Messages

61

Off Topic / Re: Anyone Played Golf Or Mini Golf In Real Life Before?

« on: February 24, 2020, 09:55:47 am »

When I was a kid, there was a place on-base (I was a navy brat) called Sqigglee's (Not sure on the spelling anymore) that was THE place to go in the summer. The admission got you into the pool, which had a water slide, a diving board, a snack bar, & a gift shop with pool toys & goggles and such. Thing is, it connected to the back end of both a 50s themed diner, and the mini golf course, so you could get to either of those from the pool- and the mini golf was free to pool patrons. You learned to keep an eye on the clock so you could grab a club/ball and be on the mini course before you got kicked out for adult swim. I played a LOT of mini golf during summer as a kid. Not a lot of mini courses around here though- lots of proper courses and driving ranges, though. I've never played actual golf- my dad used to be into it, & my fiancé & his sister both were on the high school team, but the real deal never interested me much.

62

General / Re: Do You Ever Find That A Game Don't Work And No Way To Return It?

« on: February 24, 2020, 12:03:25 am »

I heard somewhere never to use an pencil eraser

Oh, I've heard basically everything  is both good & bad. Iso & Qtips is best! Iso & Qtips leaves cotton bits on your contacts & could rust! Erasers gently take off debris! Erasers CAUSE debris! Metal polish shines up contacts! Metal polish erodes contacts! Try/don't try fiberglass pens, stove cleaner, electric contact cleaner, windex... there's a myriad of things out there people say work & dont work (usually both). I even tried lemon juice once in a pinch, and it did actually work- I'd just NEVER recommend it!

Basically, I settled into iso/eraser/brite boy as overall consensus is more on the 'it's ok' side... provided you spend most of your efforts with the iso. Basically, use the alcohol multiple times. If it doesn't work, try the eraser once & use iso after. If that doesn't work, then try the brite boy (effectively brasso without the residue), followed with more iso to make sure you don't leave any on it. In short- it needs to be a case of 'it's this or the trash'.

63

Modern Video Games / Re: If you don't mind me asking you guys this question about Sony aka Soyny

« on: February 23, 2020, 11:35:19 pm »

Yeah, I looked into this supposed censorship via YouTube and it basically amounts to that. Although, there was one example in Devil May Cry where they chose to remove some partial nudity from a cut scene as well. Don't know if this is proving to benefit Sony in the end, or not, but it does come a somewhat of a surprise to see them choosing to moderate content rather than Nintendo. I will say though, that once again it only demonstrates the western mentality of sex being obscene, while gratuitous violence will get a pass. Remember how up in arms America was over Grand Theft Auto having a hidden sex scene in the game? Think of the children.... playing M rated games.

Oh yeah, it's definitely dumb- what, they really think some mom's gonna see Senran Kagura Peach Ball and go 'yep! That's perfect for lil Timmy!'

I just attribute it to regular ol' corporate dumb instead of some malicious attempt to drive away a large chunk of their customer base.

64

General / Re: Do You Ever Find That A Game Don't Work And No Way To Return It?

« on: February 23, 2020, 09:49:49 am »

In a lot of cases, the resurfacing does work- unfortunately, Gsmestop has a nasty reputation for using their customers as the Guinea pigs for testing games. So basically, if multiple people return that busted disc even after the resurfacing, THEN they'll damage it.

This is why anything used immediately goes into the system for 3-5 minutes, just to make sure it's all working. The only loss I've taken recently is on a copy of Medievil I bought at a retro show (so no place to return to). It just looked dusty on the show floor, but cleaning it revealed a gouge I missed the first time. Oh well- eventually I'll sell the case/manual to mitigate the loss.

Keeping cleaning supplies around is a big ol' must-do for collectors. For carts I've got 1-up cards/qtips/iso for basic cleaning, & a bottle of Brite Boy for a last resort (only needed once!) I usually dig up an eraser for a mid-tier attempt, I should buy one specifically for the cleaning bin. For discs, I have a bottle of Gamestop's long discontinued disc skip fixer. I desperately need to find more of that stuff under any label- it works well for superficial marks (the kind that cause skipping, but not freezes). I don't know what I'll do when I run out- home disc machines have never been good & I can't afford a professional one.

65

Modern Video Games / Re: If you don't mind me asking you guys this question about Sony aka Soyny

« on: February 22, 2020, 08:16:23 pm »

It would seem that Scott has overdosed on red pills since the last we heard from him. I honestly, can't decipher this. I have no idea what he's even on about.

Yeah, me neither...

I think it's 'sony put up a comparatively strict content policy & that's somehow an attack on their fanbase?' I mean- really? I am an otaku/weeb/final fantasy fan gamer type, but I dont think, say, not being able to rub objects between a girl's tits in Omega Labyrinth is a freakin' personal attack!

Whether you like it or not, ecchi is niche, & cutting content increases distributors & sales. If you must have cartoon boobs, buy a switch & set up steam. There's always gonna be someone ready to sell this stuff to you.

66

Classic Video Games / Re: What's your breaking point with a video game?

« on: February 20, 2020, 10:54:57 am »

I usually play up until the time that the clock jumps off of the wall and whispers in my ear,  it's cold black plastic arms wrapped around my spine.   the whispers turn into SCREAMS....   "time doesn't exist, it's a mental construct created by modern man"  and then the world melts around me.   And i'm sitting in a chair just holding the melted clock in my hands.   Pink panther theme song plays.  And I am alone with all that really exists in the universe.  my own thoughts....    Hideo Kojima....   and pain.    Only pain.     Napalm rain.    Ocean eyes.

Apparently Death Stranding is weirder than I thought.

67

Off Topic / Re: In My Opinion We Be Should Be Thankful That We Have VG Collect

« on: February 20, 2020, 10:53:33 am »

I'm definitely grateful for VGCollect! I have at least half a dozen old collection accounts on the internet, becuase I added some games only to find something I owned couldn't be listed. Or I'd try to double check a system set & find out there's not way to sort the collection. This is the only place online were I can get everything I want in my collection properly listed in a nice, browsable way. I knew I'd found something special Day 1 when I was adding the NES games, and found separate listings for the number of screws in the cart- I didn't even know about that variant until then! I love that if you get something weird that doesn't fit neatly into the database, you can ask about it in the forums & actually get an answer! The fact that the general chatter in the forums is so pleasant is just a bonus- the icing on the VG collect cake, if you will. Shame I don't bake many cakes, I could make one of those for real... maybe I'll do some cookies next Christmas.

68

General / Re: I just watched a documentary

« on: February 20, 2020, 10:36:22 am »

I collect my stuff because I want to collect it, not for a financial investment. That's what my 401K, IRAs, and stock portfolio is for.

If the market crashes, it just means it'll be cheaper to get what I want.

This.

Depends since they could overcharge the people who want a physical copy big time

Also this- look at the number of lil' boutique publishers that have popped up in the last few years. I don't think physical is going away- in the US at least, we just don't have the infrastructure to support an all-digital release yet, and the companies know it (especially seeing how well Stadia landed). However- moving all but the biggest AAA titles to small publishers who charge more for their limited release titles? That's definitely happening. The few remaining "dedicated game stores" are both dying & have expanded their product line to the point that calling it a game store isn't really accurate anymore. Big box stores like Wal-Mart & Target have little incentive to carry older or niche titles. Letting a large part of the physical market move to premium priced boutique publishers will make digital all the more appealing & encourage people to push all the harder for the kind of internet infrastructure needed to move into an all-digital future... which by far benefits the companies more than the consumer.

69

Video Game Auction Watch / Re: Graffiti Kingdom doubts on a factory sealed copy ebay UK

« on: February 20, 2020, 10:20:10 am »

I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of strip- it is known the later PS2 releases don't have it. In fact, if you look at the other sealed copies of that game currently on Ebay, NONE of them have it.

I would worry about the lack of photos of the seam edges- everyone who knows about sealed games knows you need to check the seams. If he knows enough to know about the strip, he knows he should have put in seam photos.

Of the other listings for that game sealed, two are similar/cheaper priced and have seam photos. The two more expensive listings show some sort of plastic pull-string around the lower third of the box. I'm not familiar enough with PAL or sealed releases to know how significant that is, but you might check those out before commiting to this listing.

70

General / Re: What Room Do You Use As A Game Room/Play Room? Or Setup Discussion

« on: February 15, 2020, 09:43:05 am »

I don't have the extra space for a dedicated game room, so it's all in my bedroom. I've actually got things pretty compact as a result- and I've got it mostly crunched down again to make room for PS5/series X games when that becomes relevant. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to get things smushed down- I've never been able to find bins that suited my setup quite right, but I did recently find shipping boxes that worked for the largest size I could use... so, I got some supplies & I've spent the last couple weeks in my spare time covering/altering those shipping boxes into paper storage bins. I'll have to post some pictures once I finish the process.

The hard part's gonna be figuring out how best to make room for the new systems once they're out- my entertainment center is pretty full, so it's gonna be interesting!

71

Off Topic / Re: What is the story of the first time you fell in love? (Happy Valentines Day)

« on: February 15, 2020, 09:33:42 am »

I don't have any flowery language for it, and I've only done it once- me & my guy have been together 16 years now.

The new Yugioh TCG had recently released in America, and I wanted to give it a try. I'd attempted to play the Pokémon game on release, but there was no one to play against & I got tired of having to carry around 2 decks & explain the game to anyone who'd give me a chance. For Yugioh, the local card shop was going to hold weekly tournaments, so I thought it'd be a better go. Once a week I'll go to the mall and spend a couple hours playing the game. I never did especially well, and the other guys playing were a kinda surly bunch who (apparently) just played every new TCG to see if they could win prizes. But the kids & their parents were nice enough, & I enjoyed helping them learn the game. Eventually I got level 1 judge credentials & became an Upperdeck demo team member, operating as part player, part organizer, part welcome wagon for new arrivals. One day, two guys showed up who were very different from the other adult players- they were willing to chat a bit, and they recognized my friend's tokens as a Final Fantasy 8 keychain set. They didn't win their first round, and after I reported the matches they were gone. I was upset with my friend for letting them leave- they were the first nice guys our age to show up, I wanted to talk more! Luckily, they came back the next week, and we hit it off pretty quickly. I found out they were brothers, and we started hanging out outside of the tournament too.

And that's were things were for awhile. One day, while they weren't around, my friend's sister commented that the older brother could be cute if he'd just change all these things about himself- and I was MAD. Just quietly seething in the corner. Wasn't sure why I was so mad- and then it hit me: it was because I'd fallen for him. I will not go into too much more detail- the next several months were an emotional rollercoaster involving the whole friend group worthy of a soap opera miniseries. Long story short- I eventually confessed, found out he felt the same way, and we've been together ever since. I also found out- they first day at the tournament? He & his brother had come out hoping to ease into being more social, to eventually work up to trying to find a date. The reason they'd left so fast day 1 was they weren't expecting to find any girls there- they weren't prepared & were terrified the whole time! I, for one, am very glad they found the courage to come back. When that card shop closed down, the employees told us knowing we'd met there was store's biggest accomplishment.

72

Video Game Deals, Sales and Promotions / Re: Amazon Buy 2 Get 1

« on: February 15, 2020, 09:07:32 am »

If you're not opposed to it, you can use the $5 cert to get a $10 PSN/eShop card.  That's what I do every month.  So far $20 PSN and $10 eShop for $15 out of my pocket, and used PUR points to pay for my membership.  It's not great but it gets me digital money for half price.

Oh, that's absolutely the plan- it's just the hassle of actually making a trip to the Gamestop once a month to do the buying. Unless it works online? I'm still trying to figure out exactly how the thing works & Gamestop's customer service is completely useless.

I've used point to renew my membership for years, so I'm not out anything from my pocket- but without the used game boost earning me more points from friends, I imagine I'll be running out in a year or two- and when that happens I doubt I'll renew. This new thing really doesn't work for me.

Anyway, on topic- I have the same problem every Amazon B2G1... they won't put 3 games I want on the sale at the same time! It rotates around my wishlist, but never more than 2 at once. It can be annoying, but at least it saves me money from not buying anything.

73

Video Game Deals, Sales and Promotions / Re: Amazon Buy 2 Get 1

« on: February 13, 2020, 12:00:20 pm »

I miss Gamers Club Unlocked.

me too dude, me too. I also miss the Gamestop power up rewards elite membership.. damn retail stores taking away all the good stuff

Mine expired 2 weeks after they announced that it was going away

I found out one day too late to renew early & get an extra couple months out of it.

Of course, now regular pro doesn't even give you a discount on used games at all. It's gonna be such a hassle finding time to spend that $5 thing every month...

74

General / Re: What do you want from the launch lineup of the next generation of consoles?

« on: February 10, 2020, 12:32:27 pm »

I tend towards the niche titles that do not sell systems, so my preferred games are not likely to be launch titles. Which is fine, I'm not big on being a Day 1 buyer anyway (gives a chance to sort the bugs out).

Having said that, if one of these guys revives Scalebound it'll be a BIG push towards making an early adopter out of me. I'd also love a new Klonoa game, but that's clearly more of a Switch kinda thing.

75

Classic Video Games / Re: What's your breaking point with a video game?

« on: February 09, 2020, 10:11:05 am »

I don't really have a set time criteria, but what makes me want to shelve a game is when large amounts of my time get wasted or lost, forcing me to replay large chunks of the game if I want to continue.

Basically this.

Sometimes it's a boss, sometimes it's a jump, but if the game throws a situation at me where its 'do this thing to my exact standards, or you'll die & have to repeat it' with no gains made from previous attempts & no way to go back & improve your odds- I do tend to rage quit on those.

The most recent one I can think of was Drakengard 3, where I played all the way up to unlocking the final branch, and (minor spoiler) found out you need to have every weapon in the game to even access that final part. Since things had been pretty straightforward up till here, the grindfest was jarring, but I bought up everything- and learned there was one more weapon I had to earn from an optional mission. Kill baddies, collect items... on a timer... in the FOG. Even the online guides say it's largely dumb luck if the correct baddies move far enough into the area you can see to kill them & get the items in time.

I ended up watching a longplay go through the final chapter, I genuinely don't know if or when I'll finish that one properly.