Blogger Archive: slackur 
 |
Posted on Feb 11th 2025 at 03:06:36 AM by ( slackur) Posted under Retro |
PSN was completely down last Friday and into Saturday. Our family hosts a weekly gathering that includes playing Magic: The Gathering, watching movies, playing video games, and whatever else strikes the group's fancy. Four of us have had a regular Friday night firefight with Helldivers 2, and thus we were not pleased with the downtime.
I was reminded of one of many reasons why I am a physical collector and retro gamer. While I do very much enjoy many modern games, my preference is always going to be more towards anything S.O.A.P.: Switch On And Play. No worrying about updates, online connections, installation issues, hard drive space, etc. Video games should, ideally, accommodate us more than the other way around. They exist for us, yet we are slowly getting to the point that the expectation is to rearrange our lives around them.
We recently picked up the Atari 7800 "Plus", and as weird as it may sound I found it to be the perfect modern update to a classic system. It is truly SOAP; not even menus to fuss around, it pretty much just works. Of course HD resolution is overkill for 2600 and 7800 games, but boy do they look nice! Original controllers plug right in, the games take a moment but load right up, and it plays everything I've tossed in without issue. It even runs the Halo 'port' from a few years ago.
In fact, my favorite gaming hardware purchases over the last few years have all benefitted from this SOAP mentality; the robust Evercade Library, the fantastic Analog Duo, the Genesis Mini II, even the cheap Hyper Mega Tech Super Pockets. (I love that name, it sounds like something twelve-year-old me would name a portable.)
At this stage in my life, sometimes a few minutes of gaming is all I can squeeze in. When I sit down for my daily exercise bike gaming time, if there are technical issues that take time to resolve I just move to the next gaming option. When I sit down and play something with the kids, we don't want to rearrange our limited time window around what a game will allow us to play; we just want to jump in and have fun.
Our Friday night quad will likely be back defending Super Earth this coming Friday, Lord and servers willing. Yet as the years roll on, our physical collection is getting more precious each year, and not just in terms of monetary value. Having lots of options that don't depend on modern gaming tropes means we can always game on.
Oh, in case you were wondering what we ended up playing? Um... the board game Thunder Road Vendetta. But my point still stands!
Ah, Final Fantasy.
After a long and, frankly, ridiculous series of confusing events, the Pixel Remaster compilation of the first six Final Fantasy games became available physically for Switch and PS4 for under forty bucks total. (This was during the end of 2024, and the price has jumped up again since then.) I will readily admit to some FOMO during the initial sold-out launch before it was later confirmed to be re-released for a cheaper price. By the time it became more widely available I was comfortable waiting until a further sale.
Why did I want the compilation? It is kind of absurd, as we have in our collection possibly every other physical NA release of almost every game in the series. SNES, PSP, PlayStation/2/3, GBA, DS, 360, PS4, PS5, etc. We have the CD soundtracks to at least half of the games, several versions of most of the guides, and the Spirits Within and Advent Children movies. We already have the ready ability to play all six of the first games in several ways. Why on earth would we need another?
The short answer is that I just like the series! The best (IV and VI in my opinion) are some of my favorite games, the middle tier are generally better than average RPGs, and even the least preferable often have some interesting ideas. Some of my favorite characters, music, and story beats come from Final Fantasy games. Having six games (with orchestrated soundtracks!) all on one disc/cartridge with a few extra bonuses and QoL improvements (although missing some added content from other releases) was enough to get me to bite, although as mentioned I definitely waited for a sale.
My history with Final Fantasy goes all the way back to the first game on the NES. (I stil have my second CIB copy, although the poster is hanging up in our basement.) I had already finished Dragon Warrior and a few C64 dungeon crawlers, and when Nintendo Power hyped this new release and even published a guide for it, I was pumped. It didn't disappoint, although my thirteen-year-old brain would have been forever stuck without that Nintendo Power Strategy guide. I grinded for hours and hours after school, determined to 100% the game. I would put it down for other games and then pick it back up, but I often forgot where I was and just kept leveling my characters and wandering around.
And then, the Super Nintendo was announced. I was simultaneously delighted and saddened; it looked amazing in magazines, but I was a poor kid and my parents had scrounged years before to get me the NES. I had traded and hunted garage sales with chore money to build up the meager twenty NES carts I owned, and they would be my only possible method to acquire a new console.
A friend got his SNES and our friend group was amazed. It sealed the deal; I was determined to find a way to get one. In the back of a gaming magazine (Electronic Gaming Monthly, I think) were lists of dollar amounts FuncoLand offered for Nintendo games. After some simple math, I found I could trade my NES and all of my games to get a shiny new SNES. My parents would buy F-Zero so I had more to play than Super Mario World (which I had already completed at a friend's house long before I got my own copy.)
I got $14 for Final Fantasy. I remember because I debated about letting it go, but there was no other way. I tried to finish it but by then I just didn't have the time. I reluctantly mailed off (!) my NES and all fourteen games. The next few weeks felt excruciating, but one day the mail delivered the gaming console I still have to this day, yellow tint and all. And I played Super Mario World and F-Zero for hours every day after school, loving every minute and scrounging to rent every title as it came in to our local store.
About a year later, I overheard a classmate discussing an epic narrative of dark knights and redemption, of chivalry and summoners, of dragoons and magic. I literally thought they were discussing a movie, but I later found they were gushing over the epic story of a game of which I was only vaguely aware; Final Fantasy II for the Super Nintendo (actually IV, but that's a different story.)
I waited and waited until our local rental store got a copy, and then waited more as it was always checked out. When I finally got to play it, I was amazed! I fell in love with the story, I found the combat much more interesting and entertaining than the first Final Fantasy, and even my dad (who never had interest in any video game) commented about how much he enjoyed the music. I had my progress reset a few times in-between rentals, but I never minded too much. When I finally secured my copy and eventually saw the credits roll, it cemented itself as one of my most cherished gaming memories.
By the time Final Fantasy III (actually VI) released on the SNES, my High School friends and I were racing to see who could get a copy and complete it first. We swapped copies of SNES games back and forth to play through, including FFII, but this one we each wanted for ourselves. It did not disappoint. Once again the music, characters, story, and gameplay simply elevated the experience to a sublime epic. To this day I still give both SNES Final Fantasy games equal billing as all-time personal favorites. (Yes, there was also 'Mystic Quest,' but I consider that a spin-off.)
As the years went by and more Final Fantasy games came and went, I played most near the time of release. Some I really liked, some far less so. While personally those two SNES titles remained the height of the series, I've still liked the majority of the games and I think pretty much all of them were worth my time.
There are more Final Fantasy stories to regale, such as when my beloved wife surprised me with a new copy of Final Fantasy VIII on the same day I didn't tell her I went and bought a Dreamcast (we were realistically too broke to have bought either) and sleeping my way through Final Fantasy VII, but this is already getting away from where I wanted to go with this write-up.
I never did go back and finish the original Final Fantasy, even as I bought another copy to complete our NES collection. I also wasn't import savvy and couldn't read Japanese, so I never played through the Famicom Final Fantasy II (which is completely different that the SNES game.) I always intended to correct that, and though the GBA Dawn of Souls release would have been perfect I still hadn't gotten around to it. Then the Pixel Remasters were announced, and I was determined to play through them.
I have to say, at my age and stage of life the Pixel Remasters are the ideal way to play these games. The built in maps, the EXP and money boosters, the quality of life improvements such as retargeting after a monster dies, the absolutely gorgeous music, all work to give a 'seasoned' gamer like me the experience I want while respecting my time. I was able to truly enjoy the original Final Fantasy and I was surprised at how it was simultaneously primitive and revolutionary for the time. The story was simple but had more content than I remembered. The flexibility of the party system made it fun to tinker. I still liked the fantasy tropes lightly mixed with sci-fi. It may have taken 35 years (gulp!) but I am very glad I 'finally' played through it.
Next up was Final Fantasy II, based off the original Famicom version. I had always heard of this as the black sheep of early FF games, primarily due to the complete overhaul and changes to the traditional leveling system. Perhaps due to the Pixel Remasters tweaking this system, I didn't find it more difficult, just different. (I know this is at least in part due to the original penalizing stats while others increased, such as when casting enough spells a character's intelligence would go up but their strength would go down. The Pixel Remaster version does away with such penalties.) To my delight I enjoyed it completely! Once again I was impressed with a much fuller and more detailed story, though still simple by later standards. The music is as good as the rest of the series. The characters, while set, are extremely flexible in their builds and less defined by roles. Some of the puzzles and maps were very obtuse and the encounter rate is way over the top, although once again the Pixel Remaster comes through by allowing encounters to be turned on or off. Overall, I came away quite satisfied by the time I saw the end credits.
I'm taking a break and working through the Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana remake/port, Ys being another series with which I have a long and colorful history. It is serving as a fun palate cleanser before diving into the remake of the Famicom Final Fantasy III, the only other game in this compilation of which I have yet to experience. (I played through the PlayStation port of Final Fantasy V upon the stateside release.)
Maybe you don't have a history with these early Final Fantasy games, and therefore they won't hold the same magic. Maybe you are curious about 'classic' JRPGs and want to see where they came from. Many a gamer these days started with Final Fantasy VII or even later, and these games represent a completely foreign experience. What I can definitely say is, I'm very glad I picked up this compilation and 'finally' got to cross off a few on a backlog that started when I was a whole lot younger and had a lot more time on my hands...
|
Posted on Jan 27th 2025 at 10:36:18 PM by ( slackur) Posted under update |
The site continues to undergo backend revising and experimenting. Also, a new account is in the process of being set up for our server fees. That process sure is slower than we hoped, but it is moving along. My current goal is to start the raffling for donations as soon as we can, hopefully early next month.
Given that we are a nonprofit site with bills to pay (kept as minimal as we realistically can) we hope to re-engage community involvement and get some traffic back to the site. Yet I enjoy the tight-knit community of RFGen and consider it one of the last 'comfy' places left on the 'net where I don't have to worry about people and content. Thus, while we don't exactly predict explosive growth, we do want to keep everyone on the same page about 'generating' (wink) and maintaining a healthy place. As we gain members and interaction, we want to be welcoming and patient. We have had to kick folks out in the past, but only as a last resort. Members have come and gone and still occasionally stop by. Our question for the moment is, when the relaunch is more in full swing and new forums and tech are installed, what would you like to see here at RFGeneration?
I'm intending on spearheading a new "RFGeneration Nation" podcast. I'd also like to re-engage a forum for limited release physical media.
What else would you like to see on RFGeneration 2.0?
|
Posted on Jan 21st 2025 at 05:51:46 AM by ( slackur) Posted under Update |
Our new tech team is going over our options moving forward, and the bad news is our current patchwork of code can't really be fixed past a certain point. RFGeneration, at least as I've been told, started as a learn-as-we-go project by a dedicated group of friends. The result is a bit of a snarl of loose ends and hard knots, patchwork elements and now-outdated programs. I'll be honest, hanging around the Discord as the smarter guys talk about it makes me feel like I'm eavesdropping on a foreign language conference call.
The good news is, we are all on board to create a better, more robust site using the pieces we can transfer (most importantly, the database) and re-establish our little home on the 'net! I've repeated a lot of this on previous posts, so this is a reminder that we aren't going anywhere. There will undoubtedly be some bumps in the road, as our current setup is kinda tricky to test any fixes. Just because a backup copy works with changes doesn't mean it will upload correctly, especially with some of the outdated backend stuff.
Our coders and consultants are evaluating what software to use to build a new site and import what we can. There is a good chance we may have to have the site go down unexpectedly when we are testing something new, but rest assured we are backing up everything we can before that would happen (and if possible, I'll try and warn folks here on the site) and we be back as soon as possible.
For those here and hanging around, thanks for your time and support, and keep the comments and posts coming!
It was the reveal to end all... eh, yeah, really it was just a teaser confirming the Switch 2 is a Switch Pro. Bigger screen, actual stand (although I think the OLED model is a smarter design for such), Joy-Cons that appear upgraded from baby-sized hands to small child-sized hands, magnetic connections to replace the rails that have failed in three of the five models in our household, and a few seconds of Mario Kart, which may be a new game or simply an upgraded version of the current (albeit fantastic) one that released almost two hardware generations ago. All while being backwards compatible for software but not hardware. Sure, there will likely be some great Nintendo games that will look prettier and that couldn't run on the regular Switch, but by all accounts thus far this looks a lot like a 1.5 rather than a 2.
I'm absolutely delighted!
Ours has always been a Nintendo household. We have every Nintendo generation thus far, including oddities like the Virtual Boy and most of the Labo releases. We have a Wii U demo kiosk whose loud fan lulled my sons to sleep in their youth. Every member of our family has their own Switch, and they all get played weekly if not daily. Sure, we play all sorts of other stuff (the PS5 is usually my go-to for my daily exercise bike workout) but if there is one shared gaming love in our family, it's probably... Jackbox party packs. But also Nintendo.
A friend of mine was sharing his disappointment over the Switch 2 reveal, grumbling that it wasn't going to be as powerful as the current PS5 and Xbox Series. However, I'm very satisfied that Nintendo is consistently doing their own thing. Why would I want the big three companies following the same path? The one feature I wanted in a new Nintendo system was highlighted in the announcement; backwards compatibility.
Being a physical collector, this is a huge deal to me. Out of the last several generations of gaming hardware, the PS3 stands out as having an excellent library that is currently locked to one console, a console known for hardware failure. Emulating the notoriously difficult Cell processor is still a work in progress, and I assume there will be more and better options in the future. But thankfully, it seems more hardware generations feature some level of backwards compatibility that do not. It makes sense, from a certain standpoint, as it allows for easier integration into a pre-existing software eco-system and helps consumers on-board to new hardware. I know from a salesperson point of view, explaining to customers that the newest PlayStation and Xbox can also play the previous generation has been a major factor in folks buying into the next generation of hardware.
Of course I want to see new Nintendo games in 4K at 60FPS, and hear all of the neat bells and whistles in 7.2 Dolby Atmos. But perhaps even more, I'd love to see some original Switch titles running on improved specs. There are so many Switch games I haven't gotten to yet, and the idea that they may be boosted up on a newer system by the time I get to them is quite the sales pitch for me.
Another factor in my expectations is that, like the original Switch and unlike the PS5 and XSX, the Switch 2 formfactor is portable. For many including my own family, that portability makes Nintendo's system the go-to just for the convenience of not being tied down to a TV. The Switch, I'd argue, is really is more of an evolution of the DS line than of the Wii or GameCube before it. We know our gaming laptops are generally underpowered, dollar-for-dollar, compared to their desktop equivalents. No one was surprised when the PSP, Vita, or other portables were less powerful than their console siblings. The Switch 2, like most Nintendo hardware, won't be near top-of-the-line tech when it comes out. But if history and rumors are true the price will likely be reasonable, and although I'm not looking forward to re-investing in more controllers and accessories the most important part (the games) will already be there and waiting.
The original Switch was quite groundbreaking despite the lower-than-competition specs, and Nintendo has pulled that trick off quite a few times now (the Wii, DS, and even the original Game Boy.) I'm kinda glad Nintendo hasn't tried to re-invent the wheel every time. The 3DS was a fantastic addition to the DS even without the 3D, and the Game Boy Color was a great upgrade to the OG, as was the Advance to the Color. Our Wii was playing as many GameCube games as it was Wii games.
There is more than enough room in the console video game industry for Nintendo to do their thing while Sony and Microsoft to do theirs. I can understand why the Switch 2 will be disappointing for some folks. As they say, not everything is for everyone.
Meanwhile, I'm having to figure out how to 'responsibly' upgrade five systems in the future...
|
Posted on Jan 13th 2025 at 10:33:03 PM by ( slackur) Posted under Update |
As RFG slowly rebuilds, we've got some thoughts to ponder. How do we want the database organized and configured? What is our balance of legacy compatibility, efficiency, and speed versus utilizing newer programs and systems that make the site better integrated with modern devices? What can we do to spur community involvement while maintaining our comfortable and friendly atmosphere? If Die Hard is a Christmas movie, does that put the NES Die Hard game technically in the same genre as Daze Before Christmas? Is the Games Advent Calender 2024 any good and will there be a 2025 dlc update?
Fortunately, I don't have to figure all of this stuff out alone. While our Discord channel has been essential, we want to open, drive, and keep conversations going here! In that spirit, I hope to soon introduce our new team working on the site, to give some more keys to those who can work on the backend, give more permissions to db editors, and welcome some new folks who want to help.
Feel free to chat in the comments if you want to be part RFG in a bigger way but are waiting to have access to do what you can. We are all volunteers here, so we understand that it is always a matter of getting to things when we can.
|
Posted on Jan 9th 2025 at 03:50:06 AM by ( slackur) Posted under update |
I'm gonna skip intros for some of these updates, as by now I think we are mostly on the same (front)page. We are working on getting the imbed pictures functioning again, as they have been broken for a bit.
SNES2025 is pretty much a go! If you want to nab a game to play through, the ball is already rollin,' so git on that forum.
One more thing: Koola and I are planning on launching a fun little RFG podcast. Just ramblin' about gaming news, retro, the site, games we are playing, that kinda thing. If you are interested in co-hosting or being a guest, lemme know in the comments or via DM!
|
Posted on Jan 5th 2025 at 02:21:30 AM by ( slackur) Posted under Update |
Here we are, gang. 2025.
If you've been here for a few years, you've seen it. The difference especially over the last half-decade. The post-COVID, economically difficult, mostly-digital future we are in now. Like so many other old haunts, the ol' RFG site isn't where she used to be and is in serious need of some time and attention. Many assume her glory days are long gone. Some folks stop by every now and then just to see if she's still around. Some have moved on altogether.
And yet, here we are! If you are an old-timer, welcome! If you are a curious newcomer, welcome! If you have no idea how you got here and your Amish family is out looking for you, go back to the front door and take a left, the hardware store is two buildings down.
When I posted over four months ago with our new plan for RFGeneration, I had not anticipated some of the difficulties we were facing. And new ones will undoubtedly pop up moving forward. But we are finally able to move forward! Here's some new updates:
I'll be opening a new account to cover server costs and related expenses: we are keeping everything free to all, and my plan is to always do so. To that end, we will be moving what we have left in the current account to the new one and begin fundraising to pay the bills. That has a hard date of before February. Once we get things up an running, I intend to put up some items for raffling to give that little extra kick for those kind enough to donate.
Here is where we get introspective. When going to the 'about' tab of RFGeneration, it is all about community. The database is naturally the main draw, but what else do we want for RFGeneration? Perhaps the site will primarily be a utility, but we have endless opportunities to grow and build a great place to visit online. Most if not all of the volunteers forming the new team to run RFG have very limited, get-to-it-when-we-can, time to work on the site. We have some great people stepping up, but we can always use more!
To that end, what 'vision' do we want for RFG? Even if the focus will always be the database, we still need to clarify our purpose. For example, are we building an archive for every 'official' game release with footnotes for homebrews, single event carts, and decades-late rereleases? Or are we an open 'everything goes' opportunity for collectors to build lists however they desire? What about variants, and what should be the limit? Should popular mods have any listing? How should we organize digital releases? Should the database be categorized by system, then region, then lists of game titles, or should each game title be the 'launch' page, and every system/region/variant have a listing under the game title?
So many questions! And that's where you come in. We want feedback; after all, the first focus of this site is community! Since we are having to rebuild on such a low level, now is the time to start planning ahead. Even the type of server and technology we are using to host the site will be informed by answering these questions. We don't want to pay for things we aren't going to need or use, but we also don't want to limit ourselves (and make more work for ourselves) by adopting the wrong approach.
We know we can't stay where we are, as the site can't really be patched up to keep going as-is, so how we rebuild is the first question we are working on moving forward.
Please join in the conversation!
First, sorry about the long pause since last time; there were issues getting the front page to update. The great news is, we now have some new tech leads working in the background to move forward! The good news is that we also have a new team intending to keep the db updated and improved, and other folks to push new content and keep the site fresh.
The bad news is... oh boy, do we have our work cut out for us. Almost everything here needs some severe work or outright replacement. Think about those home improvement shows that need a complete demo before the real work can begin, and you're halfway there.
This is actually a great opportunity. We are not starting at the ground level (obviously keeping the db and rebuilding the forums) but we are having to rework at such a foundational level that now is the time for us to refashion the way the site works, focus on the content we want to develop, and gather input on the point and purpose of RFGeneration.
Please give us some comments and thoughts here so we can start the general conversation and start nailing down specifics. Also, our Discord server has been invaluable during this difficult time, so feel free to pop over there as well.
And Happy New Year!
Hi everybody! I'll skip the whole intro about how long it has been since our little internet home has been up and running to full capacity and the various reasons this place hasn't been dusted in a few years, or the garbage taken out, or the roof leak fixed, or where that 'Beware of Dingbats' metal sign came from.
I'm here with good news! I'll be taking over for the incomparable Mr. Singlebanana and doing my best, as time permits, to help a team rebuild the site over the next few months and beyond. Bickman 2K is going to help us transfer the site and we will be opening up the backend for a new team of volunteers to fix 'er up and refresh the site.
Some soon-to-future goals; a monthly raffle for donors to keep the servers purring (we are committed to the ethos of the site to be ad-free, free to all, and credit given to all who help,) some more steady front page content, the broken stuff fixed as we can and time permitting, and maybe even some nice surprises as we get there. Once our new team is up and going we will do some introductions (and re-introductions) but for now, if you are interested in helping with the coding, database work, front page content, web design, cross-country catering, or other skills applicable to improving the site and growing the RFG community, please comment or even toss me a message here.
I'm also thankful for the folks who have kept the lights on in the forum and database submissions! While it will take some time to get things going, the community has always been my favorite part of RFGeneration and I'm committed to helping us get back on our feet and running again.
One more thing; RFGeneration is 20 years old as of this past April! I'm hoping to set up some interviews with the original builders of the site, their memorial for Mr. Michael Collins, and some connection with the past and hopes for the future. I'll be reaching out to whom I can get ahold of, but even if you aren't a 'founder,' if you've been around the site in the early years I'd love to set up a simple conversation/interview.
Stay tuned and keep it on channel 3!
[img width=700 height=277]https://i0.wp.com/evercade.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/EvercadeVS-Hero500.jpeg?w=1260&ssl=1[/img]
When the Evercade portable first released in 2020, there were many who scratched their heads in bemusement. Surely in this day and age of the Switch, the various cheap emulation portables, and now the Steam deck, a new cart-based budget portable game machine was unnecessary? What was this newfangled British toy, and was it fated to be another nifty but niche Game Gear or Lynx? Or a comical disaster by way of Game.com or N-Gage? Well, now that the Evercade has had a few quality of life updates and almost two years of cartridge releases, a better evaluation may be given. Especially now that the Evercade VS, a home console version of the Evercade ecosystem, has finally arrived here in the US. After spending a few weekends with the VS and the entire current library, here are my thoughts on everything Evercade.
Continue reading Thoughts on the Evercade Ecosystem, Including the VS Console
[img width=638 height=437]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/ss/U-005-S-05200-B.jpg[/img]
Formulating a digital avatar, a representation of a player's interaction within a video game, is a construct often taken for granted. Given the importance placed upon player agency in many modern games, from customization and features in Skyrim to vehicle selection and colors in the Forza Horizon series, great effort is often taken to connect the player to what is on the screen. Upon reflection, four games I've played recently paint a fascinating picture of the evolution of where we started and where we are now.
Continue reading A Brief Tour of Avatars Through The Gaming Ages, From The Last Four Games I Played
|
Posted on Jan 17th 2022 at 01:00:00 PM by ( slackur) Posted under coop |
[img width=539 height=452]https://images.biglots.com/Mesa+Brown+Reclining+Sofa?set=imageURL%5B%2Fimages%2Fproduct%2F58%2F810349152-1.jpg%5D,env%5Bprod%5D,nocache%5Btrue%5D,ver%5B1%5D,profile%5Bpdp_main_med%5D&call=url%5Bfile:biglots/product.chain%5D[/img]
Now that we are a couple of weeks into '22, and since co-op is kinda my jam, I figured I'd do a quick recap on some co-op games you may have missed last year. This quick list excludes some better known titles such as It Takes Two, The Ascent, and Back 4 Blood, and instead focuses on some that may have slipped through the cracks. Oh, and I won't mention how much I enjoyed Aliens: Fireteam Elite because I've already mentioned it in a few articles, so I won't bring up how much fun I had with Aliens: Fireteam Elite again in this article and how you should find two friends and play through Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Also, I didn't get around to KeyWe or Very Very Valet, both of which I intend to pick up but have yet to do so.
Continue reading Some of 2021's Lesser Known Co-Op Games Worth Playing Into 2022
[img width=450 height=809]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-033/bf/U-033-S-00030-A.jpg[/img] Pictured: Another mainstream media/futurist/political/conspiratorial lie. It is the end of 2021, and not only do we not have flying cars, no one I know has a Hydrosub either. I blame the supply chain breakdown. Giant birds, ornithopters, and 1970s TVs not included.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, fellow RFGeners! As we close out the last 365 24 hours together, let us focus on the positive, and not the errors I keep accidentally adding to the database.
Continue reading State of Play 2021 Wrap Up
[img width=550 height=760]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-040/bf/U-040-S-02320-A.jpg[/img]
My dad was not a gamer, video or otherwise. He played me at chess exactly twice, handily winning both times and had no interest in playing again as he said he had nothing else to prove. When it came to the fairly new invention of video games, it wasn't as if computers and technology were foreign to him; he was one of the punch-card programmers who set up terminals for the Army's ARPANET, laying the backbone for what became the internet of today. His purchase of a Commodore 64 during my youth was completely transformative for me and shaped my future in many ways, including my introduction into the burgeoning world of video games.
Continue reading Gaming Generations Lost and Found
|
