#but. that could just be my faulty memory. i do wish they threaded more connection underneath the exasperation though.

[trainingdummyrabbit]

i still think abt the ending to the warp intervallo also. it was like, okay, to me, mostly, but. Don Qui Moment. im just so so elated we got to see her Unstoppable Forward Momentum(tm) used in a way that wasnt at least partially a "Oh There She Goes Again 🙄" thing. like. That Bit There. not the 'oh shes a bloodfiend' bit, but the 'dragging herself to fight on even through wounds that full well should have completely incapacitated her' thing. thats what i really really wanted to see most from her. its that sparking, again.

like i do quite enjoy her for being a silly lil scrambley thing!! but also she is capable of so much violence and she should be able to kill whoever she wants for ever. basically. the sheer fucking will and vitriol. having her values and planting her feet and Not Fucking Budging. let her. let her!!

but especially because its such a defining character trait, for donqui. specifically Before the. All Of That. [motions to c7]. because it feels like a striking point for Her, that She chooses, that isnt just "shes the silly character ^w^" or, past that, a side effect of the state shes in. its her own little brand of being a fucked up little creature, and i so badly wish we got to see more of it.. put some respect on my girls name !!!!!

[derekscorner]

When relevancy goes too far

Relevancy is a bit of a complex topic the more you think about it. How far do you push it? Which parts of a story are needed to know the other? How should something define the follow up? These questions have widely different answers depending on the person and especially depending on format.

Hell, if you wish to nit pick it further, even the series in question is a factor. Some series’ thrive on whats done while others drown in their own scripts. I believe Kingdom Hearts is one of the latter.

That said, I am not someone who hates KH’s expanded stories simply for existing. The “side games” in of themselves aren’t bad nor is the idea of using such things to expand a world. The same could be said for game novels or comics in my opinon.

However, these things can be a slippery slope or a lazy exist. For example, Assassin’s Creed threw out it’s whole Juno arc into a comic just to get it out of the way which completely shattered my investment.

In turn, Nomura himself isn’t at fault for as much as we bash him for. Something he’s admitted himself as seen here;

So, the new Days is one of the three titles announced in the Autumn of 2007 as new projects in the KH series.

Nomura: Those three titles were all announced at the same time, but in reality the opportunities for the projects were raised in a disjointed way. Birth by Sleep is a project that was raised within our company, but Days is from Nintendo, and coded is from Disney, so we started by talking to each of them.

-source <--Link btw

And anyone that’s read interviews out of curiosity will know that there’s also factors like how ‘Birth By Sleep’ was shifted from PS2 to PSP or that ‘Chain of Memories’ wasn’t a planned title either. (seen here)

So if these things aren’t inherently bad or planned that begs the question of why it’s a problem here? At least in my opinion of the series.

The answer is simple and it lies solely on Nomura’s shoulders for it as a fault, relevancy. The man goes out of his way to make each and every game, concert, or otherwise is attached to the series in some meaningful way going forward.

Naturally, any expanded media is tied to the main narrative in some way. I know this, I am not that foolish. The problem is that Nomura makes them plot relevant going forward.

These titles can’t be true “side games” because they dictate the story going forward in some way. It’s for this reason the more radical fans hate to hear the terminology “side game” to begin with.

This problem was especially bad for years because of how spread out the series became among other gaming systems. And while some like to say it’s fine now due to the collection discs I dont think this will last long given the “phase 2″ images released for KH’s near future.

Hell, I’d even argue this problem isn’t even fixed in truth because the current KH story involving Foretellers, Luxu, and so on is all things spun from a mobile game. Yes, you have to sit through scenes on YT or play a mobile game to fully grasp that cat creature (Chirithy) you saw in KH3.

Naturally, it’s much easier to watch the scenes on YT these days but that also feeds into the loop of not paying for the game itself. I personally see no issue with it but companies are much worse in recent years for shutting down Youtube channels over loose definition of “piracy”.

No game series is worth several consoles. Of course, I’m just speaking from experience, with KH now on the Xbox this may be a moot point in a few years.

I am rambling, off track, lets focus. “Why is this an issue?” is what you’ve read this far for me to explain. The biggest issue with this poor decision making is how it harms the main narrative you’re telling.

For comparison, look at Sora in KH3. He’s often confused by people he doesn’t remember meeting or events he doesn’t remember nor took part in. This is roughly close to what it would be like for someone that’s only played KH1, 2, and 3.

Sora has that same level of insight including what he was told about others like Roxas or Aqua but other characters in-game. This feeds into KH’s misconceived air of complexity.

Kingdom Hearts, as a story, isn’t that complex. It has deeper themes it throws to the wayside but it is easy to follow if you play most games in some form. This ties back into how the series was handled up until the PS4/KH3.

Ever want to know who Roxas was in KH2? Well you had to play Days or you can sit through that horribly boring 3 hour movie on the Remix disc. Even then, the Roxas you see in Days wont be like the one in KH2.

Wish to know who Xehanort was? Play Birth by Sleep! All three campaigns with little variance. Then once you’re done get ready to sit on YT or download a phone app and play Kingdom Hearts Dark Road.

The Foretellers, Luxu, or the Master of Masters? That’s another set of hours, if not days, with the KH Union X Cross, KH Dark Road, and should you choose you can even watch the Back Cover movie which answers nothing at all but shows you the Foretellers in Kh3 graphical glory.

You wish to know how Namine knew who The Lingering Will was? Well dig up a fan translation of a script the Japanese voice cast read for a music concert event. (yes that happened)

You can see where this is going I assume and this is just scratching the surface by the way. You wish to know the finer details like Keyblade types, the inconsistent time traveling, “recompletion”, and so on then be prepared to read word of god interviews, in-game dictionaries/journals and always be ready for a few to change.

Whether it’s a true retcon or just an ambiguous statement, the series is ongoing, Nomura heads the ship, and he is by no means obligated to stick to previous statements if he can make a new one to alter those events.

Then again, holding too much weight in words said outside the game itself is a faulty way of doing things that most fans (like me) have fallen victim too at least once.

At the same time, all of these things are relevant by Nomura’s decision. Sure, the remixes have fixed this to a degree but it’s anyone’s guess for how long. Better yet, at what cost did the remixes fix anything?

The best example of what I mean is Coded. It was originally a game for phones. At the time, only Japan had a phone capable of playing it. Feeling that a shame the game later found it’s way to the DS for all fans to play.

At this point in time Coded was the only true example of a “side story”. It was by no means necessary. The whole datascape plot was more convoluted than it needed to be despite data!Sora being far better than the original at this point, and easy to miss.

But...well that was good. The DS version of Coded was fun as hell to play. The only version of the “command deck system” I’d consider worth any semblance of praise. It did it’s job of getting some level of fans invested such as my friend @blackosprey​ and it’s story was missable.

You did not need to play Coded to understand Dream Drop Distance or further. This was perfect. This is what games like Days, KH Chi/UX, 0.2, and DDD should’ve been.

Games that reached out to grab new people, games that played around, and games that expanded on the main narrative without dictating it’s direction. A side game is something that exists alongside or outside your main story.

However this isn’t what we got. 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage was a short sequel to BBS but also a pretty tech demo for KH3. Dream Drop Distance was there to show the real Sora that people needed help and to show us that Xehanort was back.

KH Chi was a browser game meant to show the Keyblade War and how it shaped Sora’s era. Now it’s an ongoing curse on the series with time traveling plot that affected KH3 directly.

Coded was made into a movie you needed to sit through thanks to one small newly added scene. Days lost many small interactions it’s fans loved in the transition to a movie that is hard to sit through.

I’ve also heard KHDDD and 0.2 were “shaved off” KH3 in a sense to be their own titles...this...this makes so little sense.

Nomura calls KH “Sora’s story” but this is a lie. If it truly was Sora’s story then your main narrative would be BBS, KH1, CoM, 2, and the original combined form of KH3. That’s the titles he’s relevant, those are the titles he stops Xehanort’s plans.

These other titles could’ve been so fun but none of them were truly allowed to breath and be themselves. They were weakened and limited by Nomura deciding to prop the ongoing story upon them like they’re stilts.

Then as a result you can’t close out KH3 without resolving all of these other events and characters which drags it’s own story down. KH3 feels all over the place because it is. It’s trying to tie as many knots as it can from threads created in titles that were way more relevant then they needed to be.

Kh3 can be seen as a clean break for many but I see it as a matter of time. KHUX and now KHDR are still there casting a shadow, dictating what comes next. Melody of Memory is one of several games planned for an unknown but hopefully more thought out direction.

I worry I haven’t explained what I meant well enough but moral of my story is that making things too relevant hurts not only your main story but these new stories you wish to explore.

You can’t have a story and it’s cast breath if you’re tying a knot of mythos too tightly around their necks and this is a tragedy to me. KH began life with such potential but it constantly holds itself back because so few entries into it’s story are truly just an entry.

And I am not saying games can’t follow up one another nor that they shouldn’t. What’s needed is a clear idea and some breathing room. A good example would be to save people in Days with the game DDD. DDD could’ve wiped away some clutter to focus on the final Xehanort battle in a sense.

Nomura has a huge problem with wanting connectivity without letting games be connected by the name alone. It’s like he wants to do the opposite of what Final Fantasy has done but to detrimental results.

This harms so much but worst of them it hurts development. Because Days was made so important, we had a movie made. Because Coded was elevated, a movie was made. Because the keyblade war was so popular, Union Cross was made.

The Remixes would’ve been better to consolidate lore not waste time trying to appease every whim. KH’s relevancy is a huge problem and I doubt it’ll stop any time soon.

[gamerszone2019-blog]

Erica Review - Grab The Popcorn

New Post has been published on https://gamerszone.tn/erica-review-grab-the-popcorn/

Erica Review - Grab The Popcorn

Erica never lets you feel at ease for long. In one scene, a character teaches Erica how to play a song on the piano–you’re encouraged to memorize the cute little melody and try to perform the correct timing. But just when you start playing along, somebody suddenly starts coughing up blood everywhere, it’s messy and gross, everyone starts screaming, and the vibe is killed. In Erica you have to treasure those sweet breaks before they’re swiftly swiped from your hands and replaced with a solid helping of worry, stress, and a side of confusion.

A fully filmed playable thriller in which the titular character is on a mission to help solve a murder case that she has strange family ties to, Erica utilizes some subtle yet effective film-inspired techniques–like match on action and screen wipes triggered by touchpad interactions–to tell its enigmatic tale. To progress each scene, you choose dialogue options and make various adventure game-like actions. The game bounces back and forth in time between Erica’s childhood with her father to the mess that is modern-day life, in which she has to move to a strange hospital her late parents helped create for her own safety.

Erica, played by real-life actor Holly Earl, is a relatable, if malleable, protagonist. Earl regularly looks like she’s bewildered or uncomfortable, exactly how you feel as a viewer in most of the situations. She seems thoughtful and patient, but other than that there isn’t too much of a set personality for her. You decide through your in-game choices if she’s more passive or aggressive or unhelpful during the case, and because of the high stakes murder circumstances, switching her attitude and approach never feels abrupt nor out of character. Even if you spend most of the game being rude, you can be friendly to someone and it doesn’t feel weird. Your reactions, and in turn Erica’s, are likely to change frequently during a playthrough every time new information pops up, objectives change, and new, incredibly peculiar characters enter the picture.

Somehow, every new character you meet is more suspicious than the last. Everyone talks to you like they just poisoned the food you’re eating. There’s a sequence in the courtyard where you can choose a girl to hang out with and get to know better, and right after you pick a possible pal to spend the afternoon with, the head of the hospital says, “Just remember that some of the girls here… Uh… They can be quite manipulative,” and just walks away. The guy is nowhere to be found after that, and you’re left sitting there wondering why would he say that–and before you know it, you’re overthinking every interaction because you don’t know which person he was insinuating was going to manipulate you. All of the secrets, ulterior motives, and Erica’s own faulty memory cause for some very intriguing “Trust nobody, not even yourself” gameplay.

Perpetual disorientation is the central feeling of Erica, and it’s what keeps you searching for the truth no matter how many crooked obstacles stand in your way. The plot is ever-changing and chaotic; you’re attempting to solve a crime by talking to a plethora of weirdos in an unfamiliar, creepy place while having stifling flashbacks of your messed-up childhood. There’s so many forces clashing and intense situations going on that you find yourself yearning to make sense of even the smallest mystery just to feel grounded. There was a time where Erica was being gaslit by a character and I ended up shaking my fist and yelling “She’s not crazy, you’re just lying!” at my TV–but even though that character annoyed me I kept listening to them in case they accidentally dropped a small hint to steer me in the right direction, and they did. Erica is a striking example of a whodunit that’s heightened by its enthralling characters, shady occult science, and recollections of previous trauma.

From the overall murder case to smaller questions like what kind of hospital you’re staying at, there are a number of mysteries weaving together concurrently throughout Erica. It’s easy to miss context that’s vital to understanding the full picture. You might get an answer to a question that’s been burning in your mind for the last half hour, but that answer could be a truth that presents new pathways to choose from or a lie that leads you astray. That mystery management is exciting and makes every experience with the game its own curious, isolated thriller molded by whatever answers and stories you care about at the time.

You can use either a DualShock 4 controller or a companion phone app to play Erica; the latter is smooth and seamless for the most part, while the former is bogged down by a clunky implementation of touchpad controls and is the far less preferable option. As you move through the narrative, you alternate between selecting which areas to explore, choosing dialogue options like “contempt” or “desperation,” and performing no-stakes everyday actions like cleaning the fog from a mirror or turning on the sink. Potential actions are shown as silhouettes on-screen, and there’s also a mock trajectory of where to swipe your hand on your phone if you’re using the app. The inputs are all done by small, comfortable hand swipes, not extending to the full horizontal or vertical reach of the screen.

Most actions are intuitive, and you feel like you know where to swipe and what you can do before the game even tells you. There’s a moment where you and a detective walk up to an empty reception desk that has a bell sitting on it, for example. I lit up when I saw it and I started tapping on the screen a bunch–Erica didn’t hesitate to mimic my actions in her world and ding away, so much so that the detective swatted her hand off of it because he got annoyed. The straightforward motions make navigating trouble-free, and being able to quickly deduce what moves you can make adds a connection to the moment-to-moment gameplay. It keeps your focus on the important things, like figuring out what the heck is going on in the story.

Choices and quick-time events happen every 30 seconds or so, which may sound overwhelming, but it isn’t so in practice. Most of the time, they aren’t high pressure actions; they’re a chain of a few choices, and those chunks are separated by longer cutscenes every so often. They do eventually get mundane and feel unnecessary, especially if you choose to use the DualShock 4, though. The game is controlled entirely with touch, and while the swipes are supposed to be a convenience for your hands, it’s difficult to perform them on the small DualShock touchpad without your fingers slipping off or hitting the joysticks. There were also a few occasions where the companion app was slightly unresponsive, which is something that can have game-changing consequences if it happens at a critical moment. It takes a second to get back into the game’s rhythm after there’s a blip in the controls. They’re small things, but those shortcomings pull you out of what is otherwise a really engrossing experience.

In general, the filmic elements are integrated so carefully that it’s a genuine and mostly calculated mix of two mediums. Erica is in the middle of game and movie, and a lot of small mechanics add up to show that. For example, the character Erica is an artist, and there’s a scene fairly early on where you can flip through the pages of her artbook. Looking through a character’s personal items is a common feature in interactive adventure games, but the detail that went into shooting the natural angles of each flip makes it an even more intimate way of gaining insight into who the character is. Outside of the footage itself, all of the trophy pop-ups are paused until you complete the game, which goes a long way to keep you from getting distracted. It’s a small, fitting touch for a game that values story so much.

Perpetual disorientation is the central feeling of Erica, and it’s what keeps you searching for the truth no matter how many crooked obstacles stand in your way.

There are also some sneaking situations that are made better by the film aspect. There are always conversations happening behind closed doors, and because you have so many questions that you need answered, sometimes you have to be a weirdo and eavesdrop on people. If you peek out for too long or open the door too fast, they’ll see you, stop their conversation, and share an awkward glance with you. Because it’s footage of actual peoples’ facial expressions, it makes you cringe a little more–and that is one of the most high-tension fail states I can imagine.

The whole time, the game marinates you in a constant anxious energy that fuels a curiosity for the dodgy, mysterious world that you’re influencing. Some scenes you’re just holding a book or a photo and staring at it for details, but since it’s paired with an insidious sting it transforms what would be a normal occasion into bitter dread. There are flashbacks, dreams, and abnormal things happening frequently; oftentimes you’re forced to decide on the one secret you want to uncover the most and drop the others. Should you pick up the phone that’s been ringing in the lobby or check out that weird ghost thing in the hallway? There are some decisions that are straight-up difficult–high-stakes ones where, in the bottom of your heart, you don’t know what the right thing to do is, but you know you have to do something. Those times will have you wishing that this game was just a movie, but Erica is more than that.

Erica has a strong, fleshed-out narrative full of twists and turns that each bring their own unique piece to the story. Its cryptic tone is carried through the audio, visuals, and writing; it never lets you relax. Sometimes weird controls jolt you out, but there is an abundance of enticing threads to follow, and it’s a treat to be able to mold your own adventure out of it. Using a combination of crisp cinematography and FMV-specific game mechanics, Erica never fails to hook you into its haunting, mysterious world.

Source : Gamesport

[mafhaisalen01-blog]

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060

New Post has been published on http://www.tvdealsblackfriday.com/hp-chromebook-intel-celeron-n3060/

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060

Shopping for a New Laptop – What to Know, and What to Look For

It is that point of 12 months once more. The summer season is winding to a detailed and meaning colder climate, leaves changing their shade and schools in all places are about to open their doorways. One thing that a variety of mother and father (and students) are dreading is that colleges are starting to require their college students own laptops to make use of in their courses. However fear not, for I have compiled a guide that can make shopping for the proper laptop a lot simpler for you. And for those who’re not going to school this fall, this information should nonetheless help you in your quest for an enterprise or private laptop computer for yourself or someone in need this vacation season.

Why are you buying a new Laptop computer?

Maybe you are one of the parents seeking to discover a laptop computer for their baby to take to high school this yr, or maybe you’re on the lookout for a system that provides you with a brand new edge at the office. The reason you might be shopping for your laptop is going to find out what you are going to want out of the brand new system.

If your laptop goes to be using Computer Animated Design software program, for example, you are going to want an extra highly effective processor than in the event you’re merely using it for Word Processing or Web based analysis. Are you a hardcore gamer? Do you like editing photos or creating videos? Are you a musician trying to get some higher exposure? It may be best for you to jot down every attainable state of affairs you could possibly see yourself using the laptop earlier than you read the subsequent section of the information, to make certain you’re getting all the pieces you want out of the system.

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060

Dimension does matter.

This is a characteristic that lots of people overlook when shopping for a laptop, however, the dimension and bodily options of the laptop computer are arguably one of the most important. Where the processor, quantity of ram, and arduous drive could be upgraded and changed as wanted, features like the dimensions of the laptop computer, the placement of its varied input/output ports and its weight are all things that you just realistically going to be stuck with after your buy it. Some issues to ask yourself are:

How massive of a display am I going to wish? Am I going to be carrying this laptop around so much? How many peripherals are going to be attached to the laptop computer? Am I going to overlook not having the NUMPAD on my keyboard? The size of the screen goes to immediately have an effect on the size of the laptop computer, so this question is necessary. In case you are shopping for this laptop computer to edit photos, create movies, play video games or watch motion pictures and tv you they’ll seemingly want a big display screen. Remember the fact that massive screen laptops are heavier, and therefore if you’re going to be crossing a big campus every day you will need to contemplate that as properly.

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060

The variety of peripherals you will be attaching to the laptop computer also helps slim down what you will be using it for. A very powerful consideration is the variety of USB ports you’ll have, as most accessories and units hook up with a laptop utilizing these ports. A printer that isn’t wi-fi, a drawing pill, a wired or wireless mouse and a USB storage drive are all examples of gadgets that join by way of USB. In case you intend on connecting your laptop as much as a monitor at any given time you may want to think about the Output connection on the laptop as effectively. Finally, one of the missed features of a laptop computer is the presence or absence of the NUMPAD on the keyboard. The NUMPAD is the sixteen button portion beside your arrow keys that form of resembles a telephone. Although, it’s doable to purchase a USB powered external NUMPAD for a laptop computer, should you’re used to having one, it’s best to have it hooked up to the laptop itself.

What makes a good Laptop computer?

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060 Now that you’ve got a thought about what you want your laptop computer to seem like on the surface, it’s time to take into account what you’d like to see on the within. In case you’re shopping for this laptop merely to make use of applications like Microsoft Office, an internet browser, and iTunes then you definitely not going to wish a whole lot of energy from your system. Laptops on the retail market nowadays come geared up with Windows 7 as an operating system, and in contrast to their Vista counterparts, a couple years back will come designed to deal with working the operating system easily. That being mentioned, a great benchmark to set in your system shall be 4GB of RAM; ideally DDR3, A quality dual core processor (keep away from the Intel Celeron collection for example), and then a tough drive based off how a lot you plan to store on your laptop. Typically hard drives from 250 – 500GB are essentially the most commonly discovered on lower to mid ranged laptops, and that should be greater than adequate cupboard space.

In case your plan is to make use of more intensive programs, equivalent to Graphic Design software program, Music enhancing software, or anything that can create an intensive load on your system you will need to take a more in-depth have a look at your Processor. A processor that boasts dynamic performance enhancement, such as the Multithreading feature provided in the Intel I series of processors are a good selection for this.

The cores of the i3-i7 processors are designed to divide duties up into threads within each processing core, permitting your system to suppose it has extra cores to work with, the end result being that it may well power a little further power out of your system in a pinch. One other helpful characteristic to observe for is the scale of your L2 and L3 cache. The larger the cache, the extra your system is able to do without slowing itself all the way down to entry extra distant memory sources, and meaning faster response times to whatever it’s essential to access.

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060 For those who’re buying this method specifically for gaming, or for Excessive Definition multimedia or 3D modeling, you’ll need to contemplate the Graphics Card your system will include. For the most half, a 1GB of video reminiscence within the graphics card needs to be more than powerful sufficient to deal with no matter your needs are, but it might be wise to check the specific requirements of the game or software you are putting in, and be sure that the options you need are included within the design of the cardboard.

Finally, the battery life of the laptop computer could be necessary as well. In the event you plan on utilizing the laptop in numerous places where there aren’t any energy sources, you may desire a laptop computer with an extended than average battery life. And contemplating the typical battery life of a laptop varies from 2-four hours, this could be an essential resolution for the commuting over-achiever or social butterfly.

The Exhausting Drive of a Laptop shops all your information.

Where to go from right here?

So you’ve finally selected a laptop that matches all of your needs. It is the appropriate dimension, has the NUMPAD on the side, does not weigh an excessive amount of and it is a sweet shade of charcoal gray. Now that you’re ready to dish out on the system, it is time to take into account everything else you’re going to need to work at most effectivity.

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060 For software program, consider again what you’ll be doing together with your laptop computer. Should you’re ever planning to take it online by any capacity (and who isn’t, as of late) then you are going to desire a reputable Antivirus program. Top-of-the-line proper now could be from an organization referred to as Kaspersky. As of this writing, it has been found to find and quarantine/remove the largest library of malicious software of any Antivirus in the retail market. The web safety package deal additionally contains metrics to guard your personal id online from online phishers. This may be important in the event you access your financial institution information or log into delicate company property over the web.

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060 Graphic designers or images buffs will wish to get their arms on photo editing software program corresponding to Adobe Photoshop. A music producer will want a program to allow them to document, edit and store music. Gamers might want to shell out for their newest digital fix, and Internet Designers will probably want to buy a license for Macromedia Flash or Adobe Dreamweaver. The One 12 months Restricted Warranty offered from companies like HP or Dell cover producer’s defects solely.

Meaning that until the issue might be traced on to be a flaw within the manufacturing of the product, HP or Dell will deny you any assistance or financial compensation for the system. And imagine me, they may do anything to convince you that they didn’t mess up. What does that imply for you? Nicely, without help from an Extended Guarantee, odds are good that you just caught with that laptop with the lifeless onerous drive and faulty screen.

HP Chromebook Intel Celeron N3060