Category: Random Musings

My Gripe With The Old Video Reviews

How about some fun behind the scenes stories or something? Because I’ve honestly got nothing else to talk about at the moment and if I do, I’m saving it for a later date.

I make no qualms about the fact that I tend to not like my earlier video stuff. Granted, I was just starting off, I was learning what I can, and I was trying to be cute at times… which took a few years for me to get out of that particular habit. So I have no real issue in getting to a point where I want to revisit a game that I covered ages ago and give a fresh new look with a fresh new perspective based on a little more insight.

The other side of that equation is that a lot of those earlier video reviews were basically video versions of what I had written on GameFAQs, only slightly tweaked so that there’s no arbitrary scoring system. Those GameFAQs reviews, written years earlier and with even less quality or care, have not aged well. A lot of those reviews are also not very relevant; if you were to go back and read those reviews, especially those posted in the early 2000s, they do not reflect my feelings on said games today. Something to bare in mind is that those reviews were written quickly and briefly – usually to satisfy some word limit imposed. And during those early days of video posting, YouTube usually imposed a 10-15 minute on how much video you can actually post until said limits were eventually removed. Since those written reviews were short enough to cover the bases, I just used those.

In hindsight, not the smartest idea, but I worked with what I have.

In some strange way, I miss the days when you were only allowed a certain amount of time to upload video. I know people prefer the more longform videos that let you people go into every nook and cranny about stuff, but the video limits often forced you to be creative in how to present your material. It’s easy to run off and talk about a game for hours on end, going into the history of this, this, and that… but to me, a review has always been and quite frankly, should always be about “What’s the product, what are the good points, what are the bad points, and who does this appeal to?”

In terms of that particular scope, it should not take you more than ten to fifteen minutes tops to get those points across. You don’t need an two hour essay to determine whether Mega Man 2 is a good game; that’s being overly superfluous. Hell, even in terms of covering something bigger like an RPG, a straightforward review does not need to be hours on end. Context can be helpful, but all I care about is whether something is worth my investment or not and why. When you had a runtime limit, that forced you to be creative and more cohesive in your thoughts. It forced you to determine what the key points were that people needed to know about something.

That’s something I try to maintain. I don’t dwell into every detail. I try to hit the points that seem relevant, I keep my thoughts as brief as possible – or at least, try to – and I try to keep it short. That’s always been my thing.

So nowadays, I write this stuff on the side. I have a lot of things written and sometimes, I give it space and leave it laying for a bit before going back to it and seeing if there’s anything that needs to be updated. I’ve had reviews that started one way and turned into another. The Symphony Of The Night review – which languished for years – became a thing that was different from its original inception, which was much simpler and much shorter… but apparently, I had a lot to say about that one.

And so, as we dive deeper into this review recycle, there may come a point where earlier reviews are revisited and we might give some of these things another look… sometimes, you revisit things that you thought were bad and years later, you’re like “Maybe I was too hard on this.” Or maybe it’s vice-versa.

Yeah, it’s usually vice-versa.

There’s an idea I’ve been toying with for the October set of reviews – a possible revisit of the Castlevania games, with some added perspective and experience tossed in for good measure. If it doesn’t happen this year, it might be next year. I’m using the time off that isn’t spent dealing with healing and family stuff to get some stuff together for the sake of having stuff ready to go in the event that another episode happens, so at least, there’s SOMETHING going on.

But on a whole… yeah, I’ve been feeling a bit better these days. The struggle continues, but one step at a time.

And on a final note… happy birthday, Dwayne. Go fuck yourself.

Later.

A Personal Request

To anyone who is subscribed to the WWE Youtube channel, I want you to do me a big favor.

If, at any point, WWE decides to upload the entirety of Triple H’s Hall Of Fame induction speech on their Youtube channel, do me a favor and send me a link. That way, if I ever have trouble falling asleep, I’ll know where to look.

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Easter Musings And Other Updates

First off, a happy Easter to those who celebrate. I’ve just finished my morning doses and I’m prepping for a turkey dinner with the family later in the day that has me a bit anxious, but… we’ll see how that goes.

For the moment, I’ve been feeling fine. I’ve been largely experimenting with what I can and cannot eat, mostly in terms of what gives me bad bowel movements and what does not. For the most part, I haven’t had the serious pains or bouts of diarrhea that had been a thing for the past few months, but I’m not ruling out that possibility. What I’ve got is a temporary fix that can get my life back on track… and yet sometimes, I wonder if it’s actually worth the effort.

Forget that last part. I’m thinking the quiet part loud there.

Beyond that, not much else going on. I’ve managed to finish rendering a couple video reviews that should be going up some time this week. I’m also uploading an old review from years ago that somehow never made it to the Youtube channel for some reason, so those folks are getting a bit of a bonus. There’s even a brand-spanking new edit of another old review that really, really needed it.

I was planning on watching Wrestlemania 41 Part 2 later tonight, but considering that Part 1 was largely a slog to sit through, I’m debating whether I should hold off until Monday morning, since I’m going to be off for the next couple weeks to recover from my recent episode. In any event, there will be a new Ramblemania this coming Wednesday and possibly a RAW After Mania musings since that’s also a thing that we do regularly around here.

That’s your Sunday sermon, as it were.

Later.

A Good Friday

Been a couple days since I’ve come home.

I’ve been mostly doing stuff around the house.

I’ve been cuddling my pup that I haven’t seen in over a week.

I’ve got a Dracula Blu-Ray that’s waiting to be played.

And I’ve got gimmicks to play with.

Later today, I step outside to see how that goes.

And then I got a dresser to build.

They call it Good Friday.

I think it applies today.

Hospite Stay 4

The latest Youtube Post…

“Hello there… a quick update of sorts…
Assuming nothing else comes up, I should be heading home sometime this week.
I’m still on the mend and it’ll be a while before things get up and running ’round these parts…
But the worst has come and gone… now begins the healing process.
Will update soon…
Later…”

Yeah, so… a rather uneventful weekend… a few check-ups, a few blood tests, but if nothing else, I’ll be treated externally and should be headed home some time this week.

Someone figured that I wasn’t eating their veg and maybe I shouldn’t be sticking around… can’t say I blame them.

I’ll be perfectly fair here; the staff at the hospital has been nothing but pleasant. Sometimes, they get a bad rap because of a piss-poor excuse for a public health system and yeah, I may have been a bit… reactive in a prior post… but they’ve kept good care of me both physically and mentally, they’ve been largely friendly and helpful, largely complementary, and while I might not always be the easiest patient to deal with, I will never find myself at a point where I would slag on the people working here for being uncaring pricks. They just work for a system that is largely run by uncaring pricks.

 

Hospite Stay 3

I missed a day of posts… I’m sorry.

I’m still in the hospital… they moved me to residence, which means that the danger has largely passed… now comes the process of recovery and… learning to be patient…

That last part has always been the killer for me.

I’ve never been one for patience. It’s something that I tried to have, but it ends up going nowhere. People joke about that Captain America clip from the post-credits of that Spider-Man, about how patience could lead to very little and seems like it’s not worth it… and then you wonder why you’ve waited so long for something so disappointing.

This hits a bit different now… because that’s the feeling I’m having right now.

It’s difficult to take things slow. It’s difficult to just stay in one place and just be calm. It’s difficult to just stay in one place. I try to keep my mind occupied. I’m writing posts for future entries. I’m brushing up on reviews for future videos. I’m doing some work on the blog since I’ve got a laptop. I occasionally open up Super Tetris and play a few rounds of that because I had the foresight to install the DOS version on this Thinkpad thing that somehow hasn’t blown up in my face. I’m putting my mind on getting some stuff done just take my mind off my current situation.

Sometimes, it works.

Sometimes, it doesn’t.

A day at a time… that’s what they tell me.

That’s what I keep telling myself.

Take it slow.

That’s what I need to do right now.

And that’s the problem.

…

We’ll see about posting something more pleasant tomorrow.

Right now?

I’m just not feeling it.

Later.

Hospite Stay 2

Posted this on the Youtube page:

“Hello there.

Writing this post from a hospital bed due to some health concerns becoming… well, more of a concern to the point where it can be a danger. At the moment, I’m getting treated. I’m doing some tests. I might need some work done. I don’t know how long I’m going to be MIA, but I’m hoping that things will work out for the best.

In the meantime, I’ve got a laptop that I can use to whip some stuff together. Obviously no new videos for the moment because it’s a crappy Thinkpad I bought off Amazon that’s about to be unsupported, but I can put together some notes for future stuff that I can put together once I get home. Hopefully, I’ll come out of this better than ever and we can continue this thing where we left off… as soon as I figure out where we left off.

I’ll see about doing more of these posts along the way, though if not, I’ll see about putting up something to tell the whole story of sorts. But I’ll leave you with some wisdom; if something doesn’t feel right, get it checked out before it’s too late. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way.

Until next time, take care, be safe, and good night.

Regards,
Dave (DTM)”

So here’s the blog-exclusive stuff;

After a rough night of no sleep, I’ve got a couple tests done, I’ve got a few treatments to keep things going, blood tests have been going well, I’ve been fed, I’ve ordered a bunch of stuff off Amazon for a family member who needed stuff as well as a couple things for myself, and also, as mentioned in the bit above, been putting together some stuff for upcoming videos as well as stuff for the blog.

Obviously, considering there’s been some stuff about Switch 2 being posted, my spirits have gotten a bit higher than they were the first day. Like I said, I’m not one who takes this sort of thing with any sort of good spirits. I can be a miserable asshole at the worst of times and this was, indeed, the worst of times. Fortunately, my sour mood has mostly been directed at people I know rather than the hospital staff, who have been nothing but helpful in making me feel like… I’m not actually miserable.

Except for the doctors who come by and tell you the bad news… that’s when I start getting stressed out and then they wonder why my heart rate starts jumping up… probably because these assholes are giving me news that I’m not going to react positively to. Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to figure out.

Anyway, the mend continues… we’ll see how things turn out.

In the meantime… take care.

Hospite Stay 1

Hello, folks.

I am currently writing this post from an emergency room.

I may as well bare it all… so this past weekend, I’ve having some issues breathing and it got to a point where I had no choice but to get myself admitted to a hospital. Turns out that I have some clots in my lungs and those need to be cleared out. Also, at the same time, I’m also getting my Crohn’s checked out.

I’m not going to lie… I’m scared shitless here… and despite assurances that all is going to be alright and there will be treatment to take care of this stuff, I can’t help but feel a bit helpless in this situation. I’ve never dealt with these situations all that well, either when a family member is suffering or whether I’m the one in this situation. I’ve never had an extended hospital stay. The situation didn’t just scare me, it angered me. I feel trapped. I’m not going to have a pleasant time here.

None of this is because of the staff. They’ve been helpful, some of them even speak English (thank fuck for small favors), and I’ve got a few things to keep me relatively sane. I can only hate myself for being in this position.

Obviously, who knows what this means for future material. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here. I’m hoping it’ll be sooner than later… but then that would be a fool’s hope.

I don’t know. WIsh me luck. Spare me a prayer.

Or maybe send me cyanide. That might help.

Will get in touch soon.

All the best,
Dave

An Epiphany Of Sorts…

For those who don’t know, I have a question gimmick on the sidebar of the blog where you can write a question and I would attempt to use it as fodder for this blog. It used to be a thing that would fuel the old DTM-Cast audio program when I was still doing those, but now it just sits there… unloved and untouched.

Or so I thought.

Some time ago, I got a message from someone asking if I actually got around to sitting down to watch that Section 31 movie… and the answer would, of course, be no. In fact, I had not thought about that movie until this post came along. And so, I gave the question a little more thought and you want to know what popped up in my mind?

Leonard Part 6.

For those who don’t know, Leonard Part 6 is an old movie starring Bill Cosby as a retired CIA agent who has to save the world from an evil plot or something. It is generally considered to be one of the worst movies ever and, up until his recent indiscretions came to light, an otherwise huge blight on the career of Bill Cosby. Why I was thinking about Leonard Part 6 over a question about Section 31… I couldn’t even begin to tell you.

But then something else came to mind… a thought occurred that I didn’t think was possible, but when it did, I was both pleasantly surprised and horrified at the idea. The fact that I gave this thought consideration and didn’t immediately push it aside made this even more disturbing.

See, it just occurred to me that while I am in no hurry to watch Section 31 – which would require a subscription to Paramount+, which I do not have – I do have a mild curiosity regarding Leonard Part 6… dare I say, I’m actually curious to see how bad that movie really is. Never mind the fact that even during his beloved period – yeah, I know, such a thought is impossible to process these days – I was never the biggest Bill Cosby fan. I didn’t dislike the fellow; he just wasn’t my cup of Jello.

Jello, I’m so sorry.

So yes, what I’m trying to say here is…

I would rather watch Leonard Part 6 than Star Trek: Section 31.

Now if only I can find a cheap copy somewhere so that I don’t feel entirely dirty…