kfwyre's recent activity
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Comment on Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2026: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month! in ~games
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Comment on Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2026: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month! in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentWelcome to the support group! We meet every six months. :)Welcome to the support group! We meet every six months. :)
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Comment on Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2026: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month! in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThe Backlog Burner happens every six months, but a trip to Japan is an event of a lifetime! Definitely focus that over games. I hope you have a wonderful time there. Also, I'm looking forward to...The Backlog Burner happens every six months, but a trip to Japan is an event of a lifetime! Definitely focus that over games. I hope you have a wonderful time there.
Also, I'm looking forward to the few writeups you do plan on doing. I always enjoy your perspective on what you play!
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Comment on Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2026: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month! in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThis is genuinely heartwarming. Thank you! Glad life is going well for you. And remember, if you're not in a place to backlog burn, you're always welcome to go for a backlog simmer.Backlog burner posts are some of my favorite things on the Internet.
This is genuinely heartwarming. Thank you! Glad life is going well for you.
And remember, if you're not in a place to backlog burn, you're always welcome to go for a backlog simmer.
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Comment on CGA-2026-10 š¹ļøšļø š¦š» REMOVE CARTRIDGE āļø Spooky Mansion Adventures in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentSounds like we had very similar months (unfortunately). My depression wasnāt due to medication though and is instead just how my brain is wired (lucky me). It was made all the worse by some...Sounds like we had very similar months (unfortunately). My depression wasnāt due to medication though and is instead just how my brain is wired (lucky me). It was made all the worse by some particularly acute stressors that cropped up over the course of the month.
My games of choice were Yet Another Zombie Survivors (mindless horde shooter), Horizon Chase 2 (mindless racing), and, surprisingly enough, a small puzzle platformer called Time Loader.
I had tried the game previously and bounced off of it almost immediately, finding it to be glacial in its pace. Returning to it in the midst of sadness and disillusionment, however, made it the perfect fit. The game is meditative and outright plaintive in places. Its story and score are somber, which isnāt what the game looks like on the tin. I ended up enjoying my slow, plodding playthrough because it matched my speed exactly.
Anyway, hang in there, Akir. Glad things are looking up for you.
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Comment on Heroic Games Launcher: an open source, cross-platform launcher for GOG and Epic Game Store in ~games
kfwyre LinkI mentioned it in a comment here, but I figured it was worth it's own top-level post: Heroic is awesome. It is, in my opinion, the best way to play GOG and Epic games on Linux and the Steam Deck....I mentioned it in a comment here, but I figured it was worth it's own top-level post:
Heroic is awesome.
It is, in my opinion, the best way to play GOG and Epic games on Linux and the Steam Deck.
It's quite feature rich and works very well. There are a few rough edges, but the basic setup of accessing your library, installing games, and playing them via Proton is rock solid. It's also constantly getting better.
On the Deck, there's a setting so that it can automatically add installed games to your library as non-Steam games, complete with cover art and whatnot. I can launch anything I have installed right from the Deck's game mode without having to launch Heroic or go into desktop mode.
It has Amazon Prime Gaming support as well, and they've got itch.io support planned. I'm thrilled about that, because, while itch.io does have a native Linux launcher, it doesn't have easy Proton support for installs (and I also think Heroic's UX is way better than itch.io's).
I mentioned rough edges above, so here they are to be aware of:
- Cloud saves are in beta, and they have to be toggled on on a per-game basis
- Playtime tracking does work for GOG games, but not for Epic ones
- Epic Achievements work, but you have to install the Epic overlay separately to see them activate
- GOG Achievements work, but there is no on-screen notification -- you will only see them on your GOG account (separate from Heroic)
- Games take longer to launch on the Steam Deck
These are honestly very minor though, and the program's strengths more than make up for them. Also, like I said, it's constantly improving, so I fully expect these to go away over time. The devs are doing a great job.
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Heroic Games Launcher: an open source, cross-platform launcher for GOG and Epic Game Store
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Comment on CGA-2026-10 š¹ļøšļø š¦š» REMOVE CARTRIDGE āļø Spooky Mansion Adventures in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI'm glad it wasn't just me who didn't get to 5 Days a Stranger. I genuinely wanted to, but this month has been a doozy for me personally, so I genuinely haven't played anything that hasn't been...I'm glad it wasn't just me who didn't get to 5 Days a Stranger.
I genuinely wanted to, but this month has been a doozy for me personally, so I genuinely haven't played anything that hasn't been utterly mindless.
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Comment on Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2026: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month! in ~games
kfwyre LinkBacklog Burner Notification: Hey May 2026 Backlog Burner Participants! This is a one-time ping to let you know that the next Backlog Burner is starting up soon. Whether you're motivated or mellow,...Backlog Burner Notification: Hey May 2026 Backlog Burner Participants! This is a one-time ping to let you know that the next Backlog Burner is starting up soon.
Whether you're motivated or mellow, this Backlog Burner's got room for you.
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If you want to remain on the notification list, simply respond to this comment or post in this topic.
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If you do not want to remain on the list, you do not need to do anything.
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Announcing the Backlog Burner event for November 2026: Shrink your unplayed games list this coming month!
Let's talk... Remember that bundle you bought with the best of intentions and then never played any of the games from? What about that 90% off deal that you just HAD to have but now it's been...
Let's talk...
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Remember that bundle you bought with the best of intentions and then never played any of the games from?
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What about that 90% off deal that you just HAD to have but now it's been
threeeight years and you still haven't done anything with it? -
That Humble Choice subscription that you still redeem every month but haven't actually touched since 2024? Those Epic freebies you redeem then ignore?
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And letās not forget that you wanted to be charitable (of course) so you donated for a mega collection that had 2 games you've actually heard of and 200 you haven't. Meanwhile, you have played 0.
Well do I have a deal for you!
The biannual Backlog Burner is back with the sale opportunity of the year: a Reverse Bundle! That's right: instead of paying money for a NEW bunch of games, you can pay NOTHING for an old bunch of games that you already have! What a bargain!
Whether it's a soon-to-be recent release like GTA VI (of course a game can be on your backlog before it's come out -- you've already been thinking about it for YEARS!) or an icon of yesteryear like Galaga or a niche itch.io find like Ginseng Hero, it all counts for the Backlog Burner.
Play whatever you like and build the REVERSE BUNDLE of your dreams!
If you're new to the Backlog Burner, check out our previous events to get an idea of what's going on. The Backlog Burner is a chance to try out games you've always wanted to play but haven't yet (for whatever reason):
Backlog Bingo is back, baby!
It's no secret that Backlog Bingo is the most functional and elegant website on the internet.
After winning dozens of industry awards and being celestially immortalized by being etched into golden records that were sent into the sun on the Voyager 3 mission, Wes decided that, in fact, there were still more improvements to make on his already perfect website.1
He got to work. He squashed some bugs. I also squashed some bugs, but those were real ones, and it was an accident (sorry bugs). He also made the website more accessible, so if you're using a screenreader, it's even more functional and elegant. He also, in his words, allegedly "converted a JavaScript library [he'd] been using over to a new native browser API" which is either a super legit improvement or he's trying to pull one over on me (you decide, because I legitimately can't on account of a lack of background knowledge and tech understanding).
It's the same Bingo site we know and love, made once again better by the inimitable Wes we know and love.
Notification List
If you are interested in participating in the Backlog Burner, please comment in this topic. Anyone commenting/replying here will automatically be added to a notification list for the Backlog Burner, unless you specify otherwise.
Start Planning (or Playing)
Technically the event starts in two days, so you have time to roll your cards (if you're playing Bingo) and plan out what you'd like to play for the month. That said, if you're eager to jump right in, and start early, I certainly won't stop you!
Let's get ready to burn through these backlogs!
Backlog Burner FAQ
What exactly is the Backlog Burner?
Your "backlog" is all those games you've been meaning to play or get around to, but never have yet. This event is an attempt to get us to collectively dig into that treasure trove of experiences, scratch some long-standing itches, and knock a few titles off our to-play lists.
It runs every May and November. New discussion topics will go up once a week during those months.
You do not need to sign up in advance -- the topics are open to all. If you would like to be included in the notification list, comment in this topic to be added.
How do I participate?
- Choose some games from your backlog and play them.
- Then tell us about your experiences in the discussion thread for the week.
That's it!
Optionally: you can play Backlog Bingo which is a fun way of cutting down the choices you have to make and playing games you might not have normally selected on your own.
Do I need to finish the games that I play?
Nope! Not at all.
There aren't really any requirements for the event so much as this is an incentive to get us to play games we've been avoiding starting up, for whatever reason. Play as much or as little as you like of a given game.
Try out dozens for ten minutes each or dive into one for 40 hours. There's no wrong way to participate!
Can I make multiple posts in the same topic?
Yes! Each discussion thread stays live for a full week, so feel free to make multiple comments in the topic as you play different games. This isn't considered
noise-- it's considered valuable participation in the event!
Backlog Bingo FAQ
Important: All data for your Backlog Bingo card is stored on your device, not the server. Clearing your browser data will delete your card. You can use the export feature to make backups or move your card between devices.
I'm a returning player. How do I reset my previous card?
If you've already created a card and wish to start over, click the
Settingsbutton in the header to access your card settings. Then click theResetbutton, and confirm the prompt. This will irrevocably delete your present card, allowing you to start fresh.Where is my data stored?
All data is stored by your browser in local storage. There are no accounts, and nothing is sent to the server, so it's privacy-friendly by design. This does mean that you are responsible for not deleting any browser data on
wescook.ca, either manually or through automatic cleanups performed on browser close.Backlog Bingo is open-source, and licensed permissively under MIT.
What is the difference between the "Standard" and "Golf" modes?
In Standard Mode, each square on the bingo card corresponds with one single game. Duplicate games cannot be entered into different squares. A winning card would have a row of five different games that each filled in one square.
In Golf Mode, duplicates are not only allowed -- they are encouraged! The purpose of Golf mode is to try to find a single game that will fill multiple categories at the same time. For example: Stardew Valley might fulfill
You got it on sale,A solo-dev project, andHas romanceable charactersall at the same time. A winning card would have all twenty five squares filled, but possibly only six or seven different games.What is the star space in the middle?
That is the "wildcard" or "free space."
In Standard Mode, there are no requirements to fill it. You can choose any game you want! Anything goes!
In Golf Mode, it does not need to be filled. Because Golf is all about stacking up categories on a single game, any game used in Golf would fill it automatically, meaning it has no real function. As such, the square will be pre-filled for you if you play in Golf mode.
The new
Freelist defaults to having this space turned off. Because you already have full freedom in how you fill the squares, having a free space is redundant (though if you miss it or just like the aesthetics, you can certainly turn it back on!).1. I realized after I wrote this that it's a misplaced modifier, but I'm leaving it in because it's funnier than what I was intending in the first place.Can I create custom bingo categories for this, or other events?
Absolutely! The Backlog Bingo app reads in simple JSON files which define the available categories. We've created a couple prebuilt lists for this event, but you're free to tweak our categories, or create completely new ones. You could even use them for books, anime, movies, recipes -- anything!
If you are interested in learning more, you can find documentation on the wiki, and use an example JSON category file. You can also ask for help in the topic!
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Comment on Control Resonant is now available on GOG in ~games
kfwyre LinkFor those curious (including myself), Resonant released on September 24th, so the turnaround time on the GOG release was about a month. Pretty impressive to see such a big release go officially...For those curious (including myself), Resonant released on September 24th, so the turnaround time on the GOG release was about a month. Pretty impressive to see such a big release go officially DRM-free so quickly.
Also, for all the Linux users we've got here: Heroic Games Launcher is THE best way to play GOG games (IMO).
It can run games through Proton just like Steam, and it's got achievement, playtime tracking, and cloud save support (though admittedly with some caveats). Cloud saves are still in beta and have to be manually activated on a per-game basis. Likewise, achievements trigger on your GOG account, but Heroic doesn't currently display a popup or anything, so they just happen in the background (which, honestly, is kind of nice given how some achievements are effectively interruptions/distractions).
I've got it installed on my Steam Deck, and it's good enough that I'm starting to buy games on GOG again instead of on Steam. I had previously been all-in on GOG because I like their DRM-free stance, but Steam won me back with superior Linux support. Valve's rising Linux tide has lifted the Heroic boat such that I don't mind the slightly more friction that comes with using it if it means I can get my games DRM-free. In practice, the only real "problem" with it is that games take slightly longer to launch -- which is barely a real problem in the first place.
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Comment on Timasomo 2026: Final Updates in ~creative.timasomo
kfwyre LinkTimasomo Notification: The end is upon us! Wrap up your projects and prepare them for the showcase in a week. Notification List @1338 @ali @Amarok @Apple-catapult @Aran @arctanh @archevel @Areldyb...Timasomo Notification: The end is upon us! Wrap up your projects and prepare them for the showcase in a week.
Notification List
@1338
@ali
@Amarok
@Apple-catapult
@Aran
@arctanh
@archevel
@Areldyb
@arqalite
@Arthur
@AugustusFerdinand
@Banazir
@benpocalypse
@brogeroni
@CannibalisticApple
@chocobean
@crialpaca
@delphi
@dhcrazy333
@doors_cannot_stop_me
@Durinthal
@em-dash
@Evie
@first-must-burn
@goose
@guissmo
@Habituallytired
@HEBV5
@h3x
@IsildursBane
@kacey
@Kraetzin
@Kremor
@Liru
@mat
@mikey
@monarda
@ocean-hai
@Paul85
@Pavouk106
@RheingoldRiver
@rip_rike
@rosco
@scrambo
@secret_online
@streblo
@Tygrak
@updawg
@Weldawadyathink
@Zorind -
Timasomo 2026: Final Updates
Important Upcoming Date: Timasomo Showcase Thread -- Thursday, November 5 (one week away!) Technically all work should be finished before November 1st (but donāt worry, itās not enforced š)....
Important Upcoming Date:
- Timasomo Showcase Thread -- Thursday, November 5 (one week away!)
Technically all work should be finished before November 1st (but donāt worry, itās not enforced š).
November 1-4 are for putting finishing touches on the project to ready it for the showcase.
To get a feel for what the Showcase will look like and how to prep your project, check out past ones:
Update us on your progress so far!
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What did/didn't you get done this week?
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Anything go according to plan?
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Anything go off the rails?
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Any successes or struggles to share?
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Do you need feedback or help on anything?
This is your topic to share anything and everything you want about what youāve made so far.
16 votes -
Comment on Three children and a teacher were killed in Bend, Oregon, elementary school shooting, police say in ~news
kfwyre Link ParentāIām just a carpenter from Bendā: Father who killed Silver Rail school shooter grapples with the aftermath The video interview is a tough watch but a good one, in my opinion. He goes through the...In an exclusive interview with OPB, Giamanco described the series of seemingly insignificant decisions that brought him to that intersection at 12:58 p.m. that day ā the same time a 16-year-old carrying a shotgun approached his childrenās school. It was the packed lunch he didnāt eat, the masonry shop where he didnāt stop, the bolts he needed but didnāt buy, and the gun he says had just been ācollecting dustā in his truck console.
The video interview is a tough watch but a good one, in my opinion. He goes through the events of the day and his response to them. Hearing him, in his own voice, talk about not being able to save everyone is devastating.
He also credits a teacher who physically grappled with the shooter as the person who gave him the opening to fire. He said that, in the moment, the teacher fled as soon as he shot because she clearly thought he was a second gunman instead of someone attempting to stop the shooting.
In the video he calls her a hero and says he would like to meet her. I hope theyāre able to do so. The two of them together undoubtedly saved many lives.
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Comment on Timasomo 2026: Week 3 Updates in ~creative.timasomo
kfwyre LinkTimasomo Notification: This weekās discussion topic is up. Post your updates! Keep your eye on these upcoming important dates: Thursday, October 29 - Final Update Topic Thursday, November 5 -...Timasomo Notification: This weekās discussion topic is up. Post your updates!
Keep your eye on these upcoming important dates:
- Thursday, October 29 - Final Update Topic
- Thursday, November 5 - Timasomo Showcase Topic
Notification List
@1338
@ali
@Amarok
@Apple-catapult
@Aran
@arctanh
@archevel
@Areldyb
@arqalite
@Arthur
@AugustusFerdinand
@Banazir
@benpocalypse
@brogeroni
@CannibalisticApple
@chocobean
@crialpaca
@delphi
@dhcrazy333
@doors_cannot_stop_me
@Durinthal
@em-dash
@Evie
@first-must-burn
@goose
@guissmo
@Habituallytired
@HEBV5
@h3x
@IsildursBane
@kacey
@Kraetzin
@Kremor
@Liru
@mat
@mikey
@monarda
@ocean-hai
@Paul85
@Pavouk106
@RheingoldRiver
@rip_rike
@rosco
@scrambo
@secret_online
@streblo
@Tygrak
@updawg
@Weldawadyathink
@Zorind -
Timasomo 2026: Week 3 Updates
Important Upcoming Dates Thursday, October 29 - Final Update Topic Thursday, November 5 - Timasomo Showcase Topic November 1-4 are for putting the "finishing touches" on your project and readying...
Important Upcoming Dates
Thursday, October 29 - Final Update Topic
Thursday, November 5 - Timasomo Showcase TopicNovember 1-4 are for putting the "finishing touches" on your project and readying it for the showcase.
While November 1 is technically the creative deadline, remember that there are no Timasomo Police, so if you need to keep working into November, go for it! We've had people submit to the showcase days and even weeks later.
Time for another update on your progress:
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What did/didn't you get done this week?
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Anything go according to plan?
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Anything go off the rails?
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Any successes or struggles to share?
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Do you need feedback or help on anything?
This is your topic to share anything and everything you want about what youāve made so far.
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Comment on Ukraine accuses SpaceX of crippling drone missions as ties with US worsen in ~society
kfwyre Link ParentMusk ordered slowdown of Starlink service used by Ukraine's military, WSJ reports Here is the original article from the WSJ, but itās paywalled.Musk ordered slowdown of Starlink service used by Ukraine's military, WSJ reports
Elon Musk last week ordered the slowdown of a military-grade version of SpaceX's (SPCX.O), opens new tab Starlink satellite service that āUkraine relies on, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, āciting US officials and people familiar with the matter.
Musk, SpaceX and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Reuters could not āimmediately verify the report.
Here is the original article from the WSJ, but itās paywalled.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of October 18 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentNow there's an immediate wishlist. Hopefully it will be even better than FlatOut 3!Now there's an immediate wishlist. Hopefully it will be even better than FlatOut 3!
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of October 18 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkDigiphile Social Multiplayer Night Evolved Bundle I adored the original Lonely Mountains (seriously: it's utterly lovely), so I'm picking this up for Snow Riders alone. My multiplayer group just...Digiphile Social Multiplayer Night Evolved Bundle
I adored the original Lonely Mountains (seriously: it's utterly lovely), so I'm picking this up for Snow Riders alone.
My multiplayer group just got done with Gamble With Your Friends. We enjoyed it in the sense that it was fun to play a friendslop game together, but ultimately felt that it was quite limited and moved on from it after a few sessions.
It's quite repetitive and doesn't do enough to break the chance-based structure of gambling to make it really fun for us. We wanted like, a metaprogression system to slowly change odds in your favor, or roguelike-style power choices after each round -- something to mix things up from run to run and give you a bit more agency in the game world.
I wouldn't say it's a bad game -- just that I felt like it stopped well short of being great and settled for okay.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of October 18 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentOh hey, another VR bundle! New Frame owners are eating good: Humble Flat2VR Bundle This one is non-spooky, so no need to tread lightly. Also, I forgot to add my usual reminder to my last post, so...Oh hey, another VR bundle! New Frame owners are eating good:
This one is non-spooky, so no need to tread lightly.
Also, I forgot to add my usual reminder to my last post, so I'll stick it here: always remember to adjust the sliders to your liking before purchasing.
Also if anyone wants my copy of Audio Trip, it's free to a good home. I already owned it.
Did you know that you can create a custom JSON file to import your own categories for Backlog Bingo?
You can create a custom JSON file to import your own categories for Backlog Bingo!
That's what I'll be doing this time.
Some backstory
Imagine this is like an online recipe where I'm going to infodump about my life prior to getting to the actual relevant stuff. This is that portion. Feel free to skip it.
I recently changed up my gaming setup. My old Linux laptop was showing its age, and, while it served me well for many, MANY hours of fantastic gaming, I felt it was time to move on.
In fact, I stubbornly held on to it as a gaming machine far longer than I needed to simply out of an idealistic affinity for Linux. Several years ago I bought a Valve Index and needed a more powerful Windows machine to run it. So, I've actually had the Linux laptop's replacement sitting there (on the same desk, mind you), but I was using that Windows laptop only for VR and a few Windows-only games.
Moving back to Windows (something I'm not happy about but acknowledge as the best course of action at the moment given the absolutely absurd prices of computers) allowed me to set up and use the amazing Playnite, a universal launcher for all of your different games across all of the different PC platforms. Not going to lie: having all of my games under one roof is amazing, and I'm thrilled that the Playnite dev is eventually going to move it to Linux.
Anyway, Playnite has helped me realize how scattered my digital library really is. I've got games EVERYWHERE. Some libraries are bigger than others, and a few are essentially negligible, but, nonetheless, my games library is a lot more than just what I've got on Steam.
Looking ONLY at PC stuff, I've got: Steam, GOG, Epic, itch.io. But wait, I've also got a few games on EA, Ubisoft Connect, Battle.net and the Microsoft Store. Don't forget about my Humble Choice subscription which gives me access to the games on the Humble App. And that year of Indie Pass I signed up for! Oh, and my recent (begruding) Prime subscription has given me a few games on a site called Legacy Games that's going to be shutting down soon. And what about the few games I've bought directly from devs/publishers, outside of distribution platforms? Oh, and the abandonware I've downloaded! And the Flathub games on my Linux machine...
As I kept uncovering new platforms to add to the list, I realized I had the makings of a solid bingo card...
The bingo plan
I will be doing a 5x5 card, with each square being a different library/platform, going for a full blackout.
Coming up with 25 was quite easy. In fact, I had to trim it down! Flathub and Battle.net didn't make the cut, for example, because I also wanted to make sure I had some non-PC platforms in there too, which is why you'll see stuff like the Playdate, Saturn, and iOS on the card as well.
Bingo Card
One nice thing about Playnite is that it has a HowLongToBeat plugin, so I'm able to filter my library for shorter games. I'll be targeting games that take 0 to 5 hours to beat, simply because I'm trying to get through 25 of them before the end of the month.
I generated my card without a wildcard in the middle, and I made the seed for the card
Spiralbecause I'm also going to try to work my way through the card linearly, going one by one around the edges and slowly spiraling my way to the center square.I was, of course, curious to see what would end up in that square as the inevitable capstone to my Backlog Burner journey. As the squares slowly flipped and revealed themselves, I was delighted to see that the Virtual Boy took it.
I have never played the Virtual Boy, but I thought it looked SO cool back in the 90s and have been wanting to scratch that itch ever since. Thankfully, it's surprisingly easy to do now. Most of its games are available on the Switch via Nintendo Online (which my husband subscribes to), and you can play them through this overpriced but still affordable headset which I bought back during that big Nintendo sale.
I've heard EXTREMELY mixed things about the Virtual Boy and the experience it provides, so I'm delighted that I get to build toward it over the month, fulfill a decades-long curiosity, and finally come to my own conclusions about its novel but ill-fated approach to the future of gaming 30 years ago. Will I be thrilled, or will I be disappointed? Will it give me nausea? Will I get sick of the color red? I have no idea, but I'm excited to find out!