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juealhossain · 3 months ago

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AppointBee AI 2024: Quick Setup, More Clients in Minutes

AppointBee AI 2024 is a new and advanced AI-powered appointment booking system. It is designed to make appointment scheduling easy and efficient for businesses and their customers.

What is AppointBee AI 2024?

AppointBee AI 2024 is the latest version of a famous appointment booking system. It uses advanced AI to simplify the process of booking appointments. This system is perfect for any kind of business and works on all devices.

The AI in AppointBee AI 2024 helps customers book appointments through a simple chat. This saves a lot of time for both the customers and the business owners.

The Problem: Old Booking Systems

Many local businesses still use old ways to book appointments. This includes phone calls and simple forms. These old methods cause many problems:

High Costs for Call Centers: Many businesses pay a lot for call centers. This is not a good way to book appointments. Mistakes happen often, and fewer people book.

Ineffective Contact Forms: Customers do not want to wait for email replies. This can lead to missed chances and unbooked appointments.

Missed Appointments: No-shows are a big problem. In the U.S., missed medical appointments cost a lot of money each year.

AppointBee AI 2024 can fix these problems. It automates bookings and sends reminders. This makes booking easy and smooth for everyone.

Benefits of Using AppointBee AI 2024

24/7 AvailabilityWith an AI-powered booking system, local businesses can capture appointments any time of day or night. This round-the-clock availability enhances sales by allowing customers to book at their convenience.

Reduction in Staff WorkloadAppointBee AI eliminates the necessity for manual scheduling and constant phone monitoring, enabling staff to concentrate on more critical tasks.

Increased RevenueCustomers, especially younger demographics, prefer online booking options. Research indicates that offering online bookings can boost revenue by up to 125%. Additionally, the ability to accept payments upfront secures revenue and decreases cancellations by 30%.

Improved Customer ControlAppointBee AI empowers customers to view available services, compare prices, and select from various appointment slots, granting them greater control over their bookings.

Optimized PaymentsIntegrated payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe simplify the process for businesses to accept payments during the booking. This streamlines the payment workflow, minimizes missed payments, and allows businesses to impose cancellation fees when necessary.

How AppointBee AI 2024 Solves These Problems

With AppointBee AI 2024, businesses can set up a fully optimized, AI-powered appointment booking system in just 5 minutes. This system is hands-free and very efficient.

AppointBee AI can double the bookings and customers for any local business in a short period of time. Businesses can charge customers on a monthly basis or a one-time fee.

Businesses can also act as an AI appointment booking agency for various other businesses.

Key Features of AppointBee AI 2024

Powerful AI appointment scheduling system for any local business

Clients can book appointments using a simple chat with AI

Auto appointment management using AI

AI showcases all business services

Fully responsive design, customers can book appointments from any device

Works on websites, web pages, landing pages, WordPress, or any CMS

AI collects upfront payment using PayPal

AI sends SMS and email reminders so appointments are never missed

AI rescheduled appointments if required

Captures customer leads and pushes them to your favorite autoresponders

AI tracks time to ensure no double bookings

Full UI customization options to match your brand themes

Extensive appointment settings, covering all businesses

Detailed transaction reports

Export appointments to Excel spreadsheets

Accept appointments for multiple services

Manage multiple service providers or resources

Google calendar integration

Define working hours for service providers/resources

Define vacation days for business

Super easy customization with options panel

Backend appointment calendar and list - customers can see all of their booked appointments at a glance and better manage their time

8 Critical Reasons to Start Using AppointBee AI

1. Solves a Big Problem: AppointBee helps local businesses save time and effort.

2. Affordable Software: There are no monthly fees or hidden costs for you or your clients.

3. Easy to Use: You can set it up on clients' websites in just a few minutes.

4. Quick Setup, Big Earnings: Set up fast and earn over $500 from each client.

5. Simple Client Guide: Get easy steps to find your first client tonight.

6. Great Service for Clients: Build strong relationships by offering helpful appointment booking.

7. Custom Themes: Choose from different designs that fit many types of businesses.

8. Grow Your Income: Help businesses with a needed service and earn more money.

Powerful Features

AppointBee AI 2024 has cool features for local businesses. Here are some of them:

1. Smart Scheduling

AppointBee AI uses smart technology. Clients can book appointments with a chatbot. The AI handles everything else.

2. Easy Appointment Management

The AI helps manage appointments. It can reschedule and send reminders. It also takes payments through PayPal.

3. Works on All Devices

You can use AppointBee AI on phones, tablets, and computers. Booking appointments is easy and smooth.

4. No Double Bookings

The software tracks time well. It prevents double bookings by suggesting new times.

5. Reminders by SMS and Email

AppointBee AI sends reminders to customers. This helps reduce missed appointments.

6. Customizable Look

Businesses can change how the booking system looks. They can set working hours and vacation days.

7. Easy Reports

AppointBee AI gives detailed reports. Businesses can check appointments and customer info.

8. Manage Multiple Services

It helps businesses with different services and workers. You can set hours for each worker.

9. Sync with Google Calendar

All appointments go to Google Calendar. This keeps everyone updated on their schedules.

10. Find New Customers

It helps businesses find new customers too. It collects customer info for follow-ups.

More Features

Easy Appointment Management

You can use a simple dashboard. It shows open slots, bookings, and schedules. Clients can manage their appointments easily. New customers can book appointments without trouble.

Works on Mobile

AppointBee works on all devices. Customers can book appointments on their phones easily.

Built-In Blog

Share important info with our blog feature. This helps attract more visitors from Google. Use a cool image slider to engage them.

Simple Sales Reports

Check recent sales and upcoming appointments. See customer details and payment amounts in one place.

No Double Bookings

AppointBee stops double bookings. Customers get alerts if a slot is taken. They also get other options to choose from.

Custom Appointment Settings

You can change appointment features to fit your needs. Manage time slots, buffer times, and cancellations easily.

Multiple Ways to Embed

Put AppointBee on your website in five ways. Choose from Inline, Popup, or Floating chats.

Get New Leads

Use AppointBee to find new customers. Connect it to your autoresponder to gather leads quickly.

PayPal Payments

Accept payments with PayPal when customers book. You can switch PayPal accounts easily.

Setting Up AppointBee AI: A Simple 3-Step Process

Getting started with AppointBee AI 2024 is quick and easy, allowing you to set it up in just a few minutes. Follow these simple steps:

Configure Business SettingsLog into your AppointBee AI dashboard to input your business information, including services, operating hours, and team members. This setup allows the AI system to efficiently manage appointments, freeing you to focus on your core business activities.

Embed the CodeCopy the easy embed code provided in the dashboard and paste it into your website, landing page, or CMS. AppointBee AI supports various embed types, such as inline, popups, and chat-based embeds, ensuring flexibility for your needs.

Start Booking AppointmentsAfter completing the setup, customers can begin booking appointments through the AI-powered system immediately. The chatbot will assist them throughout the process, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience.

Who Can Benefit from AppointBee AI?

AppointBee AI 2024 is tailored to serve a diverse array of local businesses. The following industries can reap significant benefits from this innovative software:

Real Estate Agencies: Streamline property showings and client meetings effortlessly.

Doctors and Dentists: Manage patient appointments with AI reminders to minimize no-shows.

Chiropractors: Increase appointment bookings without the hassle of phone calls.

Beauticians: Provide seamless booking for services like haircuts and spa treatments.

Consultants and Accountants: Automate meeting scheduling and follow-up reminders efficiently.

Coaches and Course Creators: Manage online course sign-ups and one-on-one coaching sessions effortlessly.

Marketing Agencies: Showcase services and schedule consultations with ease using AI.

How AppointBee AI Helps Agencies

For agencies managing local clients, AppointBee AI offers an excellent opportunity to provide a high-demand service. Local businesses are continuously seeking ways to enhance operations and attract more customers, and an AI-powered appointment system is an ideal solution.

Agencies can swiftly deploy AppointBee AI on client websites, enabling effortless appointment scheduling. The best part? Agencies can charge a premium for this service, either through one-time setup fees or monthly recurring charges. With no hidden costs and a quick 5-minute setup process, it’s a hassle-free method to expand service offerings.

Bonus Point:

AppointBee AI 2024 is packed with exceptional features and exclusive bonuses designed to help you attract more clients and increase your earnings. These bonuses enhance your experience on the platform, making it more user-friendly and effective.

Bonus #1: Ready-made Facebook Ads

Receive expertly designed, ready-made Facebook ads tailored for local businesses. These ads simplify the process of attracting new clients, allowing you to start utilizing them immediately!

Bonus #2: Easy Qr Code For Bookings

AppointBee AI provides a QR code for seamless booking. You can incorporate this code into flyers and business cards, enabling customers to book appointments with just a scan—making the process quick and hassle-free!

Bonus #3: Helpful Powerpoint Presentation

This bonus includes a professional PowerPoint presentation to help you close deals effectively. It contains key insights and persuasive reasons for businesses to choose AppointBee AI, showcasing the value of your service.

Bonus #4: Graphics Pack For Marketing

Access a comprehensive graphics pack to elevate your marketing efforts. This collection includes stunning logos and banners, ensuring your service appears polished and appealing to potential clients.

Bonus #5: Ready-made Logos For Businesses

7 Value)AppointBee AI offers a selection of logos specifically designed for various businesses, such as dental practices and salons. These logos help your clients present a professional image right from the start.

Bonus #6: Special Training Webinar

Join an exclusive training webinar where industry experts will guide you on maximizing your earnings. You’ll learn strategies for client acquisition and how to establish recurring monthly fees.

Bonus #7: Ready-made Brochure

This customizable brochure allows you to effectively showcase your services. Simply add your information, print it out, and distribute it to local businesses to enhance your outreach.

Who should join this?

Local Businesses: Ideal for service-oriented enterprises like salons, spas, dentists, and fitness studios seeking to streamline appointment booking processes.

Service Professionals: Great for freelancers and independent contractors such as consultants, therapists, and trainers who require a reliable scheduling tool to manage client appointments.

Website Owners: Perfect for anyone with a website, CMS, LMS, or landing page aiming to enhance user experience with a professional appointment booking system.

Tech-Savvy Marketers: Suitable for digital marketers and agencies looking to offer appointment scheduling as an added service to their clients.

Entrepreneurs and Startups: An excellent choice for new businesses wanting efficient management without complicated setups.

Business Owners Seeking Automation: Ideal for those wishing to automate reminders and payments, allowing them to focus on other business aspects.

Teams and Organizations: Perfect for businesses with multiple team members who need easy access to and management of appointments.

Clients Who Value Convenience: Attract clients who appreciate seamless integration of appointment scheduling into their daily routines, including SMS and email reminders, as well as payment processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Appointbee Ai 2024?

AppointBee AI 2024 is an advanced AI-powered appointment booking system for local businesses, optimizing client interactions and scheduling.

How Does Appointbee Ai Save Time?

AppointBee AI automates bookings via chat, reducing manual scheduling and minimizing missed appointments.

Can Appointbee Ai Work On Any Device?

Yes, AppointBee AI is fully responsive and works across all devices, ensuring seamless user experience.

What Businesses Can Use Appointbee Ai?

Any local business needing appointment scheduling can benefit, including medical, beauty, and service industries.

How Does Appointbee Ai Reduce Missed Appointments?

AppointBee AI sends SMS and email reminders, ensuring clients remember their appointments.

Is It Easy To Set Up Appointbee Ai?

Yes, AppointBee AI offers a simple 5-minute setup process, making it user-friendly for any business.

Does Appointbee Ai Handle Multiple Services?

Yes, it can accept and manage appointments for multiple services and service providers.

How Does Appointbee Ai Manage Payments?

AppointBee AI collects upfront payments using PayPal, ensuring secure and streamlined transactions.

What Are The Customization Options In Appointbee Ai?

AppointBee AI offers full UI customization to match your brand’s theme and preferences.

Can Appointbee Ai Integrate With Other Tools?

Yes, it can capture customer leads and push them to your favorite autoresponders for seamless integration.

Top Online Scheduling Software for Better Appointment Management

AppointBee AI 2024 is a done-for-you appointment software that can be set up in just 2 minutes. It is perfect for local and services businesses and provides easy onboarding.

Discover more about AppointBee AI 2024 and how it can transform your appointment booking system today.

#AppointBee AI #AppointBee AI review #client booking software #booking software

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cmexpertise · 3 months ago

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Understanding the Cost of On-Demand App Development in India

The rise of mobile technology has transformed industries globally, and India is no exception. One sector that has seen immense growth is the on-demand service industry, supported by the increasing number of smartphone users. From food delivery to taxi services, on-demand apps have become an essential part of modern life. If you're considering developing an on-demand app in India, understanding the costs involved is crucial for budgeting and planning.

In this article, we’ll break down the key factors that influence the cost of on-demand app development in India.

Key Factors Influencing App Development Costs

App Complexity The complexity of the app is the biggest determinant of the development cost. On-demand apps generally fall into three categories based on their complexity:

Basic Apps: These apps have simple functionalities like user registration, order placement, and basic payment gateways. Example: Small restaurant delivery apps.

Moderately Complex Apps: These apps include features such as real-time tracking, in-app messaging, multi-payment gateways, and integration with APIs. Example: Uber-like apps or grocery delivery platforms.

Highly Complex Apps: These involve advanced features like AI integration, machine learning algorithms, advanced analytics, custom designs, and more. Example: AI-driven healthcare or logistics apps.

The more complex your app, the higher the development cost will be.

Platform: Android, iOS, or Both Another significant cost factor is the platform you choose to develop your app on. Android and iOS are the two dominant platforms. You can develop:

Android Only: Android development is usually a bit costlier than iOS because of the wide variety of devices and screen sizes that need to be considered.

iOS Only: iOS apps are relatively quicker to develop since they cater to a more uniform range of devices.

Both Platforms: Developing for both platforms obviously doubles the development effort unless a cross-platform technology like React Native or Flutter is used.

Team Composition The cost also depends on the development team size and expertise. A standard team usually consists of:

Project Manager

UI/UX Designer

Android/iOS Developers

Backend Developers

QA Engineers

Hiring a highly experienced team will increase costs but will likely lead to faster development and a more polished product. Freelancers tend to be cheaper, but there’s often a trade-off in terms of quality, coordination, and support.

Features and Functionality On-demand apps often need a variety of features, which influence costs. Key features include:

User Profiles and Authentication

Real-Time GPS Tracking

Push Notifications

Multiple Payment Gateways

In-App Chat or Support

Admin Dashboard

Each of these features takes time to develop, thus adding to the cost. For example, real-time tracking requires integration with GPS and maps, which can be time-consuming to develop and test.

Third-Party Integrations On-demand apps often rely on third-party services, such as payment processors, analytics tools, and cloud storage. These integrations come with their own costs and may require recurring payments depending on usage.

Design Requirements Custom UI/UX design is another major cost factor. A unique, visually appealing, and user-friendly interface is crucial for the success of an on-demand app. However, custom designs cost more than using standard templates.

Location of Development Team While app development in India is more cost-effective compared to countries like the US or the UK, the costs can still vary depending on the region. Metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi may charge higher rates than smaller cities or rural areas due to the higher cost of living and availability of top-tier talent.

Post-Launch Support and Maintenance Once your app is live, it will need regular updates, bug fixes, and occasional feature additions. This ongoing support is another cost factor to consider, as it can add up over time, especially if your app is complex.

Typical Cost Estimates for On-Demand Apps in India

Let’s break down the estimated costs based on the factors mentioned above. These are average ranges and could fluctuate based on the specific requirements of your app.

Basic On-Demand App: $5,000 - $10,000 (INR 4,00,000 - 8,00,000) These apps typically include user registration, product/service catalog, order placement, and a basic payment gateway.

Moderately Complex On-Demand App: $10,000 - $25,000 (INR 8,00,000 - 20,00,000) These apps involve features like real-time tracking, push notifications, multiple payment options, and possibly an admin panel for managing orders.

Highly Complex On-Demand App: $25,000 - $50,000 (INR 20,00,000 - 40,00,000) This includes advanced functionalities such as AI-based recommendations, machine learning, multi-language support, and complex analytics.

Cost-Saving Tips

MVP (Minimum Viable Product): Instead of developing a full-featured app, start with an MVP to test the market. You can add advanced features later.

Use Cross-Platform Development: Instead of developing separate apps for iOS and Android, consider using frameworks like Flutter or React Native to save time and cost.

Outsource to Mid-Tier Cities: While major cities have top talent, you can save money by outsourcing to teams in mid-tier cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, or Chandigarh.

Conclusion

Developing an on-demand app in India offers a cost-effective solution for businesses looking to tap into the growing mobile market. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to app development costs, understanding the factors that influence pricing will help you make informed decisions and budget accordingly. Whether you are a startup or an established business, India offers a range of talented developers and teams to turn your on-demand app idea into reality at competitive rates.

#mobile applications #ios app development #taxi booking app developer #mobile app development

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updatecrazy · 1 year ago

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Rust update (August 2022) is now available to download on PC (Steam). According to the official Rust patch notes, the latest update adds a new wounded UI displaying recovery probability and time left. The update also includes a Chat Emoji feature and a brick-building skin, along with improvements and bug fixes. Previously, a major update added balancing, gameplay changes, and a long list of bug fixes. Unfortunately, some players are still experiencing a number of issues while playing the game. Today's Rust PC patch will fix a few of these issues. Check out more details below. Rust Patch Notes - August 3, 2023 Wounded UI Changes: The wounded UI now displays additional information about your wounded status. It shows the probability of recovery and the remaining time until recovery/death. Maintaining full water and food increases the probability of recovery. Carrying a large medkit in your belt guarantees 100% chance of recovery. Chat Emoji Feature: A new feature called "Chat Emoji" allows expressing emotions using emojis in the chat. Users can access a list of emojis via the emoji button and search for specific emojis. Changing the selected skin tone for emojis is possible. Users can type a ":" in the chat box to get autocomplete suggestions for emojis. Custom emojis can be created by server owners by placing image files in the "serveremoji" folder. Brick Building Skin: A new brick-building skin is available in the Rust store. The skin allows players to change the appearance of their stone base. To use the skin, equip the hammer tool, enable building skins, and choose the brick style upgrade. Improvements & Fixes Highlights: Crafting queue items are no longer lost if the server unexpectedly shuts down. Some world models now reflect the amount dropped. 57 art bugs have been fixed (see the change log for details). Burst modules have been buffed for more accurate and viable fire mode. Download a free Rust patch on PC (Steam).

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thetoxicgamer · 2 years ago

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VALORANT patch notes – 6.08 update revamps Killjoy and Gekko

New Valorant patch notes are here as Riot Games takes aim at Gekko and Killjoy in its competitive FPS game, while making some cosmetic changes and working on a plethora of bug fixes as well. We’ve got the full lowdown on all the 6.08 Valorant changes, so get comfy. Valorant’s best agent Killjoy is seeing some hefty changes, as her scope to interact with the environment and the overall effectiveness of Nanoswarm have been increased. Meanwhile you can check out the Valorant battle pass for Episode 6 Act 3, which goes live alongside the 6.08 patch. Valorant patch 6.08 – full notes Below are the full patch notes courtesy of Riot Games, all of the below is in the developer’s words. AGENT UPDATES Gekko Wingman - Audio improvements to Wingman’s (Q) plant and defuse audio. - The audio cues for Wingman’s spike and defuse sound were unclear during hectic combat This should help make those audio cues standout. - We’ve updated Gekko’s in-game portrait for better gameplay readability and quality consistency. Killjoy “As Killjoy has taken on a more prominent place in the meta, we’ve noticed a couple of areas where we could improve the ways her abilities interact with other players/the environment,” Riot says. “We’ve done a pass on some of her audio cues to make them more distinct and make it clearer when her utility has been destroyed. In addition, we’ve increased the reveal radius on Nanoswarm (C) to better match its area of damage and make it more realistic for enemies that are moving methodically to track them down. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this balance point moving forward. Finally, we’ve removed the yellow warning indicator that was added to Lockdown (X) last patch, as it was too noisy on screen for the full duration of her ultimate winding up.” Nanoswarm (C) - Nanoswarm reveal radius increased 350 >> 525Nanoswarm audio has been updated. - Audio loop now also turns off when disabled as a result of Killjoy being killed or suppressed. - Improved feedback for the enemy when they destroy Nanoswarm. - Nanoswarm is now revealed when it is disabled. Other Abilities - Updated visuals for Killjoy’s ultimate Lockdown (X) being destroyed. - Removed the yellow warning UI Indicator for enemies Killjoy’s Lockdown (X). - Updated deactivate sounds for Killjoy’s Turret (E) and Alarmbot (Q) to make them more distinct. Misc Brimstone’s Sky Smoke (E), Orbital Strike (X), and Omen’s From the Shadows (X) ability have updated targeting visuals to help players with precision placement on the map. COSMETICS UPDATES Shorty We have upgraded several Shorty models, including the default Shorty, to get them up to par visually with the rest of our weapons. These are just art updates—there will be no gameplay changes. Players who own any of the following will notice an updated Shorty: - Default Shorty - Wunderkind Shorty - Sidekick Shorty - Karabasan Shorty - Prism II Shorty - Doodle Buds Shorty MAP UPDATES Map Rotations - The newly updated Bind rotates into Competitive and Unrated queues. - Icebox rotates out of Competitive and Unrated queues. BUG FIXES Gameplay Systems - Fixed an issue where “Kick ally off” displays while defusing the Spike. - Fixed a visual bug where the Spike progress bar for planting or defusing would speed up or reset while defusing. - Fixed an issue where Yoru couldn’t drop his weapon while using Dimensional Drift (X). Social - (Fixed in Patch 6.07) Fixed a bug where the add/remove friend button wasn’t available when right-clicking a party member who had “Hide my name outside my party” setting turned on. - (Fixed in Patch 6.07) Fixed a bug where banned players would not get removed from your party. - Fixed a bug where party invites that were no longer valid were sometimes still showing as active for players. - Fixed a bug where Team and All chat logs would be wiped after a match. Thank you to our Redditors for alerting us to this one. - Fixed a bug where punctuation marks were not correctly displayed when in-game language is Thai. KNOWN ISSUES - We are aware of an issue modifying locale within the client. Locale updates will need to be performed through Riot Client (Riot Client settings). - We’re aware of an issue where, in rare instances, audio cues are not playing for various sound effects. We are investigating at this time and will share as soon as we know more. I wonder what these changes could do to our constantly evolving Valorant tier list? While you wait and see, it’s definitely worth loading up one of the best Valorant crosshairs to ensure that tiny changes like these don’t impact your game. Read the full article

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system76 · 3 years ago

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Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS has landed!

Now that those bunny eggs have been painted and the afikomen has been found, it’s time to upgrade Pop!_OS! Here’s what’s new in Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS:

Automatic Updates

Update and upgrade Pop!_OS automatically from the OS Upgrade & Recovery panel in Settings! Minimize interruption by scheduling what day & time that you want your computer to perform the updates. Scheduled automatic updates include support for Debian, Flatpak, and Nix packages.

To reduce distractions, notifications for available updates are set to show weekly by default. The frequency can also be set to daily or monthly notifications. Notifications won’t show if you have automatic updates enabled. Automatic updates are turned off by default.

Troubleshoot from the New Support Panel

At the bottom of the Settings menu, you’ll find the new Support panel. Here, you’ll have quick access to troubleshooting resources such as:

Documentation articles for both Pop!_OS and System76 hardware on the Support Page

The community support chat, where you can get help from veteran users and report bugs directly to System76 software engineers

Professional support, where System76 hardware users can submit a support ticket to System76 Happiness Technicians (only visible on System76 hardware)

Generating log files, enabling Happiness Technicians to troubleshoot your issue more quickly and effectively

Dark vs Light Backgrounds

You can now set one Dark Mode background and one Light Mode background from the Background panel in the Desktop settings. Search for Desktop, Background, Appearance, Dock, and Workspaces directly from the Launcher for the fastest way to navigate those settings options.

Enhanced Performance with the System76 Scheduler

The System76 Scheduler optimizes performance by directing resources to the window in focus. So if you’re doing something intensive like gaming in full screen, you’ll get a much smoother experience.

A New and Improved Pop!_Shop

After some significant renovations, the Pop!_Shop is once again open for business! The updated storefront includes:

Backend code improvements for more responsive operations

Improved reliability for package operations (update, install, etc.)

UI Improvements to aid in allowing small window sizes for tiling

Update and Install buttons now also function as a progress bar

New "Recently Updated" homepage section highlighting newly added/updated apps

The result is a consistently smooth overall experience that we know you’ll love.

Switch to PipeWire for Audio Processing

To take advantage of the capabilities of modern sound hardware, Pop!_OS will now use PipeWire by default for audio processing. Software built to use PulseAudio will still be compatible with PipeWire, and this change will open up the door for better audio quality, control, and customization going forward.

Nuts and Bolts Improvements

The workspaces view has received a sizable tune-up, which includes:

Better multi-monitor support

Fixed layout on HiDPI displays

Increased performance

Additional improvements:

Installed NVIDIA drivers are now visible in Pop!_Shop, and will no longer include an “Install” button. Older drivers are also available to install, though the most recent available NVIDIA driver is recommended for most NVIDIA GPUs.

Better performance with improvements to the CPU scaling governor, which keeps your CPU running at the optimal frequency for your system.

The Pop!_OS upgrade service will now only activate when checking for or performing release upgrades. (Previously it was active 24/7.)

If your upgrade gets interrupted, debian packages are now resumable—meaning you can pick up the upgrade from where you left off.

File type for icons has been changed to .svg

Max disk capacity for journald logs is now limited to 1GB.

Added support for laptop privacy screens

RDP by default for remote desktop use

Better performance, scaling, and reliability in Pop!_Shop

Added this funky new user icon

Foundational Upkeep

Based on Ubuntu 22.04

Linux kernel 5.16.19 at release (regularly updated)

Mesa 22

Updated to the GNOME 42 base with System76 COSMIC UX

What about COSMIC DE?

It’s in progress! Our UX Team has been testing new designs, and the Engineering Team has begun packaging various elements in the new Rust code base. An alpha release for the COSMIC desktop environment could be available as early as this summer!

Note: Back up your system to a storage drive before upgrading, reinstalling, or refreshing your OS. Creating frequent backups is guaranteed to save users from the extremely rare chance of data loss and ensuing heartbreak.

How to Upgrade

IN SETTINGS

Before diving into the upgrade, open up Pop!_Shop to the Installed view and perform any outstanding updates. This will ensure a faster and more reliable upgrade.

Open the Settings application to the OS Upgrade & Recovery menu, then click the Download button at the top to download the upgrade. To apply the upgrade, click Upgrade once the download is complete.

IN TERMINAL

Open Terminal from your desktop or with Super + T. To make sure you’re fully updated before upgrading, use the commands below one at a time, pressing Enter after each.

sudo apt update

sudo apt full-upgrade

You’ll be prompted to enter your password, which will be cloaked in invisible ink as you type. This is normal. Once the process is finished, run the following command:

pop-upgrade release upgrade

As your system upgrades, you may be prompted to answer a few yes or no questions. Press Y and then Enter to continue. After a reboot and about 15 minutes, bam! Upgrade complete.

FRESH INSTALL

Back up your files. Then, head to this web page. Click the Download button at the top, then select Download 22.04 LTS. If you have or plan to have an NVIDIA GPU in your system, select the NVIDIA download instead. Once Pop!_OS is installed, you’ll encounter a series of prompts for setting up your operating system. Check out this article if you need guidance.

You’ve done it! Play around with all the new features Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS has to offer, and see which configuration works best for you.

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simkhira · 5 years ago

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I Have 300+ Gameplay Mods?! & Yes, They All Work Together...

Yes, you read that correctly. I have over 300 gameplay mods / overrides in my game. 340 to be exact. & Yes, they all work just fine together. By that I mean hardly any last exceptions / errors. So if you are looking for ways to spice up your game - here you go, sis:

⭐ = my ultimate faves

PLEASE SEE ALL 300+ LINKS ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE! desktop tumblr won’t let us be great.

BIG DISCLAIMER: Use these mods at your own risk! Just because all 300+ of these mods work for me, does not mean they will work for you. ALSO - when patch day comes, do not refer to this list for the most up-to-date versions of mods… I will only be updating this list when I feel like I need to.

O K A Y

let’s start with... the basics:

MC Command Center ⭐

UI Cheats Extension ⭐

More Columns in CAS ⭐

No Mosaic ⭐

CAS Background

CAS Blob Remover

CAS Immersive Lighting

CAS Tidy Accessories + Details

New Loading Screens

Cube Map Remover ⭐

Into the Light (Lighting Mod)

Out of the Dark (Lighting Mod)

Twinkle Toes (Lighting Mod)

No Fade on Sims and Objects

Build/Buy Camera (Tab Mode) ⭐

Lot Trait Effects Hider

Smaller Plumbob ⭐

& then you need... realistic socialization:

Chat Pack ⭐

Whim Overhaul ⭐

Meaningful Stories ⭐

Personality Please

Better Elders

More Face to Face Conversation

Call Over Sims (Higher Distance)

Call Anytime + Chat Longer on the Phone

Unlisted Phone Numbers ⭐

Low Fun is Boring

Family Matters (Share Big News with Family Members)

Share More News ⭐

Congratulate More

Ask What Happened More

Conversation Tweaks

Chat Standing Still

No Stand Up to Greet

No Rude Intro Animation

No Flirty Animation

Apology Fix (Don’t Apologize if Your’re the Victim)

Angry Walk-style Only When VERY Angry

Less Intrusive Conversations

NPC’s Get Out of My Convo

Autonomous Parenthood Social Interactions

Autonomous Social Interactions

Reduced Idle Chatting

Know Your Coworkers / Classmates ⭐

More Away Actions

More Social Activities

Spend Weekend With

Teach Me the Rumbaism

now let’s talk about... realistic romance:

Chemistry System ⭐

Pillow Talk After Woohoo ⭐

No Shy First Kiss

No Woohoo Dance

Shower Woohoo Tweaks

No Romance for Family

Restricted Romance Interactions

Less Jealousy

Simda Dating App

Can I Come Over?

Date Night Event

Movie Night Event

Set Family Relationships ⭐

Set Extended Family Relationships ⭐

Bathroom Privacy Tweak

Bridal Shower Event

Bachelor(ette) Party Event

Auto Engagement / Wedding Ring ⭐

Vacation Weddings

Sit at Weddings

Better Wedding Presents ⭐

Honeymoon Event

Buy More Gifts from Phone

Ask for Romantic Massage

Realistic Divorce ⭐

Traumatic Divorce for Children

Improved Relationships

No Restaurant Bill When Invited ⭐

Faster Cooking at Restaurants ⭐

Better Food Quality at Restaurants

Finish Eating in Restaurants

Restaurant Guests Overhaul

Restaurant Sit Tweak

(can y’all tell that restaurants annoy me? lmao)

first comes love, then comes... pregnancy / toddler / kids / fur babies:

Ages Behavior Tweaks

Toddlers Spawn at Parks (with Parents)

More Children at Beaches

Pregnancy Overhaul

Rub Your Baby Bump (Small Pregnancy Overhaul)

Determine Baby’s Gender for All ⭐

Ultrasound Scans ⭐

Baby Shower Event

Amazing Birth (Rave About Your Delivery)

Advanced Birth Certificate ⭐

Sibling Care Tweaks

Make Less / Clean Less Mess

Auto Brush Teeth After Puking

Auto Put Activity Crafts into Inventory

Allow Toddlers to go to Services

No Call Out of High Chair

Toddler Power Nap

Better Toddler Milk

Better + Younger Nanny

Call a Babysitter ⭐

Call a Dog Walker

Shorter Dog Walks

Dog Walkers in Other Worlds

Scold All Pets

Sell Grown Up Pets

Pet Food Serving Overhaul

More Efficient Pet Brushing

Kids Can Walk Dogs

Kids Can Order Espresso

Kids Can Ride Bikes

Kids Have More Phone Interactions

Kids Can Cook

Kids Can Do Retail

Kids Can Garden

Kids Can Make Flower Arrangements

Kids Can Make Robots

Kids Can Workout

Kids Can Do Spa Activities

Kids Can Play Guitars

Kids Can Play Ping Pong

Birthday Anytime

Let Friends Age Up ⭐

No Auto Put Away Toys

No Auto Put Away Pet Toys

No Puddles Under Tubs (Toddler Bath)

Has to Pee Walk-style for Kids Only

Better Homework ⭐

Better Grade School ⭐

Better High School ⭐

Preschool for Toddlers ⭐

School Projects are Fun

More School Holidays

25 School Vacation Days

Prom Night Event ⭐

Sleepover Event

Pizza Party Event

Field Trip Event

Family Reunion Event

Pool Party Event

speaking of school... university:

Less Credits for Degree ⭐

University Costs More ⭐

University Holidays Fixed

Higher Scholarships ⭐

Rejection Letter

Harder Distinguished Degree Acceptance ⭐

Degree Required for Promotions

Faster Run to University Class

Teens Jump to University

Choose Your Helmet

Choose Your Roommates ⭐

Roommate Age-Checks

Roommate Significant Other Fix

Roommates No Random Outfit Changing

Roommates No Random Item Spawning in Dorms

Roommates No Spawning Meals

Roommates No Trash

Roommates Sleep All Night

Roommates Less Music

College Org Members Are Uni Students

Faster University Homework ⭐

Faster Tutoring Class

Copy Graduation Photos and Diploma

No Bad Microwave Buffs

No Ghosts on Campus

Sports Fixes

Game Day Event

Graduation Party Event

once you graduate... careers & aspirations:

Plan Career Outfit

Better Work Actions

Enlist in War ⭐

Live in Business

Faster Retail Actions

Faster Record / Edit Videos on Video Station⭐

Higher Acting Gig Payouts & Royalties ⭐

More Realistic Overmax Pay ⭐

Higher Payments for Paintings ⭐

Higher Royalties for Apps/Games ⭐

Higher Royalties for DJ Mixing ⭐

Higher Royalties for Lifestyle Brands ⭐

Higher Royalties for Song Lyrics ⭐

Higher Royalties for Music ⭐

Freelancer Edits are More Successful

Sketchpad No Fees

Campaign Rally Event

Visible Political Position

Watch Political Speeches at Podium

Retirement Party Event

The University Aspiration Pack ⭐

Accomplished Lady Aspiration

Family Aspiration

Grow Up Aspiration

Teacher’s Pet Aspiration

Knowledge Aspiration

Retirement Aspiration

Romance Aspiration

Famous Pastry Chef Aspiration

Twilight Years Aspiration

All-Rounder Aspiration

Programming Genius Aspiration

Travel and Culture Aspiration

Wellness Aspiration

9 to 5 Career Pack ⭐

Night Shift Career Pack ⭐

Part Time Career Pack ⭐

Fitness Career

Health and Beauty Career

Modeling Career

Journalism Career (Adult + Teen)

Trust Fund Career (Adult + Teen)

Welfare Recipient (Adult + Teen)

Saturday Jobs (Teens)

Oceanography Career (Teens)

Private Tutoring Career (Teens)

All Freelancer Careers (Teens)

Tutor (Odd Job)

Woohoo (Odd Job) - lmao

Art Show Event

hahaha... adulting sucks:

Basemental Alcohol ⭐

Happy Hour Event

SNB Realistic Bills ⭐

SNB Banking

Invest in Stocks

Lowered Thermostat Bills

Instant Thermostat ⭐

Auto Wrinkles for Adults

Life Decider

House Warming Party (No More Fruitcake)

Door Knock Notification ⭐

Island Events Notifications ⭐

No Strangers Knocking at Your Door

Quick Showers / Baths ⭐

Shower + Bladder Reliever (don’t judge me)

Power Nap ⭐

Sleep All Night

Smarter Robot Vacuum

Functional Tide Pods

Clean Your Bedsheets

Auto Put Away Clothes

Auto Start/Dry Clothes

Laundry on Community Lots Costs

No Idle Laundry Animations / Sparkles

Don’t Prep Food Where You Angry Poop ⭐

Don’t Wash Dishes Where You Angry Poop ⭐

Eco Dishwasher

Faster Cooking ⭐

No Auto Set the Table

Ask to Cook, Bake, Grill

BBQ Event

Custom Food + Recipe’s ⭐

Custom Drinks + Recipe’s ⭐

Grannie’s Old Cookbook + Recipe’s ⭐

Bake Cupcakes in Oven

Coolers are Cooling

Advanced Fishing ⭐

Fishing Trip Event

Fish for Crabs, Lobster, & Shrimp

More Seafood Servings

More Snacks in Fridge

More Food at the Bar

More Food in the Cafe

Flea Market Every Sunday

Get to Church

just in case you... get famous:

No Fame Decay ⭐

Celebrities Never Reject Fans

Celebrities are Quarantined in Del Sol Valley ⭐

Get Famous Award Overhaul

Less Celebrity Reactions

Famous Sims Gain Followers Automatically

More Follower’s Resolution for Everyone

Free Staff (Chef, Barista, Bartender, etc.) ⭐

Gardeners and Maids on Weekends

Red Carpet Event

whatever you are... just be happy and healthy:

Fitness Controls ⭐

Balanced Calories ⭐

Go for a Walk

Hiking Increases Herbalism Skill

Power Workouts

Athletic Outfit in Winter ⭐

Healthy Drinks

Improved Meditation Stool

Improved Spa Day Tablet

Improved Yoga Mat ⭐

Craftable Pottery

Less Elder Exhaustion

Less Sickness

Longer Basketball Games

More Fun Stuff

Online Gaming with Headsets

and I can’t forget these... more gameplay mods:

NPC Controller ⭐

Improved Autonomy

Simulation Lag Fix

Simulation Timeline Unclogger

Improved Autonomy During Loading Screens ⭐

No Empty Venues When Arriving ⭐

No Temperature Deaths ⭐

No Death from Murphy Bed

No React to Stranger’s Death

Realistic Death (Mortem) ⭐

Memorial Event

Freezing Sims Don’t Turn Blue ⭐

More Club / Holiday Icons

Make Hidden Holiday Traditions Selectable

Random Holiday Traditions

Wellness Traditions

More Holiday Icons

Less Rain More Sun

Less Snow More Sun

Summer Blow-Out Event

Christmas Eve Event

New Year’s Eve Bash Event

No Ugly Rain Outfits

More Umbrella Variations in World

Open Umbrella on Rainy Days Only

No More Broken Umbrellas

Destroy Leaf Piles ⭐

Dress Code Lot Trait

Gender and More Lot Trait

Preferences Lot Trait

Add Sims to Groups During Events

No Auto Club Gathering ⭐

Flower Arrangements Slower Decay

Take Photo Overhaul (Moschino Stuff) ⭐

Snorkel Everywhere

Don’t Turn NPC’s into Spellcasters

No Role Outfits for Sages

ROM Portal Only for Spellcasters

& you also need these... much-needed overrides:

More Sponge Colors

More Sippy Cup Colors

More Dog Leash Colors

White Ice Skates

Better Food Textures (All of Them) ⭐

Hidden Bassinet ⭐

iPhone X Phone Replacement

Playing Cards Replacement

Military Salute Overhaul

Small Saucer Light ⭐

Working Medicine Cabinet ⭐

Working Alarm Clocks ⭐

Realistic Fighting Animation

Oasis Springs + Island Living Palm Trees ⭐

special thank you to all of the wonderful mod creators! seriously, I could not play this game without you guys... (no, really.) There are way too many of you guys to name without missing someone... so if you reblog this, all I ask is that you please tag your favorite modders! (& maybe even add your favorite mods?)

#ts4 #sims 4 #the sims 4 #s4 #s4 mods #the sims 4 mods #sims 4 mods #simkhira #prettyxsimblr #s4cc #ts4cc #reblog to save a life #mods 2020 #ultimate mods list

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gifti3 · 2 months ago

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the halloween chat was actually really funny 😭

#whb #what in hell is bad #i like it a lot #it did more for me than the anniversary one ngl #but also i just enjoy learning more about the characters #and reading all the reminiscing between the kings was nice #i havent been reading the story for a long time now so this was really nice!#i get some character info #the asmo prank is insane fr tho 🤣#singlehandedly causing insomnia among so many ppls #loved how satan started the chat too #i was like HUH #my only issue is that they still havent fixed the texting ui #like let me scroll up!#i wanna be able to read at my own pace so i can properly process what everyone is saying #i dont think theyll ever fix this tho rip

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manonamora-if · 3 years ago

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Saturday June, 25.

Word Count: 33.563 (+1.044) Coding Progress: UI revamped, V2. Endless Mode ready. Themes Tested. Hoped EDU: Summer 2022

Hya everyone!

This week has been a lot. So I am a bit all over the place and tried to distract myself a lot in the meantime. Progress with this has been going and also slow at the same time? I dunno that's how it feels. Anyway, CRWL will be updated next week and going on partial hiatus for the summer so I can focus fully on this. On to the progress report!

UI-Design

The Basic V2 design should be the final one (give or take a few tweaks in the CSS for smaller screens and forgotten menu when the Coding is dine). The Endless Mode design as well (it will look like a chat)!

I also had loads of fun coming up with Themes. I wanted to try out multiple palettes mainly to have a darker mode, but ended up with 6-7 different kinds at the end. Though I would want to include about 2-3 to the update, I still don't know what. So... you can help me by telling me which 3 you prefer (POLL)!

CODING

So much-ish progress on that side.

The widgets for both story and endless modes are ready and take into account the stats. The Menu popups are also edited and work as intended.

Endless Mode is finished(-ish) and tested (by just me). It works fine and the CSS animations didn't need much editing to make it fit. There is only one design/widget/javascript macro thing that is not working, but I might just end up scrapping it altogether if I can't make it work still. It would be neat if it worked, but it might just end up being too much of a headache theme wise. Pinned for now

ALSO I found all the macros I should be needing for this project, especially one that will help my show the translation of French words/sentences in the story (thanks to HiEv).

No more coding until the writing is done!

WRITING

Very little progress was made there. I have drafted 2 1/2 rounds and cleaned my file of old passages that have been included in the previous rounds or don't make sense in the story (hence the low wordcount addition).

I have a few passages where I am thinking of adding some sort of choices, but i've put a pin on this until everything is drafted for now.

THOUGHTS

To be honest, this is ending up being much more of a longer read that the jam version. Like over 10 times extra so far, and I am not done with the rounds yet. I am wondering if I should just include the Jam Story Version as well (even if I don't stand by it anymore) for people who want to play a fast game. I think I need to mull it over. I could always add it when I am done with the re-writes.

TO DO LIST

Fix the sizing for medium screens (between 800px and 1kpx width it's a bit weird) and very small screens (though I don't think this is a good game for mobile...)

A random colour generator for the Endless Mode (might be scrapped)

The UI of the Endless mode

Continue Writing

OTHER

There are only few templates for Sugarcube online right now, would you guys be interested in having the basic structure of this one as a template? I would need to tweak a few things to have the file editable on Twine and include the CSS for other basic macros. But if you are interested, I could have that out this summer too!

Note: the template would probably not be very mobile friendly

#exquisite cadaver #EC #Project 3 #progress

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gaymooshroom-archive · 3 years ago

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Yeah I think lud will definitely lose a chunk of his audience, mostly the casual viewers who just watch him sometimes when they see he's live (like you do), but I also think he's gonna gain a huuuge amount of people from YouTube who just aren't plugged into twitch. Like the people that watch his YouTube videos but can't be bothered to head over to twitch and then make an account and figure out how to work a whole new website, etc., are like sooo much more likely to just watch him live on YouTube bc they're already there anyways. I think with his twitch audience the extension will be the make or break. If it does enough to fix some of the ui and replicate the classic twitch features, then he will keep more people, and I could see some casual viewers head over to yt once in a while for like Events and stuff. I think it will just show over time but he'll definitely be missed on twitch imo

im hoping he can convert his youtube viewers into stream viewers.... and yeah i guess id say i watch him more than casually like ill definitely still watch his streams!! but it'll take some getting used to. i think youtube adding things like channel points and emotes, improving chat interface, etc will help w the transition.

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destiny-islanders · 4 years ago

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So I *FINALLY* stopped being lazy and fixed up my SE account to play FF XIV. Daaaaaamn that's a hell of a lot of info to take in. Plus this combat system is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Any tips for noob so wet behind the ears, you can still hear Sora singing "Swim this Way"?

Yayyyy welcome to Eorzea! :>

I hardly consider myself an expert but here’s some advice:

Don’t be afraid to use guides! There are soooo many resources on YouTube that tell you all you need to know about your bosses, how to set up your UI to your liking, and tips on how to play your job correctly. They’re really helpful!!

Always do the quests with a blue marker, because they will always unlock a dungeon or special reward. (One of these quests unlocks your ability to use mounts and until the next patch drops in August, this quest is MISSABLE, so be sure to keep an eye out!!)

Do your job quests. Pay attention to the level cap that unlocks the next quest in your job and be sure to go back and do it when you reach that level. Job quests unlock super important abilities and gear. Don’t miss them!

If you’re playing on PS4 like me, it is a worthy investment to buy a cheap wireless USB keyboard for chat. There are also some quests that require you to type out phrases for story progression... One of them in Shadowbringers is really long, and it doesn’t count if you make a typo..............

Doing your daily Duty Roulettes and FATEs at the appropriate level are good ways to grind EXP. Joining a Free Company (for the buffs), eating food, and equipping certain accessories will give you an additional EXP boost!

Make sure to equip your job stone in the Character menu when you hit Level 30.

Keep in mind that any clothing or weapons you put into the Glamour Dresser can no longer be directly equipped; they’ll be used for aesthetic only. Don’t think it’s an extra place to horde stuff...

Do the Hildibrand sidequests. They’re something else.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Lots of FFXIV players are super nice and helpful to new players.

HAVE FUN!

Fellow FFXIV players feel free to chime in with your own advice! I haven’t been playing for a super long time so I’m sure there’s stuff I’m missing.

#destiny answers #long post #wordsebbandflow

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wethepixies · 4 years ago

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Welcome to part two of our interview series, pixies! Today, we’re presenting our interview with four of the flaptastic people who make this rewrite possible. They had a lot to say, so this post is rather long - keep reading to see the full interviews!

Our first two Game Creator interviews feature two of our beloved artists - Rachel and Ci.

How did you first find out about the WTP project, and what inspired you to start working as an artist?

Rachel: In a computer graphics class I took last semester, one of our projects reminded me and my friend of Pixie Hollow, so we were reminiscing about the game and I really wanted to see if there was a rewritten version of it. When I found WTP and saw they were accepting artist applications, I was super excited because I loved the game and was starting to get into animation at the time as well. I also just adore the process of game development in general, so I was thrilled to become a part of WTP.

Ci was introduced to the project by a friend who’s also a staff member!

What is your favorite part of your job as a WTP artist?

Rachel: My favorite part is being able to contribute my work to a bigger project. Seeing the art I worked on in the game is really exciting to me. Just knowing that the work you put in is helping to further the game is really cool. As for my favorite thing to work on, it’s really strange, but I enjoy creating the UI buttons and signs for different meadows or shops.They’re super small and no one really pays attention to them, but they’re also extremely necessary so I guess I just like to make them, haha. They don’t always take too long to make but I think they’re cute. Also, I’m especially excited for all the new meadows, as I really enjoy helping to restore the beautiful art for the meadows.

Check out this gorgeous sign that Rachel restored for one of our meadow teleporters!

Ci: My favorite piece of art that I’ve created for WTP was probably a background I restored for a general winter theme/season back when I first joined. It’s not being used right now, but it’s pretty and you’ll just have to take my word for it :’)

How long does it take for you to work on art for WTP, and how do you fit that in your schedule?

Rachel: The time it takes really depends on how much of the project we have completed already. Oftentimes we’ll be working collaboratively and finish what other people have started. So if we are working on something from scratch it can take quite a while, but sometimes it’s just a matter of adding finishing touches and compiling pieces together to create a finished product. And each task takes a different amount of time. For instance, resizing something small will take a few minutes, but creating an atlas for fairy clothing can take hours, especially when you need to restore an item from scratch. Either way, I think it’s still beneficial for us to take our time to create the best product we can. Personally, I don’t always get to work everyday, but when I do, I’ll spend hours because I like to finish tasks in one sitting if I can, although I can’t always haha. I think that working in moderation is always a good idea as long as you’re getting your work done, and knowing we have so many fans really pushes me to get tasks done and do them well. As for fitting it into my schedule, because of quarantine, I definitely have a lot more time to work on WTP, but during the school semester I would have to plan out what I needed to get done and when I needed to do it in order make sure I could get all of my school projects and WTP work done on certain days in order to avoid as much stress as possible.

Ci: I don’t have time to work on artwork daily, but I do try to stay on top of what other people are working on, so a small chunk of my day is dedicated to discord. Sometimes I’ll be busy for weeks and do a whole bunch of tasks afterwards in one go, and sometimes I try to take on smaller things (pre-corona I’d sometimes spend time between lectures because that’s often the only time I have!). Some tasks are 5 minute jobs, like UI, but others, like adding clothing, take a few hours. Backgrounds probably take me the longest. A couple hours for a few days, if I have time to work on them daily. They’re really fun when starting!! but after day 3 it’s quite the grind. I like to sleep on those, since there’s so much detail in the PH backgrounds that I’ll inevitably miss something.

Rachel, you mentioned atlases and spritesheets - can you explain what they are and how you use them?

Rachel: An atlas and spritesheet contains all of the different variations of a clothing item or anything you can change on the fairy. So for instance, the hair atlas has all of the different types of hair you can choose when creating your fairy packed into one single file. So in order to make one you have to create all the hair pieces, position them correctly on a fairy reference, export each hair image, and then combine them all onto the atlas file. Then a json file is also created to describe where each image is in the file in order to use it in the game. The spritesheet is similar and is basically a horizontal version of the atlas with all of the images that we use in CAF to scroll through whatever you’re changing.

Do you start the graphics by hand or via some digital web design program?

Rachel: I almost always use digital programs. Sometimes I’ll plan something out quickly on paper but most of the time I’ll use Photoshop. We also use DragonBones for animation.

Ci: All of the research we do is online, so it saves a couple of steps and retains image quality to just keep everything digital. I also don’t have a scanner :’)

And finally, what’s the most challenging piece of art that you’ve made for WTP?

Rachel: The most challenging piece that I’ve done for WTP was probably the hair atlas for when a player creates a fairy because it was the first project I was taking on. All the hair was made already, I just had to resize, reposition, and fix any pieces that were lower quality, and although it was daunting at first, once I started, I was able to get the hang of it (even if it took a few tries), and now I’m super happy I learned how to do it.

Ci: We were missing a whole area of the CAF background (the part that shows up when you’re picking a name) that got passed around for one or two months, and eventually I got to work on it. It was the closest to a custom piece of art that I’ve made for WTP; the middle was a giant blur when I got to it. My motivation to complete it was honestly just being able to get it off the to-do list forever, when I was done I posted a before and after to the staff chat (which I try not to do bc it’s not really productive) because I was so excited about it :’))

__________________

We had so much fun learning more about our artists’ jobs! Next up, we decided to sit down with WTP game developer and administrator Teresa!

How did you first find out about the WTP project, and what inspired you to start working as a developer?

Teresa: A friend I made in the Pixie Hollow community said that her favorite mini game was Bubble Bounce, so I decided to make it for her. I had started prototyping and showing it around, and someone from WTP saw my work and invited me to join the team.

As we know, WTP is a voluntary project. How do you fit working on WTP into your schedule?

Teresa: I’m actually quite good at time management, and I’ve decided to make WTP a priority. That means that I can’t always say ‘yes’ to other things I want to do, but that’s ok.

What are some of the main things you look for when adding staff members?

Teresa: You need to be able to take criticism well and communicate effectively. A certain level of quality needs to be maintained to build a good game, and criticism sheds light on any blind spots you may have. If you aren’t communicating clearly and frequently, then your value to the team is very low – everyone needs to be on the same page so that work doesn’t get redone and wasted, and to keep an accurate development schedule. Being willing to devote more than a couple of hours a week is also a major plus.

How do you decide which parts of the game you should work on first?

Teresa: There’s this concept called the Minimum Viable Product. Basically, you just strip the project down to what is necessary and work out the kinks. Then you can add new features that enhance the gameplay.

What’s the most challenging issue you’ve faced while creating the game?

Teresa: There was a problem with the animation plugin that I was hoping would be fixed by the maintainers before the demo release. It was a really big deal, the game would be entirely unplayable. At the last minute, I had to dig into the plugins source code and figure it out myself. In the end, it wasn’t actually so difficult – but boy was it stressful. Really I would say that the biggest problems have stemmed from not having enough artists on the team! There have been multiple times where we had to delay updates because we didn’t have all of the assets ready for me to use in the game.

How do you go about fixing a game bug?

Teresa: Gather all the info I can from users experiencing the bug, and try to reproduce it. Just observing the behavior is often enough to figure out the problem. When it’s not, check the logs or step through with the debugger.

Have you ever worked on or made a game before WTP?

Teresa: I’ve worked a bit on some 3D open source game projects, never worked on the multiplayer parts before, though. I also make mods for games.

Lastly, what are your favorite and most rewarding parts of being a game developer?

Teresa: Pushing the boundaries of my knowledge and comfort zone, definitely. As a developer, I’ve learned a lot of new technologies and some new domains specifically for WTP. I also find being able to fix things that I don’t like about games very rewarding. Being an administrator has benefitted me as well. As an admin, I’ve had to cultivate skills in team leadership and project management.

__________________

Finally, we interviewed Lavender Merryheart, our sound designer.

First off, how did you first find out about the WTP project?

Lavender: I found WTP from a Youtube video, and played the demo. I was excited to be able to re-visit PH and when I saw the audio designer application, I wanted to help out however I could!

Are you remaking the music from scratch based on any remaining audio from sources like youtube?

Lavender: Both! We salvage what we can, and re-create what’s needed if. In the future, there will be some new, original music too! When we need a sound effect or music, we first check to see if there’s a good quality clip preserved of the original. It needs to be clear and without extra background sounds. If we can’t find any, then I will dissect the sound or song and try to figure out how it was made, then recreate it.

You mentioned that you make new sounds if needed, how do you go about making them?

Lavender: New sound effects are made by piecing different recordings together, such as the audio you hear when you click the talent orbs, which was re-made from the sounds of a heavy book shutting and wind chimes. If we need to remake a song, I make a new track by re-recording each instrument’s part on a midi keyboard. Then it will be edited it in Logic Pro X, using instruments and synths from the Kontakt audio library.

What’s the part of being an audio designer that you’re most excited about?

Lavender: I’m most excited about getting to write new music for the game! I can’t reveal to you what it’s going to be used for yet, but in the process for the last WTP track I wrote, I thought about how to represent the area it will be used for and what instruments and mood would suit it the best. It was a lot of fun to try to both express my style and also give it that Pixie-Hollow-sound!

Finally, how do you fit working on WTP into your schedule?

Lavender: I keep a to-do list and project notes to help organize what needs to be done, and work on WTP between class assignments. To refrain from burning out, I try to spread out my different tasks and work on a variety of things.

__________________

After we learned about what goes on behind the scenes on WTP, we wanted to learn a little bit about some future plans and hopes the staff have for the game.

Art wise, what sorts of things will be designed from scratch in the future?

Rachel: Although we still have a long way to go before creating our own work as we have to replicate what was in the original game first, I believe that new clothing and hair might be designed from scratch in the future.

Ci: Right now, we’re still committed to restoring the game in its original form–this means that we try not to design anything from scratch. We’ve discussed the possibility of custom content in the future (items + clothing, pets, meadows, maybe even minigames?), and when the time comes, all of that will be built from scratch. That said, pertaining to the look and feel of the original pixie hollow will be a priority for those updates too.

What game feature from Pixie Hollow are you most excited to have?

Teresa: Personally, I am excited for the skill system and wilderness! We have some new ideas to try out, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

Do you plan to have seasonal differences and events, as well as competitions and activities?

Teresa: Yep! Can’t wait! We are already featuring player’s outfits in the shop catalogue, so that’s sort of a mini fashion spotlight, but there’s definitely more exciting things to come. Fashion spotlight was one of the most beloved competitions/events in the original Pixie Hollow!

In the future, will the game be available for mobile and/or consoles?

Teresa: You can already play WTP on mobile! At some point we will have options that allow the game to run smoother on mobile devices. Console versions won’t be a thing, though.

Is there anything that was in the original Pixie Hollow that you’d like to change in WTP?

Lavender: I would change the whisper noise it made when you got a message, it got a bit annoying. And it would be really neat if you could choose from a few different songs to have played in your fairy’s home depending on your mood! I had the ice themed house and have heard the music a few too many times!

Teresa: There are things I want to tweak, and fully plan to! We have already added a couple of small new things, such as the second sitting pose and featuring real player’s outfits in the shop catalogue. I hope everyone enjoys them!

The last thing we wanted to talk about is the staff’s personal feelings about WTP and about their jobs, as well as ask them about their inspiration.

Is there anything new that working on WTP has teached you?

Rachel: As an artist here I am definitely learning new technical skills and developing as an artist in general. Some examples of art skills I’ve been able to develop include creating atlases and spritesheets for fairy clothing and hair, getting familiar with DragonBones as I’d never used it for animation, and just gaining more experience in Photoshop. And I basically just learned all these things by trying them out and asking questions if I needed help.

Lavender: Through WTP I’ve learned more about creating sound effects, because when remaking the old sounds for WTP, I really have to think about what each one is made out of (for example, the pouch sound was re-created using a paper bag rustling, leaves crunching, and a bell synth).

How do you feel about the community growing so much in a short amount of time?

Teresa: I really didn’t expect it, and it has been a bit stressful, but I hope we are handling it well. I would never have imagined that a TikTok would be the reason either! Having more eyes on us makes me feel restless. We had to adapt the discord server to keep it safe and make information more accessible to new members.

What do you remember about Pixie Hollow? And did it change your life in any way?

Lavender: I joined right at the beginning, and loved how it really felt like you were stepping into a different, magical world. My favorite thing to do was decorating and creating/collecting items for my house, as well as the minigames and item crafting/ baking, I’m most excited to see these features again! Also, a good memory from the game I have is going to the summer pool party in the ballroom, and playing games in the tearoom with friends! The music in Pixie Hollow was one of my earliest inspirations for pursuing a career in film/game scoring. Currently I am studying for a degree in film/game scoring! I’m obsessed with fantasy games, nature, fairy tales, magic, and mythology, and I write music to try and illustrate the stories and have the listener feel like they’re visiting the scene. You can hear some of my original music on Spotify under the name June Westfield!

Rachel: I was so young that I have trouble remembering everything. I do remember sometimes getting on the phone with my friends and talking as we played together and explored meadows, which was really fun. I also really enjoyed completing tasks and playing the minigames. I have no idea why that was so fun to me, but I just liked getting achievements and beating my scores.

Do you feel like some people may have unrealistic expectations for WTP? And do you think it can ever be as big as Pixie Hollow was?

Teresa: Yes, but I can’t blame them. So far I am the only developer to have actually worked on this game, so it’s a lot of pressure, but of course the players can’t know that. For some reason the things that everyone thinks will be the easiest to code are always the more difficult ones, funnily enough. For example, a flying mechanic like the original game is sort of complex, whereas adding new meadows is extremely simple. Do I think WTP will ever be as big as PH? Definitely not. Pixie Hollow had millions of players, Disney advertised it, and it had a full development team behind it. A lot of the original players will have moved on. I’m actually surprised that so many people have found us already!

Are there any artists that you look up to or are inspired by?

Rachel: I don’t have anyone specific in mind who I look up to, but I do watch a lot of cartoons and really admire animation and all of the work that goes into it. I get really inspired seeing different animated works and am super impressed by the entire process of it.

Ci: I used to actively make art outside of WTP and definitely had a whole list of people whose styles I looked up to, but now that I’ve moved away from that I mostly remember individual pieces. I had to dig some up for this question! loish, gawki, and Hethe Srodawa, are a few.

Lavender: Some composers that inspire me are Enya, Faun, Loreena McKennitt, and Secret Garden. They are all fantasy/new age genre artists that create enchanting music!

The WTP community is a great place to make friends! Is there a person in the staff that you’ve formed a strong friendship with?

Rachel: I’ve definitely become a lot closer with many of the staff members, whether it be looking up to certain people like our team leads, chatting with the other artists in DMs and helping each other out, or just having fun conversations with all the other staff members and sharing funny stories and pictures.

Teresa: Asteria is probably the best friend I’ve made at WTP, as we have talked the most. I have also met Kass in real life – she’s the sweetest! I love everyone on our team.

(Kass is one of our moderators - we’ll hear from her in the final interview post!)

And finally, What does working on a game that’s so loved by people mean to you?

Teresa: It is so heartwarming to be a part of something that brings people joy and makes them nostalgic. Pixie Hollow’s fan base can make me a bit anxious at times. Sometimes a group of players will want one thing, and then another group wants the exact opposite and it can be hard to make a choice. There’s a lot of pressure in trying to stay true to the original game’s vision while also being fresh, but it drives me to deliver the best work I can. I put a lot of time into WTP, and have actually burnt out a few times already. Luckily, I love building things so much that it never lasts long.

________________

Next up in our interview series - our social media team and server moderators! Stay tuned to hear their answers to some of your questions.

#WTP Staff Interviews #we the pixies

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za3k · 4 years ago

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2020 Videogames

In 2020 I’m newly retired, so I’ve had free time. I think it’s fun to do reviews, so without further ado here’s every video game I played in 2020!

I recommend:

(4/5) Among Us – Very fun. It’s only fun with voice chat with friends, so I’ve only gotten to play once or twice. I’ve been watching it more than playing it. Also free to play for mobile gamers–I’m tired of the “everyone buys a copy” model of group gameplay.

(4/5) Brogue. Brogue is an ascii-art roguelike. It’s great, and it has a nice difficulty ramp. It’s a good “quick break” game. I play it in preference to other roguelikes partly because I haven’t done it to death yet, and partly because I don’t need a numpad?

(4/5) Cook Serve Delicious 3. One of the more fun games I played this year. You get really into it, but I had trouble relaxing and paying attention to the real world when I played too much, haha. I own but haven’t played the first two–I gather this is pretty much just a refinement.

(4/5) Green Hell. Price tag is a bit high for the number of hours I got out of it, but I haven’t finished the story. Great graphics, and the BEST map design I’ve seen in a 3D game in a long time. It feels like a real place, with reasonable geography instead of copy-pasted tiles. I love that as you walk along, you can just spot a cultivated area from the rest of the jungle–it feels more like it’s treating me like an adult than most survival games. Everything still gets highlighted if you can pick it up. I played the survival mode, which was okay but gets old quickly. I started the story mode–I think it would be fine, but it has some LONG unskippable scenes at the start, including a very hand-holdy tutorial, that I think they should have cut. I did start getting into the story and was having fun, but I stopped. I might finish the game some time.

(4/5) Hyperrogue. One of my recent favorites. The dev has made a fair number of highly experimental games, most of which are a total miss with me, but this one is fun. I do wish the early game wasn’t quite as repetitive. Failing another solution, I might actually want this not to be permadeath, or to have a save feature? I bought it on steam to support the dev and get achievements, but it’s also available a version or two behind free, which is how I tried it. Constantly getting updates and new worlds.

(4/5) Minecraft – Compact Claustrophobia modpack. Fun idea, nice variety. After one expansion felt a little samey, and it was hard to start with two people. I’d consider finishing this pack.

(4/5) Overcooked 2. Overcooked 2 is just more levels for Overcooked. The foods in the second game is more fun, and it has better controls and less bugs. If you’re considering playing Overcooked, I recommend just starting with the second game, despite very fun levels in the first. I especially appreciate that the second game didn’t just re-use foods from the first.

(4/5) Please Don’t Press Anything. A unique little game where you try to get all the endings. I had a lot of fun with this one, but it could have used some kind of built-in hints like Reventure. Also, it had a lot of red herrings. Got it for $2, which it was well worth.

(5/5) Reventure. Probably the best game new to me this year. It’s a short game where you try to get each of about 100 endings. The art and writing are cute and funny. The level design is INCREDIBLE. One thing I found interesting is the early prototype–if I had played it, I would NOT have imagined it would someday be any fun at all, let alone as amazing as it is. As a game designer I found that interesting! I did 100% complete this one–there’s a nice in-game hint system, but there were still 1-3 “huh” puzzles, especially in the post-game content, one of which I had to look up. It’s still getting updates so I’m hoping those will be swapped for something else.

(5/5) Rimworld. Dwarf fortress, but with good cute graphics, set in the Firefly universe. Only has 1-10 pawns instead of hundreds of dwarves. Basically Dwarf Fortress but with a good UI. I wish you could do a little more in Rimworld, but it’s a fantastic, relaxing game.

(5/5) Slay the Spire. Probably the game I played most this year. A deckbuilding adventure through a series of RPG fights. A bit luck-based, but relaxing and fun. I like that you can play fast or slow. Very, very well-designed UI–you can really learn how things work. My favorite part is that because it’s singleplayer, it’s really designed to let you build a game-breaking deck. That’s how it should be!

(4/5) Stationeers. I had a lot of fun with this one. It’s similar to Space Engineers but… fun. It has better UI by a mile too, even if it’s not perfect. I lost steam after playing with friends and then going back to being alone, as I often do for base-building games. Looks like you can genuinely make some complicated stuff using simple parts. Mining might not be ideal.

(5/5) Spy Party. One of my favorite games. Very fun, and an incredibly high skill ceiling. There’s finally starting to be enough people to play a game with straners sometimes. Bad support for “hot seat”–I want to play with beginners in person, and it got even harder with the introduction of an ELO equivalent and removing the manual switch to use “beginner” gameplay.

(4/5) Telling Lies. A storytelling game. The core mechanic is that you can use a search engine for any phrase, and it will show the top 5 survellance footage results for that. The game internally has transcripts of every video. I didn’t really finish the game, but I had a lot of fun with it. The game was well-made. I felt the video acting didn’t really add a huge amount, and they could have done a text version, but I understand it wouldn’t have had any popular appeal. The acting was decent. There’s some uncomfortable content, on purpose.

(4/5) Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS). Delightful. Very silly, not what you’d expect from the name. What everyone should have been doing with physics engines since they were invented. Imagine that when a caveman attacks, the club moves on its own and the caveman just gets ragdolled along, glued to it. Also the caveman and club have googley eyes. Don’t try to win or it will stop being fun. Learn how to turn on slo-mo and move the camera.

(4/5) We Were Here Together. Lots of fun. I believe the second game out of three. Still some crashes and UI issues. MUCH better puzzles and the grpahics are gorgeous. They need to fix the crashes or improve the autosave, we ended up replaying a lot of both games from crashes. It’s possible I should be recommending the third game but I haven’t played it yet.

The Rest

(3/5) 5D Chess with Multiverse Time Travel. More fun that it sounds. If you play to mess around and win by accident, it’s pretty good. Definitely play with a second human player, though.

(1.5/5) 7 billion humans. Better than the original, still not fun. Soulless game about a soulless, beige corporation. Just play Zachtronics instead. If you’re on a phone and want to engage your brain, play Euclidea.

(3/5) A Dark Room. Idle game.

(1/5) Amazing Cultivation Simulator. A big disappointment. Bad english voice acting which can’t be turned off, and a long, unskippable tutorial. I didn’t get to actual gameplay. I like Rimworld and cultivation novels so I had high hopes.

(3/5) ADOM (Steam version) – Fun like the original, which I would give 5/5. Developed some major issues on Linux, but I appreciate that there’s a graphical version available, one of my friends will play it now.

(4/5) agar.io – Good, but used to be better. Too difficult to get into games now. Very fun and addictive gameplay.

(3/5) Amorous – Furry dating sim. All of the hot characters are background art you can’t interact with, and the characters you can actually talk to are a bunch of sulky nerds who for some reason came to a nightclub. I think it was free, though.

(0/5) Apis. Alpha game, AFAIK I was the first player. Pretty much no fun right now (to the point of not really being a game yet), but it could potentially become fun if the author puts in work.

(4/5) Autonauts. I played a ton of Autonauts this year, almost finished it, which is rare for me. My main complaint is that it’s fundamentally supposed to be a game about programming robots, but I can’t actually make them do more than about 3 things, even as a professional programmer. Add more programming! It can be optional, that’s fine. They’re adding some kind of tower defense waves instead, which is bullshit. Not recommended because it’s not for everyone.

(3/5) A-Z Inc. Points for having the guts to have a simple game. At first this looked like just the bones of Swarm Simulator, but the more you look at the UI and the ascension system, the worse it actually is. I would regularly reset because I found out an ascension “perk” actually made me worse off.

(5/5) Beat Saber. Great game, and my favorite way to stay in shape early this year. Oculus VR only, if you have VR you already have this game so no need to recommend. Not QUITE worth getting a VR set just to play it at current prices.

(1/5) Big Tall Small. Good idea, but no fun to play. Needed better controls and level design, maybe some art.

(0.5/5) Blush Blush. Boring.

(3/5) Business Shark. I had too much fun with this simple game. All you do is just eat a bunch of office workers.

(3/5) chess.com. Turns out I like chess while I’m high?

(3/5) Circle Empires Rivals. Decent, more fun than the singleplayer original. It shouldn’t really have been a separate game from Circle Empires, and I’m annoyed I couldn’t get it DRM-free like the original.

(3/5) Cross Virus. By Dan-box. Really interesting puzzle mechanics.

(4/5) Cultist Simulator. Really fun to learn how to play–I love games that drop you in with no explanation. Great art and writing, I wish I could have gotten their tarot deck. Probably the best gameplay “ambience” I’ve seen–getting a card that’s labeled “fleeting sense of radiance” that disappears in 5 seconds? Great. Also the core stats are very well thought out for “feel” and real-life accuracy–dread (depression) conquers fascination (mania), etc. It has a few gameplay gotchas, but they’re not too big–layout issues, inability to go back to skipped text, or to put your game in an unwinnable state early on). Unfortunately it’s a “roguelike”, and it’s much too slow-paced and doesn’t have enough replay value, so it becomes a horrible, un-fun grind when you want to actually win. I probably missed the 100% ending but I won’t be going back to get it. I have no idea who would want to play this repeatedly. I’m looking forward to the next game from the same studio though! I recommend playing a friend’s copy instead of buying.

(2/5) Darkest Dungeon. It was fine but I don’t really remember it.

(2/5) Dicey Dungeons. Okay deck-building roguelike gameplay (with an inventory instead of a deck). Really frustrating, unskippably slow difficulty curve at the start. I played it some more this year and liked it better because I had a savegame. I appreciate having several character classes, but they should unlock every difficulty from the start.

(2/5) Diner Bros. Basically just a worse Overcooked. I didn’t like the controls, and it felt too repetitive with only one diner.

(2/5) Don’t Eat My Mind You Stupid Monster. Okay art and idea, the gameplay wasn’t too fun for me.

(2/5) Don’t Starve – I’ve played Don’t Stave maybe 8 different times, and it’s never really gripped me, I always put it back down. It’s slow, a bit grindy, and there’s no bigger goal–all you can do is live.

(3/5) Don’t Starve Together – Confusingly, Don’t Starve Together can be played alone. It’s Don’t Starve, plus a couple of the expansions. This really could be much more clearly explained.

(1/5) Elemental Abyss – A deck-builder, but this time it’s grid-based tactics. Really not all that fun. Just play Into the Abyss instead or something.

(1/5) Else Heart.Break() – I was excited that this might be a version of “Hack N’ Slash” from doublefine that actually delivered and let you goof around with the world. I gave it up in the first ten minutes, because the writing and characters drove me crazy, without getting to hacking the world.

(2/5) Everything is Garbage. Pretty good for a game jam game. Not a bad use of 10 minutes. I do think it’s probably possible to make the game unwinnable, and the ending is just nothing.

(1/5) Evolve. Idle game, not all that fun. I take issue with the mechanic in Sharks, Kittens, and this where buying your 15th fence takes 10^15 wood for some reason.

(4/5) Exapunks. Zachtronics has really been killing it lately, with Exapunks and Opus Magnum. WONDERFUL art and characters during story portions, and much better writing. The gameplay is a little more varied than in TIS-100 or the little I played of ShenZen I/O. My main complaint about Zachtronics games continues to be, that I don’t want to be given a series of resource-limited puzzles (do X, but without using more than 10 programming instructions). Exapunks is the first game where it becomes harder to do something /at all/, rather than with a particular amount of resources, but it’s still not there for me. Like ShenZen, they really go for a variety of hardware, too. Can’t recommend this because it’s really only for programmers.

(1/5) Exception. Programming game written by some money machine mobile games company. Awful.

(4/5) Factorio. Factorio’s great, but for me it doesn’t have that much replay value, even with mods. I do like their recent updates, which included adding blueprints from the start of the game, improving belt sorting, and adding a research queue. We changed movement speed, made things visually always day, and adding a small number of personal construction robots from the start this run. I’m sure if you’d like factorio you’ve played it already.

(3/5) Fall Guys – I got this because it was decently fun to watch. Unfortunately, it’s slightly less fun to play. Overall, there’s WAY too much matchmaking waiting considering the number of players, and the skill ceiling is very low on most of the games, some of which are essentially luck (I’m looking at you, team games).

(3/5) Forager – Decent game. A little too much guesswork in picking upgrades–was probably a bit more fun on my second play because of that. Overall, nice graphics and a cute map, but the gameplay could use a bit of work.

(3/5) Getting Over It – Funny idea, executed well. Pretty sure my friends and I have only gotten through 10% of the game, and all hit about the same wall (the first tunnel)

(3/5) Guild of Dungeoneering – Pretty decent gameplay. I feel like it’s a bit too hard for me, but that’s fine. Overall I think it could use a little more cute/fun art, I never quite felt that motivated.

(1/5) Hardspace: Shipbreakers. Okay, I seriously didn’t get to play this one, but I had GAMEBREAKING issues with my controller, which is a microsoft X-box controller for PC–THE development controller.

(2/5) Helltaker. All right art, meh gameplay. But eh, it’s free!

(3/5) Hot Lava. Decent gameplay. Somehow felt like the place that made this had sucked the souls out of all the devs first–no one cared about the story or characters. It’s a game where the floor is made out of lava, with a saturday morning cartoon open, so that was a really an issue. Admirable lack of bugs, though. I’m a completionist so I played the first world a lot to get all the medals, and didn’t try the later ones.

(3/5) House Flipper – Weird, but I had fun. I wish the gameplay was a little more unified–it felt like a bunch of glued-together minigames.

(2/5) Hydroneer. Utterly uninspiring. I couldn’t care about making progress at all, looked like a terrible grind to no benefit.

(1/5) io. Tiny game, I got it on Steam, also available on phone. Basically a free web flash game, but for money. Not good enough to pay the $1 I paid. Just a bit of a time-killer.

(3/5) Islanders – All you do is place buildings and get points. Not particularly challenging, but relaxing. Overall I liked it.

(3/5) Jackbox – I played this online with a streamer. Jackbox has always felt a little bit soulless money grab to me, but it’s still all right. I like that I can play without having a copy–we need more games using this purchase model.

(3/5) Life is Feudal – Soul-crushingly depressing and grindy, which I knew going in. I thought it was… okay, but I really want an offline play mode (Yes, I know there’s an unsupported single-player game, but it’s buggier and costs money). UI was pretty buggy, and I think hunting might literally be impossible.

(2/5) Minecraft – Antimatter Chemistry. Not particularly fun.

(3/5) Minecraft – ComputerCraft. I played a pack with just ComputerCraft and really nothing else. Was a little slow, would have been more fun with more of an audience. I love the ComputerCraft mod, I just didn’t have a great experience playing my pack I made.

(3/5) Minecraft – Foolcraft 3. Fun, a bit buggy. Honestly I can’t remember it too well.

(1/5) Minecraft – Manufactio. Looked potentially fun, but huge bugs and performance issues, couldn’t play.

(4/5) Minecraft – Tekkit. Tekkit remains one of my favorite Minecraft modpacks.

(3/5) Minecraft – Valhelsia 2. I remember this being fun, but I can’t remember details as much as I’d like. I think it was mostly based around being the latest version of minecraft?

(4/5) Minecraft – Volcano Block. Interesting, designed around some weird mods I hadn’t used. I could have used more storage management or bulk dirt/blocks early in the game–felt quite cramped. Probably got a third of the way through the pack. I got novelty value out of it, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed it if I had ever used the plant mod before–it’s a very fixed, linear progression.

(5/5) Minit. This is a weird, small game. I actually had a lot of fun with it. Then I 100% completed it, which was less fun but I still had a good time overall.

(3/5) Monster Box. By Dan-box. One of two Dan-box games I played a lot of. Just visually appealing, the gameplay isn’t amazing. Also, Dan-box does some great programming–this is a game written in 1990 or so, and it can render hundreds of arrows in the air smoothly in a background tab.

(3/5) Monster Train. A relatively fun deckbuilding card game. It can’t run well on my computer, which is UNACCEPTABLE–this is a card game with 2D graphics. My MICROWAVE should run this shit in 2020. Ignoring that, the gameplay style (summon monsters, MTG style) just isn’t my cup of tea.

(2/5) Moonlighter. Felt like it was missing some inspiration, just didn’t have a sense of “fun”. The art was nice. The credits list is surprisingly long.

(2/5) Muse Dash. All right, a basic rhythm game. Not enough variety to the game play, and everything was based around perfect or near-perfect gameplay, which makes things less fun for me.

(3/5) NES games – various. Dr Mario, Ice Climbers. Basically, I got some Chinese handheld “gameboy” that has all the NES games preloaded on it. Overall it was a great purchase.

(2/5) Noita. “The Powder Game” by Dan-Box, as a procedurally generated platformer with guns. Lets you design your own battle spells. Despite the description, you really still can’t screw around as much as I’d like. I also had major performance issues

(3/5) Observation. I haven’t played this one as much as I’d like, I feel like it may get better. Storytelling, 3D game from the point of view of the AI computer on a space station. I think I might have read a book it’s based on, unfortunately.

(2/5) One Step From Eden. This is a deck-building combat tactics game. I thought it was turn-based, but it’s actually realtime. I think if it was turn-based I would have liked it. The characters were a bit uninspired.

(1/5) Orbt XL. Very dull. I paid $0.50 for it, it was worth that.

(4/5) Opus Magnum. Another great game from Zachtronics, along with Exapunks they’re really ramping up. This is the third execution of the same basic concept. I’d like to see Zachtronics treading new ground more as far as gameplay–that said, it is much improved compared to the first two iterations. The art, writing, and story were stellar on the other hand.

(3/5) Out of Space. Fun idea, you clean a spaceship. It’s never that challenging, and it has mechanics such that it gets easier the more you clean, rather than harder. Good but not enough replay value. Fun with friends the first few times. The controls are a little wonky.

(1/5) Outpost (tower defense game). I hate all tower defense.

(3/5) Overcooked. Overcooked is a ton of fun.

(4/5) Powder Game – Dan-box. I played this in reaction to not liking Noita. It’s fairly old at this point. Just a fun little toy.

(1/5) Prime Mover – Very cool art, the gameplay put me to sleep immediately. A “circuit builder” game but somehow missing any challenge or consistency.

(2/5) Quest for Glory I. Older, from 1989. Didn’t really play this much, I couldn’t get into the writing, and the pseudo-photography art was a little jarring.

(4/5) Raft. I played this in beta for free on itch.io, and had a lot of fun. Not enough changed that it was really worth a replay, but it has improved, and I got to play with a second player. Not a hard game, which I think was a good thing. The late game they’ve expanded, but it doesn’t really add much. The original was fun and so was this.

(3/5) Satisfactory. I honestly don’t know how I like this one–I didn’t get too far into it.

(4/5) Scrap Mechanic. I got this on a recommendation from a player who played in creative. I only tried the survival mode–that mode is not well designed, and their focuses for survival are totally wrong. I like the core game, you can actually build stuff. If I play again, I’ll try the creative mode, I think.

(3.5/5) Shapez.io. A weird, abstracted simplification of Factorio. If I hadn’t played factorio and half a dozen copies, I imagine this would have been fun, but it’s just more of the same. Too much waiting–blueprints are too far into the game, too.

(2.5/5) Simmiland. Okay, but short. Used cards for no reason. For a paid game, I wanted more gameplay out of it?

(0.5/5) Snakeybus. The most disappointing game I remember this year. Someone made “Snake” in 3D. There are a million game modes and worlds to play in. I didn’t find anything I tried much fun.

(1/5) Soda Dungeon. A “mobile” (read: not fun) style idle game. Patterned after money-grab games, although I don’t remember if paid progress was actually an option. I think so.

(4/5) Spelunky. The only procedurally generated platformer I’ve ever seen work. Genuinely very fun.

(4/5) Spelunky 2. Fun, more of an upgrade of new content than a new game. Better multiplayer. My computer can’t run later levels at full speed.

(1/5) Stick Ranger 2. Dan-box. Not much fun.

(3/5) Superliminal. Fun game. A bit short for the pricetag.

(3/5) Tabletop Simulator – Aether’s End: Legacy. Interesting, a “campaign” (series of challenge bosses and pre-written encounters) deckbuilding RPG. I like the whole “campaign RPG boardgame” idea. This would have worked better with paper, there were some rough edges in both the game instructions and the port to Tabletop Simulator.

(4/5) Tabletop Simulator – The Captain is Dead. Very fun. I’d love to play with more than 2 people. Tabletop simulator was so-so for this one.

(2/5) Tabletop Simulator – Tiny Epic Mechs. You give your mech a list of instructions, and it does them in order. Arena fight. Fun, but I think I could whip up something at least as good.

(3/5) The Council. One of the only 3D games I finished. It’s a story game, where you investigate what’s going on and make various choices. It’s set in revolutionary france, at the Secret World Council that determines the fate of the world. It had a weak ending, with less choice elements than the rest of the game so far, which was a weird decision. Also, it has an EXCRUTIATINGLY bad opening scene, which was also weird. The middle 95% of the game I enjoyed, although the ending went on a little long. The level of background knowledge expected of the player swung wildly–they seemed to expect me to know who revolutionary French generals were with no explanation, but not Daedalus and the Minotaur. The acting was generally enjoyable–there’s a lot of lying going on in the game and it’s conveyed well. The pricetag is too high to recommend.

(0/5) The Grandma’s Recipe (Unus Annus). This game is unplayably bad–it’s just a random pixel hunt. Maybe it would be fun if you had watched the video it’s based on.

(3/5) The Room. Pretty fun! I think this is really designed for a touchscreen, but I managed to play it on my PC. Played it stoned, which I think helps with popular puzzle games–it has nice visuals but it’s a little too easy.

(3/5) This Call May Be Recorded. Goofy experimental game.

(4/5) TIS-100. Zachtronics. A programming game. I finally got done with the first set of puzzles and into the second this year. I had fun, definitely not for everyone.

(3/5) Trine. I played this 2-player. I think the difficulty was much better 2-player, but it doesn’t manage 2 players getting separated well. Sadly we skipped the story, which seemed like simple nice low-fantasy. Could have used goofier puzzles, it took itself a little too seriously and the levels were a bit same-y.

(2/5) Unrailed. Co-op railroad building game. It was okay but there wasn’t base-building. Overall not my thing. I’d say I would prefer something like Overcooked if it’s going to be timed? Graphics reminded me of autonauts.

(2/5) Vampire Night Shift. Art game. Gameplay could have used a bit of polish. Short but interesting.

(4/5) Wayward. To date, the best survival crafting system I’ve seen. You can use any pointy object and stick-like object, together with glue or twine, to make an arrow. The UI is not great, and there’s a very counter-intuitive difficulty system. You need to do a little too much tutorial reading, and it could use more goals. Overall very fun. Under constant development, so how it plays a given week is a crapshoot. The steam version finally works for me (last time I played it was worse than the free online alpha, now it’s the same or better). I recomend playing the free online version unless you want to support the author.

(1/5) We Need to Go Deeper. Multiplayer exploration game in a sub, with sidescrolling battle. Somehow incredibly unfun, together with high pricetag. Aesthetics reminded me of Don’t Starve somehow.

(2/5) We Were Here. Okay 2-player puzzle game. Crashed frequently, and there were some “huh” puzzles and UI. Free.

(3/5) Yes, your grace. Gorgeous pixel art graphics. The story is supposed to be very player-dependent, but I started getting the feeling that it wasn’t. I didn’t quite finish the game but I think I was well past halfway. Hard to resume after a save, you forget things. I got the feeling I wouldn’t replay it, which is a shame because it’s fun to see how things go differently in a second play with something like this.

These are not all new to me, and very few came out in 2020. I removed any games I don’t remember and couldn’t google (a fair number, I play a lot of game jam games) as well as any with pornographic content.

2020 Videogames was originally published on Optimal Prime

#games #review #reviews #videogames #yearly review #cross-posted-from-blog

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