26 August 2024: Weekly Update

26 August 2024

World of Warships

Kuznetsov's turn. Ran him in the Soviet premium cruiser Kirov at first but wasn't having much success so switched to the 'war canoe' the Soviet premium destroyer Okhotnik. Slow going to begin with as my mind wasn't on the game, i.e., I kept dying too quickly. But soon I locked in (woke up) and got the results expected. However, I soon tired of playing as it was becoming more of a grind and, as with Sansonetti, once I reached the halfway mark (150,000 Cmdr XP) or close enough I completed the remaining requirement with saved-up Elite Commander XP. Then logged out.

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27 August 2024

World of Warships

Yamamoto Isoroku's turn. 

Also got enough to buy outright one of the Super ships. Had my eye on the US battleship Maine since its release but also keen on the UK cruiser Edgar. Wanted to ensure I had enough credit left over once my final choice was selected, i.e., at least 100 million credits. Undecided however as I also want to have at least one super ship for every nation eligible. To date, these are the eligible nations: Japan, USA, UK, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Europe, Pan-Asia.

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COVID

Forgot to mention that you lose your sense of smell and taste while you have COVID. Terrible feeling as nothing tastes quite right. As for smell, only one to notice are those closest to you. Mind you, your fur kids don't care. But people are such fickle and sensitive creatures. And hypercritical. Lol. 

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Soapbox Rant

I like to watch YT streamers who move to NZ to "get away from the rat race" that was their former lives in whatever country they originated from. Why? Because they get to sample and taste for the first time how I felt when growing up in Aotearoa. Having lived in Oz now for over thirty-two years, you could say I'm firmly implanted in my country of existence. I miss home (NZ will always be my home - my roots so to speak - as it shaped me for the first thirty-odd years of my life) but Oz is my home now. For good or ill. Met some lovely people living and working here; even made a few lifelong friends. Oz is the land of milk and honey to this Kiwi boy made good who never expected it. Having lived on both sides of the fence, I might consider myself qualified to comment on the differences and similarities between both cultures, and for the most part NZ still wins hands-down for those intangible qualities that I still value - humility and family. Learned early in life that "wherever I lay my hat, that's my home..." to requote a famous song line by Paul Young. Lived under all kinds of conditions from being homeless and sleeping rough between the roots of a tree to living in a million-dollar home. Structures are just that - an environment upon which to build your actual home. Tough doing so on your own; much worse when you have a family behind you expecting of you. Yet it still surprises me when people who've made the long move to NZ end up leaving after a few years. Trying to make the country fit their ideals is not the way to do it; you adapt your ideals to help integrate you into your new environment. Admittedly, it doesn't always work out but then that's the crux: if you factor in every little detail, you are always going to miss something. So, why not embrace the adventure and make it work for you. I know from my own experience, now that I have the life I never imagined for myself, I find I miss NZ even more. Maybe it's because my life is winding down...I don't know for certain. Anyway, those who leave after a few years, safe travels on your next adventure wherever that may lead you. Can the last one to leave please turn off the lights. Thank you. 

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28 August 2024

World of Warships

Today it was the turn of the Pan-Asian legendary/unique commander, Sa Zhenbing. Played him on the Tier VI premium Pan-Asian destroyer Anshan. Got as far as I could (end point was the last daily loot crate) before using up the remaining ECXP (plus some Free XP) to upskill him to 19-point level. That's four done so far.

Tomorrow the next mission set in the Dockyard event is released; only need three more event tokens to finish the event which come with this next mission. I will also incorporate the other Unique or Seasoned commanders due for upskilling in the grind: Philippe Auboyneau (France), Jerzy Swirski (Europe), Andrew Cunningham (UK), Ramon Osario (Spain), and Michiel de Ruyter (Netherlands). 

KOTS XVII is happening right now. Well, the qualifying rounds are happening. What puzzles me is that the games replays or live are delayed which can often take up to half an hour as in a couple of streams. Who in their right mind is going to hang around waiting for such a delay when you have CS2 games replays happening as soon as they're done?! It's not like hundreds or thousands watch KOTS anyway. Sort of turns me off bothering. I can always wait until AFTER the event's been played and find out then but by then who really cares. 

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COVID

Lingering recovery is frustrating. Able to function for a few hours before I have to return to bedrest. Any physical exertion, such as lawn mowing, is simply out of the question. Tried lifting a couple of heavy boxes this afternoon and had to crash shortly after as it took a lot out of me. I now regret not having the COVID booster shot when I had the chance earlier this year. 

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29 August 2024

World of Warships

Finished dockyard event and got the reward. Meh is all I can say for now. More relevant that I managed to upskill a couple of those listed captains (see above): it was primarily de Ruyter and Auboyneau who received the upskilling. Tomorrow it's the other three.

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30 August 2024

World of Warships

Ran Ramon Osorio, #1 Spanish commander (for me at least) on Canarias. Meh effort, meh interest. Another sesh tomorrow, same-same.

Stardew Valley

Change of game later in the evening to break the monotony of the WOWS grind. Usually a Stardew Valley session nowadays consists of playing one whole season. End up doing an all-nighter because I started late (COVID recovery).

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31 August 2024

PC Online Gaming

Slow grind today; still upskilling Osorio on the Canarias. To wash the bad taste thereafter, I played another season of Stardew Valley as well as a couple of other games in my Steam library.

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18 August 2024: Weekly Digest

18 August 2024

PC Gaming: World of Warships

Only 79 Premium days left on my account then I am free...! Today's session is a reminder just how bad this game has declined. Concentrated on finishing the Colourful Regatta event tasks; figured it would take just two runs in the Pommern, and it was so. Done, I logged out and went and did some work in the garage setting up new shelving and a general tidy up in the workshop area in preparation for its new use. 

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19 August 2024

Wargaming: English Civil War

While waiting for my Royalist army list to arrive from the UK I finally pulled out the remaining New Model cavalry - Vermuyden's, Whalley's, Ireton's Horse. Ireton's Horse will be Ironsides so three per stand while the other two units will be 'lighter' cavalry with two per stand. Aiming for four stands per Horse unit. Any spares will likely be converted to guidon ensigns...that's if I have any spare. Sat staring at the carefully laid out pile of untouched minis for a long while before I got up and walked out locking the door behind me. Lol.

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21 August 2024

News Update: COVID

Recovery still slowing me down. Lacking energy all the time - fine for a short while before it kicks in. Feeling tired always. Sleeping it off helps but then I get tired of sleeping. Continual cycle that is wearing.

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Mapmaking: Maps for my story

Passes in the Eagles mountains. A visualisation based on a description in the Background notes.

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World of Warships

Enjoying a happy routine for once. Incentive is to play my Pommern as many times it takes to grab the two Base XP rewards in the Colourful Regatta event. This usually takes between 2-3 games to accomplish. Then it's log out time. Today's highlight was on the Tears of the Desert map when myself and a Shchors were on our own to cap on the left. Didn't expect the enemy to show up in force though. Faced off against a Pommern, AL Agir, Azuma, Seattle. 4 on 2. Good odds. Lol. Charged in and managed to survive my bravado. Sunk three; missed out on the Azuma as the remainder of the team finally showed up just as I was lining up for the killing blow. Shchors hung back and provided supporting fire: it would have been smashed by either of the enemy cruisers so it chose wisely. Me? Well, wisdom I lack anyway. Good game though.

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22 August 2024

News Update: Sick again..!

Thought I had a pretty bad head cold but it turns out it's COVID...again! Dang! Having to endure that awful lingering aftertaste of the medication makes recovery an uncomfortable situation. Tempting to eat and drink just to kill that taste but it's not really an option that works because that bitter awful aftertaste stays throughout the entire period of pill popping. Aftertaste goes away once you stop though.

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PC Gaming: World of Warships

Longer session than usual because the next mission in the Dockyard event was released and therefore played extra games as a result. The Colourful Regatta event had three instead of two objectives but this was nothing major or even minor; more affected playing those extra Dockyard mission tasks instead. Played the Pommern as per usual thoughout. But drained afterwards. Going to crash now.

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News Update: Lancashire Games

Summer Sale extended to 31 August due to backlog in orders and queries, so I've just been informed by email.

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23 August 2024

PC Gaming: World of Warships

Finished the battleship requirement for the Dockyard event using the Pommern. Then did the cruiser requirement using the Zao CLR using economic bonuses to fast-track the grind, so only two more phases to go before receiving the Almte. Oqendo. I actually like the Zao and its derivatives and am learning its capabilities - strengths and weaknesses. It's one thing reading the pros and cons but I learn better playing. Sometimes I forget that a salvo of five torps can, if all score hits, total over 100K worth of damage so basically most ships are fair game even the superships. But 12km range makes it easy to avoid so use it to ambush instead. Low health pool means it can be one shotted if not situationally aware. AA defensive fire is better than average for a cruiser so it can support capping DDs without too much problems. 

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Mapmaking: Watabou

Is a town and city builder familiar to RPG and D&D players. Found a YT streamer who used Watabou to create a town map and integrated his townscape into Wonderdraft as a symbol. Pretty brilliant so I reckon. Watabou is free. Below is an example of what it's all about. After using Watabou and you're happy with the final layout export it to GIMP, and further edit to your satisfaction before importing it into Wonderdraft as an asset in Symbols. And voila! Below is what's standard in Watabou. Randomly seeded town/city scapes galore. Not 3D but plan view with structures in block form.

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News Update: COVID

On the mend but won't really know until Monday.

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24 August 2024

PC Gaming: World of Warships

Played three ships today - all Tier IX, all battleships. Did so to upskill their captains to the next level. Ran Pommern first and upskilled its skipper to 14-pt. Then it was the turn of the Alsace (now 11-pt) before ending session playing Lepanto (now 12-pt). Next few sessions will concentrate on upskilling my Unique commanders - Yamamoto Isoroku (Japan), Sa Zhenbing (Pan-Asia), Nikolay Kuznetsov (Russia), and Luigi Sansonetti (Italy). These four are at the 18-pt skill level. Will play them on whatever vacant premium ships that I have spare with/without economic bonuses (depending on how well they fare in-game). Will also run Jerzy Swirzki (Europe) who is the lowest ranked Unique commander at 14-pt. And possibly Adrian Johnston who is going to be my Commonwealth #1 captain; he's currently at 16pt. Expect it will take me through to Upgrade 13.8 (September) and beyond some to achieve my goal. 

Thought about creating my own clan just for the economic bonuses but then I remembered I've done all the nations tech tree lines except for subs and carriers. Only reason to really start a clan therefore is for the clan bonuses on coal and oil, and perhaps play with like-minded clan mates. Having tried it twice already, I'm finding it preferable going solo.

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25 August 2024

PC Gaming: World of Warships

First of the commander upskill grind. Sansonetti is first up so played him on the Leone, an interesting Tier V premium DD. Reached halfway mark (needed 300,000 Commander XP) and then used some of the Elite Commander XP already saved to cross the 19-pt line. 

Rather than make it a long grind, I am now going to switch to the next commander off the rank, Kuznetsov. Tomorrow, I will run him on the premium cruiser Kirov. Playing lower tiered premiums in order to save on the running costs - the higher the tier, the heavier the cost. 

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Wargaming: ECW Royalists

Received notification that the package has not left the UK because of some stuff up with the Royal Mail postal service. So the retailer is sending the package by courier instead. Should arrive by end of next week, so one hopes. Not overly concerned but then I am still distracted by this COVID situation which is slowly going away (test tonight showed I've still got a trace of it). But I've run out of medication. Being extra careful not to re-expose myself to the flu/cold again otherwise COVID will return. 

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Writing: Memo to Self - Be Consistent

When writing becomes an overwhelming passion, then fulfil that itch. Once done however, if it was only ever a one-off thing, move on to the next project or item on your to-do or bucket list. Keep moving. Before you do, ensure it's finished to the best of your ability otherwise it will haunt you to finish it fully. 

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PC Gaming: Command Modern Operations

Getting back into this game. Like the complexity of its design, the overall strategic and tactical objectives, learning to master and then coordinate the various elements that comprise the game, beating the AI who are more organised and efficient than you...stuff like this makes this game very appealing all over again. But I haven't played it in a while so having to read the manual fully this time to full reacquaint myself with the game mechanics. Will post a few sessions next month.

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PC Gaming: Black Myth Wukong

This game is selling gang busters, a trend that is encouraging given the recent flops like Concord and Dustborn. Over 10 million copies already sold on in the first week globally across all platforms since its release. Easily outperforming favourites like Cyberpunk 2077 and Helldivers 2 in sales. On Steam it's going for over eighty dollars (AUD) so that a whole amount of profit to the game/developers. From the few snippets I've seen from other YT streamers, and the overall comments thus far, this game is a big winner simply because it gives the gamers what they overwhelmingly want - a great game. Personally not my kind of game but I am sorely tempted to buy it just to see what the fuss is all about. Tempted being the key word.

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