deanb

https://www.androidpolice.com/motorola-rizr-rollable-concept-hands-on/ This is pretty dang cool. I think it would need some tweaks to ensure rigidity but I think this is maybe a better use of flexible OLED materials for screens than the foldables (at least the clamshell type - I'll probs end up with the butterfly style at some point).

I don't think I'd go with the official one, probs an Anker dock instead (especially as there's 3D prints for attaching them to the Deck). My one thing I'd want one for is the ethernet as for whatever reason the Steamdeck kinda sucks on wifi. Otherwise the whole "supports 4K" seems wildly optimistic when I'n not sure the Steamdeck would do 4K happily. Like...maybe Worms. btw anyone know any decent Play and Pass/hotseat type games? Got a train journey this Friday and next (train to get some training) and something neat n multiplayer might pass the time - but without a dock it's pretty much turn-based stuff. Like Worms (my other thought is either take a book or...just play on my own :P)

Avatar: The Way of Water Actually watched this twice (mainly due to both my parents wanting to see it...and being divorced). Looks pretty as hell and really enjoyed the world that James Cameron is making. My only major point would be to maybe cut out some of the "oooh look how pretty it is" sequences for an extended release on Blu-Ray as it is a bit needlessly long (though I guess if you can go "ooh look how pretty" then all power to you I guess). Banshees of Inisherin It's the same director and leads as In Bruges so was an instant watch for me (sans trailer). I think I ultimately prefer In Bruges, it's a bit more rewatchable, but this is a solid weighty film. And for me also tickled by my mums partners response to a particular plot point in it. Glass Onion Same as the above there was no watching of trailers for this. I'd say this is one where they're equally watchable, and will be great to watch on a regular double bill. Just great ensemble casts (though I think there's a bit of underserving for a few folks in this one), and love that each time the only consistency is Benoit Blanc. Plus hell of a team for Among Us GDTs Pinocchio I think this is the ultimate Pinocchio (though maybe the Disney animated version is still best for kids - few less murders and time spent in the afterlife). Looks beautiful as hell (always have time for stop motion), and really like the story and setting tying in with the villains and their goals (i.e the rise of Italian fascism now presented with an immortal soldier).

One handy app to add is the "Heroic Launcher". This sets up the ability to install games from Epic Store and GOG. Many of the GOG games are linux native (and quite low spec requirement), but the EGS games will normally run through Proton (which Heroic launcher deals with in the background). Given EGS gives away a bunch of games it's likely a decently built up selection you have. https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-install-play-games-epic-games-store-steam-deck/ There's scripts to support it adding directly to the Steam library too https://github.com/redromnon/HeroicBashLauncherhttps://github.com/redromnon/HeroicBashLauncher Also this one is maybe a no brainer but do add Aperture Desk Job to your library - it's purposefully designed for the controls of the Steam deck and is like...half an hour. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1902490/Aperture_Desk_Job/ (oh also expands the lore or Portal )

Figured worth a thread been made. Some advice, tips, queries, etc. One I'll recommend; https://www.protondb.com/ ProtonDB is a better go to for verification than the Valve system as it's much broader userbase to input updates and also expand on it a bit more than the "not verified" - e.g there might just be an issue with a couple bits to input on keyboard or a need to change controller layout. You can also add in a Chrome extensions (there's also one for built into the Steamdeck with some script but I've not gotten around to it) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/protondb-for-steam/ngonfifpkpeefnhelnfdkficaiihklid

This one is gonna be fucking weird if the trailer (and the director and casting) is anything to go by. Not much a M. Night kinda person, but this is getting some good hype. And I think folks opinions on Bautista are growing rapidly into "oh shit this guy is a good actor". title says it all.

I've yet to play Elden Ring (probably won't) and not yet got around to Ragnarok. Given literally game I've googled that I thought came out this year came out in Oct/Nov 2021...it by default means my game of the year is: I did rather like GotG and Deathloop.

So I got Scarlet Nexus on a whim/sale and (esp as early on not many PS5 titles) and it was really weirdly fun. Took a bit to get what it was aiming for in game play - especially as early on it does that thing of forcing the party composition and also there's a lot of names (and relations between people) to keep track of so the story was a bit confusing at start (and tbf it's still kinda whacky - peak anime kinda stuff) but intriguing. Fun and funky enemy designs too.

Because it's weirdly now a theme tune for an anime.

One of these bad boys. Obviously the first thing I played was the near 30 year old PS1 game Final Fantasy IX (though with Moguri Mod so it looked fab) Feels amazing, just a right amount of heft (though I wonder if it had more battery in that would have been an okay compromise). Only issue is a couple of the software side of things but can be easily tweaked - mainly in that the library has no filters on it except an overall "Great on Steam Deck" and your pre-made collections, so I'm having to make up some collections on the PC to filter a bit more finely. Also means you have to click through to find what the install size will be - which for a few games can mean that while they'll play great I ain't installing them due to being half the size of my storage. Which at the moment there's also no background/standby download and install so you need to set it away and leave the deck chugging along. But otherwise enjoying - great for the little games. Also plentyu of 3D printer support too so docks a plenty for major brand of USBC hubs (shame that british plug is a bit too thicc to fit in the back strap - there's US n EU plug cable tidies that fit right in the snug of the case). And support for PS Remote Play, GOG, Epic etc with quite a simple bit of work (at most some copy pasting to the Terminal).

This could be interesting. Being loving Radcliffe lately.

Was only on streaming - no cinema release

Thunderbolts kind of fills that in somewhat. Plus there's no Avengers/"group up" film at all in Phase 4. Which sort of makes sense - from the Avengers type perspective the big bad has been defeated (not like Loki has been in position to pop in and go "btw Kang is a big bad now"), and a bunch of them have been killed off or retired. Fury is off planet (as is Thor, though not really Earth based anyway), Wong seems to be almost the defacto super hero head atm but purely by circumstance of being the Sorceror Supreme (he has so far been in Spider-man NWH, Shang-Chi, Dr Strange MOM, and soon She-Hulk). Wouldn't surprise me if he forms Midnight Sons (and we have a few members of that in-play). Could be a neat addition - they've got cosmic marvel why not mystic marvel in there (though that is one area DC tends to be much better on).

Yeah it's weird. btw will say Ubisoft have been great of late with accessibility baked into most of their games. Really extensive options. Though some of it's on by default so still scares the shit out of me a bit when I load the game and get a vaguely Scottish voice going "Press X to Start"

Generally building on what he's had before- but there's quite a few things I suspect weren't done in the stone age but kind of a mix of "what we know now" with "what tools they could have had to hand" (so like no forged or power tools). e.g bacteria isn't exactly a thing that they'd have known much about in the stone age period (or Iron Age as this would be). Pretty sure he builds a turbine at one point too for a kiln, just with like wood and ceramic. (oh and in case don't know - put on captions for his video - it has the description of what he's doing) edit: what do you know, he has a little turbine in this.

I'm sure most of you have seen clips of the PSX demake, but now noclip have a documentary on it. I'm not a huge bloodborne person, but the demake has been interesting, and almost nostalgic, in how it translates a modern 8th gen game into 5th gen sensibilities and Lilith does go into those considerations. Especially how the controller is totally different, and the style of menu/inventories compared to modern games. It's neat.

Pretty hype for Sandman. Looks like it'll be decently put together. Kind of hoping that it'll do well and not end up in Netflix's "one season and canned" pile*. Seems like it'll be a good adaptation (in like style and such - I'm not sure it'll be a straight page-by-page type adaptation), and at the very least look pretty. *saw a good thread a bit ago that maybe one aspect of Netfllix's current issues is that aside from a few shows they can a bunch after just a few seasons so it makes a bit less engaging to pop onto and start a new show when there's a high chance it'll just go poof.

This is going to be an interesting film to see where they'll take it given the IRL death of Chadwick Boseman. Cool to have Namor in, though not a massive surprise. Was sort of alluded to in Endgame and Namor and Wakanda have been at odds in the comic. Though given Namor is sort of on the "hero" side, just a prick about it, wonder if they'll have him come in as an enemy then change of heart of maybe a bigger evil comes along, or what not. Looking a lot better for this second trailer. Curious how much of Hulk they'll have in. I imagine not cheap (plus would be a bit distracting). Kind of hoping to have like actual law side of things, especially as it'll also have Matt Murdock in. No point having two lawyer superheroes in and do nothing with that. And here's your Phase Five and Phase Six (though I imagine that it'll have more films/TV to add into Phase 6). I'm surprised by the lack of a Young Avengers. Thunderbolts* has clearly had bits dropped in here and there, but so has Young Avengers - my only thinking being to make Young Avengers one of their TV shows. Which would allow it to flesh out a bit. Can even tie in some of the comic bits given we have a new Vision in play (he's the one that launches Young Avengers in comics), though not sure how to get Billy and Tommy in or that'd nullify the point of Dr Strange:MoM. Otherwise we have Kate Bishop (Hawkeye), Ms Marvel (maybe), Patriot (just the alter ego so far - he's the grandson in FaWS), Kid Loki, America Chavez, and possibly Iron Lad (a version of Kang - so could pop up). *Not sure how they'll deal with William Hurt dying. Kind of need Thunderbolt Ross for the name of the film/group but not sure if they'll replace him (was kind of only minor-ish), or make it a group in honour of his name? btw if you have been sleeping on MCU stuff of late (I know a lot of folks with burnout) I strongly recommend Ms Marvel - very fun. Plus an interesting sound clip in the finale...

My brother "is this a Stranger Things spin-off". I despair for Gen Y (though did convince him to add Buffy and Firefly to his watchlist) This looks like it could be quite fun, music strongly says this isn't your standard fantasy flick. I kind of wonder if it will be meta in a "this is a campaign played by IRL people" kind of thing. A lot of folks taking issue with Chris Pine looking like Chris Pine no matter what he's in, and I can kind of see that.

Some semi-recent purchases: This was on sale and had been eyeing it up a while, had some really positive reviews and from the bits of gameplay I'd seen would tick a fair few boxes for me. Got this the other day as a sort of "tide me over" game. Into my Far Cry games a bit; they're a known quantity and for £12 can't really take issue with it. I think this one kind of came out without a splash (maybe in the same period of time as another game?)

So in the preceding video he does a Q&A with the developer and there is apparently a difference between a railgun and a coilgun. Which in his you can clearly see the "coil" part with the row of cylinders across the barrel. A raigun is the more flat kind. Coil gun you don't touch the barrel but a railgun the projectile is touching the barrel - which rapidly strips it away. Upside is it can get more energy into it and lob it a lot faster. It sounds like there's a practical limit to how fast a coil gun can launch something down to how fast it can switch the coils without just having the bullet stop dead in the barrel. https://youtu.be/NIl1XmEDdVY Todays video is him actually taking it to a shooting match and highlights of the first 2 minutes are "I have to ask - does anyone here have a pacemaker?" and "So what are the range commands for a coil gun?" "Hell if I know - load and make ready?". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVs1LPg-pYE Top comment - "People probably always ask Ian "why don't you bring something more modern?" and then he shows up with this. Absolute flex." Oh they show off the "BB" style one which is quite a bit tiddier.

This is kind of insane. Like as he notes it's still quite alpha level (and in the interview they discussed that it's quite a slow bullet at the moment, no method of rifling, and takes quite a few seconds to actually fire - so not military ready) but quite a bit more advanced than I'd have expected. Also weird to see how much of it is 3D printed (and even using some parts - the twisty wheel on the top is exactly the same as I have on my 3D printer). Also he shows the bullets against regular bullets, but like while the size is comparable - it fires the whole bullet (hehehehehe) but regular bullets obviously don't shoot the jacket). And having watched a bunch of his videos, including some with misfires, and that is the silliest way of clearing a misfire he's ever done (just drop the bullet out the front).

Yeah it came way out the blue. Only issue being it's A24 so not sure if it'll hit the multiplex in my town or more one for the indie cinemas.

some whacky films for next year Nicola Cage is...Nick Cage Michelle Yeoh is all the Michelle Yeohs (I hadn't been aware until recently but "Daniels" are the guys behind Swiss Army Man - so expect that kind of weirdness)