RickR

Oh I loved Galactica, both original and new.  The original has a special magic to it, though.  Apparently Galactica is getting another reboot as a movie.  Battlestar Galactica Movie Reboot Taps Jay Basu As Writer
I just ordered a model of the original Galactica from Eaglemoss that is being released:  Galactica (TOS)

I think these (well, at least the pac man one) are buyer beware.  This video suggests avoiding the Walmart-exclusive versions. 

I picked up a Hyperkin "The Trooper" controller this week for $15.  This is the "improved" version of the controller that shipped with the first run of the Retron 77 last summer.  Apparently, Hyperkin took the criticism of their initial controller and improved it for subsequent runs of the Retron 77.  In addition, they offer it as a stand alone purchase.  I'm not really in the market for a 2600 compatible emulation box but I was interested in the controller.  Here are the basic details:
Ambidextrous two-button layout  Faux "woodgrain" styling 10 ft. cable Angled corners for comfort Traditionally styled joystick  I put about two hours on the controller playing a variety of games.  For purposes of comparison, I also played the games with an Atari CX-40 (XE version) which I purchased NOS from B&C Computervisions.  The games that I played included Berzerk, Ms. Pac-Man, Q-bert, Spider Fighter, Missile Command and Demon Attack.  I really wanted to try a cross section of games that put the controller through its paces.  Here are my thoughts:
Build quality: I've had bad luck with modern 2600 compatible controllers.  They frequently break within just a few gaming sessions.  The Trooper didn't feel rugged but it doesn't come off as cheap either.  The button was more responsive than an Atari CX-40; it felt great.  The joystick itself isn't as stiff as a real controller but it didn't feel like it would break.  My initial impression is that its a sturdy alternative to some of the other replacements that are on the market. Styling/Design:  The first thing I noticed about the control was its angled corners.  These are a call back to the Retron itself and its an interesting/handsome look overall.  Functionally the corners make the controller slightly more comfortable to hold than a CX-40.  The 10 ft. cable is a nice touch and I'm glad to put away my Genesis extensions.  The ambidextrous two-button layout is a nice feature but I don't really need it.  Its a great inclusion for south paws I suppose.  One thing that is a bit off-putting is the faux wood grain.  Its a little too orange and doesn't really go with my 4-switch Woody.  They might have tried matching the original if they were going through the effort.  Control:  As I said above, the Trooper didn't feel as stiff as the CX-40.  Its a softer overall feeling stick that you don't have to press quite as hard.  During my gaming session, I found it to handle diagonals much better than the CX-40.  Games like Missile Command and Berzerk were a joy to play.  It also fared comparatively well in the shooters Spider Fighter and Demon Attack.  The CX-40 had an edge on the 4-way games, particularly Ms. Pac-Man.  I found myself missing tight direction changes with the Trooper that I can hit with the CX-40.  As I stated above, button response was great; much improved from the CX-40.   Overall, I like the Trooper.  It seems like a sturdy replacement/spare for 2600 compatible consoles.  It stood up well against the CX-40 for most games and the 10 ft. cable and angled corners are a plus.  For $15 you can't go wrong.  Also, I'm hoping the name is a reference to Iron Maiden. \m/
Have you tried the Trooper?  What are your thoughts?

Lunchtime unwind: 87,510.
 

Time for an update.  Intellivision games for sale!  Prices don't include shipping and offers are fine.
Loose games:
Body Slam Super Pro Wrestling - 60 Super Pro Football - 6 Chip Shot Super Pro Golf - 9 Slam Dunk Super Pro Basketball - 12 Slap Shot Super Pro Hockey - 18 CIB games:
Motocross - $12 Sewer Sam - $25 Math Fun - $10 Word Fun - $10

Awesome post.  I don't "modern game", but it would be interested to watch you play.  Heck, it may drive me to give something like this a try.  I do have a PS4 (my kids) upstairs unused. 
 

I want see what everyone here thinks of the latest flavor of the month, battle royale games.
I get that they're not for everyone and I've tried many, but only like one. To me, as someone who enjoys shooters, it is the ideal game mode. Allow me to explain.
I suppose I've been playing multiplayer shooters since I first controlled a tank in Combat. However, I really came to enjoy that genre when my buddies turned me onto SOCOM on the PS2.
We'd play almost seven nights a week, logging on around 9 PM and via the magic of the internet, be in completely different states, yet playing the same game, with & against each other.
The matches were always a best of 7 games (or 9, I can't remember), with teams of 3 or 4 squaring off against the other. When you were killed, you had to wait until the round ended to start another one.
Since SOCOM, we've played countless shooters on the OG Xbox, Xbox 360 & now Xbox One. However, all of those games (Rainbow 6, Ghost Recon, every CoD game, Battlefield, etc.) had respawns. You'd jump into a game, run around, kill someone, get killed, wait 5 seconds and jump back in the game. The game continued until the timer ran out or the objective had been reached. Rinse, repeat.
I certainly had fun playing those games but I would inevitably become bored with them after a few months. Every now & then, we'd stumble across a game mode that didn't have respawns, but the games never clicked for whatever reason.
Then Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) came out.
I don't game on computers, just consoles. But I had heard about PUBG before it arrived on the Xbox. 100 players start a game in plane, jump out of the plane as it flies over the map and you and you land on the ground with just the clothes on your back. You have to search buildings to find weapons, ammo & armor. The game forces you to move to specific areas on the map and if you're outside the safe zone for too long, you'll take damage and die. The last player standing wins. I was intrigued!
Before PUBG hit, Fortnite was a free download. I heard it was the same style (battle royale!) as PUBG, so I gave it a shot. It was okay, but I found it too cartoony & Fortnite also has a building aspect to it. I had enough to deal with trying to stay alive than worrying about deconstructing & constructing.
So PUBG launches & my buddies try it. We play it for months. I become obsessed with it. Some of my buddies love it too, others find it too boring/difficult.
Here's what I LOVE about it.
The strategy. To me, it's like a chess match. I like the slow build-up (it can be fast at times as well), figuring out how to work the map, listening for distant gunshots, remembering the flight path of the initial landing and trying to figure out where enemies are, etc. The game never plays the same way twice. There are four different maps now of varying sizes. The initial flight path is random, the initial safe zones are always different, sometimes other players land in the same area as you, sometimes you're alone. Do you engage those players, run away or try to find a vehicle and drive far away from the flight path? Some rounds you find great weapons. Other rounds are struggle to find good weapons. The game is not easy. You have a 99% chance of failure every game. There's no aim assist like a CoD game. The rare times I've ended up winning a match is almost euphoric. It feels like such an accomplishment to pull off a win. It's very rewarding. Every round teaches a lesson. I've been playing for over a year & I'm still learning different tactics to try to improve. It's flat out fun. Sure, it can be frustrating at times (VERY). But my buddies and I have had countless games that end in laughter because of something we did. For example, my buddy & I were playing Duos (50 teams of 2 players) and we landed next to another team. Neither of us had weapons, so instead of trying to punch each other out, we all sprinted to two different vehicles. The other team beat us to the vehicles, but we jumped in as passengers in each one. That had a hilarious ending. 😂 Anyway, those are some of the reasons why I love PUBG and battle royale games.
I mentioned I played Fortnite, the top-choice for the younger generation. I've also tried the recently released Apex Legends (free!) & while that had some unique features I hope make their way to PUBG, it didn't grab me the way PUBG has. 
I know many of you don't partake in modern gaming, but if anyone is interested in watching me play, I'm happy to stream our sessions one of these nights. (FYI, I play EVERY night. 😀) Fair warning, there may be a lot of NSFW language.
In the meantime, I'll be on the hunt for the ever elusive Chicken Dinner. (Photo from Saturday night, here's a replay of the round: Storm's Last Win on PUBG. This was only my 17th win in over 1,500 matches.)

I've probably mentioned it before, but my wife and I have been stuck with cable for a while.  We live in a valley, and it's really hard to get any OTA signals.  At the same time, we have two choices for high speed internet...cable or DSL.  We use cable, and it's just a tiny add on cost to get the TV service in addition to internet.  So that's what we do.  I'd love to cut the cord.  And as soon as we see a good "long-term" DSL offer, we probably will. 

My final attempt this nightshift:
I’m off to bed now, have a great day you all and keep playing! 😄

178010
 

Score: 94,880

I managed to beat the game after this! That ending music is as great as everyone says it is.

Improved my score.  Made it to World 2-1, my emulator wigged out on my first jump, causing me to fall.  Not sure what happened.

My other complaint: Netflix keeps removing all of my movies and shows. Netflix has gone from the replacement for Blockbuster to wanting to be its own channel. I like Stranger Things and a few other shows. But what was once a $7/mo. commitment for unlimited movies and TV has now shattered into $11/mo. for kinda sorta some stuff that I might want to watch, but if I want all the stuff I used to have I need to get Hulu, Amazon Prime and everything else. When did TV become a car payment?

I think one of the best ways to watch "TV" is to get SlingTV.  All you need is internet access and then you pay to have the channels that you want.  So, instead of paying for 100's of useless TV channels, you can select the ones you want for a fraction of the cost of cable or satellite.  Unless those services start learning, they will lose to these streaming providers.  I find myself watching less and less regular TV and more and more streamed content. 

Lunchtime score: 77,240. 

As long as we're enjoying the game, here is some history behind it:
 

I wish my mother was around for this.  I know she'd have whipped both our butts.  I never could touch her score.  She wasn't much of a gamer as far as learning every game but Centipede?  Man, she owned that game.
 
There's often times that spider will jump out, stay on one side or another, and just jump up and down tempting you to try to come close to it.  Then you do and BAM!...your spider food.  Awesome game and it was a blast to revisit 5200's Centipede.  It's back on the shelf now and I probably won't play it again until the next 5200 Centipede HSSC.
 

15680.  I stink.  But I will keep trying.
 

You can talk about the Lynx and Game Gear being better than the Game Boy all day long...but with games like this and Tetris, they really had no chance.  It really was all about the software. 
 

I'm using the MESS emulator and a Sega Genesis controller.  It works fine.  But I need more practice on this game, which I have never played before.  Love the music though. 

I heard him 1,000 miles away.  😄 Rick, next time use the super secret communications device made from high tech aluminum cans and fiber optic string.

3rd attempt, this time I got to 36040 points. So far I haven’t gotten past level 1-3 but I believe I can do better! 💪
I’m playing the original cart, this time on my Gameboy pocket.

Shhh, keep your voice down Rick people can hear you!

I'm using the MESS emulator and a Sega Genesis controller.  It works fine.  But I need more practice on this game, which I have never played before.  Love the music though. 

15680.  I stink.  But I will keep trying.