Friday, March 18, 2016

A Week Of Thoughts

Basically, what I'm doing here is writing a shorter thing in this one post every day for a week and then just posting it as one thing. This will help me feel more productive and also help me write more. Because I think of writing a lot and then I just don't. Whether it's because I just don't feel like something is good enough or because I just don't get around to it. I don't know, but here we go.


Blizzard Patches Diablo 2:

Yes, you read that right, Diablo 2, released in 2000 recently got a new update that "focuses on system glitches introduced by modern operating systems" and this seemingly won't be the last update we see for this game; Blizzard is also "working to improve our cheat-detection and hack-prevention capabilities," and they're also hiring people to "maintain legacy games", so we can probably expect other games to be patched as well. Actually, as I write this, Blizzard has released a patch for Warcraft 3, and also said there is more to come for that game, as well.
Really though that's all I have to say. It's awesome Blizzard is taking time and resources to continually support nearly 20-year-old games with sequels, even. Can you name another developer that has done that? Bravo, Blizzard, bravo.


Jim Sterling Being Sued by Digital Homicide:

So, I wasn't going to write about this because I'm very obviously biased, but I want to, at least, give an opinion.
In December 2014, Jim Sterling, a pretty popular Youtuber/game critic, made a video regarding a game released on Steam called Slaughtering Grounds. This video was basically centered on how this game was the epitome of why Steam Greenlight - a system that lets indie developers submit games to the community to be sold after they are voted for - is not very curated.
The developer of this game, Digital Homicide, wasn't happy about this video and released a video themselves insulting Sterling. The conflict has only gotten worse with Digital Homicide releasing more, shitty, half-baked games and Jim Sterling continuing to make them points of topic in his series The Jimquisition.
A few days ago, Digital Homicide announced on their website that they would be suing Sterling for about $10 million for assault, libel, and slander. So I guess that's that. Rather than fixing the shit of their games, they (Digital Homicide) are throwing a tantrum and suing. I'm excited to see where this goes.
For a more in-depth, less opinionated piece, read this (thanks,  Patrick Klepek).


Stardew Valley Mini-Review:

PC - Steam

Stardew Valley is a really good game, my game of the year so far, actually. After quitting your dead-end job working for a large corporation, you inherit your grandfather's farm in Stardew Valley. The core gameplay loop involves; buying and planting vegetables, fruits, and other things; raising animals; fishing and foraging; maintaining relationships with the townspeople (if that's what you want to do, of course)  and even fighting bad guys in the mines. You can basically do whatever you want, if you want to be a suave farmer who gets all the ladies and makes beer, you can be that. If you want to be a weird, rich hermit, do that if you want to. This is a really chill, super fun game and if you are remotely interested in Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon, this is a game for you.