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Minecraft 1.20 the "unnamed" update

I just watched xisumavoid’s video (embedded) about the new 1.20 updated for Minecraft, as I did not watch Minecraft Live. I don’t think it’s incredibly exciting, but it still is interesting and I like what I saw. I really like xisumavoid’s channel (he has a second one, too) for Minecraft news. I strongly recommend xisumavoid's channel or channels.

The “Sniffer” won the mob vote. According to an article I found via Google, https://www.windowscentral.com/news/live/minecraft-live-2022 , “[t]he Sniffer is an ancient, long-extinct, which players can revive by finding underwater eggs and nurturing them. If the Sniffer is returned to the Overworld, players can use its amazing... Read All I just watched xisumavoid’s video (embedded) about the new 1.20 updated for Minecraft, as I did not watch Minecraft Live. I don’t think it’s incredibly exciting, but it still is interesting and I like what I saw. I really like xisumavoid’s channel (he has a second one, too) for Minecraft news. I strongly recommend xisumavoid's channel or channels.

The “Sniffer” won the mob vote. According to an article I found via Google, https://www.windowscentral.com/news/live/minecraft-live-2022 , “[t]he Sniffer is an ancient, long-extinct, which players can revive by finding underwater eggs and nurturing them. If the Sniffer is returned to the Overworld, players can use its amazing sense of smell to dig up seeds to long-lost ancient plants.“ This description doesn’t really mean anything for me, but I’m interested in seeing more about it. I didn’t have a preference, but I’m glad we got the Allay (which I still haven’t checked out yet).

Fireflies were announced for the previous Minecraft update and were shown, but didn’t make it into the game. This and some other similar examples lead Mojang to decide to only announce features that were far enough along in their development and thus most likely to be available. I think this is smart, I’m still unhappy that we haven’t gotten those little bags, I need that inventory help! I’m disappointed, too, that fireflies didn’t make it in, they would have been great for ambiance.

One of the things I think that’s cool about this update is that bamboo is becoming a wood type and I think it looks good. The jungle has always been a favorite biome of mine, but that's because that's where we used to get cats (now parrots). Bamboo wood has some of it’s own style, too, including it’s boat, which is a raft.

Camels are being added Desert Villages and I think this is great, too! I’m not fond of the desert biome and I think this certainly adds to it, making it better. Two players can ride them, which can help traversing easier, particularly since one player can shoot mobs. Camels will be bred with cactus, giving it a use finally.

There will be hanging signs, too, which I think helps make signs look better. This is in part due to this update being about self-expression and it’s really cool to see new Minecraft character models included, which feature a good amount of diversity and choice for players, not just Alex and Steve.

Bookshelves will be able to hold actual books, too, and this includes spell books. You can interact with them. I think this will be a great way to store spell books. The Librarian is my MVP when it comes to Villagers and bookshelves are extremely important in the game, IMO, so I’m looking forward to this, too. I’m always on the hunt for Mending ASAP (and I've discovered how to get it easily)!

There will be more about this update coming in a matter of days and beta/preview builds will also become available very soon. The update is expected to come out sometime next year, though.

I think there’s news about other Minecraft games, but my interest in them is minimal, so I’ll let you explore that on your own. Feel free to share what you find here.

Let me know what you think about this update! Are you excited?

jdodson Admin wrote on 10/18/2022 at 02:04am

This update, so far, looks like it has a lot of great stuff. I really like the new bamboo block type and with that, will bamboo drop different stuff when you harvest it or can you just craft planks from the current bamboo poles? Either way, the new bamboo stuff is nice.

THAT SAID, I think the killer new feature is Camels. Finley and I explore our worlds with boats (two can fit in a boat) and it's great because you can move around in the water at night or day without being harmed if you can avoid arrows. Having the Camel to explore on land and not take damage is incredible.

Now I just hope it comes out early next year!

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 10/18/2022 at 04:03pm

Yeah, I wonder how that wood type is going to work out. I don't know how we're supposed to get it. I wonder if they're going to make bamboo trees. That would be cool, I think.

It always makes me smile, reading about you and Finley playing Minecraft. It reminds me of how Vinny got me into Minecraft. I was thrilled that my little boy introduced me to an awesome game I may have missed out on if it wasn't for him. I'm so happy you get to have that same experience! 💙

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 02/15/2023 at 11:21pm

1.20 is looking great! I saw the Cherry Blossom trees and they look beautiful. I haven't looked much into the Sniffer yet. I built a new PC and have tested out Minecraft a bit. I noticed in the 1.20 snapshot that bundles are there, so hopefully they'll make it into the update. I was most disappointed when they were not released when expected. Check out this link: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/cherry-blossom-biome-coming-minecraft-120

Zedrick_bali wrote on 02/18/2023 at 12:21pm

I want to download

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 03/06/2023 at 10:36pm

It has been named the "Trails and Tales Update." You can read more about it here: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/the-trails---tales-update

jdodson Admin wrote on 03/10/2023 at 02:54am

Really excited to play this with my son. Camels looks like important.

We have so much Bamboo so on day one we'll be all set.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 05/26/2023 at 07:17pm

June 7th!

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/27/2023 at 12:11am

Really excited!

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/minecraft-1-20-trails-tales-173827672.html#:~:text=The%20Minecraft%201.20%20update%2C%20officially,1.20%20update%20for%20the%20game.

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The Making of Doom on the Super Nintendo

DF Retro interviewed Randy Linden, the programmer behind the Super Nintendo Doom port. The interesting part about that console Doom port is that it was created to run on the Super FX 2 chip and was one of the better Doom console ports. It's still a bit framey, but was one of the best non PC ways to play Doom for quite some time. The DF Retro interview is incredible and Randy talks about how he miraculously ported the game to the Super Nintendo.

Super Nintendo History -w Did You Know Gaming

Did You Know Gaming create a video recently (not that recently) that briefly covers the history of the Super Nintendo and how Nintendo responded to the Sega Genesis. Lots of this information is available elsewhere but why not experience it all over again?

"In this episode we take a look at some facts, secrets, and history of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The SNES is a gaming device developed by Nintendo. In its native country of Japan, the console is named the Super Famicom. The system is Nintendo's second home console, following the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES for short. It had similar success to its predecessor, and became the best-selling... Read All

The Sims 4 Will Be Available for Free on October 18th!

When the original Sims came to PC in 2000 I was hooked. It was such a refreshingly fun game and with each expansion things got even more fun. The Sims has received quite a few sequels over the years, but for whatever reason I never played any of the follow ups to the original. Seems like that might change now that EA is going to release The Sims 4 for free on basically all platforms.

"We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories, and explore without boundaries. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover. Beginning on October 18, 2022, The Sims 4 base game will be... Read All

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 09/25/2022 at 12:43am

That's interesting, I just started playing the game again recently. I played briefly, long enough to create my blue self and play a bit. Are you going to be diving in? You can check out this screenshot I grabbed for you: https://imgur.com/WPhJRrN

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 09/27/2022 at 04:21am

🤣 Love that shot, thanks. Yeah I do plan to play. Might get it on XBox first. Hopefully I can sync with PC or something?

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 09/27/2022 at 04:48am

Surely it'll be connected. If you're interested in some game play, check out quill18's playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs3acGYgI1-tqsWEfvCdajwxHcGW5uCAk

Travis Admin wrote on 09/27/2022 at 01:30pm

I didn’t know you could blue yourself that much 😂

I played the first sims a bunch but barely touched the second and haven’t tried any since. It’s a no brainer to make the base game free to get everyone interested in the expansions!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 09/27/2022 at 02:55pm

Yeah, I then imagined having blue skin IRL.
🎶"Da ba dee da ba di
Da ba dee da ba di"🎶

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The Legendary Classic GoldenEye 007 Is Coming Back!

When GoldenEye 007 came to Nintedo 64 it was, for many, the first multiplayer shooter experience they had. It was also a great game for the time and I have many fond memories of multiplayer parties at friends houses (no one was allowed to pick Oddjob). Well, Microsoft is giving GoldenEye 007 the re-release treatment and bringing it to XBox and Switch.

"Since its original release in 1997, GoldenEye 007 has remained a beloved classic in the hearts and minds of millions of fans worldwide. Today, we’re excited to announce that a new generation of players will soon get to experience the genre-defining stealth shooter gameplay for themselves, faithfully recreated to preserve... Read All

Gotham Knights Coming 10/21/22

I recently watched a “Before You Buy” video by GamingBolt for Gotham Knights (embedded). I’ve shared other videos of this series, so it’s definitely a channel I strongly recommend. The video is great, because it goes into some non-spoilery details about the plot and game play. If you enjoyed the Batman Arkham games, you’ll probably enjoy this, too (as I expect to).

I’ve known about Goth Knights for a while now. It’s coming to consoles and PC on 10/21/22. There’s also a Suicide Squad game coming out that looks quite similar. I’m looking forward to both of these games and will probably write something later for the Suicide Squad one.

The premise is that Batman and... Read All

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 10/22/2022 at 10:09am

I just found an awesome video by GamingBolt about Gotham Knight's performance and visual fidelity on PC: https://youtu.be/g6H4zjURQ_k

I'm really excited about this game, but I still have games to finish. This game will be best for my new PC build ("Azura Azula"), which you can see here: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/V83Fxs It's a bit of a work in progress I hope to complete in a few months or so. There are details that could change, but I think that's essentially what I'm looking into building (one for me and one for Vinny).

My current build that I built 3 years ago (remember "Azure Azule?") can be seen here: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/V83Fxs I started off w/ an EVGA 1660 Ti XC Gaming 6G (https://www.evga.com/products/Specs/GPU.aspx?pn=97cb4b02-fe8d-48b2-bddf-7241a213849a) Last month, I replaced it with an EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 12GB XC GAMING (https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=12G-P4-2263-KR) I'm extremely impressed with this upgrade, but I still want a 3070 (I think). It's hard to believe it runs on air and is as cool in gaming as my AIO-cooled CPU (https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Liquid-Cooling/Single-Radiator-Liquid-Coolers/Hydro-Series%E2%84%A2-H80i-v2-High-Performance-Liquid-CPU-Cooler/p/CW-9060024-WW). This is the coolest running card I've had in probably decades.

I'm working on a new build because my i7-8700 (not-K) isn't compatible w/ Windows 11 and I want it to get some kind of understanding of how this HDR tech on my monitor and GPU is supposed to look or do. It's my understanding that it has a great auto-HDR feature, while the implementation in Windows 10 is horrible. I'm still learning about HDR and don't understand it well enough, but I suspect Windows 11 will open my eyes.

Vinny wants a gaming PC, too, so I want to use this same build for his. His budget may be bigger, so it's more likely he'll get an RTX 30-series. I can wait. What's great is that this build will only cost me about $800. Vinny needs a monitor, though. I bought a MSI OPTIX MAG274QRF (https://www.msi.com/Monitor/Optix-MAG274QRF-QD) in December, but MSI upgraded it to a QD for an RMA. Now I'm waiting on another RMA for it.

Let me know what you think about the game and PC building. Do you build your own? Why or why not? How do you get your PCs? How much is in your PC budget? Have you played PC Building Simulator? Are you aware that PC Building Simulator 2 is out now?

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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Arrives 12/13/22

“Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion will bring the PSP adventure to Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on December 13.” (Source: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crisis-core-final-fantasy-7-reunion-confirmed-for-december-13-launch/1100-6507433/)

I got really obsessed with Final Fantasy when I went to college 22 years ago. While FF8 is my favorite, FF7 seems to be the fan favorite with good reason. It’s continued to receive a lot of attention long after it’s original release on the PlayStation (that’s PS1).

I haven’t played FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE, yet, but it seems to be popular. However, I’ve enjoyed many of... Read All

Travis Admin wrote on 09/16/2022 at 02:51pm

Crisis Core was one hell of a game, it sorta sparked my interest in the whole FF7 extended universe, I’d only played the original at that point. I am looking forward to this for sure.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/16/2022 at 07:20pm

I think Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII was my first into the FF7 EU, but I've only played it once and don't remember it very well other than I liked it. I was more into this one. I also got Dissidia, are you aware of that FF game? It was another of my PSP faves and I think it got a sequel.

I found my PSPs w/ bloated batteries. I'm not sure where their chargers are, but I found a cool pack on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Replacement-Sony-PSP-Compatible-Accessories/dp/B07T7K7WFK/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=psp+battery+and+charger&qid=1663355970&sprefix=%2Caps%2C40&sr=8-4 Oh now I see there's a 3004 model, I have the 2001 and 3001.

Travis Admin wrote on 09/17/2022 at 05:05pm

I need to check if our PSPs have spicy pillow batteries. And yeah there have been a few Dissidia games but I played the first a bit and didn’t really get into it.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 09/17/2022 at 07:06pm

I really got into it, but not so much w/ the 2nd. I stopped pay attention then.

I just found this cool article about the different PSP models. I was really excited for the 3001 when I got it. https://www.lifewire.com/psp-model-comparison-2792693

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 11/16/2022 at 03:41am

I am so very excited about this! Here's a Before You Buy you should watch: https://youtu.be/3hqleMzB9OE

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Marvel Strike Force Getting Hulked Out

Because of this year’s D23 expo (https://d23.com/), I found out about Marvel Strike Force. An announcement was made that, “the free-to-play turn-based mobile game, is getting an influx of Hulk content very soon.”

The game is currently out and installed on my phone, but I haven’t tried it yet and I know pretty much nothing about it. I’ve never owned an expensive cellphone and I hate them anyway. I haven’t played many cellphone games in part because mine haven’t been compatible with many things. I was a “mobile” gamer long before cellphones had gaming functionality. My Gameboy was my first Nintendo product and remained my primary gaming device for a long time. I... Read All

Marvel Snap Coming to PC and mobile 10/18/22

At this year’s D23 expo (https://d23.com/), a new game called Marvel Snap was announced for PC and mobile. You can pre-register on the website (https://www.marvelsnap.com/pre-register) or within the Apple store and Google Play. It’s coming to PC, too, but I wasn’t able to find a link for it, so I visited Google Play on my phone.

Marvel Snap is the debut from Second Dinner, which is an indie studio composed of Blizzard veterans who worked on Hearthstone. It doesn’t sound like a Marvel variant (keyword there if you’re following the MCU). It’s hard to describe what I’ve just read and I think the best thing to do is to point you towards the links below to read for... Read All At this year’s D23 expo (https://d23.com/), a new game called Marvel Snap was announced for PC and mobile. You can pre-register on the website (https://www.marvelsnap.com/pre-register) or within the Apple store and Google Play. It’s coming to PC, too, but I wasn’t able to find a link for it, so I visited Google Play on my phone.

Marvel Snap is the debut from Second Dinner, which is an indie studio composed of Blizzard veterans who worked on Hearthstone. It doesn’t sound like a Marvel variant (keyword there if you’re following the MCU). It’s hard to describe what I’ve just read and I think the best thing to do is to point you towards the links below to read for yourself. You’ll probably understand it better than I do.

I got into CCGs w/ Magic the Gathering and the Star Trek: Next Generation CCG. I still have cards from both. My son has a nice collection from the Pokemon CCG. My problem with Hearthstone is simply that I do not enjoy PVP. I’d rather play against an AI. I did enjoy it to a point and I do believe it’s a good and popular game, but there was little for a single lone player to do when I played, so I stopped.

I’ve never had a great phone nor have I had a ridiculously expensive iPhone nor have I had the interest in them. So, I’ve never really gotten into mobile gaming when it applies to cell phones. I hate cellphones, most especially due to stupid touch screens. I’m only glad now that there’s a Windows Phone Link app that lets me use my PC to text and call. Texting is far superior with a full keyboard to type on!

I’m Marvel-ously obsessed (Dad joke, check!), so I’ll probably at least check this out for a bit. Let me know what you think about this and if it’s something you’re interested in.

Sources:

Announcement: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marvel-snap-releasing-on-pc-and-mobile-october-18/1100-6507228/

In-depth interview with Ben Brode: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-marvel-snap-puts-a-new-spin-on-the-card-game-formula/1100-6503598/

Blockchain Gaming!

This weekend, I played a handful of blockchain games from Levana Protocol (https://twitter.com/Levana_protocol)

Salim's Adventure is an 8-bit side scroller that took a few hours for me to get the hang of (some of the hit detection isn't perfect, so I kept running into some spikes lol). It's a fun Mario-type game where you can jump on enemies, avoid spikes, and at the end defeat a dragon ghost. If you're into side scrollers, I recommend checking it out :)

Alchemy is an ingredient combining game. To master "future space science," you need to combine ingredients to find new ingredients and keep combining them until you've mastered it all.

Arach Attack is a puzzle game,... Read All