Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Starcraft II: Back to School

To celebrate Back to School Blizzard is dropping the price on Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty for 50% off and Heart of the Swarm for 50% off on Battle.net. So yeah, celebrating starting school back up with one of the greatest time sinks around!

Additionally this week you will be able to earn some exclusive badges as well, so if you are into that, check it out!

If you are interested, check out my thoughts on Heart of the Swarm.

http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/1100

Valve announces Steam Machines

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/

Steam Machines. It looks like they aren't going with "Steam Box" that people have been using for a while now.

Valve is working with various hardware partners to bring a range of Steam hardware to living rooms in 2014.

In addition, you can put your name in the hat to beta test their hardware by completing the Steam Hardware Enthusiast badge. If you're one of the lucky 300, you get a prototype to play with and test. Free of charge.

http://steamcommunity.com/my/badges/15

Mostly, right now, they're saying "more info soon" but there's some good info there.

The very last thing on the page, about input devices-- "Stay tuned,... Read All

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:23pm

Got the badge. Kind of hoping I am one of the 300 but I bet there will be MANY participants in the beta :D

http://steamcommunity.com/id/jdodson/badges/15

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:27pm

I'm only one away. I know I've played a game with a controller in big picture before, but it claims I haven't.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:31pm

Got the badge, too. Seven minutes after the announcement. Hoping that I, too, am one of the 300 selected.

A lot of Steam games are designed for mouse and keyboard, so it's going to be interesting to see how Friday's announcement addresses that group of players.

hardeyez wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:34pm

Ugh, I need friends...

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:41pm

ILL BE FRIENDS WITH U @HARDEYEZ!

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:43pm

Why is it ugh?

hardeyez wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:44pm

I'm anti-social with gaming :)
Really, I like seeing a few friends notify when they are online via steam (the ~6 I already had), but more than that is annoying. Guess I'll just have to figure out how to tweak notifications.

hardeyez wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:45pm

And, since i have the nice CG steam group to ping from, I get a better class of "friends" to add :)

hardeyez wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:48pm

Oh, and it's crazy that in the last 10 minutes it went from 9800 qualified candidates to almost 12,400

Timogorgon Member wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:59pm

OMGOMGOMG! We finally have a release date (Sorta!) and details (Mostly)! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY, VALVE!

Dang, I need to go pick up a gamepad so I can get the badge. I meet all the other requirements.

Oh and @Hardeyez, you (or anyone from CG who is reading this) can friend me on Steam. I go by whiteboyslim on there as well. Plus you can find me in the CheerfulGhost Steam group. :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/25/2013 at 06:20pm

But as to the actual announcement, I am excited to pick up a Steam Machine. Not terribly interested in hacking my own system together, but getting something where the price and feature set is right.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 06:30pm

I'm interested in both. If I can get a decent rig provided by Steam, awesome. OTOH, if I can just build my own mini-computer and since, it'll be dual-bootable, boot to the media center when I won't be gaming. This is all subject to change since we're still talking next year before they're available for purchase.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 06:31pm

@whiteboyslim - +1 for the Logitech F-series if you don't have an XBOX 360 controller to use. Good solid controllers and Steam recognizes and configures them automatically.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/25/2013 at 07:08pm

Uhm, this could be a very good fake or something very interesting:

http://i.imgur.com/37x0wwN.jpg

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/25/2013 at 07:34pm

Yeah I don't know how much I believe that. People screw around like this on 4chan all the time. The Anon could have just taken widely available information, widely believed speculation about today's announcement (that proved to be true), and one of the most popular theories about Friday's announcement. Even if Friday's announcement comes out to be true, I'm not sure I'll believe this is a Valve employee.

Now if the nvidia streaming tech is what shows up on SteamOS, and the other smaller things he talked about turn out true, then I'll say this was an actual Valve employee.

But yeah, I think it's likely that Friday's announcement is either a Steam Controller or something about games, whether it's an engine or a new game (or both). It looks too much like a controller not to be one of those.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 07:41pm

Troll or not, there are some pretty accurate facts about why Linux is a good choice for Valve. Full customization of the OS to their liking...right down to the kernel level.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/25/2013 at 07:53pm

Totally agreed, bean. That's why I like it as well. Now to get the games there so I can stay put! It seems AMD and Nvidia are ramping up their work on Linux drivers since the announcement of SteamOS. Things are actually looking better for Linux than they ever have, I think. I'm not about to say "2014 is the year of the Linux desktop" but this is going to help.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2049369/amd-nvidia-ramp-up-linux-driver-support-after-valves-steamos-announcement.html

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/26/2013 at 03:41pm

Every year since 1989 has been the year of the Linux desktop. >_<

AMD really has no choice but to start working on their drivers. I follow the Linux Steam client bugtracker on github and there are a number of issues regarding ATI drivers from AMD. If it took the announcement of Steam Machines to get AMD to sit up and take notice, then so be it.

Valve developers announced early on via their blog (http://blogs.valvesoftware.com/linux/faster-zombies/) that they were able to work directly with the hardware manufacturers. Even then, the improvements that came about through that joint venture were already being shared with Linux users. So, I think Valve has already shown that they really do want to make Linux just as viable a gaming platform as Windows. At times, I think even more so.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/26/2013 at 03:46pm

I think more so because they can. They can modify the kernel and get drivers optimized for Linux. I am unsure what Valves relation to the Windows OS is, but my guess is it's not too great.

I totally dig Valves involvement here, its a win all around. Even if your not a gamer because better In Kernel video drivers are good for everyone that uses Desktop Linux. Which, all told is pretty darn good from my experience.

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Tons of New Terraria 1.2 Spoilers

Lot's of videos have surfaced outlining many of the changes in Terraria 1.2. The above video features wooden & cactus armor and the ones below feature a new NPC The Steampunker as well as rope and rope coil. Very excited about the full set of wooden armor as that means that you can outfit your character very early on in the game. The only downside is that if you start a server(like ours) the trees will get dropped pretty fast. That said, we should all be re-planting so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

That said, I am now curious. Will you be going Wood or Cactus armor to start?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE2kn1IWFfQ (The new NPC The Steampunker)

... Read All

Do Gamers Need Anita Sarkeesian's Feminism?

"Sexism in game culture is back in the spotlight. As seen in the comment section of Carolyn Petit's recent review of GTA 5 and, of course, the hate spewed toward Anita Sarkeesian's Feminist Frequency, there is a strong undercurrent of anti-woman sentiment that has surfaced in the gamer community. Why? Because there are those who believe that women can never be "true gamers." But there are those that are fighting back!!! So does that make Anita a video game Rosa Parks? Watch the episode to find out!"

Latest episode of Game/Show is a good one, this time discussing games and feminism. I like the take on it here, its a even discussion that gives the issue a fair shake. And... Read All

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 04:49pm

This gives me something to watch to kill the next 10 minutes. Waiting for today's Steam announcement.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/25/2013 at 05:35pm

Another great episode. I'm not sure I agree that we need that degree of feminism. That being said, I vehemently disagree with the reactions of the vocal minority to what Ms. Sarkeesian is attempting. I think there's a moderate balance to be struck somewhere.

vdogmr25 wrote on 09/26/2013 at 10:54pm

It's all about the vocal minority. Extra Credits does a good job of talking about this in their Harassment episode. Also, GonzoPlanet has done a cool podcast with part of the Extra Credits crew and MovieBob on the vocal minority, and a chunk of it focuses on this subject in particular.

http://www.gonzoplanet.com/2013/09/digital-gonzo-149-fan-response/

I feel the second-hand effects of this. My girlfriend is a solid Magic player, and enjoys playing video games. It's still hard to go to game shops because of the reaction. Most of it is non-verbal (ie. creepy staring), but it still sucks. I try to be in and out as quickly as possible to try to mitigate that, but it shouldn't be an issue in the first place.

Climbing off my high-horse now.

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Interview With Behold Studios About Chroma Squad

Back this on Kickstarter!

Back in July, Chroma Squad was successfully Kickstarted. This made me happy as Behold Studios, the company behind the magic, is setting out to do something pretty unique. Chroma Squad is a tactical turn-based game where you manage your set of heroes as well as TV studio. The concept is really quite innovative and I have been wanting to talk to the developers about it. As luck would have it, they had some time to talk with me and I want to thank them for doing the interview and wish them well in finishing the game!

jdodson: The game was successfully Kickstarted last month and was recently Greenlit on Steam, which is pretty awesome. How has development on the game been... Read All

SteamOS coming soon

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/

The first of three announcements is out, and it's a biggie: Steam is making its own Linux distribution called SteamOS, specifically for living room gaming computers. It's going to be a free download to run on your own hardware, or preinstalled on the Steam Box.

This will have all you'd expect-- family sharing, the ability to play music, movies, etc. You can read all the details at the link above, but the most interesting piece of info to me is game streaming:

You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS... Read All

hardeyez wrote on 09/23/2013 at 05:29pm

WOW

Chowda wrote on 09/23/2013 at 05:31pm

You beat me to posting it!

hardeyez wrote on 09/23/2013 at 05:31pm

I mean, I knew they'd do this for steam box, but to release it to the end user also is great and brilliant. I wonder how much of the underlying system is still available, e.g. if I can use it for streaming media also...

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/23/2013 at 06:02pm

I think streaming media is built-in but the way I read it they won't lock you out of the OS either. I'm sure there will be tons of SteamOS remixes and spinoffs that will let you do a variety of things not set up by default.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/23/2013 at 08:48pm

This is really awesome news. I use Linux but if SteamOS were based on some Debian variant I might switch to use it exclusively. Plus this means a potential SteamBox could be configured to do so many things.

Again, very exciting news.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/23/2013 at 10:45pm

The impact from this is going to be immense. It's awesome to see Valve's grand plan coming together in stages. Things are really starting to coalesce now.

The Family Sharing option makes sense given the context of a living room setup. As stated before, the functionality was always present but the presentation was different. Viewed in this light, this is no different than the setup on the PlayStation 3.

The ability to run the OS on your own hardware OR purchase from OEMs is also huge. That means that Valve doesn't even really have to make their own Steambox. They can simply approve certain specs and offer a licensing mechanism for getting the Valve logo.

Streaming from Steam to SteamOS devices on the network is a great feature. Being able to use one machine as a KVM switch for another and viewing a remote desktop are both existing technologies that once again Valve has packaged in a way that Grandma Gamer can do it without having to become a programmer.

The streaming feature is clever and a clever workaround for the lack of AAA titles that are playable via Linux at this time. Mentioning that AAA titles are in the works for 2014 is a way of indirectly acknowledging the severe lack of such titles right now. So, in the meantime, you can play them using your SteamOS device as a proxy via the streaming option. That's thinking with Portals!

Since Valve has shown they are looking forward, here's what I'm hoping we'll see when the magical day of transformation of my living room commences, a trio of "...3" titles and a new SDK:

- Left4Dead3
- Half-Life 3
- Team Fortress 3
- Source 3

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/24/2013 at 04:51am

@beansmyname I don't know man, I am not sure Valve can count to 3.

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Portland Retro Game Expo 2013

Just wanted to let you know about some awesome stuff. October 5th - 6th is the Portland Retro Gaming Expo and I am happy to report that Cheerful Ghost will be showing this year. We will have a booth to showcase the site, sell Cheerful Ghost swag packs and are stuffing free stickers in each attendee bag. I am also excited to say that as a special bonus, we are sharing the table with Sleep Ninja Games, the awesome folks making the crazy great game "Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake."

I seriously encourage anyone living in Portland or its surrounding territories that loves retro games to stop by the booth and say hi. Not only will you be able to get an above average dose of... Read All

The Retron 5: 9 Classic Systems in One

I just found out about a cool new retro system coming out this December called the Retron 5. It sports compatabiliy for the NES, SNES, SFC, Genesis, Famicom, Gameboy, Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance. It will be available at launch for $99 and will support scaled output at 720p over HDMI.

I know what just got added to my Christmas list!

http://hyperkin.com/blog/2013/09/hyperkin-to-release-retron-5-on-december-10-2013/

Valve is teasing something

http://cdn2.store.steampowered.com/public/images/promo/livingroom/00_planet_image.jpg

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/

They're discussing Big Picture Mode and talking about living rooms, so I can only assume this has something to do with the Steam Box. Looks like, as of this writing, we're 71 hours away from the first announcement.

UPDATE: Geoff Keighley tweeted that Valve sent him an email saying that there will be three separate announcements next week.

I'm going to just come out and predict this now: Half-Life 3 will be announced. If it isn't, I'm one more incorrect guess in a sea of thousands, but if it is... I CALLED IT!

OK, in all honesty I would love that, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/20/2013 at 05:59pm

I'm a cranky, old bastard and tend to be the first to criticize something. It's my way of remaining skeptical and reserving judgment for later. However, I have so little to criticize about Valve's approach to bringing their console to market.

Valve is throwing pieces out there, little scraps for the wanting to feed on, and waiting for reactions from community and media. Since they don't have an existing console to support nor a legacy to uphold, Valve is doing what they can to ensure the released product has strong support at launch.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/20/2013 at 08:45pm

Yeah, they should announce a new game and set of games to launch with this console too. For instance, I have heard about a DoTA 2 console port. If I were them i'd seriously consider doing some kind of exclusivity on HL3 and DoTA 2 console to the Steambox for a bit.

Kind of wondering if Valve would ever do that, but it might give people more reason to check it out. Or some kind of Linux/Console HL3 exclusivity would interesting. Linux exclusive, so odd to even say that :D

But yeah, so excited about this, it's going to be a long weekend :D

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/20/2013 at 08:46pm

Linux exclusive HL3 is kinda what I'm hoping for whenever HL3 launches. At least for like a week.

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/20/2013 at 08:48pm

Exclusive for some time yeah, might be good to get some people thinking in that direction. I wonder if they did that what kind of impact it would have on gaming?

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 09/20/2013 at 09:03pm

As long as it's not long. I hate the 6-month timed exclusivity you see frequently. Give a platform a nod if you like, but don't make people suffer :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 09/20/2013 at 09:04pm

Right. Not too much suffering :D

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/21/2013 at 12:39am

Just had a similar conversation about Linux-first exclusives on the SteamLUG community discussions. Sadly, the requirements from Greenlight, which is the method for game submission to Steam, still have a minimum requirement of Windows operability. Also, do not forget the 1% revenue factor. To ignore the large base of Windows users would be to do your own game a disservice.

Open should be about inclusivity not exclusivity. Ideally, games could be released for a multitude of platforms with cross-play being a side effect of having used standard libraries or having developed with cross-compatibility as a firsthand goal.

The issue with a lot of traditional marketing is how blind it is to the idea that there is a lot of room in the ocean of available customers. It's not necessary to corner or own a market any more and I get the impression that Valve knows this. The Steambox just has to sell enough units to justify its continued production, not overwhelm and overtake the PS4 and XBOX One.

shockwave wrote on 09/21/2013 at 06:37pm

I'm just hoping for a steambox, if I can get all my steam library hooked up to my tv with a controller, id be a happy man.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 09/22/2013 at 09:06pm

@shockwave There is a slim-to-none chance that your entire Steam library (unless you run Linux exclusively) is going to be available at launch...or ever. It is clear that Windows' only interest to Valve is revenue. That market is just too large to ignore. However, Gabe has said several times publicly that Linux holds the future of gaming.

That being said, maybe Travis is onto something: HL3 - Cross-platform at launch, but console exclusive to the Steambox.

shockwave wrote on 10/23/2013 at 07:10am

@beansmyname, I could have sworn I read that that gaming streaming would be available to allow all games to run, circumventing Windows Licensing issues with Steambox. I've seen various demos of the technology, the only hurdle looks to be whether or not you can use the host computer at the same time.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 10/23/2013 at 08:24pm

Streaming yes, but that depends on you also having a beefy gaming rig somewhere in your house.

beansmyname Supporter wrote on 11/02/2013 at 04:39pm

@shockwave My understanding of the streaming is that your gaming PC will stream to the Steam Machine then to the TV. I misread your statement as an expectation of your entire library running natively. That is unlikely to happen.

jdodson Admin wrote on 11/02/2013 at 05:23pm

Having all the games run Steambox native would be pretty epic though. /dreams

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Diablo III Console & PC Comparison

Diablo III released on console recently and like many people that have it on PC, I didn't buy it. I have been curious to try it as Blizzard made many changes to it that are not in the PC version. I was able to do that because Blizzard added a Diablo III demo to PS3 and XBox 360 which takes you all the way to the Skeleton King. I have been playing the PS3 demo over the last couple of days and wanted to write a bit about the differences between the console and PC version.

the long road to the controller

Originally I figured porting Diablo III to consoles would be strange because of the game controls. Diablo III has a pretty rich interface with hotkeys, character... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 09/20/2013 at 04:00pm

RE: Difficulty modes

PC has this too, with Monster Power. You actually have more control of this on PC than you do on console, for some reason. I'm not sure why they didn't just port Monster Power straight over.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/20/2013 at 04:25pm

Interesting. Maybe because Monster Power makes no less if you are not familiar with the game and how it started on PC? Difficulty modes are easier to understand and then just handing out greater rewards because of them is a good idea.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/20/2013 at 04:26pm

Oh and I forgot to also say, you get loot when you complete certain missions. It's a nice change and I got some great stuff that way.

Travis Admin wrote on 09/20/2013 at 04:34pm

"you get loot when you complete certain missions."

That's awesome. I generally prefer the loot-flow in the console version, which makes sense since they tuned it more (half of what they're doing with Loot 2.0 on PC is already in the console version) but I never actually noticed getting loot rewards for missions somehow. I only played through half the demo, though.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/20/2013 at 04:36pm

Yeah, I got some gear a few times, the last time I remember getting it is when I saved Cain. I am not all the way through it myself but plan on sinking a bit of time here and there to finish it. I really enjoy this version of Diablo III and hope they release a "TV Mode" for the PC release which plays just like this.

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