Thoughts
Few and fleeting.
August 2023
First performance as Ryv Against The Machine
Killing in the Name (of the Absolute).
Baldur’s Gate III has been my obsession since launch for allowing me to play D&D the way I’ve been wanting to for years. Larian did a great job, and it makes me happy and hopeful for the future of CRPGs (and gaming as a whole) to see their hard work on this title pay off with rave reviews.
1 minute
April 2023
Romanticizing the American Dream
My response to an honest question.
I responded to a Redditor who asked, “Do you think Filipinos still romanticize America?” I’ll quote their opening post: This is a genuine question of mine and no hate to Americans. Just the government, health care, economy and gun laws. Same as how foreigners were scared to come here during Duterte’s term. That’s a valid reason. Anyway, when I was a kid, I hear family members be so proud of another relative for being able to live in the US.
7 minutes
March 2023
Because I promised.
Hi, I’m JP, creator of r/PHGamers and r/PHBuildaPC. Things I used to do in gaming: Write for Game! Magazine, run a gaming blog, host a tech review channel, stream a D&D show, and design mobile games. Now I produce livestreams for clients. Ask me and the new mod team anything! Hi r/PHGamers, As promised, here’s the AMA! For those of you new to Reddit in general, an AMA (Ask Me Anything) is an online Q&A session where Reddit’s community asks a guest (or guests) questions.
14 minutes
February 2023
An idea on why it’s so hard.
Originally posted on Reddit. How tf do you make friends as an adult? Who has the answer? Someone tell me because this ish blows. Lol u/MissLi1886 It might not be the answer, but I have an idea. Posted this before, but I think it’s worth repeating: When we were younger, we were put in situations where developing friendships was inevitable. School being the biggest of course, but also clubs, birthday parties, etc.
2 minutes
December 2022
Soundcore VR P10 = Game audio over 2.4GHz + Discord from phone over Bluetooth, simultaneously
Edit (Feb. 1, 2023): I eventually returned them. I ended up not using the simultaneous BT+2.4GHz feature enough to justify keeping them, and the loss of ANC and lack of passive noise isolation led me to use my other earbuds over the VR P10s anyway. If Anker makes a new version that includes ANC, I might give it another shot. Just got these for $70 on sale across various onlone shops (Amazon, BestBuy, Target).
2 minutes
November 2022
JBL Quantum TWS Noise Cancelling Headset Earbuds
2.4GHz earbuds.
Originally posted on Reddit. I have these, they’re pretty good. I got them for the 2.4GHz transmitter, which is a rarity among TWS earbuds. I only know of two other products that do this. You can swap between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections almost instantly, but you can’t listen in on both sources at a time. If you want that feature you could look into the Soundcore VR P10. It’s great for ensuring your mic absolutely does not pick up any audio bleeding out of your headphones, which I find happens a lot even with closed-back studio headphones if you’ve got a condenser.
Gadgets Quotes Review Thoughts
4 minutes
October 2022
Thoughts and Findings on the 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller
TL;DR do NOT use if you want/need gyro on PC.
Originally posted on Reddit. My controller arrived today and I had ample time to play around with it. The TL;DR of this writeup is that I may end up returning the controller, but only because it lacked one specific feature I was hoping it would have. First, the good: It feels good. For its size, it feels surprisingly light. Much like the Google Stadia controller felt when picking it up out of the box.
Gadgets Gaming Review Thoughts
8 minutes
September 2022
Monster Hunter: World, or Rise?
Either is still a good choice.
Originally posted on Reddit. Question in relation to this thread. Is it still worth it to get MH World right now as my 1st ever MH game even if MH Rise is already out? Just because World is cheaper right now on Steam lol Edit: Or would it be better to just sacrifice more cash and just outright go for MH Rise? u/Impersona_9 I’m a third fleet MH vet (MH Tri was my first), and I’ve played every single MH game and spinoff since that generation.
3 minutes
What is a True Story About You That Sounds Made Up?
One of the rare r/askreddit questions I answered.
Originally posted on Reddit. I’m an English lit graduate who went down this whirlwind of a career path: Freelance writer for a gaming magazine (kept this up for many years as a side gig) ESL Teacher Copywriter at an ad agency Community Manager for brand social media sites Game designer/project manager at several mobile game development studios General freelancer doing lots of odd jobs Telephone communications assistant for the hard of hearing Livestream director for an events company Livestream production specialist for a marketing agency So this is either completely irrational for people who believe Eng.
1 minute
August 2022
JBL Quantum TWS Mic Sample/Comparison
Left Channel = shotgun mic; Right Channel = Quantum TWS
Originally posted on Reddit. Made this mostly for my own curiosity, as I wanted to hear what my Discord buddies might hear if I used the TWS mics only. The “control” audio is from an Audio-Technica AT875R shotgun mic. Left Channel is the AT875R, Right Channel is the JBL Quantum TWS. If you’re not listening using earbuds/earphones (to easily remove one bud from your ear to isolate the channels), you can do so in Windows by going to System > Sound, clicking on the arrow beside whatever your default output device is, and adjusting the Left/Right channel volume sliders individually.
2 minutes
June 2021
Xiaomi RMA’d my 34" Ultrawide
Originally posted on Reddit. I’m completely floored; nobody expected Xiaomi to RMA this monitor, but they did. I was completely prepared to repair the damage by myself using the suggestions provided by some very helpful Redditors in my previous post, linked above. Worst case scenario, I would’ve bought a replacement main board myself from Taobao. But the store (Technopop, a subsidiary of Kimstore) and Xiaomi pulled through. I’m back in Team Ultrawide!
1 minute
May 2021
Because a Meshilicious costs $200+ in Manila
Originally posted on Reddit. Gotta redo it because it’s not squared off, but I think this prototype works well! Don’t ask for how this affects thermals cuz I don’t have a computer inside of it currently, I’ll be migrating my parts over into it once my CPU arrives. I’ve never worked with wood before (am more of a papercraft and soldering iron guy), but this was a nice learning experience.
1 minute
Don’t make the same mistake I did; use only the provided VESA mount screws.
Originally posted on Reddit. I was mounting my Mi Surface 34 to my monitor arm and figured I’d just reuse the same screws, which are a little long because the previous monitor that was on it had very long spacers. One of the screws dug right into the Surface’s motherboard because there’s nothing protecting it from underneath the screw hole. It etched a couple copper traces right off. It’s only been about 4 months since I ascended into ultrawidemasterracedom, but now I must descend back into regular old 16:9.
1 minute
This was a teachable moment.
Originally posted on Reddit. Someone on Reddit asked why Half-Life should get a page in the history books of gaming. While gaming taste is certainly subjective, there are objective truths about the state of game development before and after Half-Life; clear, measurable changes that came about in the wake of its release. In any case I figured this was a teachable moment that I could actually give insight to, so I hope it helps the OP at least appreciate Half-Life a little more, if not consider playing HL games sometime.
3 minutes
March 2021
Genki ShadowCast Input Latency Tests & First Impressions
Results of using a high framerate camera to perform input latency tests on the Genki ShadowCast.
The Genki ShadowCast by Human Things is a capture card that fits entirely inside the shadow of the official Nintendo Switch dock, hence the name. It works just like any other USB thumb drive sized capture card, except for one thing: Human Things have developed specialized capture software customized specifically for the Shadowcast that they say reduces latency of the captured video to undetectably low levels, while using less system resources than alternatives.
Review Streaming Tech Thoughts
4 minutes
November 2020
Custom Sentry case mod to let the GPU breathe.
Click for larger photos. I’m in the middle of transitioning to Ryzen, so it will seem a bit mismatched for now but here’s where I’m at and where I’m headed: i7-7700k -> r7-5800x Gigabyte Z270N-Wifi ITX -> ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 32GB Gskill Ripjaws V 3200MHz PNY XLR8 RTX 3080 (previously Galax GTX 1070 Katana) Corsair SF600 Platinum -> Corsair SF750 Platinum (when prices become not stupid) Right now the i7-7700k is being cooled by a Thermolab LP53 w/ Noctua A9x14 because at the time that was the best performing cooler that could fit in the case.
3 minutes
October 2020
Desperate times, desperate measures
New graphics card arrived before my new case.
System config: i7-7700k delidded, liquid metalled PNY RTX 3080 32GB Ripjaws V RAM Gigabyte Z270N-WiFi Corsair SF600 Platinum Geeek M100WS My system used to be in a much nicer Dr. Zaber Sentry SFF case. However, the PNY 3080 is juuuuust a few mm too thick to fit in the graphics card partition. I will be selling the Galax GTX 1070 Katana that used to be in this build. It’s a single-slot graphics card, so, perfect for mITX builds like mine used to be.
1 minute
August 2020
Why you should regularly clean your laptops
These pics should adequately explain why regular laptop fan cleaning is necessary.
Today I would just like to share with you some results from my yearly laptop cleanse. Normally I do it earlier in the year, but the last time I cleaned my Acer Predator Helios 300 was 0001 BC (BC = before COVID). Photos Here’s what it looked like immediately upon opening up the laptop: Hmm, is that all? Not too horrib– Here’s the year’s worth accumulation of gunk from one of the fans:
2 minutes
February 2019
Nothing Can Protect You Against Loneliness
Because it’s part of your biology.
Originally posted on Reddit. I woke up to Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell: Loneliness today and almost felt personally attacked. It’s rare, but sometimes a YouTube video understands me more than I understand myself. If 12 minutes and 30 seconds is too long to listen to, the video essentially explains the evolutionary reasons why loneliness is painful, and how chronic loneliness became an epidemic more deadly than obesity and on par with smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
1 minute
July 2018
I Cast Healing Word, Curing Friend’s Depression Condition
Friendship, the most magical spell.
Originally posted on Reddit Green Bro gave me permission to post this after I used my Action to Aid and cast Healing Word, curing his depression Condition.
Quotes Social Tabletop Thoughts
1 minute
December 2017
Dr. Zaber Sentry GTX 1070 Katana + Elgato 4k60 Bifurcated PC
Lots of words just to say: a really cool PC.
So, it’s relatively easy to modify the Sentry to use a PCIe bifurcation riser. I’m using an Ameri-Rack ARC1-PELY423-C5V3 which I paid $58 for all-in. I emailed Ameri-Rack ( Ameri-Rack Sales Department ), sending them this spiel: Hi, I was referred to your company by the users at Hardforum when inquiring about PCIe bifurcation risers, and came across two that I’d be very interested in purchasing. I hope you still sell directly to individuals.
2 minutes
October 2017
C-Force CF003 Portable Dock/Dongle Review
Bought with forwarders from China.
First posted on Reddit. CForce CF003 and Xiaomi Mi USB-C 45W 100-240v means it can be used anywhere in the world, 15v-3A means it delivers more than enough wattage to power the Switch through the dock I just got my Xiaomi Mi USB-C 45W charger, and it works extremely well to power the Switch Dock. It supports the 15v 2.6a USB-PD profile required by the official dock, is more portable than the official AC adapter, and is more versatile, supporting a removable USB-C cable.
1 minute
August 2017
C-Force CF003 Portable Dock/Dongle Review
Bought with forwarders from China.
First posted on Reddit. Click for original size. The CF003 is a recent revision of the infamous C-Force CF001, which many of you might remember as the dock which the SFANS crowdfunding project copied. I don’t care about any of that, I only care about whether the thing works. I’m happy to say that it does, and in possibly the smallest, most portable form factor so far. I bought my CF003 from this Taobao listing.
4 minutes
July 2017
More 3D-Printed Nintendo Switch Accessories
Next up: Joycon grip and D-pad mod.
First posted on Reddit.. Click for original size. Item list: Folding stand Joycon+straps grip D-pad mod Everything works very well, but the Joycon tend to slide out of the grip pretty easily. Not sure if there’s a way for me to lock them in more securely. The d-pad mod works so much better than I expected; there’s actually a half-sphere at the center of the bottom that simulates a ball pivot.
1 minute
Printing Nintendo Switch accessories with Shapecloud.ph
First up: a folding stand.
First posted on Reddit. Click for original size. This folding stand allows for charging while playing the Switch in tabletop mode. I downloaded the .stl file from Thingiverse and had it printed by Shapecloud.ph while they were exhibiting their services at their booth during the Rappler event in SMX yesterday. It cost me ₱1000, which by itself is cheaper than the cost of just shipping from Shapeways. The print itself is very sturdy and fine.
1 minute
What’s A Geek features Dicecast
It’s nice to be recognized by peers!
Image from whatsageek.com. Many thanks to all the fans and supporters of the show who’ve helped put it on the radar for bigger blogs like What’s a Geek to see! Really, I can’t overstate my appreciation; the reception has been warmer than I’d hoped so far. Until next time, ready your dice!
Social Streaming Tabletop Thoughts
1 minute
January 2017
Played Overcooked with Maria Ozawa
Never thought I’d be in a video with a (former) porn star.
Originally posted on Reddit. In case you didn’t know, GG Network started a show called “Notice Me Senpai” back in Dec. hosted by Maria Ozawa. Here’s a Twitch VOD of her playing Mafia III with Miggy Chavez of Chicosci last week. Aside from playing the game with her, I hope to be able to talk to her more about her Eurasian heritage and the unique challenges she’s faced as an individual of mixed descent, and possibly her relationship with her parents.
Gaming Social Streaming Thoughts
1 minute
After 6 months, my Anne Pro finally started showing issues
Anne, are you ok?
Originally posted on Reddit. I used to think people were just getting unlucky with their Anne Pros, because even with a busted battery, mine exhibited no issues in the 6 months I’ve owned it - until now. When I press the “Y” key, the board also registers keypresses on the Q, W, E, U, I, O, and P keys. In addition to that, it no longer connects via Bluetooth to Android devices that it previously was able to pair with.
3 minutes
December 2016
Just me and some GGNetwork friends playing boardgames
GG Network Holiday Board Games Guide
Originally posted on Reddit. A few months ago I posted about working on something like this with some other like-minded creators who want to see local media diversify into geek culture with some semblance of production value. It’s starting to pick up, and we’ve started expanding from eSports into more niche categories. Let me or the rest of GG Network / D5 Studios know if this is the type of content you’d like to see.
Social Streaming Tabletop Thoughts
1 minute
July 2016
If you ordered an Anne Pro, check the battery
Could’ve ended badly.
Originally posted on Reddit. With help from /u/duynguyenle, I found out why my Anne Pro won’t work wirelessly: the battery had been punctured by the switch solder joints underneath the PCB. Aside from his and my units, I haven’t seen this problem reported anywhere else. Still, it might be worth checking; this is a huge fire hazard and should be dealt with immediately Edit: I replaced the battery with one from my KC71 and now it works wirelessly.
1 minute
February 2016
Takeaways from the GG Network meeting
Start of a beautiful partnership.
Originally posted on Reddit. Just realized it might be easier for everyone if I posted an update to this in its own thread, instead of chasing each person down individually. My takeaways from the meeting are these: the guys behind GG Network in the New Media department of TV5 are either super serious, or fucking crazy, or both; and, they have honestly, earnestly, and painstakingly done their homework. I was naive to assume that they were feeling around in the dark, not really knowing the community or our wants and goals.
3 minutes
October 2015
June 2015
Bit of an ARKoholic looking for other survivors
Never found any.
Originally posted on Reddit. Day 1: Washed ashore on some strange island. Can’t remember how I got here. Can’t remember who I am. There are creatures here that I have only seen in books and movies. Too many questions. I must survive to find the answers. Day 3: Some of the animals show signs of intelligence. I’ve domesticated a small yet terrifying creature, reminiscent of those long-extinct birds from the old world.
3 minutes
The ARK is just a game, but the pain is very real
Life finds a way… until server maintenance happens.
Originally posted on Reddit. Last night, I suffered a great loss. After server maintenance, I logged back in and went for a routine fly around the western area to pick up supply drops. Unfortunately, mid-flight I was caught by a sudden server outage. I frantically tried logging in again, and 2 minutes later the server was back up. My character awoke to Petra the pteranodon being slaughtered by a flock of raptors, and I shortly thereafter suffered the same fate.
3 minutes
August 2014
I’ve never played a rogue(quite)like this.
Also, this was my first Reddit post ever.
Originally posted on Reddit. I’m at the SSS branch in SM Aura and they’re playing Chrono Trigger music over the PA system. Needless to say, it caught me by surprise! I remember a few years ago during the televized UAAP games they’d play Final Fantasy battle music between commercials. Does anyone else have anecdotes about hearing game music out of the blue? I was at my Uncle’s farm and he asked me to deliver some chickens to trade for some fish, a couple of houses down by the farm.
2 minutes
April 2014
What to expect if you’re visiting the Philippines
I guess this is my review of the Philippines?
Originally posted on Reddit. I’m posting this here because I received questions about this very topic from people who seem to think I’m a credible source of information. If anyone has anything to add or correct, please feel free to do so because this is for them, not me. Let me preface this with the disclaimer that I moved here way back in 2000, and I was 12 at the time.
5 minutes
February 2014
I’m jumping in on the bandwagon.
US-born Filipino now living in Manila, AMabsolutelyA. Thanks to /u/j_- for getting the ball rolling. I’ve seen a couple others follow in his wake, and it does seem to be stirring up some good discussion in this subreddit. Hoping to promote more of the same here. Not a throwaway, so here’s verification for anyone who cares about that shit. I’m here for most of the day (work blocks FB, G+, Twitter, and most social networks except Reddit, hope it stays that way) so just ask away.
13 minutes
December 2013
10 Videogames That Changed My Life
Reflections on my gaming history.
There’s this list meme that’s going on in Facebook lately, and someone asked me for my own. I’ve had a hard time putting this together because frankly I’ve played a lot of games in my life, and 10 seems to be too few to list. It took a while to distill, but here’s what I’ve come up with. Super Mario World If I recall correctly this was the first videogame I played.
5 minutes
Gaming on-the-go is still gaming.
The currently ongoing Steam sale is making me realize something I’ve been too reluctant to admit. As my PC game backlog grows into an increasingly unmanageable length, I have to come to terms with the fact that my old gaming preferences and habits no longer fit the lifestyle I’ve adopted. I’m no longer primarily a PC gamer; instead, I tend to reach into my pocket, pull out my phone, and switch on an app whenever I feel the urge to play.
7 minutes
November 2013
Depictions of violence against children in videogames.
There’s been some heated discussion lately about the practice of using children as characters in violent videogames. While I don’t particularly care, I do find some of the arguments coming from both sides quite interesting. A little bit of background on the topic: a game called No More Room in Hell was recently released on Steam Greenlight, and it contains zombie children. Players can attack these characters, just like they can attack the zombie adults, and they’re encouraged to - because both the big and little zombies will kill the players if they’re allowed to roam.
3 minutes
October 2013
Creative Sound Blaster EVO (sans audio cable)
A headphone review.
So what happens when you’re given something to review but it’s incomplete? Like, say a set of headphones but without the audio cable? Well, I learned that the show must go on. Review away! Creative has a long history of providing decent and affordable sound systems (remember these?), but I personally wasn’t aware they also made gaming headsets. The Sound Blaster EVO is their most basic entry in the “EVO” line of headsets, but is there more to it than the flashy red exterior?
Article Gadgets Review Thoughts
5 minutes
September 2013
Playing games is the norm.
Here’s a picture of someone you may or may not know. On many levels, she’s just a girl who enjoys the occasional game of Super Mario, Pokemon, and Fable. In the photo, taken by the guys at roboticrice.com (awesome site, btw), she’s playing DOTA 2. Just so you know, she’s not a “hardcore games or bust” elitist either; she totes around an iPad ready to play Dumb Ways to Die at a moment’s notice.
4 minutes
The best possible Star Wars dice roll ever
Never tell me the odds.
I forgot what the roll was for, but it doesn’t matter. We won. Just to put into perspective how difficult it would be to achieve this kind of roll: The purple dice are bad. They’re 8-sided dice, and only one side is blank (the best possible result on these dice, because that essentially means “nothing bad happens”). The yellow dice are good. They’re 12-sided dice, and the icon you see there is “Triumph.
2 minutes
Have you stopped playing a game because of an SO?
Breaking up with games.
Originally posted on Reddit. I used to play loads of games with her. Diablo II, Terraria, Borderlands, Left 4 Dead, lots and lots of point-and-click adventure games (sometimes she’d take the controls while I watched, other times I’d handle it while she criticized), and probably a bunch more that I’m forgetting at the moment. Ever since the breakup, I’ve never even started those games up again. Initially it was because of the feels associated with her, but after picking myself up and moving on, I’m not sure why I don’t play those games anymore.
1 minute
August 2013
Dark and twisty humor required.
I completely missed out on Cards Against Humanity and have thus been denied the guilty pleasure of laughing like an idiot over forming nonsensical subject-predicate pairs, hilariously unexpected direct and indirect objects, and generally making fun of impossibly silly situations. So apparently this little indie card game is a viral hit. I completely missed out on it, and have thus been denied the guilty pleasure of laughing like an idiot over forming nonsensical subject-predicate pairs, hilariously unexpected direct and indirect objects, and generally making fun of impossibly silly situations.
2 minutes
July 2013
On quitting due to cancel culture.
Let’s take a small step outside of gaming for a bit. Don’t worry, it’ll just be two paragraphs worth of text, and it’ll only be to set the stage. Last June, former Boston Fire Chief Steve Abraira resigned from his post following public criticism about his response to the horrible Boston Marathon bombings, summarized in a letter signed by every other fire chief in the city department. The baseless attacks by the Deputy Chiefs, especially their actions of making this a matter of public debate by leaking their letter of April 26 to the press, has made it impossible for me to continue to do my job.
5 minutes
Gamers are the worst (and best) people
On gatekeeping and harassment.
I was very hesitant about posting this article. An anti-gamer rant on a blog that praises games? Blasphemy. Still, I ended up hitting the “Publish” button because being able to love something completely means to look at its ugliness along with the good side; and to accept the reality of its imperfection, while at the same time helping it achieve that impossible state in whatever way one can. It’s true. The vocal majority of people on the Internet don’t think very highly of those who self-identify as “gamers.
7 minutes
Sarcia, Cube World, Owlboy, Starbound, Project Zomboid
I have a soft spot for indies, be it in the fields of film, music, or—of course—videogames. And luckily for us, in the past few years there’s been a dramatic rise in the number and quality of independently developed games. There’s hundreds of thousands to choose from across practically any platform you can think of gaming on, but in this article I’m going to shine the spotlight on just five upcoming indie PC games that I feel are worth keeping an eye out for.
3 minutes
This is how we get excited for games
A dialog between two friends.
So Marc and I were having a completely rational conversation about games, particularly of the space sim genre. It started out logically enough, as most of our dialogs do, but then it got weird. So yeah, that’s how we hype up games for ourselves. In other news, Star Citizen is an awesome space sim that aims to bring back all the classic elements of the genre and more. It’s amassed $12 million since it started its crowdfunding campaign, and rightfully so; the team making it is headed by Chris Roberts, best known for creating the excellent Wing Commander series.
1 minute
No, this is not Minecraft in Space.
Miner Wars: 2081
Miner Wars: 2081 is a six degrees of freedom (6DOF) space simulator with free-roaming sandbox elements. You operate an advanced mining ship in a fully destructible and open-world environment, which remains persistent as you complete missions or play online with others. It’s been a while since I recorded this footage, but it remains one of my favorite Let’s Plays that I’ve done so far. Unfortunately I never got to continue playing the game, but hopefully I’ll get the chance to come back to it soon.
1 minute