Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Super Mario's Hidden Language by Game/Show

I love this show, and the new episode is one of my favorites. Using basic sentence structure, this video describes how complex a game about jumping can be, and how more emergent gameplay can happen when multiple things can happen with a single verb.

Taking the powerups out of the equation, everything Mario does is running and jumping, and the sheer amount of effects that come from jumping is amazing, even in the original Super Mario Bros.

"34.7% More Hype" Right Here for Minecraft 1.9 The Combat Update

http://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/scale_super/1179/11799911/3008741-minecraft.jpg

Well, it's been over a year and Mojang is almost ready to release Minecraft version 1.9. I can't recall exactly when I was aware of this new version, but I know it's been quite a while now. As far as my own personal knowledge, this is called the "Combat Update" in which we will be able to dual-wield things such as holding a torch and a sword, maybe a shield? I also know that arrows are getting the various buffs or debufffs, so if you want to heal yourself, you can make healing arrows, shoot them straight into the sky to have them hit you, and then you'll have that buff.

Recently, I found out that the latest update is finally ispre-release and is expected to be fully... Read All Well, it's been over a year and Mojang is almost ready to release Minecraft version 1.9. I can't recall exactly when I was aware of this new version, but I know it's been quite a while now. As far as my own personal knowledge, this is called the "Combat Update" in which we will be able to dual-wield things such as holding a torch and a sword, maybe a shield? I also know that arrows are getting the various buffs or debufffs, so if you want to heal yourself, you can make healing arrows, shoot them straight into the sky to have them hit you, and then you'll have that buff.

Recently, I found out that the latest update is finally ispre-release and is expected to be fully released next week (2/25). Not much of what I've learned about this new release really makes me want to jump into the game again, but it also seems as the The End is getting a new area with new things, so I think that will be cool to check out.

I've recently decided to rewatch the Minecraft tutorial "Survive and Thrive" videos by Paul Soares, Jr. I watched all of his pre-1.8 videos before I played the game. It did take a while for me to become aware of the game. Initially, my son, Vinny, was really interested in it and I even had a copy for him to play on my computer, but I hadn't played it. Once I watched Paul's videos, I decided to jump in and it's hard to describe how it made me feel. I really enjoyed it, perhaps much more than I expected. I love the music, it seems so relaxing. I also enjoyed the open world exploration, mining, and crafting parts of it along with taming animals. So, since then, I've definitely fallen in love with the game and enjoyed it. It's even become something I've looked for in other games. I have, however, not done everything in the game. Re-watching Paul's videos reminds me of the things I've missed out on like the beacon and Wither boss.

So, I'm curious what my fellow Ghosts think about this new update. Are you excited about it or are you done with the game? Are you going to jump back into the game? After I told my son, Vinny, about the new release expected to come out next week, he's been pretty excited. He asked me how I feel about it and I honestly told him that I do want to play it again when the new version is released. He wants to play together again, on a server, which I've done for us before and I may do again. One of the cool things about the game is that it bridges so many generational gaps and allows people of all ages to play together and have fun. From my experience, it's definitely been something I've enjoyed doing together with my son.

Other versions of the game are expected to receive an update, too. I'll include links to those details below. I do have the Windows 10 and Kindle Fire versions of the game, but I've come to the conclusion that, so far, the regular PC version (for me at least) is the best. I expect other versions (like the Windows 10 beta) to grow and contain everything that's included in the main version of the game, but it's disappointing to play them now knowing that some things are missing.

I'm really hoping to jump in once the new version is released and I'll be more than happy to report my experience with it here at Cheerful Ghost. :)

1.9 patch notes news: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/latest-minecraft-patch-notes-include-bug-fixes-and/1100-6434894/
"Overworld" update for Windows 10 and other versions: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/minecraft-overworld-update-introduces-new-skins-re/1100-6434924/
Paul Soares, Jr.'s Minecraft "Survie and Thrive" tutorials: https://youtu.be/B36Ehzf2cxE?list=PL7326EF82122776A9

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/20/2016 at 05:24pm

Interested in dual wielding for sure. That said, not much in that Gamespot article is mentioned for content for the patch.

The full list looks to be coming next week. Oh and yes, please post your review of 1.9!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 03/01/2016 at 02:29pm

So, I spent some time playing with the new update and thought I'd share my initial reaction. It seems a lot has been added, so you can look at the link below for more info. I did watch a video, which covered many of the new changes. Right away, the most notable change is the combat system (hence the name "Combat Update"), although this entails more than I was expecting.

Dual-wielding is as I described in this post, which is actually helpful. If you're walking around with a sword in your main hand and a torch in your "off-hand" slot, then you can right-click to place a torch without having to switch between the sword and torch individually. You can put items in that off-hand slot by clicking on them in your inventory and pressing the “F” key. Of course, the main item you probably want there is the newly added shield.

I think I read in another article or perhaps heard in the video I watched that blocking with a sword is no longer an option, which pretty much makes sense. I think it's pretty cool, especially since a skeleton can shoot you from a distance while you run up to it to hit it with your sword. This is especially good early in the game when you don't have a bow yet. Shields can also apparently be decorated with banners.

"Attacking now has a 'cool-down' delay, making it more important to time your attacks." This basically means that if you spam the attack button (left mouse button), your attacks will do less damage. So, it's better to wait between each attack. I think this also gives you time to use your shield while waiting for that “cool-down” period.

I also noticed that the sword has a new swing mechanic or animation and hearts appear on enemies when they take damage. I'm assuming this shows how much damage they've taken. Another thing I noticed is that some of the sounds are different. I'm not sure if squids had a sound before, but they definitely do now.

They have also made additions to the End. Apparently, there are new islands you can visit, but I think you get there after defeating the Ender Dragon. They've changed that battle a bit, too, as it now attacks differently and can be re-summoned. There is apparently something else in this new area that lets you fly, which seems pretty cool.

https://mojang.com/2016/02/minecraft-19-combat-update/

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/02/2016 at 12:18am

I think a separate post outlining what is in the update might be good so others can see it.

Thanks for the update Greg!

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What Would Hearthstone Look Like As A Retro Game?

I really enjoyed watching this Hearthstone de-make video. As per-usual the playing Priest got a terrible start, which is ... you know.. how it goes in Hearthstone.

New Doom Campaign Will Last About 13+ Hours & More

https://bethesda.net/data/images/event/78/DOOM_Cacodemon_Plus_730x411.jpg

Twitter user Unreal389 asked the official Doom twitter handle about how much time the new Doom single player mission would take to complete. Since I can't stop cramming my brain with new Doom news, the tweet is below.

"@Unreal389 The difficulty level plays a factor, but folks playing at the office average 13+ hours in the campaign"

https://twitter.com/DOOM/status/697883390821982208

13+ hours seems like a reasonable amount of time for the single player campaign. I plan on spending as much or more time building levels in Snapmap and i'll also give multiplayer a try.

Bethesda has been keeping the new Doom hype train going and recently dropped more information about the... Read All Twitter user Unreal389 asked the official Doom twitter handle about how much time the new Doom single player mission would take to complete. Since I can't stop cramming my brain with new Doom news, the tweet is below.

"@Unreal389 The difficulty level plays a factor, but folks playing at the office average 13+ hours in the campaign"

https://twitter.com/DOOM/status/697883390821982208

13+ hours seems like a reasonable amount of time for the single player campaign. I plan on spending as much or more time building levels in Snapmap and i'll also give multiplayer a try.

Bethesda has been keeping the new Doom hype train going and recently dropped more information about the single player campaign.

"This is where the show really begins. Martin seems to be everywhere at once. He mantles to an upper deck and hits one demon with some plasma fire. He drops to a lower level and uses his modded Rocket Launcher to detonate some heavy ordnance behind a heaving Hell Knight. Out comes the Chaingun for some rapid peppering of multiple enemies. He staggers one demon, then another, then rushes forward to Glory Kill the first and immediately dispatches the second with an explosive burst from his modded Combat Shotgun. And, as he earlier promised to show us, he’s flick-switching – id’s in-house term for the instinctual and nearly instantaneous swapping of weapons that players can pull off once they learn their way around the weapon wheel. A quick tap, a quick flick… and the weapon wheel never even appears. “It makes you feel super slick when you’re doing it,” Martin smiles. “You’re just flick-switching between weapons and you’re like…” Martin pauses to make some rapid-fire pew-pew-pew sound effects. We get the point.

But Martin isn’t just showboating for us. He’s also demonstrating something we haven’t yet seen in action: the player progression system. While id wasn’t ready to reveal the mechanics behind this system, they wanted to give us a taste of how players can customize their abilities to fit their play style."

https://bethesda.net/#en/events/game/inside-dooms-brutally-fast-single-player-campaign/2016/02/17/78

New Doom will drop May 13th on PC, XBox One and Playstation 4. Let me know in the comments which platform you plan on playing it on.

Miitomo Pre-Registration Now Open

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/h5tdMbfwRh8/maxresdefault.jpg

Miitomo is Nintendos upcoming Android and iOS app that aims to bring Miis to your phone. Miitomo is a social network of sorts that lets you build your Mii much like with the Wii or Wii U and then connect with your friends. Miitomo is a freemium app that, if you want, can spend in game money to customize your Mii. From there you can collect your Mii friends and pose them for special Miifotos you can share on social media like.. Cheerful Ghost. Nintendo has been hyping this for awhile now and today just allowed pre registrations.

You can sign up below and you don't need to own any Nintendo hardware to join in the fun. I hope this ushers in a new era where Nintendo... Read All

Dubb wrote on 02/18/2016 at 05:22am

Nice!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 02/18/2016 at 07:24pm

Meh.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/19/2016 at 12:38am

I really enjoyed making Miis on my original Wii so I hope this is just as fun. Plus I don't mind yet another way to communicate with friends as long as it's kind of fun.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 02/19/2016 at 03:16pm

I've preregistered, but I don't know exactly how I'll use it

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/19/2016 at 04:35pm

HA! I think I am in a similar spot. Hoping it's like the Wii or Wii U but everyone can use it. It might not be that, but I can always delete it if that's the case

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StarCraft 2 & Hearthstone At The Same Time.

YouTuber Crank recently played a match of StarCraft II and Hearthstone ... at the same time. Since Hearthstone is a turn based game this doesn't seem impossible.

I wonder what other two online games you could play at the same time?

Guns Are For Wusses! That And More Wisdom From This 20 Year Old Doom Comic.

https://www.doomworld.com/10years/doomcomic/page00.jpg

Back in the 90's the Doom craze was real. Doom mania didn't quite hit Nintendo level highs as there wasn't a Doom cereal or cartoon. That said, iD Software did fun things with the brand and one amazing creation from that era was a Doom comic book, the a story of a psychotic marine that absolutely loves killing Demons with his fists. This guy has such a crazy obsession with carnage the story hugs the bizarre but contains a special glow that only the 90's could produce.

Want some dialog for posterity sake? I am sure you do.

"I'm cookin' with gas! I've gotta handful of vertebrae and a headful of mad! Yeah, that's your spinal cord baby! Dig it! Who's the man? I'm the man!... Read All

Helpful and interesting info for your Fallout 4 playthrough

Bethesda's newest behemoth of a game, Fallout 4, has captured many hours of my time, and I've collected a lot of useful tips and tricks along the way. Here are some things to help you out in your journey if you've yet to jump in, or if you want to replay it before the incoming DLC.

I'm not sure if this is my kind of game. Should I play it at all?
If you want to know what I think of the game, hit up my review: http://cheerfulghost.com/Travis/posts/2738/fallout-4-review-of-the-first-156-hours
But that's not all, it's so good someone sued Bethesda for making such a good game: ... Read All

Fallout 4's first three add-ons announced

Bethesda has released some details on the first three DLC that will be released for Fallout 4. The first two are minor additions similar to the Hearthfire add-on for Skyrim, but luckily not as minor as horse armor.

Automatron: March, $10
The Mechanist (who you may remember from a hilarious Fallout 3 sidequest) has unleashed a horde of robots on the Commonwealth, and it's up to you to stop him. In addition, you can harvest their parts to make your own handy robot companions, with hundreds of options to choose from!

Wasteland Workshop: April, $5
In addition to adding new options to settlement building, this add-on lets you capture creatures from the wasteland, and tame them... Read All

Timogorgon Member wrote on 02/16/2016 at 07:21pm

FYI: If you get it through greenman gaming you can get 20% off using this code: FEBURY-SVINGS-20PERC
http://www.greenmangaming.com/

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/17/2016 at 03:50am

Since we don't know what extra DLC they are adding it's hard to say how great this is going to be and based on past Fallout DLC I am not so disposed to think this will be better than the main game stuff. That said, from what they've talked about so far this seems like a solid dose of "more of what people want." More building stuff? Check. More missions featuring robots? Check. Wasteland Pokemon simulator? Check. Huge new campaign in a totally new area? Check. All that seems like a solid $30 value but the Fo3 DLC was hit or miss for me so I have some reservations.

The part that's harder to gauge is the extra content. They say it's a solid $60 and I trust that intention so I am really curious what it's going to be. Simply based on what we know now the $30 is a good value and just one more DLC would still make it a good deal.

Anyways, I wasn't planning on getting it but with the Greenman deal plus the price jumping to $60 later I pulled the trigger.

So... very... weak.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 02/17/2016 at 04:12am

I haven't been disappointed with any Bethesda DLC (not counting horse armor). Some has been better than others, but they've all been solid (except horse armor).

jdodson Admin wrote on 02/17/2016 at 04:16am

Horse armor? That sounds fun. How could horse armor be bad?

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 02/17/2016 at 07:27pm

You know, horse armor gets shit on a lot, but it was a good addition to the game. It just shouldn't have been as expensive as it was on launch, that was the problem.

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Revisiting The First Person Shooter Classic Halo Combat Evolved

Halo was the game that launched the XBox console into a gaming powerhouse. Bungies first person shooter is a classic and deserves a place in the halls of some of the best games of all time. Coming out originally on the XBox and more recently with the Halo Master Chief Collection on XBox One, Halo is still a fun game modern audiences will like. But what if you want to come back and play Halo today and don't have an original XBox or want to get an XBox One? In 2003 Bungie teamed up with Gearbox to launch Halo on PC and this version is completely playable and if you want to relive this classic sans an XBox, this version is where it's at.

I picked up Halo Combat Evolved on... Read All Halo was the game that launched the XBox console into a gaming powerhouse. Bungies first person shooter is a classic and deserves a place in the halls of some of the best games of all time. Coming out originally on the XBox and more recently with the Halo Master Chief Collection on XBox One, Halo is still a fun game modern audiences will like. But what if you want to come back and play Halo today and don't have an original XBox or want to get an XBox One? In 2003 Bungie teamed up with Gearbox to launch Halo on PC and this version is completely playable and if you want to relive this classic sans an XBox, this version is where it's at.

I picked up Halo Combat Evolved on PC recently at Fry's Electronics for $20 and it came with a CD install disc, box, key and game manual. The installation was painless as you simply enter the key and the game installs quickly. The game comes all on one CD so it's not quite as long as Fallout 4 that has a hybrid DVD/Internet install process. After the game installs I recommend you install the latest Halo PC patch from 2014.

https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/64943622/0/0/0/0

The 1.0.10 patch bumps the game version, strips out the CD play requirement, removes GameSpy and modernizes the game for Windows 7. After the game updated I maxed the video settings and reconfigured the default controls to something resembling a more modern shooter.

The games online multiplayer is still intact as I was able to browse Internet games and join a few. I wasn't the worst person playing which was odd as I expected the game to be rife with hackers and aimbots. The multiplayer felt just like I remember it and it's nice to see a few hundred people still having fun with it.

I never fully completed the original Halo as I really never owned it and only played it with friends a bit at a time. I've always liked the chill nature of the Halo story and the lush world is enjoyable to be in. The graphics are a bit dated now but after you are in the core gameplay itself is strong enough to keep you going. My only complaint about gameplay is that it's a bit one note. Go here, kill bad guys, go there and kill bad guys. The shooting is fun but so far into the game it's somewhat repetitive. The game only lets you save with checkpoints meaning that if you have only a few minutes to play here and there and you don't fully make it to a checkpoint you lose progress. This isn't a huge deal, but something I noticed as I stepped away a couple times.

There have been rumors flying for years that Microsoft would port Halo 3 and the like to modern PC's and bring the whole collection to Steam but so far this hasn't materialized. If you want to come back to Halo I'd suggest nabbing the box copies and playing those. Currently you can play Halo and Halo 2 on PC and whereas i'd love a modern port to Steam so far this is our best option to play outside the XBox ecosystem.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/16/2016 at 04:22pm

Another of the big features of Halo, that made it so fun, was the adaptive AI. You actually felt like you were playing against sentient creatures, taking cover from your fire, and trying to maneuver to better attack positions. The tension was palpable, and the details and fluidity of the environments (sounds and visuals) made for a beautiful, excitingly immersive experience. Seeing the arc of the mysterious Halo in the distance right from the beginning, and realizing that was what you were traversing on, gave you pause to just sit and imagine what was going on. Where some games are busy with forward progression and unnecessary clutter, Halo allowed for an appreciation of the environment. The vagueness of the story stirred the imagination, and was never over-sold to be more than it was ever really going to be.

Microsoft was smart to scoop Bungie up when they did. It's likely that Halo would have drifted into obscurity if it maintained it's initial path as a Mac exclusive. With the current struggles that they are facing with the XBone console, I'm sure you'll see more of those, and more importantly newer games, make the transition to the Windows 10 environment, a la Quantum Break.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/16/2016 at 05:45pm

Wow, I'm impressed that there was a patch released in 2014. That's a long support cycle.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 02/17/2016 at 03:54am

> Another of the big features of Halo, that made it so fun, was the adaptive AI.

Yeah, you know they did a good job with this and even now the AI is pretty solid. I think the sounds they make and such heightens this more too and each bad guy type has it's own style and part in the caste system which adds to immersion. They never even talk about that it's just obvious from watching them act in the world.

> The vagueness of the story stirred the imagination, and was never over-sold to be more than it was ever really going to be.

This is a strength of Halo. Just enough to be good, not as much to be mysterious. They kind of wanted to do this later with Destiny and they didn't seem to pull it off as well.

That said, Halo is a fairly simple game and I think they were going for the same thing with Destiny. Both seem like games stripped down to those essential mechanics it's just that so many years later, maybe Destiny needed to be more?

> Microsoft was smart to scoop Bungie up when they did. It's likely that Halo would have drifted into obscurity if it maintained it's initial path as a Mac exclusive.

Yeah, would have been sad to be a Mac only game. That said, it seems to be tied exclusively to the XBox which honestly I consider sad for nearly the same reason. That said, Halo reaches a wider audience but just doesn't intersect with me much these days.

Do you think we may see a modern Halo running on PC anytime soon?

Travis Admin wrote on 02/17/2016 at 04:14am

MS has been making a push for PC lately, so it's possible. I'm not sure how inclined they are to jump into Halo without Bungie, they may wait a bit, but I think they're trying to keep Windows in people's thoughts for gaming.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/17/2016 at 04:12pm

343 Industries seems to be doing a decent job with the Halo franchise, although I found Halo 4's campaign play to be less interesting (i.e. I didn't finish it), and I haven't played 5. The multiplayer has evolved to keep with the times, for better or worse. Bungie is great at making multiplayer shooters, but they fumble a bit when it comes to telling cohesive stories. They like to play with mystery, but they seem to do it without direction, so there isn't much of a payoff. Halo's stories are better discovered in the novels. Halo 3 ODST was one of the best Halo games, in terms of storytelling, I think because of the separation of the multiplayer aspect, and this is where I think Bungie has dropped the ball with Destiny. Creating a divided community from day one (Crucible vs PVE) was an unfortunate consequence of their design. It's not entirely their fault. I just don't think they know any other way, and the cost is too high to risk experimenting with better ideas.

I think you'll see all of Microsoft's first-party games come to PC very soon, at least the new stuff, with classics coming along the way. They obviously want to continue supporting PC, and I think it's smart.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/17/2016 at 07:27pm

My previous comment should have read "I'm not sure how inclined they are to jump into bringing the older Halos to PC without Bungie"

343 would obviously be who to talk to for getting the newer ones.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 02/17/2016 at 08:13pm

They did the Master Chief Collection with 343 (and other studios), which was an upgrade of all the original games to HD. I'm sure they could handle PC ports (or remasters, or whatever you want to call it), given enough time. I doubt that Bungie will ever touch Halo again :(.

Travis Admin wrote on 02/17/2016 at 08:36pm

Yeah that's a good point. I hadn't considered the MC collection.

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