Sunday 10/6/2024 Post

 Packers S Xavier McKinney intercepts pass in fifth straight game to start 2024!

 

Helene Update Day 8: The Return of POWER

 Power, but not internet, has returned to our home on this, the 7th day, of Hurricane Helene aftermath.  The family and I are heading back home today and saying good bye to our gracious hosts that have housed us the last few days.  

 While this closes one chapter in this saga it is not the end.  Trees are still down everywhere.  Hundreds of thousands are still without power.  Many businesses remain closed.  Schools are closed.  Many stores that are open are cash only but there isn't readily available ways to get cash.  There is a likely long wait for repairs to internet as Spectrum has deemed it still too unsafe to work the issue in our neighborhood due to the trees and down poles/lines.

 But we'll take it.  Power back on and getting back home is one more step towards normalcy.  Now I wait for the return of being able to stay up to the wee hours of the morning playing my favorite online games.

Helene Update Day 7: Hope and patience

 It is day 7 without power at our house and we continue to stay relocated with a coworker who has power and internet.  Tomorow is the estimated day for power to come back on at our house so we are hopeful that stays true.  I doubt we will get internet access back at the same time but that is secondary to having power.

 We are also prepping for more rain as another tropical storm makes its way through the gulf and up our way.  We should get a minimal bit of rain but any amount at this point has most of us here cautious.

 We've also been able to get word from some friends up in western NC which was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.  They are in good shape and their area specifically was spared from most damage but they informed us the brother of their's son's girlfriend is missing.  His last known whereabouts before the storm are unknown but his car was found in flood waters and home completely washed away.

 It is a stark reminder that while this is inconvenient for myself and my family; there are others who will forever be changed by this event.  It reinforces the patience needed to get through these events.  More importantly it reminds us that we all need some hope in these trying times.

Bonus cat picture.  This is our neighborhood cat who adopted us.  He's doing just fine. 

Helene Update Day 6: Reminders we still have a ways to go

 Still no power at our house on day 6 of the joy that Hurricane Helene brought us.  The family and I remain relocated.  I am making daily trips to the house to check on things and keep our outdoor animals fed (rabbits and chickens).  School is cancelled now into next week.

 In a more positive update there is now ice arriving at a regular interval in the local grocery stores.  It won't save anyone that lost everything in their fridge/freezer days ago but it allows some short-term storage instead of having to figure out how to use an entire container of milk in a single day.

 I was also able to check around more of the immediate area in our neighborhood and there were sober reminders that we still have a ways to go.  There are still downed trees on power lines that are still untouched.  Street lights are still out.  Roads are still blocked.  Damaged houses covered in tarps also remind us that for some getting back to normal is even farther away.

 An example of a partially blocked road and damaged power lines in our area that is TBD when it will be worked on.

Helene Update Day 5: The Estimate and Throne and Liberty launch day!

 It is day 5 of no power at our home and we got the first glimmer of hope to an end with an estimate from our power company that they will have power restored by Oct 4th.  We were fortunate enough to have a talkative worker that was working at the problem location where the lines were taken down.  He was optimistic but you could tell he was not convinced Oct 4th was real but thats what they had.  They have to replace multiple poles and transformers.  

 That will get power back into the spot where the utilities go underground to feed our house.  The risk after that is the state of the underground lines; some of which were ripped up as trees uprooted.  If the underground lines are damaged then there is unfortunately a wait for a crew that can do buried cables.  

 I don't even want to think about internet.  Down the street you can see Spectrum's buried line sitting six feet up in the air attached to a upturned rootball of a 100 year old oak tree that toppled over.

 With that said the family and I are still relocated to a coworkers house where they have power and internet.   Its a bit of a drive but still checking on the house and family members each day.  Gas is surprisingly available with minimal wait times.

 Also Throne and Liberty's global launch is today.  I played early access for a few hours the day before Helene hit so I have some thoughts but it will be a bit before I get to that and a bit before I get to jump back in Throne and Liberty.  

A pic showing what some streets still look like.

Helene Update Day 4: Relocated

 Day 4 update on our Helene journey.  No power at our house so our family relocated to a coworkers house where they have power.  Power crews are in our neighborhood but the damage is catastrophic and supplies needed for repairs limited.  More and more folks are getting power but in older neighborhoods like ours it is likely a long haul for power... and probably even longer for internet.  

Also counting our blessings seeing neighbors with houses like this. 

Sunday 9/29/2024 Post

 Packers went down 28 to nothin' early against the Vikings but clawed their way back to lose by 2, but it was never really that close.

Helene Update: Day 3 and still no power

Looks like we are in for the long haul for no power.  No estimate on restoration either.  Making use of the scout skills! 

Holy Helene!

We are safe.  Lots of trees down and damaged homes in the area.  Power will be out for a few days probably.  So much for Throne and Liberty early access! 

A picture of some damage on the street. Yes those are power lines under the downed trees!!

Initial Impressions: Deadlock

 Valve’s new project, Deadlock, has landed in a surprise invite-only alpha test, and I found it to be a mixed bag. It’s a shooter-MOBA hybrid that, while ambitious, feels like it’s struggling to figure out what it really wants to be. There’s potential here but there’s a long way to go before this one can be called a hit.

 Deadlock has you running around as a hero, shooting at enemies while juggling MOBA-style lane control and minion management. Movement’s a big focus—you can dash, double jump, and wall run, which sounds great until you realize that these mechanics are not for your average gamer. It’s fun when it works, but for anyone who hasn’t mastered both the art of twitch shooting and MOBA strategy, good luck. The learning curve is steep, and for players like me, it feels frustrating.

  Visually, Deadlock isn’t anything groundbreaking. If you’ve played Fortnite, Overwatch, or any number of other recent Valve games or hero shooters, you’ll know what to expect. What’s more interesting is the setting: prohibition-era New York with occult undertones (forget where I saw this description but I'm stealing it). It’s an unexpected backdrop and what sold me on the game, but it feels like a wasted theme on a MOBA.

  The community’s early reactions, which are, unsurprisingly, all over the place. Some players are digging the mashup of genres and are already organizing tournaments which seems a bit crazy considering the game is in early testing and things change every couple of days.  The biggest issue though has been the invite system where other testers can invite friends to play.  It was (and may still be) plagued with issues.  It took me weeks to get access where others got an invite within hours.  The invite approach has also clogged most community channels with requests or offers of invites instead of discussion about the game.

  In the end, Deadlock is promising, but it didn't grab me. Valve has time to make major changes—it’s still in alpha, after all—but as it stands its just a MOBA skinned in a unique theme. Keep an eye on it if you’re curious, but don’t be surprised if it falls short of expectations if you thought it was something new.

Getting ready for Throne and Liberty global launch

Here we go... again...

 With Throne and Liberty early access just two days away (9/26), I’m gearing up to hit the ground running. For those of you who’ve been following along, you already know I’m no stranger to MMORPGs, and the prep before launch can make or break your experience with a game. I’m not about to be that player running around clueless while everyone else is racing ahead. So, here’s the rundown of what I’m doing to make sure I’m ready to dominate from day one in Throne and Liberty.

 First up, I’m looking for a guild since my regular group isn’t fully committing to Throne (a few of them are jumping in, but not enough for a real guild push). Since the game is so guild-focused, it’s going to be important to join a solid group if I want to get my hands on the best gear and participate in guild objectives. Being part of a competent guild is going to be important when it comes to progressing gear and making the most of what the game has to offer.

 Next up is setting my sights on a build for my character. Throne uses a classless system, so your entire build comes from the items you equip and the upgrades you make to those items. From all accounts and my limited beta experience, the decisions you make in upgrading gear are very important to get right. Items can be changed later, but it gets progressively harder the further you go (or more expensive if you’re swiping your card to buy your gear for builds).

 My likely choice for a build will be Sword and Shield/Wand. This is a paladin-style build, and I’ve always been a long-standing fan of the paladin class. It’s also a tank build, and tanks are always in demand for group PvE content, plus they play a key role in the large-scale group PvP content. As for the details of the build—well, that’s still TBD. I need to do some homework, since a lot has changed since the last beta we played.

 Another important decision is whether I’m going to play early access or not. I’d love to dive into early access, but I’ve got a weekend trip that will keep me away for most of that time so I'd only benefit from a day or two of early access. There are other benefits to the early access package, so it’s not just about playing earlier (though that’s the main draw). If I wait for the regular launch, I can jump in for free instead of dropping $40+ on an early access package, which is a pretty compelling reason to hold off.

 I’m not sure if Throne will be a long-term MMORPG for me, but I definitely want to give it a try. New World Aeternum launches on October 15th, and I know that’s going to pull me back in, which will put some pressure on my time to play Throne. But hey, that’s a good problem to have with so many great games on the horizon!

 How are you getting ready for Throne and Liberty?

Get hyped for New World Aeternum with this fan made trailer!

 New World Aeternum is only a couple weeks away (Oct 15th launch) and I ran across this fan made trailer to help get you hyped!

New World : This is Aeternum - Fan Made Trailer
byu/toto77170 innewworldgame

Sunday 9/22 Post

 With the highest rated QB in the league over the past two weeks the Green Bay Packers dominated the Tennessee Titans this Sunday!  And that was just with our GOAT backup QB Malik Willis.

Sunday 9/15 Post

 The Green Bay freaking Packers beat the Colts.... with a backup QB!  A backup that joined the team less than a month ago.  A backup... that... played well and didn't make mistakes.  Granted; the Colts were not the biggest challenge but Malik Willis showed tons of promise with the absence of Jordan Love due to injury.

 Go Pack Go!

Throne and Liberty Early Access vs Full Launch Servers

 Throne and Liberty dropped some updated information for the early access and full launch servers here. Some thoughts below but first the important text blurb copied for posterity (and to save you a click):

Text version:

Early Access & Full Launch Servers

We saw some questions from the community regarding how Early Access Servers and Full Launch Servers are planned to work and interact with each other. Our goal is to design a system that provides non-early access users the same fresh server opportunity as early access players. Please refer to the early access section in the TL Business Model - What to Expect article for more information.

Early Access Servers are the set of servers that open on September 26 at 10AM PST (5PM UTC) before launch on October 1 at 10AM PST (5PM UTC). After the full launch on October 1, all new servers opening will be part of the Full Launch Server group.

We want to provide some additional clarity on how these servers will work. Here’s a quick summary, with more specifics below the following items.

1. Once both groups of servers are live, players can create new characters on Early Access or Full Launch Servers at any time, subject to population caps. If you begin playing at full launch and want to join your friends on an Early Access Server, you may create a character there on October 1 regardless of whether or not you purchased an Early Access Pack.

2. Players can transfer from Full Launch Servers to open Early Access Servers at any time.

3. We will offer limited-time free transfers to all players from September 26 through October 17.

4. Early Access Servers will eventually have their transfer restriction lifted.

My comments:

 This alleviates fears that the Early Access servers were going to be walled off from players joining later or from any player that didn't buy an early access package.  This is great news for those of us looking to jump in at regular launch but have friends on early access.  Not only can you start characters there but you can also transfer to the early servers.  To go with it they are offering free transfers for the first few weeks of the game!  At some point in the future players will be able to transfer off of early access to regular (which makes sense, letting players transfer off of early access to regular servers just launching would give them a huge advantage).

Tuesday 9/10 Post

 She thinkin' what the rest of us thinkin'

WTF he just say?

 

Monday Screenshots: A Tale of Two Deadlock Games

 I played Deadlock (Valve's new FPS MOBA) a good bit last week and over the weekend.  One of the more surprising hero choices I've picked up on is Mo & Krill.  While there are two characters you control them as a single unit with a melee brawler style.  Specifically a tunnel-under-the-ground brawler style.  

 I started out hot in my first game playing as Mo & Krill and bombed out in the second. Scoreboards below.  Fortunately my team still won both matches.

 First a look at Mo & Krill:

Scoreboards:

13-2 K/D!  Easily my best game of Deadlock

 

 

1-14 K/D!?  Easily one of my worst games of Deadlock... but we still won!

Friday 9/6 Post

 NFL football on a Friday!?  In Brazil!  It did not go well for the Green Bay Packers.  Failure to turn early Eagles mistakes into more points cost them at the end of the game (sounds familiar... hmmm).  Then with mere seconds left the unthinkable happens and Jordan Love goes down with a knee/ankle injury.  Thanks a lot Brazil!

August 2024 in review

 August (or should I say Blaugust) 2024 has ended so lets take a look back.

The Blog

 Blogger provided number (last 30 days graph so a bit off a full month): 30,300

 This is up about 1,000 from July.  I do not know what the big spike was in late August as I could not zero in any posts that had that much traffic.

 

 In other metrics:

• Posts:
  
• Target: 31 (Blaugust Rainbow Award level)
  
• Posted: 32
• Difference: +1 because I can't let a reward go unclaimed!
  
•  Search Trends
• "new world roadmap 2024" surged to the top spot this month.  Ironically it appears so often that I created a post for those exact terms with the 2024 roadmap which is just continuing to gain traction.
  
• "best battlefield game", "best battlefield", "best battlefield games" still all are near the top but not the top dog anymore: Best Battlefield!?
• Once Human searches filled out the third spot with searchers looking for more details around the season resets.  This makes sense as the first launch servers recent changed over.  Unfortunately searchers will find nothing of value on the blog as I've not gone through myself or commented about the actual mechanics of the resets... yet!
  

What I Played

 Once Human dominated my August playtime as I made it to level 50 and set up my Frost Vortex build.  I also built a proper base finally (it looks like an airplane hanger).  I posted about none of these accomplishments because I had other ideas for Blaugust posts that took up my blogging time.  I have had to take a break from gaming for the past week due to real life stuff (trip, work, kids stuff) so I have yet to transition from my first scenario into a new one (likely moving to a PVE hard mode server with some folks on Sept 8th).

Years Ago

1 Year Ago

 August 2023 brought my introduction to Blaugust (check my Blaugust 2023 tagged posts) and I jammed the month full of posts.

 The most notable game launch was Starfield (early access started late Aug) and it's hard for me to believe that was already a year ago.  Too bad that game landed like a dud, but they finally added vehicles a year later so I guess I should fix my old post.

5 Years Ago

  Aug 2019 was in the 'no blogging' era and nothing comes to mind.

10 Years Ago

 In Aug of 2014 I was not blogging regularly but I was thinking about it as evidenced by: Long time, no post.  My nonexistent heart was warmed by all the commenters that stopped by though!  6 comments; probably the most of any post in the last 10 years... ha!

15 Years Ago

 August of 2009 was the month I became a father and my life was forever changed.  That kid is now 15 and about to start learning to drive.  He may, and this is a BIG may, also be better at video games than me now.  Speaking of comment counts; this post garnered 40+ which was heartwarming but it also shows how much commenting on blogs has died off over the years.  I'd have a crazy smile on my face if a post these days hit 10 comments; let alone 40+!

 Also some loser named Brett Farve (don't you dare spell check me) signed with the Minnesota Vikings in August of 09.

 20 19 Years Ago

 Technically I have 20 named years on my sidebar, but mathematically 2005 is only 19 years ago.

 In Aug of 2005 I was posting on Google Videos (before this thing called YouTube).  Sadly I think the video "CS:S video released - Two of the gReatest things eveR" and "Battlefield 2 Video - Lets go!" are lost to history as I am not sure I have copies anywhere and they did not make its way to YouTube when that took over for Google Video.  It is crazy to think had I just stuck with videos in that early era I could have been a YouTube content creator instead of annoying my team at work about getting stuff done. 

 With that said; one video from that Google Videos era did get saved to YouTube.  A World of Warcraft video I made while playing with the guild behind the Taverncast podcast: The Pod People invade Westfall.flv