Jump to content
Register Now

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/12/2021 in all areas

  1. So I'm basically venting my frustration here because I have nobody to really talk to about it in real life. I always say that I don't really have any friends, but I actually do have one, but one who I can only tolerate in small doses. The thing is, she has major anxiety problems (a thing she can't be faulted for), and I guess this carries over into the video game playing experience. The thing is, I've dealt with people of this sort before, who get SO angry when bad things happen (i.e. they die a lot) in a video game and instead of acknowledging that maybe they just need more practice, they start complaining that the game is badly designed, is bad, unfair, too hard, or some other variation/combination of these things. Or even instead of acknowledging anything at all, just remaining calm and not getting very visibly and audibly frustrated in my presence. It really makes me extremely uncomfortable, and takes all the fun out of playing a game together for me. I mean, the whole point of a game is to have fun, but with this kind of person, when they get like that, no matter how much you tell them to calm down and just relax and don't worry about how well you're performing, they just can't do it; they must continually yell at the game and complain about why its unfair and how "this shouldn't be this way" or "that shouldn't be that way" and inevitably, "I can't play this game anymore." *sigh* She's a huge Zelda fan, and she was having one of her fits while we were playing this other game, when she started talking about how this reminded her of the problem she had with Zelda a Link to the Past; that its way too hard because enemies knock you like halfway across the screen when they hit you and you fall and die (her words, not mine). I tried to say that its only seems very difficult because she's not used to that style of game, (because she really isn't. She grew up on Gamecube and stuff after that, and has very little experience playing 2D games), but she -insists- that its a design flaw and a problem with the game, to which I could only try to hide my frustration. All I could really say was that "there's nothing wrong with the game, you're just not good enough." Admittedly not the best choice of words, but if I had said, "there's nothing wrong with the game, you just need more practice is all." (which is what I really should have said), it would have basically conveyed the same message. Anyway, I guess that's the end of my rant. Sorry for subjecting you all to this.
    1 point
  2. The Blackangel

    Rat Guide

    PART 1 - CHOOSING YOUR RAT You need to decide first off whether you want them to breed or not. If you don't want them breeding then you need to choose only one sex. Either male or female. Both genders typically get along well with each other, but there is always a hierarchy. One rat will be dominant. They will "battle" for dominance, but it is almost never true violence. They tend to wrestle or box more. Once you decide on your gender, decide how many you want. Rats are social animals and will not do well alone. I highly recommend a minimum of 4 rats. The more rats you get the better their health will be. Both physically, and mentally. They need the companionship of other rats to survive. PART 2 - RAT BEHAVIOR AND MENTALITY As said already there will always be a hierarchy. Dominance will often be challenged and you will see your rats battling it out. But just because they are chasing each other and wrestling doesn't mean mutiny. They are very playful animals. They romp and run just like children. They are actually quite entertaining to watch. They are also extremely smart animals. They remember like an elephant. If you mistreat them they remember it and will not trust you. If you are kind to them they will like you better. They love to explore. New surroundings mean new places to see. But unless you buy a rat ball, this is not a good idea to let them do. A full grown rat can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter. Once they do that, they are most likely gone for good. Rats are nesters. They need a lot of material to build a nest. In the wild a colony can have up to 100 rats that are constantly maintaining the colonies nest. They sleep a lot. They burn a lot of energy when they are playing, and tend to wear themselves out fairly quickly. It's not good for their health to try to play with them when they are trying to sleep. Wait until they wake up on their own. Typically rats don't bite or claw, unless they feel threatened. If you don't present yourself as a threat you will do fine, but you do need to present yourself as the dominant one. If they feel that they are dominant over you, you will never be able to handle them. Rats will however, give you a very light nibble from time to time. This is what's known as a rat kiss. It's the same as when a dog licks you. It's a sign of affection, and nothing to be afraid of. PART 3 - RAT HOUSING There are many types of housing choices for rats. You can get what are called "rat cities", which tend to run $200-$300 typically. Or you can get a simple wire cage or aquarium. I recommend an aquarium for beginners, because rats are extremely skilled escape artists. Depending on the number of rats you get would determine the minimum size of aquarium you need. It would be best to base it by rat. A typical aquarium for example is 20 gallon. With 4 rats, that's 5 gallons of space per rat. That's a good base to start. Of course you can go bigger if you want, but you should choose a reasonable base of space. You will need to have a very secure way of keeping their habitat secure so they don't get out and run all over. Clips on an aquarium lid work well. The clips do slide off, but can be difficult to get off, so you may have to slip something under the clip top to lift it such as a screwdriver or a heavy blade knife. Rats need something to chew and gnaw on. They have a natural instinct to chew. If they don't have something steady to chew on, they will start chewing on each other. They will go after the weakest link in the chain. Then you'll lose one of your babies. The best thing is an edible shelter. A good brand is SnakShak. It doesn't have to be anything super fancy, but you need something that would stand up to however many rats you get. If it doesn't last at least a little while, you will be spending a lot of money replacing them. Rats need exercise. Just romping in their home doesn't do it. You need to get them a wheel. Or two if you prefer. These are great for letting them run to their hearts content and keep them in shape. The type of bedding you choose matters a lot. There are a lot of bedding's you will see at your pet store. You will see everything from wood chips, to pebbles, to sawdust. For rats, get the sawdust. Wood chips are dangerous for rodents. They can get splinters, or pieces of wood stuck in their teeth, which can cause a lot of problems. The pebbles would also cause health problems since you can't just clean out the pebbles and put new ones in when you clean their cage. And if they were to eat them, it would most likely kill them. The healthiest for them, and your wallet is the sawdust. If you go with a wire cage, you need to put something soft on the bottom so they're not on wires all the time. A fleece blanket or sweatshirt is perfect. They will move it around to where they want it, and they will tear it apart, so you will need to replace it once it gets super torn up. I always keep a couple extra cheap sweatshirts and fleece blankets on hand for my rats. PART 4 - RAT NUTRITION You need to get the right food for rats. Also you need to make sure it's age appropriate. There are many types of rodent food to choose from. But just because it's good for a mouse or a guinea pig, does not mean it's good for a rat. They have a different metabolism than other rodents, and need a food that is specifically formulated for them. I feed my rats Oxbow pellets. The pellets you buy will be enough, but I highly recommend giving them fresh fruits and vegetables with the pellets. Nothing canned or cooked. Stay away from soft fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and grapes, or citrus fruits. They need something they can crunch and chew. Carrots, lettuce, and cabbage are good choices for vegetables. Apples, watermelon, or cantaloupe would be good choices for fruits. You need to get them a food dish that is safe for them and that will hold enough food for them so that you don't have to refill it several times daily. They eat a lot, so be prepared to be spending a good amount of money on food. DO NOT EVER FEED THEM ONIONS OR ANYTHING CONTAINING ONION. ONIONS ARE LETHAL TO RATS WITHIN MINUTES. Also be aware that you can over feed your rats. Over feeding can cause a lot of problems. Obesity, diabetes, and breathing problems just to name a few. So watch how much you feed them, and make sure they have a balanced diet. You need to get water bottles that will survive their chewing. Plastic will have to be replaced regularly, unless they can be mounted on the outside of their cage. You can buy glass chew proof bottles. They are a few dollars more expensive, but will save you a lot of money in the long run. If you go with smaller bottles you will need at least one bottle per rat. If you go with larger bottles you won't need quite as many. For example I have 4 rats. With large bottles, I would need 2. For larger numbers dividing by 2 would be a bit impractical. For example if you had 10 rats, 5 bottles would be a bit overkill. You will need to wash their food dish at least once every few days. Rats don't try to aim any specific direction when they have to go, unless they're marking territory. So they will go in their food dish. PART 5 - CAGE MAINTENANCE When you clean their cage, don't just scoop the bedding out and put new bedding in. You have to get all the feces out, and wash not only the bottom, but the sides with soap and water. When rats pee, they tend to spray. This is how they mark their territory, the same as dogs. You will have it on every surface in your rats cage if you're using an aquarium. After washing it you need to make sure you get all the soap cleaned out of the cage before you replace the bedding and put the rats back in. Soap residue can make them sick if they lick it up. And scented soaps can be attractive to them. Don't use cleaners such as Windex or Pledge. Just use simple soap and water. If you're using an aquarium, you need to check it periodically to make sure there are no breaks in it. If it gets cracked it will need to be replaced. They can easily crack it further which will allow them to have a way out, and also hurt themselves on the broken glass at the same time. If you want, you can get a small heating pad to put under the cage. A small one would be enough. You don't want anything big, or extremely powerful, as if it's too hot, they can burn their feet. So I would recommend against it, but if it has a low heat setting that is VERY lukewarm, you can try it. Just remember to keep a close watch if you do. PART 6 - RAT HEALTH AND LONGEVITY Rats are very clean animals. If you watch them you will see them cleaning themselves quite a bit. But rats can also carry a lot of health problems if they're not cared for properly. They can have organ problems, bone problems, respiratory problems, or emotional problems. The symptoms range from small things such as mood changes, to self harm, to violence toward you and other rats. You just need to keep an eye on them to make sure everything is going good for them. You need to keep not only their cage clean but the area around them. Remember germs can jump. Rats don't have the lifespan of animals such as dogs who live to on average 12-15 years. Rats typically live between 2-3 years depending on the breed. So technically they don't live long, but they love hard. PART 7 - MISCELLANEOUS Contrary to what many will tell you, rats are very high maintenance. Their home has to be cleaned regularly, their food has to be specifically for rats, their water has to be clean, their home has to be sufficiently supplied for them to maintain their mental health, they have to be kept out of stressful situations, and above all they have to be loved. If you get rats and then lose interest in them, then that is cruel to them, because they will no longer be taken care of properly. You have to give them attention and love. Just because they live in a cage or aquarium doesn't mean they don't need you. It will hurt when you lose them, the same as any of your other companions. But your life will be that much richer for having had them. They will always love you if you love them.
    1 point
  3. What are some of the games you can be the star of? Maybe it's based off of an avatar you make, but I'm speaking more towards the actual you, as in an image of your, or a recording of you. I can see a lot of games on Kinect and other camera accessory games doing this, but what are some of the really good ones?
    1 point
  4. Mike Tyson's Lunch-Out!! Mike Biteson's Punch-Out!! Bite Tyson's Punch-Out!! I'll stop now.
    1 point
  5. That is literally the first time I've heard a joke about that this century.
    1 point
  6. New game should be called Mike Tyson's Bite Out!
    1 point
  7. Empire

    Who likes Ice Cream ?

    So much Ice-creams you can have and pick but doesn't hurt to have a normal vanilla with a source over it, like coffee liqueur 🙂 I mean with vanilla you can mix things up and have more then just anything you want. Yes coffee liqueur has alcohol but not far too much. Who doesn't like cookie, most people do.
    1 point
  8. Interesting. I like it but things like how do you put a case on this new phone and a screen protector come to mind? Don't like that the fragile screen is exposed all the time. I do like the new ways of tech now days 🙂
    1 point
  9. 1. The Last of Us Part II - Time Wasted: 27 hours. Sorry for my French but this game just got me by the balls. It was a profound experience one that I rarely have with games. It was an inspiring yet devastating story. I think this game is so perfectly polished in terms of gameplay that it has no peer. The seamless animations, the attention to detail, it was all perfect. By far this was the best game I've played in 2020. 2. Cyberpunk 2077 - Time Wasted: 80 hours and counting. Initially I found the game just passable, but I'm thoroughly enjoying my second play through of it right now. I didn't much like the main story, but the gameplay is very similar to the original Deus Ex. And I think Deus Ex (2000) is the best game ever created. I already spent 80+ hours with the game and each time I start it I end up playing it much longer than originally intended. Most people can't see past the bugs, but I see the details behind it, and really appreciate them. And the game just looks stunning if you have the right hardware to run it as it was meant to. Even after 80 hours sometimes I just have to stop and admire the scenery. 3. Ghost Recon Breakpoint - Time wasted: 85 hours This game was a mess that I quickly abandoned last year, as they took it into the worst direction possible. Trying to turn it into another Division. I gave it another shot after they released a major patch for it, they turned it around well enough. It's still not as good as its predecessor but good enough to give me countless hours of fun gameplay. All the mechanics borrowed from the division are now optional, and can be turned off which makes the game into the immersive sim most players were expecting in the first place. 4. Assassin's Creed - Valhalla - Time Wasted: 64 hours I absolutely loved Odyssey despite its shortcomings, so I started this game with great anticipation. In some aspects it's an improvement over Odyssey but two steps back in many others. It was still fun and would recommend it, but if you skipped Odyssey I'd advise to try that first, it has the better story and better characters, just choose Kassandra, not Alexios, the game works much better that way. But I Digress, in this one the choice between the male / female protagonist is not as important, especially because you can switch back and forth at any point during the game (which I personally find a stupid idea). 5. Control Ultimate Edition - Time wasted: 17 hours. I was interested in this game from the get go, but I don't deal with the epic games store period so I only got it now. The gameplay is fun and unique firearms mixed with telekinetic powers and a weird horror twilight zone atmosphere, but I found the protagonist and story uncompelling. It's not a bad game, and unfortunately that's the biggest praise I can give it. 6. Mafia - Definitive Edition - Time Wasted 11 hours I absolutely loved the original Mafia it's one of my top 10 maybe even top 5 games of all times. And Hangar 17 just went and took a giant dump on the story of it. They have desecrated and disrespected it by rewriting every spoken line, altering every mission just enough to loose its soul, and come out as something inferior. The game's story was perfect as it was. As the age old cliche goes don't tryi to fix it if it ain't broke. Well they tried anyway. What makes this even more insulting is that they got the hard part right, they modernized the graphics and gameplay well enough, and then they messed up the story which was served to them on a silver platter. What a shame. 7. XCOM - Chimera Squad - Time Wasted 17 hours This is a simplified version of XCOM2 that simply has no reason to exist. It does not add anything to the experience, the gameplay is more restricted, less open ended and ultimately lacklustre. But the worst part is the amount of political propaganda they crammed into such a small game. You are constantly barraged with social justice and feminist propaganda through the entire game, like the writers forgot that they are not writing tweets onto their twitter stream but lines for characters into a scifi videogame. Most of it is tasteless and out of context. And the characters themselves are written as annoying and childlike, who revel in violence, and possibly outright psychopaths. 8. Command & Conquer Remastered Collection - Time wasted: 18 hours This is simply a cashgrab, the value added to the games is laughable, yet gamers seem to eat it up. I'm ashamed that they (we) can be bought so easily with a wiff of nostalgia. This is a shameful low effort cash grab that I doubt cost more than a few hundred thousand for EA to put out. And it already made them tens of millions. Of course the original games are not bad, and if you never played them this might be something you want to try, just be mindful that there is nothing really remastered. These are 25 year old games released virtually unchanged. They even have the same bugs in them from 1995. 9. Star Wars Squadrons - Time wasted: more than it deserved This is the Battlefield of space sims, totally worthless as a stand alone single player game. From the poor design choices, the simplistic narrative, the weak and annoying characters to the issues with the controls, it was not worth the time I've spent on it, let alone to pay money for it. Easily the worst game I had the misfortune of playing in 2020.
    1 point
  10. Instead of tough games, or games where you die a lot, maybe find a game you two can play that doesn't requite much thought or doesn't require too much work to get through. I think the game Journey on the PS4 I think it is, would be a good option to play. I never played it, but I hear it's quite soothing to play. There, try to find games you think could relax her.
    1 point
  11. I get upset with games myself. But it's not about the difficulty. There are multiple games I play on the hardest difficulty and enjoy them even if I fail a lot. It's when I feel the game plays dirty. As in I fail but I don't think I deserve to fail. I get extremely angry for example when multiple high probability shots miss consecutively in xcom2.
    1 point
  12. 5 years and still have not earn and or get up to the follwage you wanted has rip me out. One and only 🙂 stream-elements users OBS also 😉
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...