by janetgarcia94

Save Point March 2018

Hey all, it’s been a while. Rather than try and encapsulate 2 months into 1 I’m going to mainly focus on March.

A few things from February though…

I had an article go up on Kotaku: My Grandiose Quest To Play (and Love) FIFA’s Most Underappreciated Teams. Which involved me breaking down those elaborate region based FIFA tournaments I do with my brother Edwin and explaining the beauty of FIFA (18): it connects us with those around us and the world at large.

I had another article go up on Nerd Much: The Value of Finishing Video Games You Don’t Like where I shared my experiences finishing games I’m not crazy about, what I got out of that, and how this doesn’t mean I finish every game I start (an important distinction).

I GOT A GAMING PC

That’s right; that’s right. It finally happened and wow this has already drastically improved my life. So many more video games are available right at my finger tips and (perhaps more importantly) editing/video recording is so much smoother.

I bought a Cyber Power PC AMD Ryzen 5 1600X which you can watch me unbox on my channel. I linked everything I purchased, in detail, in the description.

Speaking of YouTube

Things have been going great. I’m almost at 250 subscribers so make sure you’ve subscribed if you haven’t already.

I finally got around to doing my 100+ subs celebration (an ask me anything video):

For 200 subs I’m doing a room tour. I already recorded the footage: I just have to edit it together.

Lastly, I had my first ever guest on the channel! My brother came through: he gifted me a surprise gift from Kickstarter. The Brawler 64 Gamepad aka a N64 controller with modern updates. We open it up, give first impression, and play it to get a feel for how it actually controls. I loved doing this collab. We got almost 500 views on this video, 23 likes, and a lot of comments so I’m happy to say the community loved it too.

Speaking of Collabs

I guested on Nintendo Domain Podcast again. This Nintendo podcast has such a great cast of guys. Conversations always feel relaxed and well balanced so if you’re a Nintendo fan definitely check this out.

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This time around I talk about Kirby.

I also featured on We The Nerdy’s Gamer Cast for the first time.

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Sean Capri, the host of this podcast, reached out to me to collab. That’s when I went through the archives of his show and I have to say: WOW. He has so much energy. He’s a quirky passionate person and his podcast is definitely a must listen. I was so inspired going through the archives and hearing him talk to other creatives. You can check out my guest feature here.

Lastly, I guested on The Bad Bit Show podcast

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and talked about what it’s like being a woman trying to make it in the industry (among other things).

Website Updates

Logos

You may have already noticed but I completely updated this site thanks to some work from my friend Katherine and my Ally Almore. Katherine does 2D art for fun and Ally is a professional photographer in Chicago, IL.

Katherine designed some logos. Here is the one you can find on the website.

cropped-cropped1.jpgAnd this one is used for other platforms:

Gameonysus Banner

 

Headquarters Beercade photshoot

You can see those photos across my platforms online but here are a few you might’ve missed/that I may not have used yet. For more of Ally’s work you can check out her website.

JanetFinal-12

JanetFinal-11

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JanetFinal-13

JanetFinal-1

Patreon is going strong

I gained 2 new folks on Patreon and one of my Patrons raised their pledge! If you’re not familiar with my work on Patreon you can watch this video:

I’m about $22 shy from doubling my video output. Yay!

Coming Up…

  • 2 videos for The Bulletin, a series I’m running on Nerd Much’s YouTube channel
  • More articles for Nerd Much.
  • My first ever convention! The Midwest Gaming Classic
  • Reviews on my channel

What I’m Playing

  • Kirby Star Allies
  • Dishonored
  • Doom

To keep up with the games I’m playing, have played, etc check out my Grouvee page.

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by janetgarcia94

Save Point January 2018: YouTube gets serious, Patreon launches, and a new video series emerges.

Hey everyone!

I’ll be posting here in a newsletter format to let you know what I’ve been up to (at the end of every month). January definitely felt like the longest month of my life. As cliche as it sounds, January was underscored by endings and beginnings (both personally and professionally). But I do love the start of a new year: it feels like a clean slate, a time to evaluate things… to commit, recommit, or let things go.

YouTube Channel

I started my YouTube channel late into 2017 but this is the year I make it consistent (starting with a new video every 2 weeks). Because I wanted to already have content on there before rolling out my Patreon I actually ended up posting 4 videos this month + an intro video and a video explaining my Patreon (like I said this month was insane).

I gave advice on managing your backlog so you can actually get through your games. There’s an awesome website, called Grouvee, where you can keep track of everything. I relayed all that info here:

Speaking of backlogs your girl BEAT 18 GAMES IN 2017 and I go through all of them here, giving a mini review of them for approx 2 minutes each. I worked so hard on this one, trying to make it as concise as possible.

Things got fiery in the comments section when I talked about how the Overwatch League has no women and sexism in gaming (in general). Specifically, I talked about Nathan Greyson’s article which includes some pretty unsettling comments from the coaches explaining why there are no women. Some of these reasons include people might think it’s a publicity stunt, whatever woman we choose needs to be able to withstand the sexism so we can’t just pick anyone, and co-ed housing adds complications. Wow.

But also hey this my highest viewed video (currently at 445 views)!

And last up I did a video showing off the nerdiest things in my bedroom which was pretty fun and a nice piece of neutral content after a controversial video.

I gained about 91 subscribers in January alone bringing my total subs to 130+ This also means I’ll be doing a Ask Me Anything video to celebrate hitting 100 subs. My goal is to keep this consistent with with the goal of making it even bigger. That’s where Patreon comes in.

Patreon

I have reward tiers at $1, $2, $3, $5, and $10 featuring early access and exclusive content. You can get the full breakdown of my background, why I’m doing Patreon, what you get, and what I plan to do with the money here:

I’m excited to say I already have 11 patrons!! Holy cow, I’m so humbled and excited. Even if you can’t give any money I encourage you guys to follow me on there cause I do public posts there that I don’t do elsewhere and it’s a way for you to keep up with my work. Click here to check out my Patreon.

The Bulletin via Nerd Much

As many of you know I’ve been writing for Nerd Much for over a year now and my boss just invited me to start my own video series! I’ll be doing 2-9 minute videos on there discussing hot topics in the industry. Unlike my YouTube channel this will be much more news focussed with me commenting on the latest trends.

The plan is to do about 2 videos a month. My first one was about where Mario should go from here…

My second was a recap/response to the Nintendo Direct Mini. There are some really fun cuts and props used in this one so definitely check it out because let’s face it, you probably forgot some of the dates for those games:

Other updates/coming up…

I’m definitely still writing! But with all the video content I was working on articles took a backseat this month. Don’t worry though. I already have another article in drafts for Nerd Much and I pitched an article to another site and it was accepted! Can’t wait to share more details with you but I’m waiting for it to actually get published first.

What I’m Playing

  • Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
  • The End Is Nigh
  • Celeste

^Celeste is my number 1 focus right now. Then Mario + Rabbids and then I’ll eventually swing back to The End Is Nigh but all these games are incredible.  Holy cow though, Bayonetta is coming and so is Fe and I need to clear out some of these games.

My New Year’s Resolutions

Here are my gaming/video game journalism related resolutions:

  • beat 19 or more video games
  • get 1,000 YouTube subscribers
  • get 1,000 twitter followers
  • get 100 patrons
  • be published on a major, big name site
  • be consistent with NerdMuch and YouTube/Patreon
  • go to more community events
  • be a better “fan” (support creators on Patreon, consume more content)

So far things are off to a very decent start. I’m on pace to hit my YouTube and Patreon goals (though Patreon feels harder to grow). I’ve joined a lot of folks on Patreon (such as Alanah Pearce, the Video Game History Foundation, and more). And I’m trying to watch more on YouTube (I actually never really watched Gaming Historian but I’m about to binge all of it to be honest).

Community events didn’t happen too much this month but I did join Chicago Loot Drop, a volunteer org that uses nerdom to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.

Now I just need to beat some games. Nothing completed in January but I’m guaranteed to finish some in February. I’m excited to catch my breathe after all this content I cranked out (that being said I recorded 3 videos yesterday so not much of a break I guess)

by janetgarcia94

Website Update

When I started this website I decided it would be a hub world for all my gaming thoughts: it both has and hasn’t been that. Currently gameonysus.com is schrödinger’s blog. I want to make the focus clearer so here’s what I have in mind going forward. 

Rather than trying to make this site both a portfolio and a blog in itself, I’m going to take the former route. This will officially be a hub world rather than its own world as well. Here’s what you can expect from here on out:

  • Updates featuring the work I’ve done in a give month.
  • Permanent links to all the places you can follow me and view my content.
  • As necessary, informal posts updating you on my gaming life & career in the games industry.

So what does that mean for the other series I’ve started here? 
Rest assured, I will be adding to my fuckboys in gaming history series. It’s what the world needs.

I don’t want to announce anything just yet but my plan is to create another blog (or two!) so that my content can be given a proper home and space to grow. This will help me be more organized because now my website will have a clear purpose. I also hope this will be helpful to all of you. Maybe some people like the writing I’ve done here but don’t care for updates on my other projects or vice versa. By separating everything and giving it all a clear mission statement, I can be more organized and you guys can get the content you actually want. Remember you can read my articles on NerdMuch.com, check out my YouTube content on Bit By Bit, like my Facebook page for gaming updates and some live videos, and follow me on Twitter.

Stay tuned!

–J

by janetgarcia94

Hiphop x Video Games: Super Mario World by Logic

This post is the first in a series called Hiphop x Video Games which highlights the overlap between the two. Both hiphop and games have been with me since early childhood and have made a huge impact on me. For this reason, I always got a kick out of the video game references made in hiphop songs; hopefully you do too. Here’s the first one up:

Super Mario World

Artist: Logic
Album: Bobby Tarantino

Logic’s Super Mario World has almost no direct video game references so why did he call this song Super Mario World? Personally, these are the video game references that I find most intriguing.

In the case of Logic, the answer to this question is two-fold.

1. Logic loves video games

One of the few video game references in this song are as follows:

[Hook/Interlude]
…
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness
Oh my goodness, oh my God
I’m like, oh my goodness
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness
Oh my goodness, oh my God
I just beat that Uncharted 4, lit

and similarly, at the end,:

Oh my goodness, oh my God
I’m like, oh my goodness
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness
Oh my goodness, oh my God
Fuck, Jurassic Park… lit

This guy is a video game nerd. So much so that he actually has his own YouTube channel for Let’s Plays, Walkthroughs, and random nerd stuff:

Thus the inclusion of Uncharted 4 and Jurassic Park was just Logic nerding out between verses/hooks.

2. The tone/mood of the song makes the Super Mario World title fitting.

This song’s beat is very “video game-y” due to the synth effect that’s used. There’s a straight forward, light hearted bounce to this track which fits the title.

But to me the grandiosity of the song is what speaks to Super Mario World the most.

Super Mario World is a classic game, a staple of the series, and arguably one of the greatest games of all time.

SuperMarioWorld_CED

On this track Logic presents himself as the Super Mario World of rap by boasting during the entire song, here’s an example from the final verse:

Yeah, it’s that Flexicution, I want retribution
Y’all gone fuck around and make me wake up Lucian
And I don’t think y’all ready for the revolution
Boy your shit is pollution, Logic got the solution
Motherfuckers used to hate us
Now they sayin’ that they made us
Everyone know I’m the greatest

Logic’s Super Mario World has the light hearted bravado that’s quintessentially part of the Mario IP. And with the fast, lyrical verses and catchy hook, I have to say it lives up to its name.

by egarcia88

What the Nintendo Switch Needs to Do to Be Successful in 2017

I’ve had the Nintendo Switch since launch day and so far I’m very happy with the console. I’m surprised with how much I enjoy its portability and, so far, I’ve played Breath of the Wild, Binding of Issac, Shovel Knight, and the demo of Snipperclips. Still, despite my current enthusiasm, I have some concerns with the Switch. Below I’ve explained some key points for what the Switch need to do to have a successful 2017.

Online Service has to be worth it

Nintendo has had abysmal online service since the Wii. It’s always been hard to add friends, impossible to talk to people without using secondary devices, and the actual interface always looked more barren than clean. At least it was free. Not anymore, but that will hopefully be a good thing. It has to be a good thing. Nintendo has failed at online for so long that they can’t fail with this new online service that requires payment. I’m already concerned with the “you get free game(s) like with Microsoft and Sony, but then you have to pay” feature. And the vagueness of how easy it will be to communicate with friends (can I use a Bluetooth enabled headset? Can I use a headset? Will I need/ have to use the app to talk to people?) is usually is a bad sign. Also the price worries me. Xbox Live and PS Plus are $9.99 a month. Nintendo’s service is going to be $4.99 a month. Will they still have all the bells and whistles their competitors have or will it be half the service for half the price?

The app has to be worth it

Similar to the online service, this new app has to be good. I’m not too concerned about the app. I think they’ll get it right. Also since some people just won’t want to use it (I.e they won’t play online or won’t use voice chat) I don’t feel the success or failure of the Switch will be dramatically affected by the app. Still, I hope communicating with friends will be easy, and that the rollout of the app is clear to the consumer and comes out without any bugs.

Smooth release for major exclusives

We don’t know every major exclusive that the Switch will have, but with such a small amount of games (being released periodically) they can’t afford to have any issues with their exclusives. Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey: they have to hit on all of them.

No delays, no online issues, and of course great games. If these games flop it could be very damaging to sales, and with production of the Switch ramping up you don’t want Switches sitting on shelves with a lack of quality games.

Bundles

By holiday season the Switch has to have some bundle options. 1-2 Switch as a pack in game  would be good, Super Mario Odyssey or Breath of the Wild would be even better. Having a pack in game people actually want, with the console at a affordable price ($299 including the game), and great games will ensure a great holiday season.

Console availability

By the holiday season the Switch has to be available to all. No more low stock, no more refreshing Walmart’s website, no more notifications followed by strategic planning—the console must be available for everyone at all times. I believe the Switch can be a popular console, and bring the enthusiasm and popularity this company has had in the past. But if they have internet issues, problems with exclusives, bad apps, and low console availability, I genuinely believe this console can be a failure and perhaps the last Nintendo console we will ever see.

by janetgarcia94

Why the Nintendo Switch is quickly becoming my favorite console.

“It doesn’t even have any games.” “What’s the online support going to be like?” “What about the connectivity issues?” “I hear the screen can get scratched or at least, like, the black edge part around the screen.” “Dead pixels.” “Frame rate issues of the wild.” “Name a good switch game you can’t get on Wii U.”

There are a lot of reasons people may recoil after reading this title. I hear you.  I acknowledge it. Believe me, I didn’t expect this to happen either. I’m the kind of gamer who is into games first, hardware second. The difference between Xbox One and PS4? I don’t care. All that matters to me is exclusives. I bought The Switch because I want its upcoming library.  And  I thought it’d be nice to (finally) get a console on its release day. NintendoSwitchLogo.svg

But The Switch hype is real and it continues on. Its been almost two weeks since the console came out and I’m still enamored. And no, it’s not just because of Breath of the Wild here so I’ll spare you the Zelda talk (but if you’d rather not be spared you can read my latest piece on Nerd Much?: More Loot, Less Direct Combat: My Breath of the Wild Play Style).

The Switch is becoming my favorite console because the machine itself is something to talk about. And it’s fascinating in a way that’s accessible to most people, unlike the Xbox One and PS4.

Intrigue and Accessibility

I own a Xbox One and a PS4. Both are great consoles that are more powerful than The Switch and, with the PS4 Pro out and Xbox Scorpio on its way, that gap is only getting bigger. I appreciate what the Xbox One and PS4 can do but, like most gamers, I can’t talk about it at length. I’ve been playing video games since 1999; While this technology is a big part of my life, I don’t “get” how it works.

For this reason, I can’t tell you much either machines. Outside of UI differences, controller differences, etc  all I can tell you is they play games. They have some exclusives but outside of that they’re just boxes to me. Boxes I love and have fond memories with, boxes you couldn’t pay me to enough to ever trade in, but boxes nevertheless. The Switch is different.

The Switch is something I can talk about and enjoy. When it comes to the technical side, I can’t explain how The Switch works any more than I can explain the PS4 or Xbox One; however, the Switch gives me more “surface level” things to talk about. I can be amazed at the seamless transition between docked TV mode and handheld mode. I can show off and (on a basic level) explain table top mode. I can discuss the merits of the joy-con grip vs the pro controller.

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The Switch is fun AS a console. At its worst its a novelty and at its best it changes my entire gaming experience.

This is what I mean when I say The Switch is intriguing in a way that’s more obvious (and thus accessible) than the other consoles of this gen.

Usually when a game is available on all the platforms I default to Xbox One because I love   that controller; now my default is The Switch because I can go from TV to handheld and because table top mode is surprisingly comfortable. It’s cute, it’s fun, it’s different. While other consoles go for sleeker and more powerful versions of what came before, Nintendo goes experimental. The results always vary but The Switch gets it right. The enjoyment I get from my Xbox One and my PS4 comes from the games they offer; but my love of  The Switch is most firmly rooted in the variety the console offers. Call it a gimmick if you want but I love going from exploring Hyrule on the big screen in my living room to playing some Shovel Knight, in handheld mode, right before bed.

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It’s a piece of tech I can geek out about even if I can’t explain the intricacies of HD Rumble.

by janetgarcia94

White in the Woods: Why Night in the Woods is the whitest game I’ve ever played.

Night in the Woods is an indie adventure game, about Mae—a college dropout who has returned home. Mae has to navigate the changes her friends and the town itself has undergone while an ominous, potentially paranormal, mystery looms in the background.

 

Quick, but important, aside: I just realized this premise makes no sense. Mae comes home and learns about where her friends work and seems surprised. But if she dropped out near the start of sophomore year wouldn’t she have JUST been home due to summer vacation. She acts like she’s legitimately been gone for over a year but if this is a traditional college set-up then she’s visited during winter break, summer break, and perhaps even some holidays so what does she have to be surprised about?

 

I’ve talked in detail about why I don’t think this is a good game, but for this post I want to focus on an aspect I haven’t discussed yet: the overwhelming whiteness of Night in the Woods. I’ve played some pretty white games before, Life is Strange is pretty damn white (and quite literally considering the demographics of Arcadia Bay). But Night in the Woods stands out because all the characters are animals. There are no visual indicators of race and none of the characters come off as a depiction or embodiment of any race. Except for Mae, the protagonist and unfortunate focal point of the game. Mae is white enough to to make this whole gaming experience the whitest one I’ve ever had.

Before listing off reasons let me first clarify what I mean by “white” and “whiteness” before I get the “you can be poor and white” comments. I mean “white/whiteness” as a system and construct i.e what whiteness embodies and represents on a societal level. If you’re still unclear think of (or google) white feminism. White feminism isn’t about rejecting all white people who are feminists. Rather, it’s a rejection of privileged and exclusionary approaches to women’s rights. 

In this case, when I say whiteness I (mainly) mean privilege. Here’s my laundry list on why, in that sense, Night in the Woods is very white (all of which is related to Mae):

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  • Mae has the privilege of going to college on her parent’s dime and then drops out without getting a job (for months) while living at home…

Mae’s parents paid for her to go to college. First of all, having your parents give you any money for college, or during college, is a privilege not everyone has. Then Mae drops out and doesn’t make any financial moves for MONTHS. Mae’s parents are in a really tight spot financially, something that comes out when Mae’s mother is feeling agitated and stressed. Mae knows this but does nothing about it. You’re really just going to let your parents struggle and not help them pay for anything. Like you’re just going to wake up at noon, go outside every day to bother your high school friends, and then come home and eat the tacos your mom made.

reo7p

  • …and it’s not like Mae’s parents aren’t supportive (helping her after she beat up that kid, both with the legal side and by paying for her to see a therapist).

Sure, Mae’s therapist is whack. Sure, her parents don’t fully understand what Mae is going through. But you’re too old for this. I’m only 23, but I realized that once you reach a certain age its no longer about your parents not connecting with you or reaching out on a deeper level. Once you’re an adult you have to take some of the blame. If you want a good relationship with your parents you need to make an effort. But all I’m really saying is can you at least get some more paper towels from the store while you’re out or what?

  • Mae shoplifts for fun and encourages others to do the same because she doesn’t have to worry about legal consequences, I guess.

What really bothers me about this is the fact that Mae is so public about it. She encourages Bea to shoplift as well. Maybe this is more immature than privileged but either way its an eye roll. Speaking of which…

  • Mae says “fuck the police” even though they’ve done nothing to her because she lives in a small town, there is only one cop in the game, and for some reason I doubt you’re saying “fuck the police” on behalf of large scale injustices in regards to policing.

When Mae says this it feels cheap and trendy. Mae strikes me as the kind of person that listens to trap music ironically because it’s “so bad, it’s funny.”

For these reasons, and so many more, by the time I got to the end of Night in the Woods I mentally walked up to Mae like:

tenor

For more of my thoughts on Night in the Woods check out:
Night in the Woods: a problematic cliche disguised as a quirky indie: where I discuss my issues with the game and my issues with Mae being the focal point (specifically in regards to mental health).
and
Indie Games and Craft Beer Pairing #19: where I discuss the game in a very general sense (mechanics, gameplay, art, etc) and give my input. I also pair it with a beer and discuss said beer.

What were your thoughts on Night in the Woods? Let me know in the comments below and/or via social media (all of which is at the bottom of the home page).