Christmas Break Begins

Today I finished up work for the week and don't have to go back to work until January 2nd. I know that kids in school have a week more than I do and that those like my daughter only get one or two days off. I consider myself fortunate to have a week of free time. For me, this is time to relax and take care of some personal projects. The question I have to answer is how many of them are computer related or technical.

Several years ago I purchased a ham-radio antenna. It has sat in my office for 2 winters now and I really should put it together and set it up. Then I can play around with talking to people around the world by bouncing radio waves off the ionosphere. Almost all of my ham radio experience has been using short-distance and line-of-sight frequencies. That is what I use when I help with the Salt Flats Endurance run and the Wastach 100. It would be good to gain some practical knowledge in other areas of the hobby.

There are also quite a few video games I own that I would like to play. Not having to go to work frees up a lot of time and would allow me to at least start one of them. Perhaps I could finish my Spider-Man game and then justify owning Spider-Man 2. I also have the new God of War game that I have yet to take the plastic off. That could be fun. Then there are countless games I own simply by being a member of PlayStation Plus. While most look like a waste of time, there are quite a few that look very interesting.

With Christmas just around the corner, I have finished most of my 3D printing projects. I have printed up quite a few nativity scenes and Christmas-tree ornaments. I suppose I could take on a new project and perhaps print up the model of a battleship I found when I discovered the silver filament I have is really gray. It really would bring my skills up a level as the attention to detail requires me to up my game considerably.

I also wouldn't mind taking some time to do a bit of reading. I have a stack of technical reading that I have been putting off due to other pressing matters. While some might consider the subject matter an extension of work, I find it entertaining and wouldn't mind using my break to increase my technical skills.

Thinking about self improvement, I have really enjoyed learning to play the guitar using the video game RockSmith. I have thought about doing the same thing with drums and getting a copy of Rock Band. The only problem is they don't sell the game with the drum kits any more. Instead you have to purchase an electronic drum set with a MIDI interface and connect it to the game. That would be fun and I could involve my other family members.

Finally there is one last project I think would be a lot of fun. I am in the midst of coming up with a space-ship cockpit. I am thinking it would be fun for my grand kids to have a control panel with illuminated switches, lights, and dials that mimic a fictitious space craft's instrument panel. I have some of it designed but just need to order the parts and assemble it. I think my 6-year-old grandson would have a blast letting it fuel his imagination of flying across the galaxy.

Yes I have a lot I can do during the next week or so. I won't be able to get to all of it especially since I have family visiting and a healthy amount of skiing planned. I still look forward to starting one or two projects listed above. 

Imagined Perks of Working at PlayStation

When people find out I work for Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) which is the part of Sony responsible for the PlayStation product, they always ask if I can get them a free console. If I know the person really well I respond with something polite like, "No but that would be nice wouldn't it?" If it is a total stranger I might respond with something a little more cheeky like, "I only get one free one per year and I keep them for myself." The real answer is that employees get a minimal discount on console hardware, especially after a new product launch like the PlayStation 5. The discount, if anything will only be around $5 to $15. Towards the middle of the console's lifespan we are given the ability to purchase refurbished machines at a significant discount but are limited in how many we can purchase.

My son had a neighbor who failed to get a PlayStation 5 pre-order and was asking if anyone knew how to get one as her son's birthday is quickly approaching. My son replied, "My Dad works at PlayStation and can't even get me a PS5." It is a true statement and I appreciate him not setting me up for failure. I have seriously looked for ways to get each of my own children PS 5's but have come up short. Looks like I have to come up with some other idea for Christmas gifts.

One of the best perks of being an employee at SIE is that we do get a discount on games. Once again we are limited to only 2 copies of the same game per year but the price has been $15 per game. I imagine the price will go up for PS5 games as the retail price for video games has also gone up. I am also limited to games published by SIE. That means I can't help you with anything from Electronic Arts or Activision. One Christmas I had a neighbor come to my house and go through whatever games I still could purchase and buy them. After that, I put a limit on how much I help others with their Christmas gifts.

There are strings attached to the perks at working for a video game company. If I purchase the disk version of a game, it comes with the barcode scratched out so I can't return the game to a store or resell it as a new game. That means when I help someone get a game, he or she also has to abide by those same rules.

Finally there are the peripherals. I don't know why but every time I play any of the "God of War" games, I completely destroy a controller. It happened with the original 3 games remastered for the PS3 and again with the latest title on the PS4. So when I purchase any "God of War" game, I also pick up another controller as I know my current one will not make it through the end of the game. We get a nice discount on controllers, headsets, and other console peripherals. Once again, we do have some restrictions on how many we can get but each color counts as a separate product. That means I may only be able to get 2 black controllers per year but I also can get 2 red ones, 2 white ones, etc.

Now if you run into me at the airport or in public you know that I can't get you a free PlayStation console. Please don't ask for one. I wonder if people who work at Ferrari get asked if they get free cars?

I Guess I Wasn't Done

A few posts ago I mentioned that I was pretty much done with God of War for the PS4 as it stopped being fun. I had one last trophy to earn and felt like no matter what I did, I was not going to earn it. This weekend I talked to my son who completed the game and finished the last task that I found so difficult. He gave me some pointers and this evening I tried them out. Guess what? They worked and now I have finished another game and earned a platinum trophy.

So what is the trick to beating the last of the Valkyries? For me it all boiled down to weapons choice. I have played all of the main God of War games starting with the version on the PlayStation 2. In going through those games I really liked using the Blades of Chaos. The moment I unlocked them in this game, I started using them with reckless abandon. Don't follow my example. My son used the ax and that made all of the difference. The ax inflicts more damage than the Blades of Chaos. It also takes a bit more skill to use well.

Another thing I did that helped finish the game is paying attention to all of my meters and gauges. Before I would try to land large attacks only to discover I did not wait long enough for the power to refill. This evening I would quickly glance down and constantly check when I could use the larger attacks. Once the power filled, I would unleash the attack.

As I got towards the end of the final battle, I could see my health dwindling down to almost nothing. I noticed I had enough power to unleash 2 simultaneous large attacks and used them. That allowed me to defeat the final boss and I became elated. It has taken me weeks of getting my butt kicked and I finally triumphed. Now it is time to move onto another game. I have Spider-Man loading up right now and will start playing it shortly.

When to Give up on a Video Game

For the past several weeks I have been trying to complete one final task in God of War. I have one last Valkyrie to "free" but just can't seem to be able to do it. Last night I came as close as I ever have but still fell short. I am trying to decide this evening if I am going to try again or just give up on the game and practice guitar.

Looking back I can see that I finished the main story of the game back at the end of August. Then it took me another month to finish a lot of the side quests that I never got around to doing. This past month I have not had a lot of time to play games in the evening because of other commitments. That means I will have 30 minutes here or there to put into the game. That works because after 30 minutes of getting my butt kicked, I don't really feel like playing much more anyways.

I guess that is how you tell when you are done with a video game: it is no longer fun to play. I have played quite a few games and never got past some of the beginnings. Often times that is because I have so many other things to do. Sometimes it is because I just lose interest in the game and it is no longer fun to play. When that happens to you, feel free to stop playing.

A Second Ending to God of War on the PS4

I think I have decided to try and earn all of the trophies in God of War on the PS4. During the course of the game you need to collect a few artifacts and I know I missed a few from the beginning of the game. Last night I decided to go back to the beginning and see what I missed. I battled a few bad guys and collected a few of the artifacts. Then I walked into my home and had the option of taking a nap. I decided to give it a shot and discovered the 2nd ending to the game.

When I finished the game a few weeks ago, I watched as credits scrolled and then quickly dismissed them so I could continue playing. I thought I had completed the main story and patted myself on the back for a job well done. So imagine my surprise when I saw the second set of closing credits. Considering I work in the video game industry, I probably should have watched the credits to pay homage to any friends I know that may have worked on the game. Full disclosure: I probably know at least one or two people that worked on the game as that is just how this industry works.

The second closing scene before the credits makes it very clear that the developer, Santa Monica Studios is planning a sequel. I don't want to give away too much and so if you enjoyed the game but didn't see the second closing, go back to the start of the game and take a nap. You won't be disappointed.

Game Review: God of War on PS4

Last week I finally finished playing God of War on the PS4. This is a different game than God of War on the PS3 or PS2. In the first 3 games, Kratos runs around killing all of the Greek gods so that by the end of the 3rd game there is nobody left to kill. So he moves up north and starts taking care of those evil Norse gods. This time he has his son to help him and the son makes a good accomplice as you run through the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed playing the game and put in something like 70 hours to complete the game. I would have done it sooner but decided to spend a bit of time honing my battle skills and ranking up so I wouldn't have a problem with the final boss battle that is so common in these types of games. I'm glad I did as I completed the event in one take and didn't die several times in the process. Now I am going back through the game finishing side quests that I missed earlier.

I have to warn you that God of War is one of those games that you don't want to quit. You'll find yourself justifying a few more minutes of play until it is 3 in the morning. If you lack self-control, you may want to avoid this game as it is one of the more addictive that I have played.

God of War is only available on the PlayStation platform and so if you are a fan of PC games or other consoles, you will be disappointed that you can't play it. I also have to say that it is the best of the God of War games and I have played most of them.

The game has an ESRB rating of M for Mature. This is because of violence and strong language. Earlier God of War games had cartoon nudity and so I couldn't really recommend them. This one I can for older teenagers and young adults as well as middle-aged men looking to spend their evenings killing bad guys.

I do have one more warning for you if you plan to play this game. Budget getting a new controller. I played God of War 3 remastered on the PS4 and ruined a controller in the process. This version of the game has put a lot of wear-and-tear on the left analog stick of my new controller and I will probably be replacing it in the near future as well. Those things are not cheap!

I got my copy of the game using my industry discount but think it is well worth the $30 you can get it for at most retail outlets.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Finally Got Good

For the past several months I have been playing Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 on my PS4. It took a long time for me to start enjoying the game as much as I enjoyed the original Red Dead Redemption. The story seemed to indicate that I was starting to get close to the end and I felt disappointed that I didn't enjoy the game earlier. As I finished up the main story this week, I noticed that Rockstar seemed to put a lot more effort into the game ending and I really got a lot more into the story. The music got better, the writing got better, and the characters finally became more likeable.

The main story ended and I found myself playing the Epilogue as John Marsden. He is the main character in the original game and I really like him. Perhaps it is because he has a son and I can relate to that (as can Kratos in the fairly recent God of War game from Santa Monica Studios) as well as a few other likeable characteristics. Ultimately I found myself wanting to stay up late so I could continue the game last night and had to force myself to go to bed so I wouldn't be a zombie at work today.

I will try to provide a complete review in the near future but wanted to report that I am now finding the game worth playing. Should you be wondering if it is worth your time, I would suggest hurrying through the main part of the story to get to the Epilogue. All of the original story side quests and missions are still available and you can give them a play. I will try to provide an update in the next few days so you can decide for yourself if it is worth playing.

Time Magazine's Top 10 Video Games of 2018

Yesterday I posted about Time Magazine's best inventions of 2018. The 2nd to last article in my copy of the magazine lists the top 10 video games of 2018. I couldn't help but comment on it today.

Once again I disagree with some titles on the list and agree with others. I do have to admit that they did a pretty good job of spreading the list across all different platforms. There are games for the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, iPhone, Android, and PC. If I were to create a list, it would probably be just games for the PlayStation console as that is the only place I play new games. Furthermore I have a tendency to play games a little bit after they have been released and want to make sure I have played them all the way through before recommending them or not.

As there are only 10 games, I can list them here (remember that this is Time Magazine's list and not mine):

1. God of War (PS4)
2. Spider-Man (PS4)
3. Into the Breach (PC, Switch)
4. Subnautica (Xbox One, PC)
5. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4, Xbox One)
6. Florence (iPhone, Android)
7. Super Mario Party (Switch)
8. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
9. Dandara (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, iPhone, Android)
10. Donut County (PS4, iPhone, PC)

I have to be honest and confess that I have never heard of half of these games.  Part of that is because I don't play a lot of smartphone games. I have one that I play on a regular basis but it is an old version of the Risk board game and didn't come out this year. There are so many smartphone games that I don't even bother trying them out. I also don't play PC games nor do I own an Xbox One or Switch (I do have access to them at work though).

I have a copy of God of War as well as Spider-Man but have yet to play them. Seeing that they are both 1 and 2 on Time's list has me wanting to play them as soon as I finish Red Dead Redemption 2, which is number 5. Judging by comments made by coworkers, both of those games deserve to be on the list.

One surprise for me is Assassin's Creed Odyssey. One of my coworkers is in the middle of the game and speaks very highly of it. I am a fan of Ubisoft games but have never played any of the Assassin' Creed games. I may have to give this one a try. It will have to be after Spider-Man and God of War though.

It is the end of the year and so I am sure there will be plenty of lists like this one. If you don't see your favorite game in this group, don't fret as it probably appears on someone else's list.

Time for Another Game

Even though I finished Horizon Zero Dawn back in May, I wanted to do all of the side quests and downloadable content (DLC). Tonight I finished the last of the game and received my platinum trophy. There are very few games I enjoy enough to do that. Now I find myself trying to figure out what game to play next.

There are a few games I have started and can now finish. I have dabbled around with Detroit: Become Human and could play through the entire story. I have also started Far Cry 5 as I enjoyed Far Cry 4 so much, I earned another platinum trophy. Both of these games would hold my interest and entertain me for the next few months.

I also have yet to play the latest God of War game. I understand that it is a lot of fun. My son who enjoyed Horizon as much as I have, really likes God of War and suggested that I tackle it next. Others at work have a similar opinion.

Selecting the next game to play is always a fun challenge and not really a difficult problem. I have selected some horrible games in the past and rather than continue, I have stopped and start another one. So tonight I have selected Far Cry 5 to install on my PS4 and will start it tomorrow evening. If something else distracts me before then, I may play it. Otherwise I'll be spending time in a virtual Montana.

Video Game Review: God of War 3 Remastered

Last week I finally finished God of War 3 Remastered on the PS4. The game began life on the PlayStation 3 as a continuation in the God of War games. I played both God of War and God of War 2 on my PS3 this summer and found them to be very entertaining. As the original 2 games were developed for the PS2 and later remastered for the PS3, I found it fitting that I played the 3rd volume as a remaster as well.

As I have stated before, I have spent time in the offices of Santa Monica Studios and while I don't work for the studio, I want to make sure that I disclose that I do have friends that work there and occasionally visit them. However I still try to remain as objective as possible in my video game reviews.

God of War 3 is a continuation of the first 2 games and the game play is very similar. The 3rd title does contain a bit more refinement and the graphics on the PS4 are just amazing. You continue to fight against the Gods of Olympus and sometimes enlist the help of the titans while other times fighting against them. There are a few new weapons to master and a bunch of new puzzles to solve.

Several of my gaming co-workers told me to avoid playing the same video game franchise one after another. That is great advice. I'm not sure I would have found the game nearly as enjoyable if I jumped from 1 to 2 and then to 3. By throwing other games into the mix, I found it to be a lot of fun going back to the series. Now I am excited to play the upcoming God of War 4.

God of War 3 is rated M for mature and it deserves this rating. While there isn't any strong language, there is some nudity and a lot of graphic violence. The nudity is along the same lines as that found in the first 2 games but not encountered until much later in the game. As for the violence, you run around beating people, sometimes ripping them apart. I wouldn't recommend eating while playing the game. I also wouldn't recommend the game for anyone under the age of 18. This is not a kids' game.

God of War 3 Remastered has been out for a while now and you can purchase it for around $20. It took me about 12 hours of play time to get through the game and so that works out to be a great value. While the previous 2 games are of a similar length, I felt like I got through it very quickly.

Video Games I have Been Playing

I am stuck at the airport yet again and so I thought I would add to my blog seeing as I have sort of neglected it over the past couple of months. I tried to think of an interesting topic and reread the last video game review I wrote. Since then I have completed some really great titles and so I thought I would write about what I have been playing. None of the games are very new and so including multiple games may help you select a very inexpensive game worth looking at if you have not already played it.

When I finished playing Sniper, I had a number of games to choose from. While Sniper played well, I wanted something a little more mainstream and popular. There are a number of PlayStation exclusives in my library and so I wanted to get through a few of them before sequels arrive on the PlayStation 4. I selected God of War as the next game. I had heard a lot of good things about it and have a copy of the remastered version for PlayStation 3. It originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005 and has been around for a very long time. I have to note that I do have a copy for the PS2 as well.

I must confess that I have actually been to Santa Monica studios where they originally developed the God of War series. It is a great place to visit and the people that work there are awesome. Therefore I am probably not an impartial judge of their game and can't really write an unbiased review. What I can do is say that I really enjoyed the game. There are certain games that you cannot put down once you start playing them. I often found myself playing late into the evening when I should have been sleeping.

I enjoyed playing God of War but it is not a title I would recommend for children or teenagers. There is a lot of nudity and violence. The nudity is animated and cartoonish but I would not have wanted my son playing this game back when he was a teenager. Regarding the violence, at one point you have to BBQ a captured soldier. Even though it is just a video game, I thought that to be a bit over the top.

I finished God of War and thought about playing the sequel. Instead I chose to play a different sequel from another PlayStation exclusive: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. I provided a review of the first Uncharted game and want to complete 2 and 3 before starting 4. Of the first 3 games in the series, the second one is my youngest son's favorite. Once again I have to excuse myself from trying to write an unbiased review for this game. I love all things about the Uncharted series and own copies of the first 3 games for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles as well as Golden Abyss for the Vita. I also have a copy of Uncharted 4 still in the plastic waiting for me to finish the other titles before I play it.

As with God of War, I really enjoyed playing Uncharted 2. However I found it much easier to put down in the evenings and didn't try to continue playing late into the night. One reason for that is that Uncharted is divided into nice chapters that serve as great stopping points while God of War just keeps going in one long epic video game. When I would get to the end of a chapter, I looked at my watch and decide if I had time for another one or should head to bed. Don't get me wrong, I would have preferred continuing to play, I just found it easier to break away from the game.

As I mentioned, my youngest son really loves Uncharted 2 and took offense when I told him that it had a similar story to Uncharted 1. He scolded me and said they have different characters, different environments, and are nothing alike. I actually beg to differ. You run through a series of trials where you solve puzzles, kill bad guys, and ultimately lead the main bad guy to a special power that can be used to create immortal soldiers. Looking back on both games, you would have been better off sitting on a beach in the Caribbean or Hawaii. After all, the bad guys aren't smart enough to get to the supernatural power on their own.

Both God of War and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves are fairly old titles and can be found rather inexpensively. A quick Internet search revealed that you can purchase each of them used for less than $10.  Considering their original selling price and how much fun I had playing them, they are real bargains. I played both on my PlayStation 3 even though Uncharted 2 is also available for the PlayStation 4. I just have a PlayStation 3 on my boat and that is where I play most of my video games. Soon I will replace it with a PlayStation 4 but until then I am trying to get through a huge backlog of PS3 games.