Streaming and furniture shopping.

I have decided to jump into the world of streaming. With some urging from Thraxxis, last night I set up a test stream and a friend tuned in to watch the corner of my game. 

Because literally, that's all he could see for a few minutes there. A corner. I'm so great!

After that worked out, everything seemed to go great though! The game worked, the streaming worked, I am a master of all things (or rather the three windows) I had going on, and am pretty thrilled with the prospect that I will finally, yes finally be getting this project off the ground. Streaming has been a project of mine on the backburner for the last three years, just before the spasms hit full time. So for me, this is a really big deal. 

I am going to need a second monitor though, it's been on the wishlist for a while. I had one, breifly, but Thraxx's monitor died so he got my second one. I have missed it since then, but I have a more pressing matter at hand. 

My desk is falling apart. 

I don't say that to be facetious or dramatic, the thing is literally 30% duct tape (Go math!) and I can hear it shifting and clicking in podcasts which annoys me to no end. Add to this the fact that it is tiiiny and has no room for the much coveted monitor, and you can all see the issues. 

Keeping in mind I live in a tiny apartment filled with the clumziest (but most wonderful) males in existance, my options for replacing my desk are crazy limited. Since when did it become a fad to have desks with so much glass on them? Tops, doors, shelves, you name it, they are glass. And if they aren't, they are thin and made of cheap metals instead of wood. 

Oh look the 'best' of both worlds, flimsy and glass!
(Pic shamelessly stolen from amazon.) 

The above pictured desk would take longer to assemble then it would stay in one peace at my house. And it doesn't offer that much more space then my current desk. It's quite nice and all I am sure, but it just doesn't suit.

All this for wanting a second monitor? Ugh.

So I decided, while I was in fantasy land where I could fit a massive L shaped desk made of real solid wood into my apartment, to just for fun look into also picking up a new chair. My current chair has me stuffing pillows on it just to fit semi comfortably. Not the best situation at all. But it turns out that chairs make desks look like bargins! Something designed to help my back actually costs around a thousand dollars! (Making $300 for a desk look like a bargain!) 

The whole thing has me somewhat sad and dispondant, I didn't ask for these back problems but they seem to come with their own specific lifestyle. One I need a kick starter just to keep comfortable in! 

Back pains and plans

Back problems are still a huge thing in my world, and though I wish I could say otherwise, it's pretty much the focus of each day.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that I know the underlying reason and am working on it, and though I don't have the funds to actually fix this thing up good and proper, I can (Much more slowly) work on it. It's not impossible (I don't beleive anything is!) But it's very hard and very slow thanks to money. :P

Stoopid money.

I know I say this often, but a major goal of mine is that I am going to redo alludra's pets. Maybe even mannerly mage. I want to put myself out there more, do things and create things for the games we so love! I just adore giving back to this amazing community that has helped me so much!

Handhelds

My 2DS is the greatest! Lately I have been having problems with the whole sitting up thing, so I have been spending a lot of time in bed (yay...) but thankfully last year I got a 2ds! It's been awesome!

Story of seasons is the game du jour, For those who don't know me, I am crazy about harvest moon! This game has me hooked in so many ways though!

First I could choose my difficulty. Whaaaa? So I can just have an easy time at it or play normally? Awesome! The game also lets you choose your gender, your appearance, and throughout the game you can change all that as the mood takes you! So much fun! You also make crazy cute outfits, so you can dress up. (There's a bear costume! I don't know, it just makes me laugh!)

To be honest there's a lot of elements in this game that aren't so different from other ones in the series. In fact, the studio seems to just build off the successes of the previous titles. I am surprised on how my momentum is going through this iteration though, usually I get a bit bored and break up game play a bit, but not so far.

There's also a free Pokemon game that I have been messing with from the Nintendo store. I am crazy irritated though, as it sort of plays like a Facebook game. You have a set amount of lives and when they are gone there's a timer. Oh wow. So fun. I am honestly thinking about uninstalling that one. I mean, what the heck man?? And since it's basically a Pokemon skinned bejeweled clone, it's not like it's got ground breaking game play I am missing out on if I let it go.

And then, on my tablet I have found myself totally addicted to the Simpsons tapped out. no idea why this game is such a big deal to me, but I log in at least three times a day just to poke my Springfield and have spent a lot of time designing the town. Maybe I just miss the Sims? lol who knows!

I kind of wish I had a laptop though, access to my steam library during the worst of all this would be awesome! I'd like to play more hex, and work on my Diablo seasonal characters, but that's not happening from bed!

Digging in the dirt

I don't know what it is lately, but I have spent a ton of time in my various games digging in dirt. To be honest, there's something crazy hilarious about going on your computer in your nice clean house to simulate getting down and dirty with nature but it seems to be a common theme with me lately.

What surprises me is just how much this comes up in game play. Most times it's naturally part of the game, other times it's part of a side quest or a later addition to the game.

• Minecraft -  come on, if I have to explain this one, you are doing it wrong.
• Harvest moon - you are a farmer, you can't get away with not dirt digging. Also, I am currently playing two different versions.
• Rune factory - Same as harvest moon, but with dungeons! (less farming emphasis, but it's still an important part of the game).
• World of Warcraft - Archaeology, a later addition to the game, and some would argue, not the best idea ever. 
• Terraria - like Minecraft, you must dig to pretty much get anywhere in this game. 
• Disney's Magical World - You need to garden to get ingredients for your cafe and clothing. Kind of odd but hey, I get to hang out with Eeyore. 
• Final Fantasy XIV ARR - I am gardening manager of my guild. They heard about my digging in the dirt qualifications in other games and jumped on board. The farm plots in this game are being used to benefit the entire guild, so no personal stuff for yours truly! 
• Civ - well I order people to work in dirt and quarries, pretty much the same thing right?
• Banished - more god mode quarry ordering, but this has more micromanaging then Civ does. 

I didn't realize it until I mentioned it on the AIE podcast, but apparently I enjoy virtual digging in the dirt. It makes me wonder what other themes in gaming constantly show up that I overlook. Even if you don't count the last two bullets, this is seriously a lot of virtual earth I am responsible for moving.