Opinion Archives

The Peculiar Aversion to Hotkeys

Computers, Enrichment, Opinion, Productivity | 10 July 2015

For once, here’s a post written about a pet peeve of mine. If you’re not into reading other people’s rants, then you may want to close this. This is about people who like to do things the hard way on computers. Instead of pressing Ctrl-Shift-Esc to open Task Manager, they would press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and click on Open Task Manager. Instead of Shift-Delete to permanently delete files, they right-click on the file and click delete, then click Yes to send to Recycle Bin, then right-click on the Recycle Bin and click on Empty Recycle Bin and click on OK to empty the Recycle Bin. (more…)

Fistful of Bolts: Thoughts on the Robot Duel Challenge

by: Sonny Go

Internet, Opinion | 07 July 2015

Robot Duel Challenge: Suidobashi vs. MegaBots

So that Robot Duel Challenge thing is going viral as of this writing, and I was excited at first. But the cynicism instilled by disappointing video game releases and the realities of adulthood are holding back my childish glee from the potential of seeing two fighting robots duking it out in real life. I started thinking of how they could ever put such a thing together and what has to happen once they do start getting the robots fighting, and some of my friends agreed with my skepticism. Let’s talk a little bit about this; not too seriously but just some fun discussion on what can and cannot happen. (more…)

Reddit Blackout and the Bigger Picture

by: Sonny Go

Internet, Opinion | 04 July 2015

Reddit is pretty much part of regular online routine at this point, but it had recently gone even deeper to shit. It’s not the usual mud-slapping like Gamergate and whatever SRS and SJW nonsense going on. This time, it’s a Reddit blackout after the firing of a key personnel and mods went on a mutiny. If there’s one thing wrong with community sites, running them is a perilous balancing act. Users riot under threat of autocratic control, but they also turn communities sour when given too much freedom. That’s pretty much the story in this case as well. (more…)

Batman, Steam Refunds, and a Kick to the Shin

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 25 June 2015

What we’re seeing now may be the start of a sea change with AAA gaming companies. As late as last year, they were doing deplorable things with impunity, as if knowing their products will get bought anyway. We can keep going on with big bad capitalist monsters and sticking it to “The Man”, but this development affects both big and small. It’s just that when you see a giant putting things right, it’s a bit unexpected due to the norm. (more…)

Two Sides of E3 2015: Hype and Cynicism

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 21 June 2015

Two Sides of the Coin in E3: Positive and Negative Reactions

Despite the negative things in E3 2015, it was still the best one in years. The previous ones had either been underwhelming or just downright sedate. Due to its apparent success, there was something clearly observable through the proceedings. Some were giddy and elated by the announcements, while others responded with either poker faces or just outright exasperation. Each party looks at the other like they’re the enemy; the excited ones look at the cynics as bitter old men and the cynics look at them as idiots who never learned. Despite that, everyone involved cares about gaming, so let’s look into the root of this difference. (more…)

Old Tricks: Not-So-Good Stuff from E3 2015

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 20 June 2015

After posting about the things I liked from E3 2015, I now put on my war face and talk about the stuff I didn’t like. When I was listing them down, I noticed that many of my negative opinions were many other people’s positive ones. With that, I knew I had to post this here to balance my little coverage of E3 2015 out and to attempt putting things into perspective. There are a lot of things to be excited about—even if that optimism may be seen by some as ill-advised—and there are a lot of things to raise eyebrows at. (more…)

New Madness: Good Stuff from E3 2015

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 18 June 2015

Seemingly as if it’s making up for the travesty that was 2014, the video game industry put up their usual masturbatory exhibition known as E3 in an attempt to make panties wet in advance. Okay, pardon me for that crass introduction, but I’ve always been cynical about shows like this. People seem to get their hopes up, only to be angry and disappointed about the results; I only want good results. However, E3 2015 was hard to not watch as it was churning out hype after hype, and I can’t help but consume it like everyone else. (more…)

Primitive Ain’t Easy: Banished and Living in the Past

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Television, Video Games | 07 June 2015

One day, while watching my usual string of YouTube videos (covering a wide range of topics), I came upon an interview with someone most people may not have heard of, but had lived through a very interesting period back in the late 1970s that isn’t very well known. It’s a bit unusual, but there have been similar examples since.While I may not really be an expert in this subject, I thought the similarities I saw were enough to write about and share here. (more…)

Game Hoarding and Dealing with It

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 24 May 2015

It has never been easier to get video games than now with digital distribution paving the way to bundles and sales all over the place. They’re great, but you then realize that you have way too many games and too little time to finish them before you know it. Video games now seldom get finished due to both oversaturation and the attitudes of gamers these days. There are so many games now, but so little time to enjoy all of them. I’m not saying outright that game hoarding is really bad, but you have to play what you buy. (more…)

Scorched Earth: The Konami Way

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 18 May 2015

At this point, we’ve been watching Konami turn their famed console gaming department into a veritable wasteland. Just about everything they’ve been doing has perplexed and frustrated everyone involved, from gamers and fanboys to developers and collaborators. Hideo Kojima, Koji Igarashi, and even Guillermo del Toro are some of the famous names that have recently been spurned the way a big Japanese company only can. This is certain not the first time that such a thing has happened, and it surely won’t be the last. (more…)

Criticals and No Scopes: Breaking Down the Lucky Shot

by: Sonny Go

Combat, Esports, Opinion, Video Games | 03 May 2015

This has been on my checklist for a long time now, even before I posted “The Apparent Dichotomy of Skill and Luck in Games” that tackles the topic of how different games are affected by different levels of skill and luck. This time, it’s all about luck, or more of the false perception of luck in various instances when victory comes from a seemingly unlikely instance. Most people would call them “lucky shots” — many of which are not as lucky as they would like to think. This may be a new flash to some people, but they can be practiced. (more…)

Where’s Our Cut, Fool? On Paid Mods and Steam Workshop

by: Sonny Go

Opinion, Video Games | 26 April 2015

It’s undeniable at this point that mods do very well in extending the lifespan of any game that supports their use. Publishers who leave them out are said to be behind the times, and those who are in the vogue seem to have been looking for ways to get in on the action. Their efforts have now culminated to this, and what seemed good now doesn’t. What seemed like a helping hand at first later became a stick-up, if you wish to see this truly as a travesty. Whatever your thoughts are on what’s happening in Steam Workshop at this point, all you have to do is look at Steam Greenlight and think about what you’d give your money for. (more…)