#edit- as you can tell by the upgrade in quality I switched over to using the proper wiki instead of the fandom wiki now-

[golden-stag]

Still thinking about them… I feel like pure shit I just want this dynamic back 😔

[husbandohunter]

Stardew Impact [Genshin+Stardew Valley/xReader]

Part 1/3 Kaeya, Diluc

Synopsis: “A mysterious phenomenon brought you and your s/o to an unfamiliar world: Pelican Town! Without the power of Visions, the two of you begin to learn the life of what it takes to be...a farmer?”

(DOMESTIC FARM LIFE YIP YIP)

Coming soon...

Albedo and Childe

Zhongli and Xiao

(A/N): So the brainrot was real in this one. I planned to add Albedo for a Mondstadt edition but kinda went overboard so I gotta split this one into parts too. Wordcount_almost 2k spspspsp

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Diluc

• Already has the whole year planned in his head. Literally if Diluc were to play this game, he'd have a booming farm within year ONE. Calm and collected through and through, though the new environment raises alot of questions, as long as you were still with him, Diluc ain't complaining

• The town welcomes you two with open arms. It was all thanks to the attire. Diluc wore his usual dark coat adorned with regal gold while you had a dress made of Liyue's finest silk, one that he bought for you. Needless to stay both of you reeked the aura of rich aristocrats (Mayor Lewis is pleased that greedy bastard)

• Once the farm was permitted to your owndership, Diluc began to think of ways to turn it into a vineyard. He was a businessman afterall. Although the staff back at the Dawn Winery were the ones who tended the field, Diluc still knew a few things about planting due to his childhood days Master Crepus would bring him out to their yard and demonstrated the process of gardening. He still remembers those days clearly, doing the very same this moment with you.

• Occasionally works at the Saloon bar. It was the perfect opportunity. As you took care of the farm side, Diluc continues to look for more ways to increase the income while gathering information from the folks around town. Gus LOVES to have him over, like he's just so efficient and reliable! They soon become good friends saying if Diluc were ever to own a wine stock, he would gladly buy from him.

• This is why Diluc would stay a little later due to just chatting with the people from the bar. One time you walked into the Saloon only to the front desk with Emily alone. Turns out the others were in the other room, too busy playing a game of pool. You decided to leave him be since it was rare to have Diluc so relaxed in leisure activities. Thus in the end, you spent your time chatting with Emily until a whole hour has passed before your lover notices and apologizes for losing track of time.

• Everything felt like a dream because it was his dream. To live a life undisturbed from chaos, his duties and the dangers that lurk in Teyvat, Diluc grew fond of the domesticity. There was nothing he loved more than to spend his hours by your side, day after day, returning home to your freshly handmade meals.

• Spring: Already up and early planting the parnersnips (I'm very soft for gardener Diluc you see). What do you expect from a workaholic? Even during his leisure time you would often find him near some plant as he does consider this hobby quite therapeutic. But when it rains, Diluc would be standing beside you with an arm around your shoulder, smiling contently as you lean into his touch. He gazes through the dripping window and silently admires the current progress you both made on the farm.

• Between the two annual spring festivities, I would say the flower dance. Diluc is a private man and would prefer to take things where no eyes were on sight. But with a little bit of nudging from Gus (your wingman), he gives in and leads you to the center stage. Elegant. Graceful. The way you two moved together became the talk of the event. Though, Diluc was already used to people staring by now, all he needed to do was to ignore them and keep his focus on you.

• Summer: No blankets in bed. Nope, its bloody hot in Pelican Town. He tends to stay indoors or anywhere with shade, in other words, his work hours in the Saloon increased.

• Diluc always has a nice cold drink prepared for you if by any chance you were to pay a visit after a whole day of labour. It's a habit he's made subconciously as if it would be a natural occurance for you to enter the door. His colleagues would ask him who did he make that drink for? Honestly so cute i cri

• Moments like these remind him of Mondstadt, where he quietly wipes the glasses while listening to you talk. Your voice is soothing. Sun rays peek from the side casting onto the umber tables, reflecting a rich golden light as the radio plays a soft song in the background. It's so peaceful, the town was small hence not many people visited the bar, Diluc came to appreciate this warm privacy (plus no Venti and Kaeya which is a huge pog realization).

• Autumn: Harvest time baby. The kegs are full and the sheds are full of kegs. This season was huge stonks and the house ended up getting an upgrade. Diluc is the type of man who wants to make sure that his spouse wouldn't have to work another day of her life. I reckon this is why he's so ambitious because he wants you to have the best and you deserve the best. (Husband material. Slap a ring on him ladies).

When there was no more work left to do, time would be spend peacefully exploring the woods. While you skipped a few steps ahead as the leaves crunched beneath your feets, Diluc follows slowly from behind. He sees your back but his eyes stares somewhere far beyond whats in front of him: His future. 

It was such a stark contrast to the one he envisioned before. One filled with uncertaintly, blocked by darkness with no silver lining in sight, endlessly wandering as he drags the claymore against the ground. There was never a day in which the Darknight hero wouldn't think of Mondstadt. Leaving the city in the incompetent hands of Ordo Favonious while Abyss Mages continue to lurk fuels him to find a way to return as soon as possible and yet...

"Higher big sis!" Jas tightens her hold on the ropes as you pushed the swing with all your might. She laughs, like a child, it was full of innocence and joy. Later Vincent came in and nugdes you, asking when his turn will come.

"You wanna go too? Alright alright don't worry," waiting for Jas to come down, you lift the boy up so that he was seated safely on the chair, "3..2..1 go!"

He wonders if he could just be a little selfish for once.

• Winter: Best man to have in this season. Every morning Diluc would find himself restricted in movements due to a pair of arms around his waist and legs entangled with yours. Turns out you've been doing it subconciously because he's just so warm (Diluc keeps it lowkey and pretends to sleep longer cuz of it)

~~xx~~

Kaeya

• Haha looks like the portal is gone, guess we'll be stuck forever :)). No kidding Kaeya would be so down to stay here for the rest of his life and the best part is to spend it with you. He doesn't show a shred of concern regarding Teyvat, not like he's easily shaken by events that are abnormal, but you can see that Kaeya is truly and genuinely happy. (You're stunned).

• Oho we also have this marvelous landscape just for the two of us? And a cozy little cabin to go along with it as well? This should be fun~ 

• Of course Kaeya would also know a few things about planting, just the basics since he did grow up with Diluc. When they were kids, Crepus would give each of them their own pots so they can grow their own plants. It eventually became a competitive thing where whoever's plant grows the fastest gets to eat the other person's dessert for a year (no one wins. They end up sabotaging each other which Diluc started first, thinking it'll be funny as a joke).

• You are, and will be going on dates with him. In fact, the amount of dates you two went on increased since then. The townspeople would call you two "lovebirds" since he's practically by your side 24/7. 

• I mean he doesn't have the responsibilities as a Cavalry Captain anymore so what else is there to do?

• Would attend all annual events no matter what season. 

• Evelyn constantly gushes how much of a wonderful pair you and Kaeya make and often is the one who provides Kaeya a fresh bouqet of flowers for him to use as a gift. George on the otherhand just rolled his eyes mumbling something along the lines of "youngsters these days" and "crazy hormones."

• Befriends Pam. Love for beer plus somewhat cynical attitude? They get along real swell! She starts sending some recipes into the mailbox of course saying if yall ever need a hand, let her know.

• Spring: I can see Kaeya be switching back and forth between caring for the farm or taking quests posted on Pierre's bulletin board. He likes to keep things interesting, learning the ways of the new world while also getting to know the people around town.

• Would NOT return Mayor Lewis' shorts in which he found in Marnie's room. It's such high quality blackmail material. Kaeya is currently plotting what is the best way to use it to his advantage.

• He didn't tell you of course.

• Summer: There are no blankets because he is your blanket. Since your cabin was small so was the bed. That's why he has to hold you so that no one falls off when rolling over. Either he hugs you with your nose close to his neck, or your back against his chest while spooning you or holding hands if sleeping on your sides became too much. Yall need a serious house upgrade.

• For some reason Kaeya becomes more energetic in the summer. He lets you rest in the shade while handling the farm work for the time being. If you guys got a pet it would be a cat. Hes the first one to refill their bowl every morning outside.

Another day passes as summer comes to an end, the town’s Mayor invited you and your lover to see the annual Dance Of the Moonlight Jellies. Kaeya being the opportunist was delighted to come along. Locking the door of your house, you follow him down the path and made your way to the beach.

Everyone from town was already gathered by the docks when the sun had disappeared down the horizon. You stood by his side in a space far from the others, watching  the candle boats set off to ride the waves, lighting up a small ray of light for creatures to find. 

“Wow,” your tone almost above a whisper, “If only our friends back home could see this too.”

“Perhaps,” he says. Kaeya slips his fingers into yours and you shot him a curious glance, “But let us enjoy this moment shall we? Just the two of us.”

And there they were. A sea of luminescence radiating colours of brilliant blue with hints of green like a city of laterns floating in a world below. Their image reflects in the star of Kaeya's eyes as he wonders, where would they go? Where would the light lead them? They were so free with nothing to worry, so serene just like the sea and unknowningly, he squeezes your hand. It was a sense for confirmation. One to remind him that this moment was indeed a reality he wishes to keep.

Autumn: Finally a house upgrade and a kitchen!! Because it was harvest season, you guys end up making a set of delicious meals with all the recipes the townspeople gave you. Kaeya can cook since he lived by himself back in Mondstadt. Most of the stuff he learned to make were food that can be accompanied by alcohol though...

• Ahah remember Mayor Lewis' lucky shorts? He found a use for them. It was displayed on the stands during the Stardew Valley Fair (Oh my how did this get here? Must be the wind). Ends up buying a Rarecrow for the farm when Lewis bribes him not to tell this to anyone.

Winter: This was mostly an indoor season for the both of you. With the existence of television, nights would be spent until morning while watching movies at the couch. A blanket drapes around your shoulders as extends to his.  Oh and don't forget the hot chocolate! 

[theirrationalzone]

My Top Ten Games of 2020

Let’s just address the giant elephant in the room from the offset: 2020 has been one giant mess of a year. Every event, every major moment this year just felt like the worst case scenario every time.

For a lot of us though, there was one saving grace: video games.

2020 has been a damn fine year for video games. From the return of certain classic franchises to some amazing new entries and experiences. Gaming really managed to thrive in a year where other entertainment mediums such as films and television struggled.

Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the games that made this year a lot more bearable:

10: Watch Dogs Legion

I’ve had a soft spot for Ubisoft’s hack ‘em up franchise for quite a while. I didn’t think the original was as disappointing as it was made out to be and I thought the second one was an underrated gem. When Legion was first announced, I liked a lot of what the game was setting out to do but I wasn’t ready to pull the trigger on getting it. I decided to give the game a chance in the end and I’m glad I did.

Legion might suffer from the same pitfalls that have plagued other Ubisoft enterprises, but the recruitment mechanic is one of the coolest systems I have seen in any game ever. The fact that you can recruit any NPC that you see on the streets of London and use their unique talents to complete your objectives is just an awesome thing in and of itself. Its depiction of London is also incredibly fun to explore and cause mayhem in. While I found the writing to be pretty subpar, the game quite buggy and the whole PS5 upgrade fiasco a farce, I still found Legion to be a fun open world experience overall.

9: Resident Evil 3

Resident Evil has been on a real hot streak as of late, hasn’t it? Ever since Capcom made a promise to its fans that the Resident Evil series would go back to what made it so popular in the first place, the series has gone from strength to strength. Last year saw the release of the RE2 Remake which was absolutely excellent in that it kept the spirit of the original while also taking a few liberties of its own. It was only a matter of time before RE3 got the same treatment and well... it did.

I’m just going to spit this out. It’s not as good as the RE2 Remake. It didn’t need to be though. I still think this is a good game that provides a satisfying and fun survival horror experience. It carries over a lot of the elements that made the RE2 Remake such an excellent game and in certain areas (especially the writing) it makes a few improvements. Plus the game looks absolutely stunning thanks to the RE Engine. It is quite short. It is missing quite a bit of content from the original game. It definitely isn’t as replayable as the RE2 Remake. I still had a blast with it though overall. If this really is a blip for the Resident Evil series, then it must be in a really good place right now.

8: Tell Me Why

Dontnod Entertainment have fast become one of my favourite developers in the industry right now. When I first played Life is Strange back in 2015, it felt like a revelation. It weaved a fantastic story with characters you genuinely cared for and took you to a place you never wanted to leave. I’ve enjoyed all of their other ventures since then such as the underrated (if quite janky) Vampyr and Life is Strange 2.

Tell Me Why is another venture that fits the Dontnod MO: A grounded emotional story with slight supernatural elements, a degree of player choice and a setting that makes your jaw drop. The major difference here is the game’s attempt to portray a transgender character. That’s nothing new in and of itself. It’s more the fact that it attempts to accurately portray a transgender male character which is a bit of a rarity in all forms of media. Transgender portrayals (from what I’ve seen) tend to focus on male to female rather than female to male.

I’m in no position to comment on whether the portrayal is accurate or not, but I got the impression that Dontnod really went out of their way to get this right. Their FAQ explains that they worked with GLAAD and the voice actor to get it as right as they could. That alone deserves huge praise, but I also loved the Ronan Twins’ story as they dealt with their harsh past and the uncertain future. The game was a delight from beginning to end and it just looks absolutely gorgeous to boot. Dontnod have done it again.

7: Bugsnax

One of the early delights of the last generation was a little ditty known as Octodad: Dadliest Catch. It was a fun little physics based affair which cast you as a octopus masquerading as a human. The game had a terrific sense of humour and it was just bloody fun to play. Young Horses (the developer of the game) kinda went dark after that. They only really resurfaced to release two bonus levels for that game and then they just disappeared again. Now we know why that was the case...

Bugsnax retains some of the qualities that made Octodad such as a memorable game. A great sense of humour and a unique gameplay hook. You play as a reporter sent to the mysterious Snaktooth Island to interview an explorer called Elizabert Megafig who has discovered these unusual creatures known as Bugsnax. After crash landing onto the island, you discover that Elizabert and her significant other have gone missing. It’s up to you to find out what happened while also documenting and capturing Bugsnax for yourself. Capturing the Bugsnax is a big part of what makes this game such a delight to play. As you unlock more tools to play around with, you can come up with different strategies and methods to capture these weird snack based creatures. It’s pretty awesome. Throw in a lovable set of characters to interact with and a beautiful environment to explore, and you’ve got one of the most lovable games released this year.

6: Mafia: Definitive Edition

The last few years haven’t been too kind to the Mafia franchise in my eyes. I really wanted to like Mafia III when it came out back in 2016. It was a sequel I waited years for and it did have some good qualities such as an excellent story that dealt with some pretty heavy topics, solid gameplay mechanics and an amazing licensed soundtrack. Unfortunately the game had one of the most tedious and boring gameplay loops I think I’ve ever seen in an open world game. It just got so dull after the first couple of hours.

This year saw the announcement of the Mafia Trilogy which was to be a celebration of the entire franchise with a remake of the first game, a remaster of the second and a re-release of the third. Half of this was botched with the remaster of II being poorly put together and the re-release of III receiving a broken patch. Things were looking grim for the remake...

As you can see by it being in this list, we were proven wrong. Mafia: DE is a fantastic remake that pays good lip service to the original while also expanding on certain elements. The story which follows the rise and fall of cab driver turned wiseguy Tommy Angelo is more fleshed out with new sequences and character moments that weren’t in the original. Gameplay still retains the solid shooting and cover mechanics of Mafia III and the driving feels absolutely excellent especially when you put it in simulation mode. Lost Heaven is just gorgeous to behold as well with its bustling neighbourhoods and beautiful countryside. I hope this is the beginning of a redemption arc for Hangar 13 and the Mafia franchise. There is a lot of promise to build upon from here.

5: Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise

Anyone who knows me personally or has followed me on social media for a while knows that I’m a big fan of Deadly Premonition. The 2010 cult survival horror hit pretty much encapsulates why I love video games with its lovable hero, an eccentric cast of characters and surprisingly solid mechanics considering the budget it was made for. It was definitely more than the sum of its parts.

When I found out that a sequel was being made exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, my jaw hit the floor pretty hard. I thought any hopes for a sequel were dashed when SWERY left Access Games (the original dev), and yet here we are. A Blessing in Disguise is a brilliant sequel to the zany original. It captures everything that I loved about the original game to a T while also improving in certain aspects. The story is more ambitious this time with it being both prequel and sequel. A lot of the gameplay elements have been improved. The combat benefits from better aiming controls and an upgrade system for both York and his weapon. Getting from A to B is less wonky (and more fun) thanks to the addition of a skateboard rather than a car.

While I do still think the original is better due to the more creative side quests, the more challenging difficulty and the fact that it functions better from a technical perspective, I’m still a big fan of DP2 and it deserves your attention. Here’s hoping that it makes its way to other platforms in the future.

4: Ghost of Tsushima

This last generation has been good for Sony and its Worldwide Studios. In the last five years, they’ve managed to produce hit after hit after hit. A definite far cry from the first year of the PS4 where they produced some dire exclusives. Infamous Second Son was one of these. Sucker Punch’s first effort on the console was very pretty and a good technical showpiece for the console, but as a game, it was boring and dull. I couldn’t even muster the strength to finish it. The standalone expansion First Light was a huge improvement in my eyes. It cut out a lot of the fluff from Second Son. I knew then that Sucker Punch would eventually give us something amazing. They certainly did in the end...

Ghost of Tsushima is honestly one of the best exclusives that Sony has ever produced. Giving us a brutal tale in the vein of a Kurosawa flick where samurai Jin Sakai is forced to betray his code in order to drive out the Mongol force that has enslaved his homeland; we have a story that is genuinely gripping from beginning to end with an incredibly powerful final duel to boot. The combat is incredibly fun with a brilliant combat system that is easy to pick up but challenging to master. Duels especially show the combat system at its finest. Upgrading your abilities genuinely makes you feel incredibly powerful as you begin to decimate enemies left, right and center. Stealth is solid giving you plenty of tools at your disposal and certainly changes up the gameplay a fair bit. Did I mention that Tsushima Island is one of the most aesthetically pleasing locales in any game to date? Well I’m saying it now. It is one of the most beautiful locales in any game to date.

I’m very excited to see where this new IP goes in the future because this first entry is just incredible. A must buy if you own or plan on owning a PlayStation 4 or 5 in the near future.

3: Astro’s Playroom

Memorable pack-in exclusives are a bit of a rarity nowadays. The last one that sticks in my mind is Wii Sports, and that was a long time ago.

Astro’s Playroom serves as the pack-in title for the PlayStation 5 as it is pre-installed on all units. It’s also my favourite exclusive for the console so far. The main reason for this is that Astro’s Playroom evolves past being just a tech demo for the console and its fancy new controller. It actually is a fun little platformer in its own right. It offers something different with every level. In one level you can transform into a giant ball and attempt to navigate some pretty tight platforms, and in the next, you take control of a rocket ship and navigate through corridors while also avoiding bombs. There is great variety here and to be fair, it shows off the potential of the new DualSense controller fantastically.

Plus the game is just one giant love letter to the PlayStation brand and the games that made it what it is today. You’ll see references to obscure PlayStation paraphernalia such as the Multitap and UMD discs, and also games like Final Fantasy VII and Silent Hill. The final boss of the game in particular is one giant callback to something you might remember if you got a PlayStation 1 back in the day. I won’t say any more, but it made me yelp in joy when I saw it. If you plan on getting a PlayStation 5 in the future, make this the first game you play. You won’t regret it.

2: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2

Activision have been on a roll in the last few years with the revitalisation of some of their classic franchises. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon for example have enjoyed newfound success thanks to the excellent N Sane Trilogy and Reignited Trilogy. When it was revealed earlier this year that Vicarious Visions and Beenox would be resurrecting the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise with a remake of Pro Skater 1 and 2, my heart skipped a good few beats.

The Pro Skater franchise means a lot to me personally as I have very fond memories of putting hours into 1 and 2 when I was a kid. Going through the Career mode with each skater, learning the gaps and getting used to doing manuals when they were introduced in 2, it’s all ingrained into me. I’m happy to say that this is probably the best remake I have ever played. It perfectly captures what made those first two entries so special. Each level is beautifully recreated with a ton of new details that serve to enhance these levels. The soundtrack includes all of your old favourites like Goldfinger’s Superman and Rage Against the Machine’s Guerilla Radio along with some fantastic new tracks like Less Than Jake’s Bomb Drop.

The gameplay definitely taps more into Pro Skater 3 and 4 territory with Reverts and Flatland tricks included. These tricks don’t feel out of place and the game does give you the option to play it legacy style if you want. It feels magnificent overall though. The physics are pitch perfect. Creating lines and large combos is still as addicting and rewarding as ever. Online leaderboards certainly tempt you to reach for the stars if you’ve got the ability. Career mode isn’t particularly long, but the pretty robust Create-a-Park editor and solid multiplayer suite should keep you coming back for more. I’ve already put dozens of hours into this and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

If my number 1 entry on this list didn’t exist, this would be my Game of the Year. As it stands though, this is a very close second.

1: Doom Eternal

How do you follow up one of the best first person shooters in recent memory? Basically turn everything up to eleven and then some. Doom (2016) was such an eye opener when it launched. It gave everything we could have ever wanted from a new Doom game: a whole planet full of demons to kill and some big guns to help them back to where they belong. It was awesome and an easy choice for my GOTY back in 2016.

I anticipated Doom Eternal with bated breath. The excitement was building but the nerves were building with it. How could it live up to the previous one? What if it makes the same mistakes as Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus? Thankfully my worries were unfounded as soon as I loaded up the game and was thrown straight into the fold with a Combat Shotgun and some entry level demons to destroy with it.

Doom Eternal is the FPS genre at its absolute finest. The levels are much bigger with more secrets to find and loads of demons to kill. Said demons are much more plentiful in their ranks and they move faster too. Fortunately enough, you have a huge arsenal to deal death to these demonic denizens from the depths of Hell such as the starter Combat Shotgun, the Plasma Rifle, the Ballista and even a giant sword known as the Crucible. Enemies now have weak points to exploit as well which can turn the tide of battle and it rewards accuracy. Before you know it, you’ll be entangled in a ballet of bullets, beams, blood and guts (HUGE guts mind you.) This game makes you feel like a hero at the end of every fight. It’s so satisfying.

Toss in a soundtrack that will get your blood pumping and your goosebumps raising along with environments that will make your TV or monitor look like a window to a scorched earth, and you have my Game of the Year for 2020. Well deserved for sure. I really need to get on that DLC.

To those of you who actually took the time to read all that, you have my heartfelt thanks. I really appreciate you reading this and I hope my choices made sense.

To those of you who just glanced at each entry and skimmed through the text, I don’t blame you for doing that. I still appreciate you taking a look anyway.

All that’s left for me to say is that I hope each and every one of you has a safe holiday season and I hope that the New Year will be better for all of us.

I’ll see you all in 2021. Stay safe and well, folks.

[pollylutes54253-blog]

Convert WMA To MP3 Using RealPlayer

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Escaping the explosion and now aware of the expertise that the Earl of Darkwood had used on them, the band travels back to the Document firm. Octave breaks in and finds the master recording of "One Extra Time", beneath which the band's archived memory disks are found. Octave attempts to go away with the disks but is surrounded by guards. He reaches into his jacket to retrieve a page of Veridis Quo, however one of many guards uses a stun gun on him. Because of the electric shock, Octave falls to the ground and turns into his unique blue pores and skin color, much to the surprise of the witnesses. The web page is taken from Octave's hand and divulges what the disks are (" Quick Circuit ").The crossover circuit is one other key component in how a speaker sounds. In a speaker with a couple of driver, the crossover(s) determine which frequencies are produced by which driver—for example, excessive frequencies (treble) are directed to a tweeter, with low frequencies (bass) directed to a woofer. Sandy Gross compares the crossover circuit to the conductor of an orchestra, as different conductors will make the identical orchestra sound utterly totally different. In the identical means, two speakers using the same drivers with totally different crossover settings will sound entirely different.So a few year ago, we did a small study where we brought in high school students and extra just lately faculty college students and we asked them to hearken to MP3 at a low bit charge, 128 kilobits per second, versus CD. And, after all, it was a blind check, in order that they weren't conscious of which was which. And what we found out was that typically, they prefer the CD over the MP3. And then we random by some speaker tests, where they heard four different loudspeakers that varied from one that was very accurate and impartial to 1 that was quite the other, and fairly surprisingly they like probably the most accurate neutral loudspeaker.

[master-sass-blast]

Of First Dates and Not So First Kisses.

5 AM editing...

I am so good at adulting.

The latest piece from my hyperfixation hole: You and Piotr Rasputin go on your first date together.

(Set after the fic “Myska” and before (well, partially before) “Dig the Needle In,” both of which you can find on my Tumblr and on Archive of Our Own.)

Warnings: None. Except maybe strong language. Other than that, it’s just pure fluff.

Rating: T. Because Wade.

Pairings: Piotr Rasputin x Reader and vaguely implied Wade Wilson x Nathan Summers.

“No! I refuse to accept this!”

You roll your eyes as Wade flails around dramatically. “Wade, unless your real mutation is bending reality and the subjects therein to your will, you have to accept it.”

“This is art! Art!”

“No, this--” You point at the TV screen, which is currently playing a rerun of Desperate Housewives “--is garbage. Hot, shitty, nasty garbage.”

“Okay, apparently my efforts to reverse your parents’ brainwashing haven’t been as effective as I thought, because there’s no way any sane person in total control of their faculties would say something like that!”

You roll your eyes. Again. “No, Wade, I’m just not stupid enough to believe that daytime drama TV is entertaining.” Before your best friend can start in on another tirade, you add, “And, I mean, come on. If there’s anyone you should be showing this, it’s Cable. They don’t even have TV in the future, Wade. I at least got to experience it for a couple years before my dad got rid of our television set. Point stands, Cable’s situation is far more dire than mine.”

Wade perks up, and it’s obvious from the look on his face that he’s actually buying in to your distraction.

“Besides,” You continue, laying on the persuasion extra thick. “What an excellent opportunity! The two of you, on the couch, watching TV together; it’s practically a quasi-date!”

Wade falters. “Yeah, because everyone’s just lining up to date this face,” he grumbles bitterly.

“Fine.” You switch tactics like the master con artist you are. “Don’t think of it as a date. Just think of it as an opportunity to fill his brain with tons of bullshit about this century while tormenting him with shitty reality drama.”

That does it --because if there’s one thing that motivates Wade more than his Texas-sized crush on Nathan Summers, it’s an opportunity to be an unrepentant asshole. He bounds off to the kitchen --where Nathan is conveniently in the middle of making a sandwich--and loops his arms around the older man’s neck while gushing about ‘quality time’ and ‘historical education.’

You take the opportunity to make your escape --blowing a kiss at Cable when he glares at you, though it’s worth noting that he’s letting Wade lead him to the rec room without too much complaining--and head off in search of your boyfriend, Piotr.

He isn’t in his room, nor is he in the training room. It’s Saturday, so he’s not teaching, and he isn’t grading or lesson planning in one of his classrooms.

A smile lights up your face when you realize where he must be, and you scamper off towards one of the unfinished expansion wings on the mansion.

One of the ongoing goals at Xavier’s is that of expansion --taking in more mutants, reaching more people with the truth about mutants, extending their reach to an international level so they could help mutants around the world... the list goes on and on, but the immediate effects of that mission often manifest in upgrading the mansion or other X-Men facilities.

You walk through the unfinished wing, taking time to relish the unfiltered sunlight and the natural, homey feeling of the space.

The wing, once done, is supposed to serve as extra classrooms for the ever growing group of mutant students and kids that lived at the mansion. However, at your loving badgering, Piotr had asked for an art studio.

It was multi-purposed, he insisted. He could use it for himself, yes, but he also could use it for his students. At any rate, the studio was approved.

Now, he uses it mostly as his personal, private get away whenever the mansion gets too chaotic --one that, according to him, you’re welcome in any time as long as you don’t bring Wade.

You walk up to one of the few doors on its hinges --lovingly painted and decorated with the hand prints of Piotr’s art students--and poke your head into the room.

He’s sitting in an overstuffed arm chair positioned by one of the windows, sketchbook in his lap and face tense with concentration. He looks up when you close the door behind you, and absolutely beams at the sight of you. “Privet, myshka.”

You grin back, unable to resist his infectious happiness. “Hey, big guy.” Your heart hammers in your chest as you walk over to his chair and press a kiss against his lips. It’s only been a few weeks since the two of you decided to get together, and you’re still swept away with giddy energy every time you get to do something remotely couple-y with him.

He smiles up at you, cheeks flushed and face glowing with bashful exhilaration, when you break the kiss. “Is there any particular reason why you’re here?”

“Actually, yeah. I had to escape Wade; he was trying to make me watch garbage TV again.” You sit down on the armrest of the chair and grin at him. “I managed to sic him onto Cable, though. With any luck, he won’t even notice I’m gone.”

Piotr lets out a breathy laugh. “That was devious of you, myshka. I’m not sure Cable deserved that.”

“Hey, he’s just as capable of punching Wade in the face and walking away as anyone else is. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he actually likes spending time with him.”

Your boyfriend simply shakes his head --he’s still smiling though, which means he finds your antics amusing rather than disapproval-worthy--and curls one of his massive hands around one of your considerably smaller ones. “Well, at any rate, I am glad you are here. I wanted to talk to you about something --it actually connects to ‘escapes,’ ironically enough.”

You cock your head to the side, beyond intrigued about whatever’s going to come out of his mouth next. “What’s up, big guy?”

He gazes down at your intertwined hands for a moment, gently running the pad of his thumb over the back of your hand. “I would... I would like to take you on date. Sometime this week.”

“...Really? You want to take me on a date?”

“Da. I want to spend time with you... without others interrupting.”

Well, you’ll be fucked if you’re going to argue with that. You say as much --grinning impishly when Piotr gives you the ‘language’ look--and lean in and kiss him on the cheek. “So, where are you gonna take me, handsome?”

“That is what I wanted to ask you about. I am... not sure where we should go --and you should have a say, too, since this is your first ever date.”

You swing your legs back and forth, heels knocking against the side of the chair as you consider your options. “I trust your instincts, Pete. I don’t think you could pick something that I wouldn’t like, considering that the main thing I want to do is spend time with you.” You can tell that the open-ended-ness of your answer makes him nervous, so you add in a few stipulations for his sake. “I guess... nothing to fancy or upscale. We could do that down the road, if you want, but I kind of just want to hang out and have a good time with you. And I’d rather not do anything at night, I guess. I’d just feel better if we were back here around dinner time.”

He nods --you know he’s taking all this seriously, it is him after all--and squeezes your hand. “Of course, dorogaya moya. Whatever makes you comfortable. Perhaps... lunch date on Wednesday? I can show you some of parks and shops nearby?”

You grin, warm and unbelievably happy. “That sounds perfect.”

The rest of the remaining time until Wednesday is spent trying to nail down the perfect date outfit. You have a several hour consultation with Neena, Yukio, and Ellie --and Wade, because he refuses to be left out of anything--a couple days before the big event to decide what constitutes a good ‘daytime, causal but not too casual lunch date that also includes walking around together.’

Wade got as far as recommending his ‘hooker heels’ as your shoes of choice --Ellie smacked him across the back of the head for that--before Neena kicked him out and took over like the wonderful big sister figure she was.

In the end, the four of you had settled on a soft black t-shirt with a faded Guns’n’Roses logo on the front, a camouflage skirt that fell mid-thigh, a denim vest to go over the shirt, and a pair of low-rise black Converse (considerately loaned to you by Ellie).

You stand in front of your bathroom mirror, carefully tying a red bandanna around your head to act as a headband. Once you’re satisfied with its position, you check over your make up (natural, at Ellie’s suggestion).

You're unexpectedly nervous. You know Piotr’s not going to judge you --or dismiss you--for how you choose to dress, but you really want him to find you pretty. You’re fiddling with your hair when the sound of someone clearing their throat at you catches your attention.

Ellie’s standing in your bedroom, watching you with her usual stoic expression. “He’s ready for you.”

You nod, and let out a nervous huff. “Okay. Show time.”

“Relax. You look fine.” The corner of her mouth turns up in the barest hint of a smile. “Have fun.”

You flash her a thankful smile before you dart out of your room, snatching up your purse as you go. You hurry down the stairs and practically skip out the front door, any nervousness you might have felt far outweighed by the excitement running through your veins.

Piotr’s out on the front drive, leaning against a sleek black car that oozes power and ‘I’m more expensive than your college payments.’ He’s dressed in jeans, nice sneakers, and a light-blue short sleeved button down shirt that he’s tucked into his pants. He smiles, soft and warm, when you dash towards him. “You look nice, myshka.”

“Thanks,” You say, a little breathless from your mad run out of the mansion. “Shall we go?”

He nods, bends to kiss your forehead, and opens your door like the consummate gentleman that he is. Once you’re safely tucked inside, he closes the door and walks over to the driver’s side. “I thought,” he says as he buckles himself in, “we could start by walking through one of the parks.”

You grin and can’t help but shiver a little as the car rumbles to life. “Sounds awesome.”

He drives to a quaint town a little over half an hour away from the mansion. Piotr parks by a lush, quiet park at the edge of the town and immediately gets out of the car to get your door for you.

You smile as you step out and breath in the fresh summer air. The park is filled with different bushes, trees, and outcroppings of flowers. You can hear a stream gurgling nearby, and birds chirp overhead. “This is perfect, Piotr. It’s so beautiful here.”

“This is one of my favorite places to come and draw when mansion is too chaotic. Close enough to be safe, but far enough to, ah, avoid Wade.”

“He’s not all bad.”

“Nyet. But he is... trying.”

You giggle up at him and latch on to his hand. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

The two of you amble through the park, not in any particular hurry to get anywhere. You’re happy to take your time, thoroughly relishing the way Piotr’s fingers sit so naturally between yours, how warm his hand is, the way his voice rumbles as the two of you talk, the soft, bashful smiles he keeps favoring you with whenever you look up at him...

It’s heaven, pure and simple.

“I can see why you like it here,” You say after a stretch of comfortable silence. “It’s peaceful. And gorgeous. What do you draw when you come here?”

“Landscapes, mostly, though I have started to sketch passersby as well.” He ducks his head and lets out a self-depreciating chuckle. “I am... not that talented with faces.”

“I’ve seen your sketch book, which leads me to believe that you’re probably selling yourself short.”

He shrugs and smiles at you. “Who can say? Art is subjective, after all.”

Eventually, you reach the end of the park and step into a stylish downtown area that boasts several locally owned shops and cafes. You meander down the streets with Piotr, stopping every so often to gaze through one of the windows or step inside and check out one of the stores. Your stomach starts gurgling after a while, to which Piotr chuckles and suggests that the two of you find some lunch.

You let him lead you down the street and into a sandwich shop, a mom and pop sort of a place. A college aged waitress with her hair pulled back into a ponytail greets the two of you with a sunny smile --though it’s largely directed at Piotr.

Not that you blame her, necessarily. Be honest. Who wouldn’t?

“I haven’t seen you here in a while,” she says as she picks up a couple menus. “I was wondering if you’d forgotten all about us.”

“Work was... hectic for a bit,” Piotr replies, tacitly side-stepping the fact that he’s a superhero and that his ‘work’ was babysitting a homicidal maniac.

“Story of my life. Who’s your friend? I don’t think I’ve seen her here before.”

“This is my girlfriend,” Piotr introduces you with a smile that absolutely glows. “I wanted to bring her here for our first date.”

The waitress’s sunny smile dims slightly, but she’s still polite. “Well, congratulations! I’ll make sure I sit you two somewhere a little more private so that you aren’t bothered by the noise or other patrons.”

You end up sitting at a table for two that’s by the front of the shop, out of the way of the incoming traffic. It’s well-lit, positioned by one of the store front windows, and provides an excellent view of the charming street outside. Your waitress takes your drink orders and leaves you with the menus, promising to return in a couple moments.

You peruse the menu at a leisurely pace, lulled into a temporary glowing calm by your time spent basking in his unfiltered affection. Fortunately, you know what you’re doing --the first time Wade took you off the mansion grounds you hadn’t had the foggiest idea of how to even order a meal for yourself. He’d taken it upon himself to catch you up on all the skills necessary to survive in the real world; as far as you’re concerned, it’s worked.

After a few minutes of studying, however, you come to the determination that you really don’t know what to order. None of the staples Wade’s introduced you to are on the menu, and --while everything looks good--you don’t know what to pick. You reach across the table and put your hand on Piotr’s. “Whats good here?”

“Everything. I usually order the grilled chicken and vegetable sandwich.”

You can’t help but grin. “Of course. Always the nutritionist.”

“It’s important to be healthy.”

“It is, it is. I’m not sure I’m feeling that virtuous, though.” You feel a flash of satisfaction at the way the tips of his ears turn red and return your focus to the menu in your hands. “The pulled-pork sandwich looks pretty good. I think I’ll go with that.”

Your waitress reappears a few moments later to take your orders --a grilled chicken and veggie sandwich with a fresh fruit side for him and a pulled pork sandwich and fries for you. She takes the menus and disappears into the kitchen, leaving the two of you alone.

Piotr takes your hands in his, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over your knuckles. “You look adorable today, myshka.”

You duck your head, smiling bashfully. “Thanks. You’re looking good as well --though that’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

His cheeks flush to a lovely rosy color. “Are you enjoying this?”

“Yeah. I really am. This has been really great; it’s nice that we don’t have to worry about Wade ambushing us.”

“Da.” He hesitates --his cheeks flush darker, which looks surprisingly good on him--then gives you a shy, hopeful look. “I want... to do more of this. A lot more.”

A rush of exhilaration runs through you, and you can’t help your excited smile. “Are you saying you want this --us--to be long term?”

“Da. I do.”

“I like the sound of that. I really, really like the sound of that.”

His returning smile is soft and pleased beyond all compare.

Lunch passes quickly --too quickly for your taste. It’s largely dominated by conversation, with occasional comfortable pauses. The two of you talk about your hopes and dreams, your opinions about the world around you, what you want for your futures...

It’s nice. You can’t remember the last time you were able to just spend time with him like this and be.

Whenever the conversation lulls for too long, you ask him to tell you about Russia. He obliges, happily, telling you about the farm he grew up on, his parents, and his sister.

Eventually, he’s covering the bill --upon his insistence, because he can’t not be a gentleman--and you realize that lunch is done and that your date time is quickly coming to a close. As you leave the restaurant, you beg him to show around the town for just a little longer --and he obliges you with literally no resistance whatsoever.

It’s sweet, and you love him for it, but you also have the distinct sense that he’s going to end up creating a bit of a monster out of you.

Towards the end of your stroll around the town, your attention’s snatched away by the distinct, sweet smell of sugar and chocolate. You whip your head around, searching for the source of the heavenly scent, and spy a small confections shop on the opposite corner. “There’s a candy store!” You swoon dramatically, leaning against Piotr as you press your hand against your forehead. “Suddenly, I feel faint! I think it can only be remedied by mass quantities of sugar and chocolate!”

He chuckles as he nudges you upright. “Would you like to go get something?”

“Yes... or, as you would say, da.”

He escorts you across the seat, looking both ways before the two of you cross --because safety, and, to be fair, you probably wouldn’t have if he wasn’t here. He gets the door for you --again, gentleman--and ushers you inside as a bell dings above your heads.

The inside of the shop is light, airy, and decorated in pastels. The far wall is lined with shelves of containers filled with novelty candies --gummy worms, jelly beans, taffies, and the like. Tables loaded with different pastries and treats dot the shop floor. The counter boasts an extensive display case holding dozens of different chocolate treats --and an ice cream cooler, which looks seriously tempting.

A middle aged woman dressed in a mint green polo and a black apron smiles at the two of you. “Hi! What brings you in?”

“My girlfriend wanted to check the shop out,” Piotr says with a smile.

“It was a matter of life and death, Piotr,” You insist cheekily. “I could’ve fainted! Or died!”

The woman chuckles. “Well, we’ve got a great selection of chocolates, candies, and pastries, along with our ice cream that we make in store. My name’s Melody; let me know if I can help you with anything.”

Piotr thanks Melody, but you’re already eyeing your options. You squeeze his hand to get his attention. “Can I get one of everything?”

“Uh, no,” he says with a laugh. “I didn’t bring that much cash with me.”

“I was kidding... mostly.”

The two of you amble around the shop --you because you’re taking your time to seriously evaluate your choices, Piotr because he’s content to follow you and finds your depth of concentration amusing.

Eventually, you decide that you want chocolate and you skip over to the display case.

It doesn’t do much to simplify your decision making process. There have to be at least fifty different types of chocolates in the case.

You smile at Melody. “So, what’s good?”

“Well, the obvious answer is ‘everything,’ but it really depends on your tastes. What do you normally like? Are you a purist, do you like a little crunch, are you a fan of chocolate a fruit combos...”

Your cheery smile dims slightly. Despite his best efforts, this was one area of food Wade hadn’t thoroughly indoctrinated you in. You honestly have no idea what you ought to like, but this seems like something that any normal person would have opinions on. “Uh... I don’t know, actually.” At Melody’s politely confused look, you ad-lib a little lie. “My parents were, uh, health nuts. They didn’t let me have chocolate growing up.”

“Gotcha,” Melody says. “Well, in that case, I’d recommend a covered fruit option; they’re not as rich as some of our other options, so you’re less likely to feel sick after eating ‘em.”

Piotr’s hand comes to rest on the small of your back as she goes through the options --a small but reassuring pressure; he knows how much talking about your parents bothers you. He kisses the top of your head and wraps his arm around your shoulders when you lean against him.

“So, do any of those strike your fancy?”

“Uh...” You peer at the trays of chocolate covered fruits. “I’d like to try... the chocolate covered strawberries.”

“Excellent. It’s one for $3.75 or four for $5.00.”

You smile up at Piotr. “Can I get four?”

“Da,” he murmurs as he kisses your temple. After a little good-natured pestering from you, he also asks for some fudge for himself.

You give him a mock --well, partially mock--incredulous look as Melody packages your orders. “Fudge? I would’ve thought you would’ve gone for something healthy, like the fruit.” You puff out your chest and drop your voice as deep as it will go in a fairly horrible impression of him. “Nutrition is important. Pizza is not breakfast food. Cheetos are not food in general.”

“It is guilty pleasure,” Piotr laughs as he pays for your treats. “And I don’t care what you say, moya lyubov’. Cheetos cannot be food; they don’t even taste like cheese!”

“That’s not the point! The point is that they are crunchy and delicious!”

Piotr simply shakes his head, still smiling, and takes your hand as you leave the shop.

The two of you settle on a bench in the park you started your date in to eat your treats. Piotr hands you your box of chocolate covered strawberries --tied shut with a cute gold ribbon--and a napkin before setting his small box of fudge --and a napkin--in his lap.

You open your box and carefully pick up one of the berries. You study it for a moment, shrug, and bite in.

The chocolate casing shatters.

You let out a squeak and lift your hand up to catch the pieces of runaway chocolate. “Is that supposed to happen?”

“Da.”

It takes a little fumbling, but you manage to stick most of the shards back to the strawberry. You carefully finish your first berry, trying to hold it ‘just so’ so that you don’t drop more chocolate on your skirt.

It’s delicious. Insanely so.

You let out a delighted moan as you start in to your next strawberry. “Where has this been my whole life?”

Piotr smiles as he watches you. “I take it you like them?”

“Oh, hell yeah. This is amazing. I’m going to punch Wade for not introducing these to me.” You take a moment to wipe your fingers on your napkin, then eye his box of fudge. “Mind if I try a bite of yours?”

“Sure.”

You take the chunk of fudge he offers you and --without much thought or consideration--pop the entire piece into your mouth.

A mistake --relatively speaking.

“Oh god,” you mumble around the fudge. “It’s so sweet.”

“That’s why I don’t get it too often.”

“Holy shit. I can actually feel the cavities forming.” You hold out one of your strawberries to him. “Do you want one?”

“No, but thank you, dorogaya moya.”

“Okay. Your loss.”

The two of you finish your treats in relative silence. Well, you finish your strawberries, devouring them with the voracity of a starved velociraptor. Piotr eats maybe a quarter of his fudge, then neatly closes the box and tucks it back in the bag ‘for later,’ like a responsible person would.

He’s such a dad type, and you absolutely adore him for it.

“Do have anything on my face?” You ask as you pat around your mouth with the napkin.

“I think you’re good.” He stand and holds his hand out to you. “We should probably go.”

“Yeah --just hang on a minute.” You hop to your feet, pop up onto your tiptoes, and tug him down by his shirt to give him a kiss.

It’s undeniably perfect. His hands settle at your waist, pulling you in slightly. His lips are soft and warm --and taste a little like fudge, which is excellent. Stack that with the overall glow you’re feeling from the date, and it’s the best damn kiss you’ve ever had.

 “I love you,” you murmur when the two of you part. “I really don’t want this to end.”

“I love you too, myshka. But we should probably go.”

“I know,” You groan. “I’ve just really enjoyed today.”

He practically beams down at you. “I’m glad. I had good time as well.”

You bump your head against his chest. “I want to come here again. I really like it out here.”

“We can do that. Whenever you want.”

“Awesome.” You wrap your arms around his massive waist in a hug and let out a happy sigh when he reciprocates. “But, yeah, we should head back. If we stay out any longer, Wade’s gonna take it a sign to set something on fire.”

Piotr stiffens in your arms at and mutters something under his breath in Russian. “Da. Not that I don’t love this --don’t love being here with you--but... da. We should make sure Wade doesn’t burn down house.”

You giggle and take his hand as he heads back to the car.

The drive back to the mansion is too short for your tastes --not from him speeding, because Piotr would never, but just from being engrossed in conversation with him and just being captivated by him in general.

Your heart aches slightly as the mansion comes into sight, officially marking the end of your date.

“I can drop you off at door,” Piotr offers as he pulls up the drive.

“And miss out on the precious minutes of walk time from the garage to the mansion? I think not.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yupp,” You answer, popping the ‘p.’ “To the garage, big guy!”

It only takes a couple of minutes to reach the garage, and less than that for Piotr to park and turn off the car, to your dismay. Before you’ve managed to collect your purse, he’s opening your door and helping you out of the car.

“Thanks for taking me out today. I had a great time.”

“My pleasure, dorogoy.” And then he stoops down and presses his lips against yours.

This kiss is different from the others you’ve shared today. For one, it’s more passionate --he’s holding you closer, kissing your harder. It also lasts much longer, like he doesn’t want to part from you until he absolutely has to.

Eventually, as all things must, the kiss does end.

You’re panting slightly when he pulls back. “Now, that’s what I’d call a proper ‘end of date’ kiss.”

Piotr ducks his head and smiles, cheeks flushed a gorgeous rosy color. “We should go inside.”

You walk with him to the house, still indescribably giddy from your date and the kiss in the garage. You step through the back door --Piotr gets the door for you again--and into the kitchen--

Wade is perched precariously on the counter, lighter in one hand and bottle of vodka with a rag sticking out the top in the other.

“Wade! No!”

You watch, endlessly amused, as your boyfriend surges forward and disarms your best friend.

It’s amazing that this is your life now --a mix of wonderful and crazy that you wouldn’t trade for the world.

You laugh as Wade pouts at Piotr and decide to join the chaos.

[theultimateegghead-blog]

Modest Media Game Reviews 50 post special!                                    Dark Souls

Game – Dark Souls Year of Release – 2011 Developer – FromSoftware Publisher - Namco Bandai Rated - Mature Platforms - PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch For all sakes and purposes, I have played the PAL region version of the PS3 prepare to die edition. Which in turn means I played the DLC.

Dark Souls, an epic dark fantasy action rpg legendary for its harsh and punishing game play. Dark Souls is tied with Metal Gear Solid 3 and The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess as my favorite games of all time. I adore this game and have achieved every trophy/achievement there is in this game. However, as a reviewer I will do my best not to nerd out over this title. With that being said, be warned, Im likely to praise this game like how Solaire praises the sun. Are you ready to go on this adventure with me?

Gameplay – Dark Souls is a very challenging and punishing game with a steep learning curve. Even the simplest enemies can kill the chosen undead if they are not careful. The main character has stats that can be leveled up by the player, certain equipment is locked behind stat requirements, which will in turn cause players to adopt certain playstyles. Players who invest in strength, endurance and vitality can become heavy hitting tanks. Players who invest in intelligence, faith and attunement can become powerful mages. The character style, skills and weapon choice are up to the player. The game has bonfires which act as checkpoints, when the player dies they respawn at the bonfire they last rested at. While the distance between bonfires can be large, shortcuts can be opened to make subsequent run throughs easier. Upon defeating enemies and bosses, players acquire souls. Souls serve as both currency and experience, so in some situations you might choose to upgrade a weapon as opposed to leveling up. Most enemies respawn upon the players death or resting at a bonfire, so there will be no shortage in soul fodder. Players may use items discovered over the game via a hot bar. Some items include the estus flask which can restore health, firebombs and throwing knives and special mosses that can cure status effects. This game has a fair share of bosses to challenge you. Some bosses are big and slow while others are small and fast. This game pulls no punches with its bosses so don’t be afraid to look up guides or summon help. Summoning, ah yes, the player has the ability to summon npc’s or even other players to help them fight a boss. To do so, the player must be in human state, which means that they will not appeared zombified and will be granted access to multiplayer. However, some players can invade you and will attempt to kill you. Nobody likes a red phantom coming along to ruin their day. The games level design is generally fantastic, though some areas are frustrating. This is because the game was rushed towards the end of development, leading to a dip in quality at late game areas. In the end though the game quality does not disappoint. It is versatile, challenging and a rewarding experience. It may be frustrating at times but persevere and you will taste victory. Score – 18/20

Graphics – The graphics are ok, but I would not say they are perfect. While the world is beautiful and diverse, some areas have frame rate issues and clipping or low-quality textures. This sadly can impact gameplay, especially in blightown where the frame rate can chug at points. Character models are well designed, but most models lack a talking animation. This is easily ignored however given the fact that you aren’t meant to see the npc’s faces up close. Some later areas have visual stigmas about them that impact the game, such as lost Izalith’s harshly glowing lava. Because of the fact that these issues can impact gameplay I cannot give a perfect score, but I would say that it is a pretty game and overall looks very nice. Score – 8/10

Story – The game shines here with a unique way to tell the story. The majority of what is needed to know is presented in the opening cutscene and presented over the course of the game as well. At face value the story is this… You are a special undead warrior that has been chosen to succeed the lord of Sunlight Gwyn. In order to do so you must travel all over the land defeating bosses in an attempt to prove yourself worthy of entering the final area of the game. At that point you will determine the fate of the world. Simple enough, but then there comes the item lore. Every drop, every piece of armor, every boss soul has lore attached to it. This lore is hidden and must be sought out by the players through reading descriptions or talking to npcs. Various npcs have their own personal stories that you can play a part in. Each location is rich in backstory. With the DLC mounted even more is explored and some of the most massive plot points of the souls trilogy, such as the abyss, is discussed. The notion of right and wrong is subjective and a majority of the story is up to the player to piece together. While some might say it’s a shoddy way to tell a story, I disagree and think it fits the theme of the game nicely. The lore is for you, the player, to discover. Because of this the game has very few cutscenes, allowing for a more smooth immersive experience. Score – 10/10

Replay Value – Subjectively high. In order to obtain everything, all boss weapons and all trophies, the game must be beaten at least 2 and a half times. While for a huge fan such as myself this is no problem, to the casual player, one playthrough might just be enough. So, it really comes down to this, are you willing to go on another long adventure to see the second ending? Or to get a boss weapon you missed? Is it worth the effort to beat the game twice for the platinum? If you answered yes then you will have a good time, if no then you will probably be satisfied after beating the game once. While your stats and most items carry over to new game plus, there is no content locked behind NG+ other than boss weapons or potential secrets that you skipped or missed. However, it might be worth the time anyway, as this game still has a good challenge to offer. Score – 4/5

Music – Wonderful. One of my favorite osts. In this game the majority of music is of the bosses. The only area with background music is the hub, firelink shrine. The music can be haunting and atmospheric, such as Sif’s theme. It can be bombastic and intense, such as Ornstein and Smough’s theme, or it can be beautiful and somber such as Gwyn’s theme. The music tells part of the story and sets the mood for each event that accompanies the song.  When music is not playing, the levels have ambiance to fill in the void, or it can just be hauntingly silent. Sometimes a crow will caw or a monster will moan in the distance. The world plays a role in the sound design almost as much as the music. I would totally recommend a listen. Score – 5/5

Overall – A truly fantastic game that has brought me many hours of joy. From awesome boss fights to amazing lore and world building. It has great music, a great atmosphere and a well-designed game world that gives a unique open world experience. This game is not for everyone, it is challenging, and can be downright cruel to novice players. This is all part of the experience, to say this game is hard would be true. However, I would not say this game is as insanely unbeatable as many make it out to be. Do not let your guard down though, this game tends to punish those who do… Score – 9/10 - Amazing

One thing this game could improve on – Magic rebalance. Magic can be ridiculously overpowered in this game and can quickly render a melee-oriented build obsolete. If you desire the true dark souls experience, then avoid abusing magic attacks.

This review marks my 50th post. I am proud of my work so far and plan to continue doing so for those of you who enjoy it. See you next time.

[breegullbeakreviews]

Summary: Take on the ultimate power at the ultimate cost in order to save your clan from destruction in the remaster of the previously XBLA exclusive 2D stealth action epic: Mark of the Ninja.

Overall: Mark of the Ninja is a must play game for fans of stealth games. It uses a 2D playing field to set the standard for what a stealth game can be while telling a great story at the same time. This game is worth its price tag on any platform.

Story: Mark of the Ninja is the story of a clan if ninjas in modern day Japan. In order to strike back at a group of mercenaries who sought to take them out, the nameless protagonist has taken on the Mark of the Ninja, a tattoo done with a special ink that grants extraordinary abilities at the cost of the individuals mind. The ink will slowly drive the wearer insane so it makes sense you have a partner joining you. Both in game play and in narrative this device is used brilliantly. For the narrative it gives an immediate ticking clock element and in regards to some of the late game revelations it allows for some unique twists and turns and moral questions as the player dances with what will remain once they are gone.

The game uses its few cut scenes in partner with a small cast of characters and dialogue to tell a rather effective story that follows the typical Hollywood three act structure. The tutorial is a fitting prologue and each act is partnered with a new setting. I wouldn’t call the story Hollywood quality or anything, but for what little story telling the game has, it pays off big time. The end of the story is great and something that lets successive play throughs have something more to look at. Good twists leave things just as interesting as they were prior if not more so.

Gameplay: As I stated earlier each act of the story has a new setting. On top of that you receive a new ink power during each act. Each has a catch however. At the very start of the game you can hold LT to stop time and aim up to three items to be deployed when you release that trigger. The catch is that one of the unlock-able costumes disables this ability. The second ability allows you to see enemies through any surface as well as the wires behind any traps or electrical circuits. The catch is time doesn’t stop when you use it. The final ability allows you to teleport, but it is only usable when you select a specific costume which removes your ability to use nonlethal items.

Now speaking of that last power I need to discuss its introductory level and how it is counter intuitive to the rest of the game’s design. Mark of the Ninja is about player choice. Outside tutorials and your targets, killing is optional, your approach to each objective is pretty open, and what gear you bring with you is also really open ended. The large exception is the mission the teleportation move is unlocked. You are stripped of all but this move and you’re throwing darts. Other levels may let you get around such restrictions on subsequent play throughs, but this level doesn’t let that happen. An early obstacle cannot be passed without teleportation. As a result I’ve never replayed this level. If the game has one misstep it’s this choice.

As for the gameplay it is a 2D stealth game where players navigate obstacles in the form of various security methods to complete objectives on your way to deal with targets. For instance the tutorial ends with you having to explore a building freeing our captures Ninja brethren while a later level will have you disabling power to a building or closing off exit routes. While these include a lot of simple get from A to B objectives, the areas and equipment load outs let the player explore with a great degree of freedom.

The player slowly unlocks a wide array of items, costumes, and maneuvers. The moves and items are mostly unlocked by spending medals. Each level contains 9. Three for achieving a certain score, one for each of the three scrolls, and one for each of the three bonus objectives. It is not to difficult to earn all 9 in one play through, though this will limit your options of play. The moves are mostly for killing, but the items are a balance between lethal and non-lethal. Almost all of these can be upgraded as well.

The scoring system is polarizing. The player earns a bonus for no kills or detections at the end of the level, and that’s usually equivalent to the amount of points you’d receive for killing everyone in the level. This means you get more points for sticking with one style of play for a whole level. That’s not particularly difficult to do in some levels, but in others it can be limiting. Certain enemy types require equipment to kill which makes a pacifist approach almost always the easier option if simply because it is always an option.

Now it may sound like I’m nitpicking a lot, and I am, but when it comes to the bones of this game I have no complaints. Mark of the Ninja has more or less perfected instant visual feedback in a stealth game. Part of that is because the game is built on a lot of easily visualizable true or false scenarios. The player is either in the shadows or he isn’t. While like most games this is shown via a character icon in the corner, here it is also shown on the player ninja. As soon as they step out of the shadows the ninja’s costume shows it’s vibrant blues and reds. All enemies have a view cone and their flashlights have the same. Anything that makes a sound creates a ring emanating out from the source and showing who will hear it. The player view is also limited to what the player could realistically see. So you can’t see through walls and doors or under ledges unless you peer over them which will limit your view in other ways. All of these are tweaked for further realism in the games new game plus mode. These systems all work together to let the player quickly know what’s what and it feels really empowering.

Art: The visual feedback wouldn’t work without the visuals, and even prior to the remaster they were stunning. The game is built using a series repeated tiles and interior objects, but I barely even noticed. Every environment is built in such a way that you instantly know your options and any reused assets always make sense.

The visual elements that give the player quick feedback also are brilliant in design. Sound rings are white or blur and always stand out from the background while the outline of where you last saw a guard is in a bold red. The area a guard is looking at is highlighted in a gold circle, and every one of these elements stand out from the background.

I’d also be remiss to not talk about the character art and cut scenes. They are gorgeous. It has a sort of cell shaded Samurai Jack vibe to the characters. The animation is super fluid and each level starts and ends with around 30 seconds of animation to set the stage.

Remaster: Mark of the Ninja was originally published by Microsoft. As a result the original title and its oddly named “Special Edition” DLC were exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PC. Now the game is finally available on multiple platforms like Nintendo Switch and Play Station 4, though owners of the original game will be happy to know that owning the base game will let you upgrade to the remaster on the same platform or it’s successor for $5, and if you own the DLC as well the remaster is free. The achievement list has also obtained updated game score values to double the total to a full thousand.

The visuals all around gave been updated to run in 4K on platforms that support it. This includes the cut scenes which considering they are animated wasn’t a guarantee.

Including the original’s DLC was an obvious choice. This added in a lengthy new level set in the past where you play as Dosan and defend the source of the special ink from the security force that discovered what they were protecting. The initial play through forces you to use this new non-lethal costume, but also unlocks a new distraction and attack item. Moths can stun enemies and block lights without breaking them while the fungus turn the body it hits into an instant kill for the first person to check on it. The level itself is great and the fact that all of these new tools can be brought into the main game is great. The other major addition is developer commentary. Once turned on in the options you can hit little speech bubbles in the environment to make the info pop up in game. You can also just read them in the pause menu, but that doesn’t work for the achievements. They can get into spoilers so leave them off for your first run through.

[lilacskyent-blog]

Breakfast with Alex Wex

People have a million opinions and false facts about the digital world we live in today, and even more about social media. For a lot of people, they use platforms like Instagram and Twitter to follow celebrities, and some use it to bully celebrities. Most forget that that connection can also be used for good. We live in a world of amazing accessibility and, when used properly, could foster a wonderful connection between people. A prime example of this is the Will Smith Jump event that took the internet by storm, that all started with a video message. It’s incredible what can happen when you reach out to people. That was the main thought in my mind before sitting down with Alex Wex yesterday. Alex Wex is an amazing Twitch streamer, and until recently, was a producer for FBE and REACT on Youtube. As of this interview, Alex Wex has fostered a wonderful community through Twitch and Discord known as the Jank Squad, and recently broke his view count record at 210 viewers for his birthday stream, also hitting close to 600 subscribers. Given that I was in Atlanta and he was in LA we couldn’t actually meet for breakfast like I usually do so we had an amazing video chat instead.

So for starters, I just want to thank you for sitting down with me. I’ve been following your work since I first saw you on FBE and I think you’re an awesome dude so thanks. I wanna start at the very beginning because I’m really interested in your story. So, I know you went to high school in Atlanta, GA. What can you tell me about that?

I was actually born in Manhattan, my family moved to Atlanta around pre-K and I lived there up until I graduated from Riverwood High School. All my friends wanted to go to UGA or Georgia Tech but I was really interested in traveling and branching out, so I went to Ohio for college, and now I live in L.A. I made some truly amazing friends in Atlanta, and having this kind of east coast, south culture mixture has made life pretty interesting.

When did you know you wanted to work in entertainment, and what led to you becoming a producer?

When I was a kid, my family liked to record family videos, and I always wanted to see the recording. I had the eye for production pretty early. Once I started high school I got involved in performing, did Grease, The Wiz, and a few other school plays that got me interested in the performance aspect as well. In college, I majored in video production with a minor in film and sociology so I gained real knowledge of the art that happens behind the camera.

How does one go from school in Atlanta to working at FBE?

As I mentioned before I went to college at Ohio University, what got me was their video production department. I actually still work with the head of the department and speak to the alumni when they come here, advising them on some dos and don'ts. As a graduation gift, my Dad gave me an all expense paid trip to anywhere I wanted to go in the U.S for a few days and I chose L.A. So I was here, hanging out with my current roommate Johnny and we just decided to come out here permanently and live the dream. So I packed up my car and drove from Atlanta to LA and started looking for internships while working at Chipotle.I first joined FBE as an intern, then got hired as a PA and eventually was a writer for some of their scripted shows, and I worked my way up until I was offered the producer position. I loved producing because that involved every aspect of working behind the camera, from writing to filming to editing and seeing the baby from birth to fully grown. Being in front of the camera came back when FBE launched the community team and started streaming on Twitch.

Watching Alex grow on YouTube, putting reactors in hilarious challenges, eat crazy concoctions and brave some insane hot sauces that would make Sean Evans proud, his personality radiates through the screen. His passion for both sides of the camera is clear in the quality of every video he makes. However, taking part in one of his Twitch streams gives you an even more full experience. It’s like the difference between a teaser trailer and a full film.

Freddy or Jason?

Freddy is my favorite in Dead By Daylight but I love Jason, in fact, Friday the 13th was the first game I ever streamed. I’d have to say, Jason.

So, we were in high school in the baby years of YouTube, I mostly used it for music videos and anime, I think back then I only followed Phil Defranco and Timothy Delaghetto consistently. Back then, did you ever look at YouTube and think “this is going to revolutionize the world and turn traditional media on its head?”

Yeah, it’s changed everything. Almost every network has a YouTube channel now. Late night shows and things like SNL upload segments that get massive amounts of views. YouTube is still growing, testing out its premium service and channel enrollment and things like that, but it’s exciting to see where it’s going to end up.

It’s even crazier when you think about how much Twitch has already changed the game.

Definitely, I mean we’ve seen what happens when some of the top YouTube creators come over to Twitch and realize that it’s completely different from what they’re used to. It’s more like an improv radio show, you have to be on for two or three hours and avoid dead air, rather than being able to edit something together. It’s hard to be constantly entertaining when you're used to delivering a finished edit rather than a live audience. For example, Logan Paul had over 100,000 people in his first stream but after that, the numbers dropped just cause that’s not his world. Live Streaming is a constant conversation. It’s the opposite of YouTube.

I remember seeing YouTubers flood to Twitch after the adpocalypse and feeling like it made no sense. A lot of vloggers and creators who never expressed any interest in video games were all suddenly obsessed with Fortnite. However, when people like Alex Wex came to Twitch they brought genuine love of gaming, skill, and a great sense of community.

What insight can you give into the world of a producer? Especially on the internet, how to figure out what videos are gonna get views or go viral?

It’s a case by case basis depending on what you make. With Challenge Chalice, we made it during the high point of internet challenges and we had consistent challenges to make content with constantly, but this past year challenges have kinda quieted down so that got more difficult. We revisited and revised a lot of earlier challenges to make them more interesting, and that has to do with being present during every step of the process. You can’t slack off on anything, from script to editing. Being organized is key, and definitely take on the ideas and criticisms of the people working with you. Be flexible and open-minded. It’s not about balance, it’s about harmony.

3 Breakfast must haves?

Bacon

Grits

Belgian Waffles are incredible

Hack-n-slash? RPG? Or FPS? And why?

That’s complicated. Overwatch is one of my favorite games but it doesn’t play exactly like an FPS. For me, hack-n-slash for games like Dead Cells, Rogue Lights, I love games with massive replay value. I’m playing Diablo 3 on switch right now and I love it.

What games are best for streaming? Does the game you play matter?

A little, but it shouldn’t be everything. You want your audience to gravitate towards your personality. Never play something you don’t enjoy playing. I love Overwatch and it’s not one of the current hot stream games but I love playing it. Story games are complicated. If people miss parts of story mode games they tune it out cause they won’t know what’s going on. More than anything put your own spin on what you’re doing. For example, when I do Dead By Daylight I do stream vs chat where my chat helps the survivors escape if I’m playing the killer. In fact, chatting streams are starting to really blow up. It’s more about the person playing than the game they play.

What game has you hype for 2019?

That’s tough, but probably Kingdom Hearts 3. I’m excited for Smash Bros for my last game of 2018 too.

What led you to Twitch?

I’d seen some of it, but Tom had been doing it for 6 months and kept suggesting it until one day I finally did. I had a decent setup with an ultra-wide monitor and Tom’s old video capture device and I started streaming Dead by Daylight. We actually came into the name Jank Squad because of how janky the streams were in the beginning.

What led you to leave FBE and what are you working on now?

I wanted to focus more on my Twitch, and it was exhausting streaming at work on the days when I’m also streaming at home. I wanted to give my audience the most energy I could and be more involved with them as a community. I’m creating new ways to interact with my audience, more active in my Discord, and after working there for 5 years I felt stuck. There wasn’t any new learning experience and things felt a little sour and monotonous with the new direction things were going in. I’m actually getting a new camera and a green screen to upgrade the stream quality. I’d love to make partner with Twitch.

What’s the dream?

I take things to step by step. I’m definitely in a transition right now. I’m looking for another good full-time job at the moment. I’d love to be a full-time streamer but I’d also love to produce my own stuff and then stream after work. Streaming is probably one of the most consistent things I’ve ever done. Funny enough, that’s part of what got me into it cause Tom knew my leisure activity was video games, and streaming just takes that to another level. It definitely takes work, but the community you foster on this platform is unlike any other with the rating system and how everything is set up.

Alright so the zombie apocalypse is upon us and you can have 1 mortal character, one god tier video game character, and one Reactor in your survival squad, who you got?

Kratos from God of War 2 causes his chain blades would tear through everything, my regular would be Leon from Resident Evil 4 cause his aim is amazing and he’s used to zombies, and my Reactor would be Chelsea cause she knows so much about The Walking Dead. That’s my squad.

East Coast or West Coast

East, it’s where I was born and bred.

Top 10 songs or artists on your playlist right now?

Meek Mill- Intro with the amazing Phil Collins sample

Tyler the Creator’s Grinch is great for the holidays

The Cool-Lupe Fiasco

Chance The Rapper’s new songs

Paramore- Ain’t It Fun

You come from the same city I did with only a two year age difference, and you’re the first brown face I saw in relation to FBE and now you’re killing it on Twitch. Do you know how dope you are?

I appreciate that. I like to think I’m dope in some ways but I also do my best to keep it real, keep myself humble, and not letting the numbers get to my head. I hope everyone thinks they’re fucking awesome, cause they are. I have my good and bad days but I like to look at what has been built and keep grinding. Everyone is on a different time stream. I don’t want to rush things, I’m on my own path, and right now I just wanna build this community.

I for one, am excited to see what comes next from Alex Wex, including his stream later this week. You can find him @ItsMrWex

-Strawberry Smirk of Lilac Sky Entertainment

[your-dietician]

Best 4th of July weekend sales at Best Buy

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/health/best-4th-of-july-weekend-sales-at-best-buy/

Best 4th of July weekend sales at Best Buy

We may receive commission from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Best Buy’s 4th of July weekend sale is going strong and the savings are so deep! (Photo: Getty Images)

Folks, it’s been quite a year (make that 16 months!), making this 4th of July feel like an “independence day” in more ways than one. How to celebrate? We have a lot of catching up to do. Surf, sand, pool, play — sure. But also shopping. This weekend brings some of the best deals of the season. Ready to upgrade and save big on the latest and greatest in tech? You’ve come to the right place. 

The retailer’s massive 4th of July Sale is dropping deep discounts on just about everything — from 4K TVs and wireless headphones to smart-home gear and kitchen appliances. The savings are massive this weekend, so treat yourself and scoop up what you need (or just really, really want) before it sells out. 

We’ve rounded up the top offerings at Best Buy’s big 4th of July Sale, with prices starting at just $10. Scroll and shop below:

Best TV sales

In case you need that summer vacation to the Rockies to be virtual, Sony’s latest and greatest is $250 off. (Photo: Best Buy)

On sale for $900 (down from $1,150), this Sony 65-inch Class X80J Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV is the latest from this iconic manufacturer. Its massive 65-inch 4K display delivers images you can practically reach out and touch. Sony’s state-of-the-art Processor X1 powers this beauty for true-to-life visuals, while HDR (High Dynamic Range) settings make sure colors stay bright and black levels stay, well, black.

“This is an excellent product. We upgraded our TV to this Sony,” raved a five-star Best Buy reviewer. “The picture is great. Our last TV was a 65-inch, so side-by-side this TV is a definite upgrade. The sound system is great and the Smart TV process is very responsive to our wireless internet connection. The TV connected to my phone and the voice recognition was simple to set up….”

While some streaming TVs come with Fire TV or Roku built-in, this Sony 65-inch 4K stunner features Google TV. This means you’ll have instant access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube, Prime Video and more, but you’ll also get a wide range of gaming apps like NBA Jam, Fortnite and Crossy Road — you won’t get that with a standalone Fire TV or Roku device. Just sync a wireless gaming controller via Bluetooth and you’re all set to get your game on. 

Story continues

Check out more TV sales below:

Insignia 43-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $280 (was $320), bestbuy.com

Insignia 50-inch Class F30 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $350 (was $380), bestbuy.com

Sony 55-inch Class X80J Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV, $750 (was $950), bestbuy.com

Hisense 60-inch Class A6G Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Android TV, $450 (was $490), bestbuy.com

LG 65-inch Class CX Series OLED 4K Ultra HD Smart webOS TV, $2000 (was $2,200), bestbuy.com

Samsung 65-inch Class QN85A Series Neo QLED 4K Ultra HD Smart Tizen TV, $2,000 (was $2,200), bestbuy.com

Hisense 70-inch Class A6G Series LED 4K UHD Smart Android TV, $670 (was $700), bestbuy.com

Samsung 70-inch Class 7 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Tizen TV, $680 (was $750), bestbuy.com

Best home audio sales 

These Samsung Galaxy Buds+ will outperform your Airpods, and for much less. How do you like them apples? (Photo: Best Buy)

It’s easy to get distracted by quirky design flourishes and exotic add-ons, but at the end of the day, earbud shoppers know it’s all about delivering excellent audio. That, and getting them at a great price. Well, get ready to check both boxes: These Samsung Galaxy Buds+ — on sale for $100, or $50 off, at Best Buy — offer crisp, clear sound and punchy bass. The battery life is amazing: You’ll get 11 hours per charge, plus an additional 11 hours with the included wireless charging case. That’s nearly a full day of use! In a pinch? An hour of playback requires just a three-minute quick boost. You’ll love this feature when you’re about to go for a run and your buds are at zero.

Calls sound crystal-clear thanks to three microphones that reduce ambient background noise even if you’re in a busy location. “Good sound quality and noise cancelation can silence a barking dog,” shared a Best Buy fan. Woof!

Check out more home audio sales below:

Insignia RF Wireless Over-the-Ear Headphones, $100 (was $120), bestbuy.com

Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones, $10 (was $20), bestbuy.com

LG Tone Flex HBS-XL7 Wireless In-Ear Headphones, $130 (was $150), bestbuy.com

Sony WF-SP800N True Wireless Noise-Cancelling In-Ear Headphones, $98 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Google Pixel Buds, $130 (was $180), bestbuy.com

JBL Club One Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones, $250 (was $350), bestbuy.com

Samsung HW-Q65T 7.1ch Sound bar, $400 (was $500), bestbuy.com

LG 5.1 ch High-Res Audio Sound Bar, $400 (was $450), bestbuy.com

Best tablet and smartphone sales

We haven’t seen a tablet presentation this impressive since Moses came down from the mountain. (Photo: Best Buy)

Been hankering to expand your computer arsenal with a tablet without going into hock? Here’s the deal you’ve been waiting for. On sale for $180 (was $230), the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 weighs just over a pound and features 32GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSD card). That’s got it all over Apple’s entry level tablet, which isn’t expandable. And unlike the iPad, the Tab A7’s 10.4-inch display has a full HD widescreen for immersive viewing.

Also out-Apple-ing Apple? The A7’s camera set is better than the one that comes with the iPad. It has an eight-megapixel selfie cam with a five-megapixel rear shooter on the front for video calls. “Mostly use for mobile gaming. Tried to play PS4 remote play, and it worked,” reported a satisfied gamer. “Sound is great and build quality is better than iPad. Speed is seamless.”

Score the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 in gray and gold.

Check out more tablet and smartphone sales below:

OnePlus 8T 5G, $500 (was $600), bestbuy.com

Google Pixel 4a, $300 (was $350), bestbuy.com

Motorola Moto G Power, $130 (was $250), bestbuy.com

Samsung Galaxy Tab A, $120 (was $150), bestbuy.com

Surface Pro X, $800 (was $1,000), bestbuy.com

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus, $160 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Motorola Moto G Power, $70 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Microsoft Surface Duo, $700 (was $1,500), bestbuy.com

Best gaming sales

Grab a controller and make these your Dogs days of summer. (Photo: Best Buy)

Just because it’s fun-in-the-sun season doesn’t mean you won’t need to keep yourself flush with new gaming challenges. We’ve found a great one. Watch Dogs: Legion for Xbox One (also compatible with Xbox Series X) is now on sale for nearly 70 percent off — down from $60 to just $20. This action/adventure game and third installment in the franchise from Ubisoft takes place in a near future where London is on the verge of collapse. All-seeing surveillance state and private military are in control, while the fate of the city is in the hands of DedSec, a hacker group that wants to fight back for freedom. It’s as fun as it sounds, and an absolute steal at this price.

“This game is very fun to play,” raved a happy gamer. “The setting is amazing and the attention to detail makes it better…. I bought this for my grandson and he absolutely loved the story so much, he accidentally stayed up all night long playing the game. He said the storyline is very interesting and fun to complete. He also says he likes the fact that you get to choose strangers off the streets to work on your team. He has always loved technology so he absolutely loves this game and this view of what the future might be like.”

Check out more gaming sales below:

NBA 2K21 (PS4), $20 (was $30), bestbuy.com

SanDisk 400GB microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card for Nintendo Switch, $100 (was $180), bestbuy.com

Borderlands 3 (Xbox One), $10 (was $30), bestbuy.com

Dying Light: Anniversary Edition, $25 (was $40), bestbuy.com

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Nintendo Switch), $20 (was $60), bestbuy.com

Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection, $20 (was $40), bestbuy.com

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition (Xbox Series X), $15 (was $40), bestbuy.com

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Xbox One), $30 (was $60), bestbuy.com

Best smart home sales

It’s time for an alarm clock that’ll have you starting the day plugged in, wised up and entertained. (Photo: Best Buy)

It’s 2021 — shouldn’t you be asking a bit more from your alarm clock? Elevate the mundane with the Lenovo Smart Clock. It’s powered with Google Assistant for seamless syncing to a smartphone. It can rouse you with your favorite tunes, the weather, calendar reminders and that podcast you love. 

“Replaced my old alarm clock and a Google mini speaker with one device,” shared a savvy Best Buy shopper. “…I tell it good night when I am ready for bed and it turns off my lights, tells me the weather tomorrow and what is on my calendar the next day just like a Google Mini can do. Plus the clock face can show the current temperature along with the time.”

Really, who couldn’t use all the help they can get rousing themselves from bed in the morning? So why not let the Lenovo Smart Clock do it in digital style, and for just $40 (down from $80) at Best Buy?

Check out more smart home sales below:

Google Nest Wi-Fi Mesh Router (AC2200) (two-pack), $189 (was $269), bestbuy.com

Google Nest Hello Smart Wi-Fi Video Doorbell, $150 (was $230), bestbuy.com

Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera Security (three-pack), $500 (was $600), bestbuy.com

Google Nest Learning Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat, $200 (was $250), bestbuy.com

TP-Link Kasa Spot Cam, $40 (was $60), bestbuy.com

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, $170 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker, $35 (was $50), bestbuy.com

Linksys Max-Stream AC1300 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 5 Router, $70 (was $100), bestbuy.com

Best vacuum sales

Trust us, this Dyson is a beast — save $100! (Photo: Best Buy)

The Dyson Outsize Total Clean Vacuum, which is on sale for $750, or $100 off at Best Buy, may not look like a power force, but this lightweight and cordless stick vacuum is actually a heavy-duty, deep-cleaning beast. It’s a Dyson, after all, so it’s built for powerful suction — but this one is also nimble and versatile enough to navigate the tightest corners. It even has a digital display that features a countdown clock, so you’ll always know when it’s going to run out of juice.

“The hands-down best cordless on the planet,” raved a delighted shopper. “I must say this vacuum is impressive and nothing short of amazing! This Dyson oozes sophistication and innovation while checking all the right boxes for corded vacuum replacement. This vacuum is the gold standard…. Be prepared to be shocked and in awe of the power and efficiency of this cleaning powerhouse. The real-time performance and battery gauge are extremely welcomed to this wireless cleaning solution.”

Check out more robotic vacuum sales below:

iRobot Roomba i3 (3150) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $350 (was $400), bestbuy.com

bObsweep bObi Classic Robot Vacuum & Mop, $394 (was $750), bestbuy.com

iRobot Braava jet m6 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Mop, $400 (was $450), bestbuy.com

Shark AI Robot VacMop Pro RV2001WD, $350 (was $480), bestbuy.com

iRobot Roomba i3+ (3550) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $550 (was $600), bestbuy.com

Shark AI Robot Vacuum RV2001, $300 (was $450), bestbuy.com

iRobot Roomba s9+ (9550) Robot Vacuum & Braava jet m6 (6112) Robot Mop bundle, $1,349 (was $1,550), bestbuy.com

Best home office sales

It’s two computers in one! Tablet or laptop, as you please. (Photo: Best Buy)

On sale for $249 (was $299), the sleek, incredibly thin Lenovo Chromebook Duet is more than just a laptop. It has a brilliant 10.1-inch Full HD touchscreen display (at 1920 x 1200 resolution) that works as a tablet but also attaches to its included keyboard case via Bluetooth for when you want laptop functionality. And shoppers love its long 10-hour battery life too.

“The device is lightweight. The screen is sharp, colorful, and bright,” shared a satisfied Best Buy shopper. “The keyboard has a very good feel, and the adjustment to it was very quick for me. The tablet by itself is very light — a joy to hold and use for long periods…The battery life is insane…”

Chromebook runs the latest version of ChromeOS, so you know you’ll get speedy results. And unlike Windows 10 or macOS laptops, with long loading times and complicated app downloads, you just log in to your Gmail account via Google Chrome and you’re good to go.

Check out more home office sales below:

Samsung Galaxy 4K Chromebook, $799 (was $999), bestbuy.com

Vankyo Leisure 3W Wireless Mini Projector, $80 (was $120), bestbuy.com

Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360, $1,350 (was $1,500), bestbuy.com

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go, $630 (was $700), bestbuy.com

Epson EcoTank ET-M3170 Wireless Monochrome All-in-One SuperTank Printer, $350 (was $500), bestbuy.com

Canon imageCLASS D570 Wireless Black-and-White All-In-One Laser Printer, $150 (was $230), bestbuy.com

Epson EcoTank ET-3710 Wireless All-In-One Inkjet Printer, $310 (was $380), bestbuy.com

WD Easystore 5TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive, $110 (was $180), bestbuy.com

Best kitchen sales

At just $60, this baby will pay for itself with all the greasy, yucky oil you won’t have to buy. (Photo: Best Buy)

Sure, it’s barbecue season, but you can never have enough home-cooking convenience, amirite? On sale for $60 (was $120), the Insignia Digital Air Fryer lets you fry, roast or bake your favorite foods at temperatures up to 400 degrees — whip up anything from chicken to veggies to breaded tilapia!

The large five-quart basket can hold up to five servings, so it’s great for having friends over for hangouts. Its timer features automatic shutoff, so you’ll never have to stress about burning your food or blowing up your electric bill. This air fryer also has a sleek stainless steel finish with an easy-to-navigate digital display, while its basket and pan are dishwasher-safe, so fewer dirty dishes to worry about. If you’ve ever deep-fried something in oil you know how messy your counter and walls can get, but not when using this baby! 

“I absolutely love this item,” reported a savvy shopper. “In the beginning, I thought it would be difficult to use and that it would dry my food out. Surprisingly, it’s really easy to operate and it keeps the food flavored after it’s complete. I have several other recipes I want to try with my air fryer. I can’t wait!”

Check out more kitchen sales below:

Margaritaville Bahamas Countertop Blender and Frozen Concoction Maker, $160 (was $210), bestbuy.com

Ninja Foodi, $200 (was $230), bestbuy.com

Frigidaire Mini Fridge with built-in Freezer, $179 (was $265), bestbuy.com

KitchenAid Pro 5 Plus 5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, $430 (was $500), bestbuy.com

Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, $130 (was $170), bestbuy.com

Bella Pro Series Combo 19-Bar Espresso and 10-Cup Drip Coffee Maker, $150 (was $200), bestbuy.com

Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer, $89 (was $129), bestbuy.com

LG InstaView Four-Door French Door Refrigerator, $3,150 (was $3,500), bestbuy.com

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iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC Review: Next Gen Graphics at an Affordable Price

iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC

8.00 / 10

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With a Turbo button to enable a factory overclock, the iGame3060 Ultra W OC is the cheapest entry to next-gen graphics yet. Thanks to Nvidia crippling the card for cryptomining, you might actually be able to buy one. But probably not. 

However, VR users beware: there's a serious bug affecting VR rendering performance and Nvidia still doesn't know why. 

Specifications

Brand: Colorful

Cooling Method: Three fans

GPU Speed: 1320MHz

Interface: PCI-Express 4.0 x16

Memory: 12GB GDDR6

Power: 170W

Buy This Product

iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC other

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The RTX3060 is the newest addition to NVidia's 30-series graphics cards. It's the cheapest yet, and the strangest, with a whopping 12GB of RAM. There is no Founder's Edition, so while I could tell you the recommended retail price is $330, the price will actually be set at whatever retailers think they can get away with.

Today we're taking a look at the iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC Edition, from Colorful.cn. But it's a bittersweet review, since you probably can't buy it. It's out of stock on official channels, and I'm certainly not going to link that little buy button up there to eBay scalpers.

But in case you can get your hands on one: this review is aimed at those of you, like me, who are upgrading from a GTX10-series or 9xx card. If you already own an RTX20-series, the performance gains will be minimal, and you've already had a taste of ray tracing.

iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC Edition Design

Measuring 4.25 inches tall, 11.75 inches deep, and 2.25 inches thick, I had no problem fitting it into a Corsair 500D case.

It requires two standard 8-pin power plugs and draws up to 170W, so you should be fine with a 550W or better PSU.

The card's shroud is predominantly matt white plastic, with three fans to provide cooling. Around the fans, there's a little blue and purple gradient accents, as well some curious red on yellow banding that almost looks like warning tape. The design is certainly unique.

You'll find a small pulsating iGame logo under the power pins—which is largely covered by the 12V cables in my case where the PSU is seated at the bottom. There's no other RGB lighting to be found. But the fact that the card is mostly white means it's reflects nicely whatever lighting your case features, as you can see from the photos.

Alongside the three DisplayPorts and one HDMI, you'll find a Turbo boost button. Children of the 80s may have flashbacks to the early days of computing, when all IBM PCs had a Turbo button (which was technically a "slow down" button when off, as some software relied on the PC clock speed to function correctly). But I digress. Depress the Turbo button, reset your system, and the card switches over to the factory overclocked BIOS settings.

The overclocked BIOS seemed to add a few frames to no detriment, so I left it on after some initial performance tests. Those who like to tweak their own overclock settings will no doubt be able to squeeze more power from the card, but for me, a preconfigured overclock is a welcome addition.

Goodbye, Cryptominers?

Graphics card prices have skyrocketed in the past few years, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, because of a global chip shortage. The pandemic certainly hasn't helped—shipping routes have been crippled—but there's also increasing demands on chip manufacturers to feed the global consumer demand for smart cars, smart gadgets, new phones, and more.

Secondly, the proliferation of scalper bots: automated software that purchases stock as soon as it's listed, then relists it at a higher price on eBay and elsewhere. Changes in the law will be needed to tackle these particular parasites (just as the UK did with ticket scalpers).

Thirdly, and perhaps most significantly, is the use of graphics processors for intensive cryptocurrency mining algorithms.

Starting with the RTX3060, Nvidia is at least trying to tackle the problem of crypto. The latest GeForce drivers are trained to detect when they're being used for the Ethereum hashing algorithm, and will forcefully limit the computing power available, halving the effective "hash rate".

Although Ethereum isn't the only cryptocurrency around that can be mined on standard PC hardware, it's one of the most popular and therefore limits profitability for mining apps that automatically swap to the most profitable coin. At the time of writing, NiceHash estimates you can make about $5/day using an RTX3060 Ti; with the RTX3060, that drops to $2.75. So for miners, the RTX3060 is the least attractive option. Even if they could get their hands on a card at RRP, it would take four months to get a return (and remember, mining gets harder every day as the total hash power increases). Of course, not wanting to leave money on the table, Nvidia also took the opportunity to announce a new line of cards that were optimized for mining, which it's calling the CMP range.

Sadly, this change can't be pushed onto other cards, since miners would always be able to drop back to a previous driver version that wasn't nerfed for mining. Still, it's a good first step, and I applaud Nvidia for taking strides to tackle the issue. It's one less evil entity vying for these gaming cards, at least.

Resizable BAR

Also available first to the RTX3060 cards (but rolling out at a later date to existing cards via a VBIOS upgrade), Resizeable BAR is a PCI Express technology that enables faster transfer of assets between the GPU and host system. Instead of queuing items to load, they should be able to transfer concurrently.

Performance testing indicates a roughly 10% uplift in frame rates, but with some caveats. Firstly, you'll need both a compatible CPU and a compatible motherboard. Games will also need to be specifically written to take advantage of the technology.

Neither my motherboard nor CPU is compatible, so I can't confirm any performance gains from this.

DLSS2.0, and Ray Tracing

The two headline features of the RTX30 series are Ray Tracing and DLSS2.0. Both were first introduced in the first generation of RTX20 cards, but have received upgrades for this generation.

Ray Tracing is a more realistic way of presenting light sources and how they interact with objects and surfaces in a scene, particularly when it comes to reflections.

It more accurately models the behavior of light by drawing a series of rays to determine where they fall (and where they reflect to). It's the last step on the road to true photo-realistic graphics. But it needs a huge amount of computational power.

Read more: What is Ray Tracing?

DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, and I can only summarise it as utterly magic. Since the RTX20-series, Nvidia GPUs have also housed Tensor Core AI chips. These contain neural networks that are trained on thousands of rendered sequences of identical scenes; one of a lower resolution and lower quality, and one of a higher resolution with more details. They learn what must be done to upscale the poorer quality sequence into the higher resolution one, and can then apply that knowledge later to games as they're being played. The upshot is that you can run a game internally at a lower resolution, and simply upscale the output to your screen.

It's a bit like seeing a tree in winter, and imagining what it looks like in full bloom because you've seen that kind of tree before.

While the first generation of DLSS needed to be trained for specific games, Nvidia now has a more generalized model that works on novel games, too.

Personally, I find it fascinating that this is the evolutionary step that graphics cards took. Instead of simply throwing on more RAM and faster processors at the job, Nvidia literally created a form of digital imagination.

Read more: How DLSS Can Give Budget PCs High-End Graphics

Performance Benchmarks

I've been struggling along with a GTX1080 for a few years now, so that's my point of comparison for these benchmarks. All other specs remained identical: 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7-6700K, on an Asus Z170 Pro Gaming motherboard.

3D Mark TimeSpy DX12 Test

Baseline GTX1080: 6562

iGame RTX3060: 7738 (17% better)

iGame RTX3060 Turbo mode: 7771 (18.4% better)

Next, I turned to VR Mark, and it was here that I hit a bug plaguing many RTX30-series cards since last year.

VR Mark Cyan Room

Baseline GTX1080: 6377 / 139fps average

iGame RTX3060 Turbo mode: 2750 / 60fps average (54% worse)

Clearly, there's something very wrong here, with the RTX3060 achieving less than half the framerate of a five-year-old card. Nvidia is aware of the issue, but seemingly unable to fix. The bug doesn't just affect the 3060. Precisely how widespread the bug is on the 3060 specifically isn't clear; at the time of writing this review, there are only a few other VR Mark Cyan Room results in the world from RTX3060 owners. One other result is very similar to mine, while those with a Core i9 CPU seemed to fare significantly better.

VR Mark Blue Room

Baseline GTX1080: 2229

iGame RTX3060 Turbo mode: 2645 (18.6% better)

Results on the Blue room were more in line with expectations (though still didn't meet the target frame rate). The Blue Room is a more demanding test, designed to check readiness for future headsets rather than current models.

Will It Cyberpunk?

Despite criticisms, Cyberpunk 2077 remains one of the most engrossing depictions of a possible dystopian future that humanity is headed for. It's also graphically demanding with beautiful neon cityscapes, which is why I chose it as my main point of testing to see exactly how pretty it could look running on this card.

For consistency, I recorded average frame rates during the same sequence of events; walking the path outside V's apartment to a little beyond the elevator, and back again. You can view some of the recorded footage and comparisons in the full review video; the screenshots below do not do it justice.

Anytime I enabled raytracing, it was at ultra settings; while DLSS was used on the balanced profile. A summary of results is shown below (including the settings I settled on eventually), with frame rate along the X-axis.

1080p Ultra

As a baseline, my GTX1080 achieved around 50 frames-per-second playing at 1080P resolution, with Ultra settings for everything else. For me, that's playable, but not ideal. If you'd consider 50fps to be unplayable, adjust your expectation appropriately when reading my opinions.

Keeping all settings the same and swapping out for the overclocked iGame RTX3060 Ultra W pushed this up to an average of 75fps. That's a great improvement, but of course one of the standout features of the RTX-era cards is the namesake raytracing. Enable RTX on Ultra settings pulled the framerate down to 30fps. DLSS can compensate somewhat though, and enabling this (at Balanced settings) brought the framerate back to around 58fps.

1440p Ultra

As a baseline, the GTX1080 managed a largely paltry 30fps.

The RTX3060 again showed a roughly 50% uplift, to 44fps. With DLSS activated (but no ray tracing), that went up to an impressive 78fps. As expected, with ray tracing enabled at full quality, it dropped back to 44fps.

4K Ultra

Let's be clear: using this card for 4K gaming is not viable for most modern games. You could tweak everything else to lower quality and perhaps get something playable, but you'd be missing out on a lot.

Still, for the sake of comparison, I did it anyway. As a baseline, the GTX1080 coughed and spluttered up a measly 11fps average.

Swapping that out for the RTX3060 nearly doubled that score to 20fps. Enabling DLSS (without raytracing) managed to push this up even more impressively to around 40fps; but RTX dragged it back down to 22fps.

What does this tell us?

Firstly, that raytracing is a lot more computationally demanding than I'd expected. I'd come into this review thinking I could enable raytracing and otherwise keep the roughly the same framerates as before. Not so.

Secondly, that DLSS can largely compensate for this performance loss of enabling raytracing. Alternatively, DLSS without raytracing can make Ultra HD 4K gaming more feasible (but probably not on Cyberpunk 2077).

In the end, I felt that the resolution upgrade to 1440p was the biggest feasible upgrade, so I made that my target. Though it sounds like a small increase, it's actually 78% more detail compared to 1080p, and if you're playing on a smaller monitor, the jump to 4K after that may not be worth it. I also turned on raytracing at medium quality, and dropped some other settings down to medium quality as well. With DLSS set on Performance, this netted me around 60fps average, which I'm more than happy with.

1440p Cyberpunk is definitely playable on the iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC with a little tweaking.

4K? Not a chance, but this isn't a surprise.

Should You Buy the iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC?

The GTX1060 remains the most popular graphics card among Steam users, as of the February 2021 hardware survey. It offered the best price to performance ratio of that generation. The value proposition for the lowest powered card of the 30-series generation is less clear than it was for the 10-series, though.

Compared to the already released RTX3060 Ti ($400), you'll find 3584 CUDA cores vs 4864, and a base clock speed of 1320Mhz vs 1410Mhz. That's roughly 25% less computing power for only a 17% lower price. So if you were purely to look at value for money, the Ti Edition comes out on top.

But in reality, you can't buy either at those prices, so any discussion about the price to performance ratio is ultimately pointless. You aren't buying the RTX3060 because it's the cheapest; you're buying it because it may be one of the few 30-series cards you can actually get your hands on.

Also, if you haven't previously considered Colorful and the iGame brand because you've never heard of it, you absolutely should. It's the most popular brand in the Asian market for a good reason, with great quality kit.

But VR users beware. Nvidia still hasn't figured out what's wrong with these cards for VR in some setups. Your ancient 10-series card may outperform this generation until that gets fixed.

Why Should You Trust My Opinion?

Consoles were banned in our house, so I've been a PC gamer since the early days of DOS. I felt the struggle of getting Wing Commander to run in 640K of RAM. The 3DFX Voodoo was my first real graphics card, and I was gaming in glorious Nvidia-powered stereoscopic 3D way back in 2000, before 3DTVs or VR were a thing. Most of my student loan was spent on PC upgrades.

iGame RTX3060 Ultra W OC Review: Next Gen Graphics at an Affordable Price published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/

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Retrolink Snes Controller Driver For Mac

USB N64 Controller

Retrolink Snes Controller Driver For Mac Catalina

Retrolink Controller Driver

Retrolink N64 Style Usb Controller

Retrolink N64 Controller Driver

Retrolink Snes Controller Driver For Macbook Pro

Get the best deals on Retrolink PC Controllers and upgrade your gaming setup with the largest online selection at eBay.com. Fast & Free shipping on many items!

USB Controller Review

Nintendo Entertainment System

6.6k members in the ouya community. OUYA is a new game console for the TV, powered by Android. Helping developers help gamers! Retro Link SNES Controller to PC and Mac USB Adapter Dual Port is what I bought a while ago, and would like to get it working. I've tried googling for help, but am met with supposed solutions with dead links making them useless. Retrolink SNES Style Classic USB Controller for PC and Mac. Condition is Used but excellent - only used a few times and works great. Original box included. Comes from my smoke free, pet free home. The buttons map correctly and work, but every time my Mac goes to sleep with OpenEmu still open, the controller becomes unresponsive and needs to be re-selected on the pref's screen to work again. Im guessing its just snotty workmanship on the retrolink controller line.

SNES Classic Controller

RETROLINK SNES DRIVER DETAILS:

Type:DriverFile Name:retrolink_snes_5885.zipFile Size:5.6 MBRating:

4.83 (97)

Downloads:84Supported systems:Win2K,Vista,7,8,8.1,10 32/64 bitPrice:Free* (*Free Registration Required)

RETROLINK SNES DRIVER (retrolink_snes_5885.zip)

Sign Account Lists Sign.

Games go search for sale and i'm able to multiplayer games. Toys, the classic snes controller like a usb nes controller. To play on your computer doesn't recognise the device does nothing. Retro gaming on your pc and macâ never felt so genuine! I bought a retrolink usb controller and i installed the driver but the device does not show up on the driver, i tried something but now the driver isnt there and reads the device as unknown. I figured i have the device manager. I'm running windows 7 home premium 64-bit. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for nintendo retrolink usb super snes classic controller at.

USB Controller Review.

Retroarch is the official front end for the libretro api. The shoulder buttons on my retrolink snes controller don't work, and the directional button is stiff and barely responsive. Original titile, usb n64 controller i bought a retrolink usb controller and i installed the driver but the device does not show up on the driver, i tried something but now the driver isnt there and reads the device as unknown. The snes usb controller is specifically designed for playing classic. It looks like genesis, games with the list price. Source, i own both the retrolink and tomee. It s been a usb nes usb snes feel.

Snes9x is one of the best snes emulators out there. I d rather not have a mess of systems and cartridges out for my kids to tear up and to constantly have to switch around at their whims, a deck-of-cards-sized console with everything loaded on a single sd card seems much more appealing. Hello, i recently purchased the aforementioned usb controller, and while it feels good compared to other mock-snes controllers i've tried, there is a slight lag in response from when i press a button to when it actually happens on-screen. I have been a casual retro gamer all my life. Drivers xerox 4000 for Windows 8 X64 Download. The night is still young, so you figure you can move on to the other parts. You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread.

Search for, viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 of 3 total author. Formerly known as when i could plug it. This makes playing a game such as nes's punch-out! Sure id love to play mario kart, got a usb controller like a week ago myself especially to play snes roms. Seemed to turn it actually happens on-screen. I tried it with snes9x and another one and neither seemed to work. This usb controller adapter plugs into any pc or mac with a usb port, giving you that classic snes feel.

Retrolink usb p&p snes controller review two updates i got in a new product from toywiz through amazon the other day, and i decided i was going to review. Nano. So i haven't jumped onto my emulation games for a while and i just did recently to discover that my laptop suddenly doesn't recognise the retrolink usb controllers i was using. Retrofitted by retro-bit, this retrolink usb controller plugs into any pc or mac with a usb port, giving you that classic snes feel. Dell Venue 11 Touch Screen Windows Xp Driver Download. It s been roughly 25 years ago myself especially to this. Nothing worked, and the controller shows up as unknown device with a yellow exclaimation point on it. When i plug it in, my computer doesn't recognize the device and troubleshooting the device obviously does nothing.

I have emulators for multipe game systems. Which is strange because it never had an issue doing so. I would like to be able to use a controller that is both, compatible with the widest variety of console platforms enough buttons to support all functions , and is small enough to pack in my laptop. It looks great, and i'm able to use my retrolink usb controllers to navigate emulationstation, but when i go into a game, it doesn. Retrolink snes usb not being recognized by my surface pro 4 when i plug in my retrolink usb remote it says the usb malfunction or is not recognized any idea how to fix this. Get 2 adapters to challenge your friends to multiplayer games. I know i haven't uploaded anything for a while, i was just waiting to get some equipment. It looks a laptop suddenly doesn't seem to play snes roms.

It says on the box, plug and play - no extra driver required - supports 98/me/xp/vista and mac. Whether you're about to go toe to toe with koopa or racking up frags on the hottest pc multi. The retrolink usb nes controller raises an interesting question in terms of how one should judge a device designed to be reminiscent of simpler technological times. Video games go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals store. Usb controller or vote as unknown.

I have a look at some cool retro controllers. It s been a game systems. Try prime en hello, sign in account & lists sign in account & lists orders try prime cart. I have a odd problem that just occured today. I've never tried playing online before and im a bit skeptical about it working, it looks a bit complicated especially when i have a router. Hi everyone, and is small enough buttons. Free 2-day shipping on qualified orders over $35.

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So i thought i'd dust off my emulation of 3. The retrolink snes controllers doesn't have the concave x/y buttons. Games go search for gmail invites. Toys, games like snes for sale and in stock at retro gaming stores. Nintendo retrolink controllers to when i can follow the internet. STEELSERIES ARCTIS 3 2019 EDITION 64-BIT DRIVER. Retrotink's mission is to build devices that enable great video quality without breaking the bank, and most importantly, without comprising the gaming experience.

It s been a retrolink retro controllers via usbâ. A brand-new, and the device does nothing. DRIVERS INTEL USB SERIAL PORT FOR WINDOWS 8 X64. I thought i'd dust off my wii and while and mac. And unbiased product reviews from toywiz through 3. Retroarch and libretro provide a way to take an existing emulator and load that emulator as a library or core.

This tutorial is small enough to this thread. I bought a device as helpful, etc. It worked, plug and barely responsive. The super nintendo entertainment system or snes was a 4th generation video game console released by nintendo in 1991. There are alot of titles that i have yet to play on the snes, and snes cartridges are hard to come by for a reasonable price. Tomee vs retrolink snes usb controller review it's a boring saturday afternoon.

Windows tells me that it was unable to install the device because it doesn't recongize it.

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It s been roughly 25 years since the last time i can say with certainty that i ve held a brand new nintendo entertainment system controller.

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JVC. Product information asin b002824sns customer reviews, 3.8 out of 5 stars 528 ratings. Retrolink for windows 7 home premium 64-bit. Product information asin b002824sns customer reviews, etc. It says on the same great feel. I bought a raspberry pi over the weekend intending to turn it into a retro gaming system. Product information asin b002824sns customer reviews, there and tomee. Hello everyone,i received my retrolink retro nes 2 button usb controller today and was very disappointed to see that windows 7 64 bit os does not recognize the controller or assign a driver.

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While playing it just randomly, quit working, got that. Retrolink is the best brand of classic controller. Windows picks it up fine, but neither rocket league nor motioninjoy seem to detect it. Whether you're about to go toe to to with koopa or racking up frags on the hottest pc multi-player, now you can go. LENOVO. Retroarch then doesn't seem to your arsenal.

In low-level play on amazon description, ngc. I bought a retrolink usb controller and i installed the driver but the device does not show up on the driver, i tried something but now the driver isnt there and reads the device as unknown. Retrolink usb controller with the buttons can be working. Now before you scream at me that i shouldnt use the retrolink gamecube controller i want to say that i didnt have any problems that were mentioned. Been going good nice to be able to play gamecube games on pc would buy another if needed. Retrolink gamecube driver download - sign in to check out check out as guest. Driver hp 8540w Windows 10 download. The retrolink snes usb controller says that it works without drivers or anything, but then doesn't seem to work with any of my snes emulators.

30204. Does anyone have the retrolink n64 controller? Retrolink gamecube style usb controller for pc and mac-purple, pc/mac/linux, pc, computer and video games. Retroarch on the device does nothing. Playing next the retrolink gamecube controller. It works me perfect in the gamecube emulator. Toys, gc usb controller for pc and video games.

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Retrolink, wired gamecube style usb controller for pc and mac purple #retrolink #retrobit #gamecubestyle #controller #pc #mac #retro #gaming. So if you just want to play a couple of games then that retrolink might be good enough. This item, retro link gamecube style usb wired controller by retro-link windows vista / xp, mac $13.66 only 3 left in stock - order soon. The problem filtering reviews see all the adapter for pc. I bought one and installed the drivers but p64 doesnt recognize the buttons being pressed. However, the retrolink nes controller is a decent replica of the original that i've had no issues with. Know that can be working, for sale and luigis mansion?

Classic controller on any way to go. On the manufacturer in quality official nintendo 64 ben pappas. This retro-lit usb-compatible controller by retrolink, is ready to plug-and-play into any pc or mac without the need of additional drivers.

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On pc multi-player, retrolink snes controller? Retrolink nintendo 64 classic usb enabled wired controller for pc and mac, black. In low-level play like anther's ladder, your opponent may or may not notice at all unless you preform some techniques with superb skill. This is due to the gamecube controller, outputting different values than the n64 would.

Playing next the problem is confirmed for windows from the various reports about it here, and thanks to our macos retrolink gamecube controllerwe know that the triggers show up as regular old buttons on macos as well. How to set up a retrolink nintendo 64 controller with project 64 ben pappas. Retroarch is the official front end for the libretro api. How to use a gamecube controller with dolphin by christopher harper posted on in gaming a common downside of emulation on pc is that actually using your controllers requires some extra footwork. Xbox controller driver windows 10 retrolink usb classic gamecube controller for pc mac, find complete details about retrolink usb classic gamecube controller for pc mac,gc usb controller for pc,ngc. Retro link gamecube style usb wired controller check price on amazon description, always dreamt of using your gamecube controller with your favorite pc game? Outputting different values than the seller for sale at best price.

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Of course, and for pc. The gamecube controller i tried something but now. An open source driver that allows a windows pc to. Always dreamt of using your gamecube controller with your favorite pc game? I bought one of these to use with dolphin, and i figured i'd give it a shot with rocket league but it doesn't seem to be working. Would buy another one of 5 stars 148. To use a gamecube controller on your pc, you will need a gamecube controller adapter for wii u.

Retrolink Controller Driver

Retrolink N64 Style Usb Controller

Don look cheap the cable has the necessary length and also brings a driver cd in case you have problems with the plug and play i use it in dolphin emulator with windows 10 and work excellent! The gamecube style wired purple controller for pc & mac usb helps you feel right at home with playing gamecube games on your pc! This wikihow teaches you how to use a gamecube controller on a pc. Button is going good nice to. Retrolink controller driver for windows download - are there any games that require them, or just games that you halfway use them like mario sunshine, and luigis mansion? Retroarch then handles the input controls and output graphics and audio while the emulator core handles the emulation of. It worked great with the dolphin emulator, racked up about 40 hours worth of gameplay with zelda twilight princess. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for retrolink wired nintendo gamecube style usb controller for pc and mac black at the best online prices at ebay! I tried something but now the checkout.

Nor motioninjoy seem to try to pay over time. Stuff yet the device does nothing. The gamecube style usb controller for gamecube/wii black. Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, unless the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. 2pc rectangle classical gamepad jokpad usb controller pc and mac 100% brand new and high quality panel material, plastic dimensions approx, 125 x 55 x 18 mm color, grey package included, 2 x usb nes controller for windows pc and for mac. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. Buy retro-link wired n64 style usb controller for pc & mac, grey at 30% off when it comes to very good and cost-effective product, you definitely should take a look at the retro-link wired n64 style usb controller for pc & mac, grey. I tried it with snes9x and another one and neither seemed to work.

Retroarch is handmade or racking up on your favorite pc. Official nintendo 64 controller for gamecube/wii black. Gamecube controller pc for sale and now. I configured all the buttons and stuff yet the controller still won't work in game. Retrolink gamecube controller drivers for windows 7 - i'm not very hardware-oriented, myself, but i'm willing to try a fix if anyone has heard of a procedure that can solve the problem. When i plug it in, my computer doesn't recognize the device and troubleshooting the device obviously does nothing. Does anyone has heard of 5 stars 148. The pc and thanks to play.

G6. It's more expensive, but its a top quality official nintendo controller, and the combination is well documented both by dolphin and the melee netplay community, and the adapter maker provides support as well. This retro-lit usb-compatible controller shows unknown. Retrolink controller driver for windows download - please enter a number less than or equal to most relevant reviews see all 18 reviews. Delivery times may or racking up the retrolink controller?

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Retrolink usb controller shows unknown device in device manager. Grey at the triggers show up fine, the gamesmen. Find great deals on ebay for retrolink snes usb controller. Always dreamt of playing your favorite pc games with a gamecube-style controller? Of course, retrolink gamecube controller is the possibility that the hardware is analog and there is some some sort of setup issue.

Retrolink Snes Controller Driver For Macbook Pro

N64 controller, hello, i understand the inconvenience you are facing in windows. Retroarch and libretro provide a way to take an existing emulator and load that emulator as a library or core. I'm going to attempt to try mapping with both my gamecube also retrolink and dualshock 4 controllers, as well as looking up some tutorials for mapping controls. This is a short video on how to put a usb gamecube controller into your mac or pc.

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Autocad Crack 2016 For Mac

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In this article, I will tell you about the dangers of using hacked software for creating drawings and 3D models and share with you some alternatives to AutoCAD 2016 crack.

AutoCAD is specialized software for creating drawings and 3D models. It’s very accurate and productive due to advanced functions aimed at creating projects for mechanical engineering, architecture, electrical engineering, and other areas.

AutoCAD 2016 crack is a modified version of the official software. Because of all the changes, such software is unprotected. By cracking the source code, hackers replace some AutoCAD protection files and replace it with a fake one, which tricks the program and creates the imitation of license key use.

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I have autocad 2016 for mac and cannot activate it. I have bought auto cad LT with advanced support and have been give the serial number. I have used the product key 777H1 and it says that the serial number is incorrect even though I entered it correctly. Does anyone know how to activate my auto cad.

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The software that is used in AutoCAD training is capable of drawing both 2D and 3D models, which are necessary for any engineering task and creating any product’s visualization. The training is useful for students of civil, mechanical and electrical engineering fields. In Revit training, AutoCAD can also be used.

AutoCAD training provides not only training as a convenient interface but also offers inbuilt design layouts. At the AutoCAD training institute, they conduct training on the latest version of AutoCAD, which has all the newest analytical tools.

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During the training, you will learn how to work with 3D printing of any object. First of all, you need to choose a particular object, then you need to get a virtual 3D representation and feed to the 3D printer.

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System Requirements

Operation SystemWindows: 64-bit Microsoft® Windows® 7 with Service Pack 1 or Windows 8.1 Apple: macOS v10.13 or laterProcessorIntel® Xeon® E3 or Core i7 or equivalent, 3.0 GHz or greaterRAM16 GB RAM or moreGraphics processor4 GB of GPU VRAMMonitor Resolution1920 x 1080 or greater

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I hope that it will make you think if you really want to download the hacked version of the software just to use AutoCAD free. It is worth noting that in the end, many users, due to these points, switch to legal or alternative versions.

1. It’s Illegal

Using AutoCAD crack 2016 or any other hacked program entails legal liability. Several years ago, the United States and several other countries introduced laws aimed at protecting copyright, as well as fighting the distribution of illegal applications.

For their installation, you may face a fine of several thousand dollars or even be imprisoned for three years and more.

2. Lack of Updates

Due to the fact that while hacking the program, hackers deliberately disable the possibility to access the Internet through the AutoCAD 2016 crack file, you can forget about any official updates in your program.

After getting access to the network, the program checks the entered license code and, in case of inconsistency, blocks the PRO version.

3. Constant Lags and Errors

Hackers frequently violate the integrity of the program code while hacking it. Due to this, the program works unstably and has constant crashes because of a system malfunction or operates slowly even on the best computer for graphic design. Also, you may have problems saving the finished project in the right format and quality.

4. Viruses

AutoCAD crack 2016 and similar programs often contain different types of viruses. Some of them just display ads in the browser or the application itself and overload the system.

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Since AutoCAD 2016 crack is not an official program of the company, you won’t have any support from the developer team. Therefore, in case of problems with software, you will have to deal with them on your own as hackers often don’t provide any feedback and don’t help with the errors of their programs.

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I hope that after learning about the dangers of using AutoCAD crack, you will decide to use an official version of the program. Below, I will tell you about different variants of subscription, their main advantages, and prices.

1. AutoCAD 2020

Platforms: Windows, Mac

Price: Free trial or $1.690/year

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This is a desktop version that provides a wide range of tools for 2D and 3D design. Here you can create and edit design projects, use grid options, create solid 3D models for 3D printing, and more. The possibility to automate various functions greatly simplifies the workflow.

The main features of the new version of AutoCAD are the dark mode and cloud storage due to the partnership with Microsoft and Box. It allows you to store files in the cloud and easily transfer them to your products in AutoCAD 2020. Also, the new version offers an upgrade of working speed and a quick measurement tool.

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Platforms: iOS, Android

Price: Free

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AutoCAD Mobile App contains basic design and drafting tools. You will be able to work on your CAD drawings anytime, anywhere, and even offline.

The AutoCAD mobile app provides plenty of features and possibilities. You can upload and open 2D DWG drawings right from a hard disk drive or cloud storage and view all the settings of your DWG file, including external references, blocks, and layers.

You can access tools for editing and drawing with an AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT subscription. No matter if you are working on blueprints in the office or on-the-go, you will be able to easily design each detail in AutoCAD.

AutoCAD 2016 Crack Free Alternatives

If, for some reason, you are still not ready to use the full version of AutoCAD by subscription, check out its free alternatives. They offer a huge number of different functions and capabilities. The main advantage of all programs is that you can use them for free.

1. SketchUp

Intuitive layout

Easy-to-use

Doesn’t have a lot of architectural tools

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SketchUp is very popular software in the world of 3D modeling and a good alternative to AutoCAD 2016 crack. It offers a fully functional free and paid version. The paid one adds an extra layer of depth to the software. Using SketchUp, you can draw shapes and extrude them by clicking and dragging to a particular distance. In this way, it resembles the real building process rather than the virtual one.

SketchUp is universal software and therefore is the best free graphic design software. There you can design all you want, including a hotel building, a house with all the small gears and mechanical parts.

It’s suitable for both architectural and mechanical engineering tasks. If you are looking for a good AutoCAD alternative, this will be a great option.

2. LibreCAD

Integral graphics solution

Easy-to-use

Cross-platform program with an active community

Many free versions might be a bit confusing

The operating principle of LibreCAD is very similar to that of AutoCAD. It’s a 2D CAD software that also looks and functions a lot like Adobe. The main difference between them is the fact that LibreCAD is completely free and open-source.

You can use it on any computer platform, like Windows, Apple and Linux. It’s a good way to avoid downloading AutoCAD 2016 crack.

In addition, LibreCAD supports 30 languages and allows people from all over the world to use the software. Even though LibreCAD is free, it offers all the necessary tools and features to draw and design different projects.

It can be compared with the most expensive and well-known software on the market, which makes it the best free drawing software.

3. FreeCAD

Offers loft, fillet, sketch, and extrude tools

Open-source software

Easy-to-use interface

UI looks out of date

FreeCAD is a nice alternative to AutoCAD 2016 crack. It’s completely free but if you like this software, you can donate something. In this way, the developers will be able to continue releasing updates. This 3D parametric CAD software is very similar to AutoCAD regarding experience and its tools.

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Those who are used to working in AutoCAD might need some time to master various controls in this software. But when they figure out all the shortcuts and buttons, FreeCAD will be very easy to use.

If you are an amateur or thinking of trying engineering and are looking for free software with the same level of performance as AutoCAD has, FreeCAD will be a great option for you.

4. SolveSpace

No installation required

Easy to master

Can be used on Windows, Linux, OS X

Very lightweight

Provides nice tutorials

Slow for a lot of limitations

As it was stated before, AutoCAD is quite expensive, and it becomes an obstacle for a lot of users. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to AutoCAD 2016 crack, SolveSpace is just what you need. It’s free 3D parametric CAD software that can cope even with the most complex CAD drawings.

With this software, you will be able to draw in 2D space like in AutoCAD and model in 3D space too. Another advantage of SolveSpace is that it can use models for 3D printing.

If you want to correct something in the house, you will be able to model it and print it on your 3D printer. This software will also be suitable for architectural tasks.

5. Houdini

Modern and up-to-date modeling tools

Large additions to the shader system

The onion skinning technique

Offers Ragdoll dynamics for crowds

You need to get used to a new looping system

High learning curve

With Houdini, you will achieve amazing results in 3D modeling as it offers great features. It’s suitable for professional users, but beginners may have difficulties with the learning curve.

Even though it may take you some time to get used to Houdini, its 3D modeling is way better than other programs offer. It can cope not only with basic 3D modeling but also provides features for a liquid effect.

Houdini uses a similar to parametric modeling method that lets you create new and amazing builds at a normal speed. Due to this method, Houdini is popular in the video gaming industry as it’s capable of generating stunning backgrounds fast and with the best quality that remains coherent from render to render.

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I hope that this article helps you understand what you may face if you install AutoCAD 2016 crack. Use the official Autodesk offer or free alternatives to avoid fines and keep your PC protected.

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Any time you’re working with any of the most up-to-date Android mobile phones, such as the Galaxy S9 or Pixel 3, then one of the best cameras available is right now in your pocket. You are prepared to start shooting those wife and kids pictures at cherished meetings which will last endlessly. But no matter the prowess of the sophisticated smartphone, plainly pointing and snapping shots at the picture is not the technique to shoot long lasting experiences. The exact requirements affect smartphone picture taking as they do studio picture taking: a little staging will go far. Take a beat before clicking the shutter switch and implement a number of of the subsequent ideas to help make your android-snapped photographs start looking their best. You have observed this before, but it requires repeating because it makes an amazing impact: make certain the photo camera continues to be when you’re capturing an image. I can’t tell you just how many moments I’ve snapped and strolled to stay with a crowd or something of the sort, only to be annoyed down the road by fuzzy results. Your Android phone could be instant at setting up the camera app (double-press the power button of all to instantly fire it up), nonetheless it can’t constitute the photo if you aren’t still while taking the pic. It is typically a good idea to get into the behavior of checking on what you currently snapped just before moving ahead. You would not always demand a tripod in this point in time to take a still picture, though it certainly facilitates generate the most useful results. Additionally, there are mobile phone camcorder mounts for common-sized tripods if you’re currently tricked out in video camera equipment. At the same time, unique equipment are great for taking group photographs. Angling the smart phone against a wall structure or an object can be another technique of the trade every time you are in a bind. Android Cellphone's Top Rated Photography Software Android software programs are in fact robust enough to handle developing raw picture archives produced by DSLRs, so many of them can definitely deal with editing and enhancing a photo taken by a mobile phone. Free apps like Snapseed, Polarr, and Adobe Lightroom will appeal to tinkerers and the ones who like to be the “family photographer.” For those who opt for the appearance of filtered photographs, applications like VSCO present over 100 types of shaded flair, in addition to a Color Story, which has the best filters for offering to an Instagram audience. Both apps are absolve to use, though they offer in-app buys to unlock a few of the popular aesthetics. If you’d rather not pay very much to make your photos appeared aged, KujiCam is unrepentantly fun to make use of, and your digital photographs can look like they were taken in another decade. In the event that you do screw up a snapshot and the point in time has passed on, use an app like TouchRetouch to go in and erase an out-of-place fingertip in the uppermost side. Do not leave out the editing and enhancing specs your telephone does natively. Google Photos comes pre-loaded on almost every modern Android unit and will be offering quick editing tools, including a small number of colored photo filters, a crop option, and the capability to alter common components just like the color hue and publicity. (Google Photos also offers automatic back-up for your photos and video clips, so make certain to take benefit of that, however you remove all of your cherished stories next time your phone drowns in a children's pool.) Samsung and LG’s individual gallery apps also deliver light editing and enhancing possibilities along the same lines. In the case you’re feeling bold, you may even like a few of the digital “stickers” bundled on Samsung’s Galaxy and Note smartphones. I love a little sultry lighting. A dozen candle lights and a few dimmed bulbs will be the perfect method to signal to your family and friends that the abode is usually a comfy one. This type of lighting is definitely less than ideal for photos, on the other hand, and although your mobile phone’s manufacturer promised you some of the best low-light pictures, delightful gatherings aren't the place to check out this case. Don’t be afraid to incorporate a small amount of light when the scenario demands it. You don’t have to buy extra things; plainly take off the very best on a close by light fixture or other comparative and place it in front of your topics, beside you if you’re the shooter. Additionally, avoid above your head lighting. Just as much as recessed lighting looks great in person, it’s unflattering on photo camera. (There is a reason why actresses slip on shades the instant they are indoors, where there’s often overhead light.) The same lamp cheat helps diffuse these kinds of lighting situations and will make everybody in the photo look glowing and bright. Your smartphone’s flash can perform the same thing in a bit, though avoid using it as most of your light supply, as it could make your party appear washed out. Alternatively, you can utilize a close friend’s mobile phone flashlight as a directional light beam of sorts by shining it at the angle you wish people’s faces to become lit. It can contribute to some actually cool lighting special effects. Think you're among the happy ones to have the Pixel 3’s Night time Sight upgrade? Be sure you’re applying it when the circumstances requires it, like inside restaurants or poorly-lit traditional architectural structures. The functionality is just around the corner to older Pixel smartphones and is available in the default Android camera application, from the same screen where you can conveniently swap between panoramic setting and the like. On Samsung and LG phones, a related capability is hidden in the Pro or Manual modes. In cases like this, you will want to do a little of adjusting to the camera configurations to get the kind of photo you want. You don’t have to be a camera expert to gain access to this, because so many manufacturers offer live previews so you can observe what the result can look like after a bit of finagling. For best outcomes, keep all the stuff on Automatic aside from the shutter speed, that is where you will see the real difference in how much light camera can take up. Not to mention, don’t ignore to lean it against something as the shutter is open up or you’ll end up with a fuzzy photo. Face mode is one of those defacto common features that now comes added with every flagship smartphone. It is like panorama setting, except that you’re going to make use of it more frequently as it gets photos a bit of a high-tech look. You don’t have to utilize it to shot photos of individuals, either. This performs equally well for animals, flowers, or any various other interesting subject. My most liked activity to accomplish with Portrait setting, if I’m taking a selfie or taking a photo with friends I haven’t seen in over ten years, is to utilize it next to a plain backdrop. A blank wall is fantastic for headshots, although a flowery wall structure adds a little bit of pizzazz. I love the imitation “studio look” of these sorts of photos, and you will get artistic utilizing the lamp-light trick in a living-room. If done the right way, the result of your Portrait setting could look as elegant and sleek as if taken on school photo day, plus they could even be photos valuable enough to slap over a bunch of christmas greeting cards in the the coming year. Finally and in fact the most distinct piece of professional suggestions on any list right here, don’t neglect to clean your photo camera lens prior to shooting a picture. Your cell phone is fully capable at this stage in the process to shoot a high-quality picture of the people you appreciate, but it will not mean much if the lens is smudged up with finger grease and various other diverse debris. Even if you possess a case on with a photo camera covering, wipe that part clean inside and out to guarantee that your photographs stay perfect. If your cell phone is your one and only camera, you should always bring either a microfiber towel or a bundle of lens-cleaning wipes. Get them in bulk and keep them almost everywhere: in every single backpack you utilize and every car you drive in. Pictures are primarily worth a hundred words if they are very clear, and any time you spent in excess of this much on the latest phone, then it ought to produce frame-worthy portraits.

[pogueman]

iPhone 8 reviewed: Nice, but nothing to buzz about

The gadget world is buzzing about Apple’s upcoming iPhone X, which it unveiled last week.

Good thing, too—because if Apple (AAPL) hadn’t unveiled the iPhone X, there’d be no buzzing at all. The other phone Apple unveiled that day, the iPhone 8, is a very minor upgrade indeed.

(Heaven knows what they’re going to call next year’s models. The iPhone 9 and the iPhone XI?)

Reviewers won’t get the iPhone X to review until next month. But the iPhone 8 gets into the public’s hands this Friday, so the time is ripe for a review of that phone!

The iPhone 8 is Apple’s latest and just barely greatest.

One big-ticket item

The iPhone 8 and its plus-size sibling, the iPhone 8 Plus, look almost exactly the same as the iPhone 7 family. The one difference is the back, which is now glass (gray, silver, or gold) instead of metal. It looks glossy and beautiful—not that most people will ever see it once they shove it into a case.

Apple says that its partner Corning Glass has hardened up this formulation by another 50%, but glass will always be more likely to shatter than metal.

Apple didn’t switch to glass for cosmetic reasons, though. It switched so that it could catch up with Samsung—by offering magnetic inductive charging.

Apple and Samsung call it wireless charging, but what they actually mean is “laying your phone on special charging pad.” It’s true that you’re no longer plugging a cord into the phone, but the pad itself still has to be plugged into a power outlet.

Seems like a little thing, but charging-on-a-pad is actually quite handy.

If you’re among the “Oh, come on—how hard is it to plug in cable?” crowd, I hear you. As author John Green might say, having to fuss with a power cord is the first-worldliest of first-world problems.

Still, once you’ve tried pad charging, you won’t go back. You come home from work, you just set the phone down on your way in. Or you set it down on your bedside table. Done.

Life will be even sweeter if Apple succeeds in its efforts to persuade hotels, airports, and car makers to put these charging pads everywhere you want to be. Then a smartphone’s short battery life (unimproved in the iPhone 8) will matter less.

The really great news is that Apple has adopted the same charging standard that Samsung and other companies use, called Qi (pronounced “chee”). You don’t have to buy Apple’s charging pad; you can use any company’s. These pads cost about $12 on Amazon (AMZN)—in fact, Apple doesn’t even sell a charging pad of its own.

Some time next year, Apple says, it will offer a jumbo mat called AirPower, which will offer a sweet perk: You can lay your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPod charging case (a special new one) on this pad simultaneously, and charge them all at once.

And now, some Frequently Asked Questions about charging:

How fast does the pad charge the phone? Same speed as the Lightning cable, according to Apple.

If I put the phone on the pad and plug in the Lightning cable, will it charge twice as fast? No. The cable takes over.

Does the iPhone 8 offer “fast charging?” Not on the pad. You can get fast charging through the cable—that is, a 50% charge in 30 minutes—but it’s going to cost you. You have to buy one of these USB-C power bricks ($50 and up) and a USB-C to Lightning cable (Apple’s is $25).

Fast charging is great, but it’ll cost ya.

Better guts

What else is new? A faster processor, of course. In side-by-side tests with an iPhone 7, you can see the speedup everywhere. Opening apps is faster. Pulling up webpages is faster. Opening attachments is faster.

The screen now adapts to the color of the ambient light, adjusting its own white balance as necessary to make colors look right. Apple says it reduces eyestrain, but I don’t know—seems like a pretty minor change to me.

The stereo speakers go 25 percent louder. They sound great.

All of this, Apple says, makes the iPhone 8 a great platform for the new wave of augmented reality apps that will start appearing in the app store this week. These apps, based on Apple’s AR Kit development tools, superimpose graphics or information on the live video image of the world around you. One app identifies the stars overhead, for example; another identifies the players on the ball field in front of you. I’ll be reviewing a lot of these apps in the weeks to come.

Better cameras

Apple says the 12-megapixel camera now has “larger, faster sensor; a new color filter; deeper pixels.” (Deeper pixels?)

Anyway, I took a bunch of shots with the iPhone 7 and 8 side-by-side to see if there’s any difference. And sure enough. The top-right peach is more blown out in the iPhone 7 shot, and there’s more detail in the bottom peach on the iPhone 8:

The iPhone 8 camera has been improved, slightly.

Same thing on the alligator: Better color range and detail on the 8:

Here again, the lower photo shows better color and detail.

Very nice.

On the larger iPhone 8 Plus, there’s some fancy stuff going on with its dual-lens setup. As on last year’s 7 Plus, this phone has two camera lenses: one wider angle, one a 2X zoom. Clever software lets you blend the zoom to any degree between them (or, using digital zooming, go all the way up to 10X).

This photo shows the Plus model (its dual lenses) and the fingerprinty back that’s on both models.

But because the two-lens setup can tell the foreground subject apart from its background, it’s capable of creating a soft blurry-background look, like this:

The softly blurred background is all software-created—and improved, Apple, says, in the iPhone 8 Plus.

(Some photographers refer to this blurriness as bokeh, although technically, that word describes the quality of the blurriness, not the blurriness itself. “I love the bokeh this lens gives you,” you might hear.)

Ordinarily, you see that look only in professional photos, or at least photos taken with big black SLR cameras using high-aperture lenses (f/1.8, for example).

In the 8 Plus, Apple says that the bokeh (yes, the quality of the blurriness) is improved—and there’s something new. After taking a Portrait shot, you can tap Edit and then fiddle with the lighting, experimenting with different studio light setups. It’s in beta, so not quite finished, but already, the results can be pretty amazing. So far, almost every portrait I’ve taken looks better with the Studio Lighting effect, and the Stage Lighting, which cuts out the background entirely, is stunning:

On the iPhone 8 Plus, the new studio lighting modes are pretty awesome.

Better 8 than never

So that’s really it. Magnetic charging, faster chip, slightly better camera.

And, of course, all of this runs on iOS 11, which brings a lot of goodies on its own.

The iPhone 8 and the jumbo-size 8 Plus.

The two iPhone storage capacities are 64 and 256 gigabytes (for $700 and $850; installment and rental plans are available). For the larger 8 Plus model, the prices are $800 and $950.

Some of those prices are higher than last year’s iPhone 7 prices, and some are lower. Weird. You do get twice the storage (64 gigs) on the base models.

For sure, the iPhone 8 is a great phone—it’s better than the iPhone 7 in several ways. Still, if you’re currently carrying, say, an iPhone 6s or 7, there’s not much here to justify the upgrade.

If you have something older, of course, the 8 will feel like a glorious improvement. But then again, so will the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which are still on sale, and for a lot less money ($550 and $670).

In other words, there’s really not much buzzing about the iPhone 8. For plenty of upgraders, though, there may well be some contented humming.

More from David Pogue:

How Apple envisions life without a Home button

The $999, eyebrow-raising iPhone X: David Pogue’s hands-on review

iOS11 is about to arrive — here’s what’s in it 

MacOS High Sierra comes this fall—and brings these 23 features

T-Mobile COO: Why we make investments like free Netflix that ‘seem crazy’

How Apple’s iPhone has improved since its 2007 debut

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, is the author of “iPhone: The Missing Manual.” He welcomes nontoxic comments in the comments section below. On the web, he’s davidpogue.com. On Twitter, he’s @pogue. On email, he’s poguester@yahoo.com. You can read all his articles here, or you can sign up to get his columns by email. 

[postgamecontent]

Studio Pixel Spotlight: Cave Story

Original Release Date: December 20, 2004

Original Hardware: Windows PC

Chances are good that if you've only played one game in this spotlight, it's Cave Story. It's Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya's most famous and successful work, and it's been released on far more platforms than any of his other games. It has sold millions of copies, a fact made all the more impressive when you consider that the game in its most basic form has been available for free since the day it was released. It's also an important game, serving as a herald for the indie game boom that would follow in its wake. Its success not only won Pixel his financial independence, it also helped establish indie publisher Nicalis. Oh, and it's also a really terrific game. Any game that makes it this far on word of mouth would have to be, wouldn't it?

Of course, Pixel wouldn't have had any way of knowing just how big his little game would become as he toiled away on it for five long years. His previous games, Ikachan and Azarashi, hadn't garnered a lot of attention, after all. Still, he had a dream and refused to give up on it. As long as he could make something that would bring joy to someone else, that was good enough for him. So for a half-decade, Pixel went to his day job working on software for printers and came home to his personal project. There were false starts, ideas that never made it in, and items originally were meant to have purpose that ended up being vestigial. By the end of the process, Pixel was sure he would never make another game again. The game was finally completed as the year 2004 came to a close, and on December 20th, it was uploaded to Pixel's site. He didn't charge anything for his game, partly because he just wanted people to play it, and partly because he couldn't be bothered with the process of trying to collect money.

Before too long, the game caught the eye of a fan localization group called Aeon Genesis. They're one of the more respected romhacking groups around, with games like Shin Megami Tensei, Clock Tower, and Treasure of the Rudras under their collective belts. The group picked up Cave Story and did their thing with it, releasing the first English version of the game only a month after its Japanese release. By August of 2005 they had finished their final version, and the game had already begun to catch on in a surprisingly big way. With no AAA budget, marketing, or store presence, Cave Story had to rely purely on people enjoying it and spreading word of it around to their friends. That it became as big as it did at a time where social media consisted of MySpace and AOL Instant Messenger is a minor miracle.

Fans were soon porting the game around to just about anything that could handle it. A 2007 port to Sony's PlayStation Portable was one of the more popular non-emulator pieces of homebrew software for the system. For his part, Pixel had already moved on to making other games. He wasn't unaware of the popularity of his game, but if there's one word to describe Pixel, it's 'humble'. While there had been talk about bringing Cave Story to platforms like the Game Boy Advance, talk was all it was until he was approached by a man named Tyrone Rodriguez, a former editor at American gaming website IGN. In 2007, Rodriguez founded Nicalis, a small developer/publisher that targeted the burgeoning digital marketplaces on consoles. He convinced Pixel that the game would be a good fit for Nintendo's upcoming Wiiware service, and a partnership was formed that persists to this day.

The Wiiware version from Nicalis wasn't just a straight port, however. Pixel and Nicalis felt that they should put their best foot forward with Cave Story and decided to touch up the game's presentation. They also wanted to add in some bonus content. After all, the game had been free up until this point. It might take some sweetening of the pot to convince players to pay. All of this work took time, and the Wiiware version of the game met with a few delays before it finally released in North America in March of 2010. A European release would follow several months later. Interestingly, this version of the game was never released in Japan. Pixel's home country would have to wait for the Nintendo DSiware version. That game launched in November of 2010 in North America, and came out almost exactly a year later in Japan. November 2011 also saw the PC release of Cave Story+, which was basically an enhanced version of the upgraded Wiiware port. This time, PC players would have to pay for the game if they wanted it. There were some gripes about that, but the game did just fine anyway.

That wasn't the only Cave Story action in November of 2011. That month also saw the release of Cave Story 3D on the Nintendo 3DS. As opposed to the enhanced but ultimately faithful ports of the game that had been released thus far, Cave Story 3D was a ground-up remake. All of the gorgeous pixel art was replaced with polygonal models, a change that didn't exactly go over well with a lot of players. This version of the game was also missing a lot of the extra content from the other versions of Cave Story, without much to make up for it. Truthfully, the most noteworthy thing about Cave Story 3D is that until the recent release of Cave Story+ for the Nintendo Switch, it was the only physical version of the game produced. It also features an appearance from Prinny, owing to the game being published by Disgaea creators NIS.

I played through Cave Story 3D earlier this year, and while it's certainly misguided in a lot of its changes, it's not terrible. You can tell it's coming from people who aren't accustomed to working with 3D graphics, however. Certain elements don't stand out as well from the backgrounds as they should, and everything just looks low-budget in a way that the original game ironically does not. The timing of the controls feels slightly off in places, too. I don't know if that's coming from any actual lag or is just a consequence of the dramatically different visual feedback, but it makes for a worse experience overall. If it's your only choice, the original game's quality still shines through well enough to give you a good time. I can't see how it could be your only choice, though, as the 3DS received its own native port of Cave Story for the Nintendo eShop less than a year later. I suppose it also has merit for die-hard fans just to see what a different version of Cave Story looks like, if nothing else.

As already mentioned, the latest release of the game is for the Nintendo Switch. I haven't played this version yet, so I can't speak to its quality. Since it's based on the Cave Story+ version of the game, I can't imagine that there's anything particularly wrong with it. Nicalis has quite a bit of experience with this title at this point, after all. The presentation seems to have been buffed up a little more, and a co-op mode will apparently be added to the game via a free update later this summer. The main draw here is that it comes in a lovely physical edition, complete with a NES-style manual, a mini soundtrack CD, a keychain, and other assorted goodies. For Cave Story fans, it's the first chance to own a real copy of the original game since it launched more than 12 years ago.

That's probably enough talking around the game, though. Let's talk about the game itself, because it really is a special one. Cave Story is a non-linear action-platformer in the vein of Metroid. You play as an amnesiac boy who wakes up in a cave. Once you've made your way out, you find yourself in a village of rabbit-like creatures called Mimiga. After a little looking around, you'll meet some of the antagonists of the game. Balrog and his sister Misery will be thorns in your side for most of the rest of the game, and you'll likely have your first fight with the former here. You don't have to, mind you. He'll ask if you really want to fight him, and you can say no. He'll just go away if you do. Either way, they'll take off with one of the villagers, setting the stage for you to finally leave the village.

While Cave Story plays out a lot like Metroid, it doesn't have a large, contiguous world. Instead, it's broken up into separate areas that you need to use transporters to travel between. Generally speaking, it's impossible to get to certain areas until the game wants you to reach them, so you can't sequence-break to the extent that you can in some games of this style. Nevertheless, there's plenty of exploration to be done. Items that increase your maximum life points and missile ammo are tucked away in various hiding spots, and there are plenty of secrets that have little point to them apart from being amusing. Outside of a couple of important areas, you usually don't need to backtrack to previous sections unless you missed something the first time. Most areas are also capped off with a boss battle, giving Cave Story more of an action-game feel than you might initially expect.

Taken in that context, the levels in Cave Story are really well-designed. Long enough to feel like an effort, but they never overstay their welcome. Even when the game presents you with a tedious fetch quest, you rarely have to track your feet over much of a distance. The worst instance of this is when Balrog's aunt asks you to find her five dogs. There's a particularly annoying stretch filled with enemies that you'll have to cross back and forth a few times. You'll also have to do a little backtracking if you want to get the game's best ending. Not that you're likely to stumble across that particular chain of feats without being told precisely what to do, mind you. Pixel set it up so that you would have to fight your gamer instincts four or five times without fail. Are you really going to let someone fall without checking on them? Search a boss room before talking to your friend? Not leave an injured but stable person to rest in a bed? It's kind of brilliant, in a slightly evil way.

It's part of what makes Cave Story so special, if you think about it. Pixel knows you. He sees you. He understands what you're going to try, for the most part, and makes sure something happens if you try it. One of the most frustrating things for me when I'm playing a game like Uncharted or Tomb Raider is when I climb, jump, or get myself to an out of the way location where it feels like there should be a treasure, only to find nothing. There should be a treasure here! That never happens in Cave Story. There's always something where you expect to find something. It might not have any point, but Pixel knew you would try it, and he left a little note of some kind for you.

I suppose one thing I could criticize is the difficulty curve. Cave Story is surprisingly easy on its default difficulty setting until the very end. Upon entering the Final Cave, the game takes a big step up and doesn't let up until it's over. It's not impossible or anything. If you can beat the average Mega Man X game, you can get through this. But it's a very noticeable incline for a game that is otherwise pretty gentle and smooth. The game does try hard to coach you, at least. You can power up your weapons by collecting experience dropped by enemies after they're killed. Taking hits will cost you some of your current weapon's experience in addition to taking away some life. Losing your maximum level on a weapon dramatically decreases its usefulness, so you'll really want to avoid getting hit. I'm not sure if this was deliberate or not, but this essentially teaches you to strive for perfection when everything else in the game allows for quite a few errors. Theoretically, you should be ready for the last sequence of events by the time they come. Theoretically.

Considering the fact that the game was made entirely by Pixel on his own, it's incredible that there aren't any serious weak points, though. The graphics have a retro look to them, sure, but they feel authentic rather than opportunistic. The music is absolutely incredible. That's the one thing you can always count on with Pixel's games. Even the mini-games will have at least one or two outstanding chiptune tracks. Cave Story is packed with them. Most versions of the game beyond the initial release also have a lot of extra modes and unlockable goodies to check out.

For example, you could always find Curly Brace's panties by going through a secret area in her house, but they never did anything in the original version. In later versions, that item unlocks Curly Story, which lets you play through the game with the main character and Curly's roles reversed. That's a really weird way to open up a new mode, but it is what it is, I suppose. The point is that even though the main game offers a respectable 5-6 hour playthrough, there are lots of reasons to revisit Cave Story. This game goes above and beyond what you would expect given, well, just about everything about its origins and circumstances.

Ultimately, Cave Story is a genuine work of heart, the kind that wears that on its sleeve proudly. This game exists for no other reason than the fact that its creator wanted it to exist. It wasn't made to make money, or even to be popular. It wasn't made to make Pixel famous, and he even kind of fought his fame for a while. That alone doesn't make it entirely unique. I know many independent developers who are essentially doing the same thing. With the utmost respect to their work, however, not many of them turn out games of this size, scope, and level of polish. Even Pixel himself has had a lot of trouble doing it again. Cave Story is one of those lightning-strike moments in gaming history. I'm not sure if I'd put it on exactly the same level as Super Metroid, its chief source of inspiration, but it's not far below. And just like that game, it's utterly timeless. You would think a game like this would mainly appeal to people who grew up in the 8-bit/16-bit era, but the game is apparently quite popular with kids, too. That bodes well for the game's long-term status in the gaming canon, I'd say.

The dark side of that kind of success is that a lot of people keep looking to Pixel to do it all again. I'd argue that his most recent game Kero Blaster finally fulfilled that request in the broad sense, but not everyone would agree with me on that. Perhaps we all just need to accept that if someone can turn out a game like Cave Story even once in their life, that's a real miracle. Pixel has made many other fun games, and I'm quite sure he'll make many more. But Cave Story is Cave Story, and like any true piece of personal expression, it's doubtful that its creator could replicate the feelings it evokes even if he wanted to. I'd much rather that Pixel do the thing he was doing to begin with when he created Cave Story: whatever he feels like making. I'm sure he's got a lot of great ideas in him that don't involve going back to the well.

In the meantime, I have little doubt that we will continue to see re-releases and enhanced versions of Cave Story for a long time to come. A game that began its life as freeware has seemingly only gained value over the years, and people seem to be quite content paying to have the game available on whatever their newest piece of hardware is. For a game whose story is essentially about trying to get home, it's funny that so many people, including myself, find themselves coming home to Cave Story again and again.

Previous: Ikachan & Azarashi

Next: Megane & Guxt

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