jdodson | Cheerful Ghost

The Star Wars Humble Bundle III Focuses On The Classics

Humble Bundle has run two Star Wars Bundles to date making the third one that just launched a seemingly yearly event. It's a pretty awesome thing if you missed out on it before as many of the best games are back. That said, in the last year many of the older classic titles like X-Wing VS. Tie Fighter, Rebel Assault & Shadows of Empire have been re-released on PC and are all available in this bundle along games included before such as Force Unleashed, Knights of the Old Republic and Battlefront II.

If you only have a buck the ability to unlock Knights of the Old Republic, X-Wing Alliance, X-Wing VS Tie Fighter and Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds is too incredible a deal to pass up.

https://www.humblebundle.com/star-wars-3-bundle

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/08/2017 at 09:26pm

I grabbed it! Getting the T-shirt, too!

Travis Admin wrote on 02/08/2017 at 10:56pm

I have all but two of these games, and they're in the expensive tier so this one is going to be a pass for me but BY GRABTHAR'S HAMMER! WHAT A SAVINGS!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/09/2017 at 12:13am

Thanks Travis, you really seemed to improve on that original delivery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgv7U3GYlDY

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 12:55am

Haha, thanks. I love that movie.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/09/2017 at 05:39am

I'm interested in what you think about each game. I've installed some of them that I think I should check out like KOR.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 04:17pm

I should note, I haven't played them all, I got them on a bundle in a Steam sale ages ago.
Secondly, it's good to keep in mind that unless these games are repeating canon material, they're all out of canon now.

KotOR is legendary, but honestly it doesn't hold up well. I had the disadvantage of never playing it until somewhat recently so I missed out on it in its prime, and the controls are just very messy. But even with that, the few hours I've put into it are great.

The Battlefront games are tons of fun but geared toward multiplayer. You can play single player though. The controls are still tight, but the graphics have aged.

Jedi Outcast is one of those games that I've played to death over the years. I got it shortly after it released and I've popped back in every now and then since then. It's stellar. It's the best thing to come out of the Quake 3 engine other than Quake 3. It stars Kyle Katarn, the guy who stole the death star plans before it was cool. I was hoping he'd be in Rogue One to make him official canon again.

I played the X-Wing games back in the day but I honestly don't remember them well. I had fun with them, but that's about all I remember.

The Force Unleashed games are just awesome. The second one is short, like 4 hours tops, and I would have been really upset if I had paid full price for it. It was basically an expansion pack for the first one and if you treat it as such, it's fun. Both are great fun though. Some interesting story that I kinda wish was still canon and kinda don't.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/09/2017 at 09:41pm

Thanks, Travis!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/10/2017 at 02:32am

I installed Battlefront II, both KotOR, both Unleashed, and Jedi Knight II. It seems Battlefront is popular right now. I've heard people enjoying KotOR, but I've never played it. I do have it on the Kindle, which was free with Amazon's Game Zone or whatever it's called. I saw some trailers for Unleashed and it looked like it might be interesting.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/10/2017 at 02:54am

> "It seems Battlefront is popular right now."

Here's where it gets confusing. They had Battlefront and Battlefront 2, then years and years passed, and now there's another game called... Battlefront. The new one isn't in this bundle.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 02/12/2017 at 12:59am

I originally played KotOR on Xbox and the controls are SO MUCH BETTER than on PC. They really should have added controller support. KotOR 2 has controller support though. If you do get KotOR 2, pick up the restored content patch from steam workshop. While I haven't played through the game with that patch yet, everyone I've asked about it says it really improves the game.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 02/12/2017 at 01:17am

Well if I understand correctly, one of the latest updates to Steam adds controller support for every game, so it should hopefully be cool. I'm grabbing the mod. Thanks for the tips!

Travis Admin wrote on 02/12/2017 at 06:21am

Yeah if you don't have a steam controller, a recent patch adds support for others, with the same community config support and everything. So you should be able to get one that works, not sure if it'll be as good as those original Xbox controls (never tried them). Oblivion still doesn't have a controller scheme for PC that fully matches the console experience.

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Being Batman Is a Fantastic Mini Documentary You Absolutely Must Watch!

Being Batman is a seven minute documentary film by Lossless Creative that puts the camera on a real life Batman. The level of dedication of this person is really compelling and the film weaves Batmans words and life together in a really beautiful way. I wouldn't really call this cosplay but a person with an intense focus on Batman such that he has become him.

Interested to have you watch this and then let me know what you think of it in the comments.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/07/2017 at 05:30pm

I don't know how I feel about real-life vigilantes. In some cases it might be necessary, I don't know. There's a reason the comic book Batman was always hunted by the police, but then Gotham was pretty crooked. With all of the news of discrimination in some police precincts, it's questionable whether taking matters into your own hands is the answer, or if it makes matters worse. If administering justice can't be trusted to the law, though, then what should the people do?

The thing about Batman (the comic book) is that it's a story about one man and his standard. I'm not an avid reader of the books (though I have read some), but if it's like most every other superhero book I've read, if the emphasis isn't on the character and their plight, then the book loses focus, and ultimately readership. You have to keep the story on Batman. We see the world on his terms. Batman solves problems the way Batman solves problems. Consequently, that leaves little room for problem solving outside of Batman's mode of operation, which tends to rely on a good deal of violence. Contrast that with another famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. While they are both very much proactive in their pursuit of justice, Holmes promotes thinking the problem through over hostility. Not that Batman is a brute, but as detectives go he comes very well armed. Batman is more Malcolm X than MLK, ready to meet violence with violence, bringing about justice by any means necessary. That's one way to do it, but does it really bring about lasting change? Right now, we're looking at worldwide protests, almost entirely non-violent. These protests, speaking at least regarding the States, are prompting immediate significant change. The violence that is springing up only serves to undermine the movement, but maybe these people believe that change can't come any other way. I get that people feel compelled to do something, anything, to fight by any means necessary, but it's becoming more and more worrying that the consequences aren't being considered. It tends to happen when the focus is on yourself, your mission, and not the rest of the world around you. Comic books about heroes with open minds, looking to join a community and peacefully solve problems with acts of love and kindness without drawing attention for it don't sell well, though.

P.S. I don't hate Batman. Also, Batman is fiction.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/08/2017 at 03:20am

I echo Scrypt's sentiments here for the most part. He's obviously dedicated his life to being a ninja and sees Bats as a natural extension of that. At that point it's odd but not harmful. But if he's going out and beating people for stealing purses then it does become a problem.

The question of whether this is getting to the point of a problem for him is whether it's making it hard or impossible to lead a life, maintain relationships, and so on. It could be massive dedication to a cause, or it could be near-insanity.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/08/2017 at 03:53am

> I don't know how I feel about real-life vigilantes. In some cases it might be necessary, I don't know. There's a reason the comic book Batman was always hunted by the police, but then Gotham was pretty crooked. With all of the news of discrimination in some police precincts, it's questionable whether taking matters into your own hands is the answer, or if it makes matters worse. If administering justice can't be trusted to the law, though, then what should the people do?

This is a good question and always my biggest moral problem with Batman. Not really any other super heroes as Batman seems to ride the line between "goodbadguy." I've heard of real super heroes, or people that put on a mask and head out to patrol the streets(in another doc I saw, forget what it was) they patrol for crimes and report to the police. They have have got into a scuffle or two but they made a point to say they call the cops on actual criminals. I am OK with that, it's like a really elaborate community reporting program.

This mini doc, whereas was very well shot, edited and such wasn't very complete. So Batman didn't say how he intervened with criminals, it also doesn't say what his night routine is. It trades information for style to create a dramatic effect that really works. That said, I imagine the details of all that really detracts from the BUT THIS GUY IS FUCKING BATMAN, which is the point of this video. I'd like to see more though, perhaps more of a "night in the life of Batman."

> That's one way to do it, but does it really bring about lasting change?

If Batman were real i'd take point with him on nearly every level. He acts without any kind of check and often his actions have very unfortunate consequences. Again, one of the hardest parts of Batman for me is that he is a 1%-er that thinks he is always right. Well gee, thanks Batman. In fact, one scene in The Dark Knight the other vigilantes trying to be Batman say "why are you different than us" and his response is "i'm not wearing a hockey mask." It's a funny moment but it's not really far off his character. He is more right because he has more, is more able and has more resources. Well gee, thanks Batman.

> P.S. I don't hate Batman. Also, Batman is fiction.

Yup.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/08/2017 at 05:16am

So Batman didn't say how he intervened with criminals...

The imagery of the arsenal and technique this "Batman" has at his disposal says plenty about how he intervenes. I doubt that he brings bad guys back to his lair, sits them down in front of his wall of weapons, and proceeds to have a heart-to-heart about their life choices.

Not really any other super heroes as Batman seems to ride the line between "goodbadguy."

Actually, there are plenty like Batman in the comics (Punisher, Moon Knight, Daredevil, Wolverine, The Authority, Grifter, Spawn, etc...). Spider-man is my all-time favorite superhero and he's totally a vigilante. He doesn't have the dark driven nature that Bruce Wayne has (except for the Back in Black run, where Kingpin tried to kill Aunt May. That shit got dark.), but he is a hands-on crime fighter. Every superhero is essentially a vigilante, and they all think they're doing the right thing.

As an aside, but keeping with the ideas we're throwing around, I love this exchange in Captain America: Civil War -
Vision: In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, a number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurable rate.
Steve Rogers: Are you saying it's our fault?
Vision: I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight... Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand.

Strength invites challenge. The way of the world tends to default to "eye for an eye." It takes genuine effort to stop that pendulum from swinging.

With all of that said, I was totally Team Cap (in the movie, and the comics before it). I at least like my fictional superheroes unregistered :).

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 02/08/2017 at 05:21am

I just felt bad for this guy. He seems to have some deep-seated pain, that he is using Batman to escape from. I guess in that sense, he is like Batman. His actions and house (at least the way shot) tells me that he is lost in his own world. It almost looks like a hoarders house IMHO (there is stuff everywhere).

In the end I felt less like I am watching a savior but rather someone that needs to be saved.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/08/2017 at 04:36pm

Interesting perspective, Will_Ball. It sounds like he's lost, in one way or another, all the people that are close to him. If he's out there every night, he wouldn't have room for any type of social life. He seems to be well off, though (Maybe that's just a room above his garage? I'm assuming the editing in the video is to help with anonymity, but you're assessment is probably more likely), or at least well enough to be able to afford all the equipment and the modded car (which sounds like a beast, not a junker with a paint job). That has to be a very lonely life. Even Bruce needed Alfred. Maybe (hopefully) he does? I imagine, with that much invested in the persona, it would be hard for anyone to intervene on his behalf.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/08/2017 at 06:26pm

> The imagery of the arsenal and technique this "Batman" has at his disposal says plenty about how he intervenes. I doubt that he brings bad guys back to his lair, sits them down in front of his wall of weapons, and proceeds to have a heart-to-heart about their life choices.

Heh, funny. Yeah well i'd be surprised if this guy actually hits anyone because if he did he'd eventually go to prison even if he's saving the day. At least if it were a regular occurrence. I could be wrong though.

> Actually, there are plenty like Batman in the comics (Punisher, Moon Knight, Daredevil, Wolverine, The Authority, Grifter, Spawn, etc...). Spider-man is my all-time favorite superhero and he's totally a vigilante.

Yeah right, I just meant that Batman bothers me more than any other "goodbadguy." Punisher is worse sure, but I don't really follow much of his antics.

> With all of that said, I was totally Team Cap (in the movie, and the comics before it). I at least like my fictional superheroes unregistered :).

I'm with Tony on this one. Some kind of check is good. That said, I'm not to harsh on Cap but I think he puts too much stock in people being moral at all times. They caused quite a bit of damage to save Bucky. Not sure i'd have done that, but I respect his unwavering choice if I don't agree with the outcome of it.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/08/2017 at 06:32pm

> I just felt bad for this guy. He seems to have some deep-seated pain, that he is using Batman to escape from. I guess in that sense, he is like Batman. His actions and house (at least the way shot) tells me that he is lost in his own world. It almost looks like a hoarders house IMHO (there is stuff everywhere).

I don't think we can know in every case but it is interesting to know WHY people do what they do. The person in the video is convinced he is Batman because of his pain and how the character of Batman attracts him. I respect that but I don't entirely believe it. I have stories about myself I want to be true because they fit a narrative of myself I like. Is it all true? Well, it's a kind of truth I cling to from my point of view(THANKS OBIWAN!). It also makes for a good mini doc but is it entirely accurate? Is it easier to justify our choices when we find things that make more sense? Over time I can come up with a better and better rationale as I talk it over with people and it evolves as people respond to it. Is it less true because the pitch has changed to match the audience?

Also, I could edit the source video to make this guy seem VERY dumb. Just look at reality TV. When they want to make someone look dumb, magically, with editing and cuts and music they are. Not to say they everyone there is super smart, but editing really can effect things.

I guess all that to say, i'm not convinced of his story entirely but it makes for an effective film and this guy 100% believes he is Batman.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/08/2017 at 06:53pm

>"Heh, funny. Yeah well i'd be surprised if this guy actually hits anyone because if he did he'd eventually go to prison even if he's saving the day. At least if it were a regular occurrence. I could be wrong though."

He seems to really want anonymity. It's possible that he beats them senseless but gets out before the cops get there. We don't really learn that from the video. BUT I imagine it's way less of a beating than the real Batman ("real" is an odd word here) would give criminals.

I was also team Cap because if you're a governmental group of superheroes, you become an arm of the military basically. You get sent out on what your government thinks is right.

>"this guy 100% believes he is Batman."
I don't think he does. He seems totally aware that it's a conscious choice to become him based on similar conditions. We may be saying the same thing with different words though.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/08/2017 at 07:21pm

> I was also team Cap because if you're a governmental group of superheroes, you become an arm of the military basically. You get sent out on what your government thinks is right.

Yep. Which is why they should be with Ironman.

> I don't think he does. He seems totally aware that it's a conscious choice to become him based on similar conditions. We may be saying the same thing with different words though.

Mmmmm, when I wrote that I was like "weeeeeelll maybe not entirely" but he is really dedicated to it more than usual.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/08/2017 at 10:55pm

> "Yep. Which is why they should be with Ironman."

So you think they should be an arm of the military? They'd be like the Comedian and Doctor Manhattan, becoming pawns of the government and acting in the "national interest" whatever that means to whomever is in charge. It could be freeing people from terrorism, it could be terrorism. Under Obama it would have been mostly fine, but could you imagine Trump with control of the Avengers? No government is good enough to trust with that sort of thing, not even Sweden.

That's why I like S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel universe. They know who all the players are, and they bring them in when they need help with something, but they don't share with the rest of the government and they don't own the superheroes or exert control over them. If they go rogue and start terrorizing citizens, they're dealt with.

It's not perfect. In the movies S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated by Hydra agents, for instance, but they're building back up.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/09/2017 at 12:02am

Yep. Which is why i'm with Ironman.

Our armed services have to do the same thing and I bet it's hard for them. I bet many didn't want to go to Iraq but they served and I respect their service but Iraq was a mistake. So yeah, so should Cap & the rest.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 12:36am

I don't see that as the same thing. Soldiers choose to go. Tony wanted to force everyone with certain genetics or circumstances to register with the government and ultimately become pawns of the government. It's forcing that choice on them and making them targets. It takes away their privacy entirely.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 01:19am

But really it's all theoretical because if someone had these powers in real life they'd probably be dead or in permanent captivity for experimentation anyway.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/09/2017 at 03:46am

> I don't see that as the same thing. Soldiers choose to go. Tony wanted to force everyone with certain genetics or circumstances to register with the government and ultimately become pawns of the government. It's forcing that choice on them and making them targets. It takes away their privacy entirely.

I don't agree. The whole premise of the film is a brawl when people choose different sides. Tony had an agenda and pushed it hard and i'd say some of his tactics were wrong headed but I get why he did it. In the end people chose sides and again, i'm ok with what Cap chose even though I wouldn't' choose that. I'd be with Ironman until it didn't make sense and i'd be friends with Cap because at the end of the day he isn't a bad guy.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 03:55am

I totally agree with that except for "If be with Ironman." The part you quoted from my message is literally what the Sokovia accords are all about.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/09/2017 at 03:56am

As someone that generally prefers Caps style over Ironman it is hard to side more with him.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 04:07am

It also occurs to me that we may be talking about different aspects of it. Tony says things like "We need to be put in check," and things that are sensible but the actual legislation is basically the Muslim registry for people with powers. I agree with what Tony said, but not the Sokovia accords themselves.

Like literally anyone who has any powers has to be tracked at all times, whether they're peaceful as a monk or an Avenger or a villain. And anyone with enhanced powers who breaks the law can be detained indefinitely without a warrant.

The whole thing is intended as an analogy to racism, just like the mutants in X-Men.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 04:14am

I should also add that I'm incapable of only thinking about it in terms of the movie itself. It's expanded upon significantly in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and that's definitely going to play into my thinking. The movie may not have covered how shitty it is as well, I don't remember.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 02/09/2017 at 06:11pm

How did DC change to Marvel? Different Universes!

Bina wrote on 02/11/2017 at 07:27pm

It's an fascinating documentary. Thank you for sharing it here JDod!
One of the most fascinating aspects to the documentary is the question, how much did he choose to become Batman? He hints at the loses he has experienced, and that becoming Batman has allowed him to survive these losses. I've heard many compelling arguments that basically state every person does what they have to in order to survive trauma, and in some cases the trauma is too great to handle in a socially acceptable way. I really wonder if there is any other path he could have taken to work through his losses, and if so if they would be as healthy for both himself and his community.
JDod I agree with you that he never states how he intervenes. I won't make assumptions on what he does based on the contents of his home. I do hope that for his sake and the sake of his community he never acts in violence.

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Metal Jesus Gives Another Sermon On 8 More 3DS Hidden Gems

If you are looking for more games to collect for your 3DS the great Metal Jesus is back with a new hidden gems video you need to watch. He covers a bunch of games I didn't know were on the 3DS such as Azure Striker Gunvolt, Pac-man & Galaga Dimensions and Heroes of Ruin.

As we discussed in the last Cheerful Ghost Roundtable my hope is that all the 3DS and Wii U games are made for the new Nintendo Switch because if Nintendo and third party developers can focus on one system it will have an incredible amount of games.

Double Fine Goes Into The Woods To Learn More About Trees

Double Fine are the Queens and Kings of developer documentaries showing off their game making process. After Psychonauts 2 was successfully funded on Fig they have started development and decided to take a trip to the woods to get inspiration for the game from actual nature. It's a fun doc short but focuses more on the bus ride down than actual time in the woods. I guess that's par for the course for nerds, spend more time talking about video games on a bus than time with actual pinecones and bears. Still it's a fun watch and if you are interested in how the game is turning out, well worth your time.

Stardew Valley Getting a Retail Collectors Edition April 11th!

"Stardew Valley Collector's Edition is coming to retail stores nationwide on April 11, 2017 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One! In addition to the full game, the Collector's Edition includes a Pelican Town Map, Mini-Guidebook by Kari Fry, and a code to download the Stardew Valley Soundtrack!"

Stardew Valley was a game we've all been following on Cheerful Ghost since I first heard about it February in 2013 and has since launched to crazy popular acclaim in the PC world. I love that it's getting a retail collectors edition, what I don't love is that it's only going to come out on PS4 and XBone. I know everyone already picked it up on PC, but I'd totally buy this if it came out on PC for the pack-ins and extra key.

I'm interested if people with modern consoles will be picking this up? Seems like a good way to get it if you haven't already and Stardew Valley Collectors Edition comes out April 11th only on PS4 and XBox One for $29.99.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/06/2017 at 10:20pm

If I got Stardew Valley on PS4 I'd probably just go digital. More than likely, though, I'll just wait for a future Steam sale.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/07/2017 at 04:13am

Yeah. The PC copy would come with a Steam code, but I still like collecting boxes of things for some stuff.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/07/2017 at 05:40pm

Absolutely. However, Stardew Valley is definitely not something I would do that with. Especially if it's just a map and a guidebook (mini-guidebook at that). The soundtrack would be cool, but that's available without springing for a collector's edition. It also seems you can buy a much better version of the full guidebook at Fangamer (https://www.fangamer.com/products/stardew-valley-guidebook). Oh, and you can also buy the map on Fangamer (https://www.fangamer.com/products/stardew-valley-pelican-town-map). So, you spend a little more, but you get better items when you buy individually. The "collector's edition" just seems to be a gimmick.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/07/2017 at 06:18pm

> The "collector's edition" just seems to be a gimmick.

Well. Yeah.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/07/2017 at 08:05pm

What I mean is, THIS SPECIFIC collector's edition seems to be a gimmick. Some (most?) offer some exclusive cool thing, something actually worth seeking out as a collector. This Stardew Valley collector's edition offers things that are already available for purchase elsewhere, or something significantly less impressive, as is the case with the mini-guidebook. Whereas other collector's editions might be arguably worth the money, this one seems like a total ripoff. This would be more appropriately labeled as a "bargain edition" not a collector's edition.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/07/2017 at 08:48pm

> What I mean is, THIS SPECIFIC collector's edition seems to be a gimmick.

Sure.

I think getting a smallerized version of what you said would be interesting if the lesser price point and ease of having it all in one place was something someone wanted.

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It's Dangerous To Go Alone! Take This Playing With Power Book Review!

The NES Classic launched to such a crazy high amount of demand that it's still hard to get. Nintendo has recently said that it's continuing to build units but there are some parts it's having a hard time getting so it might take a bit longer until we are all able to get one. I've also seen some new hacks making it pretty easy to load fan created ROMS on to the system making it much more extensible than we originally thought. That said, we still have to wait and if I had to guess when I'll finally get one it would be this summer. If you are waiting and want to occupy your time, and bookshelf with something fantastic you should look into the book "Playing with Power: Nintendo NES Classics." It's an homage to the 90's era of Nintendo magazines and provides pretty extensive walkthroughs of 17 games like Ice Climber, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda and Mario 3.

It's A Secret To Everybody

I have the cheaper paperback edition I got at Target. When I bought the book I didn't know there were two versions and if I had it to do over again I'd get the hardcover edition. Both versions have distinct cover art and I don't prefer the hardcover editions cover, I just didn't know i'd read the book as much as I did. See, back in the day, I wore down my Nintendo Power issues to the spine. I have a Mario 3 guide that I read so much I had to rebind the spine with packing tape. I still own the book and it's still looking as haggard as ever. So I was really happy to learn that Playing With Power sourced nearly all of it's Mario 3 content directly from the ol' Super Mario Brothers 3 Nintendo Power Guide. It's nice to see them reprinted here and lots of the book contains art and articles from old Nintendo Power guides and articles and the original game manuals.

Playing with Power also contains some really fun technical articles about how the original Nintendo worked and it goes into pretty large detail about it in such a way that I learned quite a bit about the NES and it's game carts. For instance, did you know that to get the upgraded effects of Mario 3 they employed MMC3 to get the stationary menu and smooth dual background scrolling effects? Apparently Nintendo kept upgrading the MMC chips all the way through NES production to keep pushing games further to finally end up at the MMC5 which could address a whopping 8 megs of memory!

Master Using This And You Can Have It

Look, we all have access to the Internet and looking up what to do in The Adventure of Link isn't hard. But, as a collector and someone that enjoys having fun stuff I can say there is something special about reading through a Nintendo guide about awesome games in 2017. If you got an NES Classic and need some help on some of Nintendo titles included with the NES Classic, Playing With Power is something you should look into.

Super Mario Land Is One Of The Strangest Mario Games

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

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

jdodson gives this a "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

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

Recently I went to the Portland Retro Games Expo & Northwest Classic Games Enthusiasts Retro Game Swap Meet. It was a pretty special time as this was the first full fledged video game event I took my son Finley to. He's seven months old and I had him attached to me in a baby carrier the whole time, but i'd like to think he was impressed with all the old retro games and systems. The swap meet was fun and I didn't have as much time as I wanted to due to heading in a bit late because earlier we were at the Portland Women's March. That said, I arrived in the events final hour which was enough time to check out each table and pickup a few games that i've wanted for some time.

I picked up NBA Jam on Sega, Super Mario Land on Gameboy and a box for New Super Mario Land DS to put my game pak inside so I can set it next to the other DS games I own.

Super Mario Land Is a Strange Mario Game

Super Mario Land was one of the launch titles when the Gameboy hit the market in 1989. I remember it fondly because my brother bought a Gameboy and Super Mario Land was one of the first games he had. If you are familiar with Mario games, Super Mario Land is very similar but contains some strange elements that haven't been repeated in modern Mario games. First off the traditional fire Mario super ability is replaced with a super ball variant. Mario shoots the superball and if it doesn't hit an enemy it bounces off walls until it hits an enemy or gives out. This allows you to collect coins in hard to reach areas and occasionally you can bounce a shot to hit a bad guy but most of the time it's just weird. I like that they tried something different and it's possible the super ball power was easier to program back then but I prefer the traditional fire flower power as it's easier to rely on and time the shots of.

Super Mario Land contains the same tight platforming of nearly any Mario game except, at times, I missed certain jumps by falling through a platform. It's rare but since i've never seen it in a Mario game, when I happened I was surprised. Again, I imagine this is due to the early nature of this Gameboy title and it's lack of horsepower even compared to the NES but it's something I noticed.

Super Mario Land keeps up the strangeness in that it also contains auto scrolling levels. You can control Mario in a Submarine and Airplane and beyond the levels being a bit easy they are also pretty fun. Auto-scrollers aren't something you see in a Mario game and having them here is so odd it feels like some kind of extra bonus game.

Even though Super Mario Land contains some gameplay elements not seen in any other Mario game the strangest part of all is the story written in the game manual.

"Once upon a time, there was a peaceful world called Sarasaland. In this world there were 4 kingdoms named Birabuto, Muda, Easton and Chai. One day, the skies of Sarasaland were suddenly covered by a huge black cloud. From a crack in this cloud, the unknown space monster Tatanga emerged to try to conquer Sarasaland. Tatanga hypnotized the people of all the kingdoms so that he could control them in any way he liked. In this way he took over Sarasaland. Now, he wants to marry Princess Daisy of Sarasaland and make her his queen. Mario came to know of these events, and he has started on a journey to the Chai Kingdom where Princess Daisy is held captive, in order to restore peace to Sarasaland. Can Mario defeat Tatanga, release people from his interstellar hypnosis, and rescue Princess Daisy? It's all up to you and Mario's skill. Go for it Mario!"

I picked up the Super Mario Land game manual at this years Portland Retro Game Expo and laughed as I read the games backstory. At the time I did wonder why Bowser and Princess Peach weren't in the game but I figured Mario went on other adventures and maybe this happened while Mario was on vacation? The story seems so arbitrary and whipped up it borders on parody but as someone that loves campy stuff, I also love it.

Super Mario Land is a really unique entry in the Mario-verse and one I don't mind coming back to. I think my most beloved Mario games are some of the strangest and i'd put Super Mario Land up there with Mario 2 as some of the ones I enjoy coming back to reliving over again.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/02/2017 at 04:21pm

I agree with all parts except the auto-scroll. Those levels have been a part of Mario games since the NES. Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World had a few each.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AutoScrollingLevel

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/02/2017 at 04:32pm

Oh right, good point. Maybe I can save ultimate face here and say there have never been RIDING IN SUBMARINES & PLANES AUTO SCROLLING LEVELS. *cough* yeah that's what I meant.

Somehow those levels, even though I played them, never really stood out to me. And yeah, come to think of it they exist in New Super Mario Brothers as well.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/02/2017 at 04:41pm

They stood out to me because they were the ones I always messed up on the most :D

But yeah the addition of subs and planes does make them unique. That game was truly odd.

vdogmr25 wrote on 02/03/2017 at 08:56pm

I played the ever-living crap out of this game. Only beat it once.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/03/2017 at 09:24pm

It's really hard. No save means I really only got so far myself.

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Bethesda Rolling Out Fallout 4 HD Texture Pack Next Week on PC!

https://images.contentful.com/rporu91m20dc/5qj2pLlI9GiscMYy8ucIO6/0a0eb18997ad629cef648e983a30e15a/FO4_PS4Pro_FULL.png

Bethesda is shipping a couple updates to Fallout 4 next week. PC users are getting a 58 gig download option in the form of a HD high resolution texture pack. If this is anything like the Skyrim update, this should offer up an incredible visual upgrade to Fallout 4! Bethesda has released the recommended specs on the HD pack and i'm not sure I know someone that meets the minimum spec GPU wise.

Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit OS required)
Intel Core i7-5820K or better

GTX 1080 8GB

8GB+ Ram

Love to hear how well this texture pack works for you on your current rig so make sure to come back and let us know your specs and how it runs. Bethesda is also dropping an update to Fallout 4 on the PS4 Pro with native 1440p resolution, enhanced draw distance for trees, grass, objects and NPCs and enhanced Godray effects. This is a nice bonus PS4 Pro users might enjoy but I wonder how well this sits for people with the normal ol PS4? I wonder how PC-like consoles will get before the next generation or will we simply just make incremental upgrades to this current generation? As seen with Nintendos handhelds it's not a bad strategy and might turn out well for Sony and Microsoft.

https://bethesda.net/en/article/52I2HyPCAowWG2ye8MKGU2/fallout-4-free-updates-high-resolution-texture-pack-and-ps4-pro-support

Travis Admin wrote on 01/31/2017 at 08:34pm

Hahaha, 58gb and the best computer possible. I'll get right on that! :D

Seriously that's awesome of them for doing this but like you said, this is applicable to only the most elite, at least for now.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/01/2017 at 04:48am

I installed the Skyrim HD texture pack and had to scale down the resolution to run and it seemed... mostly OK even if my specs were way under the line. Hoping we can do that here...

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/07/2017 at 03:35am

And it's out: http://store.steampowered.com/app/540810/

Travis Admin wrote on 02/07/2017 at 04:02am

If I have 60 gigs free at the end of my billing cycle I'll give it a shot.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/09/2017 at 04:17am

So today's the last day of my billing cycle and I had like 200 gigs free somehow.

Amazingly, my computer handles this just fine. The Steam page lists the bullet points you listed up top as the *minimum* requirements, but I don't come near the CPU or GPU listed. It's an AMD of some kind that wasn't killer when I got it 6ish years ago, and a GTX 960 with 2gigs of video memory. Even downtown Boston (I went there first).

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As Frank Ascends To Second Banana Heaven - MST3K Samson VS. The Vampire Women

As the wait for the new season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Netflix continues(i've heard rumors of a March release) I am continuing my journey of watching each original episode in order. I just finished season 6, which to date is my least favorite season. All that said it does contains some great episodes like Code Name: Diamond Head, Kitten with a Whip and High School Big Shot. The season 6 finale is Samson VS The Vampire Women and is the last episode to feature Dr Forresters assistant TV's Frank. Samson VS The Vampire Women is a crazy movie and Frank leaving the show adds a more somber tone to the episode. In the MST3K timeline MST3K The Movie came after season 6 which makes sense considering TV's Frank isn't featured in it(always wondered why it was just Dr. Forrester as the single Mad). I just started season 7 which features Dr. Forresters Mom Pearl who later takes over sole Mad duties after Trace Beaulieu(the actor that plays Dr. Forrester) leaves at the end of Season 7.

I doubt i'll finish watching all 10 seasons of MST3K before season 11 drops but I still want to have finished all the seasons this year, which is a quite a feat considering each episode is an hour and a half long.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 01/29/2017 at 06:26pm

Where are you watching all the seasons?

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/31/2017 at 05:34am

Good question. SO as a long time MSTIE I bought the huge digital DRM free video pack on Vimeo that launched in 2014.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/mst3k

Basically you can buy 83+ episodes for $300 to stream and/or download which comes out to about $3.60 per episode. So I did that, downloaded them all and supplemented the rest through YouTube on their official channel or other channels.

There are 26 full episodes on the official YouTube channel which is an incredible collection of great episodes. If you want a zero dollar legit option to dive in, that's your best option. If you want to own a DVD Shoutfactory has great collections available but I haven't gone that route.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYy4ZargUluf-iyr4vFpe-xaJ46GEDpBI

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 01/31/2017 at 04:38pm

I have some of the DVDs, not many. I am checking out this site: http://www.club-mst3k.com... Looks like they have links to streams, but I don't know how many of the link exist/work. But it is good start.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/31/2017 at 06:35pm

You can search for the episode on YouTube that works for me.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/31/2017 at 06:36pm

Oh, which collections do you have?

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 01/31/2017 at 06:58pm

Volumes 1, 2 & 6...

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/01/2017 at 04:47am

Cool. I'd like a few DVD cases for my shelf. Or find some VHS tapes somewhere. That would be fine too

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 02/01/2017 at 11:38pm

I had some VHS copies back in the day.

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In Space No One Can Hear You Testing - Prey Launches May 5th!

The Prey reboot has received a new trailer that showcases a bit of the story as well as the new release date. Apparently you are in a science space station where they are experimenting on aliens and are also a testing subject/scientist. The tone of the game seems very Bioshock, Portal and Alien-esque with a very clean and polished look that is fairly impressive. I'm intrigued by this game but am still not certain i'll be picking this up at launch. To help entice people to pre-order Arkane Studios is offering special DLC bonuses and if you like cosmetic shotguns(oh my!) then you're going to be very happy. I mean, unless you don't like that sort of thing, then it's not a big deal.

But the new Prey might be and if you're going to get this at launch let me know in the comments. Prey comes to PS4, XBone and PC on May 5th.

jdodson1

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