RMWeb Gamer's Lounge.

[big jim]

I was thinking it was something to do with the PS2 ‘music’ game, revolutionary at the time but looking back now, terrible, you could record about 5 seconds of very poor quality sound to sample iirc

[Classsix T]

10 hours ago, big jim said:

I was thinking it was something to do with the PS2 ‘music’ game, revolutionary at the time but looking back now, terrible, you could record about 5 seconds of very poor quality sound to sample iirc

Yeh, I had MTVMG2 (Jesus) and its follow up Music 3000 and indeed Music-X for the Amiga, none of which managed to winkle out any Dark Side of The Moon-esque magnus opus from my undoubtedly inherent but deeply buried music genius. Maybe I should have tried psychotropic drugs.

The first DJ mixer I had with a sampler was a Gemini job, a fantastic bit of kit and made looping beats so simple (and got me into crate digging for breaks). Garage Band on the iMac also knocked spots off the earlier software, but then the PS2 'games' didn't claim to be professional software and if anything at least were an introductory lesson in using computers for music creation.

 

C6T. 

[big jim]

The first sampler looper type equipment I got was on the deejay app For the iPhone/iPad so I’m quite late into that side of thing

 

I’m still more ‘old school’ mixing style from my vinyl days where what was in front of you was what you had to use, no sampling or loops but I do use them now and again

 

Annoyingly algoriddim deejay has just stopped support to Spotify and switched to tidal so I’ve had to switch to that however i have discovered that they have video/visual mixers that I’m getting into playing with now, it would be good if I can get it to run through the screens in the pub I DJ at 

[Classsix T]

I was into Hip Hop scratch mixing, so the looped break(s) on the sampler was effectively a third deck, whilst cutting, scratching or changing vinyl on the 1210s. Increased versitality.

 

There's a guy who's name escapes me that used a pair of turntables and a multi track sampler using like guitar pedals, pretty awesome one man band type stuff!

 

In that way I'm all for using tools and gadgets, Serato is just a step too far away from playing what is on the platter for me though.

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

Anyone with even a passing interest in turntable culture should check out this film. Highly recommended. 

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

The Stainmore Train Simulator route is finally available! Been waiting for years... Now I'm wishing the forecast for the weekend was far worse. Did a Penrith to Barnard Castle run last night, what a cracking route it looks like, and some nice bits of attention to detail (some point rodding, signal wire posts, and (what look like cosmetic) catch points, and I've not seen catch points on other routes. Not to mention the general impressive settings, and lots of custom buildings and stock and so on - that's why the download was about 5 GB.

 

It was also interesting in how it put known things in their setting - I'd never cottoned on to the gradient over Belah Viaduct, and in my imagination had always pictured it on the other side of the valley even though I knew from maps it isn't.

[Classsix T]

Screen shots?

 

Talking of sizeable downloads, I had Project Cars 2 update on me about a month ago, nothing necessarily noteworthy about that, but it was something like 12Gb!

 

C6T. 

[SHMD]

I'll be expecting Fortnite's Season 3 download to be HUGE!

 

It must be due soon, though, as I have completed all the set challenges in solo mode.

 

 

Kev.

 

 

[SouthernRegionSteam]

I asked my game dev friend about the file size of game updates as I was always curious why some games had huge 6GB+ downloads for very little added content. He was quick to point out that the size of the update doesn't necesarrily relate to the content added, but the way files are stored. Even changing one line of code can still equate to a huge download depending on how the game is "packaged". As a sort of example, I composed 3 hours of music for one of his games; he added it at late as possible as it took a huge chunk of the total game size, and thus would take forever to compile and then send the files to Steam's "back-end". Not only that, but any changes relating to the base code for the music might mean all the music would have to be "redownloaded". Perhaps I'll ask him for clarification later. 

[Reorte]

31 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

Screen shots?

 

I'll see if I can come up with some good ones in the next few days, I've been thinking of trying to recreate some photos from books.

Quote

Talking of sizeable downloads, I had Project Cars 2 update on me about a month ago, nothing necessarily noteworthy about that, but it was something like 12Gb!

I only bought it what, last week? The week before? And it threw a big update almost straight away. With all those fancy cars I'm still spending virtually all my time in it trying to shave a little more time off the Brands Hatch Indy circuit in a Clio. 1.7 seconds off the lap record and even if I combine each one of my best corners I'll still be well over a second down. There's doubtless much more I could do with tuning but there's probably a different approach needed to some corners I've not yet worked out. Just because Iin reality I won't ever be able to get up to the world record isn't going to make me admit it's definitely beyond me!

[Classsix T]

Personally, I'd take a second behind fastest lap as job well done. What I lack in one lap excellence, I make up for with multiple lap consistency!

 

Yesterday though I did my first online race with the manual gearbox. I don't think I've grumbled at length in the Lounge before but whilst I can hold my own in most cars, the lacking torque motors really suffer in low speed corners because the 'box won't change down. The best time I managed with auto was 1:26.250, but it was mentally exhausting and I knew from a previous race in that car I'd be hemorraging places. Had an hour to practice manual gears and at least matched that time (without rocking back and forth willing the car faster or swearing at the gearbox!).

 

Qualified 2nd with a 1:25.991 and finished 3rd, not too shabby! I'm not going to be making a habit of manual transmission though, it doesn't come naturally to me, yet.

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

Here are some screenshots from Barnard Castle to Tebay

 

[SHMD]

I finally had a go at Grand Theft Auto, this evening, after the overnight 94GB download.

 

I clicked on it and more installation was required - OK, only more 5 minutes.

Then I had to login, via creating an account, which wanted other accounts linked to it. And some basket had stolen my original name!!!

Hmm...

 

Then I played.

To be fair I did not know what I was doing, but I certainly did not enjoy the violence.

Then, as I do, pressed buttons randomly to try to progress but accidently shot a hostage, thus losing.

 

I started again, (being careful not to accidently shoot any one this time), and the violence escalated!

I was most reluctant and just couldn't do any more.

 

I pressed CTRL-ALT-DEL and uninstalled GTA.

Just not for me.

 

 

Well, back to Fortnite then, which is violent BUT in a Tom and Jerry sort of way.

(2 Solo wins already tonight at level 232.)

 

 

Kev.

 

 

[big jim]

GTA isn’t as violent as it used to be, the original was all car jacking and running over people but having seen Dominic playing it it’s almost a business simulator in places, he runs nightclubs and has income coming in from then but has to hire DJs and pay staff etc, he even has to pay Income taxes!

 

ok there is still the violent side of it but I just enjoy driving round and having a look at the map when I get hold of the joypad, admittedly it’s not for me either but it’s certainly a constantly evolving game with each update, apparently there are different modes to but with varying degrees of violence, Story mode, on line mode etc 

 

i much prefer a gentler game of mario kart! 

[Corbs]

I think the business/grind stuff is what really puts me off, it sounds like having another normal life on top of my first normal life! For me GTA is all about the car chases, headshots and thuggery  

 

Although in RDR2 I'm definitely more invested in the characters and feel 'off' if I do something that doesn't agree with the morals of that person as I see them. 

[Classsix T]

Pardon you...

 

 

C6T. 

[SHMD]

Epic Games seem to be doing a lot of free stuff at the mo.

 

 

Let's have another go...

I'll try this, as my brother has spent the last 20 years playing these civilisation games of one sort or another!

 

Kev.

 

 

[Steadfast]

V-Rally 4 is one of the current Games with Gold on Xbox. Hmmm, bit of rally, with added hillclimb, gymkhana etc and it's cost me nothing. And made by the people who made the WRC games (not tip top bit playable). Give that a go me thinks!

Oh boy am I glad I didn't even pay a tenner. The handling is awful. Totally unpredictable, no feedback through the controls. One comment I saw after playing it suggested the cars felt like they had one wheel in the middle of the vehicle! Graphics are a bit cartoony, but that I can cope with. 

I even reinstalled WRC 7 after, as I couldn't remember it being that bad, despite the cringey co driver. And no, it's not. Yeah it took me a couple of runs to get used to its handling model again (and only at a steady pace) but you could feel what the car was doing, and crashes felt like my mistake, not the game's.

Steer clear folks!

I was playing Mudrunner the other day, very satisfying when you complete it, but very very very frustrating when you accidentally dump your load of logs instead of delivering them! I was outside the lumber mill, saw the box pop up and hit the button. It was akin to RDR 2, where I think it's punch and get on horse share the same button, so it's easy to accidentally assault a passer by! The fun of games haha!

 

Jo

[Classsix T]

I'm having short blasts of Tricky Towers. Think Tetris, whilst being kicked in the nads, in a fun way.

 

C6T.

[beast66606]

On 22/05/2020 at 00:20, Reorte said:

Here are some screenshots from Barnard Castle to Tebay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've got a photo of the real Belah box from a similar viewpoint, sadly no railway and no viaduct, just a hole into the valley behind me and the box was very derelict (taken 30+ years ago now)

[beast66606]

Still playing Warzone and have nearly won a game three times now, down to the last 3 out of 150 so getting better - but at my age I'm more sneak than gungho !

 

I did a really noob thing which left me seething for several hours, down to the last 5 players*, I was making my way along a rocky face and spotted someone at the top of a wind generator, after an exchange of shots I finished him off and thought I'd go up top and maybe finish the others off, not easy to get shot from behind on a tower, but possibly sniped however I hadn't heard any snipers guns so I took a risk and up to the top I went, killed off another player - 3 of us left now, wiped the sweat from my brow and steadied my nerves, I spotted another player  heading to a barn, I downed him but he had self-revive which means they don't die unless you finish them off (effectively kill them twice) , they can move, but slowly so I jumped off the tower to finish him and make it 1 v 1 - and forgot the height of the tower was above survivable, didn't open my chute and splatted into a field - FooK, what a noob I am.  Bet it gave the downed opponent a good laugh.

Not far behind this was another last 5 incident, I crept along a wall heading towards a hill where I could hear and see (bullets) fighting, a brief pause as the two opponents reloaded (they hadn't seen me), I jumped into the middle and took aim at one with my grenade launcher and click, nothing, click, nothing, then I got pasted from both sides and died - and then I remembered I'd reconfigured the gun so it didn't have an underbarrel grenade launcher - DOH. It must have been bewildering for the two who wiped me out, down to the final few so expect a reasonable level of skill and tactics, then this dork runs into open space between two players and does nothing aside from waving a gun around ... and dying.

 

Back to the noob school for me - but it's fun and free, I normally play about 5 games a day (about an hour) - if I played more I'd be a lot better but I'm happy I can kill a few off before I meet my virtual maker.

 

* Warzone starts with 150 and a big map area, this shrinks every few minutes and everyone is forced into a smaller and smaller circle so you aren't left with a few players camping in an enormous map for hours and as long as you keep an eye on "The Safezone" it's easy to stay ahead of the shrinking perimeter and not get gassed.

[Classsix T]

Sounds like Predator Hunting Grounds might be your kinda thing Skip.

 

The Kotaku review says the game itself is good, if you're matched with players that know their roles.

 

C6T.

Although having looked at the review scores, maybe best left alone...

Edited May 23, 2020 by Classsix T

[Reorte]

9 hours ago, beast66606 said:

 

I've got a photo of the real Belah box from a similar viewpoint, sadly no railway and no viaduct, just a hole into the valley behind me and the box was very derelict (taken 30+ years ago now)

 

From a quick Google even more so now - nothing at all left of the roof (a couple of years ago). It would be a shame if it vanished completely but who would want to take on the effort of stopping it getting worse, in a remote spot like that?

 

I was searching for a bit of information for that area a couple of days ago (idle Internet search, nothing more), having seen Bleath Gill box in the route but no signals. It closed early, long before the line did, but a few years back what was left was excavated and the original nameplate for it dug out, in pretty good condition apparently.

[talisman56]

Getting into my latest game passion - making airports with Airport CEO and hoping they don't disappear under the weight of the PAX and my bad scheduling...

 

 

Edited May 23, 2020 by talisman56

[fezza]

Lockdown encouraged me to dust off the old ps2. Anyone remember these - all brilliant sports games still as good as anything since... 

 

Richard Burns Rally

Gallop Racer 2

Cricket 07

EA Rugby 08

 

If you want to try them they are usually about £1 online... a great cheap distraction to get through lockdown. 

 

Richard Burns Rally is astonishing - some drivers reckon better physics than Dirt Rally 2 even!