This post was reformatted from a series of Tweets which start here.
If you’re not aware of what this is about, you can get info here or here.
[Update: PewDiePie posted a response to the controversy here. Thoughts below.]

Update 2: The Short Version (as of Feb 17)
He agrees he messed up and went too far. Everyone agrees he went too far. That’s not in question.
The remaining question is: was he treated unfairly by the media?
To answer this question, we need to ask another one:
Do you think he’s being accused of being an anti Semite, or of trivializing antisemitism?
If you think he’s accused of being an anti Semite (that’s not what’s happening), you think people and media are piling on, and some variation of “but don’t you get that he was just joking/denouncing/doing it on purpose?”. My suspicion is that you’re under 30(ish).
If you think he’s accused of trivializing antisemitism (that’s what’s happening), you think people and media are deeply concerned at the consequences of these seemingly inconsequential jokes, especially considering he is the biggest personality on the Internet. My suspicion is that you’re over 30(ish).
In my humble opinion, most people agree on most of the situation here. For the rest it’s a matter of perspective, and a matter of generation. Older people have grown up with a strong understanding of the horrors of World War 2; it was part of their (our) culture and education. To them (us), talking about this is a delicate matter always. Similar to someone calling black people “niggers” or homosexuals “faggots” today. For younger people, this was a bad joke, sure, but it’s not *that* big a deal, and the media is piling on.

I don’t have an answer here, I just think laying out the issue in more easily understandable terms might help some people form their opinions. Let me know if you think this doesn’t seem accurate to you. One last thing: I do think that screaming “the media is dishonest/biased/etc” is irresponsible given today’s landscape; whether he wants it or not, he has great influence, so responsibility comes with the territory.
More on that below if you’re interested.

For the full thing, read on…

It seems there’s a backlash against the backlash against PewDiePie’s “anti-Semitic” videos. Here are my 2 cents on the matter:

I don’t think he’s anti Semitic. But, that doesn’t mean he can do or say anything and it’s ok because “I’m just joking”. The line is thin between humor and trivialisation, and I’m not sure he was in the right side of it. The consequences aren’t unjustifiable; he’ll be fine, it’s a slap on the wrist. No need for more drama.

However, the idea that we should “stop getting offended for other people” is FUCKING INSANE. We should absolutely get offended for other people! What are you saying? We should only be offended when we ourselves are targeted? What kind of morality is that?…

And the fact that one Jew doesn’t feel offended doesn’t mean “see? Jews are fine with this!! SJW ruining it for us again!!” – sorry, but no. This issue is serious, and it should be addressed. Panic and eternal condemnation of PDP? Hell no, he probably just went a bit too far. But go to the other extreme and just say it’s all fine and we should all “leave PDP alone!!!”? No, doesn’t work either.

He went a bit too far, got the appropriate response for it, story over. Everything’s as it should be. The drama, on both sides, is overkill. (more…)

A lot of blogs and sites have already talked about it, but here’s one more praise for the AppleTV screensaver. If you don’t know it, you’re really missing out. And there’s no reason why you should: it’s available on Mac and Windows (via unofficial devs).

If this is the first time you’re hearing about it, the idea might seem unoriginal: it’s a series of slow motion flyovers of cities and landscapes. That’s it. But don’t be fooled: they will take your breath away, in an almost meditative experience. The deliberate paths and precise slow motion do something to the images and our brains, where you yourself slow down as you see the tiny cars or the intricate patterns weave and change. The more you look at them, the more you get lost in the imagery. It’s hypnotic and delightful. Honestly, this feels like art more than technology. You might think I’m overselling it… Maybe I am, but that’s honestly the way I feel about this thing. 🙂

Saying that Apple is good at design is kind of trite (or annoying, depending who you are), but I never thought they’d find a way to make me fall in love with a screen saver. And yet they have.

Install it now, you won’t be sorry:

Mac: https://github.com/JohnCoates/Aerial

Windows: https://github.com/cDima/Aerial

And huge thanks to the devs, John Coates and Dmitry Sadakov!

Yesterday, Bethesda posted a short blog entry which basically said they won’t be sending advanced copies for media to review anymore. You can read it here, it’ll take you all of 30 seconds. Many people have been commenting, getting angry, getting passive aggressive. I’d like to do that too. 🙂

Oh, and before I start: this applies to tech as much as gaming. Companies in both fields (in all fields) have been on the same trajectory in the past few years, because of the new relationships they have with their customers, thanks to The Internets and “influencers”. God I hate that term… but it’s appropriate: there’s a reason the industry is not calling them “journalists”.
Anyway, Bethesday not giving advanced review copies, here we go.

It is 100% their prerogative

They have the right to do it, and no one can tell them how to run their business.

It is also 100% about controlling their message

That’s it. Control, and absolutely nothing else. It doesn’t benefit the media, it doesn’t benefit the players, and it it isn’t healthy for the industry. It’s good for Bethesda, because it allows them to sell more copies to people who might otherwise not have purchased their games. Period. That’s it. (more…)

So the introduction video for the Nintendo Switch (formerly known as “NX”) has been released, and for the past 24 hours everyone has been pondering, analyzing and overthinking it all. I figured I’d give it a try too. 🙂

Most of you probably already know the main bits of information we have, so I’ll go over them super quickly:

• It’s a tablet-like machine with two “half controllers” that attach on the sides
• The two half controllers can be used as one set, or as two controllers by two players
• It can be docked to a base station, which immediately switches the display to the TV
• It is supported by many third party developers, but we don’t know with which titles
• It sports an Nvidia all in one “Tegra” chip, but we don’t know how powerful it is

That’s about it for the “solid” information we have. The rest is speculation for now. But that’s the fun part, right? Here are the questions that I believe are important (and some attempt at guessing answers):

The big one: what’s the price?

Of course this is highly speculative, but I believe it’ll be USD 299 (or the equivalent in your country).

My reasoning is very simple: higher is suicidal, lower is leaving money on the table.

Higher makes it more expensive than a PlayStation 4 or XBox One system, and these have impressive software libraries available already. The Switch can’t afford to be more expensive, or it’ll tank on that alone. Memories of the disastrous launch of the 3DS system, which was too expensive and received a very fast price cut, must still be fresh at Nintendo. I don’t believe they’ll do the same mistake here.

On the other hand, lower than $299 leaves money on the table, because I believe many people would be willing to pay that price… And as always in these conversations, I stand by my point that you can lower the price later, but you can’t raise it. If it’s a bit too expensive, they can do promotions and such. Pricing it too low is a permanent issue. (more…)

As I’ve mentioned on Twitter, I bought a PSVR today. I mean, I talk about games for a living, I had to own at least one of the big ones, even if I wasn’t sure VR would ever amount to anything. Potential? Sure. Certain success? No, not certain. But I had to try it for myself, obviously.

NB: If you just want the good stuff, go to the “Batman: Arkham VR.” section directly. 🙂

First things first: the device itself.

“Very competent” is the best way I can describe it. From a build standpoint it’s lighter than you’d think (important when you wear it on your head), and it does let a bit of light through from the sides. It also feels a tiny bit like a toy, but in a really bad way.
The screen does have a little bit of screen door effect at times, and the resolution definitely isn’t the best. The field of view is also more limited than what I imagine to be ideal; it doesn’t strictly cover your entire field of vision.
All of this is true. But the reality is: none of it really matter all that much, because the moment you start focusing on the game or the experience, these things fade away completely and you don’t notice them all that much anymore. The light from the room doesn’t matter, the quality of the screen doesn’t matter. You’re just not paying attention to them. Will this thing look insanely silly in 5 or 10 years when the VR headsets are smaller and better built? Sure. But for now, it does its job, and it is, as I said, “very competent”. That’s what matters, for now.

(more…)

Legion is coming! I only have one character at max level! That won’t do at all!!!

As some of you may know, the upcoming Legion expansion has gotten me hyped, and I’ve started playing regularly again. I won’t bore you with the details of how I’ve done all the things I didn’t do in my garrison, the flying achievement I’ve accomplished, or the quest for the legendary ring I’m hoping to complete before it disappears…

What I will tell you though, is a few simple tips on how to level your characters through the current Draenor expansion quickly. This is probably not advisable for people who have never played through it the “normal way” (although it is certainly is possible), but I suspect it might help those who are coming back to level their alts to be ready when it’s time to venture in the Broken Isles.

(more…)

TL;DR for you impatient fools:
1) For the love of all that is holy, do not die. Retreat, go to a fountain, hearth. Do not die.
2) Play VS AI until you’re confortable graduating to Quick Match. It can take a while.
3) Don’t unlock the camera if you’re not there yet. Rather, pay attention to positioning.
4) MOBAs aren’t twitchy. Make each click and ability deliberate, including auto attack.
5) Role names are confusing. Warriors are tanks, and specialists handle lane pushing.
That’s it, now go be awesome.

Long version:

Some of you might know I started playing a whole lot of Heroes of the Storm over the holidays (I think I mentioned it in almost every podcast I’ve done since then). I had played it here and there before, but for some reason over the month of December I went back to it and something clicked. Actually, it was a few different things that clicked… By reading and watching various guides and experimenting myself, I have come to understand a number of very non-obvious elements of the game that I very much needed to start really enjoying it, and I suspect other players new to the MOBA genre might appreciate as well.

So without further a do, here are the five (ish) things I think every new player should know when starting their journey in Heroes of the Storm. Enjoy!

1) Remember these five simple all caps words: PATRICK SAYS DO NOT DIE.

Basically, dying is the worst thing you can do in the game, period. Whatever you do, you should try to avoid dying at all cost. Even if there’s a team fight, even if you think you can get that last hit, even if you think it would make you a golden hero of awesomeness… Don’t take the risk, it’s not worth it. If you’re getting low on health or mana, just take the time to retreat, hearth, get to a fountain… It’s a much better plan overall. Do anything, but do NOT die.

Like, seriously, whenever you’re trying to decide whether or not to keep pushing the fight, play this voice in your head: PATRICK SAYS DO NOT DIE.

(more…)

Oh the irony… Intel is making tremendous strides in the graphical power of their integrated GPUs. But I think that this, along with Apple’s primary focus on exquisite design, might be hurting the ever-budding population of Mac gamers.
Read on to find out why. TL:DR at the bottom.

There’s been a lot of debate and consternation about the fact that Blizzard Entertainment’s latest game, “Overwatch“, is officially not in development for the Mac. Blizzard have long been supporters of gaming on Mac, and Appleite gamers were distraught to hear that they wouldn’t get their latest game. Which, incidentally, is awesome and I adore. Also, disclaimer: I used to work for Blizzard. 🙂

Some have suggested that the reason for this decision is that the size of the market doesn’t warrant it. I dispute that idea: the market share of the Mac has never been higher, and Blizzard has supported it without fault until now.
Others have said that they’re allocating Mac budget to consoles (the game is coming to PS4 and XBox One). I also think that makes little sense; Blizzard is a large company, they could do it for all these platforms, and they like money. They would spend less on developing for the Mac than it would bring in.

The official word from game director Jeff Kaplan is that, essentially, the tech behind the Macs today make it challenging. Call it corporate BS all you want, I don’t think they’re happy about disappointing their fans, and I believe the answer is genuine: it’s all about the Intel HD Graphics technology.

Here’s a quick and easy recap of the tech involved:

• Central Processing Units (CPUs) aren’t great at rendering 3D graphics.
• In the 90’s, external graphics cards ushered the era of 3D gaming.
• The chips on those are called Graphics Processing Units, or GPUs.
• GPUs are indispensable for 3D games, but they are also big and power hungry.
• Laptops can’t handle big and power hungry things.
• GPU makers started creating “mobile” GPUs with “ok” performance.
• Those mobile GPUs are discrete, meaning they are separate from the CPU.
• Intel, chasing 3D performance, started creating CPUs with integrated GPUs.
• These integrated GPUs weren’t good for a long time. Apple kept using discrete GPUs.
• Intel’s integrated GPUs have now improved a lot… But they are still poor for gaming.
• I put together a not-at-all-scientific 3D perf scale (1-10), just to give you an idea:
  • CPU alone, no GPU: 0.5
  • Integrated GPU 3 years ago: 1 to 1.5
  • Discrete mobile GPU 3 years ago: 2 to 2.5
  • Integrated GPU today: 2 to 2.5
  • Discrete mobile GPU today: 3 to 4
  • Discrete desktop GPU (external graphics card): 4 to 10

Please feel free to seek out precise benchmarks for yourself, but I believe that this is roughly representative of the relative performance of these chips, on average.

And the bottom line is this: integrated GPUs, even today, will probably not get you satisfactory gaming experiences in anything other than the most basic games. It might work on a less intensive game (MOBAs on low settings?), but not for something more demanding. Or at least it won’t work “well” (decent FPS at decent detail levels, etc).

Ironically, the discrete GPUs from a few years ago likely gave you similar-ish or better gaming performance than integrated GPUs today. Remember this for later.

(more…)

In the past year or so, I’ve been asked this question even more than I had before: how do I get into podcasting?

And, to be honest, most of the people asking are usually looking at YouTube (and sometimes Twitch) as their medium of choice. So Here’s a list of the important things I’ve learned along the way as I’ve made my path as a P.I.C.C (Professional Internet Content Creator. And yes, that’s an official term now).

1) Just do it

There, that’s really all you need to know. You can stop reading now.

Seriously, this is the most important point, and probably the only one that really matters. Stop wondering, stop agonizing, stop thinking, just get in front of your mic or camera and start doing it. This is especially true for YouTube, which makes producing and publishing incredibly easy.

Will your first productions suck? Yes, absolutely. No one successful today started with the innate knowledge of how this whole thing works (and those who did know usually came to this new form of their media with baggage that usually hindered them). Go check out the first videos from the people you like today; chances are, they’re pretty horrendous. Just do it, there’s nothing stopping you, and you’ll get better along the way.

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TL;DR: I would love Street Fighter V to have daily and weekly quests! Oh, and voiced emotes for communication with your online opponents.

I’m sure many of you loved fighting games when you were younger. Remember your high school and college years? Street Fighter, Tekken, King of Fighters, Mortal Kombat… We would spend so much time having so much fun with our friends, taunting each other and trying to land that oh-so-elusive “in your face!” combo.

But then these games kind of went away. Some of us still play them, a few of us still love them, but for most of us, it’s not the same. I’m hoping Street Fighter V manages to recapture some of that feeling.

This would need to happen in two stages. First, the obvious one: make a super fun game and get people to check it out. The series has become more popular in recent years (thank you Internet), and Capcom seems intent on making it more accessible to new and returning players (easy to learn, hard to master) so I’m hopeful many of us will want to try it out. Let’s assume that happens, and people get into it.

“With today’s Street Fighter IV,
there is no real incentive
to come back and play more.”

Then you get stage 2: keeping people engaged. And that’s even more tricky.

With today’s Street Fighter IV, there is no real incentive to come back and play more. Well, the enjoyment of playing the game of course, but pfft! everyone knows that’s not why people play. 🙂 I like seeing my rating go up, but there’s no in game “reason” to play every day or every week… I think if you see where I’m going with this. (more…)