Sunday, March 17, 2024

New Music: Spring

 

A little piece I threw together while playing with my stratocaster. Does it evoke the feel of spring? I thought it does, but hey, what do I know?

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Thoughts on Phantom Liberty; Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun; and Helldivers 2

 

Phantom Liberty has some good graphics and decent gunplay.

My gaming attention has been pretty fragmented lately. I've divided my time between three titles, and here's what I think about them so far.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty--I enjoyed Cyberpunk enough to finally purchase the Phantom Liberty expansion. It starts off pretty hot--you break into Dogtown, an isolated part of Night City controlled by Barghest, a paramilitary group led by Kurt Hansen, after an enigmatic netrunner named Songbird begs you for help and promises a cure to V's fatal Keanu Reeves problem. Soon Airforce One crashes and you have to help the President of the New United States escape. It's all very reminiscent of Escape from New York and the graphical spectacle is impressive. The game cools its heels after rescuing the President, and V is soon embroiled in a spy caper involving Idris Elba and the game switches gears to more of a James Bond style romp. It's all pretty cool, but there are a lot of cutscenes, and despite them being beautifully rendered, you'll find yourself absorbing a lot of story rather than mowing down cyber-psychos. When you do some shooting, it's pretty fun. I used the Sandevistan to slow down time, along with cloaking from the new Relic skilltree to obliterate enemies with my shotgun, or double dashed through the air to finish off Barghest soldiers with my katana that can deflect bullets. You have quite a lot of options if you're willing to spend the points. Be prepared for a pretty long journey. I think I'm only about a third of the way through the story after about ten hours.

When I first played Cyberpunk, I did it on a RX 5700xt Radeon. With my RTX 3080, I can finally use DLSS and ray-tracing. Cyberpunk even has a path-tracing mode (actual realistic ray-tracing with multiple light bounces!) although it's barely playable on anything but a high-end card. I definitely noticed the reflections, while the shadows are a fairly minor upgrade. As for ray-traced lighting, it just looks different, if you even notice it. Path-tracing does look amazing, but I have to bump DLSS down to Balanced, which looks a bit low-res, and then I'm only averaging about 30 to 40 frames per second. Just my two-cents, but ray-tracing is a pretty minor upgrade unless you're going all in with path-tracing.

Some screens:












Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun--A boomer shooter with satisfying gunplay, somewhat confusing level design, and a strange difficulty curve that usually finds the game too easy, with some hard spikes every now and then when you run out of health and armor. I'm about a third of the way through this one, and I find it pretty comparable to Prodeus. It's best played in spurts. The pixelated look of the game is pretty cool, but there are shader compilation stutters from time to time, a given since this is an Unreal Engine game. Worth blitzing through if you're on Game Pass. I liked Dark Forces a bit more.



Helldivers 2--I'm not as apeshit about this game as the rest of the internet. That being said, it is really fun to play with your friends. A Starship Troopers simulator, Helldivers finds you assaulting various alien worlds either full of giant bugs or terminator robots, coordinating with your four man squad to complete various objectives. What Helldivers does really well is simulate the carnage of warfare. You can call in various types of airstrikes, which are required to take out the harder enemies, such as chargers or bile titans, and the various types of unlockables, including defensive deployables like Tesla towers, really give the game a different feel than other co-op titles. I would say it's a tad buggy, however. I haven't had any trouble getting into a game, but the developers had to struggle to add servers, since they underestimated how big a hit the game was going to be. Definitely check out if you have some good gaming buddies.




   

Monday, March 11, 2024

Weightlifting: Bench Press 200 lbs for 17

 

After about a month of doing a bodybuilding routine, I've realized that I lose interest in weightlifting if I'm not focusing on increasing my strength. I gained a bit of muscle in my arms and back, however, and I'm about five pounds lighter than I was before. Here's to hitting heavy PRs again, albeit with a four day routine instead of the six day routine I was doing before. Recovery is usually an issue.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Conan Brothers Q&A

 

FunkyMonkey asks "So Haley has dropped out and Trump is the GOP's nominee. How fucked are we?"

Dave: We're as fucked as we want to be.

Arnold: The power is with the people. Will enough normies come to the realization that a second Trump presidency will essentially be the end of the American experiment? I dunno. Wait a sec, I gotta watch a Tik-Tok video.

Dave: You're conflating the two. Our attention span and the rise of fascism.

Arnold: It's a complex issue. Our media apparatus, focused on profits, is not designed to combat someone like Trump. These motherfuckers literally learned nothing. At least they're covering his metal degeneration. But there's a reason why nobody is aware of all the landmark legislation that Biden has passed. It's gotten very little coverage.

Dave: Trump good for ratings.

Arnold: That's the thinking of the bigwigs. And the American press loves to play the "We're unbiased and obligated to give fair coverage to both sides." Well, what if one side is constantly lying? What if one side is trying to flood the airwaves with bullshit? Just look at the coverage of the failed immigration bill that Trump had his lackeys in congress veto, even though it was a good deal for the GOP. "Congress fails to pass immigration bill, will it hurt Democrats in November?"

Dave: I think Biden's hurting more because of the high price of housing and years of inflation.

Arnold: America's doing way better than most countries post-pandemic. Our myopic view gives us little perspective.

Dave: Really, this 2024 match-up was inevitable.

Arnold: The GOP base was never going to abandon Trump. But the Justice Department could've moved a lot sooner, and maybe some of these trials would be finished.

Dave: Merrick Garland was a mistake.

Arnold: Possibly the biggest of Biden's Presidency. Nevertheless, there's no reason to abandon hope. There's almost an entire year left before the election.

Dave: Like George Micheal said, you gotta have faith.

Arnold: Still, mentally prepare yourselves. I have a hard time trusting the American people.

...

GentleGym asks "What are the biggest differences between training for hypertrophy and training for strength?"

Dave: Volume. Rep-range. Movement selection.

Arnold: You can powerbuild and try to have both. But after moving to a more bodybuilding-oriented style, I realize that hypertrophy training is just as hard, if not harder, than powerlifting. I hate doing multiple sets of twelve reps on the squat or bench press. Even if I'm using weights that I would've laughed at when I was powerlifting, by the end of the workout, I'm drained, both physically and mentally.

Dave: But the recovery cost is less when bodybuilding.

Arnold: That's true. My elbows aren't as inflamed. And my energy levels have improved.

Dave: Getting big arms and shoulders is the shit, though.

Arnold: Very true. Let them elbows come forward during curls and triceps movements, and reap the results.

...

BillyTheShit asks "Are you guys playing Helldivers 2 with the rest of the internet?"

Dave: I play with my boys.

Arnold: I'm not as taken with the game as most people seem to be. It's a great Starship Troopers simulation. The co-op elements are great fun. But I really only play it when my friends are online.

Dave: Why the hell doesn't it have DLSS upscaling?

Arnold: It was a Playstation port. Be happy that it runs as well as it does.

Dave: Calling in a huge explosion is fun, though.

Arnold: I'm only level 9 and all my buddies are like 30 to 50. They get all the good shit.

Dave: Worth 40 bucks if you have a couple of friends to play with. I dunno about chumming with randos.

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered Impressions

 

Here's my Dark Forces walkthrough, which is still a work in progress.

Star Wars: Dark Forces was one the essential games of my childhood. Originally played on a hand-me-down 486 (I think), I remember struggling to get the sound working, as well as frequently getting lost for hours in the game's labyrinthine levels. Having just completed the fourth mission of Nightdive's excellent remaster, I've found that Dark Forces' levels aren't as bad as I remember; however, I have a good twenty plus years of video games experience on my younger self, and I've also learned how to play attention to details, which was an ability I struggled with during my youth (I may have had ADHD symptoms as a kid). Anyways, Dark Forces holds up really well as long as you approach it in the right mindset. Video games from the nineties often treated level navigation as a puzzle, and if you play Dark Forces while constantly paying attention to every nook and cranny, then I don't think you'll find it as frustrating as if you just turned your brain off and raced through to an inevitable dead-end. Nightdive have cleaned up Lucasart's classic, giving it achivements, support for modern resolutions and framerates, as well as improving the textures and sprite-based models of enemies. The result is a remaster that feels and looks great to play on modern systems. Somehow, there's never been a Star Wars shooter that surpassed Dark Forces. The weapons are fun to use, with the iconic E11 stormtrooper rifle being an inaccurate, fast-firing staple that you'll frequently rely upon. Dark Forces really nails the look and sound of Star Wars. The sprawling military installations with questionable safety standards; bottomless abysses and slimy sewers full of garbage monsters. It's still the closest movie approximation to feeling like Luke in A New Hope, racing down the halls of Death Star, blasting stormtroopers. My only complaint is that I feel as though the remaster might be a tad expensive at 30 bucks (I picked it up for 26 on Steam), considering that this is a really old game that will stump many. But then again, I really enjoy playing these updated games, and I know that Nightdive needs to make a profit. Let's hope they remaster every game in the series.

Monday, February 26, 2024

Weightlifting: My Hypertrophy Routine

 

Is there some CGI going on here, or did Chris Hemsworth transform into a 70's bodybuilder?

Because I'm old (38!), sore, and perpetually tired, I decided to abandon my PR every week workout methodology, despite its effectiveness at getting me stronger. The constant stress from hitting heavy weights every day eventually took its toll, so I've switched to bodybuilding with its more manageable stressors. It's been pretty fun so far; in over a decade of lifting weights, I've never really trained primarily for physique, and so it's been an interesting challenge. Focusing on the powerlifts have given me big pecs, quads, glutes, traps, and spinal erectors, but my shoulders, arms, and calves could use a little bulking up. As a subscriber to Dr. Mike's Israetel's Youtube channel, I noticed his Transform Your Body Like Thor workout plan seemed to check most of the boxes for what I was looking when it comes to a bodybuilding routine. Being a basement lifter, as well as someone who didn't totally want to abandon the powerlifts, I've made some adjustments. Here's a summary of the plan (Thanks ShawnProctor1, who copied it out in the Youtube comments.)

RP's Thor Workout Plan: Day 1: Back, Shoulders, Arms. Barbell Bent Over Rows, Underhand pull-ups, Dumbbell lateral raises, Dumbbell bicep curls, Tricep overhead EZ Bar Ext. *2 sets (10-15 reps) 

Day 2: Chest, Legs, Abs. High Bar Squats, High Bar Good Mornings, Incline dumbbell press, Slant board sit-ups *2 sets (10-15 reps) 

Day 3: Back, Shoulders, Arms. Cable cross-body lateral raises, Barbell upright rows, Chest-supported rows, EX bar bicep curls, Cable tricep pushdowns *2 sets (15-20 reps) 

Day 4: Chest, Legs, Abs. Machine flat chest press, Hanging leg raises, Dumbbell lunges, Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlift *2 sets (10-15 reps)  

Day 5: Back, Shoulders, Arms. Overhand pull-ups, Inverted rows, Cable bicep curls, Dumbbell incline curls, Skull crushers, Cable overhead tricep extensions, Cable upright rows *2 sets (10-15 reps) 

Progression plan: At first, 3 RIR for all lifts. Tuesdays and Thursdays. 2 sets per ex, but add rep or 5 pounds most weeks Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. If not challenging, add 1 set per ex. Deload every 4-8 weeks Only Tuesday and Thursday. Reduce weights, sets, and reps by 50 percent Do program 8-16 weeks. Assess progress. Repeat or, if bored, change component exercises.

Here's my routine, using the same basic layout and most of the same exercises. The rep range, however, changes from 8 to 12, due to the fact that I'm utilizing an undulating periodization scheme with my powerlifts. Also, some exercises have been changed to fit what equipment I actually have. Chest training has been moved to the other upperbody days because of my preference for an upper/lower body split.

Day 1. Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms. Bench Press for 3 sets of 12. Dumbbell Rows for 3x10-12. Upright row for 3 sets of 10. Barbell curls for 3 sets of 10. Dumbbell triceps extensions 3 sets of 10.

Day 2. Legs, Glutes, Abs, Lower Back. High bar squats 3 sets of 12. Good mornings for 3 sets of 10. Calf raises 3 sets of 10-12. Hanging knee raises 3 sets of 12.

Day 3. Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms. Close-grip Bench Press for 4 sets of 8. Pullups for 4 sets of 8. Dumbbell curls for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Dumbbell triceps extensions or pressdowns for 3 sets of 12 reps. Upright rows or side laterals for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Day 4. Leg, Glutes, Abs, Lower Back. High bar squats for 4 sets of 8. Barbell stiff-legged deadlifts for 2 sets of 8. Crunches for 3 sets of 10-12. Calf raises for 3 sets of 12 reps.

Day 5. Back, Shoulders, Arms. Barbell Bent-over row 3 sets of 12 reps. Incline dumbbell curls 4 sets of 10 reps. Pressdowns 4 sets of 10. Side laterals 2 sets of 10.

So in the same spirit with the same bodypart focus, but with more barbell exercises and a lower rep range for some workouts. My program is meant to be run for five weeks or so before transitioning to a 10 to 6 rep routine. Big exercises that do 3 sets of 12 switch to 3 sets of 10 (Squat, Bench Press, BB Row), while the days that have 4 sets of 8 switch to 4 sets of 6 (second squat day, Close-grip Bench, Stiff legged Deadlift). That way, strength is maintained, even while the bodybuilding work (the curls, raises, pressdowns, etc,) stays in the high rep range. Weight or reps should be added every week. Like Dr. Mike's routine, a deload is recommended when needed.


Sunday, February 18, 2024

Lies of P; Resident Evil 2 Remakes; Vampire Survivors; the Value of Gamepass

 

The RE engine looked modern even in 2019.

Game Pass is a phenomenal value, with hundreds of titles available, and new games coming all the time. Recently, I've played through Resident Evil 2, as well as devoted many hours to Vampire Survivor and Lies of P, not to mention titles like Cocoon, Halo Infinite, and Sunset Overdrive. If you're the sort of compulsive consumer who likes to try something out and then bounce on to the next dopamine hit, then Game Pass is right up your alley. I have to admit that I'm trending this way, even though I get a lot of satisfaction out of completing a game. There are so many great games released every year, and so little time to play them all that the cards are stacked against you. Still, in a world that seems to value attention less and less by the second, I'm not sure if the Game Pass mentality is healthy. If you have 60 or 70 bucks invested in a game, you're more likely to stick with it and give it the time it deserves. Sometimes, art is initially difficult or complicated, but by investing your attention, you are able to wring out meaning and value that you would never obtain through more simple, accessible media. Also worth mentioning is the subscription hellscape that Microsoft would like us to embrace. As primarily a PC user, I already don't really own my games--I own them as long as Steam is around--and it sucks that we're moving toward a diskless future on console. I remember buying Dishonored 2 on disk, and being disappointed that I had to download nearly the entire game. Big tech would love us to forfeit the idea of ownership, because they'll have all the power in such a relationship. So even though Game Pass is a great value, I'm canceling my subscription, for the sake of my attention span and as a rebuke of the whole idea. I'm sure the suits at Microsoft will really notice, heh.

Anyway, here are a few mini reviews of what I've been playing.


Resident Evil 2 Remake: a really great survival horror experience, and probably my favorite of the series so far (I've only played RE:Village and the RE:3 remake). Steering Leon Kennedy through Raccoon City's police station and its underworld is tense. The unkillable Mr. X might pop out of any corner, or you could run out of ammo after attracting a Lurker's attention, or you might not have had the foresight to keep that wheel in your inventory so that you could fit it on a valve and turn off that wall of steam blocking your path. Inventory management, when to shoot and when to run, and hunting down codes for upgrades forms the bulk of RE:2's gameplay loop, and it is simply fantastic pretty much the whole way through. It's also not a ridiculously long game, clocking in at about 12 hours or so. One of the best games on Game Pass.


Vampire Survivor: This goofy little roguelike is like crack for your brain. You proceed through a variety of open, randomly-generated stages, focusing on obtaining weapons (Santa Water and the Whip are two of my favorites) that your character automatically shoots in whatever direction you are facing. Your aim is to evolve your weapons into their final form, and to last as long as you can until the 30 minute time limit is reached, and death spawns to shuffle you away. It doesn't sound particularly compelling, but I've spent nearly 20 hours in Vampire's pixalated nightmare, and that's more than most roguelikes get out of me.


Lies of P: A day one Game Pass title, Lies of P is a really good Soulslike that I just couldn't finish. Laxasia, one of the final bosses, did me in with her second phase, and I'm a real hater of two stage fights where it takes a long time to get to the second stage. Still, it's a really cool game with excellent combat and unique enemies (puppet monstrosities and mutated monsters) set in a memorable dark fantasy version of Pinocchio. I wish there was multiplayer summoning like in From Soft's games, because I probably would've been able to beat the game had that been the case. I don't have time to git gud anymore, folks.

Friday, February 16, 2024

Bad Poetry: Mirror

 

There are lines and hairs

And wrinkles around stares

Rimmed with black pits

Of unsleeping darkness

Keeping us awake

As we shuffle through

Our rancid stew

Of memories traded and faded

And bladed until the pieces

Refuse to fit together.

When I look in the mirror

I see myself sleeping in the daytime.

I don't see a stranger but I see

Someone else who is turning 

Into me

Piece by 

Piece by

Piece.

 

 

Thursday, February 15, 2024

To All the Second Amendment Defenders

 

To all the Second Amendment defenders:

I wish you would just admit that you don't care how many people or kids get murdered. You don't know them; they aren't you. They're not your kids, and if they were, maybe you would still support the ownership of firearms, since you're supporting a morally indefensible position, which would indicate that you're a person of questionable morality. The lives don't matter; what matters is that you have the power to kill, a power that you didn't earn, a power that you obtained with no sacrifice, no discipline, and no responsibility. That power was freely given. No questions were asked about your mental acumen or your reasons for wanting to own a firearm. You were not required to undergo any training to prove your fitness for owning a deadly weapon, you were simply given one and told to have at it. You have the power to make someone's life disappear in an instant with a pull of a trigger, and it's granted to you with the frivolity of a purchase at Wal-mart. And you're cool with all of that? This is how it should be, and there's no changing it, and every so often the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of all the innocents who've died because of America's gun obsession? 
 
I feel as though America is dying from its own disease. 

Thursday, February 8, 2024

The Conan Brothers Q&A

 

ClusterBuck asks "2024, huh? You guys have any New Year's resolutions?"

Dave: New Year's Resolutions are for losers.

Arnold: So yes, we have plenty.

Dave: Stay jacked as I approach middle-age, outlast the coming political storm, improve my mental health.

Arnold: Recovery is an issue as I continue to lift into my mid-thirties. Sore connective tissue in my back and chest, elbow issues--it all sucks. As does the persistent feeling of tiredness that seems to accompany any hard labor.

Dave: Gotta up them PEDs.

Arnold: I started taking fish oil, although apparently it doesn't do anything as a supplement. A friend recommended collegian. I'm on a forced layoff from the weights after I sprained an ankle. I haven't taken a break from pumping iron for a full week in god knows how long.

Dave: You have to learn how to back off.

Arnold: The problem is that I enjoy lifting heavy and PRing too much to do that, Dave.

Dave: 'Tis the hardcore lifter's dilemma.

Arnold: This ain't no free ride. Life's not supposed to be pain free.

...

GamingPunky asks "What are you guys playing?"

Dave: Vampire Survivor.

Arnold: A mindless roguelite that's basically crack for your brain.

Dave: Also, Resident Evil 2.

Arnold: The remake. It's so good. The survival horror gameplay loop of unlocking new areas, inventory management (do I keep extra ammo for my pistol, or do I leave inventory space for any new items?), unkillable enemies (Mr. X!), and light puzzling is just exquisite. Still looks great, too.

Dave: I've also been trying to beat Halo Infinite's campaign on Legendary. On the Harbinger. That fight is such bullshit.

Arnold: Halo Infinite is much better than what hardcore gaming circles think. But it definitely has too many ridiculous boss fights. Bullet-sponge enemies are never fun.

...

 MargoRobberton asks "How do you guys avoid the winter blues?"

Dave: Lots of alcohol. Dnd. Too much time playing video games.

Arnold: Go outside. This has been a mild winter (thanks, climate change!). Take a walk.

Dave: Are you going to follow your own advice with your sprained ankle?

Arnold: Yes, in fact. It's not like it could get anymore swollen.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

New Music: Lost without End

 


A blues song that encapsulates the saying "down and out." You've been down and out if you've tried to rip a bush out of a McDonald's parking lot, or woken up in a ditch with a trash panda as your sole companion. One of those two statements is a true story... I wrote this in about twenty minutes, just in the spur of the moment. Sometimes songs just fall out of the ether.

New Music: Spring

  A little piece I threw together while playing with my stratocaster. Does it evoke the feel of spring? I thought it does, but hey, what do ...