20220824 (AM Hours):
I tried this game before going to bed (on the Steam Deck). Unfortunately, it was a mediocre experience. Perhaps it is the first actual mediocre game from the recommendation section in terms of gameplay (as opposed to compability issues or suboptimal controls on the Steam Deck).
The game started off promising, but as the game progressed, there was a lack of appeal. What was the player's goal? Why were there shrines freely giving away cards? The entire game just generally lacked the finer touches of other deckbuilding games, e.g., Slay the Spire and Hand of Fate.
Steam Game Time: 16 minutes
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Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Friday, August 12, 2022
Fallout Shelter (PC) (2017)
Reason for Playing:
One of the recommendations on the Steam Deck Home page Recommendation section.
20220812:
This game feels boring, but maybe the game doesn't play well on the Steam Deck. I'm also kind of sleepy.
Steam Game Time: 27 minutes (total game time)
20220813 AM Hours:
Trying to give this game an extra chance. I'm getting used to the controls, but there's still a lack of appeal.
Steam Game Time: 55 minutes (total game time) / 28 minutes (session game time)
20220813:
Today I played a little more. Then started a new shelter. Then decided to move on from the game.
Steam Game Time: 113 minutes (total game time) / 58 minutes (session game time)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/588430/Fallout_Shelter/
One of the recommendations on the Steam Deck Home page Recommendation section.
20220812:
This game feels boring, but maybe the game doesn't play well on the Steam Deck. I'm also kind of sleepy.
Steam Game Time: 27 minutes (total game time)
20220813 AM Hours:
Trying to give this game an extra chance. I'm getting used to the controls, but there's still a lack of appeal.
Steam Game Time: 55 minutes (total game time) / 28 minutes (session game time)
20220813:
Today I played a little more. Then started a new shelter. Then decided to move on from the game.
Steam Game Time: 113 minutes (total game time) / 58 minutes (session game time)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/588430/Fallout_Shelter/
Friday, August 5, 2022
Deponia (PC) (2012)
Reason for Playing:
This game was in the Recommended section of my Steam Deck home page.
20220805:
While Deponia was recommended, I also had Deponia: The Complete Journey on Steam and opted to install and play that version instead. However, on this day, I hardly played the game.
Setup: Inventory key to pull down inventory (the Steam Deck has multiple buttons mapped to this action)
Steam Game Time: 12 minutes (total game time)
20220806:
Gameplay Log:
Collected the magnets and set off some alarms, but didn't figure out how to actually make use of them.
Steam Game Time: 2.0 hours (total game time) / 1.8 hours (session game time)
20220808:
Gameplay Log:
Wandering around and revisited Lonzo's place. Apparently that progressed the story for me. Lesson learned here is the importance of double-checking places previously visited
Collected some items from Gizmo's place (Emergency Station).
Steam Game Time: 2.5 hours (total game time) / 0.5 hours (session game time)
20220809:
Today, I figured out various solutions which resulted in being able to make the espresso.
One of the simpler realizations was being able to walk around Toni's house. I thought the player was restricted to being in the first floor, but due to needing to access the first aid kit, I eventually realized the player can click the ramp to walk to the second floor.
Steam Game Time: 5.2 hours (total game time) / 2.7 hours (session game time)
20220810:
I tried to boot up the game today and the area in which I could move the cursor was just a portion of the screen. I suspect a recent OS update was part of the problem. In trying to fix the problem, I forced Steam to load the game using Proton. While this did solve the cursor issue, it also caused the platform to use a different file save location. I tried to restore my save files to this location so I tried to set up Syncthing. Unfortunately, my computer overheated and I got sidetracked into replacing the AIO with a Noctua fan (a replacement I had put off). When I completed maintenance of my computer, I set up Syncthing and waited for various folders to sync. I copied over the save files, but this attempt didn't work. Desperate, I turned off the forced use of Proton. My former progress was loaded, but so was the cursor issue. Fortunately, I found the option to manually set the game resolution and that resolved the problem.
After getting the game to work, I ended up spending some time tuning the controller layout.
20220811 AM Hours:
Gameplay Log:
Figured out how to deliver coffee to Goal (I noticed the sign with fire and an "X" over it on the door of the cupboard)
I'm currently stuck with trying to obtain/create a set of headphones (I already have a mic set up in the vault)
Steam Game Time: 8.9 hours (total game time) / 3.7 hours (session game time)*
*Including time to fix the cursor issue (~10 minutes of in-game time) and playing around with the controller layout (~30 minutes of in-game time)
20220811:
Gameplay Log:
Got the headphones and escaped with Goal
Decided I didn't want to deal with this new area (junk yard) and stopped playing
Steam Game Time: 9.9 hours (total game time) / 1.0 hours (session game time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deponia_(video_game)
This game was in the Recommended section of my Steam Deck home page.
20220805:
While Deponia was recommended, I also had Deponia: The Complete Journey on Steam and opted to install and play that version instead. However, on this day, I hardly played the game.
Setup: Inventory key to pull down inventory (the Steam Deck has multiple buttons mapped to this action)
Steam Game Time: 12 minutes (total game time)
20220806:
Gameplay Log:
Collected the magnets and set off some alarms, but didn't figure out how to actually make use of them.
Steam Game Time: 2.0 hours (total game time) / 1.8 hours (session game time)
20220808:
Gameplay Log:
Wandering around and revisited Lonzo's place. Apparently that progressed the story for me. Lesson learned here is the importance of double-checking places previously visited
Collected some items from Gizmo's place (Emergency Station).
Steam Game Time: 2.5 hours (total game time) / 0.5 hours (session game time)
20220809:
Today, I figured out various solutions which resulted in being able to make the espresso.
One of the simpler realizations was being able to walk around Toni's house. I thought the player was restricted to being in the first floor, but due to needing to access the first aid kit, I eventually realized the player can click the ramp to walk to the second floor.
Steam Game Time: 5.2 hours (total game time) / 2.7 hours (session game time)
20220810:
I tried to boot up the game today and the area in which I could move the cursor was just a portion of the screen. I suspect a recent OS update was part of the problem. In trying to fix the problem, I forced Steam to load the game using Proton. While this did solve the cursor issue, it also caused the platform to use a different file save location. I tried to restore my save files to this location so I tried to set up Syncthing. Unfortunately, my computer overheated and I got sidetracked into replacing the AIO with a Noctua fan (a replacement I had put off). When I completed maintenance of my computer, I set up Syncthing and waited for various folders to sync. I copied over the save files, but this attempt didn't work. Desperate, I turned off the forced use of Proton. My former progress was loaded, but so was the cursor issue. Fortunately, I found the option to manually set the game resolution and that resolved the problem.
After getting the game to work, I ended up spending some time tuning the controller layout.
20220811 AM Hours:
Gameplay Log:
Figured out how to deliver coffee to Goal (I noticed the sign with fire and an "X" over it on the door of the cupboard)
I'm currently stuck with trying to obtain/create a set of headphones (I already have a mic set up in the vault)
Steam Game Time: 8.9 hours (total game time) / 3.7 hours (session game time)*
*Including time to fix the cursor issue (~10 minutes of in-game time) and playing around with the controller layout (~30 minutes of in-game time)
20220811:
Gameplay Log:
Got the headphones and escaped with Goal
Decided I didn't want to deal with this new area (junk yard) and stopped playing
Steam Game Time: 9.9 hours (total game time) / 1.0 hours (session game time)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deponia_(video_game)
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Mushroom 11 (PC) (2015)
Reason for Playing:
Recommendation section of Steam Deck home page.
Overview: You play as a mold and move around via a destruction mechanic: whenever cells are destroyed, new ones grow somewhere along the remaining cells.
20220804 and 20220805:
Setup: At first I was using the right trackpad with trigger but eventualy I mostly just click the right trackpad when using the big eraser.
Gameplay Log:
20220804:
Completed Chapter 1
Started playing Chapter 2
20220805:
Completed Chapter 2
Watched the first two chapters in an Any% speedrun: https://www.speedrun.com/m11/run/zg7d61jz.
First Impressions:
The game has a unique mechanic and has an appealing art style. While it was playable on the Steam Deck with the trackpad, I think it would feel much better to play with a mouse.
Steam Game Time: 69 minutes (total game time)
Recommendation section of Steam Deck home page.
Overview: You play as a mold and move around via a destruction mechanic: whenever cells are destroyed, new ones grow somewhere along the remaining cells.
20220804 and 20220805:
Setup: At first I was using the right trackpad with trigger but eventualy I mostly just click the right trackpad when using the big eraser.
Gameplay Log:
20220804:
Completed Chapter 1
Started playing Chapter 2
20220805:
Completed Chapter 2
Watched the first two chapters in an Any% speedrun: https://www.speedrun.com/m11/run/zg7d61jz.
First Impressions:
The game has a unique mechanic and has an appealing art style. While it was playable on the Steam Deck with the trackpad, I think it would feel much better to play with a mouse.
Steam Game Time: 69 minutes (total game time)
Evoland (PC) (2013)
Reason for Playing:
Next game recommended on the Steam Deck recommendation section.
Overview: Evoland is a game whose gameplay and visuals span gaming history, primarily referencing the action/adventure, RPG, and action RPG genres. In particular, the game primarily switches between the Legend Zelda and Final Fantasy series in style.
20220803:
Today I started playing Evoland and for the most part I'm enjoying the experience. The game typically progresses at a fast enough rate that it's just one nostalgic experience after another. With that being said, there was one place in the game where I wasn't paying attention, got lost, wasted at least a good half hour running into random encounters, and subsequently spent at least another half hour making my way through such encounters. I suppose that in itself was a reminder of a part of the RPG experience which I don't miss, and it makes me wonder how I ever played various entries in the Pokemon series.
Gameplay Log:
Got access to the Airship and backtracked to the north.
Shrine of Babamut
Headed to the Mana Tree and tried to fight Zephyros
Steam Game Time: 3.8 hours (total game time)
20220804 AM Hours:
Gameplay Log:
Star: The Crystal Caves; Card: Edel Vale; Merchant: North-West forest; Chobokos: plains
Using someone's world map (which I felt I could have made myself). However, there were three locations I would have not yet labeled: #13, #15, and the second half of #3.
Got the star. Got the card.
Visited #13. I actually passed by this prior to seeing the map, but I thought you enter it like a town. Actually j ust "talk" to the tent.
Star: The Crystal Caves; Card: The Ruins of Sarudnahk.
Got the card.
Looked at a map of Crystal Caves and saw a hidden path leading to the star. To be honest, I didn't intend to look at the map with the expectation that it'd have all the secrets revealed. However, in hindsight, that would almost certainly be the case.
Steam Game TIme: 4.3 hours (total game time) / 0.5 hours (session game time)
20220804:
Gameplay Log:
Passed by an open area which I assumed to be the plains. Walked around and encountered a Choboko.
Got the star.
Visited the second half of #3.
Visited #15.
(You have found 26 of 30) Star: The Sacred Grove. (You have found 14 of 23) Card: The Hidden Cave.
Got my Choboko meat cooked.
Went to merchant
Got the star (it was from a hidden passageway). Got the card (also from a hidden passageway).
(You have found 27 of 30) Star: Edel Vale. (You have found 17 of 23) Card: The Noria Mines.
Got the star. Got the card (actually I think I got more than one).
Note that the "hard" chest in The Noria Mines involved getting swept by the last air trap. I observed this trap from afar and for some reason thought if nothing else is leading to this chest, then perhaps it's this.
(You have found 29 of 30) Star: Papunika Village. (You have found 21 of 23) Card: The Ruins of Sarudnahk.
Got the card (I went to the end of the level where the boss/portal are and back to the beginning before finding it: noticing the gap in the white edge of the minimap
(You have found 29 of 30) Star: Papunika Village. (You have found 22 of 23) Card: Papunika Village.
Got the card. Got the star.
Defeated Zephyros. Honestly, it was a relatively tough boss battle.
The credits say I completed 98.2% of the game. Perhaps this is due to the two remaining achievements.
Steam Game Time: 7.0 hours (total game time) / 2.7 hours (session game time)
20220912:
Today I finished the two remaining uncompleted Steam achievements: kill an Otoroc with a flaming arrow and defeat the boss in Noria Mines while on full health. The latter was annoying. On the third or fourth try, I got the boss down while on full health, but he detonates before officially dying and that dealt me one damage so I had to try again. After another one or two tries, I managed to defeat him while on full health and also maintain the full health by avoid his detonation (I probably used the bow and arrow to attack him.
On a related note, the first time I lost to the boss, I tried to recover life manually (walking around and killing monsters). However, I eventually realized that I can go to the main menu, continue, and the player character will start at the entrance of the mines with full life. I then further realized that if the player character loses all his health, he will also start at the entrance with full life.
Technical Difficulties: When trying to boot up the game, I got the Steam Logo and the game wouldn't load. This also happened when I tried to boot up Yaga. I did an internet search and a Reddit thread suggested to just restart. I did and the game successfully launched (though Yaga still did not launch).
Steam Game Time: 7.5 hours (total game time) / 24 minutes (session game time)
20231224:
Ensuring backup of game from Steam Deck to PC. There was no cloud save, so I had to manually navigate to the save file and copy it over before being able to use Game Save Manager to make the backup. The save itself is located at ` C:\Users\****\AppData\Roaming\com.shirogames.evoland\Local Store\#SharedObjects\game.dat` and so I copied the `com.shirogames.evoland` folder from my Steam Deck to PC.
Steam Game Time: 7.6 hours (cumulative game time) / 0.1 hours (session game time)
Next game recommended on the Steam Deck recommendation section.
Overview: Evoland is a game whose gameplay and visuals span gaming history, primarily referencing the action/adventure, RPG, and action RPG genres. In particular, the game primarily switches between the Legend Zelda and Final Fantasy series in style.
20220803:
Today I started playing Evoland and for the most part I'm enjoying the experience. The game typically progresses at a fast enough rate that it's just one nostalgic experience after another. With that being said, there was one place in the game where I wasn't paying attention, got lost, wasted at least a good half hour running into random encounters, and subsequently spent at least another half hour making my way through such encounters. I suppose that in itself was a reminder of a part of the RPG experience which I don't miss, and it makes me wonder how I ever played various entries in the Pokemon series.
Gameplay Log:
Got access to the Airship and backtracked to the north.
Shrine of Babamut
Headed to the Mana Tree and tried to fight Zephyros
Steam Game Time: 3.8 hours (total game time)
20220804 AM Hours:
Gameplay Log:
Star: The Crystal Caves; Card: Edel Vale; Merchant: North-West forest; Chobokos: plains
Using someone's world map (which I felt I could have made myself). However, there were three locations I would have not yet labeled: #13, #15, and the second half of #3.
Got the star. Got the card.
Visited #13. I actually passed by this prior to seeing the map, but I thought you enter it like a town. Actually j ust "talk" to the tent.
Star: The Crystal Caves; Card: The Ruins of Sarudnahk.
Got the card.
Looked at a map of Crystal Caves and saw a hidden path leading to the star. To be honest, I didn't intend to look at the map with the expectation that it'd have all the secrets revealed. However, in hindsight, that would almost certainly be the case.
Steam Game TIme: 4.3 hours (total game time) / 0.5 hours (session game time)
20220804:
Gameplay Log:
Passed by an open area which I assumed to be the plains. Walked around and encountered a Choboko.
Got the star.
Visited the second half of #3.
Visited #15.
(You have found 26 of 30) Star: The Sacred Grove. (You have found 14 of 23) Card: The Hidden Cave.
Got my Choboko meat cooked.
Went to merchant
Got the star (it was from a hidden passageway). Got the card (also from a hidden passageway).
(You have found 27 of 30) Star: Edel Vale. (You have found 17 of 23) Card: The Noria Mines.
Got the star. Got the card (actually I think I got more than one).
Note that the "hard" chest in The Noria Mines involved getting swept by the last air trap. I observed this trap from afar and for some reason thought if nothing else is leading to this chest, then perhaps it's this.
(You have found 29 of 30) Star: Papunika Village. (You have found 21 of 23) Card: The Ruins of Sarudnahk.
Got the card (I went to the end of the level where the boss/portal are and back to the beginning before finding it: noticing the gap in the white edge of the minimap
(You have found 29 of 30) Star: Papunika Village. (You have found 22 of 23) Card: Papunika Village.
Got the card. Got the star.
Defeated Zephyros. Honestly, it was a relatively tough boss battle.
The credits say I completed 98.2% of the game. Perhaps this is due to the two remaining achievements.
Steam Game Time: 7.0 hours (total game time) / 2.7 hours (session game time)
20220912:
Today I finished the two remaining uncompleted Steam achievements: kill an Otoroc with a flaming arrow and defeat the boss in Noria Mines while on full health. The latter was annoying. On the third or fourth try, I got the boss down while on full health, but he detonates before officially dying and that dealt me one damage so I had to try again. After another one or two tries, I managed to defeat him while on full health and also maintain the full health by avoid his detonation (I probably used the bow and arrow to attack him.
On a related note, the first time I lost to the boss, I tried to recover life manually (walking around and killing monsters). However, I eventually realized that I can go to the main menu, continue, and the player character will start at the entrance of the mines with full life. I then further realized that if the player character loses all his health, he will also start at the entrance with full life.
Technical Difficulties: When trying to boot up the game, I got the Steam Logo and the game wouldn't load. This also happened when I tried to boot up Yaga. I did an internet search and a Reddit thread suggested to just restart. I did and the game successfully launched (though Yaga still did not launch).
Steam Game Time: 7.5 hours (total game time) / 24 minutes (session game time)
20231224:
Ensuring backup of game from Steam Deck to PC. There was no cloud save, so I had to manually navigate to the save file and copy it over before being able to use Game Save Manager to make the backup. The save itself is located at ` C:\Users\****\AppData\Roaming\com.shirogames.evoland\Local Store\#SharedObjects\game.dat` and so I copied the `com.shirogames.evoland` folder from my Steam Deck to PC.
Steam Game Time: 7.6 hours (cumulative game time) / 0.1 hours (session game time)
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Plague Inc: Evolved (PC) (2016)
Reason for Playing:
I've been playing games in the recommendation section of the Steam Deck Home page.*
I've been playing games in the recommendation section of the Steam Deck Home page.*