Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Cryptocurrency and Gaming!

2 of my interests are colliding on Friday!

https://akash.network/blog/akashcraft-minecraft-on-the-first-decentralized-cloud/

In collaboration with the MothRuby community, we will be running a scavenger hunt for 1000 AKT in the world’s first Minecraft server hosted on Akash. Akashcraft will be the first scavenger hunt ever for a cryptocurrency in a Minecraft server hosted on a decentralized cloud. Yes, this is extremely meta. Yes, you should be excited for this historic event.

The Akash Network is a decentralized cloud computing network that runs on their cryptocurrency "AKT." I already own some AKT, so I'm biased, but I'm a huge fan of Akash and am excited to see where... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 04/27/2021 at 04:49pm

I just want more people to join us on Pi-- that seems like a responsible way to crypto, as any resource intensive mining is way bad for the environment.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 04/27/2021 at 05:12pm

I agree, Pi is going to become a fantastic tool! You should post your invite here!

I feel like a lot of cyrpto gets a bad environmental rap because of the two behemoths of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Bitcoin seems like it'll always been bad for the environment, as it does use *a lot* of electricity to power the blockchain. And Ethereum is similar, but it's in the process of changing from Proof of Work (what Bitcoin is) to Proof of Stake, which requires much less energy. Many other cyrptos are already Proof of Stake and aren't the drain on the environment that Bitcoin and Ethereum (currently) are 🙂

Travis Admin wrote on 04/27/2021 at 05:51pm

That’s a really good idea Adam!

And seriously this isn’t some scam thing and it seems private and secure, and if you know me you know I’m big on that stuff.

I am sending you 1π! Pi is a new digital currency developed by Stanford PhDs, with over 10 million members worldwide. To claim your Pi, follow this link https://minepi.com/tnewman and use my username (tnewman) as your invitation code.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 04/27/2021 at 06:04pm

I'm in Pi too, and it's worth checking out. There are around 15 million users of it already! Currently the Pi token has no value, but later this year the Pi Mainnet will be launching, and then the Pi that we've been mining on our phones will have value. So jump in now and start earning some Pi!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/27/2021 at 06:38pm

I will have to look into Pi. Kevin Smith is getting into NFTs: https://crypto.jayandsilentbob.com/

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 04/27/2021 at 06:58pm

NFTs are super interesting! Right now there's a lot of negative news about the environmental impact of NFTs, since most are on the Ethereum blockchain, but it's still an interesting concept. I have a few NFTs through NBA Top Shot myself :)
https://nbatopshot.com/showcases/e63dd45c-1a91-44aa-8cdb-b12ad251165f?isPlaying=true

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/27/2021 at 08:23pm

I get the token part of NFTs, I don't get the art side of NFTs... Seems very transient and easily reproduced.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/28/2021 at 06:13pm

Yeah I really don't get NFTs. I mean I get the tech, but not why anyone would want one. They seem to be a way to say "sure, this is digital and easily reproducible, and you may have a copy of it yourself, but I have a blockchain certificate showing that I paid for it"

I could see it working for something like digital Magic the Gathering cards or something. But then, if you're playing Magic online you're playing through their servers, so there's already a way to track it.

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 04/28/2021 at 07:26pm

Agreed with both of you. I don't get NFTs either, but they're interesting lol

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 05/01/2021 at 05:11pm

*update*
There was such a massive interest in this, the server couldn't handle it, so they've postponed the game to May 8, at 9am PT 😀

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 05/07/2021 at 06:19pm

**update update**
They're stress testing the game, and the event is postponed TBD

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XBox Makes Online Multiplayer for Free-to-Play Games... Free

Recently Microsoft announced a price increase on XBox Gold, the service that allows folks to play games online. Due to the overwhelmingly negative response Microsoft kept the pricing as it was and did one more in that they said they would allow free online multiplayer for all free to play games. Put another way, you can play games like Warframe and Fortnite for free without having to pay for XBox Games Pass or XBox Gold. As someone that recently bought an XBox Series X that doesn't have Games Pass or Gold this is a very welcome change. Feels like I'm getting an upgrade for just having an XBox. I'm well aware the PC versions of these games allow free online multiplayer... Read All

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

New Marvel trailer so ... you know... here it is! This time for an entirely new set of phase four characters. Phase Four of the MCU features a lot of new characters and Shang-Chi seems to start that out with a fun chop to the face. I’m not sure how this fits into the larger MCU but something, something evil dark magic that somehow things with a character and something something cameo with existing something or other from the MCU. If that’s entirely too specific, sorry I don’t have a whole lot to go on but the trailer looks fun and I’m sure I’ll check this out when I can.

One question I’ve heard folks ask is why all these powerful folks weren’t part of the battle... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 04/19/2021 at 08:22pm

Was coming here to post this and yeah how this fits in is a mystery and honestly... if it didn't have the Marvel logo on it and we hadn't heard plans for this for ages now, I would have no clue this was a Marvel flick. And that's a good thing, I think they need some more variety. I'm hoping Eternals is way different too.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 04/19/2021 at 08:48pm

Sweet! Ten rings to rule them all! Erik Voss at New Rockstars says The Mandarin is his father. The Ten Rings have been there since the first Iron Man movie. Members of the group reappeared later, in Iron Man 2 and Ant-Man. That is a good question about where all these people were when Thanos was around. I'm not sure if being "blipped" is a reason, because I thought they were all returned. I dunno, hopefully that will get answered eventually. Maybe we just didn't see them??

You can see the New Rockstars reaction video here: https://youtu.be/R7CV7IyA1bk Later, or tomorrow, there will be a video going over the details of the teaser.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/20/2021 at 07:50pm

Dude yeah, I am already hyped for this movie!

The actor playing the main character is a martial artist and stuntman, so I'm expecting the fight choreography to be amazing!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/25/2021 at 01:20am

This new trailer is good, it's not just a rehash of the first, but contains a lot we didn't see before: https://youtu.be/8YjFbMbfXaQ

Travis Admin wrote on 06/25/2021 at 04:10am

Interesting-- Abomination in the cage there at the end. Tim Roth is coming back as Abomination for She-Hulk too, I wonder if that's going to get referenced.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/25/2021 at 05:55am

I noticed that, too, but I also had my doubts. It looks like he has fin-like ears, so I thought it was something else. But, other sources show it was indeed him. He is coming to She-Hulk, which I think just points to how all of the MCU, or at least many pieces of it, are woven together.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 06/26/2021 at 02:40am

Awesome trailer, thanks for sharing it Greg!

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Minecraft Caves & Cliffs Update Getting Separated

Minecraft devs have been working on the next update which is called the Caves & Cliffs Update. It adds new blocks like copper, which oxidizes, meaning that after some time it will turn from orange to green, though it seems we will have control over whether or not this occurs. It also adds new mobs like the Glow Squid and the adorable Axolotl, along with goats. The update is also going to include new cave biomes and change how world generation works. Because the update is adding large mountains, the height of the world is expanding. Archaeology is also in the update.

The devs have just recently announced that this update is now being split into two parts. The first... Read All Minecraft devs have been working on the next update which is called the Caves & Cliffs Update. It adds new blocks like copper, which oxidizes, meaning that after some time it will turn from orange to green, though it seems we will have control over whether or not this occurs. It also adds new mobs like the Glow Squid and the adorable Axolotl, along with goats. The update is also going to include new cave biomes and change how world generation works. Because the update is adding large mountains, the height of the world is expanding. Archaeology is also in the update.

The devs have just recently announced that this update is now being split into two parts. The first part will be released this summer and will include mobs and blocks. So, you'll see that adorable Axolotl, Glow Squid, goats, copper and more. However, because this update is making a change to world generation, this part of the update is more technically challenging and is being delayed to the end of the year. The devs want to make sure that they deliver a high quality update, they don't want to introduce new bugs (even if some are inevitable) or destroy old worlds. This means more time is needed. Archaeology is a new system within the game, which means more complexity. It will also be released in the second part of the update.

Part of the reason for the delay of some pieces of the update is the global pandemic currently going on. The company, like many others, values the health of it's employees and wants to keep everyone safe so that we can all safely get through this time together. The pandemic has affected very many people and companies world wide. Many game developers are finding it more difficult to work together by being physically separated and this has caused many games (and many other things like movies, TV shows, etc.) to be delayed.

This delay may be disappointing, but in the end it means that the quality of the update will be much better, because it won't be rushed and released too early. Many games have done this and have suffered by being a buggy mess.

What do you think about this Minecraft update? What do you think about this delay? I feel like the delay is reasonable. Ove the years my impatience for games or updates to be released has finally taken a chill pill. I find myself much more patient with things like this now. I think that's because there were things I impatiently waited for was disappointment with what I got. I also saw how the length of time of my impatience outweighed the amount of time I actually spent enjoying something. Plus, especially with all of the free games I've been able to claim and all the games I got during a great sale, I feel like I have plenty of games to play. Let me know if this is something you've experienced to.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/15/2021 at 07:09pm

Question: I haven’t been to hip to the latest with Minecraft for a bit now but I’m wondering what version these new features come to? Is it the Java Classic version or the modern multi port version? Or do they update both versions together?

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/15/2021 at 07:32pm

Both. Actually I heard or read months ago that this update would be on both editions (Java and Bedrock) at the same time. I can't remember the term I've heard or read for this, but pretty much it's like parallel or something, they keep both editions updated with the same things, at least pretty much at the same time. Bedrock Edition covers Windows 10, XBox (presumably One and now Series X), PS4/5, and Switch. Also there is cross-platform play on the Bedrock Editions, so a PS user could play together with Xbox, Windows, and Switch users. Vinny has it on the PS4 and I have it on Windows 10, we could play together, but I haven't yet. Minecraft Dungeons is the same. There are differences between the Bedrock and Java Edition. I could get into that if you want, too. Basically Bedrock doesn't have the mod support, but it seems to look and perform better. It does have additional things, some of which are free (if you already own the game) like Minecraft RTX, and some you have to pay for, like a world or something (I remember there being one of these of Nintendo/Super Mario Land or whatever on the Wii U, but that's just an example I can remember at the moment). "The more you know...." LOL

Travis Admin wrote on 04/15/2021 at 08:32pm

Bedrock also covers the mobile versions. I'm definitely glad to see that rewritten in a less hungry language than Java but the flexibility is definitely better with Java. And if you know what you're doing you can get some of those paid things from Bedrock for free in the java version 👀

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/15/2021 at 09:24pm

❤️

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/15/2021 at 10:44pm

I forgot about the mobile versions, but I do know older platforms no longer get these updates, such as the Wii U version. At least, I'm pretty sure that's right from what I last read years ago. I wasn't sure if I was clear enough on the paid things, so I'm glad Travis understood what I meant. :)

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Subnautica: Below Zero Cinematic Trailer and Release Date

Subnautica: Below Zero joined Early Access on Steam about two years ago. They've recently released a cinematic trailer for it and announced it's release date of 5/14/21 for multiple platforms. If you liked Subnautica, you might like this. I thought the trailer was really interesting and funny. It follows a brief time of a guy living on the planet dealing with some of it's creatures, though they didn't show off any of the very large ones nor did they give much details in the way of the game's story.

S:BZ is much like Subnautica, but this time it takes place on an icy planet, so if you go to the surface, you'll see plenty of snow and some of the water you can swim under... Read All Subnautica: Below Zero joined Early Access on Steam about two years ago. They've recently released a cinematic trailer for it and announced it's release date of 5/14/21 for multiple platforms. If you liked Subnautica, you might like this. I thought the trailer was really interesting and funny. It follows a brief time of a guy living on the planet dealing with some of it's creatures, though they didn't show off any of the very large ones nor did they give much details in the way of the game's story.

S:BZ is much like Subnautica, but this time it takes place on an icy planet, so if you go to the surface, you'll see plenty of snow and some of the water you can swim under is covered in ice. There are new creatures, tools, and of course a new story. The story has changed since it's launch into Early Access. I played and followed the development early on briefly before they decided to rewrite the script and hire new voice actors. I got it right away, pretty much, because I very much loved Subnautica. Now that I'm looking at the Cheerful Ghost game database, I see no one's written about it. I'm surprised I didn't write about it, since I really enjoyed it (more than I thought I would). If you're unfamiliar with Subnautica, it's a crafting, survival, and exploration game, but takes place in the vast ocean of an alien planet after your space ship has crashed. You're left with an escape pod, which has some basic survival things you'll need. One of the greatest tools in the pod is a fabricator. There's a good variety of fish you can catch with your hands. They can be fast, so you'll want to craft your first major piece of technology, which is something you hold onto that can propel you forward. You can take fish to the fabricator and turn them into food or water. Different fish are better for satisfying your hunger, but some are much better for your thirst. You can breach the ocean's surface to get some air, but there are also plants that often pump out bubbles of oxygen you can breathe underwater. However, you're going to need to go much deeper, luckily you can craft some submersibles. In the end you'll have your own submarine. You can craft things with many of the planet's resources like copper, which is good for batteries, or quartz, which is good for glass. You'll find pieces of technology scattered on the floor of the ocean. Scanning these will give you progress towards being able to craft it. Beware though there are many dangers. There is a monster that can latch onto your submersible, which performs a really good "jump scare," but it's not the only thing down there to worry about. There are also a good amount of different biomes you'll find. While exploring, you'll find the logs of other survivors. You'll also find a very small island where you can find some useful things, like garden plots to scan and plants you can collect to create your very own self sustaining garden. You can build underwater housing, too, but if you build too many pieces (like glass windows), you'll need to support them by also building some reinforcement pieces or the pressure will break your habitat, which will flood. You can use a tool to repair leaks and also to add more reinforcement, so just because your habitat gets inundated, all hope is not lost as it can be fixed and the water can be drained. There are also a few different game modes, so if you want to play without the survival requirements (like food and water), you can do that.

Let me know what you think about the trailer and the game. Also let me know if you've played Subnautica. If you like games like Terraria, Minecraft, and Ark: Survival Evolved, I think it's a game you might like. If you want to watch some good videos on YouTube of someone playing Subnautica, I recommend looking at the channels of Paul Soares, Jr. and Sl!pg8r.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 05/15/2021 at 06:29am

I found an article stating that Subnautica, "was recently made free on PlayStation consoles through Sony's Play at Home initiative." It also states that people, "can upgrade their copy to the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S version at no additional cost." If that is available to you, I think you should jump on it! It'd be a shame to pass up a great game for free.

Subnautica: Below Zero was released yesterday along with a new trailer, which is quite unlike the one embedded in this post. The new one contains a bit of story, basically the beginning parts, so no real spoilers. The game is much like the original, in that it's story driven (though you can ignore it), but this one is based in a bit more of an Arctic-like setting. There's building, crafting, exploring, and resource collecting, along with hunger and thirst, just like the original game, but with some new things. There are, however, different game modes, so you could, for instance, ignore hunger and thirst requirements. In the article (posted in the links below), it says that GameSpot gave Subnautica a "9/10". Their review says, "Subnautica's story, scares, and beautifully rendered underwater setting make it one of the most fascinating survival games around." I regret that I did not write my own review of the game, it deserves a "Must Play" Cheerful Ghost rating.

I was an early adopter of Below Zero, since I enjoyed Subnautica so much. I paid for Below Zero when it was released for Early Access on Steam and I played through it a bit in the beginning, but decided to stop and wait for development to finish. I am kind of disappointed that they decided to recast some characters and change the script, but I don't think the new cast or script is so far disappointing.

Check out the article I found here: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/subnautica-below-zero-and-free-subnautica-update-out-now/1100-6491531/?utm_source=gamefaqs&utm_medium=partner&utm_content=news_module&utm_campaign=homepage

Also, you can check out the trailer (which is included in the article) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZrjL1SzGvM

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Back The Bots: Mystery Science Theater 3000 Kickstarter GIZMOPLEX!

Back this on Kickstarter!

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is the greatest show of all time. At least to me and a zillion other MSTIE's and the show is back with a new Kickstarter after being cancelled by Netflix after two great seasons. The plan with the new Kickstarter is to fund a purely fan supported show and move away from any kind of network so the show can exist as long as the fans want it to. I enjoy this model quite a bit and as part of the plan they want to create the Gizmoplex, which is an app and community based way to release the new shows with a live streaming model. It seems the new shows will also be created with social distancing in mind which I hope they drop more details on... Read All

My Early Thoughts on the XBox Series X

Not counting Nintendo consoles the last “hardcore gamer console” I owned was the PlayStation 3. I decided on the PlayStation 3 over the XBox 360 because of the enhanced media playback it had and it’s incredible DVD playback as well as Bluray support. I ended up playing a lot of games on it, but I didn’t start out playing much more than a handful of downloaded demos. In a world where consuming media was all on CD, DVD and the fresh new Bluray format the PlayStation 3 really was a great system. Online streaming and YouTube started picking up around that time and I remember getting a Netflix streaming disc so we could try that out. All that to say, I haven’t owned a “... Read All Not counting Nintendo consoles the last “hardcore gamer console” I owned was the PlayStation 3. I decided on the PlayStation 3 over the XBox 360 because of the enhanced media playback it had and it’s incredible DVD playback as well as Bluray support. I ended up playing a lot of games on it, but I didn’t start out playing much more than a handful of downloaded demos. In a world where consuming media was all on CD, DVD and the fresh new Bluray format the PlayStation 3 really was a great system. Online streaming and YouTube started picking up around that time and I remember getting a Netflix streaming disc so we could try that out. All that to say, I haven’t owned a “hardcore gamer console” since as I felt like the PS4/XBox One era just wasn’t for me. That said, with the prevalence of 4K streaming and Bluray along with the new generation of consoles now seemed like a good time to reevaluate that.

Why Get A Next Generation Console Now?

I’m going to start out and say, for most people, you really shouldn’t get a XBox Series S, X or PlayStation 5. If you get along just fine with your 1080p TV there really isn’t a reason to upgrade and frankly, 1080p is good enough for most folks. This isn’t a dig at anyone, I just think that 1080p might be good enough for most people such that sticking to your XBox One or PS4 might be the best choice for the time being. I’ve planned on getting a 4K tv for a couple years now and have slowly built up a reasonable 4K Bluray library when a new film hit I wanted to buy, I’d put in a few extra dollars and get it in 4K. I also enjoy watching stuff in the highest fidelity possible. Again, this isn’t a thing most people care about, but I really do.

And wowee wow do 4K Bluray films look incredible on the Series X and my LG tv. The biggest difference is the color and the increased resolution really amps things up considerably. Streaming 4K off apps like Disney+ is awesome too but 4K Bluray has quite a bit more available to make things pop even more. It might seem like a somewhat expensive way to watch a movie, but the Series X seems to be one of the only things that supports Dolby Vision and for the films that do it’s quite the sight to see.

Yeah Ok Fine, But Isn’t This A Game Console?

Thanks for reminding me! I’ve been looking up what televisions pair well with consoles and the one I went with was the LG CX. The LG CX is a 4K tv that’s claim to fame in the gaming world is it supports 120hz or 120 frames per second. Film clocks in at 24 frames per second and for a lot of games in this current generation 60 FPS is quite the feat so if a console and TV combo could push 120 FPS that’s pretty wild. The Series X can push 120 FPS on certain games and one such game I picked up was the Halo Anniversary collection. I’ve never really sunk anytime with the series, so picking it up seemed like a good idea and also a good way to see how 120FPS felt. And yeah, 120FPS is really incredible paired with the fact that it’s also in 4K. Everything is so smooth, clear and vibrant it almost doesn’t seem quite possible. That said, even though Halo looks and plays incredibly that’s not really the game I’ve put the most time into.

One Big Reason I Chose The Series X Is Because Microsoft Does Compatibility Better

I love retro games and coming back to play games I love. It’s sad when a new console can’t play the old games and it’s awesome when a new console can play a lot of old games which is what Microsoft is doing with the XBox. The Series X can play original XBox games, 360 games and XBox One games. Now the classic compat doesn’t work with everything but it’s quite a few games more than nothing, which for other consoles and past generations is what they offer. The game I’ve been sinking is Plants VS Zombies on the 360. Plants VS Zombies is a classic game that I originally played on PC that I also played on my phone. I’ve never played it on console but the 360 version is superb and the Series X adds HDR to it making it look more incredible than I remember. In fact, the Series X adds HDR to every classic game it runs and for some offers a speed boost and upscaling to increase the games performance.

I’ve enjoyed playing Plants VS Zombies and the other Popcap games that came on the disc so much (Zuma and Peggle) that I picked up a few other 360 disc collections to get nearly each classic Popcap game that came to the 360. My son has also been enjoying watching me play Plants VS Zombies so much that we actually completed it the other night. I never owned an XBox and plan to revisit a lot of it’s classic catalog through the 360, XBox One and also some modern upcoming games (the Diablo 2 remaster might look awesome in 120FPS 4k).

My First Thoughts Summed Up

The XBox Series X might be one of the best consoles I’ve owned for all the things I care about the most. Does it have a slate of incredible cutting edge games? I honestly don’t know and don’t care, it’s not really why I bought it but some day I do plan to get some current gen games made for it. I don’t regret getting it at all and for me it’s a really great way to watch movies and play some games.

Star Trek: Picard New Teaser!

Oh, I totally forgot about Star Trek: Picard, luckily a new teaser has been released, which you'll find embedded. Most of the minute long trailer has Picard speaking about how "the true final frontier is time" and that "time offers so many opportunities, but never second chances." After that, we see deck of cards on a table and the only one that's face up and out of the deck is a Queen of Hearts. It then mostly dissipates as then all we see is a black screen and all that remains is the "Q" part of the card. In this instance we hear Q (John de Lancie) say, "the trial never ends" and laughs. I guess it wouldn't be a ST:TNG show without Q!

TNG is perhaps my most favorite... Read All Oh, I totally forgot about Star Trek: Picard, luckily a new teaser has been released, which you'll find embedded. Most of the minute long trailer has Picard speaking about how "the true final frontier is time" and that "time offers so many opportunities, but never second chances." After that, we see deck of cards on a table and the only one that's face up and out of the deck is a Queen of Hearts. It then mostly dissipates as then all we see is a black screen and all that remains is the "Q" part of the card. In this instance we hear Q (John de Lancie) say, "the trial never ends" and laughs. I guess it wouldn't be a ST:TNG show without Q!

TNG is perhaps my most favorite of all of Star Trek, and I've seen almost all of it. However, I have not seen Star Trek: Lower Decks (an animated comedy) or Star Trek: Discovery (which I've heard is good). TNG ended when I was about 15 and it played on a local channel, so I got to watch it. There was a TNG video game that I had as one of the first games I got to play with my new Windows PC in '95-96. I also collected the cards for the TNG Customizable Card Game, which I played with some friends during high school. I still have some of those cards around. DS9 and Voyager also came out during this time and I really enjoyed those shows, too. I also read some books of TNG (such as Imzadi) and Voyager (especially the beginning). It wasn't until I was much older (in the last decade) that I finally watched or re-watched everything from the original and animated original series to ST: Enterprise. I've also seen all of the movies and I believe the NCC-1701-D is my favorite Enterprise. I've imaged myself in a blue TNG uniform long ago. I believed it belonged to those that worked in the field of science, which was where I saw myself if I were part of a ST crew.

I enjoyed Star Trek: Picard, I'm not sure how I forgot about it. I can't even remember if I was expecting a season two, but I'm delighted that it appears to be coming. I look forward to watching it. The fact that Q is going to be in it makes it even more exciting.

Did you see Star Trek: Picard? What did you think about it? Are you excited for season two? It looks like it'll come out sometime next year.

Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/star-trek-picard-season-2-gets-new-teaser/1100-6489774/

Loki New Trailer

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier currently has three episodes left. On June 11th Loki begins on Disney+ just a couple of days after Black Widow is finally released. There's a new trailer for the show, which you can watch as I embedded it in this post. There's new footage in this video, so I recommend watching it. It looks pretty cool and funny. Afterwards, I watched a quick reaction video by New Rockstars, which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/xJj3oVpl4ao There will be a breakdown of the trailer later, but for now Erik Voss answered a couple of lingering questions. For one thing, you can see Loki on a purple looking planet talking to a woman. At first, my... Read All

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/05/2021 at 11:51pm

Keep marvel content coming. I love it and can’t wait.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/06/2021 at 01:53am

Same! 2020 was the worst year ever because there was no Marvel! Oh, and that pandemic thing 😉

Loki looks like a lot of fun.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/06/2021 at 05:11am

I'm just glad Marvel found a way to give us content despite the pandemic. I think these shows are and will be good. I thought WandaVision was definitely outstanding!

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/08/2021 at 01:46am

Are we going to keep getting Marvel shows on Disney+ a few months a part? If so, yeah, that’s awesome.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/08/2021 at 02:02am

I don't think there's one planned for immediately after Loki, but I agree. I could watch Marvel shows for the rest of my life 😀

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/08/2021 at 04:14am

There are a total of 13, check out the list, this is the first link in my Google search: https://ew.com/tv/every-marvel-tv-show-disney-plus/

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/08/2021 at 01:55pm

Yeah, there are a ton of shows in development, but I haven't heard anything about any other shows being in production yet? I might be wrong, but I'm guessing after Loki, there's going to be a pause in shows on Disney+

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/08/2021 at 05:20pm

I am guessing more shows in 2022, or maybe the end of 2021. D+ will probably want to space them out with Star Wars shows. I doubt they would want to have both Marvel and Star Wars shows debut at the same time.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/08/2021 at 08:34pm

I think I'm mostly looking forward to Ahsoka's show. I love her so much now, maybe especially since she's grown up and is played by Rosario Dawson, who I've seen frequently as I recently watched all of the Marvel Netflix shows and, of course, I loved her in the Mandalorian season 2 (I hope I didn't just spoil that for anyone). However, I did find a list of Disney+ Marvel shows, you can see it here: https://www.androidauthority.com/upcoming-disney-plus-star-wars-shows-1096898/

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 05/05/2021 at 10:56pm

New Loki "Special Look" trailer: https://youtu.be/4YjpodWi298

New Rockstars has a trailer break down for it if you want to check it out: https://youtu.be/-dpfxVj3kUM (BTW Erik Voss does point out some connections to the Portland area, so Jon, it's "right up your alley" you lucky guy.)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 05/18/2021 at 04:52am

"Introducing Agent Mobius" https://youtu.be/t_hzOYHNOaU

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 05/20/2021 at 02:39am

Introducing "Miss Minutes" https://youtu.be/5vpCIadly88

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Black Widow New Trailer

There's a new Black Widow trailer. It includes some new footage, including a very young person with blue hair (New Rockstars says this could be a young Natasha). If you're not familiar with Task Master, that character (in the comics) is able to copy the moves of someone he (or she) studies. One of the locations in the movie is Budapest, which if you remember Black Widow and Clint Barton reference a time there so maybe this covers it. The end of the trailer announces that the movie's release date is July 9th in theaters and on Disney+ premier access, "at an additional cost." I recently reported that to watch this on Disney+, you're going to have to pay $30 for it,... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 04/04/2021 at 03:58am

Yeah the theory about that price tag is movie tickets are usually 10-15 or so and if you are a family of four or something you're saving a ton on it, but if you are watching it alone it's definitely a drag.

But it's mostly the newness of it. Blu Rays are $20ish but that's long after release and they only get a fraction of their cash from people owning it. You can definitely benefit if you don't want to watch it launch day.

I'm kinda hoping things are getting normal-ish by July. Or at least August. I'm more interested in seeing The Suicide Squad in theaters than this but I'll see both if I can do so safely. Yay vaccines!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/04/2021 at 04:45am

Yeah, I'm wondering how it works out w/ that $30 price, is it a digital movie you get to keep and watch whenever you want? Although, I think it seems more likely that would be true, so long as you're paying for Disney+.

I might go to the theater as I did with Godzilla vs. Kong, but that was pretty much a 17th birthday present for Vinny, since it was supposed to come out on his birthday. If he's around (he goes to his mom's during the summers), I might take him to see it. If I'm alone, I'm not sure if I'll go to the theater. I'm also looking forward to The Suicide Squad and that's another movie I may go see in the theater, if Vinny's around.

I get my first (of two) vaccination in a few days. Jon said he was getting his soon, too.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/04/2021 at 05:43am

I am planning on paying the $30 right on July 9th to see this. I used to see the "big" movies (Star Wars, Marvel, etc) with friends, and I'm wondering if I could get together with some friends in one of our backyards, set up a TV and fling the movie to it so we could all watch it together. Or perhaps by July we'll be comfortable with hanging out in each other's houses, as I bet we'll all be vaccinated by then. I have a good TV and sound system; the only thing I'll miss is surround sound from a theater 🙂

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/04/2021 at 06:19am

Sounds awesome, Adam!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/04/2021 at 09:02pm

I am probably going to pay the $30 to see this one. I should be fully vaccinated by then, but not sure I am ready to go to a movie theater until covid cases are on the decline. Maybe by then they will be.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/05/2021 at 12:50am

I’m with you on the criteria Will. I should be as immune as I’m going to be, but it’s not a panacea.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/08/2021 at 01:45am

My though is if friends have the vaccine then we’re all safe to hang out. Maybe others can with masks on that don’t have the vaccine yet?

Hope we can see this one in theaters. It would a fun way to go back to do that.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/08/2021 at 05:19pm

Yeah, vaccinated friends I am cool with. It is the other people and the theaters that I worry about.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/10/2021 at 07:37pm

Yep, that's exactly my criteria too.

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

Two more days!!! Friday!!!!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/10/2021 at 12:34am

I think once again, Marvel doesn't disappoint. I do, however, have one tidbit. It's not quite a spoiler, but I'm hesitant to share at the moment, I may have to sit on that one and think about it. However! Be sure to stick around for the post-credits scene!

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 07/10/2021 at 03:34pm

I had such low expectations for Black Widow, but it blew me away! This is one of the most dramatic MCU movies and is up among the best MCU movies, instantly.

jdodson Admin wrote on 07/10/2021 at 05:53pm

I’ve heard mixed reviews about it, glad to hear you loved it.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 07/10/2021 at 06:14pm

I've only seen people mad about Taskmaster, because he's "cooler" in the comics. But if you're not familiar with him, it doesn't make a difference (to me at least)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/10/2021 at 08:24pm

My problem with it is mostly how it's another movie where the villain reveals his master plan only to be foiled by the good guy. I saw something about this some time ago and forget what/where it was, but Bond films were referenced as doing this and Natasha did watch a Bond film.

I think the actors did a great job with Russian accents, even though they're not Russian. I saw a behind the scenes video and Florence Pugh has a British accent. I kind of wondered why they didn't hire Russian actors, but obviously they didn't need to. Obviously, it is not necessary to hire native language speakers if actors can pull off the accent. This reminds me of how shocked I was to see James Marsters go from playing the British sounding Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer to another American sounding character in something else.

Oh and O-T Fagbenle who played Natasha's friend Mason was in Doctor Who, FYI.

Otherwise, yeah I liked it, it's Marvel and they know how to do awesome!

As for Adam's description of Taskmaster, I was fine with "him." "He" was cool to me. Since we see from "his" perspective in the beginning, I thought "he" was a robot. LOL

Travis Admin wrote on 07/13/2021 at 05:32pm

Yeah taskmaster was a weird add here. It felt like that character just wasn’t necessary to anything and could have been an amazing villain in another film.

But I really enjoyed it. I had no expectations at all but I was into it. It continues the recent tradition of Marvel movies feeling like their own kind of thing rather than the samey feel they had for a while. The Bond comparison is spot on, it was a spy movie, not a superhero movie.

And Florence Pugh… wow. I wish things had played out differently in one scene of Endgame (which I won’t mention just in case there’s someone reading this who somehow hasn’t seen it) but if they don’t somehow undo that scene I want Yelena to join the Avengers.

I didn’t realize OT Fabenagle (what a name) was in Doctor Who but he’s great in Handmaid’s Tale. Very odd to hear his native accent since I’m used to an American accent.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/13/2021 at 05:55pm

I watched a video by New Rockstars that highlighted a good point about the Bond comparison. She was watching Moonraker and both movies are very similar. I'm sure I've seen Moonraker along with all the other Bond movies, but it's been a long time.

Post-credits potential spoiler!
Because of the post-credits scene, I don't think Yelena is going to join the Avengers as we know them. I think she's going to join the Dark Avengers or Thunderbolts along with U.S. Agent (John Walker). I also think Abomination is going to be part of that group, too.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/14/2021 at 07:44pm

Well, I think you’re probably right. But also I think she’s setting that whole crew up to think they’re doing good things but she’s Hydra. I don’t think Yelena will stay with them when she finds out she’s fighting for evil

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

Yeah. From what I've heard about the comics is that Val was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. She infiltrated Hydra once, but she wasn't bad, in fact she had a romantic relationship with Nick Fury. However, she doesn't seem good. She's acting like another character from Hydra who was Victoria Hand. You may remember Victoria Hand from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She had long hair and a red streak in her hair, although Val's blue streak is much better IMO. So, maybe the MCU is combining the two. Also, Yelena and Black Widow were often fighting each other. I think the opposite as you, Travis. I think she'll buy the lie that Hawkeye was responsible for the death of Black Widow and not be open to the truth of what really happened. But, we'll see.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/15/2021 at 09:30pm

You’re kinda right about Val. She was a shield agent but was a Russian plant who eventually takes over as Madame Hydra, from what I understand.

But comics also have a way of saying “oops just kidding” a lot and rewriting things

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/15/2021 at 11:36pm

Yeah and the MCU isn't using the comics as a word-for-word reference. They've changed gender and racial identities for characters, which I don't mind. They also changed the name and image of the Mandarin, because the original character is viewed as a bad Asian stereotype. So, pretty much all good changes. It's great to fix what was wrong and also to add diversity.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/16/2021 at 02:37pm

Yep! I’ve enjoyed seeing all the changes.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/19/2021 at 02:22am

I really enjoyed this movie. Fun times.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/19/2021 at 04:47am

I hated the nose bash part. Hemophobia here!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/19/2021 at 06:43pm

GregoPeck, it made my nose hurt.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/19/2021 at 06:46pm

Interesting point from slashfilm on Val. In Black Widow she uses an ipad. Apple does not let villains in movies use apple products.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/20/2021 at 06:32pm

Ok that IS interesting. So why does she want Hawkeye taken down if she’s not a villain?

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/20/2021 at 08:04pm

I think I heard on New Rockstars one theory isn't that she wants him killed, but instead wants him recruited to the team she's creating. Although, thinking on it, it doesn't seem to make sense since she's saying he's responsible for what happened to Black Widow.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/20/2021 at 09:29pm

It’s possible that rule from Apple isn’t uniformly applied as well. I remember the Underwoods using iPads in House of Cards and they were definitely bad guys.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/20/2021 at 09:45pm

Maybe the group Val is getting together isn't necessarily "good" or "evil," but some kind of combination. John Walker tried to be a "good" Captain America, but we saw what happened. I don't think he thinks of himself as a "bad" guy, but that he thought he did what had to be done, and I think this is why Val recruited him and others like him. I think she and whoever she's working for (Ross, maybe) is looking for a team that is willing to do what needs to be done. I'm thinking of it like the different categories in Dungeons & Dragons where there's "lawful," "neutral," and "chaotic" "good" and "evil." I think she's trying to form the Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers. They may be more villainous than the Avengers, but they may have some similar goals, just a different understanding of how to accomplish them.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/21/2021 at 06:09pm

The Misunderstood Avengers.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/22/2021 at 11:07pm

So, I started playing the Marvel's Avengers video game and Taskmaster is a male, just like he is in the comic books. I've also been told he appears (as a male) in another game (I think it was a Spider-Man game). I think the beauty of the multi-verse is that you can use it to explain anything, because anything is possible. So, I'm thinking that's the best and easiest way to explain this gender swap. I think this is pretty much the go-to explanation for pretty much every confusion, plot hole, or character recast (like Brody and Banner). I'm not disappointed with the gender swap, but it contradicts every other version of the character.

Travis Admin wrote on 07/23/2021 at 06:26pm

Yeah I’m not upset about the gender swap at all. I just wish taskmaster had been a major villain of whatever gender rather than a secondary one. There’s a lot of potential there.

Who knows though, she may be back!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 07/23/2021 at 07:27pm

I could see Taskmaster coming back in a series, like Zemo.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 07/23/2021 at 08:40pm

I'm not upset about the gender swap, either, but it is confusing having different genders in different media.

Yeah, I wonder if she'll be back. I wonder if she'd switch from being a "villain" now that Black Widow freed her from the mind control. I wonder if she'd harbor resentment towards her dad for what he did or if she'll be angry because he was killed.

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