Category: games

I Need a Plan! To Get All of this Painted

Where am I going to find the time to paint all this?

This is everything (I think) that I still have to paint for my tabletop wargaming hobby. What all is there? Let’s see a Space Marine drop-pod, marine squad, terminator squad, predator tank and random figurines; a boxed Mordheim set (includes terrain and figures); a Battlefleet Gothic Chaos fleet and Necron fleet; a pretty large Legion of Everblight squad; chaos space marines (if I can’t sell them) and noise marines (ditto with the sale); a Vampire Lord; a Dark Elf Corsair Lord; Necron Flayers;  and, a Beastman Shaggoth.

Out of the games you see here. I’ve never played Hordes, Mordheim, or Warhammer Fantasy. To be fair I don’t have a fantasy army; nor do I plan on getting one. I just have these three models that I’d like to paint up someday. I’ve only played Battlefleet Gothic once. I do have a large Space Marine army but, I don’t think it needs another tank or any more troops in it. In fact I’m thinking about selling the entire army (maybe 3000+ points?) seeing as I never use it.

This used to be a hobby that I took a great deal of enjoyment out of. Both aspects of it: the painting and the playing. Now? Now, seeing these things in my closet just makes me feel guilty. Guilty for spending so much money on it all and guilty for not doing anything with it all.

I suppose the question is what do I do now? Do I try to paint these things up? Do I try to find the time and energy? If I do paint them. Will I then have the time/energy to play them? If not do I simply sell them? I’m somewhat worried that I’m losing part of myself here if I let this all go; at the same time, is that so bad? Perhaps I’m no longer that person?

I guess I’m asking you all what am I supposed to do with all this stuff now?

This is as Esoteric and Difficult as it Looks

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My first time playing Twilight Imperium. Eight players with the expansion. I only have the slightest idea what I’m doing, the only thing I’m sure of is that I’m losing.

PS – I wrote this post from my phone!? I’m pretty sure we are living in the future…

Viriax is Classic Shmup Fun

I’ve never considered myself to be very good at shmups. In spite of that I have always enjoyed them. From my first experience with the genre in an arcade on an old Galaga machine to bringing that experience home with Gradius and Lifeforce. After the 8-bit era I stopped focusing on the genre; I think I played Gradius 3 but such staples as R-Type were unknown to me, I had no experience of the 32-bit era of shmups at all…

I was away from the genre for so long that when I got back into it people were talking about Ikaruga, a fiendishly (to me) difficult bullet hell shmup that I enjoy playing but am under no illusions as to my abilities with it. Shmups have changed, as everything does, and the genre has left me behind. I’m okay with that, I’ve got a lot of others things to distract me and when I do want to shoot tiny things flying in patterns I still have the classics…

And, Viriax.

Viriax is a free shmup with retro stylings and unique game play by the same guy who made Hydorah (another great free shmup.) The game is a vertical scrolling shooter in which you control a single virus as it infects a host. The quirk comes from the fact that you can only,in all circumstances but one, attack enemies from behind, requiring you to maneuver past them before destroying them.

The game has only six levels but the difficulty ramps up quickly. I’m still stuck on the third. Since the levels are procedurally generated and it takes highscores to unlock later levels  going back is rewarding.

Finally, I want to mention the chiptune music by Gryzor87. I’m a big fan of chiptune music: it always reminds me of happy childhood times and I’m genuinely impressed by the depth and range of emotion chiptune artists can create with their limited “palette.” The Viriax soundtrack is ominous and oppressive, fitting emotions for the material, while retaining a catchiness that keeps them firmly lodged in my head. I can’t get enough of the music for the Heart level of the game.

Anyway, if you are looking for some classic inspired shmup fun Viriax is a smart choice!

It’s Dangerous to Go Alone! Give This to Help Japan!

The above animation can be yours as a program or screensaver for either Macs or Windows if you give absolutely anything to the Americares Foundation which is raising money right now to help those caught in the on-going disaster in Japan.

This is a really nice piece of pixel art and you can proudly show it off on your desktop and do something nice for those in need!

via Ted Martens’ Blog

 

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