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The Rise of Virtual Sports and ESports

I used to play a lot of fantasy sports. You'd generally pick a team of players (football, basketball, baseball, etc) from all the guys playing that day, and then as they compile stats (points/rebounds/steals/etc in basketball, passing yards/catches/touchdowns in football, just to name a few), you get a cumulative point total for your team.

But now there aren't any sports being played...
at least no sports being played by humans.

In the video above you'll see 2 virtual NBA games being simulated by a Playstation. No one is playing the characters, it's just a simulation. (My wife thinks this is the dumbest thing ever lol) On the various fantasy sports apps, before the... Read All I used to play a lot of fantasy sports. You'd generally pick a team of players (football, basketball, baseball, etc) from all the guys playing that day, and then as they compile stats (points/rebounds/steals/etc in basketball, passing yards/catches/touchdowns in football, just to name a few), you get a cumulative point total for your team.

But now there aren't any sports being played...
at least no sports being played by humans.

In the video above you'll see 2 virtual NBA games being simulated by a Playstation. No one is playing the characters, it's just a simulation. (My wife thinks this is the dumbest thing ever lol) On the various fantasy sports apps, before the games, you can choose lineups, just as if they were real games, and then watch along and root for "your" players. The website https://www.awesemo.com/ has been running both NBA and NFL simulations, and I've found it really fun to watch along with. And really, I don't see much of a difference in passively watching real players play games, or simulated players play games (my wife strongly disagrees and thinks this is the dumbest thing ever lol)

I'm not really into NASCAR, but today I stumbled upon eNASCAR/iRacing, and I might become a full-time fan. Actual NASCAR drivers race virtually against each other, using realistic multi-monitor simulators on their computers. The graphics of the simulation look really, really good.
Here's an example of what a race looks like (this was on FOX, and had real racing commentators) https://youtu.be/g75HghckIyY?t=474
And here's an example of what their racing setups look like: https://youtu.be/nHDH0pL_qBM

There are a ton more Esports/Virtual Sports out there. I've seen Virtual Golf (sometimes there are simulated players like Happy Gilmore and Shooter McGavin lol), Virtual Baseball in addition to various Virtual basketball and football simulations. And fantasy apps are venturing into Reality TV as well. You can create a "team" of players for the show Survivor, and you get points for things like Wins Immunity/Cries on camera/Catches Seafood.

And of course League of Legends has had fantasy sports for years now. Here's a post Jon wrote back in 2014 https://cheerfulghost.com/jdodson/posts/2043/league-of-legends-gets-the-fantasy-football-treatment

Almost all the Virtual/ESports contests are free to enter, and many allow multiple entries, so you can try different lineups and see how they score. It's a fun thing to fill the time with, and occasionally you can win 5-10 cents lol. My favorite app is FanDuel, which you can download from any app store, or go to this website https://www.fanduel.com/

Update To Tale of the White Wyvern Fight Run Mechanics

We have been wanting to change the fight run mechanics for quite some time, and recently had time to simplify how it works. Before these changes, the fight run mechanic was needlessly complicated and allowed you to run away essentially every time. Iif the run attempt was unsuccessful, you could just try again without consequence, so with enough patience in spamming run, at some point you'd run away and suffer no ill consequence of hitting it a bunch of times.

We just pushed up a change to the fight run mechanic in that you have a random 1 in 4 chance to successfully run. If your run attempt fails, you take half the incoming damage or at least one damage from the enemy.... Read All

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/19/2020 at 07:45pm

https://youtu.be/7FPELc1wEvk

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 04/19/2020 at 08:55pm

HA, thanks Greg!

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/19/2020 at 09:03pm

I think this is a great mechanic! I've recently been playing FF3, and I love the run away animation. That's how I'm going to imagine running away in Wyvern now!

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/20/2020 at 05:54am

Wow! I just realized you attached this video!

Also at you guys looking like gang members with your faces covered.

jaelte wrote on 04/21/2020 at 05:54am

Looks like Run had been working more-or-less how I thought it did *and* what I encountered was not a bug, but a change. Thanks for pointing me to this!
Also, folks weren't playing Mage? It's always felt like the strongest to me due the sheer number of battles I win due to being able to use a single Magic Missile. I almost always start Mage and switch to Rogue late so I can blast the Wyvern from the shadows. I never use Teleport or Healing, though, so it's nice that those may get to be decent options now.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/21/2020 at 06:56am

Yeah, sorry we kind of buried this update. Maybe it would help if we had something in the news section to let us know of changes like this.

Wow people play as a Mage? I always felt like the Rogue was the best, because a wyvern can't hit what it cannot see. As soon as I learned about Invisibility, I never went back to another class.

jaelte wrote on 04/21/2020 at 07:38pm

I like the Disappear ability specifically for Wyvern and now Fish fights, but I died so... many... times in the forest as a Rogue and that was when running away was essentially free. There aren't nearly enough uses of Disappear to use for every Angry Rich Boss or Xenomorph in a given day.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/21/2020 at 10:14pm

I haven't had much trouble in the forest, very rarely I have. https://youtu.be/nYSDC3cHoZs

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 04/22/2020 at 03:20am

One feature Travis and I are working on now is how to let people know in Wyvern about updates and changes to the game... in the game. Folks don't read Cheerful Ghost daily, but for folks that do play the game daily why not just alert you in game? So yeah, we're sorting that out now as something we'd like before we release 1.0 among a few other things.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/22/2020 at 04:29am

Yeah, I thought about that most recently. Perhaps if we had a town crier or some way a CG post about the game could find it's way into the daily news of the game. Perhaps it could stay there for a period of time to give players enough time to be aware of it.

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Are Nintendo Products Really More Durable Than Other Consoles?

On the YouTube channel, Today I Found Out, Simon Whistler answers the question of why Nintendo products are more durable than their competitors. For some more information about Nintendo including how they got started, stick around for the bonus facts about half way into the video.

Yeah, Nintendo products are pretty durable, although I broke my first Game Boy and my son accidentally dropped his first 3DS in water. Neither system recovered, but we still have so many other Nintendo products around that still work just fine.

What about you? Do you have a Nintendo durability story to share?

Travis Admin wrote on 04/18/2020 at 11:01pm

All of mine still work. I have one Gameboy with a dead line of pixels and my N64 is a little wonky, if there are any vibrations it’ll lock up. Those are both old ass systems though. However I think the build quality has gone down. One of my Switch joycons stopped working after a week and I’ve read a lot of similar stories. I was able to exchange it with no problem. Also, the joysticks on the joycons are notorious for drifting over time but the DIY fix is pretty simple.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/18/2020 at 11:05pm

That said, I’ve had good luck across the board. My PS3 finally got the yellow light of death but I used that thing so extensively, I can’t really complain about quality there. Otherwise I’ve never had console problems at all than the ones listed.

GregoPeck Super Member Post Author wrote on 04/18/2020 at 11:44pm

Cool. That sucks about the drift, I hate that problem. My PS3 is still working, though it still shuts off sometimes. My TV is showing it's age as well.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/19/2020 at 02:06am

My NES and SNES are dead but they were under some intense wear while a family member had them and I question how well they were tended to.

That said, Nintendo stuff, I've found, is pretty hearty which is great considering it's the most popular retro game gear around. The Gameboy is legendary for it's durability.

My PS3 and everyone elses I knew that had one. Sadly Sony didn't seem to build a hearty console there but it could have just been everyone I knew that got unlucky.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/19/2020 at 03:49am

There's also the Xbox 360 red ring of death we should mention here, even though I got mine later in the cycle once they'd mostly fixed it, every single launch 360 will eventually get the red ring of death, or already has. But that said the 360 I have is probably in that same camp, just on a longer time scale than the launch 360s.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/19/2020 at 03:52am

Actually I have three Xbox 360s, the one I bought in the first hardware reiteration, the one that looks like launch but they mostly fixed the thermal problems, and two launch 360s-- both of which came from a friend of mine, both had the RROD, both just for parts. I've tried various fixes I've found online to kinda piece together fixes, but came out with nothing. Microsoft really hosed the launch last gen. Thankfully it seems like they all seem to be better this gen, with the exception of the Nintendo joycon drift.

Travis Admin wrote on 04/19/2020 at 06:23am

Two things occurred to me, I've been thinking about this topic a lot.

First, my original NES needed a new connector eventually because it was basically impossible to play any games. That's a design flaw of the NES that they fixed with the top-loader model. It definitely got a few years under its belt before that happened, but it's still a thing. It was probably only a year or two longer than my PS3 lasted, which is a very odd thought. Each year goes by so much faster than the ones before. Measuring my life in when I got consoles makes that feel even faster.

Also, I forgot that I had a Wii go out on me randomly. It cut out on me mid-game and that was that. It just wouldn't power on anymore.

So I guess when you consider percentage of consoles that developed problems, Nintendo has a worse track record than the others for me anyway. 5/9 of my Nintendo consoles/handhelds have developed some kind of problem, 1/5 of my Sony consoles/handhelds, and neither of the two MS consoles I purchased (aside from the two I got from a friend that were DOA to me).

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Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 77: Breaking Down Over the Next Consoles

How better to spend your time in quarantine than listening to us talk about the next generation of consoles? We dive into the next generation and talk about what Microsoft and Sony might bring to the table. But first, we update you all on how we've been coping with the pandemic and all the stuff we've been playing and watching.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/17/2020 at 03:52am

I heard the new consoles will feature ray tracing. I also saw something about the PS5 will probably have limited stock during it's first year.

But..... #PCMasterRace!

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/18/2020 at 09:25pm

I'll have to listen to this soon. I realized the other day that I have no idea what the current consoles are, nor what's coming next lol

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/18/2020 at 11:44pm

@AdamPFarnsworth Gigaflops!

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/19/2020 at 02:07am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-77xulkB_U

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/19/2020 at 03:50am

I had a feeling I knew what that youtube link was going to be before I clicked it.

Glad to know I was right! :D

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/19/2020 at 03:58am

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/19/2020 at 07:27pm

Actually, I meant teraflops as you can see here: https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/31/21187430/ps5-xbox-series-x-specs-comparison-next-gen Here's a brief article with an included video about what's a teraflop: https://www.polygon.com/2016/6/14/11932910/what-is-a-teraflop-explainer I think it's a different calculation than what I'm used to seeing regarding GPUs and CPUs where they're measured in megahertz or gigahertz. In a way, I kind of feel like "teraflops" is a bit of a "buzz word" to make the new consoles sound super amazing (and they may very well be). I haven't dived into their details as my interest in them isn't great, but I'm glad they're finally getting SSDs, Since I got one last summer, I realized just how awesome they are, if for nothing else other than greatly speeding up the load time from power off to desktop (at least in my Windows 10 experience). So, at least just being where the OS resides, it can give a dramatic performance increase. I think this is perhaps the single most important hardware upgrade someone could make to make their PC feel faster or notably improved

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/19/2020 at 09:01pm

LOL! Yeah, I think we all knew what that YouTube link was going to be ;)
I've listened to about half the podcast, and I'm glad that it sounds like everyone's doing as well as can be expected!

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/19/2020 at 10:29pm

Also, as far as what I'm watching, some good trash on Netflix is The Circle (so far I've watched the original and Brazil, and now I'm watching France).

It's the perfect show right now, as we really are living in The Circle.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/19/2020 at 11:26pm

The killer feature im hoping will go well is streaming. My company (engineering/architectural) has moved to 90% virtual machines using Workspots (Microsoft Azure). I am drawing complex 3D models, and aside from a few hiccups when rolling out the new computers, my virtual experience is better than when I worked on my local computer in my office. I hope Microsoft is able to utilize what they've learned in Workspot, and really nail the streaming environment. I've not bought a system since the Wii U, but if I could get a high-powered game streaming service, I might look at getting back into hard-core gaming.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/19/2020 at 11:56pm

I think Microsoft will have some really interesting with Game Pass. Or at least I hope it will.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/20/2020 at 02:50am

I think you accidentally a word

Some really interesting...?

;)

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/20/2020 at 03:07am

I ACCIDRNTLY NO

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 04/22/2020 at 08:38pm

I will probably get the Xbox Series X first. I have the OG Xbox One and it is a little sluggish playing Fallen Order. I want to upgrade to a One X, but I figure it is best to wait for the Series X.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/23/2020 at 02:14am

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/InsignificantInfiniteArrowcrab-size_restricted.gif

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/23/2020 at 02:15am

☝️Wins the award for the oddest named GIF image compared to what it actually is.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/24/2020 at 01:13pm

Yeah gotta love those gfycat random names. I think it's always two adjectives and an animal.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/24/2020 at 08:16pm

That’s way more fun than some random hexadecimal

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Nightdive Studios Brings An Incredible Port Of Doom 64!

Digital Foundry has another incredible review of Doom 64 up on YouTube and as with most of their coverage, you need to watch it. As the interview unfolds they bring in some really fun perspectives of the Nightdive developers working on this port. Nightdive studios doesn't just emulate these old games but ports them brining new features and enhancements to old games giving them a level of love and polish games like Doom 64 deserves.

"In a DF Retro exclusive, John Linneman talks with Nightdive Studios about the process of bringing the classic, totally original Nintendo 64 rendition of Doom over to the current-gen platforms. In this video, you'll see what made the... Read All

Finally and At Last: Terraria 1.4 Will Release May 16, 2020

Our long wait is at an end, folks. The final major update to Terraria will be with us on May 16.

This update has been in the works for quite some time now, and will bring with it quite a few new features, including new game modes Journey and Master, new weapons, new NPCs, new buildable objects, GOLFING, and so many others.

The wiki has a list of all confirmed new features for 1.4 and this likely isn't even all of them: https://terraria.gamepedia.com/Upcoming_features

Announcement tweet: https://twitter.com/Demilogic/status/1249728004827250693?s=19

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/13/2020 at 06:54pm

Wow! I last heard that they were speeding up work on it due to the global issue and that it would be out around the end of summer, but I don't think I expected it to be out on that date. I'm looking forward to playing the new content and I really hope we're doing another server.

jdodson Admin wrote on 04/13/2020 at 06:55pm

❤️

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 04/13/2020 at 11:27pm

Wait, what's Terraria? 😉

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 04/14/2020 at 03:20am

Adam, I see you're new here.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 04/14/2020 at 09:41pm

Check out Chippy Gaming's new video and other videos he's posted about this update: https://youtu.be/A90cJ9nMr7A

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/01/2020 at 10:17pm

PYLONS https://forums.terraria.org/index.php?threads/expand-your-terraria-empire-pylons-town-building-and-npc-happiness.88128/

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 05/01/2020 at 11:22pm

Mostly awesome! I mean, they're right about the basic spawn "town" build. This system seems to fit. I remember at the start trying to meet the right criteria for getting NPCs to move in, but this just fills that in a bit more. Now, it's not just getting about them to move in and stay, but makes it a bit more interesting by edging us to create more bases in different places. This adds to the beauty and livelihood of Terraria worlds and makes them less static. I think this could get some people to build some really cool places! I think this is pretty cool, although I'm not much of a builder, I build the basic boxes, but this could get me to add those boxes to other places. It's also cool to be able to teleport to places, granted you could set up teleport points using TEdit. This update is packed, I'm really looking forward to playing it again, although sad that this is supposed to be "the last" update. I wonder what's in the future for the game and devs, hopefully Terraria 2.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 05/08/2020 at 09:10am

Journey mode looks cool! https://youtu.be/M01jQ2XRqfE

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/08/2020 at 06:59pm

It does, I love how you can change enemy difficulty settings on the fly.

GregoPeck Super Member wrote on 05/09/2020 at 02:24am

The Bestiary and Zoologist NPC https://youtu.be/6ypdF4x0iu0

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What Are You Playing During Quarantine?

Hope all of you are having a safe quarantine. With that I was curious what everyone was up to while we are all locked away in our houses. Since I have a 4 year old most of my weekend time is spent with him but I have been making time to play some Super Nintendo Classic and focusing on Earthbound and Star Fox. I nearly beat Star Fox yesterday but Andross shut me down on my last life.

"Dude Is Satan in this Game?" Jack Black Plays Doom Eternal

Jack Black: Dude it's getting biblical talk about the mark of the beast!
Sammy Black: It's about hell.
Jack Black: Dude is Satan in this game?
Sammy Black: Uh, not exactly Satan.
Jack: No spoilers.
Jack: Sumpin' tells me we gonna battle Satan!

It's a Jack Black playing Doom Eternal. Just click the button already.

The Outer Worlds: From Concept to Creation - Documentary

If you come to Cheerful Ghost from time to time you have noticed that share all manner of video game videos and documentaries. One documentary channel on YouTube I quite enjoy is Noclip, a YouTube channel that creates excellent video game documentaries constantly. Their latest deep look is at Obsidians latest Triple A hit The Outer Worlds. It's a fun peek at one of the coolest takes on the Fallout formula and well worth a click.

"In the first video exploring the design of The Outer Worlds, we sit down with Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky to discuss how a team of fewer than 75 developers collaborated to create their sci-fi RPG."

The Rise of Virtual Sports and ESports

Update To Tale of the White Wyvern Fight Run Mechanics

Are Nintendo Products Really More Durable Than Other Consoles?

Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 77: Breaking Down Over the Next Consoles

Nightdive Studios Brings An Incredible Port Of Doom 64!

Finally and At Last: Terraria 1.4 Will Release May 16, 2020

Recommended Watching and Reading: Good Omens

What Are You Playing During Quarantine?

"Dude Is Satan in this Game?" Jack Black Plays Doom Eternal

The Outer Worlds: From Concept to Creation - Documentary

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