Ups and downs and things unseen

So my last blog spot was a catalogue of woes regarding the October PS+ games.

Sadly, November hasn't been much better.

Positive news first:

I have got a First Time Play for Dungeon Siege 3 up on the channel:

Which does at least mean I've got it up whilst it's the November Games with Gold freebie for the Xbox Live Gold subscribers out there. So far better than Dirt 3 (for which I have no space on the console HDD to download), Walking Dead Episode 1 (downloaded and untouched) or Battlestation Pacific (video recorded but is unlikely to be uploaded now)

However, for the PS3, I'm wondering if we'll manage to get any of this months games up and out.

Let's see, we've got Beyond Good and Evil HD - which I have played previously so wouldn't technically be a First Time Play. I'm also not certain that the opening to that game would do it justice in a 20 min or so video.

Then we have Invizimals on Vita and The Walking Dead Episode 2 and Magicka 2 on PS4, neither of which consoles I own so not available to record a video of. I do like the irony of being able to play the first episode on one console and the second on another, mind. But in terms of November 2015 PS+ games on PS3, this then leaves us with Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Fin Soup.

Now, Mass Effect 2 is a great game. I know because I have played it. And completed it. And I already own it on Xbox 360. With all the DLC characters and missions. And indeed the other two games in that trilogy, with all the campaign missions for ME3 also. I could maybe record the opening of that and do a comparison between the two consoles but I'm not going to record a video for this version of ME2. Especially as my girl Kasumi wouldn't be featuring ... but that's a story for another post

This leaves us with Dragon Fin Soup, a mashup of tactical RPG and Roguelike. I do actually have a video for this and all it shows is that the first time of downloading left me with a corrupted game that wouldn't load. I have re-downloaded it again and have checked that it worked.

Based on what I know of the game, I do want to get a First Time Play recorded and uploaded. But it's always a little disheartening to start recording and have something go wrong.

Another bit of bad luck is that my recording on another part of Chariot had the same audio glitch that affected KickBeat. Another part of Chariot I hear you cry! Indeed.

After my last post, I remembered that the raw video data is stored separately from my captures so was able to reclaim the Chariot First Time Play video. See for yourself here:

The second video was to show off game play later in the game. However, following on from a co-op bout with the little monster meant that my character was deep in a level without the item I prefer on single play, and deep in a level that is very dark. Plus, my actual playing wasn't great. So with the audio issue, I may well consign that one to the round file.

But, I did manage to re-record the opening for Unmechanical, and even then the start for the Extend episode so I did manage to follow up on that from my prior post. Links for both:

I keep coming across the issue of HDD space - the Lenovo laptop that is the main computer is generally 75%+ full and the NAS drive that we own is starting to fill up. Even at the lower bit rate and sketchy recording schedule that seems to be currently typical of the channel, I can see that filling up sooner than expected.

There is also the ongoing challenge of what to record - GTA V, ME3, Puzzle Quest, IloMilo, Hohokum and Resident Evil Revelations 2 are all games I've recorded footage from over the last 6 months or so and the footage is still sitting taking up space, while I decide whether or not to use it. Do note that this includes online footage and I'm also a little relunctant to upload footage that features other people without having warned them first that they are being recorded - though this also has more to do that I haven't yet sorted out the cabling to be able to record online chat. I'm fairly certain that I'll be increasing the resolution that I capture footage from, for several reasons, at least one of which will become clear via soon (mysterious eh?)but that won't help the ongoing HDD problem - though, for the Xbox 360 at least, I may have something to resolve that also ...

More to be revealed soon (ish) ...