Steam Deck / Gaming News #8
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GIF inclusion
On that note, the GIFs don't seem to load for me. Tried three different apps (Summit, Thunder, Sync).
Voyager works perfectly fwiw
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Voyager works perfectly fwiw
Doesn't load for me in Voyager either but it works in browser so there there alright. What the hell
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The Switch can be a hard one to say. If you get the last release (the 'Early Access') of Yuzu, and you use the GreemDev build of Ryujinx he maintains now (he was a Dev of Ryujinx proper, before it closed shop) - then you'll be totally fine.
Even tricky games such as ToTK have dedicated mod packs [like this one known as the optimizer (which is amazing at making ToTK play really well!)] which greatly improve performance, heck I even wrote my own mods to make it play well.
I had a vast Switch collection before my Steam Deck, which I then sold because I emulated it all on the Deck so well.
Then you'll find titles like BoTW which play far, far better through Cemu. Cemu emulates Wii U games, and Breath of The Wild on the Steam Deck is perfection - high FPS, higher resultion, mods, you can even tweak how much or how little cell shading you have, or fog on the landscape. It is the single best way to play BoTW.
In the end, I'd recommend a Steam Deck. You get:
- your Steam library
- GOG, Epic and Amazon titles through Heroic or Junk Store
- emulating every system through RetroDECK, with fun things like Retro Achievements, mods, texture packs etc
My biggest two issues I've found on specific Switch games has been Tears, which doesn't run perfectly (but is playable) and Metroid Prime Remaster (there is a literally fraction split-second load time at each door)
I'd recommend the Steam Deck, because it can do so much more. If you have specific questions, you can reach me on Matrix if you'd like!
Looks like your optimizer link didn't make it into the post. Good shout on Cemu, btw, as I'm wondering if I'd like BotW.
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Looks like your optimizer link didn't make it into the post. Good shout on Cemu, btw, as I'm wondering if I'd like BotW.
Oops, link is fixed!!!
And definitely Cemu for BoTW, its like an entirely different experience, and its the same game as on Switch!!!
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My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!
If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
I still don't use gog much. Last game I got there was free through Amazon prime, I think. It was Lego star wars episode 1, and while I usually really enjoy the Lego games, controller support was totally busted, so I ended up not giving it much time.
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My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
I've been playing another lap through the old Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and just got my party kitted out with +1/+2 weapons and better armor, so this ought to be the point where the rest of the game gets way easier.
I'm coming up on the end of the base game of Borderlands 2, as I try to make my way through the series before the fourth game launches this fall. There's a lot of Borderlands 2 DLC to get through after this, but it's scratching an itch that the FPS genre hasn't really been doing for me with new releases in years.
And I've also been making my way through the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance (this one on GOG). It's sort of flip flopping on how important the simulation aspects of the game are to its whole deal. I too found them frustrating, but I know from Red Dead Redemption II that, when done right, they're there to make you make choices that that character would make in that setting. However, sometimes the game hops over them in the interest of time, and other times it makes you go through them to the point of tedium. It's still early going in the grand scheme of things, and the political intrigue has surely grabbed me if nothing else.
With a name like Perfect Dark, what are your expectations for the new one? The demo they showed was vague enough that it could be just about anything, and I get the sense that it won't launch with split screen multiplayer or even a deathmatch mode, because no one does those anymore.
-
My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
Thank you for this, looking forward to the next one!
-
My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
Thanks for your diligent work!
I don't know if you already know this, but your phrasing made me think you don't:
Supergiant Games are known for Bastion... and more recently, for Hades
So it makes sense that the style reminds you of that, because Transistor precedes Hades. -
My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
This post is pure unfiltered 100% awesome! I find Iโm frequently having anxiety attacks these days because ofโฆ <gestures at everything>, but reading this massive in-depth writeup, just letting me soak in a hobby I love but donโt have much time for as Iโd like, has relaxed me more than anything has in months. Thank you so much!
Iโll definitely be keeping an eye out for these in the future! -
My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
Very detailed and informative post as always! This is how video game journalism should be done.
You've convinced me to give Death Standing another go. I bounced off of it 30 minutes in after the 20th minute of cut scenes but there seems to be more juice to it further in so I'll power through another hour or two and see if I can't find the hooks!
-
My weekโs news!
Though, the roundup this time didnโt quite make it to 7 days after the last I shared, as I promised it would. Sorry!
As ever, this is the bits and pieces of news Iโve spotted that made me smile, or made me interested, so I thought theyโd fit in nicely here.
My aim is to phrase this in a more personal manner than most gaming sites do now. My ever-lasting inspo is the old, old video game sites, blogs and magazines that I never had the privilege of being alive for:
- image/gif/link heavy
- personal voice (no hard news here!)
- mostly news or articles or points you wonโt find on the โbigโ gaming sites, these are the smaller, lesser things that Iโm drawn to
A warning, some users who use some apps have told me there is slowdown in scrolling these. I'd recommend Thunder, or Jerboa apps - neither of which have any issues scrolling through these posts I make!
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in and poke holes in my mistakes and formatting (or, idk, just enjoy this)!
GOG News / Games
Surveyed / โhow to better GOGโ:
Interestingly, those of us who allow emails from GOG (you can deny these โpromotionโ kind in your settings) saw a survey in the last day or so. The crux of this one is GOG seemingly floating the idea that they may introduce some kind of subscription service.
It does seem to be early days on what exactly that will entail (though that hasnโt stopped users everywhere getting very vocal about how they despise the prospect) โ but for a platform build on being DRM-free, itโs hard to see how this will work exactly.
I adore GOG. As maybe youโve seen from these posts so far, I own entirely too many games on there, itโs been my spot to buy games from the start (I actually checked how many I own on Steam โ 41!), and I love their service:
- DRM-free
- Gamesโ preservation
So while Iโm not seeing this in the most positive light just now (esp considering the recent numbers showing an 89% decrease in profits), Iโm not going to be negative before we see the whole picture.
Games Updates:
Iโve just noticed some updates to games recently, and wanted to share them in a lil list. This isnโt the most thrilling of endeavors, since maybe youโre already aware that a new version of your GOG game is up and running. Though if not, hereโs a few I noticed in my library which are new:
- Drova: Forsaken Kin
- Endzone 2
- Heart of the Machine
- Foundation
- Pillars of Eternity (is this the Poe game everyone keeps using the letters P, O and E for?
- The Thing Remastered
- Tunguska: The Visitation
- Wildermyth
- Rain World
- Ultima IV
- Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
- No Manโs Sky
GOG Cover Template
Last few times Iโve mentioned or shared the physical GOG DVD covers people design, print and display โ people have loved them. And no wonder, the lack of phsyical side of PC gaming makes something as small as a custom display of games you love such a beautiful idea.
Iโve come across this one by โNejnopโ โ this is a games cover template, for you to use if you want!
Though as ever, if youโd prefer to scroll through the GIANT forum thread on GOG and see game covers others have made for you, you can use this link here!If youโre curious, then:
Link to the template (and required fonts) here. Print your covers at 99% scale for the best fit: https://www.mediafire.com/file/k8m9vx3b5w6y9p7/GOG_Slim_Cover.zip/file
Void Bastards delisted:
As on the 31st of last month, weโve seen Void Bastards delisted from GOG. Sad news, but there is slight hope as is stated:
No last-minute discount, but we'll try to re-sign the game ASAP.
Sad
The Crew
This is an interesting video I found on The Crew (the first game), and how a team are trying to save the game with https://www.stopkillinggames.com/
If you want to know more about The Crew and the Stop Killing Games efforts, check these links:
Kotakuโs article from last year
Rock, Paper, Shotgunโs article
And IGNโs, if youโd prefer their article
]ANYWAY, to the point, I really enjoyed this video from Fastminer07 on YouTube, it was clear and reiterates how important this is. Worth a look if youโre searching for interseting videos for your down-time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2Ih__mE05c)
What GOG game did you play last?
Just...generally curious, if you did at all of course! Iโve been playing Bioshock 2 Remastered and it really is glorious. I love how the pinks look on the OLED screen, and how effective they are at making an underwater world look truly ocean-y.
In fact it inspired me so much with its deep ocean setting that Iโve been watching old-old movies set underwater, like The Abyss, Deep Star Six and most recently Leviathan
Dog day
Sadly the appeal of the word Doge has plummeted to now being synonymous with a fucking Nazi, but back four years ago when the stocks were checked, you got a cute little coincidence. Hereโs the image telling all the stories I need to:
KCD II
And finally, youโll have no doubt seen that Kingdom Come Deliverance II (what happened in the first 10 games?) has released on GOG.
This one was far more swift in coming to the platform than the first one was, and for a short time there it was feared that it was actually going to have Denuvo baked in (it was not)
Article via IGN on that Denuvo fear here, if you want to read more on it!
Anyway, now its on GOG and has had an update, and is looking and performing perfectly. It really does play so well on the Steam Deck. This is one of the very few games I bought on Steam, and have already played some of. I will however be buying again on GOG, because like you can see by my endless comments on it โ GOG wins for me!
Anyway, as Iโve played, I wanted less of a hardcore โsimโ experience, than others. Of course thereโs nothing wrong with that, but I just wanted it to be an easier experience for me to soak up the medieval setting. Mods I used via Nexus are:
- Ascetic Hunger Be Gone
- Easier or Harder Reputation
- KCD2 Easy Lockpicking
- Convenient Items
- Rich Merchants
- More Carry Weight
- Stay Clean for Longer
- Unlimited Saving II
- Instant Herb Picking II
I know, I know: โYouโre not playing how the game was designed to be played! Youโre cheating!โ - yes, but to me this is how I enjoy the game, so...it made it a little easier to play for me!
GOGโs Top Wishlisted Games (30 days):
- KCD 2
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- System Shock (25th Anniv. Remaster)
- Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
- Dino Crisis Bundle
- Baldurโs Gate 3
- Sudeki
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- KCD: Royal Edition
Rain World: The Watcher
...is now available on GOG!
Journey beyond to something, somewhere only ever glimpsed. When the world beneath your feet cracks and crumbles, will you hold on to all you once knew? Or dive into the unknown?
Link to the YouTube video on The Watcher is here!
Emulation / Retro Gaming
If youโre not emulating games on the Steam Deck, then I think youโre kinda crazy and you really, really should do so!. My fav option by far for doing so is to use RetroDECK, which had a great release recently and also a video made by emulation royalty Russ (of Retro Game Corps)
Iโm also kinda obsessed with RetroDECK, so if you need any help, or questions, then you can always reach out to me. I love the damn thing.
Anyway, my point is, I effing love emulating and retro games, and hereโs some stories and news Iโve found recently on the subject:
Halo 2 pre-release build pack has been released!
Hey everyone! We are excited to announce the release of the Halo 2 Pre-Release Pack! I would like to thank The Vengeful Vadam, Harcroft, Cheato, Revurt & Xbox7887 for making this possible. Extra special thanks to Carnivol for preserving the E3 2004 Demo. Pack is available for both Xbox & Xemu. We will be using this pack for our Tuesday, March 18th Halo 2 Pre-release Game Night on Xlink Kai. Join our discord for game night details; https://discord.gg/haloclassichub
This pack includes:
- Multiplayer Alpha Build - January 2004 (New Gametypes ADDED)
- E3 2004 Build - May 2004
- Includes 2 New Campaign Test maps prepared by the Vengeful Vadam; Zanzibar SP & Shared SP. See features like sprint, nightvision, and corner peeking along with the entire sandbox. Can you find all 40 bipeds?
- 4 Multiplayer Maps!
- Multiplayer Beta Build - June 2004 (Lockout install included)
- Halo 2 Alpha Campaign Test - Experience sprinting, nightvision & corner peeking on Waterworks. Includes all weapons and vehicles. Can you find all 11 bipeds? (Vengeful Vadam)
- Halo 2 E3 2004 Presentation Video
The download links are:
Xbox: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TCKVMuM0A-uR3heyhqKAwx7taSWHm3LM?usp=sharing
XISO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wn6pGcOwXKb09yDmOZEKKJ0en5HtSpdc?usp=sharing
Dolphin Emulator:
Dolphin is the way in which we emulate GameCube and Wii games on PC โ...in full HD with various enhancements.โ ...but it also runs on Android, Windows, Linux, MacOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Starting in 2003 as freeware, it has come a long way!
As of 21 days ago, they released their progress report on Dolphin (2503), and it remiss of me to not share this in an earlier news post!
The link to their detailed post is here, which is on their own site!
And hereโs two rather beautifully designed capsule covers for Dolphin I found that I just have to share with you!
Xbox Retail Homebrew:
Perhaps youโre unaware, but for a few wonderful months there was an option to emulate so many systems on your Xbox Series consoles with zero repercussions. PS2, GameCube, Wii...all worked beautifully (the first time I played through MGS 3 was through my Series X!), but as with all good things, they end, in 2023.
Hereโs a link to the article detailing the end of it being possible without further efforts - it is a article on The Verge
Now, emulation is still possible via dev mode on your Series X/S consoles, but it is very much not as easy as it once was.Now the point of my damn rant here, for those still running emulation on their Xbox, the new build is available, including full support with Retro Achievements!
XBSX2 Version 2.0.8.3:
Synced with the latest upstream commits as of 3/7/2024.
- Thanks to the new commits from the PCSX2 team we have themes now!
- Updated to SDL3 3.3.0 (Thank you to @3UR for swiftly working on this for me).
- Removed the Enable CDVD Precaching option from Settings due to excessive issues with the RAM limit.
- Updated assets to remove the .0 from XBSX2.
- Update the User Agent to include the user's console model.
- Remember Texture Packs do work but they have to be in the .dds format .png no longer works.
Interesting that via dev mode (not retail), things are still progressing and more than possible on the systems!
AzaharPlus:
AzaharPlus has been made and released. As was inevitable, the fork has arrived to skip around the โsafetyโ protocol Azahar implemented to make using pirated 3DS games harder. So the โPlusโ was build.
2120.2-A is the same as Azahar 2120.2 except for these features:
*Support of 3DS files. If a file works with earlier Citra forks, it works with AzaharPlus.
- Ability to download system files from official servers. No need for an actual 3DS.
It is available in 2 flavors.
One that has the same application I.D. as Azahar, so it will replace it on the device.
Its display name is "AzaharPlus".Use this one if you have other apps that target Azahar, like a frontend for example. The other has a new application id so it can coexist with Azahar without issues.
Its display name is "+AzaharPlus+".
Duckstation:
Duckstation (for android) just updated 3 days ago, which features:
- Performance improvements
- Multi-threading rendering
- Merging of multi-disc games in list
- Game compatibility improvements
- Additional controller types
- Texture cache and replacement support
- New patch code system
- CD image verification
This is a rather extensive lot of changes, and theyโre all nice improvements! So if youโre emulating on your phone (or using some kind of SBC device which runs Android alongside Linux!) then youโre in for an improvement
Gameboy Advance SP Slate:
You might have spotted this on my Mastodon the other day, but these are a typical mod where you take the PCB and screen and install it in a metal shell - changing how the typical SP is a folding device and instead making it a typical old portrait look for the Gameboy.
Hereโs a YouTube video if youโd like a closer look at the process!
I found this one made as a dedication to MegaMan and its a ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ design using UV printing.
I think I'm in love!
MAME:
โMAMEย 0.276 has arrived just in time for the end of March, and itโs full of emulation goodness! Remember that 64-bit ARMv8 recompiler we added a few months ago? Well now itโs even faster! This release fixes graphical issues in Konamiย GX arcade games and Philips CD-i software. Weโve added several IGS gambling games, as well as Chinese versions of some Dynax mahjong games. The LinnDrum percussion synthesiser is now working with interactive controls and sound output. And speaking of sound, audio emulation issues in several arcade games have been fixed.
PC-88VA emulation is progressing, with fixes for multiple graphics modes. A few more peripherals for the TI-99 computer family are now supported. There have been a few CPU/DSP fixes that should improve Sega 3D arcade game emulation. Psion hand-helds now correctly detect more memory configurations and give better-looking video output. Weโve also fixed some issues with CHD creation, floppy disk image handling, and XML system information output. Windows users now get an option to have debugger windows appear in the taskbar and window switcher.
As always, you can marvel at all the exciting development this month when you read the whatsnewtxtfile The source code and 64-bit Windows binary packages can be found on the download page
...if youโre interested, you can read their full post here via this link to the MAME site!
The Fall of Citron (the emulator):
Citron, a Nintendo Switch emulator, has collapsed due to drama involving its lead developer, Zephyron (formerly known as Phoenix). Key issues include:
- Unjustified bans: Thousands of users were purged from Citronโs Discord without warning.
- Security concerns: Users were pressured to verify their modded Switches via a risky external app, raising fears of data misuse. Leaks revealed plans for a DRM system that could blacklist users.
- Zephyronโs misconduct: Credited with stolen code, harassed other developers (like Sudachiโs Jarrod), and allegedly hid a past scandal involving pedophilia accusations.
- Betrayal of Camille: The true main developer, Camille, did most of the work but was sidelined. Zephyron sent a baseless legal threat, removed Camilleโs contributions, and sabotaged their donation page.
- Citronโs downfall: Updates broke functionality, and the GitHub was wiped. Zephyron allegedly declared the project dead.
Moving forward, Camille and other devs (including those from Uzuy and Yuzu Mod) are creating a new emulator, Eden, promising a fresh start for Switch emulation.
If you want to read everything (itโs...way too detailed), including a ton of screenshots of who I can only assume are children in charge of moderating, you can check out the two posts I was directed to about it on Reddit:
The second of which, posted 30 mins ago at the time of writing this! Is here:
Other Gaming News:
Xbox & ASUS
You might have seen news recently that Xbox has been partnering with ASUSโ Ally range to work on an upcoming collab โ a Xbox branded and focused Ally. From all reports, itโs a significant reworking on Windows 11 to be more handheld friendly (which it needs, desperately.
...Tom Warren clarifies a few things about Xboxโs thinking behind new hardware, stating โSources familiar with Microsoftโs plans tell me the companyโs Xbox platform plans for this year and beyond are centered on one big goal: the unification of Windows and Xbox.โ He goes on to say that Xbox is planning a new handheld tentatively slated for later this year that will be made in partnership with Asus called Project Kennan and should show the first glimpses of Xboxโs work to unify Windows and Xbox.
Thereโs an article here showing a video teasing the handheld and controller, if you want to see what they look like - itโs a really odd ad though, kinda cringe tbh.
PlayStation Store:
This is just...nice, itโs only an image of the PlayStation Store at the Sony Metreon complex in San Francisco, 1999:
Death Stranding 20 Million:
This has gone from a game I tried twice, and it didnโt grab me, to maybe in my top 3 games Iโve played in the last couple of years. I just love how well it builds a world. The atmosphere and environments, the loneliness and the absurdly amazing music choices just make this game perfection to me. I played it entirely through on the Steam Deck, but Iโve since also played it on my main PC and when played a max? Itโs a work of art.
Since recently releasing on Xbox alongside the original PS release (not to mention PC), Kojima Productions shared on Bsky that the game has surpassed 20 million players. This is an amazing feat with modern gaming, and well deserved.
I am so excited for what is next with DS2!
And hereโs an image of Lรฉa Hรฉlรจne Seydoux-Fornier de Clausonne who plays Fragile, in a rather nice Death Stranding top I am dying to own:
Game & Watch:
Just a fun image I stumbled across:
Gunpei Yokoi takes his Game & Watch prototype on the shinkansen circa 1980
The Miyoo Mini
The one SBC handheld I keep going back to is the original Miyoo Mini (or my version was a V2, which I adore). These little fellows are adored by the retro handheld community because they are so inexpensive, so small, and rather packed with features for that price-tag. The options for custom firmware are many, as with the aftermarket options for cases, buttons, stickers, skins...it really is a dedicated community surrounding these!
If youโd like to know more about these little fellows, then the age-old recommendation for any product which emulates is to look at Russโ (of Retro Game Corps fame) videos on YouTube:
Anyway, one thing of interest in the Miyoo scene: a few people have been offering wildly expensive (though for custom machined metal, this price is reasonable) metal replacement cases for them. Material, CNC milling, anodization, printing etc.
MechDIY has made some rather pretty ones, which Iโm just gonna cherrypick the cute 1990s ones from:
Respawn & Bit Reactorโs Star Wars game:
Some images of the upcoming turn-based, tactical Star Wars game made by Respawn and Bit Reactor (who have a ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ต of industry folk from XCOM working there) have โleakedโ early.
And the XCOM influences really are clear on this one, but in the best way.
The game's official showing will be in April, at the Star Wars Celebration. But for now, we get these nice little leaked images as follows!edit, one other photo refuses to upload, perhaps the res is too high? just so you know, one more image exists!
I recommend:
This is neither here nor there, but I wanted to recommend a game which Iโve enjoyed a lot from GOG, playing on my Steam Deck.
Transistor is -80% off right now on GOG, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Itโs kind of like a hybrid game to me; an action RPG which makes me think of Hades that is just such a great expression of my fav art and architecture style โ Art Deco. Itโs made by Supergiant Games (known for Bastion). Set in the futuristic, cyberpunk city of Cloudbank, where a mysterious force called the โProcessโ is erasing everything.
You play as Red, a famous singer who loses her voice and wields the Transistor, a powerful talking sword containing a manโs consciousness. The gameplay blends real-time combat with a strategic turn-based system, letting you โfreezeโ time to plan attacks, while absorbed enemy abilities allow customization.
The art-style is just achingly gorgeous. Beautiful Art Deco designs are everywhere. Isometric gameplay, melancholic narrative, and such a nice soundtrack (including Redโs haunting hummed vocals), this is such a great game. And I canโt recommend it enough with such a steep discount at the moment.
Witchery GIF:
More pretty pixel art this time on The Witcher. This little GIF is by digital artist whose work Iโve shared before โ 'KillerRabbitMedia'
This also just acted as a reminder to me that I need to go back to playing The Witcher 3 because it is one of those games I will never tire of playing!
The Witcher 3 is also -80% off on GOG right now, just in case you've never played and want to pick it up for your Steam Deck
PS3 โ customized:
In my ever-lasting quest to find fun consoles, this custom PS3 up. User 'cribsnib' customizes these to look as similar to their classic original PlayStation look as possible, and it's incredible how well they did!
Separating, sanding, priming, painting and clear-coating.
"๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ '๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐บ' ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐บ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ"
From a hardware design perspective, this is pure art to me. Am I tempted? Yes. Iโve been looking recently at custom Xbox 360 consoles, being the generation of gaming I grew up with as a little-little child. Itโs nice to know that 99% of the games you buy physically will just...play, without patches or updates that games now require to be even playable after launch.
Linux News:
This one is short and sweet, my friend Gardiner Bryant released a rather nice video giving a roundup of Linux news lately.
The link to his YouTube video is here, and def comes with my recommendation for this one!
This might be it?
I guess this might be the end of this one. Iโm actually just landed in Rome, having impulsively booked a little while here, just after a week off from work and real life by the sea. Lucky me, right? So while I actually thought I might write more for this (I have a lot more to write, but maybe Iโll save them for the following week?), this girlโs gotta go find some coffee.
Iโd also love to hear what youโve been playing lately. Be it Steam Deck, or PC, or console, Switch...whatever. What games have you been playing and enjoying lately? My fav bit of pop-psych (for a Social Engineer โ thatโs my job!) my fav thing to try get a glimpse of who the person behind the user-name is via the games theyโve been enjoying!
So share!
Anyway, all my love to you as ever Lemmy
P.P.S: if you wanna follow me on Mastodon โ do so here:
I just wanna say, I love these posts!
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Always love reading your posts!
You seem to emulate a lot on Steam Deck (right?). May I ask how smooth the emulation of Switch games goes?
I have been heavily debating between Switch OLED and the Steam Deck (and then emulate Switch games). But keep hearing different things about how smooth things run.
Steam deck going to cost โฌ700 while Switch โฌ550 (switch + get someone to mod it).
Also; I assumed that BlueSky can see posts from Mastodon but unfortunately canโt find you through BlueSky.
Heavy emulator user here, the Deck made my Switch obsolete but I did play Tears of the Kingdom on my PC so I can run it at 60fps. On the Deck, ToTK can struggle to reach even 30 in many areas without community modpacks. Smaller titles like the latest Zelda and Metroid run flawless.
However, the Deck can also run every other console up until Switch/PS3/Xbox 360 as well as my full Steam and GOG library and it has a full desktop on it.
If you don't mind the tinkering to get the emulators configured, the Deck is a no-brainer for me.
If you want to save some money, you can also get the smaller Steam Deck. It is trivially easy to swap the SSD if you later decide you need more storage.
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Very detailed and informative post as always! This is how video game journalism should be done.
You've convinced me to give Death Standing another go. I bounced off of it 30 minutes in after the 20th minute of cut scenes but there seems to be more juice to it further in so I'll power through another hour or two and see if I can't find the hooks!
Death Stranding really clicked for me when "Bones" by "Low Roar" in the first real delivery mission comes on. Takes slightly more than an hour to get there and even then, it definitely is not a game for everyone.
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I love these posts, but I need to make a bug report for the Boost app, because for some reason these posts are unreadable in that app. Scrolling is just way to sluggish. Not sure if it's the length, or number of images.
As a Voyager user, the image load takes a looong time, but everything scrolls smoothly (except for the text jumping as images load).
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Yeah this is a great writeup. First time I noticed it. I'd follow your blog on RSS for sure.
If you haven't seen her other posts, I'd jump on her profile and read it. There are 7 more of these out there!
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Very detailed and informative post as always! This is how video game journalism should be done.
You've convinced me to give Death Standing another go. I bounced off of it 30 minutes in after the 20th minute of cut scenes but there seems to be more juice to it further in so I'll power through another hour or two and see if I can't find the hooks!
Its a tough one! I tried twice before it made me head over heels. Just...take your time, the whole first gigantic area (to me) is like the tutorial area, just get through those cut scenes and then you're really on your own.
Try soak in the atmosphere, but do remember it's not for everyone!
I really, really love the game now. It actually takes my breath away. Heck it even inspired me to get Death Stranding items (I'm loathe to use the word 'merch') from Japan. And let me know what you think of it! I'm super interested how you find it
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Thanks for your diligent work!
I don't know if you already know this, but your phrasing made me think you don't:
Supergiant Games are known for Bastion... and more recently, for Hades
So it makes sense that the style reminds you of that, because Transistor precedes Hades.Weirdly I did, but you're absolutely right. I had 100% utterly forgotten that! How odd!
Thanks for reminding me!
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I still don't use gog much. Last game I got there was free through Amazon prime, I think. It was Lego star wars episode 1, and while I usually really enjoy the Lego games, controller support was totally busted, so I ended up not giving it much time.
Keep on claiming those free games! Its my fav deal in gaming now - for the cost of a Prime subscription you get a whole bunch of games, each week! A lot of quality GOG games, alongside Epic and Amazon's own.
You can't lose by claiming them, each month suprieses me with how much I get for an add-on to a subscription I already use
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This post is pure unfiltered 100% awesome! I find Iโm frequently having anxiety attacks these days because ofโฆ <gestures at everything>, but reading this massive in-depth writeup, just letting me soak in a hobby I love but donโt have much time for as Iโd like, has relaxed me more than anything has in months. Thank you so much!
Iโll definitely be keeping an eye out for these in the future!This is honestly so sweet to read, thank you for making me feel like my silly little posts can make a little bit of an impact
And, I think everyone here - especially on Lemmy - understand that feeling of things becoming 'too much' lately. Heck, I just ran away to Rome to drink coffee, play chess and avoid real life because it all feels a bit much right now. So I understand completely!!!
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I've been playing another lap through the old Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and just got my party kitted out with +1/+2 weapons and better armor, so this ought to be the point where the rest of the game gets way easier.
I'm coming up on the end of the base game of Borderlands 2, as I try to make my way through the series before the fourth game launches this fall. There's a lot of Borderlands 2 DLC to get through after this, but it's scratching an itch that the FPS genre hasn't really been doing for me with new releases in years.
And I've also been making my way through the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance (this one on GOG). It's sort of flip flopping on how important the simulation aspects of the game are to its whole deal. I too found them frustrating, but I know from Red Dead Redemption II that, when done right, they're there to make you make choices that that character would make in that setting. However, sometimes the game hops over them in the interest of time, and other times it makes you go through them to the point of tedium. It's still early going in the grand scheme of things, and the political intrigue has surely grabbed me if nothing else.
With a name like Perfect Dark, what are your expectations for the new one? The demo they showed was vague enough that it could be just about anything, and I get the sense that it won't launch with split screen multiplayer or even a deathmatch mode, because no one does those anymore.
I think I found KCD II easier to sink into than the first. The first one I played maybe 10 hours of and kinda walked away. I told myself it was too open-ended. Maybe I need a little structure to my games to make me feel less overwhelmed?
That turned out to be obvious nonsense though, since the second is even more open-ended and I just love it. Like I said though, I really found I needed mods to make it less like 'work'. But I know I am in the minority because it's not as the developers wanted it to be.
I'm...waiting for more before I can really form an opinion on Perfect Dark. I adore how it kinda feels like a loose spiritual successor to Deus Ex, if that makes sense? I'm hoping it stays true to what the original was. Weirdly I feel like Selaco gave me similar feelings of 'high-tech-corpo-espionage/action' that Perfect Dark once did, though it's a completely different game.
