PixlBit

I think I've finally burnt out on Minecraft and so has Mark. He got Wolfenstein II in the mail today and started playing it, and I went back to Mass Effect Andromeda. 

Minecraft really drove us both nearly insane today. We had a Mansion right in our backyard on this map Mark transfered from the 360 version but when we opened up the Woodland Exploration Map, it selected a different woodland mansion, likely very far off. We entered the close-by mansion anyway and I got the achievements for beating an Evoker (wizard) and using his totem to cheat death (it gives you a few seconds of regen when you loose all your health, allowing you to escase a situation). Mark didn't get the Treasure Hunter one though even though he carried the map with him. The icon for the Mansion on the treasure map actually disappeared. I don't know what was wrong with that. 

As we were about to quit, I thought to get the Sea Exploration Map and see if Mark could get the achievement there. Turns out the sea monument marked on it was really close-by and I got excited. But then I realized we needed water breathing potions. So we went to the Nether but couldn't find the Fortress for the matterials. We went to the sea monument anyway to see if the achievement would pop, but it didn't. You clearly have to dive down deep and get inside it. 

There's something about procedurally generated worlds that can really frustrate. Everything can go right until one element is placed too far away, or a needed resource is scarce. I'm absolutely fed up with it. Also I'm viewing any game described with the word "survival" as poison. I hate gathering resources for hours and then losing it all by some dumb accident. I fell in a hole in the Nether and ended up in a sea of lava. Luckily I had a totem equiped and had just enough time to pull myself out, but those kinds of things happen all the time in Minecraft and usually with the result of important equipment or resources being lost forever. Enough, I say!

It was so nice to return to more directed and predictable games. Mark started Wolfenstein II. I was hard pressed not to watch while I was playing Mass Effect as he passed the point of the demo I played a few days ago. Man! Wolfenstein is realistically gruesome. Ug. But I can't wait to play it myself. 

I managed to pay attention to Mass Effect Andromeda enough to get to my ship and reach a planet. However, there was a lot of dialog to sift through on the station first. This AI in symbiotic relationship with your character is interesting. I'm looking forward to see how it plays out. The game is wonderful to look at. I'm especially enjoying the fast transitions from location to location. They were quite jarring in the first Mass Effect game. There are a lot of options in the menus for gear, skills and accessories. It was sort of overwelming but I'm trying not to tackle it all at once letting the story and events reveal more of it to me over time. 

Tomorrow is perhaps my last day of gaming for 2017. I'm working sat-mon. I'll have to do a summing up blog one of those days.