StaceyPowers

So, a generous friend bestowed me out of the blue with a gaming laptop. Since I have another laptop for work, I figured it may as well be dedicated solely to gaming to extend its longevity. If anyone else has a laptop you use exclusively to game, what do you do with it if you are not using it for a couple weeks? Do you store it away? Do you leave the battery in or take it out? etc. I have literally nowhere to set it up permanently, so I am struggling to figure out how to juggle it.

Do you think that virtual reality will ever feel second nature? Or will we always have issues with motion sickness or other areas where it is hard for our bodies and brains to really adapt to VR environments?

If the “metaverse” becomes this massive thing everyone is talking about, do you think some people will be left behind by the technology? For example, I am thinking about people who simply never overcome motion sickness.

This article discusses how studies that use VR are limited in some respects by the fact that our brains work differently in VR than in regular reality: https://massivesci.com/articles/virtual-reality-vr-real-world-limitations-touch-smell-visual/

Here is an interesting article discussing the idea of using virtual reality to train people to lucid dream: https://www.popsci.com/science/lucid-dreaming-virtual-reality/

What thoughts and feelings do you have about the “metaverse,” whether positive, negative, or netural? I can see the appeal in gaming applications, but some ideas like VR offices just sound downright gimmicky and distracting to me.

Here is an article discussing how some people with specific mobility challenges might benefit from gaming: https://about.fb.com/news/2021/12/carters-quest-virtual-reality/

I have a question that I feel like probably has an obvious answer, but I don’t know what it is. Why must one pay for a subscription like PS Plus to game online at all on a console? I get the need to pay for servers, but sometimes one does that directly through a game (i.e. Minecraft). So why must one also pay for PS Plus for this purpose?

If you have been wondering what is up with Ken Levine and Ghost Story Games, you can find a lengthy update/write-up here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-03/bioshock-creator-s-next-game-and-its-narrative-legos-in-turmoil

Here is an article about research into video games for relieving depression in older adults. "In previous research, scientists found that 60%­ to 70% of older patients who were unable to benefit from antidepressant meds and who played specially designed video games reported a 50% decline in depressive symptoms in 30 days, according to U of U Health."

This article talks about how hate speech is becoming normalized in game environments due to a lack of moderation, which is exposing young people to white supremacist ideology without any critical filtering. Thoughts?

https://www.newsweek.com/researchers-teach-mass-brain-cells-mimic-classic-arcade-game-pong-1664511 This article talks about a study where researchers taught a Pong-like game to cells: “Using this DishBrain system, we have demonstrated that a single layer of in vitro cortical neurons can self-organize and display intelligent and sentient behavior when embodied in a simulated game-world.”

Yosuke Matsuda, president of Square Enix, recently discussed NFTs in a New Year’s letter. In the post, he talks about how he thinks NFTs will incentivize the creation of more compelling and game-changing user-generated content going forward. What are your thoughts about this?

Have you ever played against a famous esports player? Did you win or lose? How fast did the match go?

What are some lesser-known/more obscure esports that are worth watching?

Have you ever attended an esports event in person at an arena? What was the experience like?

I probably should have said ages ago, amazing review as always @Shagger. I love your attention to detail and your balanced outlook. I just finished my first playthrough. tbh, I reached the end and felt somewhat confused, as it indeed was not quite a "happy" ending--but it did not seem nearly as bleak and crushing as advertised by so many reactions. But it seems on researching that much of the "controversy" was a reaction to having to play as Abby--i.e. having to absorb another perspective and develop empathy. I do not know if this can even be considered entirely separate from all the transphobic complaining--after all, these complaints also come from gamers who do not want to absorb another perspective. Many reviewers also do not consider other perspectives, or treat their opinions as objective all-encompassing realities. You do not do this, and even examine different facets of your own point of view through a critical eye. I very much appreciate this quality in you.

Sometimes I run into situations where a fight seems really hard to me. So, I go online and look up advice, only to discover I am already doing it basically right. Other gamers will mention the fight is pretty easy. I will come back, and suddenly, the fight will be easy. Does anyone else ever have this happen? It’s almost like what holds me back is just believing a scenario is harder than it is.

Are there any games that you feel are simply impossible to remake in a way that can ever beat the original, to the point where you hope nobody ever tries?

Why isn’t FMV (full motion video) more popular? This was huge in the 90s, and then just faded away. I realize that there were always some issues with it like it not being easy to seamlessly blend into compelling gameplay. But you’d almost think that solutions would have been innovated by now.

What are your favorite full motion video (FMV) games, past or present?

Are there any classic gaming platforms that failed or faded into obscurity that you really liked and wish had done better? If they had been more popular, how would they have changed the way we game today?

Are there any games that you thought would have been better if they had followed their early concepts more closely?

What are some musical artists you have heard frequently in different video games?

Have your gaming habits changed since the pandemic? In what ways?