Friday, September 28, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018
TellTale Games Tells No More Tales
In 2004, several members of LucasArts formed TellTale games. The focus was on a style the former was well known for: point and click adventure games. With some hits here and there, their recognition went through the roof with acquiring licenses from Universal to do games based on Back to the Future and Jurassic Park. Since then in 2010, they have done a lot of games based on big properties, with The Walking Dead being their most popular.
In the last week, TellTale has laid off nearly all of their employees, leaving them with only 25 now. More than likely, the odds are they are finished and are preparing to close. This comes as they are almost finished with their last Walking Dead game with only a few episodes left. It paints a different picture of the company, with criticism stemmed on their game engine, the games being buggy, and no severance for their employees who wasted long hours for nothing.
TellTale had said poor sales between The Walking Dead and Minecraft hurt them. I think that's an excuse. Personally, I think it's mismanagement and the costs associated with getting some of those properties. There's a lot more many don't know including myself what other problems they might have had. Add in potentially a lawsuit from employees for violating labor laws, and the mess that has been around for who knows how long is going to get messier. Definitely, a lot of their games after Walking Dead became mostly reskinned ideas and gameplay mechanics, but I think there was at least enough to differentiate.
Either way, TellTale killed themselves. Poor management and outdated tech hurt them and the point and click adventure genre may go extinct unless other companies step in like Square Enix is doing with those Life is Strange games.
In the last week, TellTale has laid off nearly all of their employees, leaving them with only 25 now. More than likely, the odds are they are finished and are preparing to close. This comes as they are almost finished with their last Walking Dead game with only a few episodes left. It paints a different picture of the company, with criticism stemmed on their game engine, the games being buggy, and no severance for their employees who wasted long hours for nothing.
TellTale had said poor sales between The Walking Dead and Minecraft hurt them. I think that's an excuse. Personally, I think it's mismanagement and the costs associated with getting some of those properties. There's a lot more many don't know including myself what other problems they might have had. Add in potentially a lawsuit from employees for violating labor laws, and the mess that has been around for who knows how long is going to get messier. Definitely, a lot of their games after Walking Dead became mostly reskinned ideas and gameplay mechanics, but I think there was at least enough to differentiate.
Either way, TellTale killed themselves. Poor management and outdated tech hurt them and the point and click adventure genre may go extinct unless other companies step in like Square Enix is doing with those Life is Strange games.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Keeping Up With The Jones' Ban
As sites continue to shut down more of Alex Jones with bans, there is a few stragglers that are late to it. PayPal was the latest to get rid of the conspiracy theorist by not supporting his online store. Combined with Apple and Twitter's banning of him and the lawsuits stemming from families of the Sandy Hook tragedy, it's going to be a huge lose lose situation for Jones.
Now, I don't buy into the political shit. That's not even the reason for Jones getting shut down by all these websites. Yes, he has a colossal following, but what he says is what is making him get in all sorts of trouble. The stuff he pulls and the antics he does is enough for them to put their down and declare the bans. My only question would be how much power do the sites really have in terms of dealing with users since there are tons of high profile people that use Twitter and a few other sites. If sites can go after Jones (which they should), they should go after the likes of Jim Carrey and J.K. Rowling.
Jones will still be around. How long is a question in of itself.
Now, I don't buy into the political shit. That's not even the reason for Jones getting shut down by all these websites. Yes, he has a colossal following, but what he says is what is making him get in all sorts of trouble. The stuff he pulls and the antics he does is enough for them to put their down and declare the bans. My only question would be how much power do the sites really have in terms of dealing with users since there are tons of high profile people that use Twitter and a few other sites. If sites can go after Jones (which they should), they should go after the likes of Jim Carrey and J.K. Rowling.
Jones will still be around. How long is a question in of itself.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
.Wolfenstein: The Old Blood Review
WARNING: To anyone that is reading this in Germany, this might be censored.
What was originally going to be an expansion DLC to The New Order, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood got built up as a stand alone game. It's result in May of 2015 was one that had a bit of praise. Once again with MachineGames developing, it's more of the same single player action. It's still good, but not as strong as its predecessor.
Set before The New Order, Old Blood is set in early 1946. The Allies are losing the war and Helga Von Schabbs has a folder containing the location of General Wilhelm Strasse at Castle Wolfenstein. B.J. Blazkowicz and Agent One must get it to plan an assault and stop the war from getting worse. More or less, it's their own version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but with their own timeline. Things don't go as planned and B.J. must survive to get the Allies a much needed victory. Obviously, it doesn't come close to what the previous game did, but not every game needs a story. Still, there is some development and a decent cast of characters that B.J. surrounds himself around.
Nothing changed in terms of gameplay. It's still that same love letter to the 90s and 2000s. Just like before, there is exploration and a number of secrets similar to Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. It also retains the one man army and objective based ideas of Goldeneye and Medal of Honor along with some new school ideas from Wolfenstein 2009 and Bioshock. There are eight levels, but very expansive and complex as you go through parts of Germany. The focus on single player is still MachineGames' bread and butter, so no multiplayer.
I didn't notice much of a change in the graphics, but it's still nice for an early release. It's more the little details and with the focus on newer hardware and no older tech (was not on PS3 and 360), you can notice finer details on the characters and areas. Just some of the outdoor areas are breathtaking and nice to get a look at. The audio is more or less the same. It's music is part orchestra and part rock depending on your scenarios. Voice acting is top notch and the accents are very real. Doesn't seem fake. Both facets are still given a lot of care.
Like New Order, Old Blood doesn't have a huge variety of weapons, but each one has its use. It's more old school like Medal of Honor as you don't have any laser type weaponry. Dual wielding is still a part of the fun. The knife still has its use along with the grenades. Unlike most games, it has a good balance between stealth and action, and they give you an equal amount of both aspects. The focus there is bigger. As before, there perks to what you can do during the game, as well as trophy and achievement support.
Brought back is the health system where there are plenty of health pickups, regeneration, and armor. Overcharge returns, but unfortunately, there is no small upgrades. They offer one upgrade perk, but that's it. As with the series, an emphasis on treasure is present. The same can be said with concept art and letters. No enigma stuff, but there are challenges to get medals, adding to a bit of replay value. More or less, the level design has the same ideas. It's linear, but there is a bit of freedom to explore in the areas combined with having strategies for different kinds of Nazis.
There wasn't a huge spike in difficulty, but it had a few more cheap moments compared to New Order. Outside of the story, (which that can be forgiven) the only major complaints I have is trying to fight off a handful of enemies at once and their constant throwing of grenades. The armor still has some problems, but it's not as bad. Anyway, this is still a fun game. Old Blood may not be like The New Order, but it still has some good satisfaction in gameplay and still retaining what made the Wolfenstein games excellent.
Score: 7 out of 10
What was originally going to be an expansion DLC to The New Order, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood got built up as a stand alone game. It's result in May of 2015 was one that had a bit of praise. Once again with MachineGames developing, it's more of the same single player action. It's still good, but not as strong as its predecessor.
Set before The New Order, Old Blood is set in early 1946. The Allies are losing the war and Helga Von Schabbs has a folder containing the location of General Wilhelm Strasse at Castle Wolfenstein. B.J. Blazkowicz and Agent One must get it to plan an assault and stop the war from getting worse. More or less, it's their own version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but with their own timeline. Things don't go as planned and B.J. must survive to get the Allies a much needed victory. Obviously, it doesn't come close to what the previous game did, but not every game needs a story. Still, there is some development and a decent cast of characters that B.J. surrounds himself around.
Nothing changed in terms of gameplay. It's still that same love letter to the 90s and 2000s. Just like before, there is exploration and a number of secrets similar to Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. It also retains the one man army and objective based ideas of Goldeneye and Medal of Honor along with some new school ideas from Wolfenstein 2009 and Bioshock. There are eight levels, but very expansive and complex as you go through parts of Germany. The focus on single player is still MachineGames' bread and butter, so no multiplayer.
I didn't notice much of a change in the graphics, but it's still nice for an early release. It's more the little details and with the focus on newer hardware and no older tech (was not on PS3 and 360), you can notice finer details on the characters and areas. Just some of the outdoor areas are breathtaking and nice to get a look at. The audio is more or less the same. It's music is part orchestra and part rock depending on your scenarios. Voice acting is top notch and the accents are very real. Doesn't seem fake. Both facets are still given a lot of care.
Like New Order, Old Blood doesn't have a huge variety of weapons, but each one has its use. It's more old school like Medal of Honor as you don't have any laser type weaponry. Dual wielding is still a part of the fun. The knife still has its use along with the grenades. Unlike most games, it has a good balance between stealth and action, and they give you an equal amount of both aspects. The focus there is bigger. As before, there perks to what you can do during the game, as well as trophy and achievement support.
Brought back is the health system where there are plenty of health pickups, regeneration, and armor. Overcharge returns, but unfortunately, there is no small upgrades. They offer one upgrade perk, but that's it. As with the series, an emphasis on treasure is present. The same can be said with concept art and letters. No enigma stuff, but there are challenges to get medals, adding to a bit of replay value. More or less, the level design has the same ideas. It's linear, but there is a bit of freedom to explore in the areas combined with having strategies for different kinds of Nazis.
There wasn't a huge spike in difficulty, but it had a few more cheap moments compared to New Order. Outside of the story, (which that can be forgiven) the only major complaints I have is trying to fight off a handful of enemies at once and their constant throwing of grenades. The armor still has some problems, but it's not as bad. Anyway, this is still a fun game. Old Blood may not be like The New Order, but it still has some good satisfaction in gameplay and still retaining what made the Wolfenstein games excellent.
Score: 7 out of 10
Friday, September 21, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
PlayStation Mini?
Plug and plays have been popular for a very long time. Even with system ones such as Atari Flashback and Sega Genesis Classic. Nintendo has thrown their hat in the last few years with their NES and SNES ones. Sony is the next to join in on what was announced with a PlayStation Classic. What is happening?
Sony knows the nostalgia fad is a huge deal now and is attempting their own take of it with their very first system, which will turn 24 in December. Speaking of which, it is set to come out on the third of that month(it's debut in Japan back in 1994) for a hundred dollars. Set with two controllers and 20 games, it is an opportunity and a risk they are willing to take. As far as 3D gaming goes, this particular generation is not easy for many to get back into primarily on graphics and maybe controls that weren't top notch.
The very few titles that got mentioned include Final Fantasy VII and Tekken 3, huge sellers for their time. I'm sure the rest will be announced sometime the end of this month or early October. They got some good choices right now, but how the rest pans out is up to them. It's a nice way to celebrate a phenomenal system that had a nice library.
This is a big chance. I do believe this will perform very well and keep the fad going for a while. It's always nice when there's some good competition, even with these Minis.
Here is stuff The Verge said about it.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/19/17877890/sony-playstation-classic-console-20-games-release-date-pricing
Sony knows the nostalgia fad is a huge deal now and is attempting their own take of it with their very first system, which will turn 24 in December. Speaking of which, it is set to come out on the third of that month(it's debut in Japan back in 1994) for a hundred dollars. Set with two controllers and 20 games, it is an opportunity and a risk they are willing to take. As far as 3D gaming goes, this particular generation is not easy for many to get back into primarily on graphics and maybe controls that weren't top notch.
The very few titles that got mentioned include Final Fantasy VII and Tekken 3, huge sellers for their time. I'm sure the rest will be announced sometime the end of this month or early October. They got some good choices right now, but how the rest pans out is up to them. It's a nice way to celebrate a phenomenal system that had a nice library.
This is a big chance. I do believe this will perform very well and keep the fad going for a while. It's always nice when there's some good competition, even with these Minis.
Here is stuff The Verge said about it.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/19/17877890/sony-playstation-classic-console-20-games-release-date-pricing
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
A Rarity of NFL Ties
Prior to 2012, the last time there was an NFL tie was in 2008 with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, there have been seven that have become ties. The most recent being this past Sunday with the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. It wasn't their first rodeo together since they experienced it in 2013. Is it really that big of a problem? I don't think so.
If anything, it's just pure, dumb luck with this one and the game with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. People probably said the same thing a couple years ago when the Bengals and Washington Redskins tied when the week before that was the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks. It happens. There isn't a simple explanation for why these happen. I kind of agree that the shortened time could lead to more ties, but it gives them an extra incentive to try for that touchdown rather than go for the field goal.
It's not like these teams are not giving up. Look at all the missed field goals. There's a reason why Minnesota cut their kicker and decided to sign Dan Bailey, one of the most accurate kickers. Being in a dome will help him greatly as their kicking game in the franchise's tenure has cost them in games that mattered. Tangent aside, teams are doing whatever is necessary. More than likely we're not going to see another tie. If it does happen again, we'll see what is in store from fans and critics.
Ties are not disappearing anytime soon, but it's not going to wind up being five or six ties a year like it was before overtime rules came into play during the mid 70s.
If anything, it's just pure, dumb luck with this one and the game with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. People probably said the same thing a couple years ago when the Bengals and Washington Redskins tied when the week before that was the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks. It happens. There isn't a simple explanation for why these happen. I kind of agree that the shortened time could lead to more ties, but it gives them an extra incentive to try for that touchdown rather than go for the field goal.
It's not like these teams are not giving up. Look at all the missed field goals. There's a reason why Minnesota cut their kicker and decided to sign Dan Bailey, one of the most accurate kickers. Being in a dome will help him greatly as their kicking game in the franchise's tenure has cost them in games that mattered. Tangent aside, teams are doing whatever is necessary. More than likely we're not going to see another tie. If it does happen again, we'll see what is in store from fans and critics.
Ties are not disappearing anytime soon, but it's not going to wind up being five or six ties a year like it was before overtime rules came into play during the mid 70s.
Friday, September 14, 2018
Moonves Ass Out Of CBS
Being in charge of a major network gives someone like Les Moonves a lot of important decisions to make. It also gives him access to potentially tons of funds and anything at his disposal. What wouldn't help were the stories of sexually harassing certain workers. With that, it's why he's been kicked out of the network recently by his own board.
So what does that mean, then? I see a lot of change coming to CBS as a whole. There might be stuff a new CEO might have different thoughts on compared to Moonves. It means that there could be other stories regarding other workers, something that has been shown in the firing of 60 Minutes producer Jeff Fager Either way, the network is in a huge bind and it's tough for the people who have worked their for years to have a question on why it happened and why he did this. Whatever they do, they better find their solutions.
In terms of Moonves, he may not ever work a job again. Not to mention a possible strained marriage with wife Julie Chen. Chen has worked with CBS in its news programs and the show Big Brother, but in recent years has done The Talk. That show I think is an excuse for her to still be on TV all the time. Despite my opinion, it can't be easy on her hearing all these allegations. A 14 year marriage with a son doesn't help either along with being outcast. I think she would bounce back with another job, but that stigma of being associated with a harasser may haunt her for the rest of her life.
When it's all said and done, CBS at some point will be completely different. The way they approach things, both with shows and their internal staff, will be the focal points in whatever their new CEO does. There is no redemption for Moonves. A dark cloud will be over his head until he is dead.
So what does that mean, then? I see a lot of change coming to CBS as a whole. There might be stuff a new CEO might have different thoughts on compared to Moonves. It means that there could be other stories regarding other workers, something that has been shown in the firing of 60 Minutes producer Jeff Fager Either way, the network is in a huge bind and it's tough for the people who have worked their for years to have a question on why it happened and why he did this. Whatever they do, they better find their solutions.
In terms of Moonves, he may not ever work a job again. Not to mention a possible strained marriage with wife Julie Chen. Chen has worked with CBS in its news programs and the show Big Brother, but in recent years has done The Talk. That show I think is an excuse for her to still be on TV all the time. Despite my opinion, it can't be easy on her hearing all these allegations. A 14 year marriage with a son doesn't help either along with being outcast. I think she would bounce back with another job, but that stigma of being associated with a harasser may haunt her for the rest of her life.
When it's all said and done, CBS at some point will be completely different. The way they approach things, both with shows and their internal staff, will be the focal points in whatever their new CEO does. There is no redemption for Moonves. A dark cloud will be over his head until he is dead.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Bratty Tennis Bitch
I don't really follow tennis, but at least I know a handful of players who have played or are playing. One of those examples is the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena. The latter could be considered one of the greatest to have played the sport and maybe of all time. That is great and all, but she has been known for some pretty big meltdowns in the biggest matches. This one has taken the cake for the worst.
From what I understand, there were points in the match where Williams was penalized a few times. After the last one where I believe she was docked a game, she went on this big tirade about being treated differently and that the judge umpire was a thief, which netted her a huge fine. Regardless, she lost to 20 year old Naomi Osaka. Unfortunately, this first for Japan and Haitian descents was overshadowed by that outburst.
I've seen other sports where athletes have been hard to deal with. Look at Terrell Owens. Even though he got into the Hall of Fame, he was not someone critics wanted to be around because of his attitudes. It's not the first time Serena has even had these outbursts. And she created the sexism issue herself. It's her own fault. But I also have a few theories of why the outburst came.
One is the high standard. I have no doubt she continues to put the efforts in to keep playing at a high level despite her age. Two is that she can be very feisty with it. There was those two times she went after an official, though the second time, she wasn't as bad with her meltdown. That being said, she does come off as a sore loser and that things didn't go her way. I don't blame tennis crew members for wanting to boycott her matches. Although it is very rare unless there's other outbursts since the late 90s, there is a fear of getting bitched at. Of course, you got defenders at her side. Even twats like J.K. Rowling speaking their thoughts, especially with that Australian cartoon, which I even admit comes off a little racist despite the message to it.
The title of this blog could be a name I could associate Williams with if she has another one or two of these outbursts. Some of the big named athletes throughout the world can be given a chance to blow some steam. This latest one, however, should not have happened. Blow steam, but not create a new issue in itself. It's all on her.
From what I understand, there were points in the match where Williams was penalized a few times. After the last one where I believe she was docked a game, she went on this big tirade about being treated differently and that the judge umpire was a thief, which netted her a huge fine. Regardless, she lost to 20 year old Naomi Osaka. Unfortunately, this first for Japan and Haitian descents was overshadowed by that outburst.
I've seen other sports where athletes have been hard to deal with. Look at Terrell Owens. Even though he got into the Hall of Fame, he was not someone critics wanted to be around because of his attitudes. It's not the first time Serena has even had these outbursts. And she created the sexism issue herself. It's her own fault. But I also have a few theories of why the outburst came.
One is the high standard. I have no doubt she continues to put the efforts in to keep playing at a high level despite her age. Two is that she can be very feisty with it. There was those two times she went after an official, though the second time, she wasn't as bad with her meltdown. That being said, she does come off as a sore loser and that things didn't go her way. I don't blame tennis crew members for wanting to boycott her matches. Although it is very rare unless there's other outbursts since the late 90s, there is a fear of getting bitched at. Of course, you got defenders at her side. Even twats like J.K. Rowling speaking their thoughts, especially with that Australian cartoon, which I even admit comes off a little racist despite the message to it.
The title of this blog could be a name I could associate Williams with if she has another one or two of these outbursts. Some of the big named athletes throughout the world can be given a chance to blow some steam. This latest one, however, should not have happened. Blow steam, but not create a new issue in itself. It's all on her.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Mortal Kombat Overview/Review
September of 1993 brought in huge hype for the port of Mortal Kombat to the home market. It was an institution in the arcades the year before and was more for its graphics and violence compared to Street Fighter II. With its release on the 13th known as Mortal Monday, it showed up on the SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, and Game Gear. Within the next year, it was on the Sega Master System in Europe, DOS computers, Amiga, and the Sega CD. I'll have my thoughts on the SNES and Genesis versions.
All versions followed the same story as the arcade. The seven fighters all have their reasons for being in Shang Tsung's tournament. As far as intros, at least the computer versions retain the stuff the arcade had. Windows 3.1 and the Amiga were very capable of doing a lot more compared to home consoles.
With that in mind, graphics outside of the computer versions had to be toned down. If we're digging into the 16-bit ones, the SNES version was mostly accurate. A little toned, but it was there. Animations were very strong. The Genesis suffered from the color palette, but was decent on its own. Its animations were minimal. Audio, the computers and Sega CD version were in touch with the arcade, especially on computers. The SNES version was more accurate, but was very quiet and didn't have that oomph that the arcade had at times. On the Genesis, it was more lively and felt more action like. Everything except the Genesis handled sound effects and voices with strong efforts.
The emphasis for Mortal Kombat was on the blood and fatalities. It has the basic moves that most fighters had. You had to fight everyone including yourself, a few endurance matches and then the final bosses. With the SNES port, the controls were a little sluggish, but it wasn't unplayable. It took some time and once you got the hang of it, you could do some damage. Regarding the Genesis, it was a bit smoother despite the limited animations. There wasn't any lag or anything.
If I'm going to put a knock into those two ports, it's the very high difficulty. Even on easy, you will have problems. At least the SNES version allows for infinite continues. Of course, we can't talk about that one without mentioning the censorship. That was dumb on Nintendo's part.
If you're looking for a port of the original, it can go either way. The arcade version itself may still be on PS3 and 360 if you're looking for that. Mortal Kombat has its place in both success and controversy. It wasn't a slouch back then, but may change depending on your tastes in fighting games and the series.
Genesis: 6.5 out of 10 SNES: 6.5 out of 10
All versions followed the same story as the arcade. The seven fighters all have their reasons for being in Shang Tsung's tournament. As far as intros, at least the computer versions retain the stuff the arcade had. Windows 3.1 and the Amiga were very capable of doing a lot more compared to home consoles.
With that in mind, graphics outside of the computer versions had to be toned down. If we're digging into the 16-bit ones, the SNES version was mostly accurate. A little toned, but it was there. Animations were very strong. The Genesis suffered from the color palette, but was decent on its own. Its animations were minimal. Audio, the computers and Sega CD version were in touch with the arcade, especially on computers. The SNES version was more accurate, but was very quiet and didn't have that oomph that the arcade had at times. On the Genesis, it was more lively and felt more action like. Everything except the Genesis handled sound effects and voices with strong efforts.
The emphasis for Mortal Kombat was on the blood and fatalities. It has the basic moves that most fighters had. You had to fight everyone including yourself, a few endurance matches and then the final bosses. With the SNES port, the controls were a little sluggish, but it wasn't unplayable. It took some time and once you got the hang of it, you could do some damage. Regarding the Genesis, it was a bit smoother despite the limited animations. There wasn't any lag or anything.
If I'm going to put a knock into those two ports, it's the very high difficulty. Even on easy, you will have problems. At least the SNES version allows for infinite continues. Of course, we can't talk about that one without mentioning the censorship. That was dumb on Nintendo's part.
If you're looking for a port of the original, it can go either way. The arcade version itself may still be on PS3 and 360 if you're looking for that. Mortal Kombat has its place in both success and controversy. It wasn't a slouch back then, but may change depending on your tastes in fighting games and the series.
Genesis: 6.5 out of 10 SNES: 6.5 out of 10
Monday, September 10, 2018
Lowly Tie
If you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, this should be a travesty in itself. Facing the Cleveland Browns should have been a walk in the park somewhat. Instead, they let them comeback and not only tie the game, but end the game in a tie.
For one thing, do not blame this on Le'Veon Bell. James Connor put up one hell of a game that totaled almost 200 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The defense put up their effort, particularly one T.J. Watt with four sacks. Ben Roethlisberger had the awful game with three interceptions despite over 300 yards passing. More than likely, that was what got Cleveland back in.
On the other side, Tyrod Taylor was abysmal in accuracy, but the ground game is what got him and Carlos Hyde to score. Jarvis Landry is one guy Miami might regret trading away if he has games like he had this week. The defense did not give up. For rookie Denzel Ward to get his first two picks ever off of one of the great quarterbacks, it says a lot for not just him, but for the team.
Pittsburgh has it tough facing Kansas City for Week 2. Although they beat them in the playoffs two seasons ago and the regular season last year, they were tight match ups. Dealing with Tyreek Hill is their most concerning issue. Cleveland goes to New Orleans, who laid an egg against Tampa Bay and backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. I see Drew Brees getting the victory and the winless streak continuing for the Browns. Ultimately, Pittsburgh should be ashamed of having this as, although it's just the first week, it could be a huge factor in whether they are a postseason team or not.
For one thing, do not blame this on Le'Veon Bell. James Connor put up one hell of a game that totaled almost 200 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. The defense put up their effort, particularly one T.J. Watt with four sacks. Ben Roethlisberger had the awful game with three interceptions despite over 300 yards passing. More than likely, that was what got Cleveland back in.
On the other side, Tyrod Taylor was abysmal in accuracy, but the ground game is what got him and Carlos Hyde to score. Jarvis Landry is one guy Miami might regret trading away if he has games like he had this week. The defense did not give up. For rookie Denzel Ward to get his first two picks ever off of one of the great quarterbacks, it says a lot for not just him, but for the team.
Pittsburgh has it tough facing Kansas City for Week 2. Although they beat them in the playoffs two seasons ago and the regular season last year, they were tight match ups. Dealing with Tyreek Hill is their most concerning issue. Cleveland goes to New Orleans, who laid an egg against Tampa Bay and backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. I see Drew Brees getting the victory and the winless streak continuing for the Browns. Ultimately, Pittsburgh should be ashamed of having this as, although it's just the first week, it could be a huge factor in whether they are a postseason team or not.
Saturday, September 8, 2018
A Conspiracy Ban
This didn't surprise me at all. Twitter and Apple have decided they have had enough of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his InfoWars show. Now, he is banned from those two sites. More than likely, it was because of his behavior and attitude at times when it comes to subjects.
I think this was a move that was coming sooner or later. Certainly, Jones has the right to say whatever he wants, but some of the stuff he says do not help his case. That Sandy Hook lawsuit is still going unless something changed. His fights against companies and Senators lately have probably been a huge factor in his banning. Whether this is an act, I don't know.
We live in a completely different era now from what it was in 2001 when Jones said conspiracies about September 11th. The Internet was a unique animal during that time period and still somewhat new. Now these days, companies can keep eye on what people like him do and take action when necessary. The writing was on the wall. It was only a matter of when to ban.
Jones will find some way to stay relevant, though. He's not going to leave, no matter how much a lot of people want him to.
I think this was a move that was coming sooner or later. Certainly, Jones has the right to say whatever he wants, but some of the stuff he says do not help his case. That Sandy Hook lawsuit is still going unless something changed. His fights against companies and Senators lately have probably been a huge factor in his banning. Whether this is an act, I don't know.
We live in a completely different era now from what it was in 2001 when Jones said conspiracies about September 11th. The Internet was a unique animal during that time period and still somewhat new. Now these days, companies can keep eye on what people like him do and take action when necessary. The writing was on the wall. It was only a matter of when to ban.
Jones will find some way to stay relevant, though. He's not going to leave, no matter how much a lot of people want him to.
Friday, September 7, 2018
Thursday, September 6, 2018
2018 NFL Thoughts
As tonight begins another season of the National Football League, teams have what they think are necessary to reach the Super Bowl. Let's dig into the AFC with my very quick thoughts.
The East will be easy since New England will most likely win their division again. How they do in the ground game is the big concern. Buffalo has some decent expectation, but who plays at quarterback and starts at running back may determine their fate this year. Miami is a team that can go either way depending on all three facets of the game. If you're a NY Jets fan, you're either going to be disappointed or really happy with the Sam Darnold starting scenario, as well as whether the other facets hold up.
Regarding the North, it will come down to Pittsburgh likely winning it. They just have to improve and hope the ground game can be sustainable without Le'Veon Bell. Baltimore has players. It's a matter of performing every week. Same with Cincinnati. Improve with rushing on both sides, they could reach the playoffs. I don't expect much from Cleveland. I feel like Baker Mayfield will be disappointing, but things could change. I can see them at least winning some games if they do. How many, I don't know.
Tennessee might be the team could change things. However, they have to improve a bit with some of their new players if they want to get back in the playoffs. Houston gets DeShaun Watson back from injury, and he will be a big factor to success or failure combined with the ground game and defense. Indianapolis depends on Andrew Luck getting back to form and the defense. The team to beat is Jacksonville. There is a lot of hype for them and if they can look at what made them good last year, they could repeat as division winners and potentially get to the Super Bowl, something they have not done yet in their 23 year existence.
I have no clue how the West will be. More than likely, it's Kansas City's division. They have all the pieces. It's just they gotta stop choking in the postseason. Andy Reid can't win the big games on his own. The LA Chargers have the pieces, too. Improving the rushing on both sides will compliment the passing sides. Something has to give in Denver. Their quarterback situation and the pass defense have to be much better if they want to succeed. There is hype in Oakland with Jon Gruden back to coaching. A lot has changed since 2001. Can he fix a number of their problems?
The NFC is an interesting animal. In the East, I don't see Philly repeating. They'll still have a playoff team, but the quarterback situation will be a problem along with what I think will be a big hangover. Dallas has some expectation. Can all three facets gel together at the same time? How the run game goes will determine the NY Giants fate combined with healthy players and a new look defense. Washington might have players, but the age of some of them will determine how they fare in replacing others.
The North will come down to Minnesota. How they do with Kirk Cousins is another question if he can compliment the ground game and strong defense. Green Bay may have Aaron Rodgers, but he will not save them all the time. The ground game is a huge concern, and the defense is aging along with some changes at coordinators. Chicago has the pieces to do better on offense. Work on it, and they can be deadly and surprise people. Matthew Stafford will keep Detroit going, but that ground game has been a struggle for all of his career. They do better with it, and they will not be as one dimensional as it has been the last few years. This year can go either way.
I don't know who succeeds in the South since they all have potential. New Orleans can run well and the defense held it's own. Work on what they did last year, and they could surprise the league again. Atlanta can still be a strong team. Work better on scoring points and better consistency from the offense, and they will do a lot things this year. Carolina had a bounce back year. They still have that defense. How the offense in terms of performance and a new coordinator will determine their fate. Tampa has a young group of players. It's only a matter of whether they can improve and perform consistently.
The West belonged to the LA Rams last year. They will repeat their division. Outside of some defensive players leaving, they will still have a strong offense that will keep them in games. Seattle doesn't have much of a Legion of Boom on defense. It's unfortunate that Russell Wilson will have to be over relied on since he can only do so much with a questionable ground game. There is hype for San Francisco. Getting some guys on both sides should help them. Whether it gets them a playoff berth is a question in itself. They will at least do better than the last two years. Arizona, I don't know. New staff, a number of new players. They could do well, but I wouldn't put much expectation on them.
Those are my very quick thoughts on all 32 teams. This season should be an interesting one. A good number of them have strong potential to be a Super Bowl caliber team, and the first month will see who are the posers and the contenders.
The East will be easy since New England will most likely win their division again. How they do in the ground game is the big concern. Buffalo has some decent expectation, but who plays at quarterback and starts at running back may determine their fate this year. Miami is a team that can go either way depending on all three facets of the game. If you're a NY Jets fan, you're either going to be disappointed or really happy with the Sam Darnold starting scenario, as well as whether the other facets hold up.
Regarding the North, it will come down to Pittsburgh likely winning it. They just have to improve and hope the ground game can be sustainable without Le'Veon Bell. Baltimore has players. It's a matter of performing every week. Same with Cincinnati. Improve with rushing on both sides, they could reach the playoffs. I don't expect much from Cleveland. I feel like Baker Mayfield will be disappointing, but things could change. I can see them at least winning some games if they do. How many, I don't know.
Tennessee might be the team could change things. However, they have to improve a bit with some of their new players if they want to get back in the playoffs. Houston gets DeShaun Watson back from injury, and he will be a big factor to success or failure combined with the ground game and defense. Indianapolis depends on Andrew Luck getting back to form and the defense. The team to beat is Jacksonville. There is a lot of hype for them and if they can look at what made them good last year, they could repeat as division winners and potentially get to the Super Bowl, something they have not done yet in their 23 year existence.
I have no clue how the West will be. More than likely, it's Kansas City's division. They have all the pieces. It's just they gotta stop choking in the postseason. Andy Reid can't win the big games on his own. The LA Chargers have the pieces, too. Improving the rushing on both sides will compliment the passing sides. Something has to give in Denver. Their quarterback situation and the pass defense have to be much better if they want to succeed. There is hype in Oakland with Jon Gruden back to coaching. A lot has changed since 2001. Can he fix a number of their problems?
The NFC is an interesting animal. In the East, I don't see Philly repeating. They'll still have a playoff team, but the quarterback situation will be a problem along with what I think will be a big hangover. Dallas has some expectation. Can all three facets gel together at the same time? How the run game goes will determine the NY Giants fate combined with healthy players and a new look defense. Washington might have players, but the age of some of them will determine how they fare in replacing others.
The North will come down to Minnesota. How they do with Kirk Cousins is another question if he can compliment the ground game and strong defense. Green Bay may have Aaron Rodgers, but he will not save them all the time. The ground game is a huge concern, and the defense is aging along with some changes at coordinators. Chicago has the pieces to do better on offense. Work on it, and they can be deadly and surprise people. Matthew Stafford will keep Detroit going, but that ground game has been a struggle for all of his career. They do better with it, and they will not be as one dimensional as it has been the last few years. This year can go either way.
I don't know who succeeds in the South since they all have potential. New Orleans can run well and the defense held it's own. Work on what they did last year, and they could surprise the league again. Atlanta can still be a strong team. Work better on scoring points and better consistency from the offense, and they will do a lot things this year. Carolina had a bounce back year. They still have that defense. How the offense in terms of performance and a new coordinator will determine their fate. Tampa has a young group of players. It's only a matter of whether they can improve and perform consistently.
The West belonged to the LA Rams last year. They will repeat their division. Outside of some defensive players leaving, they will still have a strong offense that will keep them in games. Seattle doesn't have much of a Legion of Boom on defense. It's unfortunate that Russell Wilson will have to be over relied on since he can only do so much with a questionable ground game. There is hype for San Francisco. Getting some guys on both sides should help them. Whether it gets them a playoff berth is a question in itself. They will at least do better than the last two years. Arizona, I don't know. New staff, a number of new players. They could do well, but I wouldn't put much expectation on them.
Those are my very quick thoughts on all 32 teams. This season should be an interesting one. A good number of them have strong potential to be a Super Bowl caliber team, and the first month will see who are the posers and the contenders.
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Why Emulate?
This is a blog I've been wanting to write, but hearing about the Brazil museum fire that may have destroyed nearly all of its thousands of year old artifacts and relics, as well as a YouTube video about preserving game history, I have a reason to write this particular blog. Back in July, Nintendo sued a couple rom sites and it had a ripple effect on the emulation scene. For a number of people, including myself, emulation may be the only viable option when it comes to certain games. But why?
1. Availability: It's not a surprise that as the Internet has risen, gamers have immersed themselves in not just Nintendo stuff, but a lot of gaming history since at least the 70s. Unfortunately, when sites like EmuParadise close shop, thousands of games are lost. That's not to say they are entirely lost, but losing tons of Arcade games, DOS, and any system between the Atari 2600 and the PSP/DS, it really hurts. We can't always go to an arcade or use an old Windows 95 or XP computer. We can't always find a Sega Saturn or a 3DO out in the open in terms of both systems and games. It's sad that although Nintendo is within their rights, it hurts a lot more than they think just because they want to offer the same NES games for the fifth or sixth time.
2. Prices: Obviously, pirates will do whatever they can to emulate and not buy games. At times, however, we don't have all this money just to buy something like a Panzer Dragoon Saga or the Neo Geo library. At the same time, not everyone is willing to splurge 50 bucks on a used Nintendo game. Similar with availability, your choices may be limited depending on the systems you have and what games that are seen in at used game stores, yard sales. How much they are charging may make your decision easy or hard.
There's probably other reasons other people have, but that's what it boils down to. Unless you keep all your computers and have them well maintained, you have no choice but to use DOSBox. And Steam and GOG are not going to have every title due to copyright limbo, companies that have disappeared or have been bought, or losing a source code. There's a reason why Abandonware is loved. My Abandonware's top downloaded games are Doom II, Wolfenstein 3D, and WarCraft II. Thousands of DOS, Windows, and Mac games are available, but a very small amount can still be found on Steam and GOG.
Consoles suffer, too. Even with something like a Virtual Console, it only accounts for the big name titles or stuff that is owned by companies that have survived. We're talking anywhere from 5 to maybe 15 percent. Could be higher or lower, but overall, a lot of titles don't see the light of day again. Compilations have really helped since 1995-96 to help preserve a lot of arcade and console games, but there's still tons of them that have never gotten a port or anything. Licensed games suffer the worst along with any that have lost source codes. I'll go with the Crash Bandicoot trilogy. Vicarious Visions had to do the remaster from the ground up. People tremendously love Goldeneye on the N64, but it's license keeps it from being re-released.
Rambling aside, emulation is something that is dedicated by gamers. They put the effort in to make sure that a number of these titles can be looked at. From hits like Mario to the unfamiliar games like SkyRoads, it's a painstakingly approach and risk to ensure future generations can enjoy the over 40 plus years of what has been seen since Pong. Emulation will not disappear, and Nintendo's old fart executives in Japan will never understand that despite being within their rights to protect their copyright.
1. Availability: It's not a surprise that as the Internet has risen, gamers have immersed themselves in not just Nintendo stuff, but a lot of gaming history since at least the 70s. Unfortunately, when sites like EmuParadise close shop, thousands of games are lost. That's not to say they are entirely lost, but losing tons of Arcade games, DOS, and any system between the Atari 2600 and the PSP/DS, it really hurts. We can't always go to an arcade or use an old Windows 95 or XP computer. We can't always find a Sega Saturn or a 3DO out in the open in terms of both systems and games. It's sad that although Nintendo is within their rights, it hurts a lot more than they think just because they want to offer the same NES games for the fifth or sixth time.
2. Prices: Obviously, pirates will do whatever they can to emulate and not buy games. At times, however, we don't have all this money just to buy something like a Panzer Dragoon Saga or the Neo Geo library. At the same time, not everyone is willing to splurge 50 bucks on a used Nintendo game. Similar with availability, your choices may be limited depending on the systems you have and what games that are seen in at used game stores, yard sales. How much they are charging may make your decision easy or hard.
There's probably other reasons other people have, but that's what it boils down to. Unless you keep all your computers and have them well maintained, you have no choice but to use DOSBox. And Steam and GOG are not going to have every title due to copyright limbo, companies that have disappeared or have been bought, or losing a source code. There's a reason why Abandonware is loved. My Abandonware's top downloaded games are Doom II, Wolfenstein 3D, and WarCraft II. Thousands of DOS, Windows, and Mac games are available, but a very small amount can still be found on Steam and GOG.
Consoles suffer, too. Even with something like a Virtual Console, it only accounts for the big name titles or stuff that is owned by companies that have survived. We're talking anywhere from 5 to maybe 15 percent. Could be higher or lower, but overall, a lot of titles don't see the light of day again. Compilations have really helped since 1995-96 to help preserve a lot of arcade and console games, but there's still tons of them that have never gotten a port or anything. Licensed games suffer the worst along with any that have lost source codes. I'll go with the Crash Bandicoot trilogy. Vicarious Visions had to do the remaster from the ground up. People tremendously love Goldeneye on the N64, but it's license keeps it from being re-released.
Rambling aside, emulation is something that is dedicated by gamers. They put the effort in to make sure that a number of these titles can be looked at. From hits like Mario to the unfamiliar games like SkyRoads, it's a painstakingly approach and risk to ensure future generations can enjoy the over 40 plus years of what has been seen since Pong. Emulation will not disappear, and Nintendo's old fart executives in Japan will never understand that despite being within their rights to protect their copyright.
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