∞ Vince ∞

Just wanted to take a moment to thank again all those people who liked, commented and messaged me during my corona battle, the support was immense and I am very grateful. Anyone wanting to get to know me a little better, check out my profile and don't be afraid to message me. I am open to learn more about some of you great people on here !

 

If you're a nutter, feel free not to, but if you're 'normal', whatever that means, or relatively normal, like me, I'd love to hear about what games

your into, your systems, if you use Emulators or real hardware and general information about you.

 

For a kick off, I'm from London, I write and design games. I've been doing that since I was 9 on my Commodore 16 Plus 4. I never wrote anything for the first family computer, a ZX81, but I did for everything else.

 

I'm into shoot em ups, platformers, puzzle games. I enjoy a good strategy game but finding time to dedicate to 'deep' games can be challenging in itself. I was into Wolf' 3D and Doom but now FPSs bore me because of over saturation! Some of my favourite games ever are Bubble Bobble (ARCADE), Max Payne 2 (PC), Jak and Daxter: Precursor Legacy (PS2/3), Target Renegade (CMB64), Tetris (Game Boy), Blaggar (C16+4), Manic Miner (Spectrum 48k), Silent Hill 2 (PS2), Crash Bandicoot 3:Warped (PS1), Bounty Bob Strikes Back (A8), Rocky (XBOX), Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Neo Geo-(Emu) -No Access to Hardware), Joust (Atari 2600), Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck's Revenge (Amiga), Streets of Rage 2 (Megadrive), Punch Out! (NES), Donkey Kong (Nintendo Game & Watch), Enduro Racer (Master System), Flicky (SG-1000)  

 

Edit: Oh yes! Almost forgot. I'm going to try to speak to my Doctor today about the possibility of getting all clear tests / donating plasma.

Fingers crossed

Cheers

Signatures Sorted - I use 150% magnification on websites, when AA goes >125%

the sigs disappear.

 

No news from EAB. 😕

 

I think I am going to spend the day reading De Re Atari and drinking coffee. Have a good one folks, and if you can't have a good one, have a safe one!

 

🐹🐻🐰

 

 

Covid 19, put to bed.

 

Today, I had no cough. No cough at all. That is the last of the Covid 19 symptoms to go, aside from some Tinnitus which lingers.

 

As some of you may be aware, during Lockdown it has been very difficult for me to source (buy) real food like fruit, veg and meat. 

The online supermarkets seem to run out of all that because people are being too greedy and buying 3 of everything. Anyway I got put on a priority list by one supermarket (none of the others) and it allowed me to finally get some good stuff. I tried to get some nice pork chops but sadly although I ordered them, they sold out. Not sure how that works. Anyway, the picture has improved somewhat and I am now eating proper food.

I just had (have to eat around meds) Salmon, Potatoes, white and green leafy vegetables.

 

I never thought I would crave *healthy food, but boy did I!

 

It was alright getting by eating junk when I was sick, but now I am finally able to put the C19 behind me, I have no cough AT ALL now. I can start to enjoy eating well and possibly trim down a little.

 

I am now waiting on the Home Testing Antibody tests. If I can confirm I am done with C19 100% and if my blood levels have gone up during my Iron therapy I would be 100% happy to donate plasma to those who would do with it. If I could help someone, I want to. I just don't know if the IDA will preclude it or not. If I can, I will.

 

Stay safe people! 

Any fans of Tetris here ?

what happened to signatures ?

Six days in and I've a nice little puzzle game shaping up. Early days, but it's playable. 😀

Going to go offline for a week or so. I've just finished a game design and I am going to spend a week working on knocking together a rough playable.

I don't feel 100% in truth and think maybe I've tried to do too much in the last few days than I should have so aside from the game coding, I'm going to get some downtime.

Ps: Hopefully in another week things will look a little more rosy on the C19 front for us all. Fingers crossed for the supergeeks at Oxford!
 

I saw a program today, all these Army vet. heroes getting back into the fight to do so much for the corona effort. I have always been incredibly proud of our armed forces but to see these people after a full service record come back and volunteer to help. To see what they are doing. 

Pride is not the word. There are so many wonderful people in the world and it is so easy to feel the opposite but when a crisis happens and you see all the good good people doing their bit, well it brings tears to my eyes.

 

There are wonderful people everywhere, but they don't usually have a light shone apon them.

 

I worked in retail for years. In the warehouses, never got any respect or recognition for all the hard work I put in. I was paid poorly had few employment benefits and got treated like dirt. I

 

hope now all the hard working people in supermarkets putting themselves on the line in the process will finally get respect where it is due and hopefully a pay bump when this is all over.

 

Going forward I can only hope we all respect each other a bit more 

A lovely lovely man, an Irish man, a vet, a genius.

 

Noel Fitzpatrick who moved to England in the early 90s (we have adopted him from our neighbours), has been doing groundbreaking pioneering work with animals for more than a decade. He is probably the first Prosthetic Surgeon Vet in the world.

 

What he does is incredible. Animals that would certainly have been put down because their conditions- lost limbs damaged spines and other serious issues would have impaired their lives beyond reasonable discomfort into all out pain and agony, or leaving them extremely vulnerable are transformed into happy, fun loving creatures that enjoy life again.

 

Take Oscar the Cat for example. He was involved in a car accident and lost both his back paws and damaged a front one. Here Noel has replaced his feet with prosthetic limbs and from the very start he is raring to go. The world needs more Noel Fitzpatricks. 

 

Common Sense. It used to be a thing.

 

Whatever you do today, however bad it gets please please please do not inject disinfectant into yourself !

Anyone willing to explain to me what the Gridiron Draft is about and how it works ?

Here the Football Transfer Window consists of: Window opens TEAM A wants player. TEAM A agrees price with his current club TEAM B. They sign the contract, player is transferred. Money exchanged. A complete free-for-all.

Tried to register at EAB. Got a message telling me I was a spammer. I've never been a spammer and it is the First time I have tried to register. Any ideas ?

I'd like to start a nice, non gaming thread.

 

Featuring things like happy animals. Vets that have given tortoises wheels for legs and anything positive I can find that can make us all a little bit happier.

 

Maybe some family friendly non destructive stand up and stories about how people and charities have helped people around the world.
 

Anyone tell me where I could put that without annoying anyone ?

 

Also is it possible to create a one way thread where I could be the only poster? The only reason I say that is because then I could ensure it was only positive videos , images , stories and it wouldn't get derailed into other directions?

People trying to sell you something got smart. Now rather than not mention something bad about their product, they put it front and centre and claim that it is infact the best thing about their product...

I'm a huge fan of puzzle games. Unfortunately new systems seem to have quite complex, graphically intense games that take away from the simple 'one more go' nature of classics like Tetris.

Thinking of old puzzlers, anyone got any recommendations of favourites to go back to and check out ?

Anything 8 Bit, 16 even 32 if you can think of anything ?

 

I started my first New game design in 18 months today. I've jotted down various ideas but this was my first concerted effort to bring them together.

 

I'll work on this for a few days, Lord knows I have so many games I have to finish, but I need something to occupy both my mind and my time and this is the perfect bridge.

Now that I'm on the mend, I could do with either a Holiday or a good drink.

 

Preferably both. But I can't do either.

 

Social Isolation is taking its toll. I'm not the most social of creatures but four weeks without seeing people is pretty tough.

 

I live in a very beautiful part of the country and there are lots of trees walks parks animals and outdoor-y things.

 

 

There is only one thing for it. Knockdown a bit of housework tomorrow morning and get out the big new artist pads I got for new game ideas.

I can lose most of a day in a good game design. 

 

My copy of De Re Atari should be here today so there's a good read in that for a start.

 

Covid 19, My Final Post ?

_______________________________________________________________

 

It has been a full four weeks since I first developed the symptoms of Covid 19 aka Coronavirus.

 

It has been a very rough ride but I feel like I have all but beat it now!

 

 

This may well be my last post on it (fingers crossed, touch wood)

 

I would like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you that expressed concern for me, offered advice, comforting kind words, used likes thanks and emojis to show you cared and those of you that took time out to message me directly your thoughts and words of support.

 

Things looked VERY bleak on more than one occasion and I was close to death's door. That is the reality of it. 

 

you helped me come through this and for that I will always be grateful.

To all you strangers thank you so much. I hope some of us get to know each other better, but if not, thank you! Thank you so much.

You have restored my faith in humanity.

 

You were my legs when I couldn't stand you were the second steps along the sand. 

 

🐹 🐹 🐹 🐹 🐹

 

 

 

 

Corona Virus

 

Diary Day 26? 27?

I've forgotten. Either way it is just under 4 full weeks.

*

This is the first weekend in 4 that I have felt good enough to try to do things I enjoy.

Yesterday was good. I watched some old football. I had some good food treats. I took it easy and watched some Netflix (Tiger King, Death in Paradise and Iliza Shlesinger - she's awesome) and I did some reading.

 

I'm thinking of doing some coding today.

 

I have resisted the temptation to get any booze in.

 

I could see a lot of people getting ratted on the regular during this crisis but I will bide my time until I am 100% better first and then maybe leave it for a while still.

I'd love a nice couple of lagers, I just know that the avoidance of alcohol can be one of the best things you can do for your health.

 

The last time I went out for a good drink was more than 18 months ago and sometimes I am here thinking I'd LOVE a GOOD drink.

 

I don't have any kind of issue with drink, I just like it now and then.

*

Cough is less than it was yesterday, Yay! 

 

I no longer have an impaired sense of smell - for a good while it felt like someone was smoking in the same room as me - that's gone.

 

I feel better ' in myself ' and that muggy / I don't feel well feeling you get when ill is gone.

 

Head feels clear, as does my chest. I am not coughing up anything now.

I am going to have a (mainly) day in bed watching shows and generally dossing about. Give it a couple of days and I'll hit the housework and plan out some of things I want to do creatively in the next few months.

Fired up Netflix for the first time in ages ...

Anyone else watching Tiger King?

Mental documentary about all the loons in America who own Lions, Tigers Panthers and other wild animals. Fucking nutters.

Got more twists than an Agatha Christie. Highly recommended.

 

Every one of the characters is larger than life. If you wrote it people would mock you for your absurdity.

 

 

Covid 19 , Day 26 !

Only thing I've got at the moment is a bit of the cough come back.

 

I read somewhere (could be nonsense) that the last symptom to go is the cough which can last a few weeks longer and even a couple of months after full recovery.

I don't think I've fully recovered, but how I feel now and how I did feel is 100% night and day. Tinnitus has reduced again so that's much better as well.

 

I'm going to have a nice Saturday and relax watch some of my favourite shows have some good food stay warm and chill.
 

Those of you unsure about Covid and what it is like, hopefully given you some information over the last best part of 4 weeks and hopefully a little bit of positivity.

I've got quite a few health issues and I am coming through this. That must give hope.

Stay positive stay safe and have a great weekend y'all !

C-19 - Day 25

 

I tried to do some stuff yesterday, so I am feeling quite delicate this morning. Chest hurts quite a bit but it feels more like I'm a bit bruised up which I suppose when you think about it, I probably am. All that coughing puts a test on your lungs which are probably feeling a bit tender because of it. Going to take some pain relief soon, I'll try to do some stuff today and rest from the early evening.

 

Supermarket contacted with with a priority shopping slot, so I'll be ordering some of the healthy good stuff like Salmon, Haddock and Cod Fillets, Chicken Breast, Diced Pork, leafy green vegetables and potatoes and onions.

 

I might even make a tuna and pasta bake today, from scratch.

 

I can finally start to eat healthy again, coinciding with feeling better. Seems like a plan !

Thanks for all your support everybody it means a lot and has helped me. You've all given me some positivity and I thank you ⭐

S H I N O B I memory

Saw a kid in an Arcade a good few years ago.

 

He looked like I used to, I.e poor. One of those kids that had to get good at

Coin-Ops or there was little point going in. They spend a lot of time watching others play and try to get a head start before putting their own money at stake. 

 

What most people don't understand is, it is not the players that constantly feed coins or tokens in that learn these games, but the kids with 5 or 6 x 20p coins (about a dollar) who only has that to play with.

 

He learns quickly because that's all he has so he takes it seriously, he focuses, he zones out distractions. Every time he goes in, he plays to win.

 

Muscle and brain memory working together.

 

Once he's got the hang of a game he can go in and spend 20p and knock the game out on one life.

 

Impressive.

 

This kid took on Shinobi - the original - and was a master 

👍 he took the game out like a pro.

 

I love Shinobi Coin-Op (as well as the magnificent C64 conversion) but I've never got past that level after the fans mini game in the Arcade. 

 

The music alone is enough to keep me coming back to it let alone the fantastic design and game-play that to me at least never feels repetitive.

 

Anyway I was watching this. Normally in situations if a kid were doing something and he were unrelated to you that would seem weird, and probably appear dubious, but considering it was a gaming arcade and everyone there was there specifically to play games...

 

After a while there was a crowd watching. I don't think it took him more than 20 minutes.

 

Anyway, I go up to the counter, get five quid's worth of tokens.

 

Then I went back to the machine he was on and gave him the credits he was due.

Covid 19 - Day 24

 

I'm not 100% but I'm getting there. I'd say I am 76-79%.

 

Last night over a period of some hours, I felt my hearing come back.

 

Background Tinnitus remains, much much better and far more bearable than before.

 

I have a congested, blocked feeling in my throat. This is producing slightly yellow sputum.

 

All other symptoms are either minimal or have resolved completely.

 

This is how I feel this morning...