It has been some time since I have written. I allowed some personal concerns get the better of my time. No more to that! I have mapped out my time and plan on revamping the layout of my blog as well as posting more and hopefully getting some sort of proper readership. Based on my past posts (yeesh… that writing…), I haven’t even deserved my friends following me!

So let’s change that. As the title implies, let’s start with some damn gaming content.

Well, it took a year, but my gaming rig is completed, thanks to a PNY GTX 760 2GB OC model. There truly is nothing like starting up Skyrim and having the settings automatically go straight to ultra high. Don’t get me wrong, graphics aren’t everything. But when the majority of your game library is easy on the hardware, you gotta figure there’s a reason why. Heck I even reinstalled StarCraft II to see how it looks (phenomenal). Play is the same and I don’t want to get back into the competitive scene ever again (already spend enough time on that). Now after research and all, this was the right price for me and the right power. Much better than a 750ti, but not quite the 770 I really wanted. Overall the price point couldn’t have been better at 250$ (no rebates or anything to worry about). I give it an 8/10 for overall satisfaction as well as power. Definitely worth the buy. (i5-4670K, 16gb ddr3 2400 are also in my rig)

This year, as with every year, YoJ Gaming will be meeting up for our annual silliness parade. This year, we’re attending Dragon Con, for the second time in a row. Hopefully we’ll find some great new card games (and recover some magic cards), play some old games, and see great gaming cosplay. More on this later.

Review time (sing the following in your head: ” oh boy / it’s a review / oh boy / hope it ain’t poo / oh boy / let’s read a review / oh boy / doo bee doo bee doo!”)

So, we at YoJ gaming have been playing the fuck out of Payday 2. A FPS/RPG sleeper out of Starbreeze (Chronicles of Riddick), this gem let’s players plan bank heists and other crimes that are sure to pay big bucks. With 4 character trees (mastermind, enforcer, technician, ghost) that give each player different abilities from controlling crowds, to being an armor plated pack mule, to setting up turrets, to looping camera feeds, as well as dynamic missions (sure you can play the same mission over and over; people, loot, equipment, and more won’t ever be in the same places), the process of completing a level has almost infinite ways of unfolding, making grinding even seem rewarding. I do have to echo everyone’s opinion that the voice guiding the mission is one of the most annoying aspects. I don’t recommend this game to be played with pick up groups, however. There’s nothing like playing with friends, having a plan, executing it, and seeing how it goes. Sometimes horribly. Sometimes, like a well oiled machine. Id also like to point out the music. While not the best game music ever, it responds perfectly to what’s happening in the game. If caught in the act and the police are after you, the music will raise to a fever pitch. When you beat the back enough for a breather, the music calms down. This points to the horde mode style game this really can be, if not stealthed.

I’d like to see more instances of levels single players can manage by themselves (or improved ally AI) as they are the real hindrance to people playing by themselves (I know it’s multiplayer, but sometimes I don’t want to play with strangers and my friends are busy; cater to me a little, damnit). 8/10

Next week, I’ll cover one of the best gaming things about going to a con: Your 3DS and Con Going.

So, I recently built a PC. It’s easier than you may think. Anyways, here are the main stats of the beast:

i5-4670K processor

16 GB DDR3 2400

BFG 9600 GT 512 (Yes, yes, this is pretty shameful; I’m waiting on a DirectX 11.2 card)

Other stats available upon request. But, my main mistake was Windows 8. It’s not that it sucks. Windows 8 is an incomplete tool. The potential is there, but potential is not reality. Also as frustrating has to be EA’s bullshit. Rance gifted Mass Effect 1 & 2 to me ages ago. Guess how many hours I’ve logged with them? The correct answer is 0. First, ME1 blue screened on my old computer (Windows XP monster machine from 2006). Now, EA hasn’t pushed the right update to Steam and ME1 won’t work properly AT ALL with Windows 8. (Yes, there are instructions to correct this problem… kinda… they may or may not work)

I’m getting away from my main point. And that’s the savior that we PC Master Race have in SteamOS. I’ll admit, I was super skeptical when Valve made this announcement first. I mean, an OS? That’s the least sexy announcement a company can make. If it was Steam machines, OS, then the controller, that would be the best way to go. Well, hindsight and all that.

SteamOS has a Linux base, but an average user most likely won’t have to sudo anything or tail -f file_log at all (I use a little Unix at work). Also, viruses, shmiruses. You really have to work to load something onto a Linux box (hopefully not games).

So, bring it on, Valve. Give me SteamOS. I want to play my games. And if I can skip DirectX 11.2 to do so, even better… I still want a GTX 760.

In one of his more recent posts, An Aging Gamer made mention of  a few things.

1) We (AAG, ROFL Rance, and myself) drank.

2) We gamed (OMG SPEEDRUNNERS ~~ AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!).

One of the most interesting parts of the evening had to be my surprise wins. Having consumed booze and officially out of a Speedrunner game, I opened my laptop and fucked around on the ol’ internet. However, this was what I consider to be well into the night. 2:30 a.m. is not early in the evening. Not anymore. Thanks, 9-5 job.

So, as I drifted off into the warm embrace of sleep, the old man (An Aging Gamer) verbally poked at me, “Let’s get Bill to play a game and not fall asleep.” And then, I was awake, ready to go, and exhausted. I had nothing to lose, but sleep. Let’s go, fuckers.

Oh, the level of shit talk, as I won, fairly consistently. Up until this point, AAG was whooping the shit out of Rance and me. But, I think it was 3 wins in a row (anyone remember if that’s right), AAG and Rance had a serious threat.

We continued gaming until about 4 a.m. around when I finally gave in and fell asleep. But this has left an interesting thought in my head. How does gaming change when in a different state of mind?

In one night, I had experienced drunken and exhausted gaming. Did that improve the gaming experience?

This was definitely not my first rodeo. AAG can attest to other drunken gaming sessions and undergrad buddies and I did all night DOTA LAN parties. Further, in yet a different state of mind, I had played Journey for PS3. I was almost moved to tears by its graphical beauty, simple gameplay, and story.

But, these instances were not always about the game. When we played DOTA, the undergrad buddies and I would congregate after a game and discuss strategies and amazing plays of the game prior. AAG and I would do stupid shit on WoW and screw with each other in-game. The only instance where an altered state of mind affected the game was with Journey. All the other instances, it was about hanging out with good friends and having great times.

Not to take away from that last thought, but I’m trying to stay on topic. So, why did the altered state of mind and Journey mesh so well? Frankly, I don’t know, so let’s break it down.

1) The graphics gave me chills (the sand alone in the opening was perfect).

2) The music washed over me and made me pay attention.

3) My own internal narrative for my character was so compelling.

4) I didn’t play long. I was so overwhelmed by the intensity of it all, I stopped before I had a partner.

Well, these things can happen for any game! So, it was the alteration in my mind that made it such a wonderful experience. I went back in a sober state and finished Journey (10/10, go play it now). I was still amazed by everything I experienced.

So, can being drunk, exhausted, or otherwise improve a game? It depends. For me, if I have the right situation (surrounded by friends) or the right game (JOURNEY), I’m going to stay up all night and get drunk.