Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

PlayStation 3 + Cheerful Ghost = PlayStation 4!

I'm only a half hour into the PS4 Announcement, and I'm already hearing a lot of themes that we're already sharing here on Cheerful Ghost. Sony is focusing a lot on connectivity between players, and shared gaming experiences. I'm really interested in seeing the PS4 in person (especially Watch Dogs, not mentioned yet in this announcement, but that freaking looks rad!)

Travis Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 02:58am

Jon, get the legal team on this. Sony stole from us!

Seriously though, Adym, good point. The world of tech has forgotten about the shared experience to a large degree. That's why we're here, right? :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:49am

REVVING UP LAYERS FOR ATTACK PATTERN DELTA....

PEW, PEW, PNEW, FUCK SHIADTAHJSIDFJKIASDFIJASDFKIOJASDF

*ahem*

/reads from legal script

I have been advised by Sony of America to make the following statement in pursuant with our recent settlement. Sony of America has an always will be an innovator in the tech space in in now way "steals" or has "stolen" any intell.... lasjkdflajsdfklkasdf

*NO CARRIER*

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 03/06/2013 at 08:23am

LOL!

Holy crap is all I can say after watching the full 2 hour announcement. It's almost intimidating how much gameplay is going to be available with this system.

I absolutely cannot wait for Watch Dogs and Destiny!

krcDeuce Supporter wrote on 03/06/2013 at 03:22pm

I am very impressed with the looks of these games. Part of me feels like maybe there's nothing new happening, except for the improved processing capabilities. But really, some of the most fundamental breakthroughs happen just because of an incremental change. Who knows what kind of creativity someone will come up with.

I am a little torn with Playtstation, though. I've stuck with the Playstation platform because of my particular like of Final Fantasy games. PS3 and Xbox360 was the first console (right?) where Final Fantasy was available on both. I support Microsoft, although not exclusively, and wouldn't mind getting the next Xbox console, but I have never been unhappy with a Playstation purchase.

Why do you buy the consoles you buy?

AdamPFarnsworth Post Author wrote on 03/06/2013 at 04:36pm

I've always been an Xbox guy myself. I think it goes all the back to the Super Nintendo...

I remember back in the early 90's, the console war between the SNES and the Genesis. Growing up loving Nintendo, I felt like Sega was "butting in" and the bad guy (I have thus since learned that competition is a good thin lol).

I believe at this point my loyalty to Nintendo was solidified, and during the following years I always preceded the latest Nintendo product. So when PlayStation came out, it felt like another Genesis to me, and I avoided it. Then I got married and had a daughter and stopped play console games all together.

After my divorce (nice transition, right?), one of the first things I did was go out and buy a console lol. At the time, my options we a Wii, a PlayStation 3, or and Xbox 360. I wasn't really interested in the Wii; it's a great group activity console, but I wasn't interested in that aspect of gaming. And with PlayStation still in my subconscious as the heir of the Genesis, the Xbox 360 was the only choice for me lol.

Now I'm interested in what Microsoft puts out, but I'm already sold on the PS4!

krcDeuce Supporter wrote on 03/06/2013 at 10:47pm

Interesting. I had the same Nintendo loyalty. I don't know that I felt that Sega was butting in, but they weren't "as good" to me. Funny enough, I was really just loyal to Final Fantasy when it came to making the decision to buy a Playstation. That's the only reason. Then I came across Metal Gear Solid, and some others, and I was a brand junkie. I've stuck with Playstation ever since, though I got the Wii because I am still a Zelda and Metroid fan. (BTW, Metroid Other M is fantastic!)

But now that it seems I can get any game multi-platform these days, and my Final Fantasy fanboyness is fading (sorry Square Enix, but it's just not the same anymore), I'm tempted to give the next Xbox a chance instead.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/07/2013 at 02:37am

I nabbed a PS3 primarily because of its up-converting DVD functionality and BluRay. I bought a few other DVD players that upconverted and the PS3 beat them all hands down. Later on I bought The Orange Box and then many more games. Later on it got Netflix and now I circle back to using it as primarily a video machine and play some games on it.

I am not too sure if I will get a PS4 though. I am just not sure what purpose it will have beyond what I can already do, but I can be convinced over time. In the end, the Steam Box seems more likely. Even if it just plays Indie games and all Valve titles that would be perfect for me.

kingbllaze wrote on 03/07/2013 at 04:43am

i probably will wait on the PS4 for a year at least till i see how it runs an how fast sony will be at fixing bugs

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/07/2013 at 04:45am

@kingbllaze: That's a really good idea, I have heard online some people have some issues with the Wii U, which isn't awesome.

kingbllaze wrote on 03/07/2013 at 04:50am

my friend has the wii u i want to grab one for myself some day, but its wicked fun and what developer can possible do with it might make it the right way to go in the future with, by that i mean 2 screens one in your hand and on on your tv

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/08/2013 at 05:41am

A different perspective on the PS4. I love this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txVtoSdI7aQ&sns=em

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Jim Guthrie Releases the Corporeal Score

"Super excited to announce the release of CORPOREAL - a 4 song EP featured in the award-winning game, Sound Shapes by Queasy Games for PS3 and PS Vita. The EP consist of music taken from the CORPOREAL level which saw Jim Guthrie teaming up with superbrothers (for the first time since Sword & Sworcery) to create more video game magic (if I do say so myself!)."

I picked it up today and listened to this 4 song EP a few times. Overall its a good addition to your Jim Guthrie fan catalog and will mix in very well with your Video Game music library. If you don't have a video game music library, I recommend you also nab the Sword & Sworcery & Indie Game: The Movie... Read All

Gabe Talks to the BBC about the Steam Box

The BBS talks to Gabe about the Steam Box and he dropped details that Steam Box prototypes will hit people in 3 to 4 months. When asked what the reason its taking a bit is:

"The main thing that's holding us up... we have a couple of different controllers prototypes we're using."

And...

"We'll be giving out some prototypes to customers to gauge their reactions, I guess, in the next three to four months."

"There are noise issues and heat issues and being able to [deal with] that while still offering a powerful enough gaming experience is the challenge in building it."

To watch the video on the BBC and read the entire article with Gabe himself check the link below:

... Read All

BUNDLES GALORE 2: THE RECKONING!

Three bundles dropped today! You love bundles, I love bundles. Bundles for everyone!

Humble Bundle with Android 5
http://www.humblebundle.com/

Dungeon Defenders

Super Hexagon

Beat Hazard Ultra

Dynamite Jack

Solar 2

Nightsky HD

Indie Gala Flash
http://indiegala.com/

Pathologic

The Abbey

Miner Wars Arena

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon

Miner Wars 2081

Paranormal

Mystery Game: Unlocks in three days

Bundle Stars 4: Fire and Ice
http://bundlestars.com/

Tiny Troopers

Airport Control Simulator

Darkness Within

Darkness Within 2

Adam's Venture

Adam's Venture 2

Armada 2526

Firefighter

Two mystery titles to be unlocked later

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 02:08am

I am kind of torn on the latest Humble Bundle. What do people think, should I spring for this? Already have Dungeon Defenders and I haven't heard much about the other games. They might be awesome, I just don't know.

The video seemed to make them look really great though.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/06/2013 at 04:21am

I've only played Beat Hazard and Solar 2 from that bundle, but I think Solar 2 alone is worth it. Reminds me of flOw, but in space, with pseudo-sim behaviors (e.g. Habitable planets that develop defense systems), evolving from Big Bang to Big Crunch. Quite fun!

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:47am

Awesome, thanks scrypt that helps a lot.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/06/2013 at 07:32am

That's a nice bundle of fabrics, by the way, Travis. Has there ever been discussion of building a Cheerful Ghost community quilt? It could even be virtual! User avatars joined to make a quilted mosaic?! Eh?

vdogmr25 wrote on 03/06/2013 at 04:48pm

Most of the games I want in this bundle, I already own. It's a decent set, but I already have what I want.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:01pm

Scrypt, I thought it would be more obvious than my bundle of kale last time.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:15pm

Another aspect of these bundles, which gets lost in the amazing deals, is that it's designed to be a donation/charity as much as it is a retail opportunity. The money collected is dispersed to the recipient of your choosing, be it developer, site admin, or often a charity (like Child's Play). The games/movies/soundtracks are the draw, but really they are a bonus. The creators of the bundled projects are essentially donating their creations, not really expecting a specific return, rather trying to help a good cause, spread the joy of gaming, and if they make money in the process, so be it. If a game in the bundle is something you already have, give it as a gift to someone you think might enjoy that experience.

This is just a reminder, not a judgement by any means, as I'm certainly one that has, in the past, decided which bundle to give to, based on the kinds of content in it.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:18pm

Travis, I think it is!

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/07/2013 at 04:37am

Good point scrypt the Humble Bundle is about charity too, thanks for reminding me! That's a good way to look at it for sure.

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Int. w Isobel Kelly creator of Sundial of Shadows

I have really been enjoying the Zelda Sundial of Shadows animations created by Isobel Kelly. I wanted to ask her a few questions about the series, her process and thoughts about creating it. If you haven't checked out episode 1 I highly recommend it!

jdodson: I really like the style of Sundial of Shadows as it has the guts to do something a bit different. Instead of providing a paint by numbers generic story it takes its time to build its own style, and narrative. I wonder what you wanted to accomplish when you started the concept of Sundial of Shadows and wonder how you look at your first few episodes?

Isobel Kelly: I could've illustrated a comic book of this fan... Read All

Quickplay: Dawnstar

I take Cowboy Bebop style space shooter Dawnstar for a spin. The soundtrack alone is worth the trip.

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/05/2013 at 07:30am

You're right, the soundtrack seems really wicked! Makes me wish the rest of the game was at least stylized to look the part. Seems a mishmash of several ideas, but not cohesively joined. Definitely a cool soundtrack, though.

Have you tried Strike Suit Zero?

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/05/2013 at 08:15pm

Lounge music in a space game, unique touch for sure.

I love how many games you review with your videos. I sort of love that you play these games because I don't have time to!

Oh one question, will you do the continuing episodes of The Journey Down?

SignalWarden Post Author wrote on 03/06/2013 at 03:37am

scrypt: I absolutely have. I haven't gotten a chance to go too deep into it though and with Simcity and Bioshock dropping I don't see myself getting around to it in March. From the very little I've played though it seems phenomenal.

J-Dod (yeah, I'm trademarking that): I have been thinking of revisiting some of the games that are longer and give a perspective from deeper into the game. As for the Journey Down specifically, the title "Chapter One" belongs to the game, not the video. It is being released in chapters ala Walking Dead and Back to the Future. When it is released I will without a doubt do a quickplay of it, but they are just hammering down the art right now, so I doubt we'll see it until Q4 at the absolute earliest.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:46am

Ok cool, looking forward to it!

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 05:46am

Oh and when you do the Simcity video, please post it here I am not sure if I am going to jump into Origin and if this game is that bad-ass I may have to.

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Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty Discount

I love Starcraft and as such need to let you all know if something awesome happens in that arena. As it so turns out now until March 12th you can get Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty for $20 on Battle.net which just so happens to be the release date of the Heart of the Swarm Expansion as well.

Both games for $60? No too bad.

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/8876310/Save_50_on_StarCraft_II_Wings_of_Liberty%E2%80%94Limited_Time_Only_-3_1_2013

Unreal Tournament 3 game night

Come join us this Wednesday night at 9PM EST, 6PM PST. If you don't have the game yet, it's pretty cheap on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/13210/

We'll make another post Wednesday as a reminder. See you then!

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/05/2013 at 03:06am

See you all then!

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/05/2013 at 04:16am

I'll straggle in late, as I won't be home until an hour after you guys start. Stupid Alaska...

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 03/05/2013 at 04:33am

Alaska! Awesome. I want to visit Alaska some day. Preferably in the summer.

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/05/2013 at 05:40am

Me too. Ill be on still, fear not :D

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/05/2013 at 04:42pm

We joke that there are only two seasons up here: winter and construction. Maybe it's not really a joke... Anyway, summer is usually our best month. I mean season. No, I do mean month. The last few summers have been supremely lame, so we're due a good one this year. For a lot of us, I think, who have migrated from the south, it's the best part of being here. Beautiful environment and endless sunlight to enjoy it. It's over all too quickly, though. My favorite part of the year follows shortly after, the crisp chill of autumn. The changing leaves don't last very long, but the sunsets linger. The stars start to come back, and everything feels sort of magical.

The downside? A distinct separation from the rest of the world, and unless you have the funds to leave on a regular basis, you can find yourself feeling caged in. Anchorage has mountains on one side and water on the other, an almost literal bowl, with one road going out, which caters to some of the worst drivers in the world. Most of us suffer from severe vitamin D deficiency. There isn't much in the way of variety or opportunity here, either, unless you are into certain things.

It's a unique place, that's for sure :)

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/06/2013 at 02:11am

Yeah for sure. Total beauty and isolation.

Hoping to head up there some day for sure.

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Space Qube: A Fun Upcoming Voxel Shooter

Said simply:

"Space Qube is a voxel based retro shooting game which is going to hit iTunes store soon. The game is basically composed of two parts, game and workshop."

I love the idea of a rich iOS game that allows the ability to share your creations with others. For a time, I too enjoyed Words with Friends because it was a really interesting shared experience. Space Qube also shipping for free? Pretty much a must play for me.

http://www.lynxengine.com/games/spaceqube/index.php

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/05/2013 at 07:48am

That model editing tool looks pretty nice. Sharing with friends? Prepare for penises!

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 03/05/2013 at 05:14pm

Haha, good point! Ill prepare myself.

fallingcat wrote on 03/09/2013 at 04:58pm

Hello, I am the creator of Space Qube and I like your post.
scrypt, good point. It seems I will need to write a penis filter for this game! XD

scrypt Supporter wrote on 03/09/2013 at 06:56pm

It's a fine looking game, Owen! I hope you're successful with it. And, seriously, that model editor is quite cool :)

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 03/09/2013 at 08:48pm

Hey @fallingcat thanks for stopping by!

I am really looking forward to the final game and plan on doing a much more in-depth post on it when I can get my hands on it! Good luck on the penis filter :D

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Who wouldn't want to play this game?

I've been playing Bit.Trip Runner 2 for the past few days, and the charm is thick with this game. It's narrated by the voice of Mario himself, Charles Martinet, it starts off with a fake ad for things like Milk Brine, and you run into characters like Reverse Merman here.

I plan on writing more about this as I progress, but if you're looking for a bizarre perpetual running platformer crossed with a rhythm game, this is your jam. These games are frustrating, to be sure, but much like Super Meat Boy there's no better gaming feeling than acing a level.