Blogger Archive: slackur 
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...
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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.
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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!
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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
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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
[img width=420 height=351]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/IMac_G3_color_carousel.gif/220px-IMac_G3_color_carousel.gif[/img]
Image from Wikipedia
I distinctly remember in 1998 when the G3 iMac, or what was usually then known simply as the iMac, was announced in a variety of colors. I had grown up on a C64, and later the X86 and Pentium line, and what I could not wrap my head around at the time was how Apple was making a major selling factor out of the ability to pick out a translucent color scheme for your new expensive desktop. At the time (and honestly, still to this day) I thought it was a completely absurd marketing strategy and I simply couldn't imagine buying a computer based upon the color. Yet I was baffled by how many people around me, even the tech-illiterate, suddenly had to have this new computer, as if the gumdrop shape and selectable pigmentation was all they ever needed to suddenly understand my youthful nerdy passions.
Continue reading A Reflection on Games as Events Instead of Consumables
[img width=700 height=393]https://www.aliensfireteamelite.com/assets/img/217-min.jpg[/img]
Over the years, I've mentioned the co-op adventure/survival/shooter as one of my favorite modern game genres. I'm not naturally very competitive, but I do have a strong enjoyment and desire for playing with friends and building comradery. I must not be alone, because there has been no shortage of new experiences for playing through a co-op game with two or three friends over the last several years.
Continue reading Thoughts On Aliens: Fireteam Elite
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/SveKaFt.jpg[/img]
It was two years ago that we had our inaugural 'Test and Repair Table' at the 2019 Cleveland Classic Console and Arcade Gaming Show. One thing I think most can agree on, that in-between block of time has been unusual and the time before it seems long ago. Finally, thankfully, this year's show came around and it was as excellent as we all hoped!
Continue reading The CCAG 2021 Test and Repair Table
[img width=480 height=360]https://img.youtube.com/vi/eaz3r9TVNBM/hqdefault.jpg[/img]
Wow, has it been two and a half years since the last Gaming Apologist article? http://(http://www.rfgene...logist-Volume-1-3841.php) Ah well, it only takes two to be a series, right? If the title or previous article was tl:dr, the idea is simple; here are a few titles that don't have the greatest reviews, and I'd readily admit have faults, but I have found well worth my time and I fully enjoy.
Continue reading Thoughts from a Gaming Apologist, Volume 2
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