Reality vs Adventure

AC Odyssey has a whole in depth learning experience in its options menu where you go to actual historical locations and tour it moving your character around and so on. And while in the actual gameplay historical sights you come across are noted and you get XP points. And it has a brief summary of it in the map. I thought that was very unique. Some of it has to do with politics because Greece was the beginning of democracy and so there is a lot of history there as well as the olympics which they reveal as well. 

Saving Private Hymen
Oh s##T! Think I'm taking this too far.

Yep, that's Fartcry 4

Yes, all of these observations are spot on. And with BioShock Infinite, a friend in Europe asked me to explain religion's role in America's politics, and I just wanted to tell her to play that game, because I feel like it showcases the culture very well and explores some of its roots, values, claims, and appeals to its adherents.

Sometimes games are even prescient!


 

So in other words, even though most political games that are historical can also have significance in today's politics. Like in Wolfenstein fighting them Nazis. I can definitely relate that to today's climate. So even though it is based on an alternate history of the Nazis taking over America in the New Colossus, the little collectibles in the game such as post cards and letters have writings that actually depict fascist agendas that have historical and present day relevance. And I say that as the game came out a few years ago and still in 2020 we have heard the same things said in our current political environment almost word for word from trump and party. Such a weird deja vu to hear your government repeat such vile antics. While games shouldn't be used as a political prop, historical games could be relevant today for that simple truth to the matter, history does repeat itself. 

To each their own. I think they're beautiful. My pit is gorgeous. Tell me that's not adorable.
 

I don't care about their personality. I just think they are ugly. No offence but to me they look like rats on steroids. Scary.

Pitbulls are also used as a scapegoat. 99% of all dog attacks are mutts that only ahe a physical characteristic that looks like one of the characteristics of a pitbull. Like head shape, or should width, or something else. For that reason alone, they’re called a pitbull by the stupid and the ignorant. Pitbulls are in actual fact very gentle dogs by nature. Sure, there’s a bad apple in every barrel, but it’s rare. 15 years ago it was Rottweillers. 20 years ago it was German Shepherds. 30 years ago it was Dobermans. What’s next? Yorkies? Beagles? Blue Heelers? I can tell you right now that my chihuahuas are a hell of a lot meaner than any pitbull. And they are all bark, and no bite. Hell, my bird is meaner than a pitbull. But then, she doesn’t like anyone who isn’t me. She will attack anyone who tries to handle her (except me) and her damn beak is SHARP. She loves to groom me, but ended up ripping my toe open a couple days ago.

You know what always gets me? It's when you raise a bunch of kittens or puppies from birth and after a while you start to see their individual personalities and how they approach different situations (like how your cats open the mosquito net). 
If you want to, you can post your article on rats. Pitbulls aren't as bad as most people make them out to be but you have to properly train them. I had a Pitbull Labrador mixed puppy called Rex back in the days and he was such a loving dog. His dad Max( a Pitbull) was a really friendly one as well but he was strong and heavy!(fyi he wasn't my dog, it was a friends dog). Just like any other dog, you have to train them properly and give them lots of affection, they'll turn out alright. The bad reputation that Pitbulls have gotten over the years is mainly due to terrible owners.

RDR2 deals a good amount with racism. It takes place in 1899, and a lot of NPC's are still on the fence. Some of the characters in Arthur's gang still have the 1825 mindset. There are NPC's everywhere that think the south won the civil war. One of the black characters in Arthur's gang, that he's really good friends with, makes the statement in conversation between the two of them that a lot of people would call Arthur a "nigger lover". Those are the exact words the game used. Those words came from a black character. So the game helps people get a look at how people thought a mere 30 years after the war. Then there are female protests all over in all towns about getting equality and the right to vote, that are often met with violence from the men.
It really shows how archaic the minds of people were 121 years ago. There are a lot of other instances that show the barbaric political climate in the game, and none of it is pretty. But as ugly as it is, it's an eye opener.
As the saying goes: Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
I just wish that applied to progressive history as well.

PART 1 - CHOOSING YOUR RAT
You need to decide first off whether you want them to breed or not. If you don't want them breeding then you need to choose only one sex. Either male or female. Both genders typically get along well with each other, but there is always a hierarchy. One rat will be dominant. They will "battle" for dominance, but it is almost never true violence. They tend to wrestle or box more. Once you decide on your gender, decide how many you want. Rats are social animals and will not do well alone. I highly recommend a minimum of 4 rats. The more rats you get the better their health will be. Both physically, and mentally. They need the companionship of other rats to survive.
PART 2 - RAT BEHAVIOR AND MENTALITY
As said already there will always be a hierarchy. Dominance will often be challenged and you will see your rats battling it out. But just because they are chasing each other and wrestling doesn't mean mutiny. They are very playful animals. They romp and run just like children. They are actually quite entertaining to watch. They are also extremely smart animals. They remember like an elephant. If you mistreat them they remember it and will not trust you. If you are kind to them they will like you better.
They love to explore. New surroundings mean new places to see. But unless you buy a rat ball, this is not a good idea to let them do. A full grown rat can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter. Once they do that, they are most likely gone for good.
Rats are nesters. They need a lot of material to build a nest. In the wild a colony can have up to 100 rats that are constantly maintaining the colonies nest.
They sleep a lot. They burn a lot of energy when they are playing, and tend to wear themselves out fairly quickly. It's not good for their health to try to play with them when they are trying to sleep. Wait until they wake up on their own.
Typically rats don't bite or claw, unless they feel threatened. If you don't present yourself as a threat you will do fine, but you do need to present yourself as the dominant one. If they feel that they are dominant over you, you will never be able to handle them.
Rats will however, give you a very light nibble from time to time. This is what's known as a rat kiss. It's the same as when a dog licks you. It's a sign of affection, and nothing to be afraid of.
PART 3 - RAT HOUSING
There are many types of housing choices for rats. You can get what are called "rat cities", which tend to run $200-$300 typically. Or you can get a simple wire cage or aquarium. I recommend an aquarium for beginners, because rats are extremely skilled escape artists. Depending on the number of rats you get would determine the minimum size of aquarium you need. It would be best to base it by rat. A typical aquarium for example is 20 gallon. With 4 rats, that's 5 gallons of space per rat. That's a good base to start. Of course you can go bigger if you want, but you should choose a reasonable base of space.
You will need to have a very secure way of keeping their habitat secure so they don't get out and run all over. Clips on an aquarium lid work well. The clips do slide off, but can be difficult to get off, so you may have to slip something under the clip top to lift it such as a screwdriver or a heavy blade knife.
Rats need something to chew and gnaw on. They have a natural instinct to chew. If they don't have something steady to chew on, they will start chewing on each other. They will go after the weakest link in the chain. Then you'll lose one of your babies. The best thing is an edible shelter. A good brand is SnakShak. It doesn't have to be anything super fancy, but you need something that would stand up to however many rats you get. If it doesn't last at least a little while, you will be spending a lot of money replacing them.
Rats need exercise. Just romping in their home doesn't do it. You need to get them a wheel. Or two if you prefer. These are great for letting them run to their hearts content and keep them in shape.
The type of bedding you choose matters a lot. There are a lot of bedding's you will see at your pet store. You will see everything from wood chips, to pebbles, to sawdust. For rats, get the sawdust. Wood chips are dangerous for rodents. They can get splinters, or pieces of wood stuck in their teeth, which can cause a lot of problems. The pebbles would also cause health problems since you can't just clean out the pebbles and put new ones in when you clean their cage. And if they were to eat them, it would most likely kill them. The healthiest for them, and your wallet is the sawdust.
If you go with a wire cage, you need to put something soft on the bottom so they're not on wires all the time. A fleece blanket or sweatshirt is perfect. They will move it around to where they want it, and they will tear it apart, so you will need to replace it once it gets super torn up. I always keep a couple extra cheap sweatshirts and fleece blankets on hand for my rats.
PART 4 - RAT NUTRITION
You need to get the right food for rats. Also you need to make sure it's age appropriate. There are many types of rodent food to choose from. But just because it's good for a mouse or a guinea pig, does not mean it's good for a rat. They have a different metabolism than other rodents, and need a food that is specifically formulated for them. I feed my rats Oxbow pellets. The pellets you buy will be enough, but I highly recommend giving them fresh fruits and vegetables with the pellets. Nothing canned or cooked. Stay away from soft fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and grapes, or citrus fruits. They need something they can crunch and chew. Carrots, lettuce, and cabbage are good choices for vegetables. Apples, watermelon, or cantaloupe would be good choices for fruits. You need to get them a food dish that is safe for them and that will hold enough food for them so that you don't have to refill it several times daily. They eat a lot, so be prepared to be spending a good amount of money on food.
DO NOT EVER FEED THEM ONIONS OR ANYTHING CONTAINING ONION. ONIONS ARE LETHAL TO RATS WITHIN MINUTES.
Also be aware that you can over feed your rats. Over feeding can cause a lot of problems. Obesity, diabetes, and breathing problems just to name a few. So watch how much you feed them, and make sure they have a balanced diet.
You need to get water bottles that will survive their chewing. Plastic will have to be replaced regularly, unless they can be mounted on the outside of their cage. You can buy glass chew proof bottles. They are a few dollars more expensive, but will save you a lot of money in the long run. If you go with smaller bottles you will need at least one bottle per rat. If you go with larger bottles you won't need quite as many. For example I have 4 rats. With large bottles, I would need 2. For larger numbers dividing by 2 would be a bit impractical. For example if you had 10 rats, 5 bottles would be a bit overkill.
You will need to wash their food dish at least once every few days. Rats don't try to aim any specific direction when they have to go, unless they're marking territory. So they will go in their food dish.
PART 5 - CAGE MAINTENANCE
When you clean their cage, don't just scoop the bedding out and put new bedding in. You have to get all the feces out, and wash not only the bottom, but the sides with soap and water. When rats pee, they tend to spray. This is how they mark their territory, the same as dogs. You will have it on every surface in your rats cage if you're using an aquarium. After washing it you need to make sure you get all the soap cleaned out of the cage before you replace the bedding and put the rats back in. Soap residue can make them sick if they lick it up. And scented soaps can be attractive to them. Don't use cleaners such as Windex or Pledge. Just use simple soap and water.
If you're using an aquarium, you need to check it periodically to make sure there are no breaks in it. If it gets cracked it will need to be replaced. They can easily crack it further which will allow them to have a way out, and also hurt themselves on the broken glass at the same time.
If you want, you can get a small heating pad to put under the cage. A small one would be enough. You don't want anything big, or extremely powerful, as if it's too hot, they can burn their feet. So I would recommend against it, but if it has a low heat setting that is VERY lukewarm, you can try it. Just remember to keep a close watch if you do.
PART 6 - RAT HEALTH AND LONGEVITY
Rats are very clean animals. If you watch them you will see them cleaning themselves quite a bit. But rats can also carry a lot of health problems if they're not cared for properly. They can have organ problems, bone problems, respiratory problems, or emotional problems. The symptoms range from small things such as mood changes, to self harm, to violence toward you and other rats. You just need to keep an eye on them to make sure everything is going good for them. You need to keep not only their cage clean but the area around them. Remember germs can jump.
Rats don't have the lifespan of animals such as dogs who live to on average 12-15 years. Rats typically live between 2-3 years depending on the breed. So technically they don't live long, but they love hard.
PART 7 - MISCELLANEOUS
Contrary to what many will tell you, rats are very high maintenance. Their home has to be cleaned regularly, their food has to be specifically for rats, their water has to be clean, their home has to be sufficiently supplied for them to maintain their mental health, they have to be kept out of stressful situations, and above all they have to be loved. If you get rats and then lose interest in them, then that is cruel to them, because they will no longer be taken care of properly. You have to give them attention and love. Just because they live in a cage or aquarium doesn't mean they don't need you.
It will hurt when you lose them, the same as any of your other companions. But your life will be that much richer for having had them. They will always love you if you love them.

We have to separate two categories. Political topics in videogames and political activism in videogames.
The first one is OK, the second is not.
As soon as it gets out of context and not the ingame character is speaking but the designer / writer through that character it becomes an issue.
I don't care what they have so say, don't use the game as a platform for your personal politics, if you are a game designer. Unless the game is literally about your personal political views.

This is Halite. It is pure salt crystals. Salt crystals in its natural state form cubes. Same thing we sprinkle on food and cook with. Cool huh
 

One of my favorite pizzas is pineapple with Canadian bacon! Now that I think of it, it's past due to get one.

At the moment, I don't collect anything, but when I was a kid I use to have these.
My kindergarten was obsessed with this... good old times :)

As a super power, the USA has fallen behind in the world in helping its citizens during coronavirus. The government has deliberately let the virus get out of control for 2 reasons: 1: to use as warfare against major U.S. cities which are largely democratic hoping to spur on deaths before the election to help the chances of rural swing states to get a majority vote; 2: to sabotage a democratic presidency in case of a republican loss.  Most coronavirus relief went to corporations and hand pick companies due to conflicts of interest. Farmers got 3 bailouts now due to a trade war with China that never should have happened. The government has refused in their own words on camera to help citizens any more with stimulus whether it be a check or unemployment extensions. I'll be surprised if a second stimulus is passed to help struggling people and not corporations.  But it would have to be passed by going around trump's veto. Cause we all know that guy won't pass it unless his personal interests get some of the money. 

Channeled my inner health guru and make a banana smoothie with Almond Milk - very tasty!
 

A little disclaimer. Everything I'm about to say I say as my own individual person, not as a mod nor a representative of VGR in any way. And yourself @m76as well as anyone can respond freely without fear of reprisal.
 
What you are saying are the words of someone who clearly has not made any effort to understand or research the message BLM is trying to put out, and that is also, with all due respect, kinda selfish. You're just happy to live in your little bubble where everything is fine. In your white world, you don't get guns drawn of you for just walking down the street. You don't have the police called on you in the hope they shoot you for being black. You don't get killed by police officers crushing your neck. You don't get tear-gassed for protesting peacefully. You don't get called a n****r or a monkey. You don't get turned away from job's because of the colour of your skin. None of this happens to you, so in your head it doesn't really happen at all. No wait, sorry, I'm being unfair;
 
 
Yes, racism exists, you said so yourself, so why are you pissing on those fighting it instead of supporting them? Is it because you believe the "small" amount of it you think happens is acceptable? And you're wrong, it is as bad as they say because it's not a minority doing it, it's become engrained in society. That's why, as @Crazycrabpointed out, it's the responsibility of all of us to change, to be better, fight for equality and justice even if one has never done anything discriminatory or racist in any way. Otherwise, we're choosing to live in the same bubble you are, and that would make us part of the problem. BLM are not hiding problems under the rug, that's what people like you do because you don't want to believe these things are true. Just because you don't like what's what to be found under that rug, doesn't make it fault of those supporting BLM. I don't want to believe it either, but as a white man I refuse to deny it just for my convenience. It was Edmund Burke who said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”. Then there's people like you, spewing this nonsense that the people in this fight to make clear how bad racial injustice really is are the bad guys. How dare you.
 
How dare you accuse the people who suffer through racial discrimination every day as "scapegoating". Victims of racial discrimination don't need you so-called "scapegoat" because they are the victims of racial discrimination. How dare only listen to one side and deliberately avoid the other to then be arrogant enough to think you know it all. How dare just choose to believe what's convent for you. How dare you only come out of your bubble to call those seeking truth and justice as liars just because you're not a victim and can't know what it's like.
 
Nothing of what I say here is against you. Your presence in this community is very much appreciated and valued, but for your own sake you have got to wake up and see what's really going on in the world.

I agree, and that's why gonna lock this and remove the video. VGR can do without this. This shouldn't have been posted here in the first place.

They're not giving it. They're loaning it. And we will have to pay it back with a minimum of 100% interest. So basically if we get $1000, we will have to pay the government back $2000. It's a way to screw the citizens. It's not helping anyone, it's crippling those of us who can barely support ourselves even further.

The only things I can think of that may be issues are weight gain if you aren't active or don't play active games; decreased social life (that may have already been a factor and gaming is the effect); decreased Vit D levels; strange sleeping pattern if you stay up all night gaming. These aren't necessarily restricted to gaming because the same issues can come from watching tv or surfing the internet; or any indoor profession behind a computer. 

What the fuck does this have to do with the topic?

I think if they made an incredible story and side quests that would hint you in which direction to go first, it would be a masterpiece. I'm pretty happy with Origins and Odyssey. But if they had a really good story with great cut scenes and dialog then AC would be unbeatable. Add Witcher 3 quests into AC and wham bam, thank you mam. 

Those pictures look real! Sucks it doesn't have much ship battles, but I've read the map is a little larger than Odyssey and without the open waters which leaves lots of exploration. Did you feel there was a lot of ground to cover? To me all that exploration seems it would be fun and many sights to see. I guess they decreased the gear availability and switching out, which I loved in Odyssey. Interesting about the side stories. Do you feel the stories were an improvement from Odyssey?  

Basically any game that is made with only online multiplayer in mind, lacking a proper single player campaign.