I got a new lens for my camera it's a Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM to replace my Sigma 17-70mm which is for a cropped sensor but my EOS-1 is a full frame camera. As with most of my photography equipment these days I got it second hand from MPB, I've yet to have a bad experience with them and this ended up being about half of what is costs new. It's nice so far, good and heavy so that means it's full of high quality glass I guess. With the heat I haven't been bothered to get out and about with it yet so here's a few photos I took in my garden with it.
I'm looking forward to heading out and using it with my EOS-1 soon.
Steam Next Fest a week long event for developers to promote their upcoming games on Steam is currently on. This has grown so much over the years that discovering games on Steam is quite difficult(althought seems to improve a few days in) so I've been checking out anything I've seen people recommend that looks like my kind of game and here's a bunch I think you should check out too. The quality and variety of games outside of the mainstream is incredible and if you're reading this and don't normally play games I hope there's something in here that is worth checking out for you. I've tried to cast a wide net. Next Fest is over now but these days most games leave their demos available so hopefully you can still try any of the games below.
This is an absolutely fantastic game, I was only playing demos for 20 - 30 minutes to get a feel for them and then waiting for the full release but I played this for over 90 minutes in total. I actually had to uninstall it to get away from it until the full game releases and I will probably cave and reinstall it still! It's a Vampire Survivors style auto-shooting game but plays as a side scrolling platformer and feels really well balanced with its weapons, upgrades and progression. There's a nice level of skill to the movement, the level layout is persistent and there's different characters that each have their own twist that will dictate your play style. Add to that Messhof's fantastic style with great weird graphics and excellent music and it's a game that's so difficult to put down. I'd turn it off after a couple of runs and be back 10 minutes later for more. Can't wait to lose an entire weekend playing this later in the year. It also makes me want to get some friends over for some Nidhogg.
p.s. A couple of days after writing this I did reinstall this and played for another 90 minutes.
A game that's taking inspiration from System Shock 2 in setting but for gameplay feels closer to BioShock. This is really promising and the developers have already released an update addressing some initial feedback. I need to play this a bit more, but the atmosphere is great and the Fallout-ness of the corporation works well.
An interesting puzzle game where you're using an old cursed PC to uncover a mystery. Very much in the vein of The Roottrees Are Dead(a great way to spend a rainy evening) and a bit of Hypnospace Outlaw as well. I liked what I played.
A mix of survival and dungeon delving, I really liked the graphics and atmosphere of this. It being a hand made dungeon to explore appeals to me as well as opposed to something procedurally generated. Could definitely be a fun co-op game too.
Metal Gear Solid but you play the Colonel helping out Solid Snake. Interesting and wears that MGS influence on its sleeve. The writing was a bit too jokey at times, I think it's something that's better played straight but not so bad as to put me off just yet.
This was fun! Genuinely felt like playing a FPS from the 90s that I'd have bought when it was published by Sold Out a few years later and cost a fiver. The combat was fun, but the key hunting and repetitive level wasn't great and that's an aspect I wish these retro shooters didn't carry forward. I like the b-movie style of it though and will be keeping an eye on how it comes along.
A quick side note: 3 of the demos open with a fake BIOS screen. I'm getting a bit tired of this opening now!
I finally got my rolls of Fuji Film 200 & Kodak Gold 200 developed, here are some of the photos from them. These have come out better than my first roll, unsurprisingly. I was intentionally shooting a notch lower than what the light meter said was ideal and it paid off. Some dodgy focus on some, possibly due to taking photos on sunny days when I have my sunglasses on. I tend to take them off to take the photo for the sake of getting the exposure right but the view finder is set to compensate for my glasses... But if I'm basing exposure by the light meter I'm probably better off leaving them on. Another lesson learned. All of the photos were shot with my 50mm prime lens.
I've also reactivated my Flickr to make it easier to share photos away from Instagram, you can go there for higher quality versions. I implore that you do for shots you like the look of, the embeds are very compressed.
Inchicore
These are all on Fuji Film 200. On a nice Saturday morning I had to leave a book back to the library so took the time to take photos while I was in the area. I love the bicycle shot, so satisfying for it to come out as I hoped it would when I took the photo weeks ago! I'll probably print that and frame it.
Misc Fuji Film 200 Favourites
I really like the Swan photo, nice contrast and depth of focus. There's a nice lightness to this film that looks great on a rainy day.
Kodak 200 Favourites
Love how the horse carriage shot could be from the 70s. The Acer against the blue sky is another that came out exactly how I wanted it to. So so satisfying when all I've learned about photography these past 20 years pays off.
At the start of May I was up with my family for my niece's confirmation, that was a fun day always nice to get to see may family and catch up. Also organised a nice day of pizzas in my garden with the weather being good, you have to make the most of it here. Hopefully that's not the last of the good weather.
I started running again in late March and after a few weeks of training got back to running 5K and beat my personal best time as well. I have a goal to get much more fit this year, after reading The Body by Bill Bryson it made me want to look after my body better. I'm also keeping up on weight training and it really does make you feel much better than sitting at a desk all day does. I forget that many years ago when I used to work in Woodies I was on my feet all day, lifting things and generally being active. These days I sit at a desk far too much so I really need to make the effort to be active.
I've been working more on a game, it's at that stage where lots of things are starting to take shape and come together after months trying things that went nowhere. I'll hopefully have something more interesting to share soon. It's a stealth game inspired by the early Thief games mainly. To help with this I am taking notes of ideas I have but also when playing games taking notes of what I like in those games that might work in mine as well. As you can see I even stuck with a game I wasn't really enjoying much just to see if there were at least ideas that would be interesting.
I've been shooting more photos on films, I have a couple of rolls that I need to drop off for development. I'm still enjoying shooting on film!
Formula 1 is finally back after being off during April. Miami was ok but Montreal was a really good race. Can't wait to see more of Russell & Antonelli battling it out later in the season and having Hamilton on form against Verstappen is always fun to watch. Hoping there are more races this good even if a Mercedes driver winning seems like a forgone conclusion already.
Dennis got in a fight(again!) and had a nasty infected bite on his cheek. He was kept home for 2 weeks and needed a cone for most of those 2 weeks. He got very grumpy by the end of the month but is back in good form now.
I got my garden in order, weeded it and topped up the bark. Then I had my friends over for a garden pizza aprty while we had some nice weather. There's still more to do on the garden, I have a goal to get it done by the end of summer.
I bought a Kodak Charmera and it's been kinda fun. I was just taking a lot of photos and videos as I went then wanted to created a montage of them. So I got some video editing software for that right? No! I looked up Python libraries for editing video clips and have started on a small script I can point to a folder, view and select clips/photos and then put them all together. It only took about an hour to have a simple version working, there are a few things I'd like to improve with it in the coming days.
Maybe photos from events are meant to be sort of shit? Gives them more character.
Finally I have been thinking about Hivemind again. I have lots of ides in my head for Version 3 both for new games and a big change on the technical side that I think will help it run more smoothly and give the audience a better experience. I'm excited to explore some of those ides in June.
THat was a busier month than I thought! Roll on June.
One about queues ruining NYC. As someone who scoffs at the idea of queueing for Bambino(just go to the always empty one on Baggot St!) this resonated with me. Stop the Madness
Films
Obsession
The best time I’ve had at the cinema in a while. Excellent characters and a fun premise that they get so much out of. I was laughing and then seconds later filled with dread never knowing what way things were going to go. Inde Navarrette is absolutely fantastic in this.
Titanic
Absolutely stunning. I don't think I've watched this since my mother brought me to see it in the cinema when it was released and it's definitely something I can appreciate more today than when I was 10. I had a strong emotional reaction to the second half. The desperation to survive, the panic to escape, the guilt from the Captain and designer of the ship for failing these people, the remorse of the crew enforcing rules that no longer matter and are only killing people. The other members of the quartet returning to play was the moment that broke me. "Gentlemen, it's been a privilege playing with you tonight" 😭
TV
Hacks
The final season, I'm sad to see this go but glad they're wrapping things up before any sort of decline. A good final season.
Paradise
I got through both seasons of this in a couple of weeks, really compelling stuff. It does mystery very well with reveals feeling satisfying. It reminds me of how I felt watching LOST when it came out.
Games
No One Lives Forever
You can read all about this here.
Thief: The Dark Parade
A fan made set of 10 new missions for Thief with a full story and voice acting and everything. This is really good, great quality art and levels although they can be a bit labyrinthian. I'm on the 7th mission but as it's such a dark game the days are too long for it to be easy to play. I just can't get my office dark enough during the day.
Told you it was dark.
Diablo IV
Reading Play Nice gave me a hankering for a Blizzard game and Diablo is a series that I find it very easy to jump into and kill time. Diablo 3 was my zone out game when I was in a funk, I think I racked up 150 hours in it.
007 First Light
I think I'm nearing the end of this, it's fun if a little inconsistent. None of the specific systems are great but they're not bad either. They all do the job. The story has been enjoyable if a tad generic but the characters are all well realised and enjoyable to spend time with. It's a good Bond game though, it's hitting all the notes and there's been some great moments where everything comes together. I hope we get more Bond form IO Interactive.
Mina The Hollower
I'm only at the start of this, it's good! I am playing with some of the modifiers which I think help sand of the edges for me. Things like not losing XP/Money on death which I always just find irritating and pointless in games that allow you to just go farm these things endlessly. I'm loving the art style and the amount of exploration there is.
Music
Maya Hawke - MAITREYA CORSO
This has been on a lot for the past month. As easy to listen to as Chaos Angel but with more depth to most of the songs and just more going on. Terms of Estrangement is probably my favourite song on the album and the way Maitreya and the Way Back changes half way in is my favourite moment on the album.
CMAT in St. Ann's Park
What a show. My fourth time seeing CMAT and everytime it's a bigger show than the last time. She and her band are incredible performers who you can tell are having a great time on stage. It's infectious and these are the most fun gigs there are.
Books
Venomous Lumpsucker - Ned Beauman
I really enjoyed this, a sci-fi adventure set in a near future following two people trying to save a species of fish for different reasons. An easy read with a light and funny tone.
Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future Of Blizzard Entertainment - Jason Schreier
An interesting history of the founding and life of Blizzard Entertainment. Goes into a lot of detail on the important people throughout the life of the company and the big events that steered it to where it is now. For anyone interested in learning more about the games industry. Other books I'd recommend are: Master of Doom, Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grand Theft Auto & Blood, Sweat, and Pixels.
Theatre
The Bureau De Change Song Contest
This is always a fun night, a bunch of Irish comedians getting together to put on a spoof Eurovsion song contest. Don't miss it next year!
When the weather gets warm like it has been lately I always find it difficult to know what to eat so I've been trying out some new lighter meals and these tacos were very tasty so here's the recipe.
Delicious tacos!
Mushroom filling
2 portobello mushrooms
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Olive oil
Slice the mushrooms and pepper fairly thinly then mix with the seasonings & olive oil in a bowl. Bake for about 15 minutes at 200c.
Pineapple Salsa
1 pineapple slice
half a green chilli
1 scallion
Slice them all thinly them mix together. Add or remove the chilli based on your preference. You could probably add some red onion too but I forgot to at the time.
Assembly
Get 2 tacos(flour or corn whatever you like) and add half of the filling to each, top with some of the salsa and add a bit of mango habanero hot sauce to it. Optionally crush some tortilla chips on top for a bit of crunch. 2 tacos is a nice light lunch for one person.
