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Weekend Players' Club 11/17/2023
StoneColdSpider Nov 17, 2023
G'Day fellow tuxers……. Its Bruce your host here once again…….. Its a sunny Saturday here right now…….……

[+..••] This week in Emulationville I played [+..••]

Arcade

Sexy Parodius (1996 Konami) - Shoot 'em up - Horizontal


Console

ESPN NFL 2K5 (2004 Sega) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Football)
Madden NFL 2003 (2002 EA Sports) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Football)
NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona (2002 Infogrames) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Racing)
NFL Blitz 2024 (2023 NFL Blitz Resurrection) - Nintnedo 64 - Sports (Football)
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (2006 Konami) - Sony PlayStation 2 - Sports (Soccer)
Shane Warne Cricket '99 (1998 Codemasters) Sony PlayStation - Sports (Cricket)
Tecmo Super Bowl 2024 (2023 TecmoBowl.org) - Nintendo Entertainment System - Sports (Football)
TOCA Touring Car Championship (1997 Codemasters) - Sony PlayStation - Sports (Racing)


PC

Castlevania: Simon's Destiny (2017 Batandy) - GZDoom - First Person Whipper
Race 07 (2007 SimBin) - Steam - Sports (Racing)
Race: The Official WTCC Game (2006 SimBin) - Steam - Sports (Racing)


Dick Trickles Racing Career: Part 41
NASCAR Dirt to Daytona: Part 41
2005 Featherlite Modified Series Season 2: Race 7


Intro music…... Hello and welcome to Left Turn Heaven….. Im Murray Eastlake and today im going to be bringing you all the action from the 2005 Featherlite Modified Series: Round 7 of 11 here at Richmond International Raceway……..



Richmond International Raceway…….

Richmond International Raceway is .750 miles long with 14 degrees of banking….. This D shaped track always brings excitement as the narrow track does encourage close quarters racing……With a longe back straight…… A curved front straight and very tight turns at each end……. Horsepower and good handling is what this track needs…….. Drivers also need to watch out for the large sausage curb on the inside of turn four…….. That has ended the race of many drivers over the years…..

Dick is still running away with the Weekly Dirt Series Championship as he continues his winning ways…… As he won another race last night……. Dick has been so dominate in the series this year that he can wrap up the 2005 Weekly Dirt Series Championship next week…….. And be a three time Weekly Dirt Series Champion…… And wouldnt Pussy Galore be excited about that let me tell you…….


2005 Weekly Dirt Racing Series: Round 7 of 10…...



Whoooooaaaaaaaaa…… We’re half way there……..


Dick has a very commanding lead in the championship now...... He will be looking to consolidate it with another win....... Gray Soros will be looking to bounce back from the fifth place finish last week........ He really needs a win now here today....... If not he will also need a miracle to win the title......... Joel York will also be looking to go better here today........ A win would sure make up for the disappointment last week..... And last years champion Jason Sulivan........ He needs to not only get a win out there today but he also needs Dick to DNF which sure doesnt look likely to happen.......

Dont touch the sets...... Dont touch the dials...... You wont want to miss a single moment of the 2005 Featherlite Modified Series....… Practice and qualifying are coming up right now……


Dick Trickle at the track ready to race.…


Dick did not do much this practice session……… Dick was running the same setup from here last year…….. He ran a few laps to make sure everything was working fine and then came back into the pits and fooled around with Pussy Galore for the rest of the session…….. What a lucky Dick he is…….

Qualifying was up next……. And the practice sessions with Pussy Galore did not distract Dick at all…. As he set a very fast time of 22.167 to claim pole position for the race……. 0.9 seconds clear of second place who was Jason Sulivan who set a time of 23.050……

Third was Francis Lee with a time of 23.387…….. Followed by Joel York who was not far behind with a 23.679…….

Rounding out the top five was William Anderson…. Who is hoping to have a another good race here……. He set a very respectable time of 23.975………

Gray Soros who sits second in the championship qualified sixth for the race with a time of 24.178……. He has a lot of work to do get that win he needs to keep his championship hopes alive and well…….



Qualifying Results....…..



Dick Trickle lined up ready to start the race......

As the green flag waved to start the 67 lap race Dick got a great start and was leading through turn one with Jason Sulivan hung out side as Francis Lee also got a great jump on the start and had his nose up the inside of Sulivan…….

Joel York was close behind hoping to capitalise on any mistakes made ahead of him…….. With William Anderson also in hot pursuit……

Dick ends the first lap as the clear leader and has already built up a nice gap……. But second place is now Francis Lee who has used the inside lane to get passed Jason Sulivan…… And now Sulivon has Joel York right up his rear……..

William Anderson is not far behind either…… He just needs to hope for a mistake from the guys in front and he will be able to capitalise for sure……..

Francis Lee has managed to build a nice gap to Jason Sulivan behind who is to busy trying to defend from Joel York to be able to stay with Lee…… York is really pressuring Sulivan who at the moment does not have a lot of pace…….

William Anderson is starting to fall behind the fighting pair……. He is in a very comfortable fifth position as Gray Soros is not pressuring Anderson at all……. Anderson might be in for a lonely race today……

They are now in the thick of the lapped traffic…… And some excellent heads up driving by Jason Sulivan has seen him get away from Joel York who has struggled to get passed the lapped traffic…… Also struggling is Francis Lee who is now being caught by Sulivan…….

Dick is well in command of the race now……. As he has the entire field one lap down as we are approaching the half way mark…… Unless there are any mechanical failures Dick is going to take another easy win………

At the half way stage Dick is long gone just like my ex girlfriend…… Who will never return…... Francis Lee is still second….. But only just as Jason Sulivan is now right on his rear……. Fourth is Joel York who is trying hard but just not able to hang with Sulivan…… He is not far behind though…….. And in a distant fifth place is William Anderson……… Who is having a very lonely and boring race……

Francis Lee is still having problems getting past the traffic……. And that has given Jason Sulivan a chance to get past….. And last years championship wont need a second invitation as he goes around the outside of Lee to claim second place…….

Jason Sulivan is not hanging around either as he is quickly able to build a nice gap to the now third placed Francis Lee who now has Joel York for company……..

Joel York is now all over Francis Lees rear end……. Lee has lost a lot of pace since Jason Sulivan got passed him……. He seems to be struggling in he back half of the race…….. Lee is doing a great job placing the car in just the right positions to prevent York from getting passed…….

Dick squirts passed both of them as if they are standing still to put them two laps down…… Dick is again having a great time out there….. Hes driving like a true champion……..

Jason Sulivan is now in a very comfortable and safe second place……… His race has been very lonely since passing Francis Lee…… While William Anderson is somehow fighting off the boredom to still be awake and racing in his very quiet and lonely fifth place…….

As the laps wind down Francis Lee is still defending hard from Joel York……. York does not want a repeat of last weeks finish……. He wants to beat Lee this week…….. And will do everything he can to achieve it…….

But as they reach another gaggle of lapped cars……. Joel York makes the mistake he did not want to make and hits a lapped car…… He is still able to continue but the damage sustained has slowed the car now and he is now out of the race for third…… He thumps the wheel in frustration knowing that a third place finish is now gone…… He is going to have to settle for fourth…….

As the chequered flag waves to end the race…… Dick takes a very comfortable win…….. The Grinch Performance Modified Flaming Dick Machine was absolutely perfect today……. Dick could not have asked for a better car……

Second place was Jason Sulivan…… He was in trouble early on but was able to use the lapped traffic to get back into second place……. In what was a really good drive from Sulivan today……. But it was not enough to save his championship title hopes……. Even if Dick was to DNF the next four races…... The points gap is to great for Jason Sulivan to catch him……. He is now out of the running for back to back championships……

Third was Francis Lee who had a race of two halves…….. First half was great and he was holding down second place with ease……. The second half was not as kind to Lee as he lost pace and was just able to hold onto third……

Fourth was Joel York who battled hard the whole race….. First with Jason Sulivan and then with Francis Lee….. But he was just never able to make a move that would see gain a position…… And then that run in with the lapped traffic at the end sealed the deal…… Still a great drive from York…..

Rounding out the top five was William Anderson who had a very lonely and boring race……. He was on his own for the vast majority of the race…… Alone in the car with only his thoughts to keep him company……. I hope the team was feeding him the race commentary through his radio so he could have had my golden voice to keep him company……..

The man currently second place in the championship Gray Soros finished sixth……. He had a super quiet day as I dont think I mentioned his name at all during the race……. He will be well disappointed with that result…….



Race Results..…


After the race and Dick does another one of his now signature burnout celebrations down the main straight…….. He was again in a class of his own this race and he will be very pleased to know that his championship lead is now 235 points…… If all things go well…… He could even wrap up the championship next week…….

The crowd is loving the burnout as the smoke fills the stadium…….. Dick finally makes his way out of the smoke……. And heads over the victory lane……… Where is greeted by a very happy Pussy Galore……

Pussy Galore embraces Dick as he climbs out of the car…….. That is one very excited Pussy im here to tell you…….

I managed to pry Pussy Galore off Dick so I could get a word with the race winner…….. “WOOOOOO……... YEAH!!!!! ANOTHER WIN MURRAY!!!!!…….. Im so close to that championship now I can almost feel it…….. Im in seventh heaven right now Murry with my seventh win in a row this season……..”

“That was another fantastic race for the Grinch Modified Flaming Dick Machine….. It was such an amazing car to drive out there tonight…….. As per usual the guys back at the shop did a great job prepping it for me while I was at the dirt series race last night…….”

“I got a great start this time and was able to build the lead early….. Im not sure what happened to [Jason] Sulivan but he was not second for the first half of the race…… [Francis] Lee must had got a great start much like I did…… But he was not able to hold onto the position………”

“Jason Sulivan is now out of the running for the championship……. He wont be a happy man about that…… Im sure he will be well fired up for next week…… He will only have that championship for the next four events….. Then its mine……”

“[Gray] Soros had a quiet day and lost another 40 points to us this race…… I will have to watch him next week as well and it will be a do or die race for him……. As its now awfully close to him being out of the championship running too……. It could be a very good week for me next week……..”

“But I still need to concentrate on next week……. I need to go there focused on the job at hand……. Qualify well…… Race well……. And then we will see what the situation is after that…….. Will see you there Murray…...”

Well there you have it folks…….. That is happy Dick……. Im sure he will be even happier tonight with Pussy Galore…….

Next week the 2005 Featherlite Modified Series heads to New Hampshire International Raceway….. The first trip there this season……..

Dick has a chance of wrapping up the championship next week…. Can he do it???…… Or can Gray Soros spoil the party???……. Will Jason Sulivan get a win even if its just for pride???…… Or can Francis Lee or Joel York mount a championship fight and spoil the day for ol Dick and stand tall in victory lane instead???…….

Tune in next week for the answers to all these questions and more….. Exclusively here on Left Turn Heaven……..

This is Murray Eastlake reporting for Left Turn Heaven..... And until next time its goodbye from me....


Winnings.…



NASCAR Heat Weekly.…



2005 Modified Series Championship Standings after round 7 of 11.…







First lap Modified Dick action....


***INTERMISSION……...***


Castlevania: Simon's Destiny…....




Crack that whip in first person……..

The graphics….. Are really damn nice…… The lighting….. The sprites…….. The levels all look fantastic…… A lot of time and effort was put into the graphics thats for sure……..

The sounds……. Again they are excellent……. The music is top notch…… The monster sounds are just like the NES game…….. Even the whip sound is excellent…… Top marks again for sound…….

The controls…… Its GZDoom……. The controls in GZDoom are always really good……. The jumping can be a bot floaty and that does make some of the platforming in the clock tower section annoying at times…….. But that section is annoying in every Castlevania game……

Whipping is fine….. Just need to remember to aim slightly to the right of where you think you need to aim and you are good to go…..

The storyline….… April O’Neil has been kidnapped by Dracula and its up to the Ninja Turtles to rescue her with the help of their old friend…. Count Duckula…….. Oh wait……… Wrong game……. Its been 100 years since Dracula was vanquished but just like vinyl records…… Hes made a comeback…… And Simon Belmont needs to vanquish Dracula again just like his ancestors did 100 years earlier……. Perhaps Simon can do a proper job of it this time so Dracula cant make a comeback…...

The gameplay…...… Its the first NES Castlevania……… In first person form……. Whip the candles to get hearts and items……. Whip the enemy to death…….. And jump through some light platforming sections………. And of course steal as much treasure as you can…….. Dont forget to hunt for the pork chops hidden in the walls…… You will need them………

The game hits all the important notes and places from the first NES Castlevania game…….. Has all the same enemies and bosses…….. All the same items…….. Most of the levels are there……. It really is just like a first person Castlevania experience……..

There is a little bit of Doom key hunting but its not hard to find the key and backtracking is also very easy…….

Overall…… This is a fantastic experience……. It is so well put together….. A lot of time and effort went into this mod……. And is clearly shows……. Well worth playing on Halloween or anything really…… Its that damn good!…...

And that is why my final score for Castlevania: Simon's Destiny is a pork chop in a wall out of 10…….


Castlevania: Simon's Destiny…....


The Road To PES Penguin 6


The road to unlock the PES Penguin in Pro Evolution Soccer 6 is at 1300 PES points out of 5000……….


***INTERMISSION……...***


Shane Warne Cricket ‘99 World Cup……..


Australia vs Pakistan……….

As the commentators were talking about how the pitch is perfect for batting and bowling will be troublesome……. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first……….

And it actually seemed like a good call….. As for the second match in a row Michael Di Venuto was out first ball bowled by Waqur Younis for a duck…….

This brought the Australia captain Steve Waugh out to the crease to join his brother Mark Waugh…….. The Waugh brothers started to put together a great partnership as the Pakistan bowlers found the going tough on this flat lifeless pitch…….

As the score got larger and larger Pakistan grew more and more frustrated…….. Mark Waugh was dropped in the seventh over……. Which did not help things for Pakistan…….

Steve Waugh make a century not long after and Mark Waugh was enjoying his second life as he was also swinging the willow freely…….

After ten overs Australia were 1/180……. And with no signs of slowing down Pakistan was in for a long ten overs of bowling……..

And that very much proved to be the case and Pakistan made no inroads….. This pitch was indeed perfect for battling and Pakistan had made a huge mistake is bowling first…….

At the end of the Australian innings Steve Waugh was 270 not out and Mark Waugh was 100 not out….. As Australia finished 1/373…….

Pakistan had it all to do to be World Cup Champions……. And they failed miserably……. Even though Australia also had trouble bowling on this wicket they were able to contain Pakistan with excellent line and length along with superb field placing……

Pakistan finished their innings 4/151……. Well short of the target required……… And with that 222 run win Australia are Cricket World Cup Champions………

Steve Waugh was once again named Man of the Match……. And also Man of the Series……...

Steve Waugh hoisted the World Cup Trophy as Australia celebrated their well earned dominate victory…… They were undefeated during the tournament and quite honestly they never looked like losing a match…….






Game Action…….



Match Result…….



Australian Batting Card…...



Pakistan Bowling Card…...



Pakistan Batting Card…….



Australian Bowling Card…...



World Cup Winners…...



Credits…...


Shane Warne Cricket ‘99 is a very damn good game……. The fact you can set the host nation is a very nice touch not limiting you to one tournament……. And the tournament pools are randomised so if you keep restarting the tournament you will get different Pool 1 and Pool 2 teams…… Which again is a real nice touch and helps with replayability………

Overall this is one of the best cricket games ever made…… And its sad that we need to go back to 1998 to find it…….

I really enjoyed playing in this Cricket World Cup and I hope you have all enjoyed reading it as well……..


The Best Worst Ad I Saw During College Football…...

This week we have this Little Caesars Pizza ad Featuring some current and former NFL players and its about as bad and as cringe as you could imagine……. These guys cant be that hard for money that they have to do these right???…….


Next week…… There will be more hardcore modified Dick Trickle racing action in NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona……. Touring car racing in Race 07…….. And more PES Penguin 6……….

Well thats it from me…… Hope all you tuxers have a good week……

Now for my bad joke of the week……
Did you hear about the kidnapping???......
They woke up.......
*ba dum.... tssssh…...*

Last edited by StoneColdSpider on 18 November 2023 at 4:20 am UTC
Pengling Nov 18, 2023
The Dorito Pope's Godawful Awards are looming, so it's time for me to break out as many colourful, fun titles as possible in rebellion!


My pick for this weekend is Bomberman GB 2. It was released outside of Japan simply as "Bomberman GB" because the original Bomberman GB was reworked into Wario Blast Featuring Bomberman! for its Western release, but in spite of losing the 2 in the West, it really is Bomberman GB 2.


This game sees the Indiana Jones-inspired Indy Bomber setting off on an adventure to retrieve a legendary treasure so powerful that wars have been fought over it, that is said to be able to grant wishes. But, in true Indiana Jones style, right as he finds it, he falls into a trap, and this is where the game begins. It plays out pretty much like any other mainline Bomberman title, though unique to this one is an option before each world which lets you choose how to clear it (for example, in the first world you've got either Mode A, which is the standard setup of destroying all enemies before the timer runs out, or Mode B, where you must destroy all of the enemies in a set order; These modes are different for each world), which adds to the replayability.


The presentation, as was the norm for Hudson Soft, is excellent, with great art and attention-to-detail throughout, even down to the inclusion of an extensive tutorial for the game, which was not common in video games at the time.


The Indiana Jones theme doesn't let up, as even the Super Game Boy border, which you only would have been able to see back in the day if you were playing the game on a TV using that particular SNES add-on, leans into the theme, with a bunch of Bombermen watching the "movie" in a cinema. This sort of theme-extension was something that I always loved about the Super Game Boy, and it was an absolute delight to discover that Bomberman GB 2 makes use of it.

[+..••] Other stuff that I played this week;


Bail or Jail (Obakeidoro!) (Proton)


Downwell (Proton)


Gang Beasts (Native Linux)


Mega Man ZX Advent (Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection) (Proton)


Pac-Man 256 (Native Linux)


Placid Plastic Duck Simulator (Proton)


Retro Classix: Joe & Mac - Caveman Ninja (Proton)


Shootyboots (Devolver Bootleg) (Proton)


Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Game Gear)


Super Bomberman R 2 (Proton)


Super Destronaut DX (Proton)


Wario Blast Featuring Bomberman! (Game Boy)

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderWilliam Anderson is starting to fall behind the fighting pair……. He is in a very comfortable fifth position as Gray Soros is not pressuring Anderson at all……. Anderson might be in for a lonely race today……
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderAnd in a distant fifth place is William Anderson……… Who is having a very lonely and boring race……
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderWhile William Anderson is somehow fighting off the boredom to still be awake and racing in his very quiet and lonely fifth place…….
Quoting: StoneColdSpiderRounding out the top five was William Anderson who had a very lonely and boring race……. He was on his own for the vast majority of the race…… Alone in the car with only his thoughts to keep him company……. I hope the team was feeling him the race commentary through his radio so he could have had my golden voice to keep him company……..
Hahahaha, poor Anderson! I did get a good chuckle out of the repeated references to his boring race, though.

Quoting: StoneColdSpider“Jason Sulivan is now out of the running for the championship……. He wont be a happy man about that…… Im sure he will be well fired up for next week…… He will only have that championship for the next four events….. Then its mine……”
Yay!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderWill Jason Sulivan get a win even if its just for pride???……
That would be a turn-up for the books!

Quoting: StoneColdSpider
I see you there, Mr. Grinch!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderIts been 100 years since Dracula was vanquished but just like vinyl records…… Hes made a comeback……
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Love this line!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderAnd that is why my final score for Castlevania: Simon's Destiny is a pork chop in a wall out of 10…….
Brilliant.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderOverall this is one of the best cricket games ever made…… And its sad that we need to go back to 1998 to find it…….
This makes me wonder: Why is it that there's so much complacency in sports video game development?

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderNow for my bad joke of the week……
Did you hear about the kidnapping???......
They woke up.......
*ba dum.... tssssh…...*
Oh dear lord, that one was cheesy.

EDIT: Oh wow, this is some really nice attention to detail!


Once you leave Bomberman GB 2's tutorials (which are played as White and not Indy) behind, not only are the sprites changed to reflect Indy Bomber, but the border changes to a temple-style look as well! I've never seen a Super Game Boy-enabled title do that before. That is SO cool!

Last edited by Pengling on 18 November 2023 at 5:00 am UTC
BlackBloodRum Nov 18, 2023
I'm playing tune the Gentoo, it's a game where you dig through your computers "USE" flags and change them to get a less bloated system.
StoneColdSpider Nov 19, 2023
Quoting: PenglingThe Dorito Pope's Godawful Awards are looming, so it's time for me to break out as many colourful, fun titles as possible in rebellion!


Quoting: Pengling
The Indiana Jones theme doesn't let up, as even the Super Game Boy border, which you only would have been able to see back in the day if you were playing the game on a TV using that particular SNES add-on, leans into the theme, with a bunch of Bombermen watching the "movie" in a cinema. This sort of theme-extension was something that I always loved about the Super Game Boy, and it was an absolute delight to discover that Bomberman GB 2 makes use of it.
I keep expecting the Bomberman on the balcony to start breaking out the jokes......

Quoting: PenglingBail or Jail (Obakeidoro!) (Proton)
Just line vinyl records...... Its the return of Alucard the most beautiful vampire in the cosmos........

Quoting: PenglingDownwell (Proton)
Thought you said you were playing games with colour???......

Quoting: PenglingPlacid Plastic Duck Simulator (Proton)
How is he meant to sleep in wet PJs???........

Quoting: PenglingWario Blast Featuring Bomberman! (Game Boy)
GOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!!.....

Quoting: PenglingHahahaha, poor Anderson! I did get a good chuckle out of the repeated references to his boring race, though.
Lol yeah...... There was not much Murray Eastlake could say about William Andersons race.......

Quoting: PenglingYay!
Almost makes you feel like breaking in song.......

Quoting: PenglingI see you there, Mr. Grinch!
I totally ready that in Funzos voice.......

Quoting: PenglingHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Love this line!
Well just vinyl records...... Dracula wont bloody die.......

Quoting: PenglingBrilliant.
It makes perfect sense.....

Quoting: PenglingThis makes me wonder: Why is it that there's so much complacency in sports video game development?

Rant Mode Engaged
Its easy to just say lack of competition and call it a day..... Which is true....... But there is a lot more to it than just that.......

For starters the leagues and series just dont seem to care..... They see video games as just another piece of merchandise on a shelf next to the hats and shirts...... And just like the hats and shirts they dont really care that much about the quality of the product...... You have seen all the broken game play from Cricket 24 ive sent you on steam chat......

Then we have the issue of gameplay being second on the design front........ Number one is usually whatever the games version of "Ultimate Team" is that requires microtranstion loot boxes (card packs)...... Which does indeed hurt gameplay....... As instead of playing the game and unlocking classic teams....... You now have to buy card packs (loot boxes) and pray you get the players you want...... And of course the focus on loot boxes takes focus and time away from other features from every improving like franchise mode and challenges and so on........

Also improved technology has not brought along improved gameplay........ A lot of sports games..... Especially the EA sports games are animation driven....... The animations for the most part look great but they cause two issues.....

1. You get stuck in animations before you can do something else....... So waiting for an animation before you can do another action makes the game feel slow and sluggish and even laggy at times......

2. Because its animation based and no physics based..... all the actions have one 2 or 3 animations making the game look very repetitive...... You see the same tackling animations all the freaking time...... You see the same catching animations all the freaking time...... For example in Madden it gets to the point when you know the tackle is going to result in a fumble before the fumble happens because is plays the fumble tackle animation and you have seen it so many times you know exactly what the fumble tackle looks like right from the start of it...... Same with the break tackle animation and all the other animations....... It makes for a very boring game when you know whats going to happen before it happens......

And yes I will mention lack of competition...... Exclusive licences are a big factor....... When you make the only NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, Cricket, League, Union, F1, WRC, NASCAR and whatever else game....... You dont need to make a great game to get the sales..... You can make an average to below average game and still get millions of sales.....

Anyone who wants to play a video game and play as their favorite current day player only has 1 choice...... Back even 20-25 years ago you had choices...... EA, 2K, Sony, Sega, Microsoft and some others made fully licenced NFL games......... There were also multiple companies making NHL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, F1, etc games.......

Meaning if you made even a average or below average game you had very low sales...... And either that game series would die or they would have to improve next season to win over buyers...... Now with no competition as long as they make enough money through either game sales or fat whales buying card packs nothing will change...... Quality doesnt matter as much now..... It just has to be "Good Enough"....... Nothing more......

The only way things will change is for people to just outright stop buying these games until they improve so they are actually good and actually worth your money.......
Rant Mode disengaged

Quoting: PenglingOh dear lord, that one was cheesy.
Nothing wrong with cheese......

Quoting: BlackBloodRumI'm playing tune the Gentoo, it's a game where you dig through your computers "USE" flags and change them to get a less bloated system.
Sounds like a fun game........
Pengling Nov 19, 2023
Quoting: StoneColdSpider
I facepalmed.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderI keep expecting the Bomberman on the balcony to start breaking out the jokes......
Hahahahaha!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderJust line vinyl records...... Its the return of Alucard the most beautiful vampire in the cosmos........



Quoting: StoneColdSpider
Quoting: PenglingDownwell (Proton)
Thought you said you were playing games with colour???......
It's got splashes of colour, and it's really fun!

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderHow is he meant to sleep in wet PJs???........
He's a plastic duck. I don't think he's bothered.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderGOD DAMMIT PENGLING!!!!.....


Quoting: StoneColdSpiderAlmost makes you feel like breaking in song.......
Great film, that.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderWell just vinyl records...... Dracula wont bloody die.......
And you can get a lot of the Castlevania soundtracks on vinyl, so it all comes full circle.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderRant Mode Engaged
Its easy to just say lack of competition and call it a day..... Which is true....... But there is a lot more to it than just that.......

For starters the leagues and series just dont seem to care..... They see video games as just another piece of merchandise on a shelf next to the hats and shirts...... And just like the hats and shirts they dont really care that much about the quality of the product...... You have seen all the broken game play from Cricket 24 ive sent you on steam chat......

Then we have the issue of gameplay being second on the design front........ Number one is usually whatever the games version of "Ultimate Team" is that requires microtranstion loot boxes (card packs)...... Which does indeed hurt gameplay....... As instead of playing the game and unlocking classic teams....... You now have to buy card packs (loot boxes) and pray you get the players you want...... And of course the focus on loot boxes takes focus and time away from other features from every improving like franchise mode and challenges and so on........

Also improved technology has not brought along improved gameplay........ A lot of sports games..... Especially the EA sports games are animation driven....... The animations for the most part look great but they cause two issues.....

1. You get stuck in animations before you can do something else....... So waiting for an animation before you can do another action makes the game feel slow and sluggish and even laggy at times......

2. Because its animation based and no physics based..... all the actions have one 2 or 3 animations making the game look very repetitive...... You see the same tackling animations all the freaking time...... You see the same catching animations all the freaking time...... For example in Madden it gets to the point when you know the tackle is going to result in a fumble before the fumble happens because is plays the fumble tackle animation and you have seen it so many times you know exactly what the fumble tackle looks like right from the start of it...... Same with the break tackle animation and all the other animations....... It makes for a very boring game when you know whats going to happen before it happens......

And yes I will mention lack of competition...... Exclusive licences are a big factor....... When you make the only NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, Cricket, League, Union, F1, WRC, NASCAR and whatever else game....... You dont need to make a great game to get the sales..... You can make an average to below average game and still get millions of sales.....

Anyone who wants to play a video game and play as their favorite current day player only has 1 choice...... Back even 20-25 years ago you had choices...... EA, 2K, Sony, Sega, Microsoft and some others made fully licenced NFL games......... There were also multiple companies making NHL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, F1, etc games.......

Meaning if you made even a average or below average game you had very low sales...... And either that game series would die or they would have to improve next season to win over buyers...... Now with no competition as long as they make enough money through either game sales or fat whales buying card packs nothing will change...... Quality doesnt matter as much now..... It just has to be "Good Enough"....... Nothing more......

The only way things will change is for people to just outright stop buying these games until they improve so they are actually good and actually worth your money.......
Rant Mode disengaged
Sounds like that's a part of the industry where the results of single companies controlling too much content have already played out. Consolidation certainly isn't a good thing...

As for Cricket 24, I think that you should share some "highlights" from its... uh... unique... brand of cricket here, for everyone else to see.

Quoting: StoneColdSpiderNothing wrong with cheese......
StoneColdSpider Nov 20, 2023
Quoting: PenglingI facepalmed.
Did the Dorito Pope show you how to DEW it???.......

Quoting: Pengling
Murray Eastlake: OHHHHHHH...... Alucard flips StoneColdSpider the bird "Im number one most beautiful vampire in the cosmos" says Alucard........ I have never seen that before.......

Quoting: PenglingGreat film, that.
I have never seen it...... The thing I know the move for is the persistent myth that a Munchkin commits suicide in the background

Quoting: PenglingAnd you can get a lot of the Castlevania soundtracks on vinyl, so it all comes full circle.
Oh dear..... Its the cycle that never ends....... Yes it goes on and on my friends......

Quoting: PenglingSounds like that's a part of the industry where the results of single companies controlling too much content have already played out. Consolidation certainly isn't a good thing...
Yeah its a big problem industry wide...... Just way more noticeable in the sports genre......

Quoting: PenglingAs for Cricket 24, I think that you should share some "highlights" from its... uh... unique... brand of cricket here, for everyone else to see.
Well ok then....... Let the world see what a broken piece of shite this game is......

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gnd8znZt1zE

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3egQQ3MaxAA

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rKWQLJwNN3E

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zBE72Jo5Tfk

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ufe8zWXlCJw

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o1D8bjrrlwE

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6eVsUQXtsDw

https://youtu.be/wfLxSpqpZMs?t=667

there are lots more too...... I just cant be arsed to go through and time stamp them all..... Every career video has at least 1 totally broken moment minimum........

Quoting: Pengling
That is one big pile of cheese
Mezron Nov 20, 2023
Went to another arcade with my partner this weekend.

We played

Deathball - https://deathball.cab/ - I LOVE THIS GAME! My gf beat the trash outta me!
MaiMai - https://maimai.sega.com/ - I like this one a lot also. She also trashed me in this also!
SSF2T - No need to link - I won but she has been getting a lot better with her Chun-Li and I really have to stay on my toes with her. She's gotten use to my Ken so I have to pull out my main which is Vega to stand a chance now! Can't wait for her to get good at this one.

We also played a lot of pinball - Elvira, Game of Thrones and Rush.

The final game we played was Mario Kart Arcade GP but the MP was broken so it was a wash.

At home we played Crazy Taxi and Gauntlet Legends!
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