kfwyre's recent activity
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of May 12 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThe Forgotten City is excellent. A great time-loop game. I know this is sacrelige, but I enjoyed it more than Outer Wilds. If you can look past the jank (it started as a Skyrim mod before being...The Forgotten City is excellent. A great time-loop game. I know this is sacrelige, but I enjoyed it more than Outer Wilds.
If you can look past the jank (it started as a Skyrim mod before being made into a standalone game), it’s a splendid experience.
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThe Bingo Golf master is showing us how it’s done! Fifteen squares filled with only two strokes! I’m not sure what par is for this hole, but I feel like you’re on track for an albatross. 😁The Bingo Golf master is showing us how it’s done!
Fifteen squares filled with only two strokes! I’m not sure what par is for this hole, but I feel like you’re on track for an albatross. 😁
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre (edited )Link ParentFrogger - Released before you were born This category was a bit of an outlier for me, which I appreciated. My Steam library makes up probably 95% of what I consider “my backlog,” so I like when...Frogger - Released before you were born
This category was a bit of an outlier for me, which I appreciated. My Steam library makes up probably 95% of what I consider “my backlog,” so I like when categories force me out of that lane. When I saw this category on my bingo card, I checked my Steam library for games that released before I was born and came up just short! I did have a few official emulation packs on Steam that were technically released recently but were made up of games older than me, but I figured if I was going to be emulating anyway, why not dive back into the meticulously set up and curated RetroDECK install I did for myself?
I was leaning towards playing something from the ColecoVision simply because it’s a system I know nothing about but have always been curious about. @aphoenix had actually given me recommendations for Artillery Duel and Pitfall, both of which I did end up trying out. I realized when playing them though that neither really fit the “Backlog” criteria of the Backlog Burner. I’d never even heard of Artillery Duel, and Pitfall was a game I was aware of but never really felt I needed to play. The whole point of the event is to scratch pre-existing itches, not identify new ones!
I thought about arguing that trying out the ColecoVision as a whole would count as part of my “Backlog” since I’ve always kind of wondered what it was about, but that also felt like cheating. What I needed was a specific game that’s given me a specific “itch” for a long time.
And that’s when I noticed Frogger in my list of games.
See, I’m no stranger to Frogger. I had a version of it on my TI-83 calculator that saw a lot of play in high school, but my main connection to the series was the 1997 3D reboot of the series on the PlayStation. I played that game more than anyone should have; it is not a great game. It is needlessly hard. It is punishing. It is clumsy. It requires a lot of trial and error, memorization, and perfect rapid execution.
But when you’re young, living in a time where videogames were harder to come by, and haven’t developed a critical eye for game design yet, then you play what you’ve got, and you do it over and over and over again, and you like it even when you probably shouldn’t. I brute forced my way through that game and hated it but also kind of loved it in the way that you learn to love anything you spend that much time choosing to do.
So the original Frogger has always been in the back of my mind as something I’d like to visit, but I’d kind of forgotten about that until I saw it it sitting there in my RetroDECK game list. It was a longstanding itch that I wanted to scratch. Backlog requirement met!
The game itself is pretty simple. You’re a frog and you have to hop across a street, then across a stream, to get yourself to the top of the screen. Get five frogs to the little alcoves at the top of the screen and you get to the next level, which is a similar layout but ups the difficulty. The challenge of the game comes from timing. There are vehicles on the street you have to dodge, and then the obstacles reverse for the stream: instead of dodging things, you have to specifically target them, hopping directly on the logs and turtles so you don’t fall in the water.
It’s an elegant, clever concept for a game. It also plays quite well by modern standards. When I tried out Pitfall the game felt very clunky. It was slow, and the game ran at an obvious interval. It made it so that the movement didn’t feel good and my inputs didn’t feel immediate. Some of my deaths in that game didn’t feel like my fault.
Frogger, on the other hand, still feels sharp and responsive. When I died, it was definitely my fault.
The game is meant to be played and replayed. Sessions are quick, and there are only four levels total. At present the best I’ve done is getting four out of five frogs placed on level 3, which I got a frustrating THREE times in a row!
I’m not using save states, and it’s not because I’m above save scumming (I genuinely love it) but because save states weren’t working on my emulator. That means I’m playing the game as intended and not just cheesing my way to the end, which is for the best.
For the purposes of the Backlog Burner, I’ve “gotten the spirit” of the game so I’m considering it done. I do plan to leave it installed though. It’s the kind of game that’s fun to come back to every so often, and I could definitely see myself playing it as an “offline” game while I’m on plane flights.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of May 12 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentCharacters are simply cosmetic, while weapon packs are actually additions to the game. Personally, I’d recommend against getting the DLC unless you know you’re going to play it a lot. There’s...Characters are simply cosmetic, while weapon packs are actually additions to the game.
Personally, I’d recommend against getting the DLC unless you know you’re going to play it a lot. There’s plenty of fun to be had with just the base games, and the weapons in the base games are plenty satisfying.
The DLCs are definitely “nice to have” but not “need to have.” If they were cheaper, I would say go for it, but to me the real deal here is just the two base games for 95% off.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of May 12 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentYou're not alone! I was trying not to buy any new games during Backlog Burner month but I picked up the Monster Hunter Humble Bundle...You're not alone! I was trying not to buy any new games during Backlog Burner month but I picked up the Monster Hunter Humble Bundle...
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of May 12 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkMy namesake, the venerable and very dated Killing Floor, is on sale on Steam for 90% off. I don’t recommend that you get it though. Why? Because it’s a better deal to get the Digital Deluxe...My namesake, the venerable and very dated Killing Floor, is on sale on Steam for 90% off.
I don’t recommend that you get it though. Why? Because it’s a better deal to get the Digital Deluxe Version of Killing Floor 2 at 95% off. Why? Because that version also comes with a copy of the original Killing Floor. You literally get two games for the price of one because (at least in my region) the cost of the two is the same.
If you’re only going to get one or play one, then Killing Floor 2 is probably where it’s at. It’s much more palatable to modern gaming sensibilities. Plus, they're running a free weekend for it! You can try before you buy!
But, if you’re somehow hankering to return back to an iconic and groundbreaking co-op horde shooter of yesteryear (I see you), then the original might be worth a look.
The game will feel unfair at first, especially if you’re playing solo or with random people. It takes some time to figure out the different zombie types and what strategies work best. There is no crosshair in the middle of your screen. You have to learn the maps.
But if you’re wanting to put in the effort, and especially if you have a team of buddies willing to join you, then the games are sublime.
The first game has voice commands you can access using the
Vkey which pulls up a little menu that you can navigate with the number keys. PressingVthen4then1plays your character’s voiceline for “Get to the trader!” which is sort of your “home base” between waves. My gaming group used to use the in-game line, but then just switched to saying “V41” (as “vee-four-one”) over our voice chat as a vocal shorthand.It caught on and, to this day, well over a decade later, “vee-four-one” remains part of our group vernacular no matter what we’re playing. We use it to roughly mean “go to the home base” but the specifics of that are entirely dependent on what game we’re playing. When a day in Stardew Valley was ending someone would say “V41” to let everybody know to wrap up their chores and head back. When we were busy exploring islands and the shark started attacking our Raft, “V41” was the cue to get back and fight him off.
Seeing this on sale makes me want to V41 to Killing Floor itself. It’s been a minute since I’ve played it, but it’s also the kind of game I can always come back to. Maybe once the Backlog Burner event is done…
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Comment on I find myself intimidated by the Bear community in ~lgbt
kfwyre LinkLots of other good advice in the topic, but I’ll also add that it’s not uncommon to be intimidated by people we are attracted to. When I was growing up closeted, I was intimidated by a lot of...Lots of other good advice in the topic, but I’ll also add that it’s not uncommon to be intimidated by people we are attracted to.
When I was growing up closeted, I was intimidated by a lot of guys. My brain went “hey, most people here are homophobic, and that guy can beat you up, so tread lightly, yeah?” I thought that was the extent of it. The intimidation I felt seemed justified.
But then I started going to queer affirming places with gay guys, and I still felt a lot of intimidation. “That guy could beat you up…” my brain thought (as usual) ignoring the fact that we were in a gay bar and the guy in question was wearing, say, a Kylie Minogue tank top.
Turns out that I wasn’t just intimidated by guys because I feared them: I was also intimidated because I was attracted to them. It was hard for me to disentangle that though, and it’s worth noting here that there isn’t a complete overlap between the two categories (there are definitely guys who scare me who I’m not attracted to at all, and there are some I’m into that aren’t intimidating). For the bulk of guys though, there is a bit of an intimidation/interest overlap.
Why am I saying this? Because that very well might be the root of the issue. Bears can be intimidating! They’re big, husky, manly dudes! And for people like us who find that attractive? Uhhhhh….. I’ll just go stand in the corner and not talk to anyone.
But I’ll say this, as a bearish guy who is married to a definite bear: they can also be funny and kind and loving and cute and completely approachable. So I’m in agreement with the other people in this topic: try going! Maybe you’ll meet one of the nice ones (and most of them are probably nice ones).
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentDespite all my metrics, this event isn’t just about quantity! Finally scratching a 14 year itch is absolutely a valid way to backlog burn.Despite all my metrics, this event isn’t just about quantity! Finally scratching a 14 year itch is absolutely a valid way to backlog burn.
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentPopping in to say that I have now officially 100%ed the game! I was going to share a screenshot, but I learned as I tried that it is a massive pain to share screenshots of non-Steam games on the...Popping in to say that I have now officially 100%ed the game!
I was going to share a screenshot, but I learned as I tried that it is a massive pain to share screenshots of non-Steam games on the Steam Deck because you can’t simply upload them to your Steam account and get them on a different device.
I then tried to go digging for the actual file in desktop mode, but apparently they’re saved in some difficult to find folder buried deep in the directory tree. I made a minimal but good faith effort to locate them, failed, and then just stopped.
Anyway, take it on faith that I finished it fully! It was a delightful game. And OpenGOAL really is something special. They’ve done a fantastic job. It really felt like I was playing an official remaster the entire time.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of May 12 in ~games
kfwyre LinkHumble Bundle: The Monster Hunter World and Rise Saga Tier 1: MONSTER HUNTER RISE MONSTER HUNTER RISE Deluxe Kit (DLC) Tier 2: Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (DLC) Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak...Humble Bundle: The Monster Hunter World and Rise Saga
Tier 1:
Tier 2:
Tier 3:
Tier 4:
All are Steam keys. As always with Humble Bundle, remember to click on the
Adjust Donationbutton before buying and move the sliders to your liking.Also I have no doubt that our resident game deal and Monster Hunter superfan, @phoenixrises, will be by to tell us all the reasons why everyone should buy this bundle. 😁
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre (edited )Link ParentJak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy via OpenGOAL - An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game I played Jak and Daxter back when it came out, and it was genuinely mind-blowing for me...Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy via OpenGOAL - An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game
I played Jak and Daxter back when it came out, and it was genuinely mind-blowing for me at the time. I loved it, and it quickly entered the pantheon of “My Favorite Games of All Time.”
It has then since sat for over twenty years as a fond memory. I’ve always wanted to go back to it.
So, not too long ago, I spun it back up on an emulator on my Steam Deck and learned a very unfortunate fact: the game has inverted horizontal camera controls. And no setting to change that either.
I tried to play through the frustration for a bit, thinking I’d get used to it over time, but that never happened. Anyone who’s ever played a 3D platformer knows that fighting the camera is already a source of frustration in places, and I could see that between me and the end of the game lay a whole lot of accumulated frustration from even the most basic camera manipulations. I felt like that would sour my appreciation for the game, so I put it aside.
Enter OpenGOAL. It is a decompilation and reimplementation of the Jak series of games. This makes it effectively act as a “remaster” of the game similar to a “source port” for something like DOOM. The game runs natively on PC, runs at a higher resolution, and includes quality of life fixes that the OpenGOAL devs have added.
One of those quality of life fixes (arguably the most important one) is the ability to toggle between normal/inverted camera controls for each camera axis and type. I could now play the game with normal, natural camera controls!
I installed it on my Steam Deck (where it worked perfectly) and ventured back into a world that I haven’t visited in twenty years.
There were two things I remember loving when I first played it.
The first was the fluidity of the character animation during gameplay. The motions of the characters looked smooth and complex, but also elegant. I also think it was one of the first games I played that was set at 60 FPS. I know that’s a normal standard now so it doesn’t seem that noteworthy, but, in a past full of some genuinely bad framerates, I think it gave the game some visual fidelity that felt unmatched and “next gen.”
The second was the contiguous game world. The game doesn’t have loading screens. It’s broken into different regions which are effectively their own individual levels, but they are all connected in-game and you move yourself between them in the world rather than using a map or a warp system. At the time, this gave the game world a satisfying, cohesive feel — it was simply one big world and you got to visit every corner of it. The game had a very far draw distance (another noteworthy feature at the time) so you could see other parts of that one big world far off in the background.
In replaying the game, I got to revisit these two points.
With regards to the animations, the game still has it. They look great which means, consequently, they feel great. Jak’s rolling jump in particular is a highlight. It’s effectively the same as a long jump in Super Mario 64 but its excellent animation gives it an intangible quality that, for me, makes it feel a lot better to execute.
The only complaint I have about the movement is that the game often “ate” my inputs, particularly on double jumps or attacking after jumping. I’d tap jump twice, but only the first one would register. I had a lot of deaths because of this. It seemed like the issue was when I did two inputs too quickly in succession so I learned to pause slightly between them, but then sometimes it happened after a pause as well. I couldn’t ever fully pin down the issue, but it also wasn’t bad enough to ruin my enjoyment of the game. I have no idea if this is a fault of OpenGOAL or if the fault is in the original game and OpenGOAL is faithfully reimplementing it (with how good a job they’ve done, I suspect it’s the latter).
With regards to the game’s contiguous world, well, that was less impressive. With older, more modern gaming eyes, I can see a lot of the tricks the devs used to hide loading. The “one big world” of the game felt much more illusory to me this time around. That said, I don’t want to be down on the game for this. Despite their techniques being obvious over twenty years later, I remain impressed by what they were able to do during the time in which they were doing it. It was cleverly done, and even with my critique here I don’t think it’s aged poorly. I much prefer this game’s style of smoke and mirrors to cover loading rather than the more modern technique of “the main character slowly pushes themselves through a narrow enclosure.”
As for the game itself, it’s lovely. It’s an enjoyable 3D collectathon. Some of the areas feel a bit more inspired than others, but the game remains varied and interesting and satisfying to play even today. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it — not as much as when I was younger, of course, but enough that I’m close to 100%ing the game. I finished the final boss at 87% completion and just have to dive back in for a little more cleanup.
If you’re wanting to revisit Jak and Daxter, or you’re wanting to try it out for the first time, then I cannot recommend OpenGOAL enough. It felt like a complete professional remaster of the game, and it was absolutely flawless on the Deck.
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkMode: Standard Bingo! Finished 7/25 ✔ DIG - Deep in Galaxies A romhack or total conversion mod Has romanceable characters “When the hell did I buy this?” Considered a disappointment ✔ In Other...Mode: Standard Bingo! Finished 7/25 Has permadeath
✔ DIG - Deep in GalaxiesA romhack or total conversion mod Has romanceable characters “When the hell did I buy this?” Considered a disappointment Focuses on exploration
✔ In Other WatersHas no achievements Focuses on relationships Nominated for a GDC Award You regret buying it You can complete it in one sitting
✔ Some Distant MemoryCame out more than 2 years ago ★ Wildcard
✔ Chop GoblinsReleased in the year you joined Tildes From a different culture or country Has a lives system
✔ Andro Dunos IIHas been banned, censored, or challenged You started it but never completed it Released before you were born
✔ FroggerFrom a genre you don’t normally play Has campaign DLC Has driving An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game
✔ Jak and Daxter (OpenGOAL)Has a weather system Great reviews, but not your usual type I’m still behind where I’d like to be. I’ve had a very busy two weeks compounded by genuinely awful travel luck. I cannot tell you how much time I have spent on planes, waiting in airports, and dealing with delays (and yes, cancellations). I also cannot tell you how much the Steam Deck has helped make that process easier. (Hint: I only played Jak and Daxter for maybe 30% of my recent travel time, and it took me probably 10-12 hours to beat it.)
The good news is that the major travel is done for the month, though I still do have some minor travel this weekend. Between the time I can squeeze in this weekend and my longer holiday weekend after that, I’m hoping I can catch up to where I’d like to be, which is actually winning my first bingo!
I’m not there yet. I’m very close — only one square away! I have a few things lined up for Has campaign DLC but they’re all longer desktop games, so even if I start on that this week I might not close it for a while.
I am three squares away from wins in three other directions, so I might choose some shorter games to try to fill in some of those in the meantime too. I would like to close out this week with at least one five-in-a-row!
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre LinkPinging all previous Backlog Burner participants/conversationalists: here’s the new topic for the week. Notification List @aphoenix @brews_hairy_cats @CannibalisticApple @Carrow @Durinthal...Pinging all previous Backlog Burner participants/conversationalists: here’s the new topic for the week.
Notification List
@aphoenix @brews_hairy_cats @CannibalisticApple @Carrow @Durinthal @Eidolon @J-Chiptunator @Mendanbar @Notcoffeetable @Shevanel @Weldawadyathink @WesIf you would like to be removed from the list, let me know.
Also, if anyone would like to be added to the notification list, let me know as well!
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May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 3 Discussion
Week 3 has begun! Post your current bingo cards. Continue updating us on your games! If you did not participate in previous weeks but want to start this week, that's fine! Reminder: playing bingo...
Week 3 has begun!
Post your current bingo cards.
Continue updating us on your games!If you did not participate in previous weeks but want to start this week, that's fine!
Reminder: playing bingo is OPTIONAL.Quick links:
Week 2 Recap
10 participants moved 18 games out of their backlogs!
There were 0 bingo wins.- 1 participant played free choice
- 7 participants played standard bingo cards
- 2 participants played bingo golf
Thus far, a total of 33 games have been played for the May 2024 Backlog Burner.
Week 2 Game List:
- 2064: Read Only Memories
- Andro Dunos II
- Aperture Desk Job
- Bendy and the Ink Machine
- Breakout
- Chop Goblins (x2!)
- Coromon
- Curse of D’Sparil
- DARK SOULS III - Archthrones mod
- DIG - Deep in Galaxies
- ELDEN RING
- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
- Hotel Dusk: Room 215
- Open Roads
- Radical Dreamers - Le Trésor Interdit
- Vampire Survivors
- Umurangi Generation
- Yakuza Kiwami
Week 1 Recap
Week 1 Recap
10 participants played 10 bingo cards and moved 15 games out of their backlogs!
There were 0 bingo wins.Game list:
- Bastion
- Chop Goblins
- THE CORRIDOR
- DARK SOULS III
- Final Fantasy III
- HUMANITY
- In Other Waters
- Life is Strange: Complete Season
- Metal: Hellsinger
- Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD
- Some Distant Memory
- Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
- The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer Smith
- Vault of the Void
- A YEAR OF SPRINGS
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Comment on What was it like choosing your own name? in ~lgbt
kfwyre LinkI’m not able to reply to everyone here, but I want to let everybody who responded know that I appreciate your stories and your insight! Thank you for sharing with us.I’m not able to reply to everyone here, but I want to let everybody who responded know that I appreciate your stories and your insight! Thank you for sharing with us.
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Comment on What was it like choosing your own name? in ~lgbt
kfwyre Link ParentOne of my favorite musical artists is Lights, which is her actual name — not a stage name. “Sparks” has a similar feel to me, and I love it.One of my favorite musical artists is Lights, which is her actual name — not a stage name. “Sparks” has a similar feel to me, and I love it.
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Comment on Apple Music's 100 best albums list in ~music
kfwyre Link ParentThe Fame Monster was released as a separate EP over a year after The Fame released. Combining them and adding in the bonus tracks for the deluxe edition bloats the whole thing a bit and makes it...The Fame Monster was released as a separate EP over a year after The Fame released. Combining them and adding in the bonus tracks for the deluxe edition bloats the whole thing a bit and makes it feel a bit like a mishmash, IMO.
I think The Fame is good but not “Top of All Time” worthy. Monster alone is what I would have put on the list.* It’s a much tighter, more interesting experience with greater range. I genuinely think that “Bad Romance” is one of the greatest pop singles of all time.
* If I had to include something from her. I am a huge Gaga fan, but I don’t know if any of her works “should” be in the top 100 albums of all time. Like a lot of pop artists, her work is far more single oriented.
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 2 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI forgot to respond to this earlier, but Legally Distinct Bloodborne Kart looks awesome! I’m not one for soulslikes, but I am absolutely someone for kart racing. Also, it releases at the perfect...I forgot to respond to this earlier, but Legally Distinct Bloodborne Kart looks awesome! I’m not one for soulslikes, but I am absolutely someone for kart racing.
Also, it releases at the perfect time. I feel like it’s against the spirit of the Backlog Burner for me to get new games this month, so a May 31st release means that I can pick it up promptly on June 1st. 😁
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Comment on May 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 2 Discussion in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentWell now I definitely have to play something (or several somethings) on the ColecoVision. Any recommendations?Well now I definitely have to play something (or several somethings) on the ColecoVision. Any recommendations?
I’m not sure about the PS3 version, but OpenGOAL was noticeably better than emulating the PS2 version. Visually it was a lot sharper, but the main quality of life update was being able to reverse the horizontal camera controls.
OpenGOAL also adds the option to highlight precursor orbs to make them more visible. That feature isn’t true to the original, but it makes hunting them down a lot less painful. I remember having to scour the levels for a long time on the original, trying to find the last few ones I’d missed. Through OpenGOAL I didn’t have that same problem.
If you’re intending to play just the first game, then OpenGOAL is probably the way to go. On the other hand, if you’re wanting to do the whole series, then emulating the PS3 collection is probably best. At present only the first game is complete in OpenGOAL — the second is playable but in beta, and the third is still being developed.