It's that time again, I hope your Monday is off to a great start... sending thanks out to the essential workers doing what they have to do in order to provide the needs that keep our society going. At the same time, I have to give a thumbs down to the people going out of their way to make that task more difficult than it has to be. That makes zero sense, and we can't get back to a no mask life until the spread stops. There are literally people who don't seem to get it until they... get covid, and unfortunately, some of these people don't make it. Mask up and have a safe enjoyable week!
Xsplit was so laggy this week, I was wavering on whether to even do the M.U.M. this week. I'm going to mess with some settings and do some test recording this week, and if it still sucks... I'll just switch up. I did want to show that the W was obtained... but yikes.
Wearing masks stops the spread, so imagine COVID-19 if everyone acted accordingly and wore their masks. People are dying, people are losing their jobs, people are being evicted, companies are losing business, essential workers are getting sick, and that only increases the scarcity of everything when you think about it. It doesn't require you to wear it in your car, just wear it in stores and public buildings around others, and when you're in crowded spaces and areas where you will interact with things where the public, in general, will go (i.e. gas stations).
Not sure what type of mask is most effective? Take a look at this lab test from June, where the Florida Atlantic University researchers developed a cough emulator lab configuration to determine what the most effective mask would be. The focus is air droplets and how effective certain masks are, and we have the most effective masks in the test available for you w/ a coupon code to save 15% off. So take a look at the video to verify for yourself, and... let's flatten the curve.
Before I jump in... I want to give thanks to Astragon for supplying a copy of this game for review!
Have you ever thought of strapping up in fire-resistant gear, jumping into fire trucks, wielding axes to go all Jack Nicholson on doors + windows, and even gripping up water hoses to put out ferocious fires in a number of scenarios?
Personally, I never thought about doing it in a game... but Astragon delivered a simulator that showed me how much I could appreciate such an experience. I have to admit, when it comes to certain games... simulators can be a bit intimidating. Not in a scary way, but usually because they require a lot in order to get things done in-game... which takes away from the enjoyment... but that isn't the case for Firefighting Simulator - The Squad (for the most part).
Gameplay:Here is my first 30 minutes of gameplay in Firefighting Simulator - The Squad:
As you hear during the gameplay, I appreciate the fact that the game delivers a solid tutorial explaining the ins and outs of what to do in-game. I really (really really) appreciate this about FFS - The Squad because it eliminates the time invested in scratching my head trying to figure out what control does what. Some games literally throw you in the deep end and ultimately get less appreciation... even if they're really good games because the gamer is focused on how to merely control the game, which I know several gamers who end up walking away from a game they purchased.
Astragon gets two thumbs up for this title because you can play it like a lot of the third-person shooters. Instead of guns... you have a hose to take on one of the hottest antagonists ever.
Everywhere the flames of your opponent show up on the map... is another opportunity to put them out and keep the citizens in these industrial, suburban, and downtown areas... safe. Some of these areas will have more monstrous fires that require multiple hoses, while others can be simply put out with a fire extinguisher.
There are a number of scenarios to combat the fires in these areas... which deliver over 30 diverse deployment locations across 15,000 acres that resemble the Westside of North America. In some of these missions, you can easily run up and start spraying, while in others you need to break windows and push the fire back to climb inside and shut off the breakers because it's an electrical fire.
The number of scenarios increases the depth of the experience because you aren't just going from one area to the next doing the same exact thing.
Outside of the initial intro to the game... you have to drive the truck, but no need to fear... it's still served up similar to driving in other games. Things get a bit technical when it comes to actually attaching hoses and delegating tasks. Even with the tutorial, this is the bigger challenge I ran into.
Fun Factor: The fun factor in this game can vary. The fun factor went up when playing the game in multiplayer (when people were available), but going to the new locations in single-player was fun too.
You aren't entirely alone in single-player... but delegating tasks can be a bit of a chore. I would assign a firefighter to connect a hose, and they would only connect the attack line hose and not the supply line... which can be annoying when you're racing against the clock (I was truly like... WTF?!). Taking on the different scenarios can be fun though... but when you take out the need to delegate... it's just more enjoyable because you aren't tying up those annoying loose ends that pros wouldn't drop the ball on.
This is a con in my book, because if you need to rush off and take on the fires... you shouldn't have to worry about being the person that connects this and that. Perhaps an update could allow for you to choose whether you want to do this stuff manually or have the NPCs auto assist and connect the hoses so that you can take care of business. At one point I tried to delegate from the firetruck by connecting hoses and handing it to... the squad, in order to send them to fight the fires, but that didn't work (I had to be closer to the objectives in order to delegate).
I'm not exactly sure of how they could've made that better but I'm still trying to figure out the best way to delegate and tackle tasks as a team (in single player).
In multiplayer, the only thing you need to do is focus on being the best member of... the squad as you can be. This game wins in the multiplayer department.
I wouldn't have minded having a single-player story experience that revolved around... the life of the squad, the fire station, and gearing up before you hop on the truck and... firefight. There could have been NPC's with memorable personalities showcased during your missions and... all that good stuff.
Replay Value:The replay value is high because each location you take on consists of various scenarios that firefighters have to take on... and the objectives can be approached in different ways, especially in multiplayer.
Each level won't just deliver the same amount of points, if you crash into a car (like I did) or a wall then it will impact your score. If you take too long driving to the destination, your score will be affected. If you take too long with the fire, your points will be affected, so... keep that in mind and go back to the various locations until you improve your score.
You also have to unlock the different locations, which challenges you to do better before you move on. As mentioned above, you have over 30 different deployment locations, so there are plenty of locations to unlock + 30 achievements.
Price:If I could recommend this game to anyone... it would definitely be firefighters and even the kids of firefighters because it's a way to get a little understanding of what your mom or dad does... while also getting in some game time. I'd also recommend it to other gamers for some variety, and since it's priced at a solid price of $24.99... it's affordable for a group of friends to get in on the action.
Overall, multiplayer is the best way to fly in Firefighting Simulator - The Squad, but... it's not bad in single player, they just need to take care of a few things in order to increase how smooth the experience is. It's definitely one of the better Sims I've played as far as operating equipment is concerned. The ratings for this game are very positive at the time of this review, and I think that's because of how amazing the multiplayer is. That said, check out my score below and grab Firefighting Simulator - The Squad... here!
Gameplay 4 (Multiplayer gets a 5, single-player gets a 4)
Fun Factor 4 (Multiplayer gets a 5, single-player gets a 3)
I'm not sure if anyone else has been wondering this, but Amazon should totally have a drawing tablet by now. It doesn't have to be this small... this is merely an example, but they could literally have a portable version and a desktop version of a good drawing tablet. They make nearly everything else.
Did you know that Amazon sells things like oil for your car and even... Ibuprofen? Those things sell... I totally get that, but I think that an Amazon drawing tablet would be a head-turner seller without there being a major stretch to make it happen. If they were looking for a way to truly make a noticeable revision to the Fire tablet... that would be it, at least for digital artists... but I don't think artists would be the only buyers.
A pen-enabled tablet would be something useful for a large number of people... even if they don't realize it. Make the Fire pen-enabled and you give owners the ability to draw + write + sign documents. The ability to sign documents digitally goes a long way because you don't have to worry about printing things out just to sign them and scan them back in, which saves paper (and trees).
For now, you have the ability to use the stylus pens with the nub, but... there are plenty of drawing tablets on Amazon for a reason and it wouldn't hurt if one of them was created by... Amazon.
A stand-alone drawing tablet would be great for portable use, and it wouldn't be a bad idea if Amazon created a pen display similar to other products like the 13.3" Wacom One. If you aren't familiar with the Wacom One, it's also a tablet... but it's not standalone and lacks an onboard OS. You have to connect these pen displays to an external device for use... which in this case you have the ability to connect the Wacom One to a computer or mobile device. The big thing would be the price, and if the quality is there... the competition would be on and poppin'. I think $150 to $199 would be a killer price tag.
The Wacom One has a Full HD Display at 1920 X 1080 resolution, covers 72% of the NTSC color space, and 4096 Levels of Pressure Sensitivity at $399.99.
As an Official Brand Ambassador, I have to end the year with the new Arm & Hammer Disinfectant Wipes. If you're familiar with the post about the Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash... I said that it gave me solace that it took away any potential viruses off of my fruit and veggies. So to see the disinfectant wipes, I was like... oh heck yeah.
I have these in the office, but I got more for my household and a container for the vehicle... since I like to clean items before I bring them in the home. That just increases my peace of mind, plus there are more in the container at a good price without the concern of there being harsh chemicals.
Here is are the ingredients, which you're welcome to compare with your current products. I respect the fact that they use citrus-based disinfectant and that the provided info on the ingredients is compliant with the California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 + the New York State Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program.
Here are the ingredients for the Lemon Orchard scented option:
Here are the ingredients for the Renewing Rain scented option:
Things I appreciate about the product are the ingredients of course because I don't want to handle things with a potential virus that may result in us getting sick... but also... I don't want to have chemicals on my hands after wiping something while on the go (i.e. a beverage) and then I eat something with that on my hands. The same thing applies when I'm gaming, sometimes I eat when I game... which is like 9 out of 10 times, and I'd rather handle a clean controller while getting my grub on in between the action.
I don't know if they do anything under those circumstances once our hands are dry, but... if I don't even have to deal with that, I'd rather not. Outside of the ingredients I like the price and the amount that comes in the container. The wipes are durable, so I've been able to stick to one wipe when needed.
Wearing masks stops the spread, so imagine COVID-19 if everyone acted accordingly and wore their masks. People are dying, people are losing their jobs, people are being evicted, companies are losing business, essential workers are getting sick, and that only increases the scarcity of everything when you think about it. It doesn't require you to wear it in your car, just wear it in stores and public buildings around others, and when you're in crowded spaces and areas where you will interact with things where the public, in general, will go (i.e. gas stations).
Not sure what type of mask is most effective? Take a look at this lab test from June, where the Florida Atlantic University researchers developed a cough emulator lab configuration to determine what the most effective mask would be. The focus is air droplets and how effective certain masks are, and we have the most effective masks in the test available for you w/ a coupon code to save 15% off. So take a look at the video to verify for yourself, and... let's flatten the curve.
Star Renegades is a challenging game set around an interplanetary rebellion against an evil authoritarian empire. Fans and critics alike have praised its reactive, turn-based battle system and procedurally generated campaign, which ensure that every playthrough is dynamic and engaging.
Lead a ragtag squad of rebels through richly detailed landscapes, ruins, and more on a mission to overthrow the overwhelming might of the Imperium. Your enemies are more than just trash to farm — they’re unique adversaries that evolve after each fast-paced fight and move up the ranks as you play, forcing you to develop new strategies to survive.
Star Renegades will launch on PlayStation®4 soon and will also be playable with enhanced performance on PlayStation®5. You can currently get the game on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Game Pass, and... the Nintendo Switch. - T. Rivera
While playing this game, one thing kept coming to mind... which is how awesome this game would've looked on the Nintendo 3DS. Oh yeah... before you go, check out the newest installment of the Blu+You Podcast which will be followed up sooner than later. Game on!
