Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

Fabien Sanglard Reviews the Doom 3: BFG Code

iD Software is really forward thinking tech company in that it releases the source code for its older game engines and level tools. Don't take my word for it, check out the code they have released on github.

https://github.com/id-Software

This kind of thing should be applauded because when game companies release the source to their games it means that the odds you will be able to play the games you love in the future is pretty good. Plus its awesome to play a game you love on any platform you want. Its also a great way to learn how a top notch game engine operates.

Intro Fabien Sandlard a guy with an awesome hobby, he looks at released game source and blogs about it.... Read All

The Firehouse: ANNE Funded, D3 Comics + New Humble

A.N.N.E. the awesome new 2D metroidvania Kickstarter was recently funded and the games creator shared his excitement in the video above. Awesome to see the game to drop early next year and for more information check out my interview with the games creator, below.

http://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/1272

Blizzard will be releasing a new Diablo III graphic novel "Sword of Justice" next month. Written by Aaron Williams and art by Joseph Lacroix this will be a pretty nice addition to your Diablo collection of awesomery.

http://us.battle.net//d3/en/blog/9762740

New Humble Weekly Bundle dropped today featuring Alan Wake. More reasons to pay what you want for games you might... Read All

Terraria 1.2 Update Teaser

demilogic posted a new video update on Terraria 1.2 showing off smooth walking, new house roofs, armor, rock launchers, waterfalls, in game music, painting and more. The video also shows up the new in game mini-map.

"Preview for the slopehalfblockwaterfallpaintrocketlaucheromgwhatisthatthingeater'sbone 1.2 update. Also there is a minimap. The update is far from done, we are aiming for a July release. Thank you for your patience and continued support."

I will be running a Cheerful Ghost Terraria server when the 1.2 update drops in July so stay tuned!

Travis Admin wrote on 05/23/2013 at 04:25pm

From what I read, it's only been said that it will be before the end of July, but after the first week of June. So it could be sooner than we think!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/23/2013 at 04:29pm

Second week of June huh? Sounds good to me :D

Travis Admin wrote on 05/23/2013 at 04:50pm

Then hopefully the Starbound beta releases in late August.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/23/2013 at 04:53pm

Ha yeah, I don't think so.

I think Starbound and Stardew Valley will ship in the last three months of the year. Id love them to ship sooner, but yeah later part of the year is where my bet is.

Travis Admin wrote on 05/23/2013 at 05:55pm

For the final, yeah I'd agree, but they're still targeting release in 2013, so a beta in August is wishful thinking but within the realm of possibility. At least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself. Because I want it.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 05/23/2013 at 05:57pm

I would love an early release for sure.

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Site Development: Comment Sharing & Gaming Events

comment sharing

After Travis posted about the new XBox One I commented in that post and realized I wanted to share the comment on Twitter. I didn't want to make up a post and then share that, I just wanted to share the comment in Travis post. So this evening I added a share button to the comments that allow anyone to get a URL that links back to any post comment. This lets you share any comment on the site you find useful. I have read some really epic comments on Slashdot and Reddit I have linked to and this allows you to do the same. But don't take my word for it, head into an active comment stream and check it out.

new event system - coming soon

For quite some time... Read All comment sharing

After Travis posted about the new XBox One I commented in that post and realized I wanted to share the comment on Twitter. I didn't want to make up a post and then share that, I just wanted to share the comment in Travis post. So this evening I added a share button to the comments that allow anyone to get a URL that links back to any post comment. This lets you share any comment on the site you find useful. I have read some really epic comments on Slashdot and Reddit I have linked to and this allows you to do the same. But don't take my word for it, head into an active comment stream and check it out.

new event system - coming soon

For quite some time people have told me they want it to be easier to play games with the Cheerful Ghost community. In the past, someone had to create a post and then people commented if they wanted to play. When the time came to play, sometimes people forgot or didn't join in because of timezone strangeness. Needless to say, it works for some but its not awesome.

For the last month I have been working on an awesome new system for Cheerful Ghost to schedule gaming events with the community. The new Event section will allow anyone on the site to join and create events easily on the site.

If you want to schedule a session of Left 4 Dead on Steam Saturday @ 1pm you will easily be able to do that. Since we all live all over the world the new event system will automagically translate the event times for you. So if I create an event in Portland with a start time of 1PM, when Travis looks at the event in New York he will see 4PM. It doesn't matter where you live, Cheerful Ghost will automagically translate the event time for you to your timezone.

Left 4 Dead 2 only supports 4 players so the new event system has a mechanism to hard limit the amount of people that can join if you say it should.

Events in many ways act like posts and as such after you create your event you can comment in it and share it easily on Twitter, Facebook & Google+.

I am pretty busy and as such use my calendar to schedule my life. Once you join an event you can easily add it to your Smartphone, Desktop or Google Calendar. This is a really hot feature and I just added it this evening. Its so magic seeing the event get added to your iPhone calendar :D

I am still in deep development on this but its already working well. I plan on doing a soft beta launch very soon and plan on releasing a teaser video in the next few days so keep a look out for the new goodness.

Progress Update: Ship Travel, Speech & 3D Printing

Been following all the posted development activity for Starbound over the last few weeks and wanted to bubble some up to your attention. One feature I thought was interesting is that they are adding in game 3D printing. Its an interesting feature and ill have them describe it for you.

"We’re also working on the 3D printing interface, which is very similar to the crafting interface but you’re also able to “scan in” items to reverse engineer them. Almost any object you find in the world can be scanned/reverse engineered to allow you to print it using ‘pixels’. However, anything you make with a 3D printer will be marked as “printed” and will have a much lower value. If... Read All

Diablo III’s One-Year Anniversary

https://bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/I92NZOGURTC91369092382675.png

Here's a cool infographic showing D3's one year stats. Link to the page: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/9691895/diablo-iii%E2%80%99s-one-year-anniversary-infographic-5-20-2013

New XBox called XBox One

EDIT: Putting this at the top because it's a hot-button issue that people have been wondering about. CVG is reporting that installing games is mandatory, and that installing the same game by a second user will be behind a paywall. It isn't exactly blocking used game sales, but there will be some sort of fee.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/407912/microsoft-confirms-pre-owned-fee-for-xbox-one/

It's a pretty slick looking box, but can we just talk a sec about the name? How many kids are going to get a used original XBox for Christmas?

It boasts a lot of interesting features. Here are a few:

THEY FIXED THE D-PAD

It will be all in one system, has TV capabilities, and will... Read All

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/21/2013 at 06:44pm

Watched the stream up until half way and then it cut out. Not a bad thing, it was interesting up until the EA stuff and I sort of got bored. I don't really care much about hearing from EA personally.

That said, objectively this looks like a really wicked sweet console. Won't be perfect, but it looks like it handles the TV, Movies, Music and lastly games workflows well. I think that important to note because it seems like Microsoft isn't making games the larger focus. Not condemning it, just noting.

I have an outstanding thought that next gen consoles will suffer because everyone has enough magic in their living room in terms of stuff under the TV. Plus Smartphones. So will people buy yet another thing that is more better? Some obviously, but I wonder if the poor Wii U sales are just how this next console generation will be? Just a question really.

Again, looks like a cool system but not aimed at me. I can Netflix, DVD and BluRay to my entertainment satisfaction and I don't watch live TV. But I could see where this would be a insta-purchase for some and the first consoles some actually get, the use-cases are quite striking for who they are targeting.

hardeyez wrote on 05/21/2013 at 10:05pm

Here's the microsoft site for it http://www.xbox.com/en-us/xboxone/meet-xbox-one

scrypt Supporter wrote on 05/21/2013 at 10:30pm

From Microsoft's Xbox One site: "Xbox One gets to know you. It learns what you like and what you don’t."

Pretty sure it won't pick up on the fact that I hate advertisements on my paid-for product, but whatever. This is pretty much what I was afraid of, more of the same. Microsoft is moving the Xbox further away from a pure gaming experience, and they can keep it. The ability to play games after installing, without a disc, is something I've always wanted, but not in this package. And a fee for used games? Forget it.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/22/2013 at 04:48am

Yeah, if you are not keen on Microsoft's design choices I don't think the XBox One is going to be for you scrypt.

Hey Travis, are you going to pick this up?

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/22/2013 at 01:38pm

It depends on their plans for used games that they haven't disclosed yet, how backwards compatibility works, and how fully-functional the Windows install is.

With used games, I generally don't bother anyway. It's only $5 cheaper at Gamestop, and if you want to get it cheaper you have to go to Craigslist or eBay or something like that. So I prefer getting new anyway. I may not like the decisions MS makes here, but really when is the last time you played a used PC game? I think this is the way things are headed whether we like it or not, and it doesn't affect me greatly anyway.

But if their Windows install will let me install VLC and connect to a server where I have all my media shared, and especially if I can use Steam on it, then it's probably going to get my money. I can effectively replace two machines.

That is, of course, assuming I can still play my 360 games. Since it's on different hardware I'm assuming there would have to be some kind of software emulation here, and I don't know if they'll have that.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/22/2013 at 05:07pm

Yeah, it looks like it won't be backwards compatible with 360 games. http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350662/new-xbox-has-no-backwards-compatibilty

I do the used thing on consoles, generally with older titles that are $10-$20. Its a nice way to try something I wouldn't have otherwise and got a few ps3 games that way. Its how I got into the Elder Scrolls series, picked up Oblivion for $10 on PS3.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/22/2013 at 05:56pm

"Xbox and the NFL are partnering to shape the future of football — forever changing the game. Xbox One will transform the way fans experience the NFL from the living room, through an unparalleled, integrated fantasy experience on the television that is truly social and personal, and new innovations in connected experiences with Skype and Xbox SmartGlass. Xbox is proud to be the Official Interactive Content Provider of the NFL."

I saw this paragraph on Best Buy's site. It might have just tipped the scales from PS4 to One. But I'll wait and see of course.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/22/2013 at 05:58pm

Yeah in the reveal video the fantasy integration looked pretty good. If you watch live TV and play fantasy football on ESPN this might be your jam :D

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/22/2013 at 06:31pm

Adym-- http://i.imgur.com/h6CI5Gc.png

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/22/2013 at 06:35pm

LOL! Good call Travis :D

I still need to watch the revel video. It's blocked at work, and last night I was busy, but I look forward to it!

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/22/2013 at 07:12pm

Hahaha. Both. I have a Mac Mini, Wii & PS3 under the TV. Id have to start tossing out systems to add another one and each one serves a purpose. Only one new system (as of now) will be compatible with all the gear of the old one and thats the Wii U. Say what you will about Nintendo, but they do that part right.

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Unreal Deal Pack on Steam #2

I think I may post every time Steam has a sale on all the Unreal games because I love them so. This one also has the added benefit of being cheaper than I have ever seen.

Nab all the Unreal games for $10. Offer ends may 27th.

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/683/

Seriously, do yourself a favor and frag with one of the most fun tournament shooters around!

Interview with Chris from TRU FUN about Rad Raygun

http://radraygun.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/ss01.jpg

Recently Chris from TRU FUN Entertainment answered some questions for us about Rad Raygun, currently on XBox Live Indie Games, being released for PC soon, and currently in the Greenlight process for a Steam release.

He was also gracious enough to send us along a review copy, which I played through. For the price, anyone with an XBox should check this game out. The gameplay is similar to Mega Man, with some other inspiration here and there from other titles, including Tetris. Yes, Tetris. Getting the hang of placing the pieces takes some time, but it's a great homage.

The art style perfectly represents the visual style of the original GameBoy, with some amusing cutscenes... Read All

More PS4 announcements teaser

http://webassets.scea.com/ps4/media/fw_20may_bg_header.jpg

Sony is emailing today that there will be a "big announcement" about the PS4 at their E3 presentation. You can live stream it...

http://us.playstation.com/ps4/

There is also a teaser trailer showing an out of focus black box...