Star Wars Battlefront - Death Star DLC | Visual Anomalies

- Click Here for Video -

"That's no moon. It's a space station."
--Obi-Wan Kenobi

Hello, Everyone! Welcome to Skookum Valley Gaming. I just wanted to get out a quick blog and video showing my first impressions of the new Star Wars Battlefront Death Star DLC that was released today to Season Pass members. A full highlights video and blog review will be posted later this week.

I have been loving this game since the first release! The first two DLC packages kept me fully engaged by thoroughly impressing me with the developer's attention to detail. Ever since the announcement of the Death Star DLC, I have been eagerly awaiting it's arrival.

While playing the game, some interesting visual anomalies were experienced. In one form of optical oddity, the respawn splash screen was unrecognizable. This can be seen in the video after the first death (at the 11 second mark). It goes by quickly but you can hear me say, "Yeah, that graphic's messed up."

Other visual side-effects seemed to occur mostly when making the transition between the space-based and ground-based battles while playing the new Battle Station game mode.

This intriguing new game mode is a clever variation on familiar themes which builds upon a mixture of space-based Fighter Squadron and ground based infantry battles. It looks like there may still be some wrinkles to iron out in the code which supports this new feature.

At first, I thought the cut-scene was glitching and was failing to render at the same high-resolution that we have come to enjoy in this rather ground-breaking game. You can see the first example at the 21 second mark where I say, "Man! What has happened here?" The visual anomaly prompted me to reset my PS4 because I thought memory was getting corrupted or something. 

- Click Here for the Video -

After the reset, I quickly returned to the same transition cut-scene and it looked just as bad each time. There is a similar cut-scene during the transition between the second and third phase of Battle Station where the gameplay returns to space based battles above the surface of the Death Star. This cut-scene (staring at 0:56) also has the same, strange, low-resolution (and kind of odd looking) graphical quality as the one between the first and second phases of the game mode. 

Other anomalies were encountered during these transitions as I continued to play several rounds. Each time the transitions occurred, slightly different oddities would arise. Some of these included loss of sound (at 1:11) and other screen effects which you can see in the video in the link. Check out the incident where the top 1/3 of the screen goes white while the bottom 2/3 remains black for no apparent reason (at time 1:51).

...and why is the spinning load circle in the center of the screen and not down at the lower right?

My suspicion is that there is a really heavy context switch required between those phases of Battle Station. I'm thinking that swapping out one map for another while running the same game mode is something that was not built into the underlying software design. It probably requires a lot of resources and, being something new, is causing some unexpected and undesirable behavior. EA DICE will likely address this issue in a future patch and it's not a game changer or show stopper by any means.

I chatted with someone online who was also playing the game tonight. This user mentioned seeing the some problems and when I spoke about the anomalies that I was seeing, he said that he'd seen them too and was glad that I mentioned it because he thought maybe it was just him. 

In any case, I really do appreciate the work that EA DICE has put into this truly remarkable and beautifully rendered game. However, I do think that something unfortunate has happened and perhaps this DLC was release just slightly prematurely. I'm hoping that there will be a patch coming soon and we can put all of this strangeness behind us. 

Bonus Video Link! Another PS4 SWBF player posted a rather entertaining glitch. What happens when you respawn in space but the game forgets to give you a space ship? Click on the video frame to find out!

- Click Here for Mihaly Csere's Video -

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
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Uncharted 4: Who is Henry Avery?

"I am a man of fortune, and I must seek my fortune."
--Henry Avery, 1694

Who is Henry Avery and why does Uncharted 4: A Thief's End begin with one of his quotes? Keep reading and you'll find out!

Below is a link to the first Live Commentary gameplay video produced by Skookum Valley Gaming! This is the Prologue, or first level, of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. It's a short level which is meant to introduce the player to the game's controls and drop some hints regarding the story that is about to unfold. So, sit right back and you'll hear a tale!

Henry Avery (public domain image)

The game begins with a reference to Henry Avery, sometimes erroneously referred to as John Avery, who was an English pirate that operated in the Atlantic and Indian oceans in the mid-1690s. Avery was one of the few major pirate captains to retire and keep his loot without being arrested or killed in battle. He was notorious for being the perpetrator of what has been called the most profitable pirate raid in history.

Henry Avery's crimes were so damaging to international relations that he became the subject of the first worldwide manhunt in history. Yet Avery eluded capture and vanished from all records in 1696. His whereabouts and activities after this period are unknown. Unconfirmed accounts state he may have changed his name and retired; quietly living out the rest of his life in either Britain or an unidentified tropical island. He is believed to have passed away sometime after 1696. Historian Colin Woodard states that Avery, in trying to launder his riches to currency, had been outsmarted by wealthy landowners and "died a poor beggar not being able to afford his own coffin."^[15] Many fortune seekers, to this day, believe that Avery's treasure is still out there waiting to be found. Is it Avery's loot that Nathan Drake and his brother are seeking on this last great Uncharted adventure?

Woodcut by Charles Ellms

I highly recommend reading the Wikipedia page on "Henry Every" (aka Henry Avery) to gain some background on this historical figure as it may enhance the gameplay and deepen the realism of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Everybody loves a good backing story!

In the video linked below you will see a beautifully rendered nighttime boat chase and gun battle. The scene begins right in the middle of the action with many small boats chasing Nathan and his brother, Sam, in very rough seas. They appear to be racing toward an island in hopes of escaping their would-be captors. A larger boat arrives to further complicate a battle that is already fraught with guns, grenade launchers, and knife-wielding thugs.

Thanks for visiting the Skookum Valley Gaming blog! Keep coming back!

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
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Henry Avery's Jolly Roger Flag

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - Official Page - http://www.unchartedthegame.com

Image Attributions:

• Henry Avery Image [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHenry_Every.gif
• Woodcut of Avery engaging the Great Mogul's Ship By Charles Ellms (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12216.) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AEvery_engaging_the_Great_Mogul's_Ship.jpg
• Henry Avery's Black Jolly Roger Flag [Public domain], via the Open Clip Art Library, which released it explicitly into the public domain (see here).
  
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pirate_Flag_of_Henry_Every.svg  

Uncharted 4: Waiting to Get Back in the Game

- Video Link -

Here in Skookum Valley we are patiently awaiting our chance to get back into the game and back into the Uncharted World of Nathan Drake. The story on the street is that Naughty Dog has stated that this is the final chapter of the Uncharted series of games. The fact of this matter may be evident in one of the teaser trailers where we hear Victor Sullivan say, "Just one last time." If they execute this game well and end it properly then it may be for the best. Here in Skookum Valley, we believe that all is truly well that ends well. We tip our hats to Naughty Dog, Elena, Nathan, and Sully as we join them on what might just be their final adventure.

The internet is already filling with Uncharted 4 gameplay videos even though the official release is not until tomorrow (which might already be today by the time this blog is posted). Some lucky players were treated with boxed versions of the game that were released one day early for reasons unknown. In Skookum Valley we also believe that some mysteries are best left unsolved. Therefore, the folks around here don't ask too many questions. Instead, we just enjoy what comes our way whenever it arrives.

The official copy of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End which is destined for the valley is scheduled to arrive sometime before 8pm. We're hoping to get a chance to capture some gameplay as soon as possible and report back to the world our first impressions of this much anticipated game. Until such time as the Uncharted game arrives here in the valley, we would like to entertain you with a video which was put together using bits and pieces of the three official Uncharted 4 release trailers. The video was created in an attempt to capture the feelings we are experiencing in Skookum Valley while waiting to get back to the world of the Nathan Drake and back into the Uncharted Series of video games. We know Nathan wants back in the game and we know for certain that Sully can always be talked back into the game. Here in Skookum Valley we are waiting patiently until the hour of return is upon us.

Click here to watch the video!

The video in the link above constitutes our first attempt at creating a full HD gaming video at 60 fps using Sony Movie Studio in place of the SHAREfactory application which comes standard with the PS4. This video heralds the beginning of a new era of enhanced video quality at Skookum Valley Gaming. This advancement has been made possible by the acquisition of a new 1080p 60 fps video capture device that will soon be grabbing PS4 and other console gameplay with resolutions and frame rates never before seen in Skookum Valley. NVIDIA's ShadowPlay technology will be helping out on the PC side of the gaming world. Things are looking up in Skookum Valley!

Until next time, we hope you enjoy our short little reinterpretation of the "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" teaser trailers. For the next several hours, we too will be waiting to get back in the game.

Have a great time playing Uncharted 4!  Keep coming back!

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
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How to Play Classic Video Games on New HDMI TVs

- Video Link -

This "how to" blog post and the related video will show you how to play classic video games on newer HDMI TVs. In this video you will see the Atari 2600 Flashback 4 running on a 2015 Samsung UltraHD 4K HDTV using an enKo Products RCA/AV to HDMI Converter. This little gem allows the user to take any "old fashioned" video device which outputs RCA Composite Video and connect it to one of the a newer "HDMI only" Televisions.

RCA Audio and Video Connections

The enKo Products RCA/AV to HDMI Converter will accurately convert the old composite video stream into a high quality modern HDMI signal and will also insert the incoming the RCA audio signal into the outgoing HDMI data stream.

HDMI Port Connection

The device will even convert a "left channel only" mono signal into a full dual channel audio stream. Now you can use your old school video game consoles, VCR's, DVD players, and camcorders with your brand new UltraHD 4K HDMI TV.

Inside the box!

Inside the box is the surprisingly rugged, well designed, and nicely labeled  RCA to HDMI Converter. Along with the device came some nice and unexpected accessories. The converter, itself, is powered via a USB port on the side of the unit. As a welcome convenience, the manufacturers decided to include a sturdy USB cable and a "USB Wall Wart" (mains to USB converter) to provide the required power.

HDMI Into the Television

The kit also include a very high end HDMI cable which I found remarkable. I've become accustomed to "free" HDMI cables which are rather cheaply made but this one far surpassed any expectations I may have had...and I actually did not expect that an HDMI cable was even included! That's a nice bonus!!!

USB Power Connection

Fortunately for me, my television had a spare USB port on the back and I was able to draw power from there and did not need the USB mains power supply. The spare USB port was also conveniently close to my spare HDMI port which made installation quite simple and care-free.

I have to say that I was actually stunned at the image quality. Yes, the old MOS Technology 6507 CPU uses 8-bit technology and, therefore, outputs rather blocky graphics by today's standards; but those old games look amazing today! The enKo converter maximizes the signal and brings out the full color depth and sonic potential that had always existed but had been nearly hidden away within those early and very classic video games.

When I saw the clarity of the image on

Atari Space Invaders on a 4K TV!

my bright new 4K TV and heard those classic Atari 2600 sounds coming out of my soundbar and subwoofer, I experienced a moment of childish giddiness that I haven't felt in quite a while. It was like I suddenly found myself with the gaming setup that I'd always wanted when I was a kid. For a brief and warm moment, it transported me back to a simpler time and somehow now it makes my home feel a little more comfortable. Achievement unlocked!

Check out the video linked below to get a closer look at the setup and see exactly what is inside the box. I hope this "how to" blog and the associated video will be of some help to anyone who might be looking for a way to go retro-modern and keep those classic games alive!

Please hit the like button, share this video with friends, leave comments below, and remember to Subscribe to the Skookum Valley Gaming YouTube Channel for more!

Thanks for visiting and Keep Coming Back!
Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkookumGames
► Google+: +SkookumValleyGaming
► Blogger: http://www.SkookumValleyGaming.com

Links...
The enKo Products RCA to HDMI Converter Webpage
The enKo Products RCA to HDMI Converter on Google

Twitter - https://twitter.com/SkookumGames
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUoUJvIpt3Y7YyaerwkwW_A

Tom Clancy's The Division™ Beta | First Look Review

(see video link below)

Here is a first peak at the highly anticipated Tom Clancy's The Division™ which is set to be released on March 8, 2016.

It is reported that some 6.4 million people played the beta. That's an incredible turnout and it shows how much excitement there is surrounding the arrival of this game.

When first announced, The Division™ generated a lot of buzz with claims that it was a true "next-gen" masterpiece. While I enjoyed playing it, I did not get the feeling that I was playing something that was quite so noteworthy. The graphics are very well done and the gameplay is quite smooth but it seems that I just didn't encounter those elements which were supposed to make this release the darling of next-generation gaming.

Perhaps I have been spoiled by recent games which have implemented the kind of stunning visuals seen in offerings such as Star Wars™ Battlefront™ which, at times, seem to immerse the player in a photograph or high definition movie. Even the aging Battlefield 4, in my humble opinion, offers a much more engaging and immersive experience than was offered by The Division's beta demonstration.

Take a first look at The Division™ by clicking on the frame above.

To be fair, it is important to remember that the beta is not the final version of the game. There may be elements that I have not yet seen or experienced. Other reviewers speak of the game being vastly more satisfying when played with friends. I stuck with the single-player mission and did not venture into the Dark Zone where, quite possibly, everyone was having all of the fun.

Although I very much enjoyed the beta and will likely get a kick out of the game when it is officially released, I was not enthralled enough to pre-order the game. There are so many great games to play and so very little time to play them. This one can wait until the full game is released and there's a chance to see some reviews and gameplay videos produced by other gamers.

In full disclosure, many people who are excited about this game also continue to rave about Destiny™. While that game, too, looked visually stunning and had smooth gameplay and wonderful mechanics, it always felt like I was playing a game that wasn't quite done yet. It seemed like something was missing and the story, itself, just kind of disappeared after only a few levels. I was never quite sure what to make of that game either.

Enjoy a round of Destiny™ by clicking on the frame above.

If The Division™ proves to be a lot like a version of Destiny™ set in the "almost real" world then I can see why playing with others might greatly enhance the game. The most fun I had playing Destiny™ was when playing with a friend. When venturing alone, I usually ended up deciding that my limited time for gaming was best spent playing something else.

I hope that this review will prove useful to people interested in knowing more about Tom Clancy's The Division™. I also hope that my comments do not upset anyone or otherwise rain on any parades. My opinions are just opinions and should never be confused with facts. I could be completely wrong and this may be the best game I'll play this year. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Here's to another great year!

If you enjoyed these videos, please hit the "like" button and remember to subscribe to receive updates whenever new content becomes available.

Thanks for visiting and keep coming back!

Stay Skookum!
Pilchuck
of Skookum Valley Gaming

► YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/SkookumValleyGamingTube
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Last Minute Gift Idea for the Discerning Gamer!

Wikipedia source image
owned by Naughty Dog

Get Good Deals on Naughty Dog's "The Last of US Remastered"

One of the most enjoyable games I've played this year has to be Naughty Dog's 2014 release of "The Last of Us Remastered".

This action-horror survival game was originally released as an exclusive on the previous generation PlayStation 3 (PS3) console. It received much critical acclaim and many awards in the gaming world. In my opinion, the overwhelmingly positive response to this game was exceptionally well placed.

I had heard about this game for quite some time but had not let my curiosity allow me to partake in any of the action. When the time came that I decided to purchase the next generation PlayStation platform, the PS4, I found a version of the gaming console bundled with a free copy of this game about which so much had been spoken. As a bonus, the new release represented a fresh remastering of the graphics to the new levels afforded by this generation's powerful new consoles.

The video in the link below demonstrates something I've not experienced with such realism in any game before this one. In a convincingly cold wintertime setting, you play as the young Ellie who is trying to find food to keep herself and her critically wounded friend alive. Ellie spots a large buck off in the distance and she proceeds to use a scavenged bow to quietly stalk and bring down this large and elusive animal for the food and supplies it will provide.

Enjoy a moment of "The Last of Us" by clicking the frame above.

Uncharted 4™: A Thief's End Multiplayer Beta - Review

Wikipedia source image

owned by Naughty Dog

The much anticipated release of the latest installment of the PS4 exclusive Uncharted™ series is scheduled for March of 2016 and will be named, "Uncharted 4™: A Thief's End".

Fans of the game who purchased the recently remastered "Uncharted™: The Nathan Drake Collection" for PS4 were treated to an all-too-brief chance to experience the advanced graphics and smooth gameplay made possible by the newest generation of this iconic gaming platform.

Below is a link to the entirety of an uncut round of Team Deathmatch on the Madagascar City map. No transitions, no cuts, and no edits on this one. We get the full multiplayer round with this video.

Enjoy a round of "Uncharted 4™: A Thief's End" by clicking the frame above.

This gameplay was captured during the first evening of the "Uncharted 4™: A Thief's End" Multiplayer Beta event using the SHAREfactory™ tool included with the PS4. The player skin of choice was that of the always wonderful and tough, Elena Fisher, in her "Island Elena" outfit with aviator glasses.