Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and has a great New Years. Sorry I forgot to post last week, but some things came up to distract me.
To everyone out there that complains when someone wishes them a Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, shut up and appreciate the kindness. You don't need to celebrate a specific holiday for the related well-wishes to be valid.

Now for the Sales

It looks like we have made it through the rush of holiday game releases, or at least some of the bigger titles. Now we have time to complete those purchases before the Christmas sales start and our libraries increase inversely to the size of our wallets. There are a few titles I wouldn't mind picking up at the right price, but I am pretty happy where my library is right now. Still have plenty of games just waiting to be played.

34 Hours and Happy

34 hours into Just Cause 3 so far, and I'm happy. Now I'm going back to it, so... goodbye.

Looking Forward to Tuesday

This week Just Cause 3 releases, and I for one am looking forward to it. The previous game was a lot of fun, and this should be even better with its new technologies and, most importantly, unlimited C4. I don't know if I will do it or not, but it would be cool to see someone play the game just using the explosive. I know if I were on the QA team I'd have tried that, and would probably make suggestions to make it more viable. There should be a game out there were explosions can be the answer to everything, and Just Cause 3 is a reasonable candidate.

On a Different Note

This week many American's will be thinking about what it is they are thankful for. That can be a lot to think about already, but I would like to suggest adding something to that. Think about the people with less. I don't mean think about them so go out and donate, or even think about things that can be donated. I mean think about how some of the things you are thankful for, others do not have, and for some they do not know why that is. Luck can be against people more than it is for them. Think of these people just to appreciate what you have.

Good Couple Weeks

It's been a busy couple weeks for me, and since this blog is not high on my priority list (compared to the rest of life at least) I forgot about it, until now. Unfortunately I haven't much to talk about right now, except to say it has been a busy couple weeks for me, and also pretty good. Maybe the only true measure of a good time is from what comes of it, but at least in the short term, I enjoyed it, and that counts for something. Wish I could say more, but it's a bit more specifically-personal than I care to make this blog (meaning it is specific to me and I don't want to share those details of my life).
Hopefully next week (if I remember to post, and I might not because of what is coming) I will have something more and better to say.

At Long Last

This has been an interesting week for me. Finally finished up some projects that I have been working on for months, and with them done, I also finally upgraded my PC to Windows 10. I knew had I to do that eventually, because I need access to DX12 once games supporting it start releasing, but the move had to wait. Now I'm upgraded, and after a little fighting and digging to get things how I want them, I have my machine in its initial comfortable place. As I use it, I'm sure I'll make various tweaks, but for now everything I need is in a place I can get to.
Now I just need to worry and think about the next set of projects ahead of me....

And I Forgot Again

Yup. Totally forgot to post something again. I keep thinking about doing it earlier in the day on Sundays, and then I just forget to do it when I am at my computer. Haven't got much to talk about though, but I can say this. Recently I went back into my music library and pulled out some pieces I had almost forgotten about. Lovely, wonderful pieces I could listen to all day, but had moved on from some time ago. They are Russian Easter Overture, Christmas Eve Suite, and the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture. All three are truly masterpieces and I reget letting them sit in my library, unenjoyed for as long as I did.

The Truth About Fiction

Fiction is a place to put a lot of truth because there it can be expressed free of interruption. Indeed I believe there is more truth in a lot of fiction than in nonfiction for this very reason. It is like with morality plays and fables that try to teach you a point. It will be free of the trappings of the day you would normally learn the lesson on, making it clearer to see, to feel, and to experience. Of course it can lack the punch of reality, but that does not have to diminish its value or importance.
Eh, I think I'm blathering. See you next week.

Little Crazy Lately

Yesterday was the first day this month I've not been busy, and it definitely is nice to go back to a more normal schedule. One thing a little annoying is that the evidence of my efforts is not out there yet, so I cannot discuss it. It's coming though, and I'm looking forward to that.

Ever Made a Hail Mary?

With the start of the football season, I am wondering something. How many people have made Hail Mary passes of their own? Something crazy and unlikely you throw up there and see if it works. How did you react after seeing if it worked or not? Not actually looking for responses, just trying to provoke some thought for you.

What's In a Title

I don't remember if I ever talked about the title of this blog before, The Art of Cloud Watching. I've been thinking some lately and thinking about what that phrase means to me, so I decided to talk about it here.
Obviously it is a reference to the idea of cloud watching, which is to see shapes in the shapeless. The art of this craft is to find shapes in the shapeless, or to find beauty where others do not. To see the unconventional beauty of the world. Not the roses but the weeds. Not the sunset or rise, but the rain or lightning. It is a skill I hope many people lack, because I want everyone to be able to find the conventional beauties in the world. Not everyone can though. For these, it is necessary to appreciate what is there before them, and find in it beauty others need never look for.
The Art of Cloud Watching is a triumphant idea, where one overcomes what is before them to find more.

Nothing to Write

Right now I cannot think of anything to write here, but I want to write something. It is important to me to write something, even if what I write is nothing. Nothing important. Nothing of meaning to me or you. Nothing at all so long as it is words on the page. That's kind of sad though. That 'nothing' should ever be acceptable. I want to give something, but I haven't it to give. How often does that happen to you? You want to give something but think you do not have anything? Is it really true that you have nothing? Look at me. Even though I have nothing to write about, I still managed a fair-sized paragraph. Next time you want to give something, find something to give, because even if it is small, it is more than nothing.

Highs and Lows

This past week has had its lows and highs. I got to see a group of friends I see too infrequently one day, and then a couple days later I got sick with something I'm still fighting off. I hope I wasn't carrying anything when I saw my friends, but there is nothing I can do about that now. One thing that does annoy me though is that I forgot to post something here this week. I really do want to be better at this, but somehow I just keep messing up one way or another. Hopefully I can get back onto a schedule that will help with this, but we will have to see.

Such a bad habit

Seems like I getting into a bad habit of forgetting about posting something each week. At least I remembered this time.
Had a pretty good week myself, and I hope everyone else did too. Got to see some friends that I haven't seen for three years. Stayed in touch though, so it wasn't so bad, but there is nothing quite like actually seeing and talking to someone. Before long I should be seeing another friend too, but its only been months in that case. Oh some other good stuff happened this week too, but it's not all worth sharing. Besides, it's a nice message to share, that one should see their friends. I am not sure if it is something I can promise to do, but it would be a nice promise to keep, to always see your friends once a year or something. Not just communicate with them, but actually visit. With how many of my friends live in hundreds of miles away, it would not be easy to do currently, and it could get even harder in the future. Still, nice thought, right?

Almost Did it Again

Just completely forgot to post anything last week, and this week I almost did the same. Don't remember what distracted before, but this time I have been focusing on getting some ffmpeg code to work. Might have use of this code in the near future, so I need it working before then. Have definitely been having fun creating different batch files with ffmpeg for various reasons, like cutting up videos more efficiently. A tool definitely worth learning about, unless you already have a powerful video editor.

Satoru Iwata has Died

Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, died yesterday. All death is a tragedy, and there is nothing much more to say than that.

Minecraft for Windows 10?

When Microsoft purchased Mojang, I knew it was possible we would see a native-Windows version of the game, and now it has been announced. Minecraft for Windows 10 is releasing as a beta at the end of the month and I am definitely looking forward to it. It is going to be very interesting what the non-Java version will be capable of, as it will definitely open up new possibilities, at least for performance. It was not said, but you would think it will use either DirectX 12 or Vulkan. Some may not think Vulkan is a possibility, but I think it is, purely because any performance benefits are ones everyone will want to come to every version of the game, so starting with the cross-platform API should help in that regard. Of course I'm not sure how much support Vulkan will have on phones, but we will see.
Honestly I am surprised this is happening, though not that much due to the Hololens demos. It just seems a little extreme to me, to build a new, single-platform version, but at least we will not see the multi-platform version vanish. Really when the purchase of Mojang was first announced, I expected it would lead to SkyDrive/OneDrive integration for cloud saving and sharing of worlds. Seems natural and useful to me, so maybe that will still come. If that is coming, we will probably see it in the upcoming beta.

What Will Come of It?

There are a lot of things I could comment on this week (missed posting last week because I was AFK for much of it) but the single topic I want to mention is the PC release of Batman Arkham Knight.
I do not think it is an overestimation to say that Arkham Knight was one of the more anticipated titles for this year, since it is a Batman game, of the Rocksteady's Arkham franchise, and it is rumored to receive a DX12 update in the future (I think that's still just rumor). When it finally launched though, a large portion of the gaming community, namely the PC segment, got, well, screwed off. Why mince words here? It's a terrible launch and from what I've read and seen (do not have a copy myself) it likely should not have released in this state. WBIE agrees with that too, since it has pulled the game from Steam, pending significant patching. So, how has this come to be, what is happening now, and what might happen in the future?

Soon It Begins

Very soon E3 will start and hopefully wow us all with the various announcements and demos. Oh, it should be exciting, just like it has been in the past, and perhaps more so, thanks to the upcoming availability of Windows 10 and DX12. A lot of the games being shown off will probably be made to use the new API, and maybe even Vulkan. That will definitely be interesting to see because of how it will benefit PC gamers, such as myself. Oh, I cannot wait to see, but we all have to.

Missed Two This Time

Missed two weeks this time. I will try to do better, but one of the times was unavoidable. The other was me forgetting to post anything over an enjoyable and busy weekend.
Now that I am writing this, I am not entirely sure what I have to write about. Could talk about the new Steam refund policy, but honestly, I don't care much about it anyway. Sure it's nice to have, but I tend to be so deliberate with my purchases that I do not seek refunds.
The Steam Link and Controller being up for pre-purchase is another topic that I do care a bit more about, but as I have neither and therefore can't say much about, why continue the topic past this sentence?
I know! I can talk about The Witcher 3 and Marvel Heroes. Marvel Heroes is a game I have been enjoying for a long time now and it just had its second anniversary. There is no better time to jump with, especially with the different events going on all this month. Seriously, check it out at MarvelHeroes.com. The Witcher 3 only recently came out, but I can still say it is one of my favorite games. What can I say but that it is a great game that does an absurdly good job at just about everything. What little I have to complain about isn't trivial, but definitely minor. An easy recommendation.
E3 starts in a little over a week now, right? That hasn't stopped announcements from coming out now though. The big one everyone is talking about is of course Fallout 4. Looking forward to more details soon on that and much more. This should be a very interesting and fun E3, I think. It at least has the makings of one, but time will tell.

At Long Last, it Arrives

What is definitely one of the most anticipated games to be released this years is launching on Tuesday, but the embargo for reviews ended this past Tuesday. The game is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and is expected to give many gamers 100+ hours of entertainment, for a single playthrough! One hundred hours is absolutely massive considering most games today last between 10 and 20 hours, for one playthrough. In fact I only have seven games with over 100 hours in them, and according to a Steam calculator, I have played 306 of those in my library. Quite a spread, and you can believe that those games with over 100 hours are ones I truly enjoy playing, so I kept playing them again and again. To invest that much time for a simple completion is amazing. Hopefully the game will live up to all of that time. (If it just matches The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings in quality, I'll still be happy.)

Limits are Important

I once worked with someone who had a rule that weekends were his time. Weekdays are when he would do work others put on him, like from jobs and school. The weekends were for him. At the time I paid enough thought to remember it, but did not really appreciate the idea. It's funny that I would now, but I do recognize the value of setting limits like that.
I am reminded of this now because a friend of mine recently had to make a very hard choice because limits were being exceeded. One thing he loved was taking too much away from other things, and now he is giving it up. I know how easy it is for the things you love to consume you, and even push out other things you love, which is why I remember and appreciate what that coworker once shared with me. All things in moderation would be another way to put it, though I would modify it to say 'firm moderation.' You can't just say you'll go easy, you need to say what you will do and stick to it as best you can, otherwise, what's moderate about it?

Age of Ultron is Out!

Many people declared Avengers: Age of Ultron as one of the most anticipated films of the year, and I know that was the case with me, so it was a lot of fun to go see it this past week. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so all I will say is that I enjoyed it very much. It does have a different feel to it than the previous Avengers movie though. That was very much a popcorn movie, but this has greater depth to it, which I appreciate. Not the depth of Winter Soldier but given how many personalities are in this, that would be a lot to expect.
One thing though is that it is filled with a lot of action. It does take breaks for story telling and humor, so this is not an issue, at least for me and my family. Something else about it is that it sets up a lot for future Marvel movies, and is not subtle about it either. It does it pretty well, so no complaints there, but expect to have some teasing of the future.

Little Bit of Advice

Always go for an earlier bus. Like the title says, it's a little piece of advice, and one I keep too. It helps when you're running late and miss that bus, but still have a bus to get you there on time. Probably a good metaphor there about how to live life, but that wouldn't be a little bit, would it.
Take care everybody.

It Seems the Season has Started

Of course I am referring to the season of games. And naturally that is hyperbole, to some degree. Still though, it seems like right now is when this years season of big games is starting, at least for the PC. GTA V launches this week, then we see Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (I am particularly interested in this after The New Order) and then we have The Witcher 3, which could probably be played until next season, followed by Batman Arkham Knight. I do not doubt there are many more titles coming out then, but that is what is coming to mind for me for Spring 2015, also known as pre-E3. I expect that to be interesting with the upcoming launch of Windows 10 and DirectX 12. Speaking of DirectX 12, Square Enix announced Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, which will use DX 12, and personally I found that trailer to be quite good. If nothing else, it was really fun to watch.
It is looking like this will be a good season for games. Hopefully we won't have any of the launch fiascoes of last year.

Persistence Is Key

It really is, even if you still fail some of the time (or most of the time). Keeping at something is often worth it, if it is something important and/or good. I cannot say what all I am referring to in my own life with this, but some I can share. For the past four weekends I have been streaming gameplay on Twitch. Yeah, that's not very impressive is it, but that's the point I'm making. Almost nobody shows watches, but I keep doing it because only by doing it can people join in. Plus it is a fun experience to have.
I could probably give more examples than that, and you could probably give even more. No matter the story or the source though, it is still true that some things are worth the effort, so invest it.

Nothing Much

Really, nothing much has happened this week and less has crossed my mind to share. Maybe that is a disappointment in some way, but it happens. Best thing to do is just continue on, hopefully to something worth sharing.

Even One Life

For anyone that thinks one life may not mean much, for any reason, remember the Ides of March. A long time ago, but not long enough to forget, one man's death changed the world in ways that can never be fully counted and never undone.
The early end of one life changed the world for thousands of years, so imagine what living a full life can do today.

Quick Recap

A couple weeks ago I talked about how the push for Title II is inconsistent with the principals of Net Neutrality. Now there is a good chance that is what we are going to have, so let's consider how we got it. The plan the FCC put together was written and voted on without any public knowledge, and even following the vote has not been released for anyone to review (not yet at least). On its own, this should have caused people to be in an uproar before the vote, but there is more. The plan was written by and voted on by a group who will directly benefit from it, like someone giving themselves a promotion, by giving them new powers over what has been a free system. Powers that have very few checks on them, because the FCC is a regulatory body and these are its rules, as opposed to laws which are addressed in public courts where parties have guaranteed rights.
Net Neutrality did not win with the vote. Government control did.

Another Awesome Bundle

You know what I haven't mentioned for awhile, but is worth mentioning? Humble Bundle! The place that puts together various digital media bundles, sold with a pay-what-you-want model that supports charities. Well last week its Star Wars Bundle ended, but the Square Enix Bundle 2 launched, and I must say it is a good deal. I already have most of the games in it and have played many of them, so let me tell you that it is worth purchasing. Supreme Commander 2, Thief, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and Sleeping Dogs are all very fun games, and you get even more than those! So go, check it out, and get some good games.

Be Careful What You Wish For

There is a very important topic that has been much discussed on the Internet and that is only going to increase for the foreseeable future. That topic is Net Neutrality, which is the name for the goal of securing a free an open Internet Obviously these are important goals but I must say I am fearful for the future. Oh, I know that if anybody actually read this, some would accuse me of being against Net Neutrality just for suggesting that there is any cause for alarm, by using the false argument that only those against Net Neutrality could have any fear of it, and summarily dismiss me. Well, ignorance is one of the welcome tragedies of freedom so I can live with that. What I am afraid of though is the prospect of placing this "free and open" network under the control of a single group, which will be able to exercise that control without intervention, without restriction, without appeal, without openness and without freedom. This is the power the FCC already has and bringing the Internet under its control by declaring it a Title II utility will subject the Internet, the consumers, and all its services will be subject to it. It saddens me how people are so upset because they do not trust the various ISPs, but are eager to give even greater control to the FCC as though it may be trusted. Personally, I fail to trust any of them, and why should I? Why should you?
Every aspect, every single principle of Net Neutrality can be secured by laws, and unlike with the FCC, that means that courts, public courts that guarantee rights like due process, will be where alleged infractions will be dealt with. Aren't those courts better aligned with the core values of Net Neutrality?
To put it another way, how can anything be free and open when it has a single master? Aren't masters kind of the opposite of being free and open? Free the net from masters, people. Don't give it a new one.

Feeling the Need

Haven't posted something political here for quite some time, but I feel the need to now, and boy is there a lot I could say. I could bring up historical facts, like how the Crusades were predicated by the Muslim take-over of the Holy Lands, so comparing them to the genocidal goals of radical Muslims is thoroughly incorrect, or how slavery is actually against the principles of Christianity, which is one of the reasons the Church fought to end the practice, or how genocidal persons do pose an existential threat to those they wish to exterminate, but instead I want to make this point.
High horses are hard to climb onto, so one gets there only by earning it, and from there they can do much good. That good includes helping good persons up from the saddle, and putting evil persons beneath their hooves. To get down in the dirt and mud only serves those who have not earned a place in the saddle, and these people do not deserve to be served in that way.

Snow, Snow Everywhere

I have shoveling to look forward to tomorrow, and not a little of it. At least I won't be alone this time, thanks to closings and delays. With luck I won't even hurt my back while clearing out the driveway, but I kind of doubt it. At least I have the gear to keep me warm and enjoyable music to listen to.
Sorry about not posting anything last week. I forgot, plain and simple.

It Begins on Tuesday

On Tuesday, Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell releases and it will be the first game of the new year I will play. Also review, but the playing is more important to me. Can't be sure where this year of gaming will take me, but I do hope and expect the beginning to be a lot of fun. That is something the Saints Row franchise has come to be lately; fun. Sure the games may not have the strongest stories or the best graphics, and they may go very ridiculous very quickly, but it is always a fun ride.
To this year of gaming! May it be better than those before, or at least better optimized.

Was Off for a Bit

Been a while since I posted anything. What can I say but that I forgot with all of the holiday and vacation stuff going on. Anyway:
A lot has happened since the last post, with the most important events also being the most recent. Maybe I'm more sensitive because of my own writing experience, even though its not satire that I do, but there is one point I cannot help by feel. It was not just those people at the paper that were threatened, shot at, and killed but everyone who cherishes freedom and the most important form of freedom, which is free expression. Every free person and person wanting freedom was attacked, so it is not just the slain that we must seek vengeance for against evil, but every one of us. If we don't, my figurative speech here will not remain figurative.
Also, we can't do this by fearing words; that is our enemies' fear. If we share their fears, their victory comes that much closer.