Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

The Sims 4 Will Be Available for Free on October 18th!

When the original Sims came to PC in 2000 I was hooked. It was such a refreshingly fun game and with each expansion things got even more fun. The Sims has received quite a few sequels over the years, but for whatever reason I never played any of the follow ups to the original. Seems like that might change now that EA is going to release The Sims 4 for free on basically all platforms.

"We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories, and explore without boundaries. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover. Beginning on October 18, 2022, The Sims 4 base game will be... Read All

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 09/25/2022 at 12:43am

That's interesting, I just started playing the game again recently. I played briefly, long enough to create my blue self and play a bit. Are you going to be diving in? You can check out this screenshot I grabbed for you: https://imgur.com/WPhJRrN

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/27/2022 at 04:21am

🤣 Love that shot, thanks. Yeah I do plan to play. Might get it on XBox first. Hopefully I can sync with PC or something?

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 09/27/2022 at 04:48am

Surely it'll be connected. If you're interested in some game play, check out quill18's playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs3acGYgI1-tqsWEfvCdajwxHcGW5uCAk

Travis Admin wrote on 09/27/2022 at 01:30pm

I didn’t know you could blue yourself that much 😂

I played the first sims a bunch but barely touched the second and haven’t tried any since. It’s a no brainer to make the base game free to get everyone interested in the expansions!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 09/27/2022 at 02:55pm

Yeah, I then imagined having blue skin IRL.
🎶"Da ba dee da ba di
Da ba dee da ba di"🎶

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The Legendary Classic GoldenEye 007 Is Coming Back!

When GoldenEye 007 came to Nintedo 64 it was, for many, the first multiplayer shooter experience they had. It was also a great game for the time and I have many fond memories of multiplayer parties at friends houses (no one was allowed to pick Oddjob). Well, Microsoft is giving GoldenEye 007 the re-release treatment and bringing it to XBox and Switch.

"Since its original release in 1997, GoldenEye 007 has remained a beloved classic in the hearts and minds of millions of fans worldwide. Today, we’re excited to announce that a new generation of players will soon get to experience the genre-defining stealth shooter gameplay for themselves, faithfully recreated to preserve... Read All

Gotham Knights Coming 10/21/22

I recently watched a “Before You Buy” video by GamingBolt for Gotham Knights (embedded). I’ve shared other videos of this series, so it’s definitely a channel I strongly recommend. The video is great, because it goes into some non-spoilery details about the plot and game play. If you enjoyed the Batman Arkham games, you’ll probably enjoy this, too (as I expect to).

I’ve known about Goth Knights for a while now. It’s coming to consoles and PC on 10/21/22. There’s also a Suicide Squad game coming out that looks quite similar. I’m looking forward to both of these games and will probably write something later for the Suicide Squad one.

The premise is that Batman and... Read All

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 10/22/2022 at 10:09am

I just found an awesome video by GamingBolt about Gotham Knight's performance and visual fidelity on PC: https://youtu.be/g6H4zjURQ_k

I'm really excited about this game, but I still have games to finish. This game will be best for my new PC build ("Azura Azula"), which you can see here: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/V83Fxs It's a bit of a work in progress I hope to complete in a few months or so. There are details that could change, but I think that's essentially what I'm looking into building (one for me and one for Vinny).

My current build that I built 3 years ago (remember "Azure Azule?") can be seen here: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/V83Fxs I started off w/ an EVGA 1660 Ti XC Gaming 6G (https://www.evga.com/products/Specs/GPU.aspx?pn=97cb4b02-fe8d-48b2-bddf-7241a213849a) Last month, I replaced it with an EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 12GB XC GAMING (https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=12G-P4-2263-KR) I'm extremely impressed with this upgrade, but I still want a 3070 (I think). It's hard to believe it runs on air and is as cool in gaming as my AIO-cooled CPU (https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Liquid-Cooling/Single-Radiator-Liquid-Coolers/Hydro-Series%E2%84%A2-H80i-v2-High-Performance-Liquid-CPU-Cooler/p/CW-9060024-WW). This is the coolest running card I've had in probably decades.

I'm working on a new build because my i7-8700 (not-K) isn't compatible w/ Windows 11 and I want it to get some kind of understanding of how this HDR tech on my monitor and GPU is supposed to look or do. It's my understanding that it has a great auto-HDR feature, while the implementation in Windows 10 is horrible. I'm still learning about HDR and don't understand it well enough, but I suspect Windows 11 will open my eyes.

Vinny wants a gaming PC, too, so I want to use this same build for his. His budget may be bigger, so it's more likely he'll get an RTX 30-series. I can wait. What's great is that this build will only cost me about $800. Vinny needs a monitor, though. I bought a MSI OPTIX MAG274QRF (https://www.msi.com/Monitor/Optix-MAG274QRF-QD) in December, but MSI upgraded it to a QD for an RMA. Now I'm waiting on another RMA for it.

Let me know what you think about the game and PC building. Do you build your own? Why or why not? How do you get your PCs? How much is in your PC budget? Have you played PC Building Simulator? Are you aware that PC Building Simulator 2 is out now?

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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Arrives 12/13/22

“Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion will bring the PSP adventure to Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on December 13.” (Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crisis-core-final-fantasy-7-reunion-confirmed-for-december-13-launch/1100-6507433/)

I got really obsessed with Final Fantasy when I went to college 22 years ago. While FF8 is my favorite, FF7 seems to be the fan favorite with good reason. It’s continued to receive a lot of attention long after it’s original release on the PlayStation (that’s PS1).

I haven’t played FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE, yet, but it seems to be popular. However, I’ve enjoyed many of... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 09/16/2022 at 02:51pm

Crisis Core was one hell of a game, it sorta sparked my interest in the whole FF7 extended universe, I’d only played the original at that point. I am looking forward to this for sure.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/16/2022 at 07:20pm

I think Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII was my first into the FF7 EU, but I've only played it once and don't remember it very well other than I liked it. I was more into this one. I also got Dissidia, are you aware of that FF game? It was another of my PSP faves and I think it got a sequel.

I found my PSPs w/ bloated batteries. I'm not sure where their chargers are, but I found a cool pack on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Replacement-Sony-PSP-Compatible-Accessories/dp/B07T7K7WFK/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=psp+battery+and+charger&qid=1663355970&sprefix=%2Caps%2C40&sr=8-4 Oh now I see there's a 3004 model, I have the 2001 and 3001.

Travis Admin wrote on 09/17/2022 at 05:05pm

I need to check if our PSPs have spicy pillow batteries. And yeah there have been a few Dissidia games but I played the first a bit and didn’t really get into it.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/17/2022 at 07:06pm

I really got into it, but not so much w/ the 2nd. I stopped pay attention then.

I just found this cool article about the different PSP models. I was really excited for the 3001 when I got it. https://www.lifewire.com/psp-model-comparison-2792693

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 11/16/2022 at 03:41am

I am so very excited about this! Here's a Before You Buy you should watch: https://youtu.be/3hqleMzB9OE

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Marvel Strike Force Getting Hulked Out

Because of this year’s D23 expo (https://d23.com/), I found out about Marvel Strike Force. An announcement was made that, “the free-to-play turn-based mobile game, is getting an influx of Hulk content very soon.”

The game is currently out and installed on my phone, but I haven’t tried it yet and I know pretty much nothing about it. I’ve never owned an expensive cellphone and I hate them anyway. I haven’t played many cellphone games in part because mine haven’t been compatible with many things. I was a “mobile” gamer long before cellphones had gaming functionality. My Gameboy was my first Nintendo product and remained my primary gaming device for a long time. I... Read All

Marvel Snap Coming to PC and mobile 10/18/22

At this year’s D23 expo (https://d23.com/), a new game called Marvel Snap was announced for PC and mobile. You can pre-register on the website (https://www.marvelsnap.com/pre-register) or within the Apple store and Google Play. It’s coming to PC, too, but I wasn’t able to find a link for it, so I visited Google Play on my phone.

Marvel Snap is the debut from Second Dinner, which is an indie studio composed of Blizzard veterans who worked on Hearthstone. It doesn’t sound like a Marvel variant (keyword there if you’re following the MCU). It’s hard to describe what I’ve just read and I think the best thing to do is to point you towards the links below to read for... Read All At this year’s D23 expo (https://d23.com/), a new game called Marvel Snap was announced for PC and mobile. You can pre-register on the website (https://www.marvelsnap.com/pre-register) or within the Apple store and Google Play. It’s coming to PC, too, but I wasn’t able to find a link for it, so I visited Google Play on my phone.

Marvel Snap is the debut from Second Dinner, which is an indie studio composed of Blizzard veterans who worked on Hearthstone. It doesn’t sound like a Marvel variant (keyword there if you’re following the MCU). It’s hard to describe what I’ve just read and I think the best thing to do is to point you towards the links below to read for yourself. You’ll probably understand it better than I do.

I got into CCGs w/ Magic the Gathering and the Star Trek: Next Generation CCG. I still have cards from both. My son has a nice collection from the Pokemon CCG. My problem with Hearthstone is simply that I do not enjoy PVP. I’d rather play against an AI. I did enjoy it to a point and I do believe it’s a good and popular game, but there was little for a single lone player to do when I played, so I stopped.

I’ve never had a great phone nor have I had a ridiculously expensive iPhone nor have I had the interest in them. So, I’ve never really gotten into mobile gaming when it applies to cell phones. I hate cellphones, most especially due to stupid touch screens. I’m only glad now that there’s a Windows Phone Link app that lets me use my PC to text and call. Texting is far superior with a full keyboard to type on!

I’m Marvel-ously obsessed (Dad joke, check!), so I’ll probably at least check this out for a bit. Let me know what you think about this and if it’s something you’re interested in.

Sources:

Announcement: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marvel-snap-releasing-on-pc-and-mobile-october-18/1100-6507228/

In-depth interview with Ben Brode: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-marvel-snap-puts-a-new-spin-on-the-card-game-formula/1100-6503598/

Blockchain Gaming!

This weekend, I played a handful of blockchain games from Levana Protocol (https://twitter.com/Levana_protocol)

Salim's Adventure is an 8-bit side scroller that took a few hours for me to get the hang of (some of the hit detection isn't perfect, so I kept running into some spikes lol). It's a fun Mario-type game where you can jump on enemies, avoid spikes, and at the end defeat a dragon ghost. If you're into side scrollers, I recommend checking it out :)

Alchemy is an ingredient combining game. To master "future space science," you need to combine ingredients to find new ingredients and keep combining them until you've mastered it all.

Arach Attack is a puzzle game,... Read All

Everything New in Terraria 1.4.4!

Greetings Terrarians! Terraria's State of the Game for August is up and it brings some great new about the "Labor of Love" update. First, what is it? Well, this came about when a few years ago Terraria won the "Labor of Love" award on Steam. This was a category in one of the "Game of the Year" polls they do. The "Labor of Love" category was for games that have been out for a while, but continue to receive new content. So, it was decided to give an update to version 1.4.4.

I know, right, we thought we saw the last content update for Terraria that gave us Journey mode. But we're always delightfully surprised (except with the cancellation of Terraria: Otherworld). So, ... Read All

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/26/2022 at 08:26pm

Wow. Love that they keep updating this game. I bought it on sale for a few bucks and it’s been updated so much since then. ❤️

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 08/26/2022 at 08:30pm

Yeah! Cheerful Ghost introduced me to it and I've been in love w/ it! I'm loving the new stuff and can't wait to experience it! 💙

Travis Admin wrote on 08/28/2022 at 02:14pm

Kinda wondering if they’ll come back with a 1.5 later too. It seems like they truly love it as much as we do, and don’t want to leave it.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 08/28/2022 at 02:42pm

>Kinda wondering if they’ll come back with a 1.5 later too. It seems like they truly love it as much as we do, and don’t want to leave it.

I doubt it probably just because we thought that they last major update (Journey Mode) would be the last. But, clearly it isn't. Is LoL the last? LOL!? I dunno, maybe no one knows (certainly Redigit know more than anyone). From what I've read or heard it seems like they've pretty much reached the limits of the engine. I think Terraria 2 would be the next step. This is all speculation of course and it's really a good idea to explore. I'm sure there are still lots of suggested/requested content, adding content that fans suggest/request is something they've done very well, though. What do you all think?

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this update. Speculating again, but I'm going to make a prediction and say that we'll get this update next month or Oct., Nov. at the latest. I'm sure we'll have it before the year ends.

jdodson Admin wrote on 08/30/2022 at 03:52pm

>

Kinda wondering if they’ll come back with a 1.5 later too. It seems like they truly love it as much as we do, and don’t want to leave it.

I mean... yeah? I hope so.

I wonder if we'll ever get a Terraria 2 knowing that we basically got one already with the updates? I think they could do a better Starbound (personally).

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/18/2022 at 07:25pm

There's a new link in Steam I recommend you check out. Three spoiler videos are scheduled. The first is out now, while the other two will arrive on 9/20, and 9/22.

New spoiler, the "Rubblemaker:" https://youtu.be/wbw3aMNibuE

Travis Admin wrote on 09/19/2022 at 01:26pm

Ok well, I am in love with the Rubblemaker!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/19/2022 at 10:59pm

Are you following up with the graphic novels? I want to wait until they're all released and then decide which edition to get. I want the all-in-one. Here's a link to the announcement for the first, but the 2nd is available now. https://forums.terraria.org/index.php?threads/terraria-graphic-novel-book-one-issue-one-orders-now-open.114075/

Travis Admin wrote on 09/20/2022 at 04:38pm

Nah, one of the great things about terraria is it’s lack of story, I’m not super interested in the graphic novels.

Travis Admin wrote on 09/20/2022 at 04:40pm

That said. The stuff that comes with the higher editions looks great

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/28/2022 at 06:00pm

The update is here and I feel like I need to watch a video covering what's included, because I'm overwhelmed with what I read. Here's the changelog: https://forums.terraria.org/index.php?threads/terraria-labor-of-love-is-out-now.114357/

Travis Admin wrote on 09/29/2022 at 01:59pm

It’s a hell of a changelog. The new liquid that I won’t spoil for anyone who wants to go in with a surprise is incredibly interesting

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/29/2022 at 07:30pm

Are you talking about a paint/coating? I saw a video about it.

I haven't played since our last server and it was funny that I had to remember how to play again.

Travis Admin wrote on 10/01/2022 at 11:30pm

No it’s a new liquid like water, lava, and honey

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 10/02/2022 at 12:35am

Yeah I saw Chippy Gaming mention it's a spoiler, so I stopped watching his video. I haven't discovered it yet.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 11/24/2022 at 04:10am

Chippy Gaming has a great video giving a good overview of all the hotfixes this update has gotten. I recommend checking it out here: https://youtu.be/wwpOBogqV54

I haven't discovered Shimmer in my own game and don't know how. I haven't let myself become "spoiled" about it yet, waiting to discover it own. I've created multiple worlds and characters and have only once finished a Hell bridge before restarting.

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BEAM ME UP For The Original Star Trek Films in 4K

Physical media is on a downward slope to oblivion because streaming is good enough for nearly everyone. I'm not lamenting this, I'm just noting it because I love collecting some kinds of physical media (games, films, music) and when I write about it I'm always thinking about how this pastime is for Dinosaurs and folks that love wasting money. Or at least that's what I think sometimes even though I love it. People say you can't take anything with you when you die and pass into the next whatever life but some cultures believed you could. I imagine it's possible to stack up a pile of Blu-ray and Limited Run Games and take them with you to Valhalla or wherever. Or at... Read All

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/24/2022 at 06:36pm

When you get to Valhalla, will you tell Mighty Thor I love her, please? LOL I won't be anywhere though.

I understand your physical media desire. I love digital access, but how long are we going to have access to that content? Steam leaving would cut me off from LOTS of money I've spent on games. Epic Games leaving would cut me off of the free games I've gotten, some of which I already own on Steam, so they could be a bit of a backup.

Also, I kind of hate buying a Blu-Ray, for instance, because once I watch a movie, I don't usually want to again until years later. I don't even want the Jurassic World: Dominion Blu-Ray. Yes I love everything JP/JW, but I don't want another Blu-Ray that's going to collect dust for years, like the JP/JW collection I have (all-in-one).

One great thing about physical media, though, is it gives you something to pass on to your kids (if you have any). I've decided EVERYTHING I own goes to my son when I die. He's my only and only intended, so no competition. If my mom is still alive, though, everything I got from my grandmother's when she died will go to her instead (like my grandfather's ring and old radio).

I love streaming, though. It gives me quick and easy access. Then I sit at my PC and watch it, this is my comfort zone. I only turned on my TV recently because I needed it to help me troubleshoot "no signal" from my new GPU. I got that TV between 2006-2009. It's a 50' plasma. I don't use it anymore, just glad I had it for troubleshooting when I needed it (and it helped!). I guess that also can be evidence for me being a PC snob. LOL

Wow, Star Trek in 4K! I can't do 4K, but I can do half and I strongly believe that extra resolution makes the picture really crisp and gorgeous! I don't have a special audio system, I don't notice it's quality unless I'm in the movie theater. The first high-res HDR movie I watched was Ghostbusters: Afterlife and I was so impressed with how gorgeous it was! I got to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that way, too (after I saw it in theater).

I binged all of ST years ago. I'm all caught up, too, except for Lower Deck (not sure I'm interested). I think that's all I've missed out on. I love all of it! TNG was what got me into it.

Thanks for sharing this! That makes me want to watch those movies again! (I love V-ger!)

jaelte wrote on 08/24/2022 at 07:10pm

Ah, I see you purchased one of them new-fangled "Blue Ray" devices. I've never owned one. I'm still holding on to these old DVDs. And probably VHS or two if I look hard enough. ;-)

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/24/2022 at 07:52pm

🤣

I’ve got Star Trek on VHS and DVD. I used to ditch old formats when I upgraded. Now I just keep all the old stuff.

Help. I have a problem. 😅

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 08/24/2022 at 07:53pm

“ Also, I kind of hate buying a Blu-Ray, for instance, because once I watch a movie, I don't usually want to again until years later.”

I buy on a few criteria. What stuff do I always want to watch or play no matter what (I mean, as long as I have electricity). What stuff will I watch again? Ok if it’s years in the future. (This one is less a thing, but partly a thing) what stuff might I lend to a friend?

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 08/24/2022 at 08:54pm

>I buy on a few criteria. What stuff do I always want to watch or play no matter what (I mean, as long as I have electricity). What stuff will I watch again? Ok if it’s years in the future. (This one is less a thing, but partly a thing) what stuff might I lend to a friend?

I think that's a good way of thinking about it, Jon.

Travis Admin wrote on 08/25/2022 at 04:55pm

Yeah I buy based on “will I want to watch this multiple times” and especially “do I want to see the special features” because those rarely come to streaming services.

Travis Admin wrote on 08/25/2022 at 04:56pm

And this is a collection I think I’ll get. I have the blu ray set but that’s nowhere near enough pixels 😂

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Genesis Mini 2

We live in an incredible time where fantastic new games are coming out at a frantic pace and on top of that we are getting many remakes and modern ports of classic games. Nintendo smashed the scene a handful of years back with the Nintendo and Super Nintendo Classic and Sega wasn't too far behind with the Genesis mini. Apparently that wasn't good enough because they are back with 50+ games packing the Genesis Mini 2 featuring a handful of Sega CD games such as Night Trap, Sewer Shark and Sonic CD! I never had a Sega when I was younger so this coupled with the original Genesis Mini should tide us all over...

Until they release the Genesis Mini 3 that is.

Let me know if... Read All