Shmee.Me

February 12, 2016

People Are Upset By Quantum Break Giving Away Free Stuff?

I was going to write a little post about how awesome Quantum Break’s Xbox One pre-order bonus of a free download for the PC version was, but instead I am going to write a little post about how crazy people are.

First a little background info: Yesterday Microsoft announced that anyone who pre-orders Quantum Break for the Xbox One would also get the Windows 10 version for free. Not to mention backwards compatible versions of the Alan Wake games. This pre-order bonus is a great idea. It shows off the power of Microsoft’s new unified Windows 10 store and Xbox Cloud saves since you can sync your game saves between the two platforms. Microsoft I am sure thought this would be a great announcement and that everyone would be happy. They were wrong.

Xbox One loyalists got all upset that an exclusive game would ship for the PC on the same day and date as the Xbox One version, and that it would include Xbox features (the aforementioned could saves). Somehow Microsoft releasing a game for both of its platforms made the Xbox One less valuable. The Xbox One zealots felt like Microsoft was stabbing the Xbox One platform in the back.

This if course is crazy. Microsoft should have been doing this from the start. As soon as Windows 10 and the unified store launched cross-buy between the Xbox One and the PC should have been possible. You know how great it would be to be able to play your games in more places, and keep your same friends lists and saves?! And it is very close to being a reality. Sure for Quantum Break this is only a pre-order deal, but it should be an all the time deal. That way you can sell it to publishers like this, “You sell you game on the Windows 10 store you not only gain access to the millions of Windows 10 PC users, but to millions of Xbox One users as well and vice versa!” It doesn’t weaken the Xbox One platform, it strengthens it.

Quantum Break was going to be on my birthday list this year, but now it looks like I may have to pre-order it so I can get both copies of the game. For all of you that are somehow hurt by this great deal, look at the big picture. This is a great thing for PC gamers and Xbox One gamers, and something that can bring more games to the platform and not less. I hope cross buy is a trend that continues!

February 11, 2016February 11, 2016

Shmee Explores The Living Dungeon!

The Living Dungeon by RadiationBurn is a great strategy board game that you just happen to play on your PC or Xbox One! So it is perfect for people like me who love to play complicated board games but hate to clean them up. Hurray for games for lazy people!

The way The Living Dungeon works is you get five dice that have different actions on them: like move, attack, jump, ranged attack, and then some very special ones like spin a board piece or maybe flip the board piece to change up the dungeon completely. These five dice are the actions you are allowed to complete during your turn. So each person takes turns rolling dice and moving their characters. The Dungeon Master (DM) also has dice, but his have actions to move or add monsters, give special action cards to players, or change up the board even more. The image below kind of shows what I am taking about:

What is great is that you can either have the computer play the DM or let a friend do it to let him screw with you. It is also fun to trade off being the DM so everyone has equal opportunities to be a jerk. A lot of people can play The Living Dungeon at one time too with local multiplayer for up to nine, eight standard players and the DM, but it is still fun with less than that or against AI opponents. On top all of the multiplayer content there is a single player component too, but it is the same game with a story attached. Fun for if you can’t get any friends to come and visit. It is a shame this game doesn’t have online play because it would be a great way to kill a few hours with random strangers or friends that hate to drive.

The Living Dungeon is not without issues. For one the camera: it seems like it is always flipping around, and sometimes it is pointed in just the perfect way to get you killed. It really needs a top down view. Another is how actions are selected. When you pick a die to play the character will automatically have the action ready to go, but they are generally going to do it the wrong way, so accidentally pressing a button to quickly has disastrous consequences, and of course there is no way to back out of the action once you have committed to it.

These small issues aside, The Living Dungeon is a lot of fun, and a great game to pick up if you love board games, or strategy video games for that matter. These small games are why the indie game scene is so important. Something like this would never come out of a major publisher. If you have an Xbox One or a PC you should give The Living Dungeon a look!

February 10, 2016

And Now How Star Wars: The Force Awakens Should Have Ended!

This wasn’t one of their better episodes, but I have nothing to talk about today and it did bring up some good points. If you are one of the three people in the Unites States that hasn’t seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens you should know that this video contains major spoilers. Like you know … how the movie ends. Enjoy!

February 9, 2016February 9, 2016

The Magicians Is Like Harry Potter’s Crazy Uncle!

If you liked Harry Potter, but it was a little too tame for you, you will love The Magicians! It is darker, edgier, and people are dying a whole lot faster than in J.K Rowling’s landmark series. In The Magicians, the new SyFy show based on Lev Grossman’s book series of the same name, kids with magical abilities are sent off to Brakebills College to learn to hone their craft, so, you know, sort of like Harry Potter, but with a totally different feel.

I am only a couple episodes in, but I am totally hooked! College kids with magic, strange lands, twisted versions of Narnia, and who knows what else! Not to mention it wears its similarity to Harry Potter on its sleeve instead of trying to pretend it is totally original. I am loving SyFy’s return to scripted television. First they bring back Sci-Fi, and now they are adding some decent fantasy to the mix. Kind of like what they promised when they made their name dumb. I can only hope this influx of great TV continues, and SyFy becomes one of my go to channels.

February 8, 2016February 8, 2016

After A Long Super Bowl, These Are The Best Two Commercials!

After two Super Bowls featuring my Seattle Seahawks it was hard to watch two non-Seahawks teams face off in Super Bowl 50. This must be how Patriots fans feel every other Super Bowl! Well without anyone to root for and both teams doing their best not to move the ball down the field that meant the stars of the show were the commercials, and I have decided to share my favorites: best for a product and best for a movie. First up the Kia Optima!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r0FrXXKeiA

I love Christopher Walken! As a straight man I don’t mind telling you if he asked me to marry him I would say yes, and this Kia commercial uses him perfectly. His baige socks versus fun socks speech encapsulates everything wonderful about him! Bravo Kia! Bravo!

Next up, for my favorite movie trailer I went with Jason Bourne:

It was a hard call between this and Deadpool spot, but the Jason Bourne trailer was completely new, and the first look at this movie worked very well. Matt Damon looks ready to reprise his most popular role, and it looks like they are holding the camera steady! I know I will be seeing Jason Bourne when it comes out.

Those were my top two commercials, I would love to hear what yours were!