Mersey Remakes

…it may come up and surprise you.

So sang Ian Mcnabb and for once in his life, he was actually right.

Theory:

Games do music wrong. Ok, ok, not wrong but we’re very much stuck in a tried and tested formula which we rinse and repeat ad infinitum.

There are notable exceptions. Runman: Race Around The World gets it right. The bar scene in Prey gets it right. The end of Portal gets it right. Music is emotive and wonderful, it doesn’t have to be variations on a techno theme, aping John Williams or generic movie score #21 or some bleeps and bloops.

The right soundtrack can elevate something into the wonderful more often than not, we get a soundtrack that just fits. It doesn’t elevate.

I have been equally guilty of this in the past.

Experiment:

If you have both Left4Dead (the first) and Spotify. Turn the default music down and play through a campaign with this playlist.

You will, naturally, lose a number of audio cues so be on your guard. Despite playing the exact same game you normally would, the experience is drastically different from normal.

Proof:

via the lovely Mike Meyer. A request from earlier in the week from myself. Fulfilled for Klik Of The Month. Give it time to load.

The simple addition of Moroder porn ‘tache disco makes all the difference.

Conclusion:

More games need disco.

Right, erm, that was a bit mad and Capra-esque and sincerely, cheers.

I’m still reeling a bit because y’know, I didn’t actually expect to raise enough money for a monitor and sort of vaguely hoped I might cadge enough to offset the costs a bit. Yet, thanks to some lovely wonderful people I’m sitting here typing this on a new monitor. Ok, I’m not typing on the monitor, I’m typing on a keyboard and looking at the results on a monitor.

Which is totally awesome and amazing.

After a bit of mad financial wangling involving mailing the hosts and getting a couple of days grace (this week is hosting monies week) and the magic of a Paypal top up card (and the switching of hosting payments onto said top up card) and then using the hosting money to peg it out at the last minute to go and get a monitor, I can has visuals. Which is crazy stuff.

Bit of bargaining on an ex display model to come away with a pretty decent size considering and yeah. Bloody hell. Thank you.

Rolled back in and starting wending my way through the thank you emails and working out who I need to send “a special drawing” too with a monitor that actually turns on! If I’ve not gotten back to you yet, sorry – it’s been a bit crazy and it took me a while to actually let what just happened sink in too.

After a few days of the old thing thing barely starting before killing itself this morning, that’s weirdly special. Especially given the month or so I’ve had where you sit tight thinking “as long as nothing blows up, I’ll see the other side of this in no time”, it was crushing to actually have something give up the ghost when you know there’s nothing you can do to sort it. And then admit to that in public.

I sorta kept shtum about the hows and whys of having to drop out of World Of Love, it wasn’t just the money as I said there were care-y concerns I had to factor in too but being hit by a pair of bills that wiped me out the day after I’d spent hours writing out the talk and doing the slides was harsh and made the difference between “I could still pull it off with a bit of a wangle” to “oh, nuts – I haven’t got a hope in hell”.

Really, I can’t thank everyone enough and y’know, the download link and a scribbled cock doesn’t seem like nearly enough to express my gratitude. Yet, grateful and humbled I am.

So, yeah, thank you. All of you who tried to rustle up a monitor or chucked in and dug me out of a hole or just offered words of support. You’re lovely and wonderful.

I guess I better get on and make some games then. Starting with beating the hell out of Farbs.

<3

Bugger. Well, I guess it had to happen at some point. My monitor has died. White screen, won’t pick up a signal at all.

It’s been a bit flunky for a few days now but today it finally bit the bullet and killed itself. Fuckety fuck.

Problem is, I don’t actually have the money to replace it. Nor do I know when I’m going to have the money to replace it.

As anyone who knows me well is aware, I don’t really have much in the way of money. I’m not saying that in a “oh, pity me, hard done by me” sort of way. It’s just a fact. 50% of what comes into this house (which is not a lot) goes back out again, split between paying to keep myself and others online with the RR server and paying for my internet connection. My idea of a luxury is the odd cheapo game in the Steam sale and a monthly Spotify sub to stop me from going mental.

There’s a few kind RR subscriptions that come in but they’re small (but vastly appreciated) amounts, they don’t even cover 1/10th of the server bill but they do make the difference between teabags and no teabags at times.

And Bagfull, obviously, isn’t earning me a wage. Not that I especially mind about that either, I don’t make games for the money, the fame or the glory. I’m a full time carer and that’s always going to be my priority.

I bought the computer and all the gear 4 years ago when we had a bit of an influx of money. We spent out a fair bit knowing that it would have to last out as long as it possibly could. It is, aside from getting the odd dusting every now and then, as is when purchased 4 years ago as well (including the most ill purchased graphics card ever in the case of the 2900HD), we knew we wouldn’t be able to afford to upgrade it on the fly so you just hope bits hang in there till I dunno, something happens. Maybe you get a week where things go especially well.

So, fuck. I dunno what to do right now other than throw this out there and ask for some assistance. I can’t write any more games if I can’t actually see what I’m writing on (before you ask, I’m typing this on the missus’ ancient Macbook, GM4Mac is a write off in my books and well, everything is on the PC anyway) and the time it takes me to even consider saving up for a new monitor, we’ll probably be looking at 3 or 4 months out of action. Yup, things -are- that shit. Part of (but not all, there were other equally pressing reasons I can’t discuss) the reason I had to pull out of World Of Love was that I simply couldn’t afford to get down there.

So, y’know, if you’ve enjoyed my games in the past or something and want to help me be able to write more, if you want to say thanks for some pluggage or promotion or you’re just passing by and feeling generous… I’d love you dearly if you could help.

I don’t really have much to offer but y’know, usual Bagfull rules – any amount donated will get you all my games released on Bagfull for the forseeable future, fuck – I dunno. I can probably punt up a custom version of SYNSO or War Twat or something if you wanted one when I’m back on the road, or draw you a cock on a piece of paper and mail it you or something.

And you have my thanks, natch.

[I've removed the paypal link now, thanks everyone. I dunno what to say other than sincere thanks but I've had a go here. Thank you.]