OT: Video Game Computers/Gadgets/Gizmos Thread

[Gianstoppable]

I know it's probably been discussed 50 times already, but is a sound bar the way to go when I buy my new TV? I've never used anything but the crappy built in TV speakers.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I told my wife thats what I wanted for Christmas this year and told her not to spend a lot. I'd rather save and get a really nice surround system eventually but wanted something for a couple years. She got a Vizio soundbar during cyber monday for under $100 with 2 extra "wireless" speakers that plug into the woofer. Nice thing is the woofer is next to our couch and the two speakers just plug into the woofer. I must say, its not perfect but the sound is actually really good for a $150.00 soundbar. I strongly suggest getting something with extra speakers, but I am a sucker for background noise

[ReasonablySober]

I know it's probably been discussed 50 times already, but is a sound bar the way to go when I buy my new TV? I've never used anything but the crappy built in TV speakers.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

not if you have room for a stereo.

I have two 5.1 setups in two rooms and they're definitely the way to go. That said, I've got an Atmos 5.1.2 soundbar/sub/suuround boxed up and ready to go the day I move into my new place in February and I'm very interested to hear how that sounds. I have to do some research to see if I can mod it with speakers or even another receiver to make it 7.1.2

[jschligs]

Installed my Ecobee3 today. Any one have tips for maximizing its use/savings?

[ACGB]

I've never played Magic the Gathering in my life, but some of my friends convinced me to play the new digital version MTG Arena. It's basically Magic in the style of Hearthstone and I'm embarrassingly hooked so far. Can't see myself ever going back to HS which was my go-to time waster for the past couple years.

[Sauce Boss]

I’m like just shy of 30hrs into World of Light. It took a small turn I didn’t expect, but I’ve been enjoying it. Collecting the spirits has given me a real great reason to keep playing by myself. Super hooked, definitely my Game of the year with Dead Cells and Monster Hunter: World.

Little Mac is so, so, bad. But he is an absolute terror in the World of Light. Glad I'm using him here to destroy computers' dreams before I try and use him against anyone else and have my dreams destroyed.

I first clutched Donkey Kong, then moved to Bowser. I could see where Little MAC would be good, as I basically tried to juice special/Smash attacks to nearly otk challengers.

Finished World of Light, cleared everything/unlocked everyone and got the true ending. Can now NG+, which I might do since I just enjoy this version of Smash a ton.

[ReasonablySober]

I’m like just shy of 30hrs into World of Light. It took a small turn I didn’t expect, but I’ve been enjoying it. Collecting the spirits has given me a real great reason to keep playing by myself. Super hooked, definitely my Game of the year with Dead Cells and Monster Hunter: World.

Little Mac is so, so, bad. But he is an absolute terror in the World of Light. Glad I'm using him here to destroy computers' dreams before I try and use him against anyone else and have my dreams destroyed.

I first clutched Donkey Kong, then moved to Bowser. I could see where Little MAC would be good, as I basically tried to juice special/Smash attacks to nearly otk challengers.

Finished World of Light, cleared everything/unlocked everyone and got the true ending. Can now NG+, which I might do since I just enjoy this version of Smash a ton.

I was feeling myself after unlocking everyone in only a couple days so I hopped online. **** me I got worked. It was enough to make me switch back to Dead Cells and regret buying Smash. But I started WOL and it seems like a good single player mode.

[Turk Nowitzki]

So I picked up AC Odyssey and played it for a bunch of hours yesterday. Do the quests and enemies scale up with your level the entire game because that seems fairly dumb? What's the point of leveling if all the enemies and quests do too? Other than that, it's pretty cool so far.

[SupremeHustle]

Red Dead Redemption 3

Spoiler:

Sadie Adler: Last Rites

I'd pre-order that now. At least make it a DLC. Come on Rockstar!

[Cythaps]

So I picked up AC Odyssey and played it for a bunch of hours yesterday. Do the quests and enemies scale up with your level the entire game because that seems fairly dumb? What's the point of leveling if all the enemies and quests do too? Other than that, it's pretty cool so far.

Well, they scale up to 2 levels below your character. It bothered me too, I thought they could make it 5 levels at least. On the other hand, I was almost maxed out at 50% of the game with almost only side and main quests so I guess it would have been really boring to play half the game in god mode.

[MikeIsGood]

So I picked up AC Odyssey and played it for a bunch of hours yesterday. Do the quests and enemies scale up with your level the entire game because that seems fairly dumb? What's the point of leveling if all the enemies and quests do too? Other than that, it's pretty cool so far.

Well, they scale up to 2 levels below your character. It bothered me too, I thought they could make it 5 levels at least. On the other hand, I was almost maxed out at 50% of the game with almost only side and main quests so I guess it would have been really boring to play half the game in god mode.

I hadn’t noticed this much, but now that I think about it I guess that is the case. I wonder just how much they level, though. If you go back to the starting area, is everything there just 2 levels under too?

I’m traveling so haven’t played in a while.

[BucksStatsGuy]

Started up Breath of the Wild on Master mode again. Holy cow, it is tough. But holy cow, forgot how amazing this game is. Master mode (also playing No HUD) just amplifies everything about that game, especially the combat. At least early in the game, taking on enemies head on is nearly impossible. Instead, I'm relying on the 5 skills, especially the remote bombs, to do stuff like blow up trees and have them fall down on them, using them to blow them off cliffs, etc.

[humanrefutation]

Bought Civ 6 for the Switch. Not sure how I feel about it. It's my first Civ game, but I used to play a game for the PC a decade ago called Rise of Nations that seems very similar and I **** loved it. So, I'm hoping this will be the kind of game that scratches that itch.

[StickeeFingaz]

I really want to try a Civ game but it just seems like PC is the best place to play it. I think the next console generation I'm going to go with an Xbox and then build a gaming PC.

[Aaron It Out]

Long story short I decided I need to buy a new laptop before a new TV. Did a bit of research and ended up getting a Huawei Matebook X Pro. It has pretty solid specs with an i7, 16GB RAM, and 500GB SSD. It has a 3k resolution touchscreen with the lowest bezel-to-screen ratio. All around looks like a solid machine. I haven't had a nice laptop in years. I had a refurbished Dell I bought off Amazon years ago. It was fine for the price but eventually it turned into a toy.

Normally I obsessively research this stuff for weeks or months before deciding on something. I wanted to pull the trigger pretty quickly because I'm growing impatient for a TV. Hope I made a good choice.

[humanrefutation]

Huawei has a solid reputation for quality at an affordable price. But I'm skeptical that they aren't a company that creates affordable devices to enable China to spy on others. Maybe I should take my tinfoil hat off.

[Aaron It Out]

Huawei has a solid reputation for quality at an affordable price. But I'm skeptical that they aren't a company that creates affordable devices to enable China to spy on others. Maybe I should take my tinfoil hat off.

I think that's more of a legitimate concern than you give it credit for.

Random story, but I suspected an old landlord had made a habit of entering our unit without proper notice, since he was also our neighbor. I bought a cheap webcam I found on Amazon, that I just wanted something to snap a few pictures upon motion activation. It came from China so it took a few weeks to arrive. When I unboxed it, it only turned on for a few seconds. It did what sounded like snapped a quick picture turning off. This was plugged into my wall and different outlets didn't work.

I contacted their customer support and they said it wasn't getting enough power so I should plug it into my computer. Since that doesn't make sense I suggested it may be defective so I swap it out for another. They sent back another email strongly suggesting I plug it into my computer through USB and they insisted it would work better. It was extremely shady and there wasn't a chance I was about to plug it into my home PC. I ended up throwing it away without trying to get a refund. I felt like I had a pretty thick tinfoil hat on, but there was a non-zero chance that thing was about to phone home with everything it could find, so I didn't take the risk.

Having said all that, I'm pretty **** pumped about this laptop

[MikeIsGood]

I really want to try a Civ game but it just seems like PC is the best place to play it. I think the next console generation I'm going to go with an Xbox and then build a gaming PC.

PC is the way to go IMO for a number of reasons, a big one being mods. The missing community for Civ is large. I also prefer M&K.

That said, hope you enjoy it for Switch HR. I still want to pick it up at some point as Id love to have it on the go. I also haven’t played 6 yet (I still play a game of 5 once every few months).

[humanrefutation]

I really want to try a Civ game but it just seems like PC is the best place to play it. I think the next console generation I'm going to go with an Xbox and then build a gaming PC.

PC is the way to go IMO for a number of reasons, a big one being mods. The missing community for Civ is large. I also prefer M&K.

That said, hope you enjoy it for Switch HR. I still want to pick it up at some point as Id love to have it on the go. I also haven’t played 6 yet (I still play a game of 5 once every few months).

Well, I've dumped several hours into it so far. It's clearly a game that would be easier to play on PC. The controls are not terrible, but I really think clicking around on a mouse would be easier. There are just so many menus that using a controller makes it clunkier. That would probably be mitigated if I played the game using the touchscreen on the console itself instead of docking it.

Its on sale for $45 through the 10th in the eshop. Using that and my points dropped it down to $35. Made it worth it, IMO.

[humanrefutation]

That all being said, I started a Civ after downloading it earlier this week. I figured I'd mess around for a bit before going to bed. I started at around 10pm. Next thing I know, it's 3am.

So, it hasn't exactly dissuaded me from digging in.

[Rockmaninoff]

That all being said, I started a Civ after downloading it earlier this week. I figured I'd mess around for a bit before going to bed. I started at around 10pm. Next thing I know, it's 3am.

So, it hasn't exactly dissuaded me from digging in.

That's been my experience as well. Got it for xmas, and can't put the thing down.

Pretty steep learning curve as a first timer. Got my butt kicked on the first go as Saladin. Had no idea what I was doing. Now I'm Gilgamesh, and I've got all of Africa and Australia.

I'd recommend changing the map settings to 'historically accurate world map' for the best experience.

Too bad there isn't online multiplayer or the bigger DLCs. Hopefully, that will change.