Hello 2017, I'm On Hold So I Wrote This

On 01/04/2017 at 12:36 PM by goaztecs

Good morning Pixlpeeps and 2017 has that new year smell. Currently as I type this latest entry I am on hold with my insurance. Let me just say I H-A-T-E automated systems because this company has the worst one. It leads you down a path where you think you are getting somewhere only to be shut down with a “due to a high volume we cannot accept your call” Seriously WTF is this? Why did I just sit through five minutes of prompts, horrible voice recognition software, and eventually just typing it in, or yelling “Operator” just in hopes of talking to a real breathing person. Hopefully a person in the USA and not some random country (I'm looking at you former piece of s**t phone service.) I need to take my mind off of being on hold and listening to the worst musak on the planet.

Since it is 2017 and I made a handful of resolutions I thought I would tackle some of the fun ones and play more games to bring down Mount Backlog's total. So far in the short four days of 2017 I started one new game, while playing a bunch of old favorites.

Chris Plays...

NCAA Football 14 – PS3:

So I started a new Dynasty as offensive coordinator of the Bowling Green Falcons and I am really enjoying this program. I think I might actually stick with them for multiple seasons before becoming a head coach and building up another program. The uniforms aren't bad with the exception of the word Falcons being upside down (that's on Adidas) on the leg. I'm sticking with white helmets at home, and orange on the road.

Lego Movie – Steam

This was an impulse buy right around Christmas because it was something like $4 but with DLC and I saw online that there were trainers like GTA so I can go all god mode through the game. Instead the trainers sit behind password protected files or I have to register for a sketchy message board. No dice. Anyways since I have it I might as well pass it. Hopefully the Western DLC is worth it considering this wasn't my favorite out of the Lego games.

*update on being on hold, I got a new number...and I'm back to another 30 minute wait.

Grid Autosport – Steam

I just finished the second of five disciplines and before I jump into a third I went back to the first one, and I am currently racing with the top team to fulfill one of the achievements of racing all five disciplines with the top team. I'm trying my best to spin out my teammate but no luck. I did however spin out a rival who kept blocking me, which gave me a laugh.

Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China – uPlay

I started this game last night, and it is a series that I wanted to play for a while. First impressions of the first level is that this game is going to be fun, reminds me of Shadow Complex, and it will have sections that I will most likely have to replay repeatedly to get through the game. Looking through the achievements and it looks like the game is short but it looks like this is one of those games that you can replay. We shall see if I do that or jump into the next of the ACC games.

Microsoft Solitaire Collection – iOS/Windows

It's amazing how someone can get sucked into playing cards on an iPad or a laptop. I've been hooked on Spider for almost a month now and yesterday I finally unlocked the last achievement for the game and that was to complete a game using two suits. I played this version so long without a win that at one point on the iPad the game dropped me down to one suit. This was a no go for me so I kept trying to finish just one game. Finally yesterday while eating lunch I finally accomplished it and then proceeded to get an announcement on my phone, laptop, and iPad. I'm a happy camper.

*update 23 minute mark still the same old musak.

Super Mario Run – iOS

So I'm still playing the Toad Rally mode and I am close to unlocking the Princess Cake in the store where you collect two thousand of the red toads, and one thousand each of the other color toad folks. I'm sticking to just one level that I am racing through and that's the air ship levels because you earn all the toad colors instead of just one or two like the others (plus I've gotten pretty good at the timing) Anyways here is what my current kingdom looks like

I've been buying some of the specialty items likes statues and I have been keeping them in the inventory until Nintendo frees up more space. I've also started collecting the coins in the main story just to mix it up a bit instead of constantly playing Toad Rally.

Disney Emoji Blitz – iOS

The other game I've been playing a ton of on my phone (I would do it now but it will kill what's left of my battery while being on hold) Anyways I like this game because its casual and I play against my friends on Facebook. Currently there is a new game where if you go through the entire thing within the 30 days you unlock Jafar from Aladdin. Last time I played through something like this I unlocked Ursula from The Little Mermaid. If you use a character from Aladdin you get double the bonuses which is nice and makes the game a hell of a lot easier.

I also unlocked this guy

I have to say I completely forgot I unlocked him because when the Jafar game started I wondered how I got him.

Alright Pixlpeeps it is now at the 36 minute mark of being on hold even when automated lady told me it would only be 30 minutes. I'm still frustrated by this whole thing but what can you do? Anyways have a good week Pixlbit!

That's all for now, more later!

-Chris

Ranger1

01/04/2017 at 02:55 PM

I might have to look into that Assassin's Creed game, if it reminds you of Shadow Complex.

I hate being on hold, especially since I have extremely limited minutes with my phone plan. Good luck!

Super Step Contributing Writer

01/04/2017 at 08:55 PM

If you ever decide to upgrade, I get unlimited everything except data ( which I have lowest tier of, but it doesn't vreally matter since wifi isn't part of the charge and 4G hasn't dropped me while out and about yet) for $30/mo with Virgin Mobile.

I say that half thinking you're limited with what you can get in your area, but wanted to mention it in case.

I hate automated systems too. I always have a simple question that can be answered by a human in a couple seconds, but is never mentioned in the automated bits.

What makes LEGO MOVIE a lesser lego game? According to reviews, I guess I hit the LEGO jackpot with Marvel Superheroes, but as far as I can tell from videos these are all roughly the same game with different skins? Is it how much content is in each that separates better from worse?

01/04/2017 at 10:36 PM

I haven't played Lego Movie, so I can't comment on it. Some of the games are a bit more fun, my two favorites are Lego Indiana Jones and Lego Jurassic Park. Lego Marvel Superheroes was a close third. But yes, they are all pretty much the same thing with different packaging. Some have horrible, game breaking glitches (Pirates of the Caribbean and LOTR), some you get more bang for your buck.

01/05/2017 at 01:55 AM

Thanks! I think my next LEGO buy will be either Batman or Jurassic Park. I think my favorite thing about Marvel SH is the humor. Some of the dialog in the side missions is honestly what keeps me playing after the story, which I rarely do for as long as I have in that game.

01/05/2017 at 10:09 AM

Batman was good, all three of the Batman games, although I think 2 was my favorite of the three. If you like the humor, definitely go for Lego Jurassic Park. And pay attention to all the cut scenes, lots of Spielberg easter eggs there.

goaztecs

01/05/2017 at 11:01 AM

Damn that's pretty good with Virgin. I'm using AT&T Go which is $55/month and I get 8GB data which I can never use all of it, and at some point I will be able to stream media and it doesn't count against my data (something I don't do anyways).

Simple questions is all I have, everything else is on the site. How hard is it to get people on the phone? This is the part of technology I hate.

Certain Lego games are more enjoyable because of their story. I really enjoyed Batman and Marvel because I like those characters. Games like Lord of the Rings, and Lego Movie I wasn't into so it felt more like a chore. Also the pacing of the game feels slower. Lego Movie just slapped scenes from the film while a game like Lego Batman 3 was a new story. It's more preference than anything else.

01/05/2017 at 04:26 PM

Yeah, I'm leaning Batman cause I'll understand the jokes. I didn't realize there was already a direct-to-video LEGO Batman. Being a patent must get confusing ...

I honestly haven't had to call Virgin Mobile in a while, but if I do soon I'll let you know how it goes.

01/05/2017 at 10:56 AM

I was enjoying it until I ran into a never ending load screen right before mission 3. It looks like some folks were also running into this problem and it hasn't been fixed. Oh well, I bought it for a buck so it wasn't a total loss and hopefully the other games don't have this issue.

I just encountered a new message, I went through the queue again and then I was hit with a "You are calling during non business hours, please call back", their letter says 8am ET, and I'm on the West Coast. I will pay extra if I am guaranteed to talk to an actual person and not have to deal with the automated system.

GrayHaired

01/04/2017 at 08:36 PM

Either you're on hold forever or you go through a maze on the company's website. I hate it!

01/05/2017 at 11:02 AM

It is the worst. I miss talking to an operator and then having them direct me to where I need to go.

KnightDriver

01/06/2017 at 02:29 PM

Looks like a big meaty world there in Super Mario Run. Glad it's not just some super short, shallow cash-in game.

01/07/2017 at 12:42 AM

The more you play the Toad Rally and collect Toads the more you open up the kingdom. That part of the game is solid. The story mode could use an extra 2 World's to at least make it as close to the console games.

PixlBit