Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Sometimes, A Glimmer Of Hope Is All That's Needed

As gamers, I'm sure most of us love to hear about new game announcements. Better still when the game actually sees the light of day (but, not always, especially if you're a Superman fan). Sometimes, the waiting between reveal and release can be excruciating, but the slightest sign of hope can be enough to hold you over. At about 2:02 in the above video, Michel Ansel, the mind behind Rayman Origins, literally flashes such a sign to all Beyond Good & Evil fans.

Sometimes...sometimes, this is all we need.

Is there a game like that for you (besides Half-Life 3)? What game(s) did you wait near eternity for, and, when they finally arrived, satiated your nerd-heart? Also,... Read All

Interview With Tommy Refenes At PAX East About Mew-Genics

Desctructoid interviewed Tommy Refenes, the other half of Team Meat, about his upcoming game Mew-Genics. Mew-Genics is a cat breeding simulator with pretty dark style. The interview covers a few aspects of the game and as the interview happens you can see some of the game play in the back. They discuss a few of things you can do with your cats after you breed them such as beauty pageants and cat fighting.

How can this game be bad?

My First Minecraft Server Experience

Now that my son and I have our own computers, we've don't have to share one to play Minecraft. He still watches a lot of YouTube gaming videos and plays other games, like Spore. However, until recently, we never played Minecraft together. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, with some simple clicks. If a world was opened to the LAN, the other computer wouldn't detect it. There were other minor difficulties, I say they're minor now because I got around them easily enough by setting up a Minecraft server. However, setting up a Minecraft server wasn't as easy as instructions made it out as they contained an error. Luckily, I understood what I needed to do and what... Read All Now that my son and I have our own computers, we've don't have to share one to play Minecraft. He still watches a lot of YouTube gaming videos and plays other games, like Spore. However, until recently, we never played Minecraft together. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, with some simple clicks. If a world was opened to the LAN, the other computer wouldn't detect it. There were other minor difficulties, I say they're minor now because I got around them easily enough by setting up a Minecraft server. However, setting up a Minecraft server wasn't as easy as instructions made it out as they contained an error. Luckily, I understood what I needed to do and what I was doing. Plus, I had Google to search for issue troubleshooting. Really, it wasn't that difficult to do.

I knew my son would be happy once he got home from school that we had a server that we could connect to. While he was at school I set it up and made sure that we both could connect and spawn in a safe place, which I built. We played for a long time. He died more often and needed my help too often.

The one visual difference between us is that he has a custom skin. I don't know how or why as I haven't researched skins, so my character, "GregoPeck," looks like Steve. I've learned some very basic commands, since I enabled Cheats, such as healing and teleporting characters to each other. I often use it to heal myself or teleport him to me as we get separated. That's something else we do, is get separated. I often go wander, looking for something, and he ends up going on way ahead or in another direction. This is also due to how often I mine things I see, like coal. However, by wandering off, he came into a pack of wolves. He tamed two and bred for another.

Today he wanted me to create a new world for the server, so we could start out and build together. I didn't know how to do this, but my habit is to get on Google when I want to know how to do something. While I read a simple solution, I found my own. I created a backup folder in the server folder and moved the world folder to it. This I did after closing down the server. Then I restarted the server and we were on a new world together starting out. Luckily we spawned near a few caves and didn't have much trouble getting iron and coal. So, for now, we've set up camp just inside a cave in a hill. The cave ended up leading to a ravine in which we found red stone, waterfalls, and lava. He found a diamond, but lost it by dying in lava.

What's next? Oh can't you see it?! Terraria. Yes, sometime in the future we'll look into that.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/16/2014 at 08:16pm

This has definitely been a learning experience, I mean that in a good way. Since this original posting, my son and I have been playing Minecraft on the server. I've learned some configurations and also feel like I'm getting some basics on Java, at least Java usage, as I have been working with .jar files (for the game and server). I've also been playing with the commands (in game and on the server) as well. The commands in the game are also knows as cheats, so I've done some cheating, which has made the game much easier.

Along with healing, I've been using saturation (restore hunger bars) and enchanting. I've created fully enchanted gear for both me and Vinny. This has helped us both survive. I've also changed game settings such as making it so that we don't lose our inventory upon dying. I also turned PVP off. So, the game is less challenging, but less frustrating in most regards. Still, after a few hours of exploring the server world, I get a little bored as I often find myself running in circles or spending countless hours exploring and looking for particular things (like wolves to tame or cows to pen).

Both of us have our own Minecraft identities. Sure, I've payed for the game twice, but in total I spent less than $60, which is what games typically go for these days and aren't as fun. By getting this accomplished, I found an old email address by trying to access a different one, so I have two extra email addresses to use. I plan to take advantage of this soon by creating a Steam account for Vinny using one of those email addresses. This will allow us to play Steam games together (*cough* Terraria).

So far, I've still neglected Mods, that will be another learning experience.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/17/2014 at 02:42am

I think vanilla Minecraft is a good way to play the game. If as you play you want to try something else, mods are great. I had some fun playing with Travis and his wife a few years ago. Ultimately when I got Terraria my Minecraft play died out entirely.

I like Minecraft, but with Terraria at least the progression feels more... I don't know, like it means more I guess.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/17/2014 at 10:10pm

=) Well I briefly looked into mods, which my son keeps asking for, and it looked a little more complicated than I wanted to get into at the time. One mod I've thought of, that would be cool, would be to remove Creepers. Although lately with my overly enchanted gear, they're not as much of a problem anymore.

That's great that you got to play with Travis and Katie. I understand what you say about Terraria and Minecraft, yet for some reason I keep coming back to Minecraft. Don't get me wrong, I love Terraria, but since I've already done almost everything, I'm not sure what else to do. The last thing I was trying to accomplish was finishing the Pumpkin Moon event, which I think I need to use a better strategy for (in other words I need to use potions for the PumpKing battle)..

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/18/2014 at 12:29am

Yeah, I had to get better gear and such to take PumpKing and even now it's much simpler with Travis or WhiteboySlim around.

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PAX East Diablo III Playstation 4 Feature Showcase

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls is coming to next gen consoles and Blizzard provided a pretty lengthy Q&A at PAX about what it will be. Not only will the game contain the base Diablo III experience but also all of the Reaper of Souls content as well as some console exclusive features. Some of these features make a ton of sense for consoles but would also be kind of neat to see ported back to PC. One feature in particular is auto-leveling your friends to scale with you and the game you are currently playing.

The current Diablo III loot 2.0 first started on the console version and was such a hit it was ported back to PC, so hopefully some of this comes back.

Build Your Own Sentai TV Show with Chroma Squad

"In Chroma Squad you will manage an indie Sentai television studio, casting actors, purchasing equipment, crafting weapons and giant Mechas out of cardboard and glue to create your own Sentai TV show. Once the cameras are rolling, you will control your cast of five colored-jumpsuit-clad warriors in dramatic, turn-based battles."

Behold Studios, the creators of Knights of Pen and Paper have released an awesome new video showing off their new game, Chroma Squad. Even though the game is still in development what they are showing looks really fun. Chroma Squad blends awesome elements of turn based tactical games with some really unique TV show simulator bits.

Chroma Squad... Read All

Does Anyone Know More About This Game?

I watched this game video today that is both awesome and confusing. It's a bit confusing because I have no idea what the game is because the video is entirely in what I think is Japanese. That said, the game seems to be of a little girl with antlers in a style similar to Limbo. The art and music are pretty unique and I hope this eventually makes it's way to the states.

Does anyone know anything about this game or know someone that can read the text in the trailer?

Wowcraft: Episode 2 Quest for Tooth

It's a common tale. Collect teeth to progress. Head over to kill the things to get the teeth...

Below Is Now Coming to Steam

Like many I have been enjoying the trailers for Capybara Games, Below. Featuring a really moody art style as well as the music of Jim Guthrie, what's not to love? How about it only being released on XBox? Originally, it was, but it seems Capybara Games have remedied that and dropped the hint in their latest trailer.

Will Below come out on the Steam Machines too? Not entirely sure but Below will come out on "Steam on XBox One" some time this year.

Transistor, the next game from Supergiant, drops May 20

Transistor is a sci-fi themed action RPG that invites players to wield an extraordinary weapon of unknown origin as they fight through a stunning futuristic city.

I've been looking forward to Transistor for a year now, I'm glad to see that it's finally got a release date. You can pick it up May 20 on PSN (Playstation 4 only) or Steam.

Transistor is being developed by Supergiant Games, the creators of the masterpiece and indie darling, Bastion. It looks like a very beautifully styled isometric ARPG, and while we certainly aren't hurting for isometric ARPGs these days, Transistor seems to be bringing some new hotness to the table.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 04/10/2014 at 06:14pm

Important to note that the May 20 PSN release is only for Playstation 4. At least next-gen adopters will finally have some love rolling their way.

This is one of my most anticipated games coming out this year. Didn't get the chance to play it at PAX Prime last year, but watching the demos was enough to expect good fun. Can't wait!

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/10/2014 at 07:28pm

Yes, thanks. I'll update my post now.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/11/2014 at 01:54am

PS4 only at first huh? That kind of makes sense but I think i'll wait to play it.

I heard Jonathan Blow's The Witness will get the exclusive treatment on Playstation at first too.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/11/2014 at 01:55am

That said, the trailer looks great. This may not be popular, but I didn't really get the drawn of Bastion. Transistor looks more to my liking and in a way it looks as if Lightning might be getting a run for his money in the HUGE SWORD department.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/11/2014 at 03:09am

"... Lightning might be getting a run for his money in the HUGE SWORD department."

I'm not sure if you're talking about Cloud or Lightning here, since Lightning had a big sword but it was *her* sword, not his.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/11/2014 at 03:52am

Uh yeah, Cloud sorry. Sort of never played that one but I know the dude has a fairly big sword.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/11/2014 at 01:18pm

Wait. Wait wait... You. You never played FF7?

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/11/2014 at 02:24pm

Yeah. At that time I kind of stopped away from gaming for a bit.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/11/2014 at 02:35pm

*hands Jon a PSX*

Get to it! :D

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/11/2014 at 02:36pm

It's on Steam too. One of the games on the ol' list of shame.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/11/2014 at 03:40pm

Ah right, I always forget it's there.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 04/11/2014 at 04:27pm

It's okay. I missed entire catalogs, because I didn't have much exposure to Sega systems growing up. It was usually Atari or Nintendo under our TV.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/11/2014 at 07:37pm

Yeah, me too. Because of that I like Sonic but don't love that franchise like others do.

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Two Parts Form The Whole

After enjoying Sean Hogan and Jon Kittaka's first game Anodyne, I have been watching the development of "Even the Ocean" with anticipation. Recently they gave me access to "motion demo #1" and I am pretty impressed with it.

Sean and Jon's style is very present in "Even the Ocean" and from the first time you open the game, the unique score brings something very different to the table. Whereas Anodyne was a top down Zelda-esque game, Even the Ocean is a side scrolling platformer. The platforming mechanics of Even the Ocean are pretty simple to understand. You have an energy bar that contains two kinds of energy. If you have much more white energy you can jump higher BUT... Read All After enjoying Sean Hogan and Jon Kittaka's first game Anodyne, I have been watching the development of "Even the Ocean" with anticipation. Recently they gave me access to "motion demo #1" and I am pretty impressed with it.

Sean and Jon's style is very present in "Even the Ocean" and from the first time you open the game, the unique score brings something very different to the table. Whereas Anodyne was a top down Zelda-esque game, Even the Ocean is a side scrolling platformer. The platforming mechanics of Even the Ocean are pretty simple to understand. You have an energy bar that contains two kinds of energy. If you have much more white energy you can jump higher BUT you move a bit slower. If you have much more purple energy you move much faster but don't jump as high. If you get all white or all purple energy you die and must start over. I found this mechanic to be fairly unique and I often wasn't aware of which energy was best for each situation. That said, after a bit of experimentation I was able to get everywhere I wanted to go.

Even the Ocean will be a two part game:

"The Ocean"

In this longform platforming adventure, explore and learn the nature, boundaries and future of an fantasy world with diverse landscapes. Balance your energy bar to modify your horizontal and vertical movement speed as you travel through the world of The Ocean, carving your own style of travelling through The Ocean's many areas. Our intent is to make moving through The Ocean feel similar to combat, in the variety of ways different players decide to make it through a room.

The Ocean takes place mainly in "Nature" and "Gauntlet" areas, Gauntlet areas are linear levels with rising and falling tension in the level design, Nature areas are more nonlinear, wider-open areas populated with NPCs. We hope that the combination of these areas with the NPCs, aesthetics and overarching narrative provide a rich framework for players to interpret the themes and ideas behind The Ocean.

"Even"

Even is a woman in her 20s in a fictional present-day seaside town: meet and learn about people around her town, as well as explore Even's thoughts through this slice-of-life walk-and-interact + daydream-exploration-platforming hybrid game that also looks at mechanics developed in The Ocean, but in a shorter manner."

I really like how Analgesic Games builds unique games with a very distinct style. Looking forward to playing the final game to see how the story, music, art and gameplay all come together.

Even the Ocean will release some time on PC, Mac and Linux and when an official date is set, i'll let you know.

http://www.eventheocean.com/

Make sure to read the interview we had with the guys when Even the Ocean was first announced:

http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/1557