customizations that I was particularly fond of, but I’m just glad I found the blue paint jobs for BD-1, the Mantis, and lightsaber. I also found a blue poncho, so I was happy with all of that.

This is a first person, action, combat game. There are some cut scenes and some planets to visit. If you’ve watched Star Wars movies and The Clone Wars, you should recognize at least a couple planets.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I do recommend playing it with a controller. I used the Xbox One controller I specifically bought for PC gaming and it worked well. You can play with the keyboard and mouse, though. Also, if you get the game on Steam, you’ll have to install Origin and sign into (or create) an account. However, it’s still linked to Steam, so you can access the overlay (or web browser) the same way you’re used to or you can do so the Origin way. You’ll unlock achievements in both Origin and Steam.

I got the game recently at a discount and I got the “deluxe edition,” which seems to include some of those customizations I mentioned along with some extra stuff like developer commentary (it’s not devs talking over your game play, just some videos). I think if you like Star Wars, you should definitely get this. I think you’ll enjoy it.

The only reason I’m not giving this an outstanding Cheerful Ghost rating is because of the two issues I had with those cut scenes I mentioned. Overall, I still think it’s a great game and worth playing. You’ll see some cameos, too, so be sure to finish the game!

Marvel's What If...? Coming August 11 to Disney+

Marvel's animated show, What If....?, is coming to Disney+ on August 11. The multiverse is the big theme in Marvel these days and this show is clearly part of it. In the trailer, we can see Killmonger saving Tony Stark at the beginning of Iron Man from one of his own Stark Industries weapons. We also get to see Captain Carter, Peggy Carter with the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers. Many other well known Marvel characters make an appearance such as Thor, Loki, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and T'Challa. There's also a slight glimpse at the zombie Avengers. The show is based on the comic book series of the same name and it looks very interesting. I'm looking forward to it!

Here's some interesting info from the article I found (ok I'm copying most of it):

...we see familiar characters such as Dr. Strange, Spider-Man, and Thor mixing with Howard the Duck and Captain Britain--who, in this case, is the alias of Captain Peggy Carter. T'Challa is now the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and there's a voiceover from the all-seeing Beyonder, played by Westworld's Jeffrey Wright, who teases a "journey to face the unknown."

What If...? features voiceovers from many of the actors from the MCU, including Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Josh Brolin as Thanos, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger, Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster, Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta, Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, and the late Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa.

Season 1 of What If...? will feature 10 episodes, and there's already a second season in the works. In an interview with Discussing Film in 2019, showrunner Ashley Bradley explained that the show will mix up the events of the movies in unexpected ways. "We will be exploring every movie in a new way, but not every episode is about one movie if that makes sense," he said.

"On the reel [shown at D23 Expo], there is this image of a Star-Lord T'Challa because we wanted to see what if the worlds of Black Panther and the Guardians of the Galaxy collided? That was taking two universes, two to three movies, kind of twisting them in new ways."

Let me know what you think about this. Does it look like something you're into? Are you planning to watch it when it comes out next month?

Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marvels-what-if-releases-august-11-new-trailer-shows-starlord-tchalla-captain-britain-and-more/1100-6493725/

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/21/2021 at 06:17pm

Will one of the episodes be "What if DC Universe succeeded and MCU didn't"?

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/21/2021 at 07:24pm

LOL! I don't see the DCU (DCEU isn't it?) as a failure, but the MCU, I think is an outstanding success! I'd rather see one of these episodes like "What if the DCU and the MCU were together?" So, what if Batman and Ironman were in the same universe fighting together. I like both DC and Marvel, but I think Marvel is my favorite. I think the X-Men are a big part of that, because I loved watching that animated series when I was a kid. I've seen a whole lot more Marvel these days than DC. I know the DC has shows on the CW, but I haven't watched them and I'm not even sure if they're worth it.

I think it's quite interesting how there are so very many actors that have played characters in both universes.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/22/2021 at 01:31am

I think you are right, DCEU. DC has my favorite character, Batman, but Marvel has more characters I enjoy.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/22/2021 at 01:34am

I think I agree with you. A few years ago, when I replayed the Batman Arkham series, my thought was that Batman is my favorite, but I still like Marvel better. I may be wrong about Batman, because Wolverine is right there at the top, too. I guess I like Batman, because he's more realistic. He's intelligent and rich (his superpower) and even though he seems to be extremely both, he's a bit more relatable.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/23/2021 at 07:25pm

Wolverine is my favorite Marvel character. Are you and I the same person, GregoPeck?

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/23/2021 at 08:41pm

I don't think so! LOL But we seem to have some great things in common. (I think we're the only two Super Members here.)

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Nintendo Switch OLED Model Coming Oct. 8

I found out about this a day ago and thought I'd share with you Switch lovers and owners, in case you weren't aware. A new model for the Switch (OLED) is coming on Oct. 8 at the same time the new Metroid game is coming out. The new model includes a bigger screen, improved audio, wider adjustable stand, 64GB of internal memory, and a wired LAN port. It's going to cost $350. While this isn't a 4K model with upgraded hardware like the CPU, it's still a bit of an upgrade and the 4K upgraded model may still be in the Switch's future.

I think the bigger screen sounds nice. It reminds me of when the 3DSXL came out. I really wanted to get it. I finally did buy a 2DSXL, although I've barely used it. I've owned many different iterations of Nintendo's handheld, including the original Gameboy, which I got not too long after it came out. I skipped the Gameboy color, but I got a Gameboy Advance and then the SP model, which I really loved. After that, the DS came out and I bought most of the models that followed it, including the 3DS and it's iterations as well.

I'd also like to mention that I welcome most of the other upgrades. More internal memory is always a plus. I think the wired LAN port is also a good bonus. I remember buying a wired LAN adapter for my Wii. I've always believed that wired was better than wireless, but I've seen how wireless technology has significantly improved and can be just as fast as wired. The improved audio seems to be nice as well. I'm not so sure about the stand, I feel kind of "meh" about that one, but I haven't experienced the current Switch and it's stand, so maybe people who have a Switch will appreciate it.

I think it's still unsure as to how the supply will be since there's still a semiconductor shortage going on. It's been going on for a while now and is a big reason why it's so difficult to get the new XBox and PS5. It's also contributed to PC hardware prices. For example, I paid about $300 for my GTX 1660 Ti (EVGA XC Gaming, which means EVGA overclocked it) on Amazon. I've seen it on Amazon just recently for about double the price I paid. This shortage has made it difficult to find new graphics cards like the RTX 30 series and why they're also very expensive, though it may not be the only reason, because digital currency seems to be affecting the supply and demand as well, which affects prices (Econ 101).

I still don't have a Switch, but I've recently learned (as we've mentioned here) about some games I've added to my mental list of games I'm interested in. I think years ago I became aware of the newer Switch model that had better battery life and that was the model I decided I would get, if I got one. Now, I think I'd probably go for this new model, assuming I could afford it.

This news isn't quite new with regards to Nintendo. Remember how many iterations of handhelds Nintendo released (as I mentioned above), improving on it with each. It looks like the Switch is going through that same evolution (although in my opinion the Switch Lite isn't an improvement and I refused to buy one at a discount when my local GameStop closed).

So, what do you think about this? If you don't have a Switch yet, but are planning on buying one are you going to hold off to get this new model? If you have a Switch, do you think you'll buy it? If so, do you plan to try to sell your current one or keep it around? If you plant to sell it, how do you intend to go about that? Feel free to let me know!

Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-oled-announced-coming-october-8/1100-6493578/

Godzilla Singular Point Spoiler-Free Review

I was aware of Godzilla Singular Point before it was released, but I had forgotten about it until I wrote about Star Wars Visions. Star Wars Visions is an anime series coming to Disney+ this September (22nd), while Godzilla Singular Point is an anime series currently out on Netflix. Luckily, this was released globally not too long ago (Japan got it first), so my timing was about right.

The series (or first season) is 13 half hour episodes and I “binge watched” them, which I think is a great way to watch many shows. This is a TOHO production, which is the company that created Godzilla along with almost all of the Godzilla movies. They also created many other kaiju movies that didn’t feature Godzilla. I really love TOHO, because I really love Godzilla. I also really love the theme music for Godzilla and Mothra (the benevolent moth seen in some Godzilla movies, though she also stars in her own movies). Godzilla and Mothra’s music are very recognizable and I absolutely love them both. I also really love the sound of Godzilla’s roar, which is pretty much the same as it is in all the other TOHO productions. Godzilla’s roar is different in the recent Legendary movies, which I found disappointing.

Godzilla isn’t the only kaiju featured. In fact, we don’t see Godzilla for a few episodes. Rodan, the pterasaur, is the first kaiju we get to see and hearing it’s roar reminded me of watching the movies in which it appeared. That sound was the same and I really loved it! It appears frequently. Jet Jaguar is a giant robot from Godzilla Vs. Megalon, which is it’s only appearance. It also makes an appearance and is pretty much the star of the show, along with the humans. Jet Jaguar goes through an evolution, though not quite like another star of the show (“spoilers!” so I’ll be nice and not reveal that). There are other kaiju as well including Anguiris, the ankylosaurus-looking kaiju and Manda, the underwater dragon. Another named Salunga appears to be Gabara with a redesign and new name. There is one final character in the post-credits scene, but that is another spoiler I won’t reveal here.

I’ve come to realize that just because Godzilla is in something, doesn’t mean it’s great. I’ve watched and re-watched Godzilla movies and have come to the opinion that some of them are horrible, while others are fantastic. Even if a Godzilla movie isn’t great, the parts that directly feature Godzilla are and kind of make them worth watching. It’s kind of hard to pinpoint how I feel about Godzilla Singular Point. I’m not sure I’d call it fantastic, but I’m not sure I’d call it horrible either. The kaiju parts of it are definitely awesome. I was immediately impressed with the visual fidelity. The first part that really stood out to me was light. It wasn’t just basic cartoon-ish, bland light, but it looked realistic and very well made. However, I think the story was a bit too complex. I think it goes to an extreme to explain how these kaiju have shown up. It’s based on some very complex science including dimensional and temporal physics. Yes, time travel is part of it. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. My favorite human character is probably the old man that is the head of the company that built Jet Jaguar. He also pilots Jet Jaguar in the beginning.

While the series did seem to come to a finale at the end, watching the post-credits scene makes me believe that there may be more to come. If there is a season two, I’ll definitely watch it.

I think if you like anime and/or Godzilla, this might be for you. I love Godzilla, so everything Godzilla is for me. I don’t have anything against anime, I’m just not super in to it. Although there is plenty of anime I’ve seen that I love like The Animatrix (watch if you’re a fan of the Matrix), the Dragonball series, Pokemon, some Final Fantasy, and others. I was very glad that they made an English dub as I’m not fond of subtitles. I thought the voice acting was good. One of the voices in the series reminded me of the World of Final Fantasy game, though I have positive and negative feelings about it.

Feel free to let me know if this is something you’re into. Let me know if you’ve seen it and tell me what you thought about it.

Star Wars Visions Coming to Disney+ 9/22/21

I just learned about Star Wars Visions by watching a couple of videos, I've embedded one so you can take a look. This is a series of anime and all of them will be released on 9/22 (the day before my birthday!). One interesting and memorable story I heard about was a droid who dreams of being a Jedi. I think that premise is incredibly original, something I never thought of.

It's great to see things being added to the Star Wars universe. Star Wars is like the gift that keeps on giving. I could say the same about Disney+, which I've been quite impressed by with Marvel's shows (WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Loki) along with Star Wars The Bad Batch.

I'm not very much into anime. I've been exposed to some of it. The Animatrix is one of my most favorites! If you haven't seen it and like The Matrix I strongly suggest it! I even got the awesome soundtrack for it. I've watched other anime like Cowboy Bebop, some Final Fantasy, Pokemon, and the Dragonball series though it's been a long time since I've watched any.

Let me know what you think about this. Are you an anime fan? Is this something you're looking forward to? Do you have some anime favorites? Feel free to let us know! My hope is that there will be an English dub. When it comes to anime, there are two camps, those who prefer dubbed audio and those who don't mind reading subtitles. Let me know which you prefer. If you find

Oh and if you're into anime and Godzilla, Godzilla Singular Point is out on Netflix.

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Starting July 28 2021

So, I just found out about "Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster." I watched the embedded video. Honestly, my thought is, "how many times are they going to port these original FF games?" I realize now we're talking "remaster" instead of "port," but I think my point is the same. I've played all or almost all of the FF games in the list given in the video (FFI-VI) numerous times on many different platforms. I have the original FF NES cart along with the original FF II & III SNES carts. I have different copies of the FFII and FFIII ports, though these games are confusing as they are also FFIV & VI. I have the ones that came out for PS1 and DS. Not only that, but I also own all of the FF PSP ports! I really enjoyed them, but I'm just wondering how many times does Square Enix expect us to buy these FF games all over again? Obviously many, many times!

Since I wasn't aware of details, I decided to find them, so here you go. You can find these games on Steam (not consoles) beginning July 28. You can buy the first game on it's own for $11.99 when it isn't on sale. Or you can buy them as a bundle for 22% off at a total cost of $74.82. I don't like this price!!! Steam is showing, however, that the bundle includes wallpapers and OST for each game, but those pieces are listed as "free." Steam also shows that not every game is $12. The first two are, but the rest are about $18. I love FF, I became obsessed with it, but I have plenty of copies of these games. Yeah, I'd love to have them on Steam, especially if I decided to replay them some day, but at about $75, I'm definitely going to wait until the bundle receives a major discount!

Let me know your thoughts! Is this something you're interested in? How many copies of these classic FF games do you own?

Here's a direct Steam link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1173770/FINAL_FANTASY/

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/05/2021 at 04:23am

I think this is a really good idea. Taking an old pixel game and putting into the proper aspect ratio for your device and TV is a really nice upgrade. That said, there are a lot of version of some of these games, such as Final Fantasy IV has the SNES US, SNES JP and GBA versions and they are all different. So I’m wondering what versions they consider canonical, I suppose if it was me it would be the GBA version but some might consider the SNES US version as that’s what they remember.

Regardless of which versions they plan to pixel remaster, I prefer this approach to re-releasing the classics because its closer to what the original games were as opposed to the remakes which can vary wildly in quality. I have heard that some of the text is hard to see in these versions and that’s something for them to consider but I give a strong thumbs up to pixel remakes of all classic games.

I think Blizzard and Double Fine also did something other companies should copy which is they have the classic version you can swap to on the fly OR play the updated graphical version. It’s harder to do for sure but it’s a better way to do it as it gives you both versions to decide which you want to play.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/05/2021 at 09:38am

Yeah, it is nice, I'm just overwhelmed with how many times they've released or ported these games. As I said, it's like how many times do I have to buy the same game? Again, as I said, I'm not too fond of the bundle price. Yeah, it seems reasonable to pay less than $20 for each of these and it makes sense that putting them all together adds up significantly. So, I guess my fondness of the bundle price isn't quite logical. Still, I'm sure some day the bundle will get a major discount and be well worth it, most likely during a summer or winter sale. I am surprised these aren't going to be an EGS exclusive, since that's what they did with Kingdom Hearts and it appears they're going to do it with FF7 Remake (more on that in the next paragraph).

I do like remasters as well, they are the same games we know and love just with a nice facelift. Other than the fact that it's not on PC (Steam) yet, I haven't jumped on to the FF 7 Remake train, because I'm a bit put off by the changes that were made. I believe I saw or read that there are ghosts in this version, which were not there in the original. The original was great. It's kind of like the phrase, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Still, it seems to be really popular and it seems it may be coming to PC eventually. I read it's listed in the Epic Games Store database, which is a hint that it's coming to EGS. My guess is it's going to be an exclusive for a while. Part of my reasoning for this assumption is because that's just how EGS rolls, which is something I'm not fond of. Another part of that reasoning is that the Kingdom Hearts remasters are there, but not yet on Steam. I appreciate other companies getting in to the business and all, but I can't help that I want all of my games in one place and I really like Steam. Granted, if Steam goes away, so does all of the games I've collected with it, which is many more than any other platform.

I agree with you, I like the ability to switch between "classic" and remastered graphics. Even though I'll probably always choose the remastered version, it's nice to have that ability, especially for players who want that option. Plus, it's interesting to see how a developer has improved a game's graphics. I experienced this with the Command & Conquer remaster.

Oh and I don't believe this is coming to consoles, but I think it should. I think it would be good so that everyone who wants to experience this early FF history has a chance to. I think it could get more sales. Plus, these were originally console games, so it seems to only make sense. I don't think these games (or at least most of them) are very well known and popular, not like FF7 anyway. There are probably other FF fans out there that would like to be able to get their hands on this.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/22/2021 at 08:28am

I just found out that this will come to other platforms if enough people request it. I'm not sure how to go about that though. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-pixel-remaster-collection-could-come-to-other-platforms-if-enough-people-request-it/1100-6494244/

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Microsoft Windows 11 Announced

I read a couple of articles recently about Windows 11. There was a project called Windows 10X. It was scrapped, but appears to have found it's way in Windows 11. The new OS features a more "modern" look with a centered task bar. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I think I'll have to see it for myself to decide.

It looks like Vista's gadgets will be making a comeback as widgets. I liked these, so I'm looking forward to possibly checking them out again.

I just found another article confirming that this is a free upgrade coming towards the end of the year. See: https://www.cnet.com/news/microsofts-windows-11-reveal-event-every-upgrade-announced/

There are a variety of things to note, but I'm going to leave it up to you to read the article to find out what's to come. Let me know what you think, what you like or don't. Also, let me know if you're going to be an early adopter, I imagine I'll get it as soon as I can (I'm not one who hesitates upgrading to new versions of Windows, I embrace them all).

https://www.techspot.com/news/90189-microsoft-announces-windows-11-redesigned-ui-start-menu.html

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/24/2021 at 10:22pm

Very relevant to gaming, promoted to main.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/24/2021 at 10:58pm

Thanks. Yeah, it is relevant to gaming. There are parts of this regarding gaming and performance, which are mentioned. Thanks for the promo. :)

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 06/25/2021 at 03:16pm

I don't know. Part if me loves technology evolving, but I'm dreading the possible compatibility issues with software at work lol

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/25/2021 at 11:50pm

I believe I read something in the last two or three weeks about this and it doesn't seem like it's a major overhaul, so I doubt compatibility issues are going to be a big problem. I could be wrong, though.

I found out the new system requirements. You'll need an 8th gen Intel or Ryzen 2000. The clock speed is still 1Ghz. You'll also need 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space. You'll also need a DirectX12 GPU and at least 720p. There are a couple of tools mentioned at the end of this article to help you figure out if your PC is compatible: https://www.pcworld.com/article/3622940/windows-11-system-hardware-requirements.html

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 06/26/2021 at 11:24pm

Compatibility issues are always a problem when it comes to Autodesk products lol. But hopefully it won't be too bad!

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/27/2021 at 12:03am

Hopefully! I don't have experience with Autodesk, so good luck! :) Are you going to upgrade your PC?

I certainly will, though I'm not quite too sure about the visual parts of it. I feel like having a centered task bar would be weird and take some getting used to. I am, however, very much looking forward to the DirectStorage feature and hoping I notice a performance boost. Auto HDR looks nice, but I don't have a compatible HDR monitor.

I am glad they're giving this free to those of us running Windows 10. Paying just over $100 for it was enough. I love adopting the new Windows versions, but getting them for free is quite a bonus.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/27/2021 at 03:31am

I’ll most likely upgrade for free but not right away.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/29/2021 at 04:47am

MS says with DirectStorage "games can quickly load assets to the graphics card without bogging down the CPU." So, shorter load times. But, you'll have to have the game running on an NVME SSD to work with this. Plus, you'll need a DirectX12 GPU.

The OS will require TPM 2.0. Not all motherboards have this feature, which will require users to buy a piece of hardware so they can run the OS. You can check if you have it by running the command "tpm.msc" or you can find it under Settings>System>About>BitLocker Settings. I did the latter first and it took me to the MS Store to upgrade from Home to Pro edition (which I don't plan to do). The first option worked, but told me I didn't have it. So, I probably won't be an early adopter of Windows 11.

I may have to think about this more. Things may change before it releases, so we'll see.

I found this "new to me" stuff by watching this video: "Windows 11 GAMING: 10 Things You NEED TO KNOW" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-64g8AiD00

You can find more about the TPM 2.0 requirement here: https://www.pcmag.com/news/what-is-a-tpm-and-why-do-i-need-one-for-windows-11

Travis Admin wrote on 06/30/2021 at 02:12pm

Yeah I’ve seen some speculation that, while they said before that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows and that they’d be building on that from here on, they bumped the version because of the TPM 2.0 requirement since they can’t guarantee compatibility.

There’s also the hypothesis that they introduced the 2.0 requirement to sell more PCs and get more money from new licenses that way.

It’s all speculation of course. For technical minded folks it’s usually going to be easy to add a TPM 2 module to their older motherboard. Laptops are a whole other thing though.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/30/2021 at 06:33pm

Well, since I wrote that comment, I've been working on looking into these new requirements. I think I might do it. I found out my motherboard has a TPM header, but I don't know enough about the tech, so I don't know what kind of module to buy. I've sent in a question to ASRock, the manufacturer of my motherboard, to find out if they have any recommendations. I noticed the header is 17 pins, but I found at least one (ASRock actually) module that's 13. Hopefully, they'll get back to me on that, though it looked like most or all modules on Amazon were sold out.

As for NVME, I found out I could get a NVME version of my SSD for about $120. I don't think that's too bad, I guess. I need to look into that tech more, too. I thought NVME was faster, but from what I've seen of their speeds, it looks like they're the same. My SSD is attached via SATA, but I know the NVME attaches directly to the motherboard.

As for all the speculation, I haven't read any of it. It's just my assumption that they're requiring TPM 2.0 so that computers are more secure.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/30/2021 at 08:07pm

I haven’t really looked into the TPM but last time Microsoft wanted to bake this into Windows, at the time it was called “Trusted Computing” (not too different than TPM) the Internet flipped their shit. Now it seems, no one cares? Unless the reason now is to avoid hacking using hardware encryption and not locking you out of your shit. But I’m not sure, maybe that was what Trusted Computing was and we just over reacted.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/30/2021 at 09:20pm

So, I got a reply from ASRock. It's lame, because they just sent me a pic that shows TPM 2.0 specifications. At the bottom it says, "not supported with Intel 8 and 9 series chipsets." This is very disappointing. I built this PC 2 years ago. I have no idea how many people have 10th or 11th gen CPUS. I have an i7-8700 and on a separate list, I did see my CPU listed as compatible with Win11, but with this TPM info (assuming it is correct), then it isn't. It seems confusing. If all of this is true, then I most certainly hope MS gets a load of backlash for it and removes the requirement. Otherwise, I can't imagine many people upgrading. If they don't remove it, then I won't be able to upgrade unless I upgrade my motherboard and CPU, which is pretty much most definitely not going to happen. Those two items are not on my list of things I want to upgrade soon. Still, I might get a NVME just to see if there's a performance boost. Ark is still a very hardware demanding game.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/30/2021 at 09:49pm

Looks like I don't know much about NVME either. I have a Western Digital SSD connected via SATA III. I found an NVME exactly like it. Both have the same speeds, so I was confused. So, I went through the list of NVMEs compatible with my motherboard and learned. NVMEs are to SSDs are what SSDs are to HDDs. NVMEs are much faster and more expensive. It seems you could get a 1TB SSD (SATA) for over $100, but an NVME of 512GB is going to cost a bit more than that.

I miss the 2TB HDD I had with the Alienware, but it died. I now have the 1TB SSD and it's almost half full. I want my OS and games all on the same drive, so a 512GB NVME doesn't seem like it would be good enough, unless I got extremely serious about how much storage space I'm using. Since I now only have that 1TB, I don't keep a lot of games installed. I do have an old HDD I am using for other things like documents and other random files, including those files I've downloaded to install programs like Steam, Java, Chrome, etc.

I'll have to think on this more.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/01/2021 at 08:09pm

The more I read, the worse it looks to me. I just read an article (shared below) about how many PCs aren't going to be compatible with Win11. Basically, the security features affect performance negatively. Older CPUs and even some newer ones apparently aren't up to the task. While having the security features on creates negative performance, users can turn the features off to get a performance boost.

Also, the article points out the security improvements AMD and Intel have made in their CPUs. The difference between CPU generations isn't completely about cores.

"Why Windows 11 is Leaving So Many PCs Behind": https://www.pcworld.com/article/3623713/why-windows-11-is-leaving-so-many-pcs-behind.html

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/01/2021 at 09:20pm

Right away, there doesn’t seem to be a big reason to upgrade to Windows 11. A lot of PC’s may very well be left behind and that might be ok? For instance, some folks tend to buy all new PC’s every so and so years so that might work out in the end. Some PC’s might never go to Windows 11 which might be ok given that a lot of games won’t require it for quite some time.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/01/2021 at 09:22pm

I have an old PC kicking around that’s still on Windows 7. I use it to dual boot into Linux and it’s primarily a Linux file store and I use it to rsync files to my NAS. I’m also trying to build a Windows 98SE PC so in the end, I think it’s kind of neat some machines stay at older version of operating systems. Then again, I play a lot of retro games too so… yeah.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/01/2021 at 11:11pm

Wow! I was talking to someone recently and she mentioned someone that won't upgrade from Win7. I loved Win7. It may have been one of my most favorites, but I've loved them all (95 and up).

98SE? LOL I remember that, too! Was that one that people hated? I don't know, I think there are lots of people who hate every version ("haters gonna hate"). I think it's because they get used to one and don't want to have to "relearn" how to use a new version. This doesn't apply to me at all, though. Sure, I might have to figure out where some things have been relocated, but I don't see that as a problem.

It's cool you're running a Linux file store, though I don't know much about that. I also don't know much about NAS. You and Travis definitely have IT expertise that I don't, but that's ok, it makes me respect you more. LOL

Travis Admin wrote on 07/02/2021 at 12:21am

Greg you're thinking about Windows ME that was a crashfest lol. Man it was rough. I even thought Vista was ok when it came out but ME was something else.

Sadly my only Linux box right now is my Raspberry Pi NAS. I need to set up a dual boot so I can try out the Steam Proton improvements.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/02/2021 at 12:41am

Yeah, I remember WinME was a crash/horrorfest. I think I still liked it though. One version that stands out to me in my memory is Windows 96. It was cancelled, but I remember trying it out.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/02/2021 at 08:50pm

I had to look that one up

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

Travis Admin wrote on 07/02/2021 at 08:51pm

I used to love running early builds. I used the midpoint between Windows 2000 and Windows XP as a daily driver for a while. It was shockingly stable.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/02/2021 at 08:53pm

Whistler! That's what it was called:

https://b00merang.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/8/1/16813022/windows-whistler-2_1_orig.png

I also used Longhorn for a while between XP and Vista. I loved the interface at the time

https://betawiki.net/images/9/97/WindowsLonghorn-6.0.3718-Desktop.png

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/02/2021 at 09:08pm

I looked up Win96, too, just to be sure my memory wasn't fooling me or that it was fake. Now that you mention it, Whistler and Longhorn seem familiar.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/05/2021 at 04:24am

I didn’t have too hard a time with Windows ME as I think I had hardware that worked really well with it. But, Windows 98SE did seem to have a much larger set of hardware compatibility.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/12/2021 at 09:12pm

If you want to run Windows 11, but are worried about the system and hardware requirements (including TPM, UEFI, and Secure Boot), you may not have to worry at all. There are currently ways to bypass many of the OS's requirements. Hopefully Microsoft doesn't prevent these bypasses, but we won't know until Windows 11 is released. Check out this informative video from Linus Tech Tips to learn more: https://youtu.be/NivpAiuh-s0

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Loki Streaming Now!

I thought I'd give you a quick reminder that Loki is now streaming on Disney+. After re-watching the trailer, I see it's started a little earlier than first announced.

I'm not going to include spoilers here, but if you want to talk about them, we can do so in the comments.

I think the first episode is pretty good, though much of what we saw in previews was there. I'm looking forward to seeing more. I think, if you're also a fan of the MCU, you'll also enjoy the show and want more. I think, so far, all of the Marvel Disney+ shows have been really good. I also like the tidbits of mystery in each episode and seeing them revealed and explained on the New Rockstars channel on YouTube (which I highly recommend watching as I do daily). New Rockstars often picks up on things that I completely miss. There were three particular words in this first episode, which I think are quite easy to pick up on.

Feel free to let me know what your thoughts are in the comments. Perhaps, if you want to discuss spoilers, make a clear note of it before you reveal it, for people who don't want something spoiled.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/10/2021 at 03:08pm

I really enjoyed it quite a bit. The TVA as a concept is incredible and if Loki becomes an FBI procedural for variants then the opportunities are pretty wide open for the show to do pretty much whatever they want.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 06/11/2021 at 02:54am

Loki: SVU

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/13/2021 at 04:27pm

Yeah, something like that. After WandaVision folks were asking for a Jimmy Woo+Darcy Marvel FBI/XFiles show and it seems Loki is the reason why they aren't doing that.

That said a Jimmy Woo+Darcy show would be fun.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/13/2021 at 06:25pm

>That said a Jimmy Woo+Darcy show would be fun.

Agreed!!!!

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/16/2021 at 11:52pm

Wow, episode 2 and the 💩 hit the fan! While watching every one of these shows and episodes, I just keep wanting them to never end. Marvel is definitely delivering!

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 06/30/2021 at 11:22pm

Episode 4 and the 💩 has hit the fan yet again! Be sure to stick around for the post-credits scene.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/07/2021 at 10:13pm

Episode 5 is gloriously epic! I have no idea what words are left to describe how the end will be, as I'm sure it will be gloriously epic as well! I can't wait to see the New Rockstars breakdown tomorrow. I noticed Oak Island on the TVA board at the beginning. There are lots of other things in this episode as well. This is definitely my most favorite episode so far. Marvel just keeps delivering the awesomeness!!!

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/09/2021 at 04:22am

Yeah, it was great. I wonder how it’s going to end?

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/09/2021 at 07:15am

Yeah and then we wait for season 2.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/09/2021 at 04:48pm

Right. It seems like they might keep Loki going. At least, I hope they do. Maybe he’ll be part of a Mobius / Sylvia run TVA at some point. It’s not a bad thought to have one, not sure it’s been run well to this point though,

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/11/2021 at 02:14am

Alligator Loki is my favorite.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/11/2021 at 07:59am

I think I'm like Loki and in love with Sylvie.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/11/2021 at 02:57pm

Sylvie is awesome.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/14/2021 at 10:19pm

At the end of WandaVision, I was convinced Wanda was the reason why there's a "multiverse of madness" in the next Doctor Strange movie. She's going to be in it, but I no longer think she's the one at fault. I think what just happened has, however, opened the door for her to see that her children are elsewhere and I'm sure she's going to go after them, which may be bait by Mephisto. But, that's just my theory or idea. I think she's going to be a problem as the Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange is going to try to help her be good.

I did like this ending. I was surprised, because, regarding the show, the actor told someone, "I don't know what you're talking about." I was afraid it was going to be another Loki. I thought that made sense, because the show is about him, but I'm glad they didn't go there. All signs pointed to who we saw. Oddly, though, he didn't say his name, but he has one other than what Miss Minutes called him. We'll definitely see him again in Ant-Man Quantumania, but maybe something else. Maybe other MCU titles will hint at him or we'll see his effect on them. I bet season two will come before that movie, though to give us a deeper look into what's going on.

All of my info comes from New Rockstars, because my familiarity with the comics is extremely limited. Some of my theories are my own, some influenced by New Rockstars or ones they've mentioned. I watch their channel daily.

What did you think about this? What do you think is going to happen? Did you enjoy it?

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GregoPeck27

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