Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

GAME NIGHT TUESDAY - TF2 Scream Fortress

http://storefront.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/440/extras/page_banner_2012.jpg

Come join us Tuesday night to play the new Scream Fortress expansion at 9EST, 6PST, and some other time if you're in other parts of the world. We'll make a post an hour before we start to coordinate, and join the Cheerful Ghost Steam group if you haven't already.

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/CheerfulGhost

See you tomorrow!

Steam Halloween Sale! Fear Your Wallets Safety!

After this years Steam Summer Sale and learning how much some of my friends spent on it, I think the most scary Halloween news of all is Steams Halloween Sale! This sale is themed around games that contain lots of blood, killing, shooting and various other bits marked so far down they are 6 FEET IN THE GROUND!

A few of the marked down titles are classics such as:

Left 4 Dead
F.E.A.R. & F.E.A.R. 2
Dead Horde
Zombie Shooter
Killing Floor
Zombie Bowl-O-Rama
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
DEAD Space
Painkiller Complete
Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
Prototype
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
.. And more!

http://store.steampowered.com/sale/halloweensale_2012

Will_Owens wrote on 10/30/2012 at 12:37pm

What a coincidence after posting about STALKER. I may FINALLY pick up the Walking Dead series to play with my wife... if she doesn't get too scared.

Gary_Butterfield wrote on 10/30/2012 at 04:20pm

Everyone needs to play The Walking Dead.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 10/30/2012 at 09:15pm

I am going to nab The Walking Dead when they are all out as a entire series bundle.

One thing about the games thus far though, are they all the same style or do they change a bit over the different episodes?

Gary_Butterfield wrote on 10/31/2012 at 04:38pm

The Walking Dead? They're very narrative driven so the change happens in the plot, not in the mechanics or anything else. It's consistently gripping. Essentially, it's making you feel like shit about decisions you make: the game.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 10/31/2012 at 11:41pm

Sounds great. Its been sometime since I played an adventure like game since Monkey Island 3.

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What Games Are You Playing this Halloween Week?

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween week and was also wondering what games you were playing to usher in the holiday? Recently picked up Doom 3: BFG Edition and that was pretty well timed as it plays well around Halloween. Sometime thing week I am going to crack open Amnesia: The Dark Descent as well.

I am wondering what other Halloween / Horror themed games are you playing this week?

BR Supporter wrote on 10/30/2012 at 12:50am

As you know, I am playing killing floor. Lots of fun. Other than that, I may or may not pick up one of the STALKER games. Not sure which one yet. I can't think of any other games currently that I might play.

By the way, thank you so much for showing me the star crafts animations. I absolutely love them. The Halloween one is really good.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 10/30/2012 at 01:24am

Yeah, this episode reminds me of the Peanuts Halloween Special... Well minus the Great Pumpkin!

Travis Admin wrote on 10/30/2012 at 01:43am

Just an FYI since we're talking about Halloween-- There's a Halloween sale going on.

Gary_Butterfield wrote on 10/30/2012 at 04:21pm

I'm going to be able to LP the first bit of Call of Cthulhu, as well as a bunch of monster themed NES games. That's my halloween plan! I wanted to do a play through of Amnesia but that will have to wait for Xmas break. Those games have a wintery feel to me anyway.

BR Supporter wrote on 10/30/2012 at 06:42pm

I just picked up Home from the steam sale. Its already a cheap game but the sale made it even cheaper so I decided to buy it. I'll tell you guys how it is after I play through it. I might even try my hand at a LP of it.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 10/30/2012 at 09:19pm

Always +1 to any Lets Play. Something about them makes me realize if I could have done them as a wee lad I would never have left the house...

Gary_Butterfield wrote on 10/30/2012 at 09:57pm

Home is petty good as long as you're not expecting a long game. I like it a lot as a bite sized nugget.

BR Supporter wrote on 10/30/2012 at 09:59pm

That is what I figured. Something that cheap can't be very long.

Gary_Butterfield wrote on 10/31/2012 at 04:37pm

It's also very deliberately paced and there isn't much game to it. It's a little like Dear Esther in that respect, though I think Dear Esther is a bit stronger.

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Killing Floor for Halloween

Hello everyone! I just recently started playing killing floor again. I have to say It is one of my favorite zombie/mutant games. Anyways, the new Halloween event they started a few days ago changes all the mutants into hillbilly zombies. They also released a special Hillbilly map for the game which can be played for achievements so you get the new character they released. The character is the grim reaper which can be unlocked if you get all 6 unique event achievements and one achievement for beating the map on normal difficulty or up(Each difficulty is a new achievement). So if any of you are interested in this game I wanted to tell you there is a sale on steam for $5... Read All

Stop Zombie Mouth

Do you want to hand out more than just candy to the kiddies this year for Halloween? How about printing off these Plants VS Zombies "Stop Zombie Mouth" coupons so the kids can get a free version of PvZ for Halloween?

Why can't more game companies do this? Its a fun idea and I imagine some people I hand the coupon to won't have played the game before. Totally great advertising if a new Plants VS Zombies might been soon around the corner!

Oh and maybe if you used a coupon to get a copy yourself, that might be OK too? Shhhhhh, it might not just be for kids!

http://www.stopzombiemouth.com/
http://static-www.ec.popcap.com/misc/zombiemouth/downloads/stop_zombie_mouth_coupons.pdf... Read All

An Interesting Idea for Interviews

I was chatting with @panickedthumb on Steam yesterday and he had a pretty cool idea. We were talking about the recent interviews I have been giving and he wondered if if would be good to interview the users of Cheerful Ghost itself? I hadn't considered that before and decided that is something I wanted to do.

I want to interview you all, the topics all swirling around gaming and you. Ill contact people one at a time and hopefully make my way through everybody. I am not going to go in any particular order and don't worry, I will get to you soon :D

Thanks to @panickedthumb for the idea and expect to see some interviews with CG users soon.

Space Citizen - interesting looking Kickstarter

Saw this Kickstarter project mention on another forum
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cig/star-citizen
Looks cool. As a fan of SciFi I'm drawn to this sort of
project.

jdodson Admin wrote on 10/28/2012 at 11:43pm

I agree, this kickstarter looks awesome. Many space games in the pipe with the same ideas, one of them should be great!

jdodson Admin wrote on 10/29/2012 at 04:17am

Plus.... Guns!!!

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/01/2012 at 10:28pm

I haven't even watched more then 30 seconds yet. But I can say I already like them. There needs to be more people willing to do space sims. And PC gaming really is where its at. I think PC gamers appreciate games made for them then those on any other system.

jdodson Admin wrote on 11/01/2012 at 11:15pm

I agree, open space games go well on the PC. Imagine Minecraft with spaceships? 8O

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/01/2012 at 11:39pm

Ya lets hope that becomes a reality with notch's new game

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/02/2012 at 01:40am

So I finished watching the video now 3 hours later haha. I can't even express how amazing I feel this game could be. Nothing sounds better then to hear "when i made freelancer". Freelancer is still my all time favorite and imo best space sim ever to be created. To see that the master of space sim is creating a new space sim in the current age. Wow. Just wow. Dream come true.

MoonWyrd Supporter Post Author wrote on 11/13/2012 at 02:03pm

Gotta ask, has any one else back it?

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/13/2012 at 10:39pm

I really want to. I probably won't be able to back it before the kickstarter ends. But I will try to back it after its over on the main website.

jdodson Admin wrote on 11/13/2012 at 10:45pm

I haven't delved into the territory of paying for games before they launch. If it launches I will pay for it, no question. I bet this will end as my "old school" brain catches up to funding these kinds of things.

MoonWyrd Supporter Post Author wrote on 11/17/2012 at 05:33am

I've backed a few projects on Kickstarter. Although this is the first software project. It may be a gamble, but so far the other projects have gone well.

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/19/2012 at 04:48am

Well moon I think I'd say tonight that the gamble is definitely paying off. It looks to have raised more money (with its own site in conjunction with kickstarter) then any kickstarter project ever made for games. It may hit 6million. This is also the only triple A game ever to use kickstarter. Their getting a lot of money from investors. The 6million from crowd-sourcing is probably extremely small. As a space sim fan AND a die hard PC player who likes to push the limits of his computer this is the best thing to ever happen.

jdodson Admin wrote on 11/19/2012 at 05:51am

Wow. It's a new time. Publishers are less important than they once were for sure.

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/19/2012 at 10:57pm

I'd say it's more of an old time then a new time. Publishers weren't as big to start with either. Kickstarters main crowd is older gamers wanting to get back to the classics. Classic type games seem to be the biggest on Kickstarter. I'm sure that's a correlation.

jdodson Admin wrote on 11/19/2012 at 11:28pm

Good point.

MoonWyrd Supporter Post Author wrote on 11/21/2012 at 07:32pm

Older gamers with more disposable income may indeed be why this sort of project has Succeeded. One of the reasons I backed it was I enjoyed Earth and Beyond. Was sad to see EaB bought by EA only to be shutdown.

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/23/2012 at 02:59am

Ya EA has bought quite a lot of good competition and shut them all down.

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One of the most under-recognized shooters ever

I've been thinking about playing STALKER: Call of Pripyat as my chosen game after Ultima 4 for my blog. The original game, Shadows of Chernobyl, was one of the most atmospheric and enjoyable open world games I've played. I normally hate 'open world' setups, but taking place in a fictional Ukranian countryside surrounding the Chernobyl power plant is one of the most compelling setting I've ever tooled around in. The game has a gritty, almost roguelike feel, with instant death coming the second you lower your defenses.

Not only is the release of Call of Pripyat the most refined and balanced version yet, but also one of the most moddable games on the market. Even though it... Read All I've been thinking about playing STALKER: Call of Pripyat as my chosen game after Ultima 4 for my blog. The original game, Shadows of Chernobyl, was one of the most atmospheric and enjoyable open world games I've played. I normally hate 'open world' setups, but taking place in a fictional Ukranian countryside surrounding the Chernobyl power plant is one of the most compelling setting I've ever tooled around in. The game has a gritty, almost roguelike feel, with instant death coming the second you lower your defenses.

Not only is the release of Call of Pripyat the most refined and balanced version yet, but also one of the most moddable games on the market. Even though it is not as open as other games like Skyrim, the fan base of the STALKER series is so dedicated they have introduced everything from small weight tweaks to complete environmental overhauls. Some players are STILL playing the game since its release and discovering new things.

The emphasis on loneliness and quick and dirty urban combat appeals to me the most. Instead of carefully scripted events, packs of mercenaries, monsters, and bandits wander the entire area looking for the same things you are: supplies, valuable artifacts, and shelter from constant radiation storms. One of the coolest things to ever happen was a result of these systems.

After fighting a mid-range engagement with a small group of bandits, a public radio transmission announced an imminent radiation storm. Both myself and the bandits immediately stopped shooting and high-tailed it toward the closest shelter: an empty factory complex. After running in the door, the entire battlefield had changed. We were no longer hiding behind trees fighting half a kilometer away, we were now packed into a factory floor with abandoned equipment. While the storm raged outside, I tried to stalk and corner the bandits to take them out individually before they could get the drop on me. The entire event felt like a scripted event that would be a major action piece of a level in another game, but this sort of thing happens all the time.

I highly suggest anyone play this game or the original. It is one of the most interesting and compelling shooters I have played in the last decade of gaming.

jdodson Admin wrote on 10/29/2012 at 04:20am

After hearing about this game from the totally rad show I was really interested in it. Then days turned in to weeks and it slipped off my radar. After a recent Steam sale I was considering it again, but I blew my budget on the Bethesda pack :)

So is Stalker one game or a game a bunch of bundled add ons? Just wondering how to go about getting it when it's that time. Oh.. I wonder if there is a demo?

jdodson Admin wrote on 10/29/2012 at 04:23am

Actually in retrospect I think they reviewed shadow of Chernobyl.

Will_Owens Post Author wrote on 10/29/2012 at 04:59am

There are three complete games: Shadows of Chernobyl, Clear Sky (a prequel), and Call of Pripyat. SoC is very good and set the stage for what it was. Clear sky took it in a more directed focus and had lots of problems and bugs some people don't like. I've never played it. Call of Pripyat takes all of the great things in both games, puts them in a complete package, and optimizes the game engine as much as it will probably ever be. Although the original is well loved, I think everyone considers Call of Pripyat to be the best. I don't think it is connected to the original in any way other than setting, either. I may be wrong, though, haven't played too much.

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/01/2012 at 10:31pm

Me and my brother have talked about these games a few times. It will for sure be one i play in the near future. Some of the mods for SoC look incredible.

Will_Owens Post Author wrote on 11/02/2012 at 02:34am

The Atmos-Fear mod looks absolutely incredible and is available for both Shadows and Call of Pripyat. The only problem is it will push the limits of your graphics card. It also seemed to destabilize the engine causing constant crashes, but when I have more time I may investigate it as I'm sure they've fixed it by now. As you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAomiCEqlzs

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TimeWalk Games Interview

Time Walk Games makes physical prints of NES and SNES games. These shrink wrapped modern game carts are of fan game creations and translations. When I found TimeWalk Games online I was impressed with quality of what they produce. I was able to sit down with Spencer from TimeWalk Games and ask him some questions about what they do and threw in a few other bits as well.

jdodson: Recently you released Final Fantasy Ages for the Super Nintendo. How long does it take from the initial concept to launch? What process is involved to launch the game?

Spencer: The artwork, manual and map design can take anywhere from a week to a few months depending on the type of game that it is.... Read All

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 10/27/2012 at 07:23pm

Not to mention that a phone booth can be fixed with gum, whereas a broken Delorean has to be hit by lightening, or pushed by a train.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 10/27/2012 at 09:00pm

Agreed, the phone booth is much a much sturdier design.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 10/28/2012 at 01:42am

The Delorean has more style though. But if we're talking ultimate time travel machine here, I think you need a TARDIS. :)

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 10/29/2012 at 04:39pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDj7gvc_dsA&feature=g-u-u

I just had to post this here! Doc Brown vs Doctor Who

Jacob_Richardson wrote on 11/01/2012 at 10:41pm

I wish he would have elaborated more on the differences between what he does and romhackers and translators. I follow the romhacking scene religiously for all of my retro gaming. Aeon Genesis has always impressed me with its huge array of translated old school games. I hope to one day see those translations put into a box print like these guys do.

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Vegeta dressed as Goku Invades APB: Reloaded

My favorite streamer played this during his stream. I laughed hard.