Video Games

I’m scrolling through my Instagram feed when out of nowhere I’m presented with a sponsored post showcasing this random free-to-play mobile strategy game, “Terminator Genisys: Future War.” All of a sudden, I’m in the app store downloading it. I can’t exactly recall why I took the plunge right then an there but this is my experience with the game so far.

Gameplay

The game consists of two factions: Skynet and rebels. My allegiance landed with Skynet because robots rule.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as a T-800 instructed me on how to build my base (he’s such a good teacher). This is done by following a simple to-do list of what to focus my resources on. At first, I found the tediousness tasks to be annoying but then I couldn’t stop upgrading all my damn buildings and units. Upgrading things takes a certain amount of real time. Using a boost can reduce that time but boosts are hard to come by and require real money if you want to buy more. That’s the big catch to a free-to-play. Then I got recruited into a clan.

Clans

I was solicited by the clan chief and the only prerequisite to join the clan seemed to be whether I spoke English. I do (sort of). So, I joined up! I haven’t experienced any raids or anything in-game but I’m assuming being in a clan protects my base from invaders. Either way, I have friends now.

Check out the very basic convo with my clan chief below:

Addiction

I’ve heard about the mobile gaming addiction but shrugged it off. Now, I can’t stop playing the silly game.  I’ll pick up my phone to see what upgrades I need to fulfill or whether something is posted on the clan message boards. It’s pretty funny the way things end up.

Playing video games requires a certain amount of energy. That means being completely blasted on coffee. Grab the nearest roast and suck it down.

Starbucks

If you want to have a large quantity of coffee, get over to your local Starbucks and grab a Venti black Pike Place. Featuring a ballistic 410mg of caffeine, this beast will increase your K/D ratio and your heart beat.

Keurig

This is the quick and easy way to get your roast fix. Pop a K-Cup pod into the Keurig machine and before you can say “put the kids on one” a cup of steaming hot roast will be ready for consumption. Going this route won’t put a damper on your game time at all.

Standard Coffee Maker

This is the OG of coffee making, your parent’s method of getting roasted, if you will. The coffee maker I’m rocking will brew a stellar 12 cups. Let’s say you have some company who are looking to game and get equally cranked on caffeine as you, go make yourself a fresh pot.

Bonus Ways of Getting Jacked Up

Sure, coffee isn’t the only way to get absolutely wrecked on caffeine. 5 Hour Energies, Rockstar Lemonades, Redlines, Red Bulls and plenty of other name brands will do the trick!

Seriously, go watch the huge event. Let the best speed runners in the business blow your mind for a good cause.

Game schedule can be found here:

https://gamesdonequick.com/schedule

When most people think of a gamer, they image a grubby human sitting silently in the dark in front of a TV. Sure, I can be the grubby dude from time to time, and yes, I may sit in the dark–but I can confidently say I’m being social a majority of the time using the PS4.

The PS4’s party voice chat system allows me to stay connected to friends who’ve moved to Oregon or still live in my hometown. The ability to have up to an eight person conference call with my best homies while playing video games is always pure comedy and a lesson in being social. It’s easy to meet friendly gamers too. I’ve had great experiences inviting random players into the party chat, we have a couple laughs and go our separate ways.

My communication skills also improve while playing team based games. Players are depending on me, so speaking clearly and effectively is a must! It can mean the difference between winning or losing a match. On the flip side, I have to listen closely so I don’t miss important information being relayed.

I may be playing video games for seven hours straight but I’m having a blast talking to my friends and possibly making new ones at the same time!

 

I’m hyped for the SNES Mini! It will come stocked with unforgettable games from my childhood like “Super Metroid,” “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past” and more. One classic Nintendo forgot to include in the revamped system is “Sunset Riders”!

The side-scrolling, cowboy shoot ’em up from Konami is so much fun. The gameplay surpasses Contra in my book. Plus, “Sunset Riders” is my very first video game co-op experience. I have some great memories sitting in front of my TV with my dad and brother trying to complete the challenging levels.

Sadly, the action-packed western isn’t coming back to the SNES Mini for fans to enjoy… I’m still heckin’ interested in the system though!

The last night I popped  EA’s WWI epic into the PS4 was months ago. I used to play daily. Where did the game do me wrong?! I really can’t say too much about the single player in “Battlefield 1” (I heard it was really good) but the multiplayer, in my opinion, is a dud.

Players can choose from 6 gamemodes: Rush, Conquest, Team Deathmatch, Domination, War Pigeons and Operations. Peoples seem to love War Pigeons but I haven’t put much time in that bird-centric mode. I think Operations is hands down the most fun out of the bunch and it could have been the mainstay of the game.

The objective of the gamemode is for the attacking team to push back the defenders from one sector to the next until they completely control the large map. It’s a blast but there are only four campaigns–and only two are really worth playing, Kaiserschlacht and Iron Walls. Sadly, playing these two scenario over-and-over again gets old quick. You want more campaigns? EA expects you to shell out another 40 bucks to buy a couple more Operations maps while the other content goes untouched… Not cool!

I’m not going to pay for more content. Meaning I won’t be playing much more “BF1,” unless it’s for a quick revisit.

I fell in love with “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” instantly. Seriously, as soon as I was dropped into the world as Link, freshly awakened from a 100-year nap, I knew the journey would be magnificent! But I’m not here to talk about all that. I want to weigh in on the superb sound design.

The sound track is worth mentioning because, for one thing, the player hardly knows it’s there. It’s a calming few piano notes that drift in and out of your speakers like a blade of grass caught in a light breeze, until you face up an enemy. Then, the melody picks up–like your blood pressure, adding to the thrill of the fight. The roller coaster wave of emotions from just the music alone is stunning.

The way Link’s armor and weapons clink around while running or walking is just a small, satisfying detail in the game’s seemingly endless sound library. Hitting enemies registers a hearty noise that actually sounds weighty.  Enemies grunt and scream in such a unique unforgettable way. Honestly, there to many other small sounds to even get to.

All in all, “BOTW” is an addictive and stylish installment to the Zelda franchise. Its mechanics will likely be mimicked by other developers for years to come. However, the sounds that were created for this game will likely never be reproduced again.

Streaming on Twitch is an absolute blast. If you’re anything like me, you love sharing the gaming experience, whether it’s with someone in the same room or across the world. That’s were broadcasting your gameplay becomes very appealing. Here’s how you become a pro streamer.

Equipment and Software

This is an expensive and necessary part of the streaming process. My setup is as follows:

1. Macbook Pro (Webcam attached)
2. Elgato HD60 Capture Card
3. PS4
4. TV
5. Samsung Microphone
6. Twitch Account
7. Epic camping chair
8. Apple headphones that connect directly to TV via AUX cord extender

Games

You are going to want to start playing “Bloodborne.” A gaming right of passage that shows your viewers you are as serious as a heart attack about your stream. Keep in mind, audiences love streamers who aren’t afraid to have mental breakdowns for the world to see. This game is sure to test you emotionally and physically, viewers eat that shit up.Then, expand your gaming library to something that fits your gaming niche.

Niche

Becoming the best Overwatch player or “Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” speed runner, is a sure fire way to secure hella viewers on your channel. At that point, your personality doesn’t even have to come into play. You can literally be a stone person with zero personality but you’ve found your niche–you’ve got it made! Welcome to the big leagues, stone person.

Time

This is a big one, I’m guilty of not meeting this requirement. Viewers expect for your stream to be live regularly and for a lengthy duration. So, if you’re a gamer who can only play for a certain number of hours before you have to take a break, streaming might not be for you. Plus, girlfriends, family members and friends kinda take a back seat–like adios.

Money Factor

Yes, a streamer can make money. Setting up a PayPal account and embedding a donation button on your channel page is easy. However, making real cash  comes down to how much time you want to dedicate to streaming.

In the end, for me at least, streaming comes down to sharing the gaming experience. If you make some dough along the way that’s epic and the dream. So, start broadcasting because you just became pro.

Seriously, if you don’t have this gem get it on Amazon or the Playstation Store like yesterday. Published by Ubisoft, “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege” came out close to 3 years ago, December 1, 2015, and it’s one of my favorite games on the PS4.

The gameplay features intense and fucking frightening close-quarters combat between attackers and defenders. Playing as a defender means you must build a stronghold impenetrable to the attacker’s efforts. While playing as an attacker means tearing down the defender’s stronghold and defusing the different situations. Teamwork is a must, coordinating on attack and defense increases the  chances of winning ten fold.

I’ve put hundreds of hours into the game and can confidently say that no two rounds have ever been the same. The variety is stunning! Multiple operators and destructible environments add to the unpredictability. Watch one of my Twitch streams below to get a feel for the mechanics and gameplay:

Ubisoft plans on supporting  R6 for years to come, adding new operators and maps. Hopefully they keep their promise because I’m addicted and hopefully will be for more years to come.