April 2022: Day 65 of the war

Or in Russian, it would be Day 65 of the special operation. There are now laws in which saying what the government doesn't want to hear or agree with a crime worth 15 years in prison. For similar reasons they've sent a wikipedia a hefty fine for spreading misinformation.

After losing a war ship, a few more tanks, being chased by drones, and being poisoned by locals, Russian forces were redeployed from attacking Kyiv to partake in a major offensive at Donbas to the East which includes the long besieged city of Mariupol. They have also started deploying dolphins, because that's apparently a thing that the USA does as well?

That's an artsy destroyed tank turret.

With the supposed default of the Ruble coming soon (speculated May 4th), Vladimir Putin has announced that the Russian lunar program will continue. Perhaps that's an additional reason why Russia is cutting the gas supply to both Poland and Bulgaria. To quote reddit: "Russia can't get enough fuel to drive a few hours to Kiev. Moon is a bit further".

Less people using Russian gas is exactly what the outnumbered Ukraine wants though, who are going hard on their propaganda with an excellent writing team - though sometimes a single picture can be pretty moving too. Support continues to flow for them from overseas, with Britain's Boris Johnson visiting Zelenskyy in Kyiv, USA's Joe Biden labeling Russia's action as genocide, France's Emmanuel Macron boosting weapons supplies for Ukraine after winning a second term of presidency over a pro-Russian opponent, hackers continuing to do their thing against Russia, and chef Jose Andres providing food to those he can reach.

It's also funny that Germany's Green party is saying the German government isn't being aggressive enough arming Ukraine. Again quoted from reddit: "Green party: Fuck it you know what would reduce emissions? BURNING MOSCOW *heavy metal riff*"

While I've been impressed at the use of drones in the theater of war, China is using them a different way - using mounted speakers to instruct the people locked down in Shanghai due to COVID to comply with the restrictions and "control the soul's desire for freedom". Sounds like another step towards a dark cyberpunk future! Actually, how is Hong Kong doing? Oh. Not great.

Most Viewed Posts:
Legends of Andor 2 - Legend 8 - The Storm Begins
In Sound Mind
Cris Tales

April 2021 Review: Encrypto Currencium!

This has been a strange month in that while I got a lot done, it's not really news worthy... oh, other than my initial attempt at cryptocurrency which ironically was suggested to me by my Uber driver a few years ago. Made an ok profit (+266%) with XRP (Ripple - which is trying to get adopted by banks), and should they win their pending court case (updates on Apr 30 hearing, May 14 SEC report and June 4 Ripple Formal reply with the discovery phase ending Aug 16) I'm expecting that price to go up for what I have left in there.

Meanwhile as an experiment, I've put some of the earnings into VRA (Verasity - an esports gaming crypto), VET (VeChain Thor - crypto supply chain of VTHO), and DOGE (Dogecoin - a super volatile joke currency that seems to go up everytime Elon Musk tweets or talks about it). While the others are pretty much a wait for years sort of deal, I really need to keep checking on DOGE. With Elon hosting Saturday Night Live on May 8, most are expecting that to go up again. He did say he'll take it to the moon (could be an April fool's joke), so we shall see.

Sometimes that's all it takes!

Doesn't seem so hard to crypto actually. Compare old news with the price chart dates then keep track of current news for each to better gauge the direction. Mostly it's just watch and wait. Don't treat this as financial advice though and remember if you are going to to try it out, only put in what you can afford to lose as it's basically gambling. :P

Anyway on to gaming: I've been playing Black Desert Online and have found it to be pretty damn cool so I'll be posting about that a little after posting my Tyranny play through story which is coming up next!

Also, Rundown 5 of GTFO releases around the time of this post, so I'm excited to get into the new  stuff and we're also thinking of adding Remnants: From the Ashes to our co-op game session nights (probably only after we get thoroughly stuck in Rundown 5 though).

Lastly, some bonus stuff for you this time around in the form of musicians Seth Everman and Mina GF Band, both of whom I found through Davie504 who is still cranking out the Lolz.

Most Viewed Posts in the last 30 days

GTFO: R4D1 - Nucleus (Normal - Part II)
GTFO: R4D1 - Nucleus (Normal - Part III)
Pillars of Eternity: Dulf Demented

I'm surprised my early game over in Pillars of Eternity made it to the top three here. As for the other two, it looks like some people were trying to finish off one more mission in GTFO prior to Rundown 5 - I really hope those posts helped! :)

April 2020 Review: Self Isolation

It turns out self isolation and working from home isn't so bad for me, though I am one of those putting on a lot more weight! It's the "See Food" diet I tell ya. I see food and I eat it. Anyway, I've started trying to do some exercise but as they say "you can't out train a bad diet". The isolation affects people in different ways though, and I thought I'd share this particularly creative and funny music videos with you.

Lastly, thanks to Blapril I've added a whole bunch of new blog links on the side there. Please have a look when you have the time! I'll be trimming them down as usual starting next week.

On to the task list...

    End 2020 with less weight (+2 kg from last month, running total: +6 kg)
    Make 1 web comic page (stiiill nope)
    try make a boardgame (idea written out, needs testing)

BACKLOG
How to Survive 2 [gift]
Tomb Raider (2013) [free from Steam] (done)
The Lords of Midnight [free from GOG] (had enough)
Flight of the Amazon Queen [free from GOG] (done)
Sang-Froid: Tales of Werewolves [free from GOG] (done)
Doomdark's Revenge [free from GOG] (had enough)
Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius [free from GOG] (done)
World War Z [free from Epic Games]
Figment [free from Epic Games] (done)
Tormentor x Punisher [free from Epic Games] (had enough)
+Hob [free from Epic Games] (had enough)
+Gone Home [free from Epic Games] (done)
+Close to the Sun [free from Epic Games]
+Sherlock Holmes Crimes & Punishments [free from Epic Games] (borked!)
+Just Cause 4 [free from Epic Games]
+Wheel of Aurelia [free from Epic Games] (had enough)
+Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms [free on Steam]
+For the King [free from Epic Games]

Board games:
Zombicide: Black Plague (10/11)
London Dread (had enough)
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (6/13)
Mice and Mystics: Heart of Glorm (0/11)

BLOG STATS

One Year Ago

There was a fire at Notre Dame and Brexit was still perkalating away. Also finished up my Dying Light diary and started the tale of the Black Pits.

Five Years Ago

I was posting the Ambitious Dynasty story and was getting heavily into Payday 2. I also made one of my most popular posts so far: the Neverwinter Online Vigilance Quest Guide.

Most Viewed Posts last Month
Enderal: The Petrified
Enderal: Ark Siege
Enderal: Pulling Our Strings

Top Search Terms last Month
osrs infernal cape service price
osrs uim infernal cape
osrs infernal cape scythe

Seems like a lot of interest in my Enderal play through last month, though I'm very curious now as to what this "infernal cape" is. :P

April 2019 Status

Ever since my computer upgrade my brothers and I have been having weekly game nights (Dying Light and now Vermintide 2) which are really fun and last long into the early hours of the morning! There'll be a small break to that routine this month due to scheduling conflicts but that, as well as the extra holidays during Easter, also gives me a chance to finish off other items on the list.

    End 2019 with less weight (+2 kg from last month, running total: +2 kg)
    Make board game prototype (board size decided)
    Complete web comic chapter 1 (no progress)
    Clean out wardrobe (no progress)
    Deal with overhanging trees (no progress)
    Clean the roof (no progress)

Backlog Update:

FROM GIFTS (or freebies)
Dying Light (done)
Shadow of War
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Baldur's Gate (done)
Baldur's Gate 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Deponia: The Complete Journey
The Kite (done)
NWO: Get Acquisitions Inc Boons (done)
+Vermintide 2
+Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China

Board games:
Mice and Mystics Campaign (11/11)
Zombicide: Black Plague Campaign (10/11)
London Dread Campaign (0/4)
Adamastor (2/2 modes)
Escape from Colditz (1/2 modes)
Pandemic: Fall of Rome (more plays needed)

April 2018 Status

Oh boy, lots of reds on the list this time around.

    Complete web comic chapter 1 (procrastinating)
    Finish board game prototype Game 19 (procrastinating)
    End the year with less weight (+1.3 kg from last month, running total:  -0.2 kg)
    Finish the Direbug Saga (done)
    Clear 20 games from my back log (21/20)
    Draw 12 drawings of anything (0/12 procrastinating)
    Learn 5 more songs (6/5 done on the previous list, skipped Raimei)
    Complete NWO: Lost City of Omu (0/2)
    +Make a simple computer game? (good luck)

And the backlog Update:

FROM GIFTS
Sims 3
Loki
Overlord 2
Commandos: Men of Courage
C&C (DONE)
C&C: Covert Ops (More of same, skipped)
C&C Red Alert
C&C Red Alert: Counterstrike
C&C Red Alert: The Aftermath
C&C Tiberian Sun
C&C Tiberian Sun: Firestorm
C&C Red Alert 2
C&C Red Alert 2: Yuri's Revenge
C&C Generals
C&C Generals: Zero-Hour
Titan Quest (doesn't run)
GTA3 (doesn't run)
Supreme Commander
World in Conflict (constant crashing)
FEAR Perseus Mandate (DONE)
Warcraft: Orcs and Humans (doesn't run)
Warcraft 3: Frozen Throne  (requires WC3 to run)
Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos (doesn't run)
Dawn of War II
Universe at War
Spore (DONE)
Sins of a Solar Empire
Diablo: Reaper of Souls
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Black and White 2 (doesn't run, windows incompatibility)
+Act of War (doesn't run)
+Rise of Legends (bad CD)

GOG FREEBIE PILEUP
The King of Fighters 2002 (DONE)
OxenFree
Grim Fandango Remastered
Beneath a Steel Sky (DONE)
Tyrian 2000  (DONE)
Dragonsphere (DONE)
Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar (NO: Bad controls/Graphics)
Treasure Adventure Game  (DONE)
Warsow (doesn't run)
Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire

COMPY CAN'T RUN (but I want to play)
Batman: Arkham Knight
Dying Light
Alien Isolation
Shadow of Mordor
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

This is what happens when I focus on back log clearing, and at the moment I'm still slowly chipping away at Red Alert and Supreme Commander, along with NWO: Omu of course. Some of the games cleared were also not "completed", and more towards "didn't work upon installation". The joys of old CDs eh? I also just said "No" to Ultima IV as I just can't get over the stick figure graphics. Looks like I'm getting picky!

Behold, the ultimate battle versus Lord British!